Oathbound Relics: The Burden
The hardcore path: the Oath, Branded Progress, the six Titan's Remnants, the four Sin Weapons, Aredrite armor and the Rite of Severance.
"You may take it off the shelf. You may not take it back." The Brand
Oathbound Relics is the pack's long game. It is not a side quest. It is a progression path built around cursed relics, dangerous exploration, Titan remnants and weapons that demand something from whoever holds them.
If you want the hardest and most rewarding thing in Arcadia, start here. The chapter is in the Wizards and Spells group.
The Oath
The Oathbound Relic is claimed in Act I. Wearing it makes you Branded. It binds to you permanently and survives death.
| Curses | Blessings |
|---|---|
| Frailty: extra damage taken | Bonus Looting and Fortune |
| Provocation: neutral mobs turn hostile | Much higher XP from kills |
| Shattered Plate: armor is less effective | Higher enchanting power near tables |
| Blood Toll: violence draws a price | Bonus attack speed |
| Living Ember: fire clings longer | Emergency Absorption at low health |
| Soul Fracture: dying leaves part of your soul behind | |
| Wakeful Doom: sleep offers no refuge |
While Branded, enchanting power can pass 30. That gives an enchantment already at its maximum a chance to roll one level higher.
Branded Progress
Progress rises only while you are Branded and actively playing: moving, fighting, mining. Standing still does nothing.
Craft a Branded Time Checker (a book and a Gold Ring) and use it to read your progress.
| Milestone | Reward |
|---|---|
| 10% First Marks | 60 silver, 4 levels |
| 25% The Burden Settles | 2 gold, 6 levels, +1 armor toughness, 3 Void Ashes |
| 50% Halfway Burned | 5 gold, 8 levels, +2 max health, an Oblivion Stone |
| 75% Nearly Yours | 8 gold, 10 levels, +5% attack damage, +1 Attack |
| 99.5% The Burden Has Learned You | 2 crystal coins, 15 levels, +4 max health, +5% speed, +2 Attack, an Oblivion Stone |
99.5% is the gate for the Sin Weapons, the Apex stage of every remnant, and Brandkeeper's Mercy.
The rings
| Ring | Armor | Recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Ring | +1 | A gold ingot ringed by four gold nuggets |
| Cyan Ring | +2 | Prismarine shard, two diamonds, an Oblivion Stone, and a Gold Ring |
| Nebula Ring | +3, plus a ring slot | Two amethyst shards, an ender pearl, an Oblivion Stone, and a Cyan Ring |
The Oblivion Stone is the core rare material. The Wither, Warden, Ender Dragon and Elder Guardian each have a 50% chance to drop one. Your Act V rematches are the farm.
The Titan's Remnants
Six relics, six stages each: Dormant, Latent, Awakened, Ascended, Transcendent, Apex.
| Stage | Catalyst | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Dormant to Latent | Oblivion Stone | Any mortal |
| Latent to Awakened | Void Ashes | Any mortal |
| Awakened to Ascended | Mirrorsteel Idol | Must wear the Oathbound Relic |
| Ascended to Transcendent | Nether Star | Must wear the Oathbound Relic |
| Transcendent to Apex | Soul Gem | Needs 99.5% Branded attunement |
To upgrade, hold the remnant in your main hand and the catalyst in your offhand, then use it.
| Remnant | Source | Apex perk from the quests |
|---|---|---|
| Colossus Heart | The Wither (guaranteed) | +2 armor |
| Ember Seed | The Ender Dragon (guaranteed) | +8% attack damage |
| Tide Pearl | The Elder Guardian (guaranteed) | +2 oxygen |
| Nebula Lens | The Warden (guaranteed) | +5% movement speed |
| Skybrand Feather | Phantoms (10% drop) | +3 safe fall distance |
| Void Pearl | Shulkers (5% drop) | +2 armor toughness |
Shulkers also drop 4 to 7 Void Ashes each, so a Shulker farm supplies your Sin Weapons.
The Soul Lantern
The Soul Lantern makes Soul Gems. Each use removes 1 point of your permanent max health. Six Apex remnants means six points spent. The Rite of Severance altar needs two more.
The Branded milestones give back up to 6 max health. The Brand pays for what the Lantern takes, but only in power.
The Four Sins
| Weapon | Idol | Tablet |
|---|---|---|
| Sloth: Lethargic Greatsword | Burdened Flail Idol | Tablet of Stillness |
| Pride: Vanity's Edge | Mirrorsteel Idol | Tablet of Exaltation |
| Envy: Covetfang | Hollow Fang Idol | Tablet of Coveting |
| Wrath: Ruinwake | Grudgebound Idol | Tablet of Vengeance |
Each forge needs five Void Ashes, a Nebula Ring, the Tablet and the Idol, and you must have reached 99.5% Branded attunement.
| Weapon | What it does |
|---|---|
| Sloth | Every failed hit stacks Laziness. Shift plus left click sweeps; right click throws a heavy cube. You move slower and get hungrier. |
| Pride | Gains damage while you are above half health. Non-kill hits cost health. Nearby allies suffer Pride Suppression. |
| Envy | Claims a Coveted Target. Killing it steals vitality, armor, speed or ferocity. Failures wound you. |
| Wrath | Damage builds Grudge up to five. Right click releases a soul-flame shockwave. If it kills nothing, it wounds you. |
The advancements Forbidden Implements, All Three Sins and The Fourth Wound mark your progress. Act VII already hands you Ruinwake, which is not the same as having earned the rest.
Aredrite armor
Aredrite Ore generates only in the End. Mine it with a diamond pickaxe or better. Each piece uses gems and one Oblivion Stone: helmet 5 gems, chestplate 8, leggings 7, boots 4.
| Pieces | Set bonus |
|---|---|
| 2 | Witnessed: hostiles nearby make the armor harden |
| 3 | Hollow Pressure: with three or more hostiles near, they are slowed and weakened while you regenerate |
| 4 | Last Horizon: while Branded, a lethal blow is denied and you get a survival burst (long cooldown) |
The Rite of Severance
The way out. The altar destroys the Oathbound Relic and leaves only ash.
- Recipe: crying obsidian and stone bricks around two Soul Gems and an Oblivion Stone.
- To begin: wear the Relic. The altar needs 1 Oblivion Stone, 4 Echo Shards, 4 Crying Obsidian and 16 Soul Soil.
- When and how: night or the End only. Stay within 7 blocks for 60 seconds while the curses are forced back through you. Fleeing, dying or losing the Relic fails the Rite.
This ends your Branded path. Everything you built stays yours.
The Reliquary Hall
Twenty relics: 4 bound curios, 10 free-bound relics and 6 bearer curios. Most turn up in loot first.
| Where to look | What you may find |
|---|---|
| Ancient Cities, jungle temples | Hollow Eye, Shroud of the Forsaken, Eye of the Sleepless Witness, tablets |
| Stronghold libraries | Censer of Hollow Prayer, Oathbound Reliquary |
| Bastions and the Nether | Ash, judgement, penance and last-breath relics |
| End Cities, ominous Trial Chambers | Brandkeeper's Mercy |
| Desert and Trail ruins | Lighter charms |
The finale: The Burden Borne
Six remnants at Apex, four Sin Weapons, the full Aredrite set and all twenty relics.
Reward: 5 crystal coins, 30 gold, 30 XP levels, a Crystal Crate, +2 Attack, Defense and Magic, +4 max health, +10% attack damage, 2 Heart Containers and 3 Legendary Ink.
Tips
- Do the Oath early. Branded Progress only counts time under the Oath, so every hour you delay is an hour lost.
- Stock Oblivion Stones. Almost everything spends one.
- Read the Soul Gem quest twice before you touch the Lantern.
- See The Acts for the Wither, Warden, Dragon and Elder Guardian, your Oblivion Stone farm.