About midway through Act 3 of Path of Exile 2, players may encounter unique mushrooms as loot drops. These mushrooms are green, indicating their significance for a quest, although the game doesn’t clarify how to utilize them or where to take them.
Fortunately, these mushrooms serve a specific purpose in Path of Exile 2, and you won’t need to venture far to discover their use, leading to rewarding outcomes. However, gathering these mushrooms requires finding several of them, as they are not common drops.
### How to Collect Mushrooms in Path of Exile 2
Mushrooms come in three distinct colors: blue, green, and red, with each color representing different loot drops. When the mushrooms appear, their colors will be visible before you add them to your inventory. The good news is that collecting one color means it will not drop again, increasing your chances of finding the remaining colors.
These mushrooms are exclusive loot drops found in the Apex of Filth region in Act 3, which is necessary for progressing in the main storyline. It has a level requirement of 41, located at the top of the pyramid on the Act 3 map.
Once you reach the Apex of Filth, there are no guaranteed methods to enhance your odds of obtaining mushrooms. They drop randomly from defeating enemies, opening chests, and taking down bosses in the area. While mushrooms can be found on both Normal and Cruel difficulties, players report higher drop rates on Cruel difficulty.
Searching for all three colors of mushrooms in Apex of Filth can be time-consuming; there are no set drop schedules. If you’ve eliminated every enemy and are still missing mushrooms, you can reset the map instance to refresh your chances. To create a new instance, follow these steps:
1. Go to any Waypoint and select the map you want to reset.
2. Click the map’s icon—on a controller, hold A/X, or on a keyboard, press Ctrl + Left Click to access the instance manager.
3. Follow the prompts in the instance manager to create a new instance of the map.
4. This process resets your position to the start of the map, clears any progress, and respawns all enemies and bosses.
Continue resetting the Apex of Filth until you successfully collect one blue, one green, and one red mushroom.
### Utilizing the Mushrooms in Path of Exile 2
After gathering all three mushrooms, your next step is to utilize them. Fortunately, you won’t need to leave the Apex of Filth to discover their purpose.
Locate a small area that contains a cauldron and the Cauldron Keeper NPC nearby a checkpoint, typically positioned off to the side of the map.
Interact with the cauldron, and your character will announce, “Here is everything you need.” After a brief pause, the cauldron will ignite with flames. You may need to click on the cauldron again for the ritual to take effect.
After several seconds, the cauldron interaction text will disappear, and you’ll receive one Mana Flask and one Life Flask as a reward. These flasks are usually substantial and of rare quality. For example, players may receive a Superior Gargantuan Mana Flask and a Life Flask, but results can vary depending on the difficulty level you are playing.
Once you have your flasks, this hidden quest concludes. While there is no need to engage further with the Cauldron Keeper, they do offer some items for sale. Additionally, you can sell unnecessary gear to optimize your inventory space.
