Alternate Witch Ascendancy

Abyssal Lich

Abyssal Lich replaces part of the Lich tree with Abyssal Apparition, self-directed Offerings, Umbral Souls, and Physical corpse explosions.

The Well of Souls is yours to command.

Character class: Witch
Path type: Alternate
Introduced: 0.3.0
Maximum points: 8

Ascendancy treeOfficial export 0.5.2

Wiki reviewGame 0.5.4d

Tree identities, effects, connections, and icons come from the official 0.5.2 export. The class corpus was checked 2026-07-30 for game version 0.5.4d.

Gameplay identity

Current official tree

Core mechanics

Steward of Kulemak consumes Power Charges to trigger Abyssal Apparition from damaging Spells.
Unwilling Offering applies Offerings to the character instead of Minions, while Umbral Well turns would-be Skeletal Minions into Umbral Souls.

Important tradeoff

It retains the Lich Energy Shield and Mana tradeoffs, including damage bypassing Energy Shield and the loss of inherent Mana regeneration from Soulless Form.

Alternate form ofLich

This path keeps the Lich tree layout and replaces the named passives shown in the table.

How to unlock or change

Alternate path

Ascend as a Lich, use Kulemak's Invitation at the Well of Souls, defeat the Vessel of Kulemak, then choose to embrace Abyssal power in the Black Cathedral.

How to become an Abyssal Lich How to change regular Ascendancy first

Ascendancy passive tree

Official export 0.5.2 | Plan this Ascendancy

9notables

9minor passives

0choice options

1granted skills

Notables and choices

Build-defining passives, choice parents, and their selectable options.

Passive	Exact effect	Requires	Unlocks
Notable socketCrystalline Phylactery	Can Socket a non-Unique Basic Jewel into the Phylactery 100% increased Effect of bonuses gained from Socketed Jewel 50% more Mana Cost of Skills if you have no Energy Shield	Energy Shield	End of branch
NotableEldritch Empowerment	Sacrificing Energy Shield does not interrupt Recharge Sacrifice 5% of maximum Energy Shield when you Cast a Spell Spells for which this Sacrifice was fully made deal 30% more Damage	Energy Shield	End of branch
NotableEternal Life	Your Life cannot change while you have Energy Shield	Life	End of branch
NotableIncessant Cacophony	Curses you inflict have infinite Duration You can apply an additional Curse	Curse Area	End of branch
NotableRupture the Flesh Replaces Rupture the Soul	Cursed Enemies Killed by you, or by Allies in your Presence, have a 33% chance to Explode, dealing a quarter of their maximum Life as Physical Damage	Curse Area	Curse Area
NotableSoulless Form	10% of Damage taken bypasses Energy Shield No inherent Mana Regeneration Regenerate Mana equal to 6% of maximum Life per second	Life	Life
NotableSteward of Kulemak Replaces Price of Power	Damaging Spells consume a Power Charge if able to trigger Abyssal Apparition Grants Skill: Abyssal Apparition	Energy Shield if Consumed Power Charge	End of branch
NotableUmbral Well Replaces Necromantic Conduit	Skeletal Minions you would create instead grant you Umbral Souls for each Minion you would have created	Minion Reservation Efficiency	Minion Duration
NotableUnwilling Offering Replaces Blackened Heart	Your Offerings can target Enemies in Culling range Your Offerings affect you instead of your Minions Offerings created by Culling Enemies have 1% increased Effect per Power of Culled Enemy	Minion Duration	End of branch

Minor passives

Every connecting passive in the current official tree export.

Passive	Exact effect	Requires	Unlocks
MinorCurse Area Replaces Curse Area	15% increased Area of Effect of Curses	Rupture the Flesh	Incessant Cacophony
MinorCurse Area Replaces Curse Area	15% increased Area of Effect of Curses	Ascendancy start	Rupture the Flesh
MinorEnergy Shield Replaces Energy Shield	20% increased maximum Energy Shield	Ascendancy start	Eldritch Empowerment
MinorEnergy Shield Replaces Energy Shield	20% increased maximum Energy Shield	Ascendancy start	Crystalline Phylactery
MinorEnergy Shield if Consumed Power Charge Replaces Energy Shield if Consumed Power Charge	30% increased maximum Energy Shield if you've consumed a Power Charge Recently	Ascendancy start	Steward of Kulemak
MinorLife Replaces Life	3% increased maximum Life	Ascendancy start	Soulless Form
MinorLife Replaces Life	3% increased maximum Life	Soulless Form	Eternal Life
MinorMinion Duration Replaces Mana	15% increased Minion Duration	Umbral Well	Unwilling Offering
MinorMinion Reservation Efficiency Replaces Mana	6% increased Reservation Efficiency of Minion Skills	Ascendancy start	Umbral Well

Granted skills

Granted by Steward of Kulemak

Abyssal Apparition

Other Witch Ascendancies

Infernalist Blood Mage Lich Abyssal Lich

Guides using this page

AscendancyHow to choose a class and Ascendancy

Compare all eight classes by starting attributes, passive-tree position, associated combat style, and all 23 current Ascendancy choices.

AscendancyHow to become an Abyssal Lich

Start as a Witch who has already become a Lich, obtain Kulemak's Invitation, defeat the full-power Vessel of Kulemak, and embrace Abyssal power in the Black Cathedral.

Related mechanics

MechanicAbyss

Abyss is a fissure encounter found from Act 2 onward and in maps. Follow the moving fissure, defeat the monsters linked to it, close each pit, and claim the reward at the end of the chain.

MechanicSacrifice

Sacrifice removes a stated amount of Life, Mana, Energy Shield, Runic Ward, or another named resource to produce an effect. The loss is not damage and the sacrificed amount is not part of a skill's cost.

Guides using this page

AscendancyHow to choose a class and Ascendancy

Compare all eight classes by starting attributes, passive-tree position, associated combat style, and all 23 current Ascendancy choices.

AscendancyTrial of the Sekhemas guide

Enter with a Barya, protect Honour, choose a route through each floor, use Relics and Sacred Water, defeat the scheduled boss, and claim the eligible Ascendancy reward.

AscendancyTrial of Chaos guide

Enter with an Inscribed Ultimatum, complete rooms while accumulating trial modifiers, defeat the scheduled bosses, and claim rewards or Ascendancy points from the completed tier.

AscendancyHow to change Ascendancy

Complete a suitable Ascension Trial, refund every allocated Ascendancy point beside the Ascension device, and choose another regular Ascendancy for the same character class.

BasicsHow to Get More Support Gem Sockets

Increase a Skill Gem from two to five Support sockets, understand item-granted and passive-granted skill breakpoints, and decide whether to risk corruption for a sixth socket.