You must already be a Lich. Bring Kulemak's Invitation to the Well of Souls, choose Jump In, and clear the Black Cathedral. Continue the Vessel of Kulemak encounter through all three Lich empowerments, Return the Finger, and defeat its full-power form. Interact with the urn marked Embrace Abyssal Power to switch from Lich to Abyssal Lich.
- A Witch character already ascended as a Lich.
- The Well of Souls unlocked in Act 2.
- Kulemak's Invitation, obtained from an Abyssal boss or another player in a trade league.
- A build prepared for the complete Vessel of Kulemak encounter, not only its first form.
Abyssal Lich is an alternate form of the Witch's Lich Ascendancy. A Witch using Infernalist or Blood Mage cannot select Abyssal Lich directly at an Ascension device. Change to Lich through the regular Ascendancy process before spending the Invitation.
- The character class is Witch.
- The Ascendancy shown on the character is Lich.
- The intended Abyssal Lich passives fit the current point total and build.
MechanicFollow the complete Abyss progression from the campaign encounter to Kulemak.
AscendancyReview the regular Witch Ascendancy required for this unlock.
GuideChange another regular Witch Ascendancy to Lich first.
AscendancyCompare the replacement passives before starting.
Kulemak's Invitation is a Map Fragment that drops from Abyssal bosses. In a trade league it can also be acquired from another player. Keep it in the character's inventory when travelling to the Well of Souls because it is not activated from the Map Device.
- The item is Kulemak's Invitation, not another Abyss fragment or quest item.
- The Invitation is in the inventory of the Lich character that will enter.
- The Well of Souls is already accessible from its Act 2 waypoint.
Map FragmentOpen the item page, acquisition sources, and access relationship.
AreaUse the Invitation at this Act 2 location.
Travel to the Well of Souls with the Invitation in your inventory and interact with the well. Choose Jump In to consume access and enter the Black Cathedral. Clear the area until you reach the Vessel of Kulemak arena.
- Jump In is available at the well before entering.
- The destination is the Black Cathedral.
- Do not leave the encounter area after entry unless you are prepared to spend another Invitation.
AreaCheck its waypoint, connections, and access item.
AreaFollow the encounter area to the pinnacle boss.
Map FragmentConfirm the item used to open the route.
Do not end the encounter after an early victory. Choose Steal a Lich's Power for each of the three petrified Liches, defeating the revived Vessel after every empowerment. When the option changes, Return the Finger and defeat the final full-power Vessel of Kulemak.
- All three Lich empowerments have been used.
- Return the Finger was chosen instead of ending the encounter early.
- The full-power final form has been defeated.
BossReview the repeated empowerment sequence, final form, and drops.
After the full-power boss dies, interact with the urn displaying Embrace Abyssal Power. Confirm the choice to switch from Lich to Abyssal Lich. Allocated positions remain in place, but the named Lich passives at replaced positions become their Abyssal Lich versions.
- The urn appears after the final boss defeat.
- The confirmation names Abyssal Lich.
- Open the Ascendancy tree and verify every replaced passive before continuing the build.
AscendancyReview every current passive and replacement relationship.
ToolCheck the resulting tree and connected path.
Only an existing Lich can unlock itAbyssal Lich is not a fourth regular Witch choice. Infernalist and Blood Mage characters must first use the normal Ascendancy change process to become a Lich.
Do not end the boss encounter earlyThe unlock route requires the full-power Vessel. Choosing the early reward path instead of completing all empowerments can end the encounter without presenting the Abyssal Lich choice.
Leaving consumes the attemptThe encounter can be retried while its area remains available, but leaving the area can remove access and require another Kulemak's Invitation.
AscendancyReview every current passive and replacement relationship.
Map FragmentConfirm the item used to open the route.
BossReview the repeated empowerment sequence, final form, and drops.
GuideChange another regular Witch Ascendancy to Lich first.
MechanicFollow the complete Abyss progression from the campaign encounter to Kulemak.
AscendancyReview the regular Witch Ascendancy required for this unlock.
AreaCheck its waypoint, connections, and access item.
AreaFollow the encounter area to the pinnacle boss.
ToolCheck the resulting tree and connected path.
