Path of Exile allows you to shape your character in a variety of different ways depending on the choices you make. It's very easy to go down the wrong path, and depending on the build you're going for, that could mean missing out on some really cool skills or important bonuses. The narrative of the game is not in any way driven by player choices, but there is one particular quest that has the potential to affect the progression of your exile in one of four different ways. This guide will explain the mechanics of Deal with the Bandits, including the choices you can make and the rewards associated with each option.

In Path of Exile, what exactly is the deal with the Bandits?

Path of Exile's Act 2 is the location of the questline known as Deal with the Bandits. Once you have completed the previous quest, Through Sacred Ground, you can begin this one by speaking to Eramir in the Forest Encampment. If you happen to come across any of the three robbers in advance, you can start the mission by speaking with them instead of the others.

The mission's premise is straightforward: Eramir will provide you with information regarding three fugitives, each of whom can be found in a distinct area, and you will be tasked with tracking them down. The catch is that you are free to spare any one of them while murdering the other two, or you can simply carry out what was requested of you and kill all three of them.

The following is a list of the bandits, along with their names and locations:

• The Western Forest is known as Alira

• Kraityn: The Bridge That Is Broken

• The Oak: The Boggy Lands

   

As this is a required quest in the early game of Path of Exile, it is imperative that you are aware of the rewards associated with each choice you make. The quest itself does not specify the rewards.

How Should One Handle the Bandits? What Is the Preferred Option?
As was mentioned earlier, the completion of this quest can result in one of four distinct outcomes, each of which grants a unique reward. Your character could end up receiving a permanent stat boost, but each of these options is distinct from the others and depends on the choices you make. When you get close to a bandit, a menu will pop up on the screen and ask you whether you want to Save or Kill the individual.

You'll find a list of the decisions at the bottom of this page:
Save Alira: 5 mana regenerated per second, +20% to global critical strike multiplier, +15% elemental resistances

Kraityn gains a 3% chance to avoid attacks, a 6% increase in movement speed, and a 6% increase in attack and cast speed if he is saved.

Oak's protection grants a 1% increase in life regeneration per second, a 2% reduction in additional physical damage, and a 20% increase in physical damage.

Kill All Bandits: 2 passive skills
Which of these four paths offers the most compelling progression for your character will depend entirely on your priorities. The reward that Alira offers is best suited for Intelligence-related builds, whereas Kraityn and Oak put more of an emphasis on Dexterity and Strength, respectively. The important thing to keep in mind is that this choice is made in Act 2, which is very early on in the game. It might not be worth the trouble if you don't have a good idea of how your character's resistances or overall stats will look once your build is finished in the late game, because that will determine how effective your build will be.

Choosing only two passive skills, on the other hand, significantly limits the options available to you. On the other hand, these are two additional points that can be spent anywhere along the extensive passive skill tree. The values of the resistances and stat buffs aren't exactly game-changing, and if you're an experienced player, you probably already have gear or passive skills in mind for your build that will showcase results that are comparable to or even better than those offered by the resistances and stat buffs.

It is essential to keep in mind that Path of Exile has a maximum level, which means that your passive skill points will not continue to increase indefinitely. When you take into account the fact that you can also have additional nodes on the skill tree, the prospect of receiving two additional points that give you the option to choose your own stat increases sounds very appealing.

I Really Screwed Up, Is It Too Late to Change the Bandit Choice?
Yes, you can! As is the case with everything else in life, this comes at a cost, the precise nature of which is determined by the choice you wish to revert to. You can buy a Book of Reform by selling any of the following items to a merchant in any of the game's towns. If you do so, you will receive one of those towns' respective books.

• Alira20 Orb of Regret, Lapis Amulet, Book of Reform: These Are Your Rewards

• KraitynOrb of Regret, Jade Amulet, and the Book of Reform both have a value of 20 Oak

• Amber Amulet and 20 Orbs of Regret are included in the Book of Reform

• Kill All BanditsOrb of Regret, Onyx Amulet, and the Twentyth Chapter of the Book of Reform

   

And that wraps up everything you need to know about Deal with the Bandits! During your search for the optimal build for you, you should make sure to keep this guide close at hand.