You're deep in the Trial of the Sekhemas. Your Honour is flagging, your palms are sweating, and you've managed to pick up a nasty affliction that's making every trap feel like a death sentence. Then, you see it on the map: a room promising a Shrine that bestows the Fickle Blessings of the Wind.
Honestly? It's the best sight you'll see in all of Act 2.
Most people treat the Trial like a stressful slog they just need to finish to get their Ascendancy points. But if you actually want to survive the four floors and take down Zarokh, you need to know which rooms are "maybe" and which rooms are "must-take." The Fickle Blessings of the Wind isn't just a buff; it’s a full-on reset button for a run that’s gone south.
What is the Fickle Blessings of the Wind?
Basically, it's a Maraketh Shrine found exclusively within the Trial of the Sekhemas. Unlike standard Honour shrines that just give you a little pep back in your step, this one is a triple threat.
When you find the room—which can appear on any floor—you’ll have to fight through a gauntlet or a trial (usually a find-the-exit style challenge). At the end, you'll find the altar. You spend five Sacred Water, and it triggers three distinct effects:
✨ Don't miss: Appropriate for All Gamers NYT: The Real Story Behind the Most Famous Crossword Clue
- Restores a chunk of your Honour: If you've been clipped by too many arrows or hit by those annoying urn-throwing guys, this is your lifeline.
- Cleanses a random Affliction: This is the big one. It removes one of those debuffs that's been bricking your build.
- Grants a random Boon: You get a buff for the rest of the run.
It’s called "fickle" because, well, you don't get to choose which affliction goes or which boon arrives. You might lose a minor annoyance but keep a run-ending debuff. Still, the odds are almost always in your favor.
Why You Should Never Skip This Room
In Path of Exile 2, the Trial of the Sekhemas is all about resource management. You aren't just managing life and mana; you're managing Honour. Once that bar hits zero, the run is over. No portals, no second chances, just a long walk back to the Relic Altar.
I've seen players avoid these rooms because they're worried about the "Fickle" tag. Don't. Unless the path to the room forces you into a "Death Toll" affliction or something equally horrifying, you take this every time.
Think about the math. A standard Merchant room requires you to have a hoard of Sacred Water just to buy a boon. A standard Shrine just fixes your Honour. This room does both and fixes your mistakes (the afflictions) for the flat cost of 5 Water.
🔗 Read more: Stuck on the Connections hint June 13? Here is how to solve it without losing your mind
The Reality of the "Fickle" RNG
Is it actually fickle? Sorta.
The name implies there might be a downside, but in the current state of the game, players haven't found a "hidden" negative. The fickleness purely refers to the randomness of the selection.
There's a common misconception that it can give you an affliction. It doesn't. It only removes them. However, there's a weird bug some people have reported where they click the shrine and get a random boon/affliction pair instead—likely because they confused it with a Pledge to Kochai. A real Fickle Blessings of the Wind shrine is strictly a net positive.
Strategic Timing
If you see this room on Floor 1, it’s actually less valuable than on Floor 3. Why? Because on Floor 1, you probably don't have any afflictions to cleanse yet. You’re essentially paying 5 Water for a random boon and some Honour.
💡 You might also like: GTA Vice City Cheat Switch: How to Make the Definitive Edition Actually Fun
On Floor 3 or 4, though? That's when the run gets heavy. You’ve likely picked up "Monsters remove 5% HP on hit" or "Reduced Movement Speed." Clearing one of those can be the difference between a successful Ascendancy and a total failure.
How to Maximize Your Run Around This Shrine
If you’re planning to hunt for these shrines, you need to prepare before you even enter the Trial.
- Relic Setup: Use relics that give you "See one additional room ahead." If you can see the Fickle Blessings of the Wind two rooms away, you can path towards it while intentionally taking a "lesser" affliction in a previous room, knowing you have a high chance of scrubbing it off.
- Sacred Water Management: Always keep at least 5 Sacred Water in your inventory. There is nothing more heartbreaking than reaching the Fickle Blessings shrine and realizing you spent all your water at a Merchant on a mediocre "10% damage" boon.
- Honour Resistance: Remember that Honour Resistance (capped at 75%) is more important than raw Honour. The shrine restores a portion of your Honour, meaning if you have a high cap and high resistance, that restoration goes much further.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Trial
Don't overthink the "Fickle" part. Treat it as a "Radiant Fountain" on steroids.
- Priority One: Always path to this room if you have an affliction that prevents you from seeing the map or rewards.
- Don't Panic: If you have zero afflictions, it’s still worth it for the random boon. Some boons, like the one that makes you and your minions deal 50% more damage, are run-winners.
- Check the Name: Make sure it says "Fickle Blessings of the Wind" and not "Pledge." Pledges involve a trade-off. This shrine does not.
Next time you’re staring at the Trial map, look for that wind icon. It’s the closest thing to a "Get Out of Jail Free" card you’re going to get in the Maraketh desert.
To get the most out of your run, make sure your Relic Altar is filled with Honour Resistance and Maximum Honour relics before you start. This ensures that when the Fickle Blessings shrine restores your Honour, it's putting you back into a "safe" zone rather than just delaying the inevitable. Focus on learning the movement patterns in the Gauntlet rooms so you can reach the shrine without losing more Honour than it's worth.