Today, we're diving into one of the most relaxing yet profitable farming strategies I've tested recently-Ultimatum farming POE currency. If you're tired of heavy map investment or endless juice setups and just want a straightforward way to print currency, this method is for you.

Last week, I decided to take Ultimatum farming seriously and see just how profitable it could be with a low-cost setup. Over the course of 40 maps, I focused entirely on Ultimatum encounters, tracked every bit of loot in a dedicated stash tab, and calculated the profits. The results? A staggering 70 divine orbs in value from a total investment of just 1.5 divines. Let's break it down.

How Long Did It Take?

Time is always the hidden cost in any farming strategy. On average:

 Each map took 4 minutes to clear.

 Each Ultimatum encounter lasted around 3 minutes.

 For 40 maps, the total time invested was 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Keep this in mind as we analyze profits. With this strategy, you can realistically generate 25-30 divine orbs per hour once you're familiar with the process.

The Passive Tree Setup

My Atlas Passive Tree was fully geared toward maximizing Ultimatum rewards. I ignored most other mechanics since I was running tier 16 white maps with no modifiers-Ultimatum rewards don't scale with map quantity or rarity, so juicing maps would've been pointless.

Key Ultimatum Nodes Taken:

 Brave the Tower: Guarantees a full stack of random catalysts when completing a Trialmaster fight.

 Worthy of the Present: Inscribed Ultimatums found in maps have a 50% chance to increase currency rewards, which significantly boosts the chance of divine orb rewards.

 Survive Nodes: I invested in nodes that reduce survival duration and increase area size, making "Survive" encounters faster and easier.

 Prove Yourself Worthy Wheel: Upgrades Ultimatum modifiers by one tier and gives a chance to duplicate rewards.

 Stand Your Ground: Each round has reduced radius but counts as completing an additional round, which drastically improves rewards.

Because my build can AFK through Ultimatum waves, I opted for the "Survive" encounters whenever possible. These are fixed-time events-no chasing mobs, no protecting altars-just stand still and wait for the loot to flow.

Map and Scarab Choices

For maps, I kept things simple:

 White Tier 16 City Square maps.

 Chosen for its open layout and quick navigation. Other good layouts include Jungle Valley, Dunes, or Mesa.

Scarabs Used:

1.Ultimatum Scarab (Base): To guarantee Ultimatum encounters.

2.Ultimatum Scarab of Bribing (x2): Grants 2 extra rounds per encounter, leading to better loot.

3.Ultimatum Scarab of Dueling: Ensures the 10th round always spawns a unique boss, which guarantees a full stack of catalysts and a unique ring with a random catalyst.

4.Ultimatum Scarab of Inscription: Converts catalyst rewards into Inscribed Ultimatums, which have the chance to yield huge currency payoffs (e.g., doubling divines or chaos).

The Loot: Catalysts and Currency

Here's the breakdown of the catalysts obtained from 40 maps:

 Attributes Catalyst: 90 total.

 Tainted Catalyst: 187 total (these alone sell for a fortune).

 Prismatic Catalyst: 30 total (highly valuable in trade leagues).

 Other Catalysts: ~30 of various types.

The Ultimatum nodes guaranteeing catalyst stacks combined with the Dueling Scarab ensured consistent, repeatable drops. Even without big-ticket items, this would have been profitable.

Big Ticket Drops

This run wasn't just about catalysts. I hit a few lucky drops that spiked my profits:

 Glimpse of Chaos (Helmet): Rolled with the "Nearby Enemies have Malediction" implicit, valued at 10 divine orbs by itself.

 Divine Orbs: 11 divines dropped directly from Ultimatum rewards. In some cases, I got double divines thanks to duplication effects.

Inscribed Ultimatums

A huge part of the profit came from Inscribed Ultimatums, especially the ones that involve sacrificing currency for double rewards:

 230 Chaos Inscribed Ultimatums-roughly 1 divine orb in total value.

 26 Exalted Inscribed Ultimatums-about 3 divines.

 15 Divine Inscribed Ultimatums-worth approximately 15 divines by themselves.

Some of these Ultimatums were incredibly rewarding. For example, I got one encounter offering 8 divines for surviving waves of enemies. These divine-doubling events alone made the strategy worthwhile.

Profit Calculation

To get a precise measure of profitability, I used Wealthy Exile to price-check my tab. Here's the summary:

 Total Catalyst Value: ~40 divines.

 Glimpse of Chaos Helmet: 10 divines.

 Divine & Exalted Inscribed Ultimatums: 15 divines (minimum).

 Chaos and other small Inscribed Ultimatums: ~4 divines.Grand Total: ~69-70 divines.

Total Investment:

 40 Ultimatum Scarabs: 10c each = 400c (~1 divine).

 Bribing Scarabs (x80): ~48c total.

 Dueling Scarabs (x40): ~200c total.

 Inscription Scarabs (x40): ~33c total.

 Grand Total Investment: ~1.5 divine orbs.

This means I turned 1.5 divines into 70 divines in less than 3 hours. That's over 45x profit.

Why This Strategy Works

Ultimatum doesn't scale with typical map juicing methods. It doesn't matter if your map has 50% quantity or if you're running multiple sextants-Ultimatum rewards are mostly independent of map modifiers. The only real variables are:

 How many rounds you complete.

 Which Ultimatum nodes and scarabs you use.

 How fast you can complete encounters.

With the right setup, you can turn Ultimatum into a reliable and repeatable profit source without worrying about volatile loot tables.

Tips for Success

1.Use a Tanky, AFK-Capable Build: Ultimatum throws everything at you. Builds like RF Juggernaut or Totem Hierophant excel here.

2.Prioritize "Survive" Encounters: These are fixed duration and don't require active play.

3.Stack Bribing Scarabs: Extra rounds = extra loot.

4.Convert Catalysts to Inscribed Ultimatums: The currency potential is far higher.

5.Keep Maps Simple: White Tier 16 maps are cheap and perfectly viable.

Final Thoughts

Ultimatum farming has always had a reputation for being risky, but with the right atlas setup and scarab combo, it's become one of the easiest low-investment strategies for big profits in Path of Exile. My test run of 40 maps yielded 70 divine orbs from just 1.5 divines invested, which is an insane return on investment by any standard.

Would I recommend it? If your build can handle Ultimatum mods, 100% yes. This is a "set it and forget it" strategy that still delivers competitive profits, even compared to scarab-stacked mapping or boss rushing cheap POE currency.