Path of Exile 2 runs a permanent Standard league plus temporary challenge leagues, each in Softcore, Hardcore and Solo Self-Found versions. Every league has its own ladder. On Path of Exile 2 the official ladder data only holds the top 1000 characters per ladder, so most players will not appear on it. Challenge leagues end and new ones start fresh.
This guide explains league types, how the ladder works, what event leagues are and how to check whether you are on the official ladder. It is current as of October 2026, during the Runes of Aldur league and the Forbidden Rites event. For an overview of the game, see the RankSurge Path of Exile 2 hub.
What leagues does Path of Exile 2 have?
A league is a separate game world with its own characters, economy and ladder. Path of Exile 2 has two kinds:
- Standard: the permanent league. Characters there never expire.
- Challenge leagues: temporary leagues tied to a content update, with a new mechanic and fresh characters. Runes of Aldur started with update 0.5.0 on May 29, 2026, per Wikipedia's update history.
The 0.5.0 patch notes confirm that Runes of Aldur comes in Standard, Hardcore and Solo Self-Found variations, and that you can create private league versions. Recent major updates arrived in April 2025 (0.2.0), December 2025 (0.4.0) and May 2026 (0.5.0), per Wikipedia's update history, so the gap between them has varied.
What is the difference between Softcore, Hardcore and SSF?
| Mode | Trading and parties | When you die |
|---|---|---|
| Softcore (trade) | Allowed | You respawn and keep playing in the same league |
| Hardcore (trade) | Allowed | The character leaves Hardcore and continues in the parent Softcore league |
| Solo Self-Found | Disabled | You respawn, but you rely only on your own drops and crafting |
| Hardcore SSF | Disabled | Both rules apply: no trade, and death ends your Hardcore run |
The 0.5.5 patch notes spell out the Hardcore rule for the current event: "if you die in Hardcore Forbidden Rites you can continue on in the Standard Forbidden Rites League." In other words, Hardcore leagues are "parented" to their Softcore version.
SSF is a choice you can undo. Game8's SSF guide says you can move an SSF character to the trade version of its league from the character selection screen, and your progress carries over.
What happens when a league ends?
When a challenge league ends, its characters move to the permanent leagues: Softcore characters to Standard and surviving Hardcore characters to Hardcore, as Game8's SSF guide explains. You do not lose them, but they leave the league ladder they were on.
Leagues can also end at a fixed milestone. The Forbidden Rites FAQ says Runes of Aldur "will be running until the 1.0 full release" and that Forbidden Rites "will end alongside Runes of Aldur." Both end with the December 11, 2026 launch. For what is confirmed about 1.0, read the Path of Exile 2 1.0 release guide.
How does the Path of Exile 2 ladder rank players?
Each league and variant has its own ladder, so Hardcore SSF Runes of Aldur is ranked separately from trade Runes of Aldur. GGG's developer API reference documents what a ladder entry holds:
- Rank, plus flags for dead, retired, ineligible and public characters.
- Character name, class, level and experience.
- Optional account details, such as account name and challenge progress.
The same reference says the default ladder sort is experience or time, depending on the league, and that the sort options are PoE1 only. On a ladder sorted by experience, the character with the most experience ranks first, which is why leveling races decide the top spots.
The key limit for Path of Exile 2: "Each ladder only contains the top 15000 entries for PoE1, or the top 1000 entries for PoE2." Anything beyond rank 1000 is not stored on the official ladder.
What are event leagues like Forbidden Rites?
Event leagues are shorter or special leagues that sit beside the main challenge league. Forbidden Rites is the 0.5.5 event league, released on September 4, 2026, per GGG's event announcement. The 0.5.5 patch notes describe it as having Standard, Hardcore and Solo Self-Found variations, and eight challenges with rewards at 2, 4, 6 and 8 completions. "These challenge rewards are only obtainable in this league."
You need a new character to join an event league. Your Runes of Aldur characters stay where they are, and the 0.5.5 Trial of Chaos changes apply to every league.
How do you find yourself on the official ladder?
- Pick the exact league: choose the league and variant your character plays in, such as Hardcore Forbidden Rites. A character only appears on its own league's ladder.
- Check the top 1000: Path of Exile 2 ladders only hold 1000 entries. If you are below that, you will not appear, even with a high level.
- Look for your account or character name: ladder entries list both.
- Check your status: entries can be marked dead, retired or ineligible, which can explain a missing or greyed out character.
Leveling faster is the only way up an experience ladder. Our Path of Exile 2 leveling guide covers a source-backed campaign plan.
RankSurge ladder lookup: a Path of Exile 2 ladder viewer and opt-in character lookup is planned once Grinding Gear Games approves our API access. We will not scrape the official site. See the Path of Exile 2 hub for updates. RankSurge is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grinding Gear Games in any way.
Frequently asked questions
What is the current Path of Exile 2 league?
As of October 2026 the main challenge league is Runes of Aldur, which started with update 0.5.0 on May 29, 2026. Alongside it runs Forbidden Rites, the 0.5.5 event league that launched on September 4, 2026. Grinding Gear Games says both leagues run until the 1.0 full release on December 11, 2026 and end together. Standard, the permanent league, is always available as well.
What happens to my character when a Path of Exile 2 league ends?
Your character is not deleted. When a challenge league ends, Softcore characters move to Standard and surviving Hardcore characters move to Hardcore. They keep playing in the permanent league, but they leave the league ladder they were ranked on. Characters that died in Hardcore had already moved to the Softcore version of that league. GGG has not yet detailed how the current leagues migrate at the 1.0 launch.
Can I move from SSF to trade in Path of Exile 2?
Yes. You can move a Solo Self-Found character to the trade version of the same league from the character selection screen, and your progress comes with it. For example, an SSF Runes of Aldur character can move to trade Runes of Aldur, but not to a different league. Your SSF stash only comes along if you choose the option to migrate everything, so check that before you confirm the move.
Why am I not on the Path of Exile 2 ladder?
The most common reason is the ladder size. Grinding Gear Games' API reference says Path of Exile 2 ladders only contain the top 1000 entries, so a character below rank 1000 is not listed. Also check that you are viewing the exact league and variant you play in, such as Hardcore SSF, and whether the entry is marked dead, retired or ineligible.
How is the Path of Exile 2 ladder ranked?
GGG's developer reference says the default ladder sort is experience or time, depending on the league, and that custom sort options are PoE1 only. For normal Path of Exile 2 leagues this means characters are ranked by experience, so higher level characters sit at the top. Each ladder entry lists the character's rank, name, class, level and account, with flags for dead or retired characters.