Equip Harbinger Needle idols and bank Gazes before Last Epoch gold fighting the Shade.

Defeat the Shade to gain a big corruption boost.

Repeat until Spirits of Fire is at ~800 corruption.

Switch to Age of Winter at 300 corruption. Kill its Shade once to jump straight to ~800 corruption.

Using this method, one strong timeline fuels rapid corruption growth across all others.

Why Push Corruption?

The benefits of corruption are clear:

Unlocks endgame bosses like Uber Aberration.

Grants access to Woven Echoes.
Boosts loot quality, increasing chances of legendaries and valuable uniques.

Accelerates leveling by raising XP gains.

Tests your build's limits, giving long-term replayability.

Final Thoughts

Pushing corruption is at the heart of Last Epoch's endgame. It's not just about making enemies harder-it's a key to unlocking bosses, farming rare loot, and keeping progression exciting. By leveraging stability tricks, banking Gazes of Orobyss, and using timeline catch-up mechanics, you can raise corruption much faster than simply grinding echoes. Having enough cheap Last Epoch gold can also help you increase your corruption very quickly.

Aim for 300–500 corruption for efficient farming, push higher if your build can handle it, and remember you can always lower corruption if things get overwhelming. Mastering these strategies ensures you'll always be progressing, farming smarter, and getting the most out of Last Epoch's endgame.

In Last Epoch, players must eventually choose between two trade-focused factions: the Circle of Fortune or the Merchants Guild. Each offers unique advantages, but if you're interested in player-to-player trade, the Merchants Guild is the obvious choice. Joining this faction grants access to the Bazaar, where items can be bought and sold using Last Epoch gold and a special resource called favor. This guide breaks down how the Merchants Guild works, its progression system, and strategies for making serious gold.

How to Join the Merchants Guild

You'll unlock factions in Chapter 9 of the campaign, specifically in Melka's Upper District during the Divine Era. Speak to Zerich, the NPC who introduces you to faction choices. Once you accept, you'll be directed to the Bazaar.

Inside the Bazaar, talk to the NPC nicknamed the "loot lizard," and confirm your choice. After this, you're officially a member of the Merchants Guild and can begin trading.

Merchants Guild Ranks

Progressing through the Merchants Guild is tied to ranks. There are 12 in total, each unlocking new categories of items that can be bought from vendors.

Rank 1 – Sell basic items

Rank 2 – Buy set items

Rank 3 – Buy specific uniques

Rank 4 – Buy idols

Rank 5 – Buy exalted weapons & off-hands

Rank 6 – Buy exalted armor

Rank 7 – Buy unique weapons & off-hands

Rank 8 – Buy all exalted items

Rank 9 – Buy all uniques (major milestone)

Rank 10 – Buy legendary weapons & off-hands

Rank 11 – Buy legendary armor

Rank 12 – Buy all legendary items

Essentially, the higher your rank, the broader the pool of items you can trade for.

Favor: The Guild's Currency

Favor is the lifeblood of the Merchants Guild. Every item in the Bazaar has two costs:

Gold – The seller's listed price.

Favor – A faction resource you spend when purchasing.

Favor prevents abuse of the economy. For example, an exalted body armor might cost 2,200 favor, a set armor piece 480 favor, and a legendary chest 15,000 favor. Without enough favor, you can't make the purchase, even if you have the gold.

This system also blocks market manipulation and flipping: once you buy an item, it's yours permanently-you cannot resell it.

How to Earn and Spend Favor

You earn favor primarily by:

Killing enemies – Rare enemies drop more.

Listing items for sale – Every listing consumes favor, which counts toward your progression.

Purchasing items – Spending favor directly advances your rank.

While enemy kills grant some favor, spending favor is the fastest way to progress. This is why so many Bazaar listings are filled with free uniques-players use them as a method to burn favor and push their guild rank higher.

Leveling the Merchants Guild Quickly

Many new players feel frustrated when progress slows at mid-ranks. The key is to stop relying solely on farming enemies. Instead:

List bulk items – Even worthless uniques help rank you up when posted.

Buy common gear – Set items, idols, or cheap uniques are excellent ways to spend favor and push the bar.

Play consistently – Regular play maxes out favor naturally (up to 999,999).

With this approach, you'll reach the higher ranks much faster than grinding enemies alone.

Making Gold in the Merchants Guild

One of the biggest questions players ask is: How do I get rich in the Merchants Guild? The short answer is knowledge-understanding the economy, the meta, and which items are in high demand.

1. Watch the Meta

When a skill or build becomes popular, its supporting items skyrocket in value. For example, idols granting health plus elemental resistances, or helmets with +4 to Summon Wolf, are worth millions of cheap Last Epoch gold when wolf- or squirrel-based builds dominate the meta.

2. Farm Rare Drops

Boss-specific loot like Apathy's Maw (from Shade of Orobyss) or Nilus' Amulet can sell for massive profits, especially if rolled with multiple Legendary Potential (LP).

3. Target High-Value Categories

Idols – Especially rare combinations such as health + resistances.

T7 affix items – Build-enabling affixes, like Summon Wolf or Summon Wraith.

Weaver's Will gear – Future patches will add even more value here.

4 LP uniques – Instantly worth huge amounts due to rarity.

4. Timing Matters

Selling at the right time can make all the difference. Early in a cycle, when players are scrambling for Last Epoch gold for sale meta builds, prices are inflated. Later on, the same item might be cheap and abundant.