Path of Exile's 3.30 Atlas rework has created an awkward decision for Incursion players before the launch of Covens of Umbra: two Architect upgrade effects that previously existed as separate passives are now locked behind a single multiple-choice node.

The passive is called Power Struggle. Players can choose between an effect triggered by killing a Non-Resident Architect and another triggered by killing a Resident Architect. Both help upgrade Temple rooms, but they do different jobs.

That distinction matters when building a Temple around specific rooms. Sometimes the priority is pushing an existing room toward Tier 3. Other times, replacing an unwanted room without losing its upgrade progress is more important.

A Reddit discussion argues that combining these effects creates unnecessary friction for players who want control over their Temple-building strategy.

There is a counterargument, though. Some players believe the Non-Resident Architect option is strong enough to remain allocated in most situations, making the second choice less useful than it first appears.

The new Royal Visage mechanic adds another interesting angle to this debate. It can make the Non-Resident Architect predictable in certain Incursions, potentially giving that option an even more specific role in 3.30.

What Does Power Struggle Actually Do?

The two choices affect room upgrades in different ways.

The difference is straightforward once you understand how Incursion room changes work.

The Resident Architect controls the room currently occupying that position in the Temple. The Non-Resident Architect represents the alternative room that can replace it.

Under the first option, killing the Non-Resident Architect adds an additional Upgrade Tier to the surviving Architect's room.

Under the second, killing the Resident Architect transfers its Upgrade Tier to the surviving Architect's room.

These effects support two different approaches to Temple building. One focuses on upgrading the room that stays, while the other helps preserve progress when changing the room itself.

The problem is that players can no longer allocate both through the same node.

Why Are Players Complaining About the New Atlas Choice?

The frustration is less about the wording of Power Struggle and more about when players need each effect.

Imagine you are building a Temple around a Tier 3 Locus of Corruption. If the room is already present, you want to upgrade it efficiently. The Non-Resident Architect option is the obvious choice for that situation.

But what if the room you want has not appeared yet?

You may need to replace an unwanted room first. If that room already has an upgrade tier worth preserving, the Resident Architect option could be useful.

The problem becomes apparent when those two situations occur during the same Temple-building process.

A player might prefer the Resident Architect effect while replacing an existing room, then switch back to the Non-Resident Architect effect once the desired room appears and needs further upgrades.

That creates an extra Atlas management step in a mechanic that already requires players to plan their Incursions and room progression.

It is important not to exaggerate the problem, however. The original Reddit discussion includes a correction from its author: players do not necessarily need to waste a map simply to inspect an existing Temple. Alva can show the Temple layout from the hideout in relevant circumstances.

The more important issue is that players still need to decide which Power Struggle option to use before committing to their next map and its Incursion encounters.

Atlas passives are not something players can freely change halfway through an already opened map and expect to affect its existing encounters. That makes the timing of the decision relevant, especially when the map has been prepared with expensive investment.

For players running Incursion repeatedly, even a small amount of extra management can become irritating over a long farming session.

Is the Non-Resident Architect Option Better for Most Players?

This is where the original complaint becomes less straightforward.

Some players in the Reddit discussion argue that the Non-Resident Architect option may simply be the better default.

The reason is that an additional Upgrade Tier can help the surviving room progress faster. When the goal is to build several high-tier rooms, that extra upgrade can be more useful than transferring the tier of a room being replaced.

The Resident Architect option still has a purpose, but its value depends more heavily on the situation.

For example, a player replacing an unwanted room may appreciate carrying its upgrade tier into the new room. However, that does not automatically make the transfer better than receiving an additional Upgrade Tier through the other option.

The distinction is important for players targeting specific Temple rewards. A room that is already present may need a different approach from one that still has to be introduced.

This is why some players are questioning whether the Resident Architect effect is worth putting behind a separate choice at all.

It is too early to call either option universally optimal based only on the discussion. The exact value depends on the room being replaced, the room being targeted, and the upgrade sequence.

Still, if Non-Resident Architect proves to be the more efficient choice in most ordinary situations, Power Struggle could end up feeling less like a meaningful strategic decision and more like a passive that most players leave on one side.

Royal Visage and Xipocado Make the Choice More Interesting

The Royal Visage is one of the most important new details to consider when discussing Incursion in 3.30.

According to GGG's official patch notes, a Royal Visage can be used on a Tier 16 Map to make its Temporal Incursions Alluring. These encounters have increased difficulty and rewards.

More importantly for Power Struggle, the Non-Resident Architect in an Alluring Temporal Incursion will always be Xipocado, Architect to the Queen, if Xipocado is not already in the Temple.

That creates a more predictable situation for players using Royal Visage.

If Xipocado is outside the Temple, the Non-Resident Architect is no longer an unknown room-replacement option in that encounter. Players know which Architect they are facing before deciding how to use the encounter.

With the Non-Resident Architect Power Struggle option allocated, killing Xipocado adds an additional Upgrade Tier to the surviving Architect's room.

This could make the first option particularly relevant to players planning their Temple progression around Alluring Temporal Incursions.

There is an important limitation: the patch notes do not say that Royal Visage automatically creates the Cradle of Creation or guarantees a particular Temple room outcome. It determines the Non-Resident Architect's identity under the stated condition. Players still need to manage their Temple's room progression.

This interaction also makes the choice between the two passives more complicated than a simple comparison of room upgrades. A strategy that uses Royal Visage may value the Non-Resident Architect effect differently from a regular Incursion farming setup.

Why Temple Farming Matters More in PoE 3.30

The timing of this discussion is no coincidence.

Covens of Umbra brings major changes to the Temple of Atzoatl. Atziri moves into the Temple, replacing the Vaal Omnitect, and the former Throne of Atziri becomes the Cradle of Creation.

A Temple containing the Cradle of Creation becomes area level 84 and includes Uber Atziri. GGG also changes several Temple rewards and room modifiers.

The Locus of Corruption, Corruption Chamber and Catalyst of Corruption now provide additional Item Rarity and Pack Size to the Temple. Certain unique items that previously required Vials will instead drop from Temples containing the Cradle of Creation.

The Altar of Corruption and Lapidary Lens also receive major changes: they can corrupt equipment or gems a second time, creating Twice Corrupted items, with the Lapidary Lens carrying a chance to destroy the item.

These changes give players more reasons to care about Temple construction. Room selection and upgrade progression are no longer just about building a familiar Incursion layout; they are part of planning around the redesigned Temple rewards.

The Atlas changes also matter. GGG has removed Scarabs and introduced Threads of Creation, which players use through the Map Device to add league mechanics to an area. Up to eight Threads can be applied, with additional effects becoming more likely as more are spent.

For players investing POE Currency in map preparation and Temple farming, having to reconsider Atlas passives between encounters is an extra cost in time and planning. It does not automatically make Incursion farming less profitable, but it can make a repeatable strategy less convenient.

Should GGG Separate the Two Power Struggle Effects?

There are three reasonable ways to approach the problem.

Separate the effects again.

This is the simplest solution for players who want full control over Temple progression. They could allocate both passives, just as they could before the change.

Keep the multiple-choice node but improve the weaker option.

If GGG wants players to choose between different Temple-building strategies, both choices need a clear advantage. Otherwise, one option may become the default while the other is rarely worth taking.

Keep the current design and let players settle on a preferred strategy.

If the Non-Resident Architect option is strong enough for most situations, many players may simply leave it allocated. The Resident Architect effect would then become a situational alternative rather than something everyone needs to switch to regularly.

The first option is the cleanest solution from a flexibility standpoint. The second could preserve GGG's intended design if the two effects are balanced around genuinely different approaches to Temple farming.

For now, the available sources do not establish that GGG has announced a change to Power Struggle in response to the Reddit feedback.

The node is not necessarily a problem for every Incursion player. But the criticism raises a fair question: why force players to choose between two effects that support different stages of the same Temple-building process?

With Royal Visage giving Xipocado a predictable role in Alluring Temporal Incursions, the Non-Resident Architect option may become even more attractive in certain strategies. That makes it worth watching how players approach the new Temple system once Covens of Umbra goes live.

For now, the debate is less about whether Power Struggle is unusable and more about whether its two choices offer enough of a real trade-off to justify keeping them together.