The Root of the Problem

The Root of the Problem
Required	Yes
Start	Talk to Helena in Forest Encampment
Objective	Poison the tree, Lorrata
Completion	You have reached the The Vaal Ruins
Key Item	Maligaro's SpikeMaligaro's SpikeMaligaro loved his tools, and took great pains to keep them excruciatingly sharp. Baleful GemBaleful GemThe withering glare of corruption, made corporeal and pellucid in crystal.

Walkthrough

The tree roots blocking entrance to the Vaal Ruins

The Ancient Seal within the Vaal Ruins

This quest given to you by Helena in Forest Encampment requires you to travel to poison the tree, Lorrata, in the The Wetlands with Maligaro's SpikeMaligaro's SpikeMaligaro loved his tools, and took great
pains to keep them excruciatingly sharp. and Baleful GemBaleful GemThe withering glare of corruption, made
corporeal and pellucid in crystal..

Helena: Piety would’ve concurred with Eramir’s theory about that north-western ruin. The Vaal were a powerful civilization predating even the Eternal Empire and Piety very much wanted to see what toys the Vaal might have left for her to play with behind those stone doors. Yet we couldn’t budge them, not with that giant of a tree holding them fast in her roots.

You now carry a cure to that problem, or rather, a useful illness. Use the Spike to inject the Baleful Gem’s calibirc extantia into the roots. One day soon, Piety will find her way into that ruin. You need to get there first.

Maligaro's SpikeMaligaro's SpikeMaligaro loved his tools, and took great
pains to keep them excruciatingly sharp. is dropped by The Weaver in The Weaver's Chambers.

Baleful GemBaleful GemThe withering glare of corruption, made
corporeal and pellucid in crystal. is acquired in the Chamber of Sins Level 2.

This quest is completed once you make it to The Vaal Ruins.

Quest rewards

Class →	Witch	Shadow	Ranger	Duelist	Marauder	Templar	Scion
Quest ↓

Vendor rewards

Class →	Witch	Shadow	Ranger	Duelist	Marauder	Templar	Scion
Quest ↓
The Root of the Problem Act 2 Yeena	Culling Strike SupportCulling Strike SupportSupport Icon: X Mana Multiplier: 110%Requires Level 18Supports any skill that hits enemies. If enemies are left below 10% of maximum life after being hit by these skills, they will be killed.Per 1% Quality:123Supported Skills have 0.5% increased Attack Speed Supported Skills have 0.5% increased Cast SpeedSupported Skills deal 3% increased Damage with Hits against Enemies that are on Low LifeRecover 0.1% of Life when Supported Skills Cull an EnemyKill Enemies that have 10% Life or lower when Hit by Supported Skills Supported Skills deal (0-38)% increased DamageThis is a Support Gem. It does not grant a bonus to your character, but to skills in sockets connected to it. Place into an item socket connected to a socket containing the Active Skill Gem you wish to augment. Right click to remove from a socket. Herald of AshHerald of AshSpell, AoE, Fire, Herald, Duration Radius: 10 Mana Reserved: 25% Can Store 1 Use(s) Cooldown Time: 1.00 secRequires Level 16Grants a buff providing fire damage based on your physical damage. While you have this buff, if you kill an enemy, other enemies near them will be burned based on the overkill damage. The burn inflicted by this skill can only be affected by modifiers to damage over time (burning damage is damage over time).Per 1% Quality:123Buff grants 0.75% increased Fire Damage1% reduced Area of Effect 3% increased Burning Damage1% increased Area of EffectGain 15% of your Physical Damage as Extra Fire Damage Base duration is 4 seconds Base Burning Damage is 25% of Overkill Damage (9-12)% more Spell Fire Damage (0-38)% more Burning DamagePlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket. Herald of IceHerald of IceSpell, AoE, Cold, Herald Mana Reserved: 25% Can Store 1 Use(s) Cooldown Time: 1.00 sec Effectiveness of Added Damage: 80%Requires Level 16Grants a buff adding cold damage to spells and attacks. If you shatter an enemy, this skill will cause them to explode and deal AoE cold damage to enemies near them. This damage is not affected by modifiers to spell damage.Per 1% Quality:123Buff grants 0.75% increased Cold Damage0.5% increased Area of EffectBuff grants 0.5% chance to FreezeAdds (4-38) to (5-56) Cold Damage to Spells Adds (4-38) to (5-56) Cold Damage to Attacks Deals (18-308) to (26-462) Cold Damage Damage cannot be ReflectedPlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket. Herald of ThunderHerald of ThunderSpell, AoE, Duration, Lightning, Herald Radius: 32 Mana Reserved: 25% Can Store 1 Use(s) Cooldown Time: 1.00 secRequires Level 16Grants a buff which adds lightning damage to spells and attacks. If you kill a shocked enemy, this skill will create a storm, causing lightning bolts to strike enemies around you for a duration. The damage inflicted by this skill is not affected by modifiers to spell damage.Per 1% Quality:1Superior2Anomalous3DivergentBuff grants 0.75% increased Lightning Damage1% increased Skill Effect DurationBuff grants 1.5% increased Damage Buff grants 0.5% increased Damage takenBuff grants (2-19) to (7-76) Added Spell Lightning Damage Buff grants (2-19) to (7-76) Added Attack Lightning Damage Deals (1-23) to (31-1108) Lightning Damage Base duration is 6 seconds Storm Hits an Enemy every 0.25 Seconds Cannot inflict Shock Creates a storm when you Kill a Shocked EnemyPlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket. Melee Physical Damage SupportMelee Physical Damage SupportMelee, Physical, Support, Attack Icon: M Mana Multiplier: 140%Requires Level 18Supports melee attack skills.Per 1% Quality:123Supported Skills deal 0.5% increased Melee Physical DamageSupported Skills have +0.1 to Melee Strike RangeSupported Skills Overwhelm 0.25% Physical Damage ReductionSupported Skills deal (30-49)% more Melee Physical Damage Supported Skills deal (30-49)% more Damage with Bleeding and Poison caused by Melee HitsThis is a Support Gem. It does not grant a bonus to your character, but to skills in sockets connected to it. Place into an item socket connected to a socket containing the Active Skill Gem you wish to augment. Right click to remove from a socket.
The Root of the Problem Act 2 Yeena				Plague BearerPlague BearerSpell, Chaos, AoE Mana Cost: (6-13) Can Store 1 Use(s) Cooldown Time: 0.50 secRequires Level 24Gain an Incubating buff, adding to its Plague Value as you inflict poisons. Use the skill again to begin Infecting, dealing chaos damage over time to nearby enemies until the Plague Value is depleted. Your damage modifiers don't apply to this skill's damage. Using the skill again alternates between Incubating and Infecting.Per 1% Quality:1Superior2Anomalous3Divergent0.5% increased Area of EffectYou have 0.5% increased Movement Speed while Infecting0.5% reduced Chaos Damage taken while IncubatingMaximum Plague Value is (4000-1000000) When you inflict Poison while Incubating, adds 40% of the Expected Poison Damage to Plague Value While Infecting, deals Chaos Damage per second equal to 12% of the Plague Value when Infecting began, and loses Plague Value at the same rate 20% less Damage with Poison while Incubating and not at Maximum Plague Value +(0-3) to radiusPlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.