Today, I have an exciting reveal for the upcoming April 2nd Season 2 launch of Last Epoch! We're taking a deep dive into a brand-new supported unique item that's making its way into the game. While this isn't my support unique item, I've had the opportunity to provide input and brainstorm ideas alongside the person responsible for bringing this amulet to life.

This unique item, called Pearls of the Swine, is not a minion item—I repeat, it is not a minion item! Instead, it's a fascinating support and debuff-focused piece that opens up new playstyles, particularly for Warlocks, Necromancers, and Liches. If you're a fan of Warlock's curse-based gameplay, you're going to love this. Let's take a closer look at its origins, its mechanics, and how it fits into Last Epoch.

The Inspiration Behind Pearls of the Swine

The concept for Pearls of the Swine originated from a long-time fan of Last Epoch who also has deep roots in Magic: The Gathering. This individual, although no longer an active content creator, wanted to support the game by designing a unique item. He reached out to me as a fan of my Last Epoch content and wanted to collaborate on the idea.

Initially, we explored the idea of a zero DPS support item, something that could serve as a buffer or debuffer. One of our main inspirations was Path of Exile's Doedre's Skin, an item that allows players to curse themselves to spread debuffs onto enemies. We thought this was a compelling concept, but we wanted to make sure the item felt unique to Last Epoch and fit within its existing mechanics.

Curses became the central theme. We considered how Warlocks interact with self-cursing mechanics and how that could be leveraged into something powerful yet balanced. We debated whether the item should support allies or focus entirely on debuffing enemies, ultimately landing on a system that enhances Warlock's curse synergy in a way that's viable across different builds.

The Reveal: Pearls of the Swine

Our first real hint about Pearls of the Swine came from the Last Epoch Season 2: Tombs of the Damned trailer. By analyzing the video frame-by-frame, we uncovered three different variations of the item, each providing a different curse application.

Let's take a look at the amulet itself:

Pearls of the Swine - Unique Bone Amulet

• Implicit Modifiers:

   • Necrotic Resistance

   • All Attributes

   • Vitality (provides additional life and necrotic resistance)

   • All Resistances (stacking well with Warlock's survivability needs)

• Special Effect:

   • Applies Bone Curse with one of three variations:

      1. Acid Skin

      2. Decrepify

      3. Penance

The most exciting part of this amulet is its multiple variations, meaning it comes in at least three different forms, each tied to a different curse effect. Let's explore what each curse does.

Curse Variations and Their Effects

1. Acid Skin

• Deals poison damage over time

• Increases the chance for afflicted enemies to be critically hit by 20%

• Works similarly to the Crit Vulnerability debuff in Last Epoch (reducing the required crit chance to cap at 80%)

• Useful for crit-based builds and multiplayer synergy

2. Decrepify

• Deals spell damage over time

• Causes the target to take increased damage over time

• The curse's damage scales based on the caster's missing health

• Ideal for low-life Warlock builds and DoT-heavy playstyles

3. Penance

• Causes the target to take fire damage when they hit a target

• Functions as a reflect-style effect, punishing enemies for attacking

• Can be further enhanced by Warlock skills that scale Penance damage

• Best suited for Warlock-based self-damage builds

Each of these curses adds a unique twist to the amulet, making it a versatile option for various curse-based builds in Last Epoch.

Why Pearls of the Swine is a Big Deal

One of the most exciting aspects of Pearls of the Swine is that it offers both general and specialized utility. Here's why it stands out:

• Widely Usable: The combination of Vitality, All Resistances, and All Attributes makes it a strong defensive choice for almost any build.

• Curse Synergy: Whether you're a Warlock, Lich, or Necromancer, the ability to inflict multiple curse effects adds new layers of build diversity.

• Supports Multiplayer: Since some curse effects like Acid Skin and Decrepify can benefit party members, this amulet has potential in group play.

• Warlock-Friendly Design: Warlocks thrive on self-curse mechanics, making this item a near-perfect fit for their skill tree synergies.

• Meta-Changing Potential: The ability to apply three different curses through one amulet means new hybrid curse builds could emerge, shifting the way players approach curse mechanics.

Final Thoughts and Closing

I couldn't be more excited about Pearls of the Swine making its way into Last Epoch on April 2nd! The lore tie-in with Parin the Swineherd and the visual design of the amulet itself are fantastic, and I have to thank Noxious once again for helping bring this item into existence. It's incredible to see a community-driven effort materialize into an in-game item that respects both game balance and creative design.

So, whether you're a Warlock looking to amplify your curses, a multiplayer player seeking a supportive role, or just someone who loves unique items or Last Epoch Gold, Pearls of the Swine is definitely something to look forward to.