Path of Exile:Balance of Terror Explained

The Balance of Terror is a highly flexible unique Cobalt Jewel in Path of Exile, prized most by builds that rely heavily on curses. While its guaranteed elemental resistance roll is modest, the jewel true value lies in the powerful and unpredictable curse-based modifiers it can roll. With the right combination of affixes, Balance of Terror can dramatically reshape how a build functions, making top-tier versions some of the most valuable jewels among Path of Exile items.Use MMOexp to purchase instant POE currency to enhance your gaming experience.

Balance of Terror always comes with a fixed and a random component:

(10–15)% increased Elemental Resistances

Two randomly selected curse-related modifiers

These two modifiers are drawn from a pool of 18 possible effects, all of which interact with curses in different ways. Because only two appear on any given jewel, each drop can vary wildly in power and usefulness. Certain combinations are extremely rare and highly sought after, often commanding prices of several Divine Orbs or more.

How to Obtain Balance of Terror

Balance of Terror is not part of the global drop pool, nor can it be obtained through chance orbs. There is only one reliable way to farm it.

Defeating Lycia in the Forbidden Sanctum

The jewel exclusively drops from Lycia, Herald of the Scourge, but only under very specific conditions:

Lycia must be fought on the fourth floor of the Forbidden Sanctum

The encounter must be the final boss of a complete Sanctum run

You must begin the run using the unique Relic The Blood of Innocence

When these conditions are met, Lycia will guarantee a drop of Balance of Terror. There is also a chance for additional unique Relics to drop during the same fight.

Any Forbidden Tome Works

The level of the Forbidden Tome does not affect the drop. Many players intentionally use low-level Tomes because:

Enemies are significantly weaker

Floors are faster and safer to clear

Farming runs take much less time

This makes repeated jewel farming both efficient and consistent.

Players often confuse this boss with Nightmare of Lycia, found in the Sanctuary Tier 17 map. This version of Lycia has a completely separate loot table and cannot drop Balance of Terror, regardless of difficulty or modifiers.

Buying Balance of Terror Instead

For players who prefer to skip the Sanctum entirely, the trade market is a viable alternative. Prices depend heavily on the modifiers rolled:

Unpopular or weak rolls may cost only a few Chaos Orbs

Highly synergistic or "perfect" combinations can exceed 50 Divine Orbs

Because of this randomness, many players purchase or farm multiple copies while searching for the ideal roll.

Balance of Terror Modifier Overview

Although there are 18 possible modifiers in total, each jewel only rolls two. These effects generally fall into three broad categories:

Offensive Effects

Increased damage against enemies affected by specific curses

Cast speed or attack speed bonuses after applying a curse

Critical bonuses versus cursed enemies

Defensive Effects

Reduced elemental damage taken after being cursed

Damage mitigation tied to cursing enemies with Temporal Chains or Enfeeble

Utility and Status Effects

Immunity to ailments such as Ignite, Chill, or Shock when using certain curses

Movement speed or action speed bonuses triggered by curse application

Since rolls are entirely random, farming or trading multiple jewels is often necessary to find the best pairing for a given build.

Using Balance of Terror Effectively

Balance of Terror can be socketed into any regular jewel slot on the passive tree and does not require special positioning or keystones.

Aligning Mods With Your Build

The jewel shines brightest when its modifiers align perfectly with your curse setup:

Curse-on-Hit builds (such as Occultists or elemental bow builds) benefit from offensive trigger effects

Hexblast or self-curse builds gain immense value from bonuses that activate when applying or receiving curses

Support characters and aura bots can leverage defensive curse-based effects to boost survivability

You may equip multiple Balance of Terror jewels as long as they do not share the same modifier names, since identical mods do not stack. Endgame characters often use two or more to cover different curse interactions.Unleash your potential in Path of Exile. Get your cheap Path of exile currency at MMOexp today!

While the elemental resistance roll is not the jewel main selling point, it still helps with:

Managing resistance-reducing map modifiers

Offsetting penalties from certain unique items

Smoothing out gearing during early or transitional stages

Balance of Terror stands out as one of the most creative and build-defining jewels in Path of Exile. Its deep synergy with curse mechanics, wide modifier pool, and guaranteed drop method make it both a rewarding farm and a powerful optimization tool. For players willing to master the Forbidden Sanctum—or invest in the trade market—it offers enormous potential to push curse-based builds to their limits.