The Goddess Unleashed After four long months, the community has finally solved the riddle of The Goddess Unleashed and discovered the secret vendor recipe to forge it.

For those who may be unaware, longtime supporter and active forum user Charan recently completed his trilogy of unique swords themed around "The Goddess", the fiery spirit bound within them. The Goddess Bound is the only sword of the three that drops normally in-game. The Goddess Scorned can only be obtained via its secret vendor recipe, which was given its own cryptic riddle, but the community was able to solve that in less than three days.

The Goddess Unleashed can also only be obtained via its secret vendor recipe, and this time the riddle was made a lot, lot harder.

Three to wield, pure and fine,

Eclipse eternal to align

Exquisite full and true.



Three to save, risk reward,

Two exalted, one encored,

Counting all in equal due.



Three to help, each matured,

All beloved by the third,

All imperfect sums of two.



I knew the community would already have seen a screenshot of The Goddess Unleashed and therefore know the mods and flavour text, and that they would be told that it always has six linked sockets.

I also knew people would look back on the first riddle for insight on my methodology, which is why I deliberately used a different style of riddle this time around.

This recipe is intentionally expensive and difficult to obtain the ingredients for, because it generates a very powerful item with guaranteed six-linked sockets. For a video showing its power in action, check out the end of this post. Note that no community members were told the details of the recipe. We made sure it stayed a secret so that no-one would have an unfair advantage when solving it.



The riddle is intentionally very difficult and even slightly vague, since the previous one was solved so easily. In fact, we went so far as to design the recipe to specifically resist the "brute-force" approach of throwing every possible option into the sell window, which was a large part of how the previous riddle was solved so quickly.



So let's break down the riddle and see how it works.



First of all, 9 lines in the riddle, 9 mods on the item, and 9 ingredients to the recipe. Three stanzas of three lines means three groups of similar items. You will notice a pattern of threes both here and on the item. Also, The Goddess Scorned is obviously required.

Three to wield,

Stanza 1 describes three items you can wield, fairly obvious as three swords, given the context of upgrading one sword into another.



pure and fine,

These items must be 20% quality and uncorrupted.



Eclipse eternal to align

"Eclipse" refers to The Goddess Scorned, whose flavour text mentions "An old flame renewed can define our eclipse". "Eternal" is an Eternal Sword; just like the previous recipe, this one requires a base type of the resulting item. These two swords must "align" with the item described in the next line, which is why this line doesn't end with a comma.



Exquisite full and true.

"Exquisite" is an Exquisite Blade, which is a high-level curved sword with similar art. The sockets of the other two swords must align to the sockets of the Exquisite Blade. "Full and true" means it must have six linked sockets, and by corollary the other two swords must each have three linked sockets. Since three-links form an L shape, it isn't immediately obvious how two three-links should connect to form a six-link, so we actually relaxed the restriction of the previous riddle and decided to consider the colour of the sockets only, not the order of them for this recipe.



Three to save,

Stanza 2 describes three currency items, that you have "saved" i.e. not spent.



risk reward,

When used, these currencies each have a random effect that may be good or bad.



Two exalted, one encored,

A blatant red herring (the previous riddle also had one) that suggests Exalted Orbs. It really means that two of these items are high-end currency relevant to the Goddess. They are not exactly specified, but there are only a few possible options and it is very easy to brute-force the answer anyway: a Divine Orb and a Blessed Orb. The "one encored" is a repeat from the previous recipe: an Orb of Fusing.



Counting all in equal due.

You will need a certain number of these currency items. What number? 3, of course. What else would it be? And again, easy to brute-force.



Three to help,

Stanza 3 describes three items that "help": Support Gems.



each matured,

The gems must be leveled. Not necessarily all the way to 20, though.



All beloved by the third,

"The third" refers to The Goddess Unleashed, whose flavour text reads "I am the third". The gems therefore are "beloved" by that item, i.e. they grant effects that the item does. This is deliberately somewhat vague, but there are only a few possibilities to experiment with. The required gems are Added Fire Damage, Increased Critical Strikes, and Blind.



All imperfect sums of two.

The most dastardly of clues, each gem must be "imperfect" i.e. not both max quality and max level. They must also be sums of "two", the two defining quantities of gems: quality and level. But what is the value of the sum? Given "imperfect" ruling out 20/20, the range of possible numbers is therefore 1-39. There are really only two conceivable numbers: 3 and 33, and 33 fits better (as a "sum of two" it has two digits, and so more threes). So the level and quality of the gems must sum to exactly 33.



The complete recipe: 1x 20% quality, uncorrupted 3L The Goddess Scorned

1x 20% quality, uncorrupted 3L Eternal Sword

1x 20% quality, uncorrupted 6L Exquisite Blade with matching socket colours

3x Divine Orb

3x Blessed Orb

3x Orb of Fusing

1x Added Fire Damage support gem, whose level and quality sum to 33

1x Increased Critical Strikes support gem, whose level and quality sum to 33

1x Blind support gem, whose level and quality sum to 33

Additionally, the Eternal Sword and Exquisite Blade must not be Unique. Stanza 1 describes three items you can wield, fairly obvious as three swords, given the context of upgrading one sword into another.These items must be 20% quality and uncorrupted."Eclipse" refers to The Goddess Scorned, whose flavour text mentions "An old flame renewed can define our eclipse". "Eternal" is an Eternal Sword; just like the previous recipe, this one requires a base type of the resulting item. These two swords must "align" with the item described in the next line, which is why this line doesn't end with a comma."Exquisite" is an Exquisite Blade, which is a high-level curved sword with similar art. The sockets of the other two swords must align to the sockets of the Exquisite Blade. "Full and true" means it must have six linked sockets, and by corollary the other two swords must each have three linked sockets. Since three-links form an L shape, it isn't immediately obvious how two three-links should connect to form a six-link, so we actually relaxed the restriction of the previous riddle and decided to consider the colour of the sockets only, not the order of them for this recipe.Stanza 2 describes three currency items, that you have "saved" i.e. not spent.When used, these currencies each have a random effect that may be good or bad.A blatant red herring (the previous riddle also had one) that suggests Exalted Orbs. It really means that two of these items are high-end currency relevant to the Goddess. They are not exactly specified, but there are only a few possible options and it is very easy to brute-force the answer anyway: a Divine Orb and a Blessed Orb. The "one encored" is a repeat from the previous recipe: an Orb of Fusing.You will need a certain number of these currency items. What number? 3, of course. What else would it be? And again, easy to brute-force.Stanza 3 describes three items that "help": Support Gems.The gems must be leveled. Not necessarily all the way to 20, though."The third" refers to The Goddess Unleashed, whose flavour text reads "I am the third". The gems therefore are "beloved" by that item, i.e. they grant effects that the item does. This is deliberately somewhat vague, but there are only a few possibilities to experiment with. The required gems are Added Fire Damage, Increased Critical Strikes, and Blind.The most dastardly of clues, each gem must be "imperfect" i.e. not both max quality and max level. They must also be sums of "two", the two defining quantities of gems: quality and level. But what is the value of the sum? Given "imperfect" ruling out 20/20, the range of possible numbers is therefore 1-39. There are really only two conceivable numbers: 3 and 33, and 33 fits better (as a "sum of two" it has two digits, and so more threes). So the level and quality of the gems must sum to exactly 33.Additionally, the Eternal Sword and Exquisite Blade must not be Unique.

This recipe is by far the most evil, grandiose, ridiculous recipe in the game, so it is not surprising it took so long to be discovered. We intentionally made it this way, hoping it would take a few weeks… which turned into a few months, and only after I started dropping hints in the forum.

The riddle and recipe hunt has been a real rollercoaster. Four months is a long time for it go unsolved, and I have learned some valuable lessons about how well the community handles my riddles. Thank you all for your patience, ingenuity, out-of-the-box thinking, and paranoia. I was very impressed on all counts.

If there is ever a new riddle that needs writing, I will be ready.

Timeline of significant events (NZ time): Dec 12: Patch 2.1.0 unlocks the recipe for The Goddess Unleashed. I sneak the riddle into the first post of Charan's thread, hidden under two layers of spoilers. The hunt begins!

Patch 2.1.0 unlocks the recipe for The Goddess Unleashed. I sneak the riddle into the first post of Charan's thread, hidden under two layers of spoilers. The hunt begins! Dec 13: All ingredients have already been guessed, by various people at various times. No-one has guessed the "imperfect sums" yet but people have guessed level and quality numbers that would work.

All ingredients have already been guessed, by various people at various times. No-one has guessed the "imperfect sums" yet but people have guessed level and quality numbers that would work. Dec 14: I notice that Unleashed was changed from a Graceful Sword base to Eternal Sword, meaning the original riddle is incorrect. Curses! I immediately change it and apologize.

I notice that Unleashed was changed from a Graceful Sword base to Eternal Sword, meaning the original riddle is incorrect. Curses! I immediately change it and apologize. Dec 15: I leave for a few precious weeks of vacation, but keep an eye on community progress.

I leave for a few precious weeks of vacation, but keep an eye on community progress. Dec 23: I post a clarification that the vendor recipe system was not changed. Extra items in the sell window are allowed.

I post a clarification that the vendor recipe system was not changed. Extra items in the sell window are allowed. Dec 26: Diemx0 makes an extremely valiant attempt, which only fails because the imperfect sums are wrong.

Diemx0 makes an extremely valiant attempt, which only fails because the imperfect sums are wrong. Jan 4: People start writing me poems, begging for hints. How can I refuse? I let the people know that all the puzzle pieces have been guessed.

People start writing me poems, begging for hints. How can I refuse? I let the people know that all the puzzle pieces have been guessed. Jan 5: Another excellent attempt by ChaseX13, again only thrown off by the imperfect sums.

Another excellent attempt by ChaseX13, again only thrown off by the imperfect sums. Jan 27: Frustration mounts. Perhaps the riddle is too hard? Another hint, that there are ingredients no-one has guessed correctly.

Frustration mounts. Perhaps the riddle is too hard? Another hint, that there are ingredients no-one has guessed correctly. Feb 5: Another breadcrumb. I list approximate prices in Chaos Orbs to buy all the ingredients from poe.trade.

Another breadcrumb. I list approximate prices in Chaos Orbs to buy all the ingredients from poe.trade. Feb 9: "Sums of two" is throwing people more than I expected. That "two" is not simply the number 2!

"Sums of two" is throwing people more than I expected. That "two" is not simply the number 2! Feb 16: Another price check. Not sure how much these are helping.

Another price check. Not sure how much these are helping. Mar 2: I hint that there are certain "imperfections" that no other recipe checks (the sums). This causes more confusion than clarity.

I hint that there are certain "imperfections" that no other recipe checks (the sums). This causes more confusion than clarity. Mar 8: Biggest hint yet. I reveal that the first two stanzas are more or less solved and that only the third stanza is still a mystery. I also invoke "The Rule of Two" as a means of understanding what the "two" represents in the last line (i.e. two individuals). But soon regret it.

Biggest hint yet. I reveal that the first two stanzas are more or less solved and that only the third stanza is still a mystery. I also invoke "The Rule of Two" as a means of understanding what the "two" represents in the last line (i.e. two individuals). But soon regret it. Mar 9: The "master and apprentice" tangent swiftly burrows down a deep rabbit-hole indeed.

The "master and apprentice" tangent swiftly burrows down a deep rabbit-hole indeed. Mar 15: Trying cut down on some of the more outlandish ideas, I state that no Vaal Orbs are needed. People assume it's a trick.

Trying cut down on some of the more outlandish ideas, I state that no Vaal Orbs are needed. People assume it's a trick. Mar 20: Kahzin makes a well-reasoned post that pretty much nails everything and points the way to the solution. I quote him with a love heart to indicate he is "getting warmer". Everyone ignores it.

Kahzin makes a well-reasoned post that pretty much nails everything and points the way to the solution. I quote him with a love heart to indicate he is "getting warmer". Everyone ignores it. Mar 22: I mention that the Google doc listing various potential ingredients is insufficient (it calls for 20/20 gems).

I mention that the Google doc listing various potential ingredients is insufficient (it calls for 20/20 gems). Mar 30: Better post before April Fools. I hint that "perfection" is found in "hindsight".

Better post before April Fools. I hint that "perfection" is found in "hindsight". Apr 3: Illuminati confirmed.

Illuminati confirmed. Apr 4: An excellent attempt by Ellix. Only foiled because his gems were 11/11. But very close, and on the right track.

An excellent attempt by Ellix. Only foiled because his gems were 11/11. But very close, and on the right track. Apr 6: I hint that the third stanza requires a minimum and a maximum, and is specific, and nonspecific. Umbral_Sky correctly posits the imperfect sums.

I hint that the third stanza requires a minimum and a maximum, and is specific, and nonspecific. Umbral_Sky correctly posits the imperfect sums. Apr 11: The final hint: I mention that someone has made a correct guess recently. Umbral_Sky unleashes The Goddess. Other highlights from the thread: "Blessed Orbs would be a good troll ingredient"

"I don't think Rhys would be so kind as to compartmentalize things so neatly into 3 stanzas each about 3 items."

"'sum' doesn't necessarily imply addition"

"I'm googling the phrase "imperfect sum" right now, and I'm not seeing any mathematical term for it. In fact, the number one result is this topic."

"I find it hilarious that not a single person in this thread trusts Rhys anymore."

"Chris: Hey Rhys, I got a report from QA that there are bugs in that sword. Rhys: Ok, let me write a riddle. I'll buy us months."

"alternatively, form a lynch mob and go after Rhys"

"Two ex-alt"

Everyone who thought "Two exalted" meant two Exalted Orbs.

Everyone who wrote me a poem in desperation/madness. Finally, a video of The Goddess Unleashed in action: