Last Epoch Faction guide: Should you join the Merchants Guild or Circle of Fortune?

In Last Epoch, the Factions system adds more depth as you near the campaign’s end and the endgame. Joining Circle of Fortune boosts your loot drops, while the Merchants Guild lets you trade Uniques and Legendaries, including with other players. Picking the best Faction at the start is easy.

Which Faction should you join in Last Epoch?

You should join the Circle of Fortune in Last Epoch since it matches the overall gameplay loop and flow without relying on other players. Its rewards increase your chances of finding better gear, like whole item sets or Uniques with high Legendary Potential. Playing through the endgame, like beating Echoes in the Monolith and dungeons, will quickly maximize Circle of Fortune benefits, efficiently preparing your character for late-game challenges.

While the Merchants Guild offers the chance to trade items with other players, including Legendaries, it’s riskier. The most interesting part depends on a player-led market, which can be unpredictable and sometimes costly if you are led to trade poorly. With the Merchants Guild and Bazaar being new, it’s wise to wait and see how player trading develops before committing to this Faction, since experienced players can abuse the system and bend the market at their favor.

You can switch Factions for free and keep your reputation levels, but building reputation takes a lot of time. That’s why I think the Merchants Guild is too risky for players new to online markets or the game. Circle of Fortune, on the other hand, is a safer choice that fits well with your usual endgame activities, especially the Monolith grind many Last Epoch players enjoy and are familiar with. It doesn’t require changing your gameplay to benefit from it.

Keep in mind that your Faction choice affects all characters you create in the same cycle and gameplay mode. If you choose a Faction in Normal mode during a cycle, all your Normal characters in that cycle will belong to that Faction and enjoy its benefits. If you start a character in Hardcore mode or Legacy, though, you’ll need to choose a Faction again.