Game Mechanics
Master guide to POE2's elemental and status effect mechanics
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The live campaign is 4 Acts plus 3 Interludes (Curse of Holten, The Stolen Barya, Doryani's Contingency). The old 'Cruel' second playthrough was removed in 0.3.0 - you no longer replay the campaign on a harder difficulty.
The full 1.0 release is planned to be 6 Acts with no Interludes, but that has not shipped yet.
After finishing the Acts and Interludes you unlock the Atlas and endgame mapping at roughly character level 65.
Each level grants passive points; pick up resistance and skill-point side quests as you go.
Keep resistances capped and life adequate for the current Act, and upgrade gear and gems regularly.
Unlock your first ascendancy at the Trial of the Sekhemas, and your second at the Trial of Chaos.