To join a faction, progress through the campaign to Chapter 9 and complete the quest "Merchants and Fortune Tellers" by speaking with Zerrick in the Upper District of Maj'elka Last Epoch Gold. He introduces both factions and directs you to their bases: the Merchant's Guild at the Bazaar and the Circle of Fortune at the Observatory. You can join either faction by speaking to their respective leaders—Nama for the Merchant’s Guild and Galila for the Circle of Fortune. You can leave a faction later and join the other, but doing so causes you to lose all faction-specific gear obtained so far, so the choice is significant.

1. Circle of Fortune
The Circle of Fortune is considered more casual-friendly and loot-focused. It emphasizes completing bounties and quests to earn rewards and provides access to a mini-game in the Observatory that grants randomized prophecies and loot, including idols and unique items. It is ideal for players who enjoy farming loot drops and want to maximize their item acquisition through gameplay rather than trading. This faction is also the only option available in offline mode.

2. Merchant's Guild
The Merchant's Guild centers on trading and economic power. It allows players to buy and sell items through various shops in the Bazaar and the player-driven auction house. This faction suits players who enjoy the trading aspect of ARPGs and want to leverage gold and market dynamics to acquire powerful gear. However, items purchased become account-bound and cannot be resold, and there is a Favor Tax on transactions. Favor, earned by killing monsters and completing activities, is required to trade and purchase items.

Key Considerations:
- Gear Loss on Switching: Leaving a faction causes loss of all faction-specific gear, so switching factions mid-season is costly.
- Favor System: Both factions use Favor as a currency earned by gameplay to unlock faction services.
- Offline Mode: Circle of Fortune is the only faction available offline Last Epoch Gold for sale.
- Early Access: After unlocking factions on one character, faction representatives appear earlier in other eras, allowing earlier faction joining.