PoE2: Expansion Unveiled: 'Burning Monolith'
The Burning Monolith: Path of Exile 2's Endgame Challenge
The Burning Monolith, a unique map location in Path of Exile 2's Atlas of Worlds, resembles a Realmgate but presents a significant challenge. Accessing it requires three Crisis Fragments, each obtained by conquering a Citadel—an extremely rare and difficult-to-locate map node.
Unlocking the Arbiter of Ash
The Burning Monolith is the lair of the Arbiter of Ash, the game's most formidable pinnacle boss. Your first attempt to activate the Monolith's door initiates "The Pinnacle of Flame" quest, comprising three sub-quests: Ezomyte Infiltration (Iron Citadel), Faridun Foray (Copper Citadel), and Vaal Incursion (Stone Citadel). Successfully completing these Citadels yields the three crucial Crisis Fragments. Combine these fragments at the Monolith's altar to unlock the Arbiter of Ash encounter. Ensure your character build is optimized before facing this incredibly powerful boss with devastating attacks and millions of HP.
The Citadel Hunt
Path of Exile 2 features three Citadels: Iron, Copper, and Stone. Each Citadel houses a unique boss; defeating them grants a corresponding Crisis Fragment. The primary difficulty lies in locating these Citadels.
Key Considerations:
- Citadels are one-time attempts.
- Their Atlas locations are randomly generated, making each player's experience unique.
- Community theories suggest strategies like systematically exploring the Atlas, following corruption trails, and exploiting potential clustering of Citadels. However, these are unconfirmed.
Citadel hunting is a late-game activity, best undertaken with a highly optimized build.
Alternative Acquisition
Crisis Fragments, the reward for Citadel completion, can be purchased through in-game trading or currency exchange websites. However, their rarity often commands a high price. Weigh the time investment of hunting versus the cost of purchasing.