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, presents a formidable endgame challenge comparable to the Realmgate. Located near the starting area of your mapping journey, accessing it requires significant effort.
Unlocking the Burning Monolith
The Monolith is the gateway to the Arbiter of Ash, the game's toughest pinnacle boss. Your first attempt to activate the Monolith's door initiates "The Pinnacle of Flame" quest, branching into three sub-quests: Ezomyte Infiltration (Iron Citadel), Faridun Foray (Copper Citadel), and Vaal Incursion (Stone Citadel). Completing these Citadels yields three Crisis Fragments, essential for unlocking the Arbiter of Ash encounter. These fragments must be used together at the Monolith's altar.
Prepare for a Brutal Encounter
Ensure your character build is optimized before facing the Arbiter of Ash. This boss boasts devastating attacks, millions of hit points, and is considered the most challenging pinnacle boss in the game.
The Citadel Hunt: A Test of Patience
Finding the three Citadels (Iron, Copper, and Stone) is the most demanding aspect of this challenge. Each Citadel features a unique map boss; defeating them rewards a Crisis Fragment. The challenge lies in their unpredictable location on the randomly generated Atlas.
Key Strategies for Citadel Discovery:
- Directional Exploration: Choose a direction on the Atlas and systematically explore until you locate a Citadel. Utilizing Towers provides a broader view of the surrounding maps.
- Corruption Tracking: Focus on areas with corruption indicated on the Atlas' edges. Clear these nodes, unlock nearby Towers, and repeat the process. This strategy complements directional exploration.
- Clustered Appearance: Citadels often appear in close proximity. Finding one significantly increases the chance of discovering the others nearby.
Citadel hunting is a late-game activity, requiring a powerful build and considerable boss-fighting experience.
Alternative Acquisition of Crisis Fragments
While hunting Citadels is the traditional method, Crisis Fragments can be purchased through in-game trading websites or currency exchanges. However, due to their rarity, they command a high price. Weigh the time investment against the cost when making your decision.
