Conquer the Burning Monolith in Path of Exile 2: A Guide to Finding the Arbiter of Ash
The Burning Monolith, a unique map location in Path of Exile 2's Atlas of Worlds, resembles a Realmgate and is typically found near the starting area of your mapping journey. Accessing it, however, presents a significant challenge.
Unlocking the Burning Monolith
The Burning Monolith serves as the arena for the endgame pinnacle boss, the Arbiter of Ash. 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 three Citadels yields three crucial Crisis Fragments. Combine these fragments at the Monolith's altar to unlock the Arbiter of Ash encounter.
Prepare thoroughly before engaging the Arbiter of Ash; this boss is renowned as the game's most formidable pinnacle boss, boasting devastating attacks and immense health.
Locating the Elusive Citadels
Path of Exile 2 features three Citadels – Iron, Copper, and Stone – each guarded by a unique map boss. Defeating these bosses grants the corresponding Crisis Fragment. The primary difficulty lies in discovering their locations.
Citadel attempts are limited to one per Citadel.
Due to the Atlas's randomized generation, Citadel locations vary across player experiences. While definitive strategies are absent, community observations suggest the following approaches:
- Directional Exploration: Choose a direction on the Atlas and systematically explore until a Citadel is found. Utilizing Towers offers a broader map view.
- Corruption Tracking: Focus on corrupted nodes at the Atlas's periphery. Clear these nodes, unlock nearby Towers, and repeat the process. This can be combined with the directional method.
- Clustered Appearance: Anecdotal evidence suggests Citadels often appear in close proximity. Finding one may lead to the others.
Citadel hunting is a time-intensive endgame activity, best undertaken with a fully optimized build and significant boss-fighting experience.
Alternatively, Crisis Fragments can be acquired through in-game trading websites or the Currency Exchange, although their rarity often commands a high price. This cost might be justified to avoid the lengthy Citadel hunt.
