The Burning Monolith: Conquering Path of Exile 2's Endgame Pinnacle Boss
The Burning Monolith, a unique map location in Path of Exile 2's Atlas of Worlds, resembles a Realmgate but presents a significantly more challenging encounter. Accessing this area requires three Crisis Fragments, each obtained by conquering a Citadel – exceptionally rare and difficult map nodes.
Unlocking the Arbiter of Ash
The Burning Monolith serves as the arena for the formidable Arbiter of Ash, the game's most powerful 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). Completing these Citadels yields the three essential Crisis Fragments. Combine these fragments at the Monolith's altar to unlock the Arbiter of Ash encounter. Ensure your character build is optimized before engaging this incredibly powerful boss with its devastating attacks and massive health pool.
The Citadel Hunt: A Test of Patience and Power
Path of Exile 2 features three Citadels – Iron, Copper, and Stone – each guarded by a challenging map boss. The Crisis Fragment for each Citadel is the reward for defeating its respective boss. The primary challenge, however, lies in locating these Citadels.
Important Considerations:
- Citadels are one-time attempts.
- Atlas generation is random, making Citadel locations unpredictable.
Community-derived strategies for finding Citadels include:
- Directional Progression: Choose a direction on the Atlas and explore systematically. Unlocking Towers provides a broader map view.
- Corruption Tracking: Focus on corrupted nodes at the Atlas's edges. Clear these nodes, unlock nearby Towers, and repeat.
- Clustered Appearance: Citadels often appear in close proximity. Finding one increases the likelihood of discovering others nearby.
Citadel hunting is a late-game activity, best undertaken with a fully optimized build.
Alternative Acquisition:
Crisis Fragments can be purchased via the in-game trading website or Currency Exchange. While expensive due to their rarity, this option bypasses the arduous Citadel hunt.
