Conquer the Arbiter of Ash: A Guide to the Burning Monolith in Path of Exile 2
The Burning Monolith, a unique Atlas of Worlds map akin to the Realmgate, presents a formidable endgame challenge. Located near the starting point of your mapping journey, accessing it requires three elusive Crisis Fragments, each obtained by conquering the incredibly difficult-to-locate Citadels.
Accessing the Burning Monolith
The Burning Monolith is the lair of the 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 crucial Crisis Fragments. Combine these fragments at the Monolith's altar to unlock the Arbiter of Ash encounter. Ensure your character build is optimized; the Arbiter of Ash boasts 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. The Crisis Fragment for each Citadel is the reward for defeating its boss. The primary challenge lies in their unpredictable location.
Citadels are one-time attempts. The Atlas is randomly generated for each player, making Citadel locations unique and seemingly random. Community observations suggest these strategies, though they are not guaranteed:
- Directional Exploration: Choose a direction on the Atlas and systematically explore until you discover a Citadel. Unlock Towers for a broader view.
- Corruption Tracking: Focus on Atlas nodes exhibiting corruption, usually found at the map's edges. Clear these nodes, unlock nearby Towers, and repeat. This can be combined with the first strategy.
- Clustered Appearance: Finding one Citadel often indicates the others are nearby.
Citadel hunting is a late-game endeavor, best undertaken with a fully optimized build.
Alternatively, Crisis Fragments can be purchased from online trading sites or the Currency Exchange. Their rarity makes them expensive, but this cost might outweigh the time investment of hunting them yourself.
