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 significantly greater challenge. Accessing it requires three Crisis Fragments, each obtained by conquering a Citadel – exceptionally rare and difficult map nodes.
Conquering 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). Completing these Citadels yields the three necessary 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 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 obtained upon defeating its respective boss. The primary difficulty lies in their unpredictable location.
Citadels are one-time attempts.
The Atlas's randomized generation ensures each player's experience is unique. While pinpointing their location is difficult, community observations suggest these strategies:
- Directional Progression: Choose a direction on the Atlas and systematically explore until you locate a Citadel. Utilizing Towers provides a broader map overview.
- Corruption Tracking: Focus on corrupted nodes at the Atlas's edges. Clear these nodes, unlock nearby Towers, and repeat. This can be combined with the first strategy.
- Clustered Appearance: The discovery of one Citadel often indicates others are nearby.
Citadel hunting is a time-intensive endgame activity. It's best undertaken with a fully optimized build and considerable boss-fighting experience.
Alternatively, Crisis Fragments can be purchased via the trading website or Currency Exchange. However, their rarity often results in a high price, potentially offsetting the time investment of hunting them yourself.
