Path of Exile 2: Burning Monolith Explained

The Burning Monolith is a unique feature on the Atlas of Worlds in Path of Exile 2, akin to the Realmgate, and is typically found near the beginning of a player's mapping journey. However, unlocking its secrets is far from straightforward.

How to Use the Burning Monolith in Path of Exile 2

The Burning Monolith serves as the arena for the endgame pinnacle boss, the Arbiter of Ash. When players first approach and attempt to activate the door of the Monolith, they will automatically initiate the quest, "The Pinnacle of Flame," which includes three subquests: Ezomyte Infiltration (Iron Citadel), Faridun Foray (Copper Citadel), and Vaal Incursion (Stone Citadel). Completing these three Citadels will reward players with the essential Crisis Fragments. To unlock the battle with the Arbiter of Ash, players must use these three unique Crisis Fragments at the altar within the Burning Monolith.

It is crucial to ensure your character build is robust before engaging the Arbiter of Ash, as this boss boasts the highest difficulty in the game, with formidable attacks and an immense health pool.

How to Find Citadels in Path of Exile 2

In Path of Exile 2, there are three types of Citadels: Iron, Copper, and Stone, each housing a unique map boss that must be defeated to acquire the corresponding Crisis Fragment. The challenge lies not in the battles themselves, but in locating these Citadels, as each player's Atlas is uniquely generated, making Citadel locations unpredictable.

Citadels can only be attempted once, adding to the difficulty of obtaining the necessary Fragments. The community has developed several theories on how to find Citadels, though these should be approached with caution:

1. Directional Exploration: Choose a direction on the Atlas and continue exploring until you stumble upon a Citadel. Unlocking Towers can provide a better overview of the map layout.
2. Corruption Tracking: Focus on the edges of your Atlas view, searching for nodes with signs of corruption. Clear these nodes successfully, unlock nearby Towers, and continue this pattern.
3. Clustered Appearances: Citadels tend to appear in clusters, so finding one increases the likelihood of discovering the others nearby.

Citadel hunting is a lengthy process best reserved for late-game, when your character is fully optimized and you are adept at tackling challenging bosses.

Crisis Fragments, the primary goal of Citadel exploration, can also be purchased from trading websites or through the Currency Exchange. Due to their rarity, these Fragments can be quite expensive, but buying them might be a worthwhile investment for players who wish to bypass the arduous task of locating Citadels themselves.