Path of Exile 2: Burning Monolith Explained

The Burning Monolith in Path of Exile 2 is a unique map on the Atlas of Worlds, akin to the Realmgate, positioned near the starting point of your mapping journey. However, accessing it is far from straightforward, requiring strategic planning and dedication.

How to Use the Burning Monolith in Path of Exile 2

The Burning Monolith serves as the battleground for the endgame pinnacle boss, the Arbiter of Ash. Upon your first visit and attempt to activate the door, you'll automatically initiate the quest, "The Pinnacle of Flame," which branches into three subquests: Ezomyte Infiltration (Iron Citadel), Faridun Foray (Copper Citadel), and Vaal Incursion (Stone Citadel). Successfully completing these three Citadels will grant you the three unique Crisis Fragments. These Fragments must then be used together at the altar within the Burning Monolith to unlock the challenging battle against the Arbiter of Ash.

Before engaging in this fight, ensure your build is robust. The Arbiter of Ash stands as the most formidable pinnacle boss in the game, boasting devastating attacks and a massive health pool.

How to Find Citadels in Path of Exile 2

In Path of Exile 2, three Citadels exist: Iron, Copper, and Stone. Each Citadel hosts a unique map boss, and defeating these bosses is crucial to obtaining the corresponding Crisis Fragment. The primary challenge lies in locating these Citadels, as they can only be attempted once.

Given the random generation of each player's Atlas, finding a Citadel can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. However, the community has developed several speculative strategies to aid in this quest:

1. Choose a direction on the Atlas and continue exploring until you stumble upon a Citadel. Unlocking Towers can provide a broader perspective of the map layout.
2. Follow signs of corruption. Look for corrupted nodes at the edge of your view on the Atlas. Clear these nodes successfully, unlock the nearby Tower, and repeat the process. This method can be combined with the directional approach.
3. Citadels tend to appear in clusters. If you locate one, the others are likely nearby.

Citadel hunting is a time-intensive task best suited for the late stages of the endgame, when your build is at its peak and tackling bosses is routine.

Crisis Fragments, the ultimate goal of Citadel hunting, can also be purchased from trading websites or through the Currency Exchange. These Fragments are often expensive due to their rarity, but for some players, the cost might be justified to bypass the arduous task of hunting for them directly.