The Burning Monolith: Conquering Path of Exile 2's Endgame Pinnacle Boss
The Burning Monolith, a unique Atlas of Worlds location akin to a Realmgate, presents a formidable challenge in Path of Exile 2. Located near the starting area of your mapping journey, accessing it requires three elusive Crisis Fragments.
Obtaining Crisis Fragments: The Citadel Challenge
Each Crisis Fragment is obtained by conquering a Citadel—an exceptionally rare and difficult-to-locate map node on the Atlas. Activating the Burning Monolith's door initiates "The Pinnacle of Flame" quest, encompassing three sub-quests: Ezomyte Infiltration (Iron Citadel), Faridun Foray (Copper Citadel), and Vaal Incursion (Stone Citadel). Successfully completing these Citadels yields the necessary Fragments.
Confronting the Arbiter of Ash
Once you've gathered all three Crisis Fragments, present them at the Burning Monolith's altar to unlock the encounter with the Arbiter of Ash, the game's most powerful pinnacle boss. This boss boasts devastating attacks and immense health; ensure your character build is optimized before attempting this fight.
Locating the Elusive Citadels
Finding Citadels is the true test of patience. Three exist: Iron, Copper, and Stone, each guarded by a unique boss. The challenge lies in their unpredictable placement on the randomly generated Atlas. Citadels are one-time attempts.
Strategies for Citadel Hunting:
- Directional Exploration: Choose a direction on the Atlas and systematically explore until you discover a Citadel. Utilizing Towers for a broader view is recommended.
- Corruption Tracking: Focus on map nodes exhibiting corruption, often found at the Atlas's edges. Clear these nodes, unlock nearby Towers, and repeat.
- Clustered Appearance: Anecdotal evidence suggests Citadels tend to cluster together. Finding one increases the likelihood of discovering others nearby.
Citadel hunting is a late-game endeavor, best undertaken when your character is fully optimized.
Alternative Acquisition: Buying Crisis Fragments
While challenging, obtaining Crisis Fragments isn't solely reliant on Citadel conquest. They can be purchased (though expensively) via trading websites or currency exchanges. This option bypasses the arduous hunt but comes at a significant cost.
