Path of Exile 2: Burning Monolith Explained

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 and is found near the starting area of your mapping journey. However, accessing it presents a significant challenge.

Accessing the Burning Monolith

The Burning Monolith requires three Crisis Fragments. These fragments are only obtainable by conquering Citadels—extremely rare and challenging map nodes within the Atlas.

The Burning Monolith is the gateway to 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). Successfully 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 for a formidable foe. The Arbiter of Ash is the game's toughest pinnacle boss, boasting devastating attacks and colossal health. Ensure your character build is optimized before engaging.

Locating the Elusive Citadels

Path of Exile 2 features three Citadels: Iron, Copper, and Stone. Each Citadel houses a unique map boss; defeating them rewards you with a corresponding Crisis Fragment. The primary difficulty lies in their unpredictable location.

Citadel attempts are one-time only. The Atlas is procedurally generated, making Citadel locations unique to each player. While community theories exist, their reliability is questionable:

1. Directional Progression: Choose a direction on the Atlas and explore until you discover a Citadel. Utilize Towers for enhanced map visibility.
2. Corruption Tracking: Focus on corrupted nodes at the Atlas's edges. Clear these nodes, unlock nearby Towers, and repeat. This strategy can be combined with the first.
3. Clustered Appearance: Anecdotal evidence suggests Citadels often appear in clusters. Finding one may lead you to the others.

Citadel hunting is a late-game activity, best undertaken when your character is fully optimized and boss encounters are routine.

Alternatively, Crisis Fragments can be purchased on trading websites or through the Currency Exchange. Their rarity often results in high prices, but this may be a worthwhile investment to bypass the arduous hunt.