Path of Exile 2: Understanding the Burning Monolith

The Burning Monolith stands as a unique landmark on the Atlas of Worlds in Path of Exile 2, akin to the Realmgate, positioned near the beginning of players' mapping adventures. Accessing it, however, is far from straightforward.

To unlock the Burning Monolith, players must gather three special items known as Crisis Fragments. These can only be obtained by conquering Citadels, which are rare map nodes scattered across the Atlas and notoriously difficult to locate.

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 initial visit to the Monolith and attempting to open the door, you'll automatically embark on the quest, "The Pinnacle of Flame," which is divided into three subquests: Ezomyte Infiltration (Iron Citadel), Faridun Foray (Copper Citadel), and Vaal Incursion (Stone Citadel). Successfully completing these three Citadels will reward you with the three unique Crisis Fragments needed. Combine these Fragments at the altar within the Burning Monolith to unlock the confrontation with the Arbiter of Ash.

Ensure your build is optimized before engaging the Arbiter of Ash, as this boss is renowned for its formidable attacks and massive health pool, making it the toughest challenge in the game.

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 featuring a unique map boss. Defeating these bosses is crucial to acquiring the corresponding Crisis Fragment. The primary challenge lies in locating these Citadels.

Remember, you can only attempt each Citadel once. Given the randomized nature of each player's Atlas, pinpointing Citadel locations can seem arbitrary. However, community theories, based on anecdotal evidence, suggest a few strategies:

1. Choose a direction on the Atlas and continue advancing until you stumble upon a Citadel. Utilize Towers to gain a better overview of the map layout.
2. Track corruption. Look for nodes at the edge of your Atlas vision displaying signs of corruption. Navigate towards these nodes, clear them successfully, unlock nearby Towers, and repeat the process.
3. Understand that Citadels tend to cluster. If you discover one, the others are likely nearby.

Citadel hunting is a lengthy process best suited for late-game scenarios when your character build is at its peak and boss encounters are routine.

Crisis Fragments, the ultimate goal of Citadel exploration, can also be purchased through trading websites or the Currency Exchange. Due to their rarity, these Fragments can be expensive, but the investment might be justified if you wish to bypass the time-consuming search for them within the game.