Path of Exile 2: Burning Monolith Explained

The Burning Monolith: Conquering Path of Exile 2's Endgame Pinnacle Boss

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. Accessing it, however, presents a significant challenge.

Unlocking the Burning Monolith

To enter the Burning Monolith, you need three Crisis Fragments. These fragments are acquired by completing the extremely rare Citadel map nodes found on the Atlas. Your first attempt to activate the Monolith's door initiates "The Pinnacle of Flame" quest, comprised of 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. Once obtained, use them at the Monolith's altar to unlock the fight against the Arbiter of Ash.

Prepare for a formidable foe. The Arbiter of Ash is the game's toughest pinnacle boss, boasting devastating attacks and millions of hit points. Ensure your character build is optimized before engaging.

Finding the Elusive Citadels

Path of Exile 2 features three Citadels: Iron, Copper, and Stone. Each Citadel houses a unique map boss; defeating them grants the corresponding Crisis Fragment. The primary difficulty lies in locating these Citadels.

Citadels are one-time attempts.

Due to the Atlas's randomized generation, Citadel locations vary across player experiences. While definitive strategies remain elusive, community observations suggest the following approaches:

1. Directional Exploration: Choose a direction on the Atlas and systematically explore until you discover a Citadel. Utilizing Towers provides a broader view of the surrounding maps.
2. Corruption Tracking: Focus on the Atlas's edges, searching for corrupted nodes. Clear these nodes (without failure), unlock nearby Towers, and repeat. This method complements directional exploration.
3. Clustered Appearance: Anecdotal evidence suggests Citadels tend to cluster together. Finding one increases the likelihood of discovering the others nearby.

Citadel hunting is a late-game endeavor. It's best undertaken when your build is fully optimized and boss encounters are routine.

Alternative Acquisition

Crisis Fragments, the objective of Citadel hunting, can be purchased via online trading websites or the in-game Currency Exchange. However, their rarity makes them expensive. Weigh the cost against the time investment required for hunting them yourself.