Path of Exile 2: Burning Monolith Explained

The Burning Monolith is a unique Atlas of Worlds location, akin to the Realmgate, typically found near players' initial mapping area. Activating this structure presents considerable challenges.

Accessing the Burning Monolith

To enter this mystical structure, adventurers must collect three rare Crisis Fragments. These fragments exclusively drop from Citadels - special map nodes on the Atlas that are notoriously difficult to locate.

How to Use the Burning Monolith in Path of Exile 2

The Burning Monolith serves as the arena for confronting the endgame's ultimate challenge: the Arbiter of Ash. Upon first interaction with the monolith's entrance, players initiate The Pinnacle of Flame questline. This consists of three challenging subquests:

• Ezomyte Infiltration (Iron Citadel)
• Faridun Foray (Copper Citadel)
• Vaal Incursion (Stone Citadel)

Successful completion of all three Citadels rewards players with the required Crisis Fragments. Presenting these fragments at the monolith's altar grants access to the climactic battle against the Arbiter of Ash.

Warning: This encounter demands absolute preparation. The Arbiter stands as the game's most formidable foe, boasting devastating abilities and staggering health reserves.

Locating Citadels in Path of Exile 2

PoE 2 features three distinct Citadels: Iron, Copper, and Stone. Each presents unique boss encounters necessary for fragment acquisition. The true challenge lies in discovering these elusive nodes.

Key considerations:

• Each Citadel may only be attempted once per character
• The dynamic Atlas generation makes their locations unpredictable
• Community observations suggest possible patterns (though unconfirmed):

1. Commit to an Atlas exploration direction, unlocking Towers for better visibility
2. Track corruption spreading towards the Atlas edges - corrupted nodes may hint at nearby Citadels
3. Citadels tend to cluster - finding one often means others are nearby

This arduous hunt should be reserved for fully optimized endgame builds. For those seeking alternatives, Crisis Fragments can be acquired through trading systems, though their rarity results in significant market value.