Path of Exile 2: Unveiling the Burning Monolith

The Burning Monolith, found near the starting area on the Atlas of Worlds in *Path of Exile 2*, is a unique map akin to the Realmgate. Accessing it, however, involves a challenging process that requires three special items known as Crisis Fragments. These can only be obtained by conquering the formidable Citadels, special map nodes scattered across the Atlas.

How to Use the Burning Monolith in Path of Exile 2

The Burning Monolith serves as the arena for the ultimate endgame challenge against the Arbiter of Ash, the pinnacle boss of *Path of Exile 2*. Upon your first visit to the Monolith, attempting to open the door will trigger the quest "The Pinnacle of Flame." This quest branches into three subquests: "Ezomyte Infiltration" at the Iron Citadel, "Faridun Foray" at the Copper Citadel, and "Vaal Incursion" at the Stone Citadel. Successfully completing these Citadels will grant you the three unique Crisis Fragments needed. To unlock the battle with the Arbiter of Ash, bring these Fragments to the altar within the Burning Monolith.

Before engaging the Arbiter of Ash, ensure your character build is robust. This boss boasts devastating attacks and a staggering amount of HP, making it the toughest challenge in the game.

How to Find Citadels in Path of Exile 2

In *Path of Exile 2*, you'll encounter three types of Citadels: Iron, Copper, and Stone. Each Citadel hosts a unique map boss, which must be defeated to secure the corresponding Crisis Fragment. The primary challenge lies in locating these Citadels, as each player's Atlas is uniquely generated.

Remember, you can only attempt each Citadel once. Here are some community-suggested strategies for finding them, though these should be taken with a grain of salt:

1. Choose a direction on the Atlas and continue advancing until you stumble upon a Citadel. Unlocking Towers can provide a better overview of the surrounding maps.
2. Follow the corruption. Scan the edges of your Atlas view for nodes showing signs of corruption. Clear these nodes successfully, unlock nearby Towers, and repeat this process.
3. Citadels tend to appear in clusters. If you find one, the others are likely nearby.

Hunting for Citadels is a time-intensive task best suited for late-game when your build is at its strongest and tackling bosses is routine.

Crisis Fragments, the ultimate goal of Citadel hunting, can also be purchased from trading websites or through the Currency Exchange. Given their rarity, they come with a high price tag, but this can be a worthwhile investment to bypass the laborious search for them.