Path of Exile 2: A Comprehensive Guide to the Ascent to Power Quest
Path of Exile 2's Ascendancy system significantly impacts character builds. Unlocking your first Ascendancy requires completing the Ascent to Power quest in Act 2. This guide details how to initiate and complete this quest, including strategies for challenging encounters.
How to Start Ascent to Power
In Act 2, after unlocking the Ardura Caravan and exploring two location nodes, speak with Zarka before reaching Traitor's Passage. She'll direct you to Balbala, a trapped Djinn, to gain power.
Balbala's location within Traitor's Passage is randomized due to procedural generation, but she's typically found near the end. Locate the Ancient Seal Door leading to her prison. Defuse three seals to initiate the encounter.
How to Beat Balbala the Traitor
Balbala resists Fire Damage and inflicts Physical, Chaos, and Fire damage, alongside Poison and Ignition. Exploit her Cold Damage vulnerability.
Here's a breakdown of her attacks and counter-strategies:
- Slash Attack: A basic attack easily blocked or dodged. Save Energy Shield for more dangerous attacks.
- Throwing Attack: Ranged version of the slash attack; dodge or block. Each dagger inflicts Poison.
- Whirling Dash Attack: A fast lunge with an AoE explosion after 1.5 seconds. Dodging is crucial. Voice cue: "Face Me!" or "Na'kai!"
- Teleport Dagger Attack: Balbala teleports and throws daggers creating an AoE. Dodge only. Voice cue: "Atul!"
- Summon Shadow Clone: Balbala throws a Barya (coin) creating a yellow AoE. Step over it quickly to prevent a Balbala clone. A teleport slam follows if you step on it. Voice cue: "Tithe!"
- Teleport Slam: A fiery AoE after teleporting. Dodge.
- Summon Poison Mist/Vanish: Balbala vanishes (voice cues: "Visions of Jarah!" or "Mists of Sulamith!") summoning poisonous mist. Find and attack her to cancel the channeling. Counterclockwise circling from her last position helps. Voice cues upon discovery: "Sands of Wrath!" or "Darakatha!" followed by an AoE slam.
- Explosive Blade Rain: A conical pattern of explosive daggers thrown counterclockwise. Dodge in the opposite direction.
- Blade Storm: If the Shadow Clone isn't quickly eliminated, Balbala summons a swirling blade storm. Prioritize eliminating the clone.
Defeating Balbala yields Balbala's Barya, which must be given to Zarka. She then reveals the Trials of the Sekhemas.
How to Complete the Trials of the Sekhemas
Travel from the Ardura Caravan to the Trials of the Sekhemas node. Note: The first time, you'll need to command the caravan's movement.
Balbala acts as an NPC, explaining the trial's mechanics. The procedurally generated dungeon features various challenges: timed challenges, traps, and elite enemies. Before entering, use a Relic for a boon.
Key mechanics:
- Honor: A resource bar depleted by damage. Reaching 0 fails the Trial.
- Sacred Water: Earned by killing enemies; used to buy boons, keys, and recover Honor.
- Keys: Earned from remaining Sacred Water; open chests (Bronze, Silver, Gold).
Energy Shield drain doesn't affect Honor. Energy Shield builds have an advantage.
Each Trial section offers a boon and a curse. Trial types include:
- Chalice Trial: Defeat two bosses.
- Escape Trial (timed): Defuse Death Crystals before time runs out.
- Gauntlet Trial: Avoid traps and find levers.
- Hourglass Trial (timed): Survive enemy waves.
- Ritual Trial: Kill summoners and summoned beasts.
- Boss Trial: Rattlecage (Tier 1), Terracota Sentinels (Tier 2), Ashar (Tier 3), Zarokh (Tier 4).
Balancing boons and curses, and prioritizing Honor preservation, is crucial. Rattlecage, the Earthbreaker, is a challenging boss. Focus on Fire Resistance and stunning him.
How to Complete Ascent to Power
Defeating Rattlecage grants access to the final altar where you choose your first Ascendancy. This choice is permanent.
Cruel Difficulty: A bug currently requires a workaround to obtain additional Ascendancy points:
- Talk to Zarka in Cruel.
- Defeat Balbala (Barya shows "Number of Trials 2").
- Return to Normal difficulty and enter the Trials using the "Two Trials" Barya.
- Complete two Trials consecutively to gain 2 additional Ascendancy points.
Only the first Normal and Cruel runs grant Ascendancy points (2 each). You'll also need to complete the Trial of Chaos in Act 3 (Normal and Cruel) for the remaining 4 points (total 8). Reaching 0 Honor fails the Trial, but the first attempt doesn't consume the Barya. Subsequent attempts do.
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