Path of Exile 2: Official Ascent to Power Guide

Path of Exile 2: A Comprehensive Guide to the Ascent to Power Quest

Path of Exile 2's intricate Ascendancy system is crucial for character progression. 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 overcoming its challenges.

Starting the Ascent to Power Quest

Once you unlock the Ardura Caravan in Act 2, explore the available location nodes. Before visiting "Traitor's Passage," speak with Zarka. She'll direct you to Balbala, a trapped Djinn, to gain power.

Balbala's location within Traitor's Passage is randomized due to procedural map generation, but she's generally found near the end. Locate the Ancient Seal Door leading to her prison. Defuse three seals to trigger the encounter.

Defeating Balbala the Traitor

Balbala resists Fire Damage and inflicts Physical, Chaos, and Fire damage, along with Poison and Ignition. Exploit her weakness to Cold Damage for optimal results.

Here's a breakdown of Balbala's attacks and counter-strategies:

• Slash Attack: A basic attack easily blocked or dodged. Save your Energy Shield for more dangerous attacks. May inflict Burning or Poison.
• Throwing Attack: Ranged version of the slash attack; dodge or block. Each dagger hit builds Poison.
• Whirling Dash Attack: A fast lunge with an AoE explosion after 1.5 seconds. Cannot be blocked, but can be dodged. Voice cue: "Face Me!" or "Na'kai!"
• Teleport Dagger Attack: Balbala teleports and throws daggers creating an AoE. Dodge to avoid damage. Voice cue: "Atul!"
• Summon Shadow Clone: Balbala throws a Barya (coin), creating a yellow AoE. Step over it quickly to prevent a Balbala clone from spawning. A teleport and slam attack follows if you step on the AoE.
• Teleport Slam: After summoning the clone, Balbala teleports and yells "Tithe!", creating a fiery AoE. Dodge it.
• Summon Poison Mist/Vanish: Balbala vanishes (voice cues: "Visions of Jarah!" or "Mists of Sulamith!") and summons poisonous mist. Find and attack her to cancel the channeling. She'll yell "Sands of Wrath!" or "Darakatha!" upon being found, followed by an AoE slam.
• Explosive Blade Rain: Throws explosive daggers in a counter-clockwise conical pattern. Dodge in the opposite direction.
• Blade Storm: If the Shadow Clone isn't eliminated quickly, Balbala summons a damaging blade storm. Prioritize eliminating the clone.

Defeating Balbala yields Balbala's Barya. Give it to Zarka to reveal the Trials of the Sekhemas.

Completing the Trials of the Sekhemas

Travel to the Trials of the Sekhemas node from the Ardura Caravan. The first time, you'll need to command the caravan's movement. Unlock the Waypoint and approach the altar where Balbala will explain the trial.

The Trials are procedurally generated dungeons with various challenges: timed challenges, traps, and rare enemies. Before entering, use a Relic to receive a boon.

Key Mechanics:

• Honor: A resource bar depleted by damage. Reaching 0 Honor fails the trial.
• Sacred Water: Earned by killing enemies; used to buy boons, keys, and recover Honor.
• Keys: Earned with remaining Sacred Water at the end; used to open chests.

Energy Shield drain doesn't affect Honor. Energy Shield builds are advantageous.

Each Trial section offers boons and curses. 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 until time runs out.
• Ritual Trial: Find and kill summoners and their summoned beasts.
• Boss Trial: Face Rattlecage (Tier 1), Terracota Sentinels (Tier 2), Ashar (Tier 3), or Zarokh (Tier 4).

Balance boons and curses to preserve Honor. Rattlecage is particularly challenging; prioritize Fire Resistance.

Completing Ascent to Power

Defeating Rattlecage unlocks the final altar where you choose your first Ascendancy. This choice is permanent.

Cruel Difficulty: To gain additional Ascendancy points in Cruel difficulty, complete the following (due to a current bug):

1. Start the quest with Zarka.
2. Defeat Balbala in Cruel, obtaining a Barya indicating "Number of Trials 2."
3. Return to Normal difficulty and access the Trials using the Barya.
4. Complete two Trials consecutively to earn 2 additional Ascendancy points.

Only the first Normal and Cruel difficulty runs grant Ascendancy points (2 each). You also need to complete the Trial of Chaos in Act 3 (Normal and Cruel) for the remaining 4 points (total 8). Remember, reaching 0 Honor fails the trial, but the first attempt doesn't consume the Barya. Subsequent attempts do.