Path of Exile 2: In-Depth Guide to Ascendancy

Path of Exile 2: Mastering the Ascent to Power

Path of Exile 2's captivating class system hinges on the Ascension system. Unlocking your first Ascendancy requires completing the Ascent to Power quest in Act 2. This guide details how to initiate and conquer this challenging quest, including the Trials of the Sekhemas.

Starting Ascent to Power

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

Balbala's location is randomized due to PoE2's procedural generation, but she's generally found at Traitor's Passage's end. Locate the Ancient Seal Door leading to Balbala's prison. Disarm three seals to trigger the boss fight.

Conquering 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 Balbala's attacks and counters:

• Slash Attack: A basic attack; easily blocked or dodged.
• Throwing Attack: Ranged attack; dodge or block. Each dagger causes Poison buildup.
• Whirling Dash Attack: A fast lunge with a delayed AoE explosion. Dodge; the cue is "Face Me!" or "Na'kai!".
• Teleport Dagger Attack: Teleports and throws daggers creating an AoE. Dodge; the cue is "Atul!".
• Summon Shadow Clone: Throws a Barya (coin) summoning a clone. Quickly step over the yellow AoE to prevent the clone's appearance. Failure results in a teleport slam attack.
• Teleport Slam: After the summoning circle, Balbala teleports and slams, creating a fiery AoE. Dodge; the cue is "Tithe!".
• Summon Poison Mist/Vanish: Balbala vanishes (cues: "Visions of Jarah!" or "Mists of Sulamith!") summoning poisonous mist. Find and attack her to cancel the channeling. Her return cue is "Sands of Wrath!" or "Darakatha!".
• Explosive Blade Rain: Throws explosive daggers in a counter-clockwise pattern. Dodge accordingly.
• Blade Storm: If the Shadow Clone survives, Balbala unleashes a blade storm. Prioritize eliminating the clone.

Defeating Balbala yields Balbala's Barya, which you give to Zarka. She'll reveal the Trials of the Sekhemas.

Completing the Trials of the Sekhemas

From the Ardura Caravan, navigate to the Trials of the Sekhemas node. The first time, you'll need to command the caravan's movement.

Balbala will guide you at the altar. The procedurally generated dungeon presents various challenges: timed challenges, traps, and elite enemies. Before starting, use a Relic for a boon.

The Trials introduce "Honor" and "Sacred Water":

• Killing enemies drops Sacred Water, used for boons, keys, and Honor recovery.
• Taking damage reduces Honor.
• Reaching 0 Honor fails the Trial.
• Remaining Honor converts to Sacred Water.
• Sacred Water buys chests.
• Energy Shield damage doesn't affect Honor.

Each Trial section grants 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 their beasts.
• Boss Trial: Tiered bosses (Rattlecage, Terracota Sentinels, Ashar, Zarokh).

Balancing boons and curses while preserving Honor is crucial. Rattlecage, the Earthbreaker, is a formidable final boss; prioritize Fire Resistance.

Finishing Ascent to Power

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

For Cruel difficulty, a workaround exists due to a bug:

1. Talk to 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 gain two additional Ascendancy Points.

Note: Only the first Normal and Cruel runs grant Ascendancy Points. 0 Honor means failure. The Trial of Chaos in Act 3 (Normal and Cruel) grants the remaining 4 Ascendancy Points (8 total).