Path of Exile 2: Mastering the Ascent to Power
Path of Exile 2's intricate class system hinges on the Ascension system. Unlocking your first Ascendancy requires completing the "Ascent to Power" quest in Act 2. This guide details starting and completing this quest, including navigating the Trials of the Sekhemas.
Starting Ascent to Power
Once you unlock the Ardura Caravan in Act 2, explore the location nodes. Before the third node ("Traitor's Passage"), speak with Zarka. She'll direct you to Balbala, a trapped Djinn, to gain power.
Balbala's location is randomized within Traitor's Passage but typically 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 Cold Damage vulnerability.
Here's a breakdown of her attacks and counters:
- Slash Attack: A basic attack; easily blocked or dodged.
- Throwing Attack: Ranged attack; dodge or block. Each dagger inflicts Poison.
- Whirling Dash Attack: A fast lunge with explosive AoE; dodge only. Voice cue: "Face Me!" or "Na'kai!"
- Teleport Dagger Attack: Teleports and throws daggers creating AoE; dodge only. Voice cue: "Atul!"
- Summon Shadow Clone: Throws a Barya (coin), creating a yellow AoE. Step over it to prevent summoning a Balbala copy. Failure results in a teleport and slam attack.
- Teleport Slam: After summoning, she teleports and slams, creating a fiery AoE; dodge. Voice cue: "Tithe!"
- Summon Poison Mist/Vanish: Vanishes, summoning poisonous mist. Voice cue: "Visions of Jarah!" or "Mists of Sulamith!" Find and attack her to cancel. Discovery cue: "Sands of Wrath!" or "Darakatha!" followed by an AoE slam.
- Explosive Blade Rain: Throws explosive daggers in a counter-clockwise cone; dodge accordingly.
- Blade Storm: If the Shadow Clone isn't eliminated quickly, she summons a destructive blade storm. Prioritize clone elimination.
Defeating Balbala yields Balbala's Barya, to be given to Zarka, revealing the Trials of the Sekhemas.
Completing the Trials of the Sekhemas
From the Ardura Caravan, travel to the Trials of the Sekhemas node. Initially, you'll need to command the caravan's movement. Unlock the Waypoint and approach the altar where Balbala explains the trial.
The Trials are procedurally generated. Each room presents challenges: timed events, traps, or elite enemies. Before entering, use a Relic to gain a boon.
Key mechanics:
- Honor: A resource bar depleted by damage. Reaching 0 Honor fails the Trial.
- Sacred Water: Currency obtained by killing enemies; used for boons, keys, and Honor recovery.
- Keys: Earned with remaining Sacred Water; open chests.
Energy Shield drain doesn't affect Honor. Energy Shield builds are advantageous.
Each Trial section offers boons and curses. Examples 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 deactivating portals.
- Boss Trial: Rattlecage (Tier 1), Terracota Sentinels (Tier 2), Ashar (Tier 3), Zarokh (Tier 4).
Successfully navigating the Trials requires balancing boons, curses, and Honor preservation. Rattlecage, the Earthbreaker, is particularly challenging. High Fire Resistance is crucial. Stun him repeatedly.
Completing Ascent to Power
Defeating Rattlecage grants access to the final altar where you choose your first Ascendancy. This choice is permanent.
Cruel Difficulty: To gain two additional Ascendancy points in Act 2 Cruel difficulty:
- Talk to Zarka.
- Defeat Balbala (ensure the Barya indicates "Number of Trials 2").
- Return to Act 2 Normal, access the Trials using the Barya.
- Complete two Trials consecutively, defeating a boss in each.
- This grants two additional Ascendancy points. (Note: This is a workaround for a current bug.)
Reaching 0 Honor fails the Trial. The first Normal and Cruel difficulty runs grant 2 Ascendancy points each. Subsequent runs consume the Djinn Barya. Complete the Trial of Chaos in Act 3 Normal and Cruel for the remaining 4 points (total 8).
