Path of Exile 2: Unveiling the Ascent to Power

Path of Exile 2: Mastering 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 start and complete this quest, including strategies for the Trials of the Sekhemas.

Starting Ascent to Power

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 is randomized within Traitor's Passage. Locate the Ancient Seal Door leading to her prison. Defuse three seals to initiate the encounter.

Defeating Balbala the Traitor

Balbala resists Fire Damage and inflicts Physical, Chaos, and Fire damage, plus 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): Similar to the slash attack; dodge or block. Each dagger inflicts Poison.
• Whirling Dash: A fast lunge with AoE explosions after 1.5 seconds. Cannot be blocked, but dodge it. Voice cue: "Face Me!" or "Na'kai!"
• Teleport Dagger Attack: Balbala teleports and throws daggers creating 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 trigger the AoE. Voice cue: "Tithe!"
• 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. She'll then use a slam attack (Voice cues: "Sands of Wrath!" or "Darakatha!").
• Explosive Blade Rain: Throws explosive daggers in a counter-clockwise cone. Dodge accordingly.
• Blade Storm: If the Shadow Clone isn't eliminated promptly, Balbala summons a damaging blade storm. Prioritize clone elimination.

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

Completing the Trials of the Sekhemas

Travel to the Trials of the Sekhemas node from the Ardura Caravan. Note that the first time, you'll need to command the caravan to move to the Sekhemas' map.

Balbala will explain the trial mechanics. The map is procedurally generated, with various challenges in each room (timed challenges, traps, elite enemies). Before entering, use a Relic for a boon.

Key Mechanics:

• Honor: A resource bar depleted by damage. Reaching 0 Honor fails the trial.
• Sacred Water: Used to purchase boons, keys, and recover Honor. Earned by killing enemies.
• Keys: Used to open chests (Bronze, Silver, Gold) at the end, using remaining Sacred Water.

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

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 until time runs out.
• Ritual Trial: Find and kill summoners and their summoned beasts.
• Boss Trial: Tiered bosses (Rattlecage, Terracota Sentinels, Ashar, Zarokh).

Balance boon/curse choices to preserve Honor. Rattlecage is particularly challenging; prioritize Fire Resistance.

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, a workaround is needed due to a bug:

1. Talk to Zarka, defeat Balbala (ensure the Barya shows "Number of Trials 2").
2. Return to Act 2 Normal, access Trials using the "two trials" Barya.
3. Complete two consecutive Trials, defeating a boss in each.
4. You'll gain two additional Ascendancy points.

Remember: Reaching 0 Honor fails the trial. Only the first Normal and Cruel difficulty runs grant Ascendancy points. You'll need to complete the Trial of Chaos in Act 3 (Normal and Cruel) for the remaining 4 points (total 8).