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 how to initiate and conquer this quest, including the Trials of the Sekhemas.

Starting 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 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 Cold Damage vulnerability. While not overly complex, mastering her mechanics might take a few attempts.

Balbala's Attacks and Counters:

• Slash Attack: A basic attack; easily blocked or dodged.
• Throwing Attack: Ranged attack; dodge or block. Each hit applies Poison.
• Whirling Dash Attack: A fast lunge with explosive AoE; dodge only. Preceded by "Face Me!" or "Na'kai!".
• Teleport Dagger Attack: Teleport followed by AoE daggers; dodge only. Preceded by "Atul!".
• Summon Shadow Clone: A Barya (coin) creates a yellow AoE; step over it to prevent summoning a Balbala copy. A teleport slam follows if you step on it.
• Teleport Slam: After summoning, Balbala teleports, yells "Tithe!", and creates a fiery AoE; dodge.
• Summon Poison Mist/Vanish: Balbala vanishes ("Visions of Jarah!" or "Mists of Sulamith!"), summoning poison mist. Find and attack her to cancel the channeling. She'll then yell "Sands of Wrath!" or "Darakatha!" and perform an AoE slam; dodge.
• Explosive Blade Rain: Throws explosive daggers in a counter-clockwise pattern; dodge accordingly.
• Blade Storm: If the Shadow Clone survives, Balbala summons a blade storm; eliminate the clone quickly.

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

Completing the Trials of the Sekhemas

Travel to the Trials of the Sekhemas node (initially, you'll need to command the caravan's movement). Balbala will provide instructions.

The Trials are procedurally generated. Each room presents a challenge: timed events, traps, or elite enemies. Before each Trial, 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 for boons, keys, and Honor recovery.
• Keys: Earned with remaining Sacred Water; open chests for rewards.

Energy Shield drain doesn't affect Honor. Energy Shield builds are advantageous. Each completed section grants a boon and a curse.

Trial Types:

• 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: Rattlecage (Tier 1), Terracota Sentinels (Tier 2), Ashar (Tier 3), Zarokh (Tier 4).

Balance boon/curse choices to preserve Honor. Rattlecage, the Earthbreaker, is particularly challenging; high Fire Resistance is recommended.

Finishing Ascent to Power

Defeating Rattlecage unlocks 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, a workaround is necessary due to a bug:

1. Talk to Zarka and defeat Balbala (ensure the coin shows "Number of Trials 2").
2. Return to Normal difficulty and enter the Trials.
3. Use the "Two Trials" coin to access Cruel difficulty.
4. Complete two Trial runs, defeating a boss in each, for two additional Ascendancy points.

This is not the intended method. 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). Remember, reaching 0 Honor results in failure, but the first attempt doesn't consume Balbala's Barya. Subsequent attempts do.