Path of Exile 2: A Comprehensive Guide to 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 starting the quest, defeating Balbala the Traitor, completing the Trials of the Sekhemas, and maximizing Ascendancy points.
How to Start Ascent to Power
In Act 2, after unlocking the Ardura Caravan and exploring two location nodes, speak to Zarka before visiting Traitor's Passage. 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.
How to Beat Balbala the Traitor
Balbala resists Fire Damage and inflicts Physical, Chaos, and Fire damage, along with Poison and Ignition. Exploit her Cold Damage vulnerability.
Balbala's Attacks and Counters:
- Slash Attack: Basic attack; block or dodge. May inflict Poison or Burning.
- Throwing Attack: Ranged attack; dodge or block. Multiple daggers inflict Poison.
- Whirling Dash Attack: Fast lunge with AoE explosion (1.5-second delay). 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 clone summoning. Failure results in a teleport and slam attack.
- Teleport Slam: After clone summoning, teleports and slams with AoE. Dodge. Voice cue: "Tithe!"
- Summon Poison Mist/Vanish: Vanishes (voice cues: "Visions of Jarah!" or "Mists of Sulamith!"), summoning poisonous mist. Quickly locate and attack her to cancel. Discovery cue: "Sands of Wrath!" or "Darakatha!" followed by an AoE slam. Dodge.
- Explosive Blade Rain: (Late-game) Throws explosive daggers in a counter-clockwise cone. Dodge accordingly.
- Blade Storm: (If Shadow Clone survives) Destructive blade storm. Prioritize eliminating clones.
Defeating Balbala yields Balbala's Barya, to be given to Zarka. She'll then reveal the Trials of the Sekhemas.
How to Complete the Trials of the Sekhemas
Travel to the Trials of the Sekhemas node from the Ardura Caravan (initial access requires moving the caravan). Unlock the Waypoint and interact with the altar.
The Trials are procedurally generated dungeons with various challenges: timed challenges, traps, and elite enemies. Before each Trial, make an offering using a Relic for a boon.
Key Mechanics:
- Honor: Resource bar; depletes with damage taken. Reaching 0 Honor fails the Trial.
- Sacred Water: Currency; obtained from killing enemies; used for boons, keys, and Honor recovery.
- Keys: Obtained from remaining Sacred Water; open chests (Bronze, Silver, Gold).
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 a challenging boss; prioritize Fire Resistance.
Completing Ascent to Power and Obtaining Ascendancy Points
Defeating Rattlecage unlocks the final altar where you choose your first Ascendancy. The choice is permanent.
Cruel Difficulty: To obtain additional Ascendancy points (2 in Cruel):
- Talk to Zarka.
- Defeat Balbala in Cruel (Barya should indicate "Number of Trials 2").
- Return to Normal difficulty and access the Trials using the Cruel difficulty Barya.
- Complete two Trials consecutively, defeating a boss in each.
- This grants 2 additional Ascendancy Points. (Note: This is a workaround for a current bug.)
The Trial of Chaos in Act 3 (Normal and Cruel) grants the remaining 4 Ascendancy points (8 total). Remember, reaching 0 Honor fails the Trial, but the first Normal difficulty attempt doesn't consume the Barya. Subsequent attempts and Cruel difficulty runs do consume the Barya. Only the first Normal and Cruel runs grant Ascendancy points.
