Path of Exile 2: A Comprehensive Guide to the Ascent to Power Quest

Path of Exile 2's Ascendancy system significantly impacts character builds. This guide details how to unlock your first Ascendancy by completing the Act 2 Ascent to Power quest, including strategies for defeating Balbala the Traitor and navigating the Trials of the Sekhemas.

Quick Links

• Starting Ascent to Power
• Defeating Balbala the Traitor
• Completing the Trials of the Sekhemas
• Completing Ascent to Power

Starting Ascent to Power

In Act 2, after accessing 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 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. Cold Damage is highly effective. Here's a breakdown of her attacks and counters:

• Slash Attack: A basic attack; easily blocked or dodged.
• Throwing Attack: Ranged version of the slash attack; dodge or block. Each dagger causes Poison buildup.
• 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 clone summoning. A teleport and slam attack follows if you step on it.
• Teleport Slam: After clone summoning; voice cue: "Tithe!" Dodge the fiery AoE.
• Summon Poison Mist/Vanish: Vanishes (voice cues: "Visions of Jarah!" or "Mists of Sulamith!") summoning poisonous mist. Find and attack her to cancel. Circle counter-clockwise from her last position. Upon discovery, she'll yell "Sands of Wrath!" or "Darakatha!" and perform a dodge-able 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, which must be given to Zarka to unlock the Trials of the Sekhemas.

Completing the Trials of the Sekhemas

Travel to the Trials of the Sekhemas node via the Ardura Caravan (you may need to command the caravan's movement). Unlock the Waypoint and interact with the altar.

The Trials are procedurally generated. Each room presents a challenge: timed events, traps, or elite enemies. Before entering, use a Relic for a boon.

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

• Killing enemies drops Sacred Water, used to buy boons, keys, and recover Honor.
• Taking damage reduces Honor.
• Reaching 0 Honor fails the Trial.
• Remaining Honor is exchanged for Sacred Water at the end.
• Sacred Water buys keys for chests.

Energy Shield drain doesn't affect Honor. Energy Shield builds have an advantage.

Each Trial section grants a boon and a curse. Trial types include:

• Chalice Trial: Defeat two bosses along a blood path.
• Escape Trial (timed): Defuse Death Crystals before time runs out.
• Gauntlet Trial: Avoid traps and activate levers.
• Hourglass Trial (timed): Survive enemy waves until time runs out.
• Ritual Trial: Find and kill summoners and their beasts to deactivate portals.
• Boss Trial: Rattlecage (Tier 1), Terracota Sentinels (Tier 2), Ashar (Tier 3), Zarokh (Tier 4).

Balance boon/curse choices to preserve Honor. For Rattlecage, prioritize Fire Resistance. Stun him and avoid lava cracks.

Completing Ascent to Power

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

Cruel Difficulty: To obtain additional Ascendancy points in Cruel difficulty, a workaround is necessary due to a bug:

1. Talk to Zarka, defeat Balbala (ensure the Barya indicates "Number of Trials 2").
2. Return to Act 2 Normal difficulty and enter the Trials using the "Two Trials" Barya.
3. Complete two Trial runs consecutively, defeating a boss in each.
4. This grants two additional Ascendancy points. Note that this is a workaround for a known bug.

The Trial of Chaos in Act 3 (Normal and Cruel) grants the remaining 4 Ascendancy points (for a total of 8). Reaching 0 Honor fails the Trial, but the first attempt doesn't consume the Barya. Subsequent attempts do. Only the first Normal and Cruel runs grant Ascendancy points.