Burning Monolith 101: How to Use Ancient Crisis Fragments

[Uriah]

The Ancient Crisis Fragment is a crucial Pinnacle Key in Path of Exile 2 used to unlock the Burning Monolith, the gateway to the game's toughest endgame encounter: the Arbiter of Ash.

How to Use the Ancient Crisis Fragment Effectively in the Burning Monolith

Collect All Three Crisis Fragments
The Ancient Crisis Fragment is one of three keys—you also need the Faded Crisis Fragment and the Weathered Crisis Fragment. Each is obtained by defeating faction leaders within distinct Citadels on the Atlas.

The Ancient Crisis Fragment drops from the boss in the Iron Citadel (forest/grass biome).

The other fragments come from similar Citadels in their respective biomes.

Gain Access to the Burning Monolith
Once you have all three Crisis Fragments, head to the Burning Monolith area on your Atlas map. You can enter the zone, but the fragments are necessary to unlock the sealed gate inside.

Insert the Fragments into the Altar
Inside the Burning Monolith, there are three sockets where you must place the Ancient Crisis Fragment, Faded Crisis Fragment, and Weathered Crisis Fragment. The altar activates when all three are correctly inserted, unlocking the pathway to the Arbiter of Ash.

Prepare for the Arbiter of Ash Fight
The Arbiter of Ash is among the hardest bosses in Path of Exile 2, boasting massive health pools and devastating attacks. Use the fragment to access this pinnacle challenge only when your gear, build, and strategy are optimized.

Ensure you have strong defenses (life, resistances, energy shield) and mobility.

Learn the boss mechanics carefully, as success relies on precision, positioning, and timing.

Consider cooperative play or high-end gear to increase survivability.

Repeat as Needed for Rewards and Progression
Successfully defeating the Arbiter rewards you with powerful loot and marks a significant progression milestone. After the fight, you can repeat the process by farming Citadels to collect the crisis fragments again and challenge the Arbiter repeatedly, further improving your gear.

Use the Ancient Crisis Fragment along with the other two Crisis Fragments to unlock the Burning Monolith’s locked gates.

Defeating faction leaders in Citadels is the only way to obtain these fragments.

Insert the fragments in their corresponding sockets inside the altar within the Burning Monolith to activate the Arbiter of Ash encounter.

Only attempt the Arbiter when you’re well-prepared, as it is a difficult pinnacle boss fight demanding skill and strong builds.

Effectively managing the collection and use of the Ancient Crisis Fragment is your gateway to conquering PoE 2’s most challenging endgame content.