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 how to start and complete this quest, including navigating the Trials of the Sekhemas.
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, usually near the end. Locate the Ancient Seal Door leading to her prison. Defuse three seals to initiate the encounter.
How to Defeat 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: A basic attack; block or dodge.
- Throwing Attack: Ranged attack; dodge or block. Each dagger inflicts Poison.
- Whirling Dash Attack: A fast lunge with AoE explosions; dodge. Voice cue: "Face Me!" or "Na'kai!"
- Teleport Dagger Attack: Teleports and throws daggers creating AoE; dodge. Voice cue: "Atul!"
- Summon Shadow Clone: Throws a Barya (coin), creating a yellow AoE. Step over it to prevent clone summoning. A teleport slam follows if you step on it. Voice cue: "Tithe!"
- Teleport Slam: After summoning, Balbala teleports and slams; dodge.
- Summon Poison Mist/Vanish: Vanishes (voice cues: "Visions of Jarah!" or "Mists of Sulamith!") and summons poison mist. Find and attack her to cancel. She'll then yell "Sands of Wrath!" or "Darakatha!" before a slam attack.
- Explosive Blade Rain: Throws explosive daggers in a counter-clockwise cone. Dodge accordingly.
- Blade Storm: If the Shadow Clone isn't quickly eliminated, Balbala summons a blade storm. Prioritize clone elimination.
Defeating Balbala yields Balbala's Barya, which you give to Zarka. She'll reveal the location of the Trials of the Sekhemas.
How to Complete the Trials of the Sekhemas
Travel to the Trials of the Sekhemas node via the Ardura Caravan (note the initial caravan repositioning). Balbala will explain the trial mechanics.
The Trials are procedurally generated. Each room presents challenges: timed events, traps, or elite enemies. Before entering, use a Relic for a boon.
Key Mechanics:
- Honor: A resource bar; damage reduces it. Reaching 0 Honor fails the trial.
- Sacred Water: Earned by killing enemies; used to buy boons, keys, or recover Honor.
- Keys: Earned with remaining Sacred Water; open chests.
Each Trial section grants a boon and a curse. Examples of trials 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: Kill summoners and their beasts to deactivate portals.
- Boss Trial: Tiered bosses (Rattlecage, Terracota Sentinels, Ashar, Zarokh).
Completing the Trials, especially defeating Rattlecage (consider Fire Resistance), grants access to the final altar where you choose your first Ascendancy. The choice is permanent.
Completing Ascent to Power in Cruel Difficulty
To gain two additional Ascendancy points in Act 2 Cruel difficulty:
- Talk to Zarka.
- Defeat Balbala (ensure the Barya indicates "Number of Trials 2").
- Return to Act 2 Normal difficulty and access the Trials using the two-trial Barya.
- Complete two Trials consecutively, defeating a boss in each.
- This grants two additional Ascendancy points. (Note: This is a workaround for a current bug).
Remember, 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 four points (total of 8). Reaching 0 Honor fails the trial, but the first attempt doesn't consume the Barya. Subsequent attempts do.
