Path of Exile 2: Mastering 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.

Starting Ascent to Power

After unlocking the Ardura Caravan in Act 2, explore the first two location nodes. Before the third (Traitor's Passage), speak with Zarka. 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.

Defeating Balbala the Traitor

Balbala resists fire damage and inflicts physical, chaos, and fire damage, plus poison and ignition. Cold damage is highly effective.

Balbala's Attacks and Counters:

• Slash Attack: Basic attack; block or dodge. May inflict burn or poison.
• Throwing Attack: Ranged attack; dodge or block. Each dagger inflicts poison.
• Whirling Dash: Fast lunge with AoE explosion (1.5-second delay). Cannot be blocked, only dodged. 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. Teleport slam follows if stepped on. Voice cue: "Tithe!"
• Teleport Slam: Follows clone summoning; fiery AoE. Dodge.
• Summon Poison Mist/Vanish: Vanishes (voice cues: "Visions of Jarah!" or "Mists of Sulamith!"), summoning poison mist. Find and attack her to cancel. She'll then yell "Sands of Wrath!" or "Darakatha!" and perform an AoE slam.
• Explosive Blade Rain: (Late-fight) Conical pattern of explosive daggers. Dodge in the opposite direction.
• Blade Storm: (If clone survives) Destructive blade storm. Prioritize clone elimination.

Defeating Balbala yields Balbala's Barya, to be given 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 requiring caravan movement). Unlock the waypoint and approach the altar. Balbala (as an NPC) explains the trial.

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: 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.

Energy Shield drain doesn't reduce Honor. Energy Shield builds are advantageous.

Each trial section offers boons and curses. Examples:

• 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.
• Ritual Trial: Find and kill summoners and their beasts.
• Boss Trial: Tiered bosses (Rattlecage, Terracota Sentinels, Ashar, Zarokh).

Rattlecage, the Earthbreaker (often encountered), is best countered with fire resistance and stuns.

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: The Cruel difficulty quest is currently bugged. To get additional Ascendancy points:

1. Start the quest in Cruel.
2. Defeat Balbala (Barya should indicate "Number of Trials 2").
3. Return to Normal difficulty and access the Trials using the "Two Trials" Barya.
4. Complete two Trials runs in Cruel to gain 2 additional Ascendancy points.

Only the first Normal and Cruel runs grant Ascendancy points (2 each). You'll need to complete the Trial of Chaos in Act 3 (Normal and Cruel) for the remaining 4 points (total 8). Reaching 0 Honor fails the trial, but the first attempt doesn't consume the Barya. Subsequent attempts do.