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Path of Exile 2 - How to Unlock Ascendancies

In Path of Exile 2, character customization is elevated to a new level with the introduction of Ascendancy classes. As you progress through the second act, you will encounter the opportunity to choose one of these specializations, adding a crucial strategic layer to your build development. While this system may seem complex at first, mastering it is essential to optimize your character and face the challenges that await you. Ascendancies offer deep diversification, allowing you to focus your skills and enhance your playstyle. This guide will provide you with a clear and concise understanding of how to unlock and select the ideal Ascendancy for your character in Path of Exile 2.

Ascendancies represent a crucial part of character customization and development. Functioning as subclasses, they offer deep specialization and access to unique skills that can drastically enhance your playstyle. But how are these powerful specializations unlocked? This guide will walk you through the process of unlocking your Ascendancy, from obtaining the key item to the final choice.

The First Step

Before even thinking about the Trial of Sekhemas, the dungeon that grants you your Ascendancy, you must overcome an initial obstacle: defeating Balbala in the Traitor's Passage. This optional dungeon is located in the Burning Caravan, an area you will explore during your adventure. Within the Traitor's Passage, your goal is to reach the Six Sisters area, where you will find Balbala trapped in the Prison of Woes. Freeing her from this prison is the first step to facing her in combat.

Balbala

Balbala is an agile and mobile boss, making combat against her a dynamic challenge. The arena where you fight her is often filled with obstacles, so spatial awareness and reaction time are key. Here are some tips for successfully facing her:

Balbala

- Prioritize mobility: Always keep a finger on the dodge button. Balbala will frequently teleport behind you, so be prepared to react quickly and move away.

- Avoid area of effect (AoE): Balbala will use various area attacks that can inflict considerable damage. Carefully observe her animations and attack patterns to anticipate these AoEs and dodge them in time.

- Eliminate minions: During combat, Balbala will summon additional enemies. Prioritize eliminating them quickly to prevent them from overwhelming you and making it difficult to dodge Balbala's attacks.

- Patience and observation: Learn Balbala's attack patterns. Observe her movements and anticipate her actions to maximize your attack opportunities and minimize the damage received.

Once you manage to defeat Balbala, you will obtain the Barya of Balbala, a crucial item to continue your path towards the Ascendancy.

With the Barya of Balbala in your possession, the "Ascend to Power" quest will be activated. This quest will guide you to the Trial of Sekhemas, located on the desert map. This dungeon presents a unique challenge: you must complete it without dying or losing all your "Honor," a special resource that only applies within this dungeon.

The Importance of Honor in the Trial of Sekhemas

Honor is a crucial resource within the Trial of Sekhemas. While it is not shared with the rest of the game, its management is essential to successfully completing the dungeon. Losing all your Honor will result in a failure of the trial, forcing you to restart it. Therefore, play cautiously and prioritize survival.

Trial of Sekhemas

The Altar of Ascension

At the end of the Trial of Sekhemas, you will find the Altar of Ascension. Interacting with this altar will finally allow you to unlock and choose your Ascendancy class. This is a decisive moment in your character's development, as the Ascendancy you choose will largely define your playstyle and the skills you will have access to.

The Altar of Ascension

Upon completing the Trial of Sekhemas, you will receive two Ascendancy Points. These points are used to unlock nodes in the skill tree of the Ascendancy you have chosen. Each node offers different bonuses and skills, allowing you to further customize your character and adapt it to your preferred playstyle.

Note: Beyond the Trial of Sekhemas in Act Two, Path of Exile 2 offers an additional opportunity to unlock an Ascendancy class or gain extra Ascendancy Points: the Trial of Chaos in Act Three. To access this trial, you must first defeat Xyclucian in the Chimeral Wetlands. Upon defeating him, you will obtain the Chimeral Imbued Ultimatum, a key item that will allow you to unlock the entrance to the Trial of Chaos in the same area. Even if you have already completed the Trial of Sekhemas and chosen your Ascendancy, venturing into the Trial of Chaos will reward you with additional Ascendancy Points. This provides you with the flexibility to further expand your Ascendancy skill tree and optimize your character for greater challenges.

How To Get Ascendancy Points

To further expand your character's capabilities in Path of Exile 2, you'll need to accumulate more Ascendancy Points and thus progress in the skill tree of your chosen Ascendancy. The primary way to obtain these additional points is by completing the Trials of Sekhemas and Chaos again. These repeated versions of the trials usually feature additional floors and increased difficulty, posing a greater challenge but also a greater reward.

However, to access these more difficult versions of the trials, you'll need to find additional Trial Coins. These coins, necessary to unlock the dungeons once more, are currently obtained randomly in high-level areas of the game. At the moment, there is no specific or guaranteed method to farm them. The best strategy is to remain in endgame zones, constantly eliminating enemies and defeating bosses. With persistence, a Trial Coin is likely to appear as a reward in short order, allowing you to re-challenge the trials and obtain valuable Ascendancy Points to strengthen your character.