Upon completing the main campaign and the Cruel difficulty of Acts 1 through 3 in Path of Exile 2, players unlock the Endgame and gain access to the Atlas of Worlds. Within the Atlas map, players will encounter various unique structures such as the Realmgate, Lost Towers, the Burning Monolith, and the elusive Citadels. These structures introduce unique gameplay mechanics and challenges, enhancing the endgame experience.
Citadels are particularly challenging endgame objectives that can be difficult to locate. While Lost Towers are visible above the Fog of War, and the Realmgate and Burning Monolith appear near the Atlas start point, Citadels are less conspicuous. However, with the 0.1.1 update, Citadels will become more visible from a distance, featuring a large beacon of light that pierces through the Fog of War. If you're struggling to find Citadels in your Atlas map, here are some tips to help you locate more of them in PoE 2.
What Are Citadels For In PoE 2?
In Path of Exile 2, Citadels serve as unique map nodes and are categorized into three types: Iron, Copper, and Stone. Each Citadel hosts a different Boss, revamped from the PoE 2 campaign with enhanced abilities suitable for endgame challenges. Defeating these bosses rewards players with a Crisis Fragment, which is crucial for unlocking the Burning Monolith, the home of the Atlas pinnacle boss, the Arbiter of Ash. Completing this encounter is essential for the "Pinnacle of Flame" quest, which becomes available after entering the Burning Monolith map and inspecting the locked door.
- Iron Citadel: Hosts Count Geonor (Act 1 boss), appearing as a large city with black walls.
- Copper Citadel: Home to Jamanra, The Abomination (Act 2 boss), resembling a large encampment circling the map node.
- Stone Citadel: Features Doryani (Act 3 boss), depicted as a stone pyramid similar to the ziggurats in Act 3.
To access a Citadel, players must use a Waystone of at least Tier 15 to travel to its map node and activate it. Once inside, players have one chance to navigate the map and defeat the boss without dying. These areas are highly rewarding, not only for the Crisis Fragments but also for the exceptional loot dropped by the bosses. After completing a Citadel, it cannot be re-run, and players must search the Atlas for another one.
How To Find More Citadels In PoE 2
With the 0.1.1 update, Citadels in Path of Exile 2 become much easier to spot from a distance on the Atlas map, thanks to a large beacon of light above their location, visible through the Fog of War. This helps guide players more efficiently to each Citadel.
If you're not seeing any Citadels nearby on your Atlas map, the best strategy is to move in as straight a line as possible in one direction. This method reveals the most Fog of War and expands your view of the overall Atlas map. Along your path, make sure to visit any Lost Towers you encounter, as completing these will reveal a large area of Fog around the tower, potentially unveiling nearby Citadels.
Each type of Citadel tends to spawn in specific biomes, which can help in targeting a particular Citadel:
- Iron Citadels are commonly found in Grass or Forest biomes.
- Copper Citadels are typically located in Desert biomes.
- Stone Citadels often appear along the coast of any biome.
Once you locate a Citadel, it's unlikely to find another one nearby, as multiple Citadels rarely appear on the same screen of the Atlas map when fully zoomed out. To find more Citadels after discovering one, take a completely different path from your previous route.
With the 0.1.1 update, you should be able to spot Citadel beacons within a few screens of your revealed map areas. If no beacons are visible in the fog after the update, continue following the strategy of moving in a straight line until you see a beacon guiding you to your next Citadel.
