Everything You Need to Know About Crisis Fragments in PoE 2

[Eric554]

Crisis Fragments in Path of Exile 2 are special and essential items known as Pinnacle Keys that unlock endgame pinnacle content within The Burning Monolith, including the challenging Arbiter of Ash boss fight. There are three types of Crisis Fragments: Ancient, Faded, and Weathered. Collecting all three allows players to activate the entrance to pinnacle encounters.

What Are Crisis Fragments?​

Crisis Fragments are obtained by defeating powerful Citadel bosses located within specific high-tier Atlas maps. Each type of Citadel corresponds to a different fragment:

• Ancient Crisis Fragment drops from Count Geonor, the boss of Iron Citadel.
• Faded Crisis Fragment drops from Doryani, the boss of Stone Citadel.
• Weathered Crisis Fragment drops from Jamanra, the boss of Copper Citadel.

These Citadels appear as colored beams in the Atlas fog of war on Tier 15 or higher maps—blue for Iron, red for Stone, and orange for Copper.

How to Obtain Crisis Fragments​

Players unlock Crisis Fragments by:

• Progressing through the Atlas, revealing new map tiles and opening pathways to Citadels.
• Farming high-tier maps (Tier 15+) that contain Citadels to repeatedly challenge the bosses.
• Increasing Waystone drop chance through atlas passive skills, crafting, and map modifiers to improve fragment yields per boss kill.

Why They Matter​

Crisis Fragments serve as keys to one of the deepest challenges in Path of Exile 2, the Arbiter of Ash fight. This pinnacle boss offers high-risk, high-reward gameplay, including unique loot and significant character progression.

Farming Tips​

• Prioritize map exploration to spawn more Citadels.
• Use map crafting and waystone modifiers to increase Waystone drop chance, enabling multiple fragments per run.
• Consider playing in groups to handle difficult Citadels faster.
• Optimize build survivability to minimize failures during Citadel runs.

Crisis Fragments are a fundamental part of PoE 2’s endgame loop, acting as coveted keys to pinnacle challenges that test players’ skill and reward them with prestigious loot. Understanding their sources, farming techniques, and significance is critical for advancing to the game's highest tiers of content.