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Digital Aura Portal - FZCO
Building A1, Dubai Digital Park, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Premises Number 72647 - 001
Business registration number: 70647
May 24, 20258 min ReadElsaThis is one of two intense Ascension trials you’ll face during the three acts of the campaign. These trials play a crucial role in unlocking one of two powerful Ascendancy subclasses for your character, making them essential steps in your progression. Even after completing them once, these trials continue to serve as valuable and difficult endgame content packed with enticing rewards. This guide will explain everything you need to know about the Trials of Sekhemas—from how they work and how to beat them, to how to efficiently farm them in the endgame. Ready to dive in? Let’s begin!
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To start off, the Trial of Sekhemas takes place in the Vastiri Plains, home of the Maraketh—a people known for their harsh traditions and deep lore. The title of Sekhemas is the highest honor in their culture, and it’s not granted lightly. Every candidate must complete the Trial of Sekhemas, a grueling gauntlet testing every facet of their strength and determination. Entry requires you to trap the soul of a Djinn in a coin, which is then placed into the Relic Altar to initiate the Path of Exile 2 Trial of Sekhemas.
The Trials of Sekhemas are unlocked through a side quest in Act 2. You’ll begin by speaking to Shambrin, the vendor at the Ardura Caravan, who sends you to uncover the forgotten prison of Balbala, the Traitor, hidden within the Traitor's Passage. Imprisoned for centuries, Balbala must be defeated to earn the coin required to access the trial.
While exploring Traitor's Passage, look for the "Decree of Imprisonment"—this means you're near the entrance to Balbala’s prison. With the quest active, proceed to face her. A checkpoint outside the arena ensures quick retries if needed.
This is a tough encounter, rivaling the Act 1 final boss. Watch out for:
She also launches deadly knives and creates explosive spike traps. Keep moving and try to stun her to buy time for a full combo. You may not win immediately, but with persistence, victory is yours.
Once defeated, Balbala becomes your advisor, pledging to help you complete the trial. The location will appear on your world map, and you’ll receive the coin to start the Trial of Sekhemas.
Each room in the PoE 2 Trial of Sekhemas offers a unique challenge. The order and objectives differ with each run. Some rooms require you to fill a chalice by killing enemies; others apply trial-wide debuffs or pit you against traps and time limits.
The core mechanic is Honor—a secondary health pool. If Honor reaches zero, the trial ends in failure, regardless of your actual HP. A new coin is needed to try again.
Special altars called Honor Orbala offer Djinn Boons, such as:
You’ll also earn keys after each room to open chests later. Preview the map to choose your path, balancing rewards with risk. Some rooms restore Honor using fountains, costing 5 Sacred Water. Relics and boons can further boost your max Honor or restoration efficiency.
Each trial room presents a different type of challenge. Here’s what to expect:
The Djinn functions as a vendor, accepting Sacred Water as currency. His offerings include:
Choosing which room to complete can either earn you more keys or additional Sacred Water to improve your odds through the vendor.
At the end of the trial, you’ll face a challenging boss. Your first boss will likely be Rattlecage, the Earthbreaker, a heavily armored creature resistant to fire and lightning but weak to cold. He uses large AoE attacks and has a stationary fighting style.
Later, you may encounter the duo Hadi of the Flaming River and Rafq of the Frozen Spring in future runs.
After defeating the boss, you can Ascend for the first time. The reward room contains:
Open these chests using the appropriate keys. Types of caches include:
First-time completion also grants 2 Ascendancy points for your class tree.
These trials evolve into deeper content in the endgame. You can:
Higher-level coins allow access to longer trials with more challenging bosses. There are four total floors and a final pinnacle boss that only appears in endgame trials.
Within the trials, you’ll also discover special jewels that slot into your passive tree. These jewels grant potent bonuses, such as:
Some jewels enhance nearby passives, while others offer unique effects, making them powerful tools for customization.
Progressing deeper into the trial involves using Relics. These are placed on the Relic Altar to alter the trial, making it easier or more rewarding. Examples include:
The Relic Altar acts like an inventory grid—fitting multiple Relics may require careful arrangement.
The Trials of Sekhemas are one of two Ascendancy trials in Path of Exile 2, introducing unique mechanics such as Honor (a secondary health pool), randomized room challenges, and Djinn Boons. These trials culminate in boss battles and substantial rewards. Successfully completing a trial for the first time grants access to Ascendancy subclasses.
To begin the Trial of Sekhemas, players must obtain a coin by capturing the soul of a Djinn. This coin is used at the Relic Altar to start the trial. The entrance can be found in the Vastiri Plains, a harsh desert zone inhabited by the Maraketh.
Players can earn Ascendancy points, exclusive jewels, multiple keys for unlocking reward chests, and Relics. These Relics provide powerful bonuses and can significantly influence your strategy. Endgame bosses drop unique items like Temporalis, adding high-value incentives for repeat completions.
Honor functions as a secondary resource that drains as you take damage. If it hits zero, the trial ends in failure regardless of your life status. You can restore Honor through Sacred Water or by interacting with special altars called Honor Orbala found within the trial.
Relics are powerful items used in Ascendancy trials that grant various advantages—such as improved survivability, better loot, or Honor regeneration. Slotted into the Relic Altar at the trial’s start, they can be enhanced using crafting currency. Endgame variants are consumed upon use and are key to unlocking rare rewards and strategic advantages.
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The Trial of Sekhemas is the Maraketh’s version of the Ascendancy trial. Its unique Honor system demands careful resource management and tactical choices. You can use Sacred Water to purchase help from the Djinn vendor, and endgame players can benefit from the powerful Relic system. The trial's format is simple: clear rooms, pick paths, reach the boss, and claim your rewards.
We’ll continue to update this guide with the latest details on bosses, optimal relics, and other endgame mechanics as new information becomes available.
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