Path of Exile 2: Complete Guide to the Trial of Sekhemas
What is the Trial of Sekhemas?
The Trial of Sekhemas is an endgame encounter in Path of Exile 2, introduced to challenge players with a blend of intricate mechanics, deadly bosses, and rewarding loot. It takes place in a special arena, unlocked after completing certain map requirements or through specific trials scattered throughout the campaign and Atlas progression.
Sekhemas are an ancient faction in Wraeclast's lore, deeply tied to the spiritual and necromantic practices of the desert regions. The Trial represents a rite of passage, pitting players against waves of elite enemies, environmental hazards, and finally, the fearsome Sekhema Ascendant, the main boss.
How to Unlock the Trial of Sekhemas
To access the Trial of Sekhemas:
Campaign Progression:
You must complete the Act 7 Sekhema questline, where you first encounter references to the Sekhemas' trials and cult-like structures.
Atlas Requirements:
Certain Atlas maps drop the Sekhema Medallions, which are consumable items that grant access to the trial. Alternatively, specific regions in the Atlas might contain fixed Sekhema Trials after completion of unique objectives.
NPC Questlines:
Characters like Sin or Navali sometimes provide prophecies or quests related to the Sekhema rites, which can unlock an entrance to the trial upon completion.
Recommended Level and Gear
The Trial of Sekhemas is not for the faint-hearted. Here are the recommended preparations:
Level 80+ is advised, although skilled players might attempt it earlier.
A build with strong AoE and single-target damage is essential.
Cap your elemental and chaos resistances.
Bring instant or high-recovery life flasks, anti-bleed and curse removal flasks.
Use defensive layers such as block, evasion, or spell suppression to mitigate incoming damage.
Suggested Builds
Toxic Rain Pathfinder: Great for area control and boss melting.
Explosive Arrow Ballista: Safe and powerful from a distance.
Cold DoT Occultist: Strong defenses and reliable DPS for both adds and bosses.
Boneshatter Juggernaut: For melee enthusiasts with tankiness.
Trial Mechanics Overview
The Trial of Sekhemas features three distinct phases:
Phase 1: The Ritual of Flames
Players face waves of Fire-based mobs.
The arena is filled with fire traps and flame totems that periodically ignite the floor.
Staying mobile is key to avoiding stacking burn damage.
Tip: Equip Purity of Fire or use Ruby Flasks to mitigate burn effects.
Phase 2: The Ritual of Shadows
Enemies inflict blind, darkness zones, and chaos damage over time.
The arena occasionally plunges into darkness, reducing vision radius.
Light pillars spawn randomly; standing near them removes debuffs.
Tip: Equip light radius increasing gear or flask effects if available.
Use skills like Bladestorm (Blood mode) to control space in darkness.
Phase 3: The Sekhema Ascendant Boss Fight
The Sekhema Ascendant combines fire, chaos, and physical damage.
She phases in and out of visibility, striking with:
Molten Barrage: A massive spread of fire projectiles.
Caustic Ground Slam: Leaves chaos damage zones.
Shadow Clones: Spawned periodically, each with a variant of her abilities.
Boss Mechanics
Phase Shifts: At 75%, 50%, and 25% health, she summons clones with reduced damage but capable of overwhelming if ignored.
Burning Ground: At lower health, the arena is littered with permanent burning ground patches.
Summons: Periodically calls Sekhema Warriors who apply Corrupted Blood on hit.
Strategies to Defeat the Sekhema Ascendant
Mobility is Crucial
Always move between attacks to avoid ground effects.
Skills like Flame Dash, Dash, or Frostblink can save you from dangerous AoEs.
Focus Adds First
Eliminate clones and warriors before focusing the Ascendant to avoid being overwhelmed.
Use minions or totems to distract adds while you reposition.
Mitigate DoTs
Equip Chaos resistance gear, especially for the shadow phases.
Use Amethyst Flask to boost Chaos resistance during Caustic Ground phases.
Damage Windows
After phase shifts, the Ascendant becomes vulnerable for a few seconds—burst her during this window.
Flask Management
Sustain flask charges by killing adds efficiently.
Use Bleed and Corrupted Blood Immunity flasks to avoid death by DoTs.
Rewards from the Trial of Sekhemas
Completing the Trial of Sekhemas grants:
Unique Sekhema-themed Items
Sekhema's Ember (Amulet): Grants bonuses to fire and chaos damage, with life leech against burning enemies.
Shroud of Shadows (Chest Armor): Boosts evasion and gives immunity to blind.
Divination Cards
Specific cards drop here, which can be combined for high-value rewards like Exalted Orbs or unique items.
High-Quality Rare Gear
The final chest rewards can include item level 86+ rares with multiple influenced mods.
Exclusive Currency
Ash of Sekhema: A special currency item used to reforge fire or chaos modifiers with higher chances of success.
Echoes of the Past: Rare fragments needed for further endgame content.
Farming the Trial of Sekhemas
For those looking to farm:
Map Sustain: Ensure your Atlas is optimized for higher map drops.
Use Sextants and Scarabs that increase the chance of special trials appearing.
Trading for Sekhema Medallions can speed up access.
Some players specialize in farming this trial for the Ash of Sekhema, which sells well in Path of Exile 2 Trade leagues.
Final Tips and Tricks
Party Play: Bringing a friend with aura support or curse mitigation can make this trial much easier.
Practice Mechanics: The Trial tests both mechanical skill and build strength—don't hesitate to practice in lower-tier trials before tackling higher difficulty versions.
Watch for Visual Cues: The Sekhema Ascendant has distinct animations before big attacks—learn them to avoid damage. You can also buy POE 2 Currency to improve yourself.
Conclusion
The Trial of Sekhemas in Path of Exile 2 is a thrilling endgame challenge that offers both great rewards and engaging combat mechanics. Success requires preparation, strong gear, and tactical awareness. Whether you're chasing powerful uniques, exclusive currencies, or simply the satisfaction of mastering the trial, this content is a worthy pursuit for any dedicated exile.
With the right strategies, build optimization, and patience, conquering the Trial of Sekhemas can be one of the most rewarding experiences in Path of Exile 2. Happy hunting, Exile!
