U4GM：Citadel Farming Routes for Ancient Crisis Fragments: Tips & Tricks

[Garcia]

To efficiently farm Ancient Crisis Fragments in Path of Exile 2, mastering Citadel farming routes and strategies is essential. Ancient Crisis Fragments drop from Count Geonor, the boss of the Iron Citadel, one of three special Citadels scattered randomly across the Atlas. Here’s a detailed guide on how to find and farm these Citadels effectively, maximizing your fragment yield.

1. Understand Citadel Basics and Requirements

Citadels are high-tier endgame zones requiring Tier 15 Waystones to access. You must be capable of defeating Tier 15 Waystone bosses to run them reliably. Citadels drop Crisis Fragments (Ancient, Faded, Weathered), maps, and currency, making them lucrative targets. Increasing your Waystone drop chance through atlas passive points, gear, and map modifiers boosts the number of Citadels you can run and the fragments you receive per run.

2. Optimal Atlas Pathing: Stick to One Direction

The most effective way to find Citadels, including the Iron Citadel, is to pick a single direction on your Atlas and consistently run maps moving away from your starting point ("Home"). This linear progression ensures you uncover new map nodes and Citadels without backtracking or looping, which drastically reduces Citadel spawns.

Players often choose a cardinal direction (north, south, east, or west) and run as many maps as possible along that path. This method increases the chance of discovering multiple Citadels per hour, sometimes up to three or more, depending on luck and map clear speed.

3. Use Visual Cues to Locate Citadels

Citadels are marked by distinct colored beams visible through the fog of war on the Atlas map. The Iron Citadel, which drops Ancient Crisis Fragments, is identified by a blue or dark-colored beam. Regularly zoom out and scan your Atlas for these beams to spot Citadels early.

4. Map and Waystone Setup

Waystone Drop Chance: Boost this stat aggressively to increase the number of Waystones you find, which in turn opens more Citadels.

Corrupted Waystones: Running Waystones with suffix modifiers (especially corrupted ones) increases fragment drops but also raises difficulty. Start with easier Waystones and scale up as your build improves.

Atlas Passive Tree: Invest points to enhance Waystone drop chance and fragment quantity, further improving farming efficiency.

5. Fast Clearing Builds and Strategies

Citadels feature tough bosses and modifiers, so use fast-clearing, high-survivability builds to minimize downtime. Efficient clearing means more Citadels per hour and more opportunities to farm Ancient Crisis Fragments.

6. Use Atlas Towers and Tablets

Placing Atlas Towers near Citadels and using Precursor Tablets can boost fragment drop rates and map rewards. While not mandatory, these tools amplify farming efficiency and fragment yield.

7. Group Play and Carry Options

If you struggle with Citadel difficulty, consider grouping with friends or paying for carry services to clear Citadels faster. Agree on loot sharing or flat fees beforehand to avoid conflicts.

8. Avoid Circling and Redundant Runs

Avoid running maps in loops or circles, as this reduces the chance of new Citadel spawns. Always push forward in your chosen direction to maximize new node discoveries and Citadel appearances.

To farm Ancient Crisis Fragments effectively:

Progress to Tier 15 Waystones and boost Waystone drop chance.

Choose and stick to one direction on the Atlas, moving away from your starting point.

Use visual map cues to spot Iron Citadels.

Optimize your Atlas passive tree, map mods, and Waystone setups.

Employ fast, survivable builds to clear Citadels quickly.

Use Atlas Towers and Precursor Tablets to increase fragment drops.

Consider group play or carry services if needed.

Avoid backtracking or circular map runs.

By following these tips and tricks, you can maximize your Citadel runs, efficiently farm Ancient Crisis Fragments, and prepare to unlock the Arbiter of Ash boss fight in Path of Exile 2.