As you step onto the blood-red sand of the Vastiri Desert in the second act ofPath of Exile II, it will be clear to all that you have left civilization far behind. Truly, the gauntlet has just started, and many more terrifying and powerful bosses stand between you and victory.
Path of Exile II has been praised for its challenging yet ultimately fair and balanced boss fights that bookend each new area you come across.These are tough enemies that you will rarely clear on your first attempt, with tricky movesets that require planning and memorization to tackle.
Path of Exile 2: Hardest Act One Bosses Ranked
Act One of Path of Exile 2 is no walk in the park, as you’ll come across some truly challenging boss fights.
Of course, this challenge is what makes victory so satisfying and sweet. This list will cover 10 of the most difficult boss fights inPath of Exile II’s second act.
10Azarian, The Forsaken Son
Burn Baby, Burn!
This boss has quite the build-up, yet rather fails to compare to the journey it took to arrive at his chambers. After blasting your way through 3 huge sprawling maps, beating down snakes, spirits and bugs, you’ll hear Azarian’s dulcet tones echoing through the corridor.
The gimmick of this fight revolves around the lit braziers that sit in the 4 corners of the arena.During the fight, Azarian will destroy them and spill flames onto the floor, eventually forcing you to stand in the middle to fight him head-on.
Despite this, his attacks are pretty obviously telegraphed andmany of the mechanics can be avoided simply by rolling behind him. Failing this, invest in evasion to counter the physical blows or even a bit of fire resistance, so you can stand in the flames without worry.
Even the most unprepared won’t struggle with this fiery foe.
9Rathbreaker
Prepare To Be Broken!
As the first boss in Act 2, Rathbreaker sits pretty low on this list. This isn’t to say he’s a total pushover, but in terms of mechanics, there’s not much to struggle with.
While it certainly may seem pretty intimidating, as you approach Rathbreakers pedestal to see him surrounded by hyenas and bodyguards, there are really only a few things to watch out for. Once you clear out the trash mobs, simplylook out for Rathbreaker’s combo swing and the line of arrows that fall from the sky.
While you may find that you’re taking a decent chunk of physical damage from his attacks,a few good rolls and sensible distancing are all that’s needed here. Before you know it, you’ll be cruising around the desert in the caravan.
8Balbala, The Traitor
Those Knives Look Sharp!
Balbala is the first boss that you might need to use your noggin for. Of course, like many fights,once you understand the mechanics at play, it becomes a cakewalk.
Balbala can be found randomly while exploring the Traitors passage, though if you want to claim your first set of ascendancy points,this boss is certainly not optional.She can be found chained up and hanging over a pit. She should be thanking you really for setting her free!
This fight is slightly trickier due to the size of the arena and the number of mobs that can spawn from Balbala’s coins.Of course, if you trigger the coins, the mobs never spawn. And you can avoid the dangerous venom clouds by simply running around the room.
While none of this may seem apparent at first, once you discover the tricks, this grumpy old hag will be nothing but dust in the wind.
Art Is An Explosion
You’ll find this mad engineer holed up at the bottom of the Mawdun Mines, cackling away to herself in classic delirious fashion. But don’t be fooled, Rudja certainly knows what she’s doing.
This fight is an interesting one, list-wise, as you’ll have a completely different experience based on what class you’re playing. If you’re playing a ranged class, which, to be fair, is most people, you probably won’t struggle muchas you’re able to kite her around and roll past most attacks.
Yet, if you’re playing Warrior or Monk, you might struggle a little more. Rudja has a move where she will strap an explosive onto her weapon and swing it wildly around her. If you get hit with this, well, lights out friend, try again.
When playing melee,it’s important to play cautiously here and attempt to use skills that can be cast from a distance.Or failing this, just run! She’ll get tired eventually, I promise!
6Kabala, Constrictor Queen
Why Did It Have To Be Snakes?
Kabala can be dug up from the sand in a random spot around Keth, and she has a lovely book that you’ll want to read!2 free Passive points? Yes, please.
Yet she won’t hand this over easily. Kabala is one of the more mechanically interesting boss fights and may challenge you more than Azarian, even though you’ll fight her first.
Interpreted explorers will have a few tricky attacks to look out for, the first being a ratherlarge AoE explosion that occurs within Kabala’s bone cage.
In addition, players can be surrounded by a swarm of slithering serpents who come to defend their queen.When these are combined with her frequent usage of projectiles and tail sweeps,this fight will certainly keep you on your toes.
5Tor Gul, The Defiler
This Guy Drinks His Milk
While this certainly may not be the most challenging boss fight, I reckon it’s probably the most visually interesting. Upon clearing the Spires of Deshar stage, Jamanra will summon the towering Tor Gul from the surrounding piles of withered bones.
This enemy is massive, yet unmoving, similar to those worm-type enemies you may have seen in the Hunting Grounds. You can use this to your advantage.Stack your fire resistance and get your rolling finger ready.
Tor Gul has some pretty heavy-hitting attacks, dealing high physical damage and fire damage.Though many of these attacks can be avoided simply by staying behind him. This is one of the fights wherea good amount of movement speed on your bootswill do wonders.
Whether it’s to dodge the fire breathing or the head smash, don’t stop moving.
4Rattlecage, The Earthbreaker
It’s Getting Hot In Here!
While some may not consider Rattlecage as a true Act 2 boss, seeing as though you fight him at the end of the first Trial of the Sekhemas, most players will fight this boss before beating Jamanra. And if you haven’t, well, you certainly should.Ascension abilities are extremely valuable.
This boss is not difficult because of its mechanics but rather because of the randomness of the trial itself.
While the attacks from Rattlecage may not wipe you out, the damage from its AoE attacks or the lava spoutswill quickly shave off what little honor you have left after 7 trials.And that’s literal honor, not figurative.
Path of Exile 2: Trial of the Sekhemas Guide
If you’re unsure how to get through the Trial of the Sekhemas, this Path of Exile II guide is essential.
The key to his boss is to enter the arena with as much honor as possible and keep your distance. Rattlecage will stomp a lot and cause a lot of environmental hazards,so it’s key to watch your surroundings as well as to keep an eye on him.
If this was a standalone boss next to a checkpoint, chances are he may not even be on this list, but due to the harsh run-back time, and unpredictable nature of the trial, Rattlecage deserves a spot here.
3Iktab, The Deathlord & Ekbab, The Ancient Steed
Hey, this isn’t Anor Londo?
Now this is where it gets interesting. Or frustrating, you tell me. After traversing through the Bone Pits, this dangerous duo will gang up on you when you interrupt their ritual.
While this fight certainly may seem a little overwhelming at the beginning, since, well, there are two bosses, and you’re stuck in a pretty small area, it’s not as tough as it initially seems when you puzzle it out.
There are a couple of ways to tackle this fight:either try and lower their health simultaneously, so the second phase isn’t as rough. Or take one down as quickly as possible to make the arena more manageable.
I would recommend the latter, andtake out the bony elephant first. Once he’s down, you just need to keep an eye focused on the ground and dodge the magical attacks from Iktab. Easier said than done, of course. This battle will certainly take a couple of tries before you emerge victorious.
2Zalmarath, The Colossus
Don’t Skip Leg Day
Do you want to fight a giant? Or fall through the stage? Well, luckily for you, both will happen here. This is one of the most fantastic fights in the whole of PoE2’s campaign, and yet it is plagued with a series of bugs that make it extremely frustrating.
Whether it’s failing to hit the boss because the hitboxes are all over the place, or, as I mentioned, literally clipping through the stage and falling into the void, sometimes this boss will have you pulling your hair out.
Now if you combine this withextremely high-hitting physical attacks, icy detonating minions, and a giant red laser that can one-shot you if you don’t know where to stand, you’ve got a pretty crazy fight on your hands.
Thematically, this boss is brilliant: after traversing through this tomb of narrow walkways with deadly drops and finding the last giant of his kind, you engage in a David vs Goliath level battle to the death. It’s a little sad and yet very dramatic too. If the kinks in this combat were ironed out a bit, it would be one of my favorite fights so far!
1Jamanra, The Abomination
A Furious Fight To The Finish
Who’s surprised to see this crooked king at the end of the list? Grinding Gear Games did a great job with this one, in terms of difficulty. While it may not be as thematically interesting as Count Ogham, this fight is visually stirring and will certainly keep you active.
Path of Exile 2: How To Beat Jamanra, The Abomination
If you’re unsure how to tackle Jamanra, the Abomination in Path of Exile II, then this guide is essential.
Whether it’s fighting side by side with Asala as she defends you from the sandstorm, dodging whirling tornadoes, or cowering from a hail of splinters that come tearing through magical portals, this battle is a spectacle for sure.And it’s tough too!Did I mention that already?
This battle is a marathon, not a sprint.Full of environmental hazards, you’ll want to avoid using your health flask too much, as there aren’t as many extra mobs to refill it in this fight.
It’s all about prediction and looking for a good place to stand.Jamanra will have you running around desperately looking for a spot that isn’t covered in lightning, as you dodge his deadly attacks.
Of course, after a couple of attempts, you’ll emerge victorious and watch in glee as Asala brutally severs Jamanra’s head, allowing you access to the final act.
If you thought Act 2 was tough, you’d best be ready.Act 3 doesn’t take any prisoners!
Path of Exile II: Every Class Ranked
For those struggling to pick a class in Path of Exile II, this list will show you some of the most powerful classes to play and why to pick them.
