In this Path of Exile 2 Bosses guide, we will explore some of the most intense and challenging encounters in the game, featuring redesigned level mechanics, unique phases, and new combat dynamics. We’ll walk you through the various bosses confirmed in PoE 2, detailing changes to level design, boss mechanics, and strategies to help you emerge victorious.
Path of Exile 2 Bosses Overview
Path of Exile 2 brings a fresh campaign across six acts, loaded with challenges. How many bosses are there in Path of Exile 2? You’ll explore 100 unique environments, face over 600 different monsters, and battle through 100 formidable bosses.
Most bosses in Path of Exile 2 have multiple phases, and it will force you to change tactics mid-fight. In each phase, you’ll experience new attacks or area effects, pushing you to adapt on the fly. No surprise that many players consider PoE 2 bosses tough — multi-phase battles demand sharp focus, fast decision-making, and a deep understanding of each boss’s patterns.
All in all, boss fights in PoE 2 are unlike anything you’ve experienced before. Each boss has unique mechanics and multiple combat phases that will push even the most seasoned players to adapt on the fly. You can easily and quickly complete the entire Campaign to start endgame content with the help of our pro players.
PoE 2 List of Bosses
Path of Exile 2 features a varied bosses’ list, each attesting to unique challenges that will test not only your skills but also your build and strategy. Learning and adapting, making sure every victory is well-deserved. Prepare to meet a horde of PoE 2 all bosses, each with its own mechanics and surprises, while going through the six acts.
All bosses in Path of Exile 2 that you can meet in Act 1-3 can be separated into 3 major categories:
- Main Bosses — you can meet them around the world, and taking them down is required for quest completion and progression.
- Optional Bosses — these bosses can also be met in various places, but killing them is optional and can reward you with XP or valuable items.
- Pinnacle Bosses — the toughest bosses that can be found on the last levels of trials or in high-level areas, and usually drop nice rewards.
📌 Note: Acts from 4 to 6 are not yet available, and the information about bosses in these Acts is not confirmed yet.
Path of Exile 2 Main Bosses
| Boss | Location | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| The Rust King | Act 1 The Red Vale | Rune Skull Cap (Secrets in the Dark quest item) |
| Draven, the Eternal Praetor | Act 1 Mausoleum of the Praetor | Draven’s Memorial Key Piece (Sorrow Among Stones) |
| Lachlann of Endless Lament | Act 1 Cemetery of the Eternals | Count Lachlann’s Ring (The Mysterious Shade quest item) |
| The Executioner | Act 1 Ogham Village | The Trail of Corruption main quest progression |
| Count Geonor | Act 1 Ogham Manor | The Mad Wolf of Ogham main quest completion |
| Asinia, Praetor Consort | Act 1 Tomb of the Consort | Sorrow Among Stones main quest progression |
| The Bloated Miller | Act 1 The Riverbank | Mercy for the Miller main quest completion |
| Jamanra, the Risen King | Act 2 The Halani Gates | The Trail of Corruption main quest progress |
| Jamanra, the Abomination | Act 2 Dreadnought Vanguard | The Trail of Corruption quest completion |
| Azarian, the Forsaken Son | Act 2 Buried Shrines | The City of Seven Waters quest progress |
| Ekbab, Ancient Steed | Act 2 The Bone Pits | Mastodon Tusks (A Theft of Ivory quest item) |
| Tor Gul, the Defiler | Act 2 The Spires of Deshar | The Trail of Corruption main quest progress Unlocks the Ascent to Power quest |
| Zalmarath, the Colossus | Act 2 The Titan Grotto | The Flame Ruby (A Crown of Stone quest item) |
| Rathbreaker | Act 2 Vastiri Outskirts | Earning Passage quest progression |
| Rudja, Dread Engineer | Act 2 Mawdun Mine | The Trail of Corruption quest progress |
| Zicoatl, Warden of the Core | Act 3 Jiquani’s Sanctum | Large Soul Core (Legacy of the Vaal quest item) |
| Blackjaw, the Remnant | Act 3 Jiquani’s Machinarium | The Flame Core – Grants +10% to Fire Resistance |
| Xyclucian, the Chimera | Act 3 Chimeral Wetlands | Chimeral Inscribed Ultimatum (Unlocks Trial of Chaos) Legacy of the Vaal main quest progression |
| Queen of Filth | Act 3 Apex of Filth | Temple Door Icon (Legacy of the Vaal quest item) |
| Ketzuli, High Priest of the Sun | Act 3 Temple of Topec | Legacy of the Vaal main quest progression |
| Viper Napuatzi | Act 3 Utzaal | Legacy of the Vaal main quest progression |
| Doryani | Act 3 The Black Chambers | Legacy of the Vaal main quest progression |
| Captain Hartlin | Act 4 Dark Mists | The Dark Mists quest progression |
| Diamora, Song of Death | Act 4 Wakapanu Island | The Wakapanu Island quest progression, The Hooded One |
PoE 2 Optional Bosses
| Boss | Location | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| The Devourer | Act 1 Mud Burrow | Treacherous Ground quest completion |
| The Brambleghast | Act 1 The Grelwood | Uncut Skill Gem Level 2 |
| The Crowbell | Act 1 The Hunting Grounds | Book of Specialization – Grants two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points Cruel: Book of Specialization – Grants two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points |
| The King in the Mists | Act 1 Freythorn | Gembloom Skull – Grants +30 Maximum Spirit Spirit Skill Gem Level 4 |
| Candlemass, the Living Rite | Act 1 Ogham Manor | Candlemass’ Essence – Grants +20 Maximum Life Cruel: Candlemass’ Essence – Grants 8% Increased Maximum Life |
| Beira of the Rotten Pack | Act 1 Clearfell | Head of the Winter Wolf – Grants +10% to Cold Resistance Cruel: Head of the Winter Wolf – Grants +10% to Cold Resistance |
| The Rotten Druid | Act 1 The Grim Tangle | Uncut Support Gem |
| Areagne, Forgotten Witch | Act 1 The Grelwood | Uncut Support Gem Uncut Skill Gem |
| Vargir the Feral Mutt | Act 1 Ogham Farmlands | Uncut Skill Gem |
| Ashar, the Sand Mother | Act 2 Trial of Sekhemas | Floor 3 completion of the Trial of the Sekhemas 3rd set of Ascendancy Points |
| Terracota Sentinels | Act 2 Trial of Sekhemas | Floor 2 completion of the Trial of the Sekhemas 2nd set of Ascendancy Points |
| Watchful Twins | Act 2 Deshar | Djinn Barya |
| The Ninth Treasure of Keth | Act 2 The Lost City | Random Jewel |
| Rattlecage, the Earthbreaker | Act 2 Trial of Sekhemas | Floor 1 completion of the Trial of the Sekhemas |
| Kabala, Constrictor Queen | Act 2 Keth | Book of Specialization – Grants two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points |
| L’im the Impaler | Act 2 The Halani Gates | Rare Items |
| Balbala, The Traitor | Act 2 Traitor’s Passage | Balbala’s Barya – Allows access to the Trial of Sekhemas |
| Rootdredge | Act 3 Sandswept Marsh | Uncut Skill Gem Level 9 |
| Ignagduk, the Bog Witch | Act 3 The Azak Bog | Gemrot Skull – Grants +30 Maximum Spirit Ignagduk’s Ghastly Spear (Tribal Vengeance quest item) |
| Mektul, the Forgemaster | Act 3 The Molten Vault | The Hammer of Kamasa (Treasures of Utzaal quest item) |
| Sisters of Garukhan | Act 3 The Spires of Deshar | Grants +10% to Lightning Resistance |
| Bahlak, the Sky Seer | Act 3 Temple of Chaos | Trial of Chaos progression |
| Chetza, the Feathered Plague | Act 3 Temple of Chaos | Trial of Chaos progression |
| Uxmal, the Beastlord | Act 3 Temple of Chaos | Trial of Chaos progression |
| Mighty Silverfist | Act 3 Jungle Ruins | Book of Specialization: Grants two Weapon Set Passive Skill Points |
| The Great White One | Act 4 Whakapanu Island | Random loot, along with a Shark Fin for Tribal Medicine quest |
PoE 2 Pinnacle Bosses
For your convenience, we provide a full list of PoE 2 pinnacle bosses — the most powerful enemies in each Act and any type of content. To unlock pinnacle bosses you will need to complete series of tasks, which is not easy by itself. But the encounters are even tougher, so you should be prepared.
- The Arbiter of Ash — The Burning Monolith;
- Zarokh, the Temporal — Trial of the Sekhemas;
- The Trialmaster — Trial of Chaos;
- Xesht, We That Are OneBreach;
- Olroth, Origin of the Fall — Expedition;
- Omniphobia, Fear Manifest — Delirium;
- Kosis, the Revelation — Delirium;
- The King in the Mists — Delirium;
- Vessel of Kulemak — the Black Cathedral.
Below you can see a table that outlines how to encounter every Path of Exile 2 pinnacle boss:
| Boss | Location | How to Encounter |
|---|---|---|
| The Arbiter of Ash | The Burning Monolith | Use keys from Iron, Copper, and Stone Citadels to unlock Arbiter of Ash in the Burning Monolith. |
| Zarokh, the Temporal | Trial of the Sekhemas | Reach Floor 4’s final room in the Trial of the Sekhemas with a Level 74+ Djinn Barya. |
| The Trialmaster | Trial of Chaos | Use three different Fate keys from the Trial of Chaos to open the final door in Trial 10. |
| Xesht, We That Are One | Breach | Activate a Breachstone in a Realm Gate and defeat enough enemies to reach Xesht. |
| Olroth, Origin of the Fall | Expedition | Destroy the Kalguran Tomb in high-level Expedition Logbooks to encounter Olroth. |
| Omniphobia, Fear Manifest | Delirium | Omniphobia and Kosis spawn in late Simulacrum waves, with guaranteed spawns near the end. |
| Kosis, the Revelation | Delirium | Kosis may also appear in Delirium maps or late Simulacrum waves at a Realmgate. |
| The King in the Mists | Delirium | Use An Audience with the King (buyable at Ritual Altars) to fight the endgame King in the Mists. |
| Vessel of Kulemak | the Black Cathedral | Get Kulemak’s Invitation from an Abyssal Commander, take it to the Well of Souls, and fall into the abyss. |
As you can see, from multi-phase epics to extremely fast-paced battles, PoE 2 boss fights have no two fights that feel the same. The variability of bosses only adds to the difficulty of these encounters. To easily defeat all bosses, you can ask our team for any Boss Kill, which will allow you to deal with any boss on the list quickly and with minimum effort.
Also, watch our video on how to fight New PoE 2 Boss — Vessel of Kulemak.
PoE 2 Act 1 Bosses
Path of Exile 2 Act 1 Main Bosses:
- The Rust King — The Red Vale
- Draven, the Eternal Praetor — Mausoleum of the Praetor
- Lachlann of Endless Lament — Cemetery of the Eternals
- The Executioner — Ogham Village
- Count Geonor — Ogham Manor
- Asinia, Praetor Consort — Tomb of the Consort
- The Bloated Miller — The Riverbank
Path of Exile 2 Act 1 Optional Bosses:
- The Devourer — Mud Burrow
- The Brambleghast — The Grelwood
- The Crowbell — The Hunting Grounds
- The King in the Mists — Freythorn
- Candlemass, the Living Rite — Ogham Manor
- Beira of the Rotten Pack — Clearfell
- The Rotten Druid — The Grim Tangle
- Areagne, Forgotten Witch — The Grelwood
- Vargir the Feral Mutt — Ogham Farmlands
PoE 2 Act 2 Bosses
Path of Exile 2 Act 2 Main Bosses:
- Jamanra, the Risen King — The Halani Gates
- Jamanra, the Abomination — Dreadnought Vanguard
- Azarian, the Forsaken Son — Buried Shrines
- Ekbab, Ancient Steed — The Bone Pits
- Tor Gul, the Defiler — The Spires of Deshar
- Zalmarath, the Colossus — The Titan Grotto
- Rathbreaker — Vastiri Outskirts
- Rudja, Dread Engineer — Mawdun Mine
Path of Exile 2 Act 2 Optional Bosses:
- Ashar, the Sand Mother — Trial of Sekhemas
- Terracota Sentinels — Trial of Sekhemas
- Watchful Twins — Deshar
- The Ninth Treasure of Keth — The Lost City
- Rattlecage, the Earthbreaker — Trial of Sekhemas
- Kabala, Constrictor Queen — Keth
- L’im the Impaler — The Halani Gates
- Balbala, The Traitor — Traitor’s Passage
PoE 2 Act 3 Bosses
Path of Exile 2 Act 3 Main Bosses:
- Zicoatl, Warden of the Core — Jiquani’s Sanctum
- Blackjaw, the Remnant — Jiquani’s Machinarium
- Xyclucian, the Chimera — Chimeral Wetlands
- Queen of Filth — Apex of Filth
- Ketzuli, High Priest of the Sun — Temple of Topec
- Viper Napuatzi — Utzaal
- Doryani — The Black Chambers
Path of Exile 2 Act 3 Optional Bosses:
- Rootdredge — Sandswept Marsh
- Ignagduk, the Bog Witch — The Azak Bog
- Mektul, the Forgemaster — The Molten Vault
- Sisters of Garukhan — The Spires of Deshar
- Bahlak, the Sky Seer — Temple of Chaos
- Chetza, the Feathered Plague — Temple of Chaos
- Uxmal, the Beastlord — Temple of Chaos
- Mighty Silverfist — Jungle Ruins
PoE 2 Act 4 Bosses
Path of Exile 2 Act 4 Main Bosses:
- Captain Hartlin — Journey’s End;
- Diamora, Song of Death — Singing Caverns.
Path of Exile 2 Act 4 Optional Bosses:
The Great White One — Whakapanu Island.
Additionally, the following bosses are expected in Act 4, but haven’t been confirmed yet:
- The Prisoner — Solitary Confinement in Izaro’s Prison;
- The Blind Beast — Isle of Kin;
- Krutog, Lord of Kin — Volcanic Warrens on Isle of Kin;
- Scourge of the Skies — Unclear, somewhere on Shrike Island.
📌 Note: We will update this boss list later as we progress through the Acts.
PoE 2 Act 5 Bosses
The bosses in the PoE 2 Act 5 Bosses list are not confirmed yet.
- Ursea, The Matron — Slums;
- Phanos, Last Disciple of Auria — Promenade of the Forgotten Gods.
📌 Note: We will update this boss list later as we progress through the Acts.
PoE 2 Act 6 Bosses
On the current stage of the Path of Exile 2 development, we have no information about Act 6 bosses. GGG representatives said in one of their interviews that Act 6 bosses will become available after the early access ends and the game will finally be released.
📌 Note: We will update this boss list later as we progress through the Acts.
PoE 2 Boss Fights Changes
Path of Exile 2 raises the difficulty of Boss battles by adding multi-phase, complex encounters that surpass anything in PoE 1. Bosses now bring intricate challenges, emphasizing adaptability over simply taking down a tough enemy. Each fight features certain boss mechanics that evolve throughout, often with shifting attack patterns, environmental hazards, and new abilities. Boss fights in PoE 2 revolve around phases and unique mechanics. Here’s what to expect:
- Phase-based Encounters: Most bosses have distinct phases, each with new abilities. For example, a boss may start with heavy AoE damage, and then switch to a phase that requires high mobility.
- Telegraphed Attacks: Most of the boss’s abilities are telegraphed. If players are paying attention, at least they have a chance to dodge. Danger zones are usually marked with bright, red indicators on the ground, while audio cues may signal a boss hit.
Telegraphed Attacks — to put it simply, Telegraphs are visual or animation cues that signal incoming attacks, so you will have time to react. A wind-up before a strike or a flashing danger zone can serve as primary examples of this feature.
- Environmental Hazards: Unlike some boss encounters in PoE 1, bosses in PoE 2 may also interact with the environment in ways that create hazards for players. For instance, lava spilling across the arena or collapsing pillars can, consequently, become just as deadly as the boss itself if you don’t react quickly. Therefore, staying alert and adapting to these changing environmental conditions is crucial for survival.
- Adds Management: Several bosses summon additional enemies, known as “adds,” which you need to deal with mid-fight. Ignoring these adds can lead to a chaotic battlefield that overwhelms even the most prepared Exile.
Quality of Life Improvements in PoE 2
Developers also had to make some changes in the game like the larger bosses model. To make it easier for players to adapt to changes in boss fight mechanics. Here are some of the improvements:
- When you revive during the Acts, you’ll return to the start of the zone, not right at the boss.
- Defeating optional bosses grants rewards like permanent stat boosts and Spirit bonuses.
- Larger bosses are more mobile due to having multiple hitboxes, unlike the single hitbox in original PoE 1.
- Checkpoints are placed before bosses. Teleports are destroyed once you enter a boss arena, and logging out returns you to your saved state, no more logout macros. Dying resets the zone.
- There’s no death experience penalty in the PoE 2 Campaign. If you die on the road, you restart at the entrance, with monsters and the zone map resetting. If you die at the boss, it will regain full health.
- Revival points are set just before the boss arena rooms.
- Some act bosses have limited loot drops.
Path of Exile 2 promises to be some of the most exciting and demanding encounters you’ll face in any ARPG. The newly redesigned level mechanics, unique boss phases, and diverse combat dynamics create a thrilling challenge for players at all levels. Mastering these fights requires an understanding of each boss’s patterns, adapting your build, and staying sharp through every encounter. With this guide, you now have a better grasp of what awaits and how to tackle the obstacles ahead.
