Path of Exile 2: Balbala The Traitor boss guide
Balbala The Traitor is the first hurdle players must cross before ascending in Path of Exile 2. This agile boss can be encountered in Act II of the story, once in the normal version, and again within the Cruel difficulty. However, some minor mechanics pertaining to the fight can easily wipe out a player, forcing them to start afresh.
This article lists the basics of the Balbala boss fight, including her attack patterns, and where to find her during your campaign run. Note that defeating Balbala is essential for getting a ticket to the first ascendency trial for your character.
That said, she is not necessary for progressing the campaign, so you can take your time leveling, and come back with stronger passives.
With all that said, here's how to make short work of Balbala The Traitor in PoE2.
Where to find Balbala The Traitor in Path of Exile 2?
She can be found within the Traitor's Passage location in Act II, accessible via the Ardura Caravan desert map.
Once you arrive in Act II, complete the primary objective of killing the Hyenas in the Vastiri Outskirts. Doing so will grant you a boarding passage on the Caravan. Next, interact with the Desert map, and head to the Traitor's Passage. Keep exploring until you encounter a sealed door.
If you somehow come across the entrance to Halani Gates, you can backtrack and explore the remaining corners of the Traitor's Passage.
All attack patterns of Balbala The Traitor in Path of Exile 2
As mentioned previously, Balbala is an agile boss, and there is hardly any respite for the players. One minor mechanic can quickly kill you too, requiring you to be aware of them all before heading in.
Here is a list of Balbala's attack patterns in Path of Exile 2:
- Some attacks inflict Poison and Burning ailments
- Casts an AOE on the ground, standing on which will lead Balbala to teleport and deal AOE burst damage
- Series of throw attacks that deal poison
- Melee attacks in intervals that cause burning
- A Dash attack
- Summons a minion that deals damage, but has a very low health pool
- Summons several daggers that fly into a precision spot. This is easy to counter, as players can see the daggers spawning in the air. Can deal high damage if not avoided.
- Summons daggers on the floor three times consecutively, which deal massive AOE damage if players get caught in them.
Wipe mechanic
Balbala will disappear, and the entire arena will get poisoned slowly. You can stick to the edge, and go around the arena to find where she is hidden. She can be found as long as you stay close to the walls, and circle the arena.
Note that the poison lingers shortly even after finding Balbala, so it would help if you stick to the walls and fight her.
After locating Balbala in the wipe mechanic, dodge immediately, as she will follow it up by dealing massive AOE damage directly below her feet. The rest of the patterns will continue randomly throughout the remainder of the fight.
How to defeat Balbala The Traitor in Path of Exile 2
Balbala is fast but has a small stun threshold and health pool. Melee characters, such as Monk with their Tempest bell and stun buildup, alongside Warriors, will have an easy time stunning and draining her health over time. For ranged attackers, it is very important to learn the patterns, as stated above, and dodge during the dagger attacks.
During the wipe mechanic, you can dodge-roll by sticking to the walls, as it will get you around faster than your usual running. The rest of the fight should be basic enough if you follow along with the attacks and her wipe mechanic.
Pick up the green coin, and head to the Sanctum trial on the Act II map for your first ascendency.
Follow Sportskeeda for more Path of Exile 2 guides and features:
- Warrior class overview: Skills, Ascendancies, and playstyle
- All Keystone Passives (known so far)
- You can dual-wield two-handed weapons