Grinding Gear Games’ highly anticipated action RPG sequel, Path of Exile 2, has been in early access for a few months, and players are already diving deep into its intricate mechanics, exploring the best routes, maps, and bosses to farm. While the game does a decent job of guiding new players toward unique boss rewards, it leaves much to the imagination when it comes to optimizing boss farming strategies. This guide will walk you through the best bosses to farm in Path of Exile 2, focusing on both early-game and endgame content, and provide tips on how to maximize your loot and efficiency.

Understanding Boss Farming in Path of Exile 2

Boss farming is a core aspect of Path of Exile 2, offering players the chance to acquire powerful gear, unique items, and valuable currency. However, not all bosses are created equal. Some are better suited for early-game farming, while others are reserved for endgame players seeking the most powerful rewards. The key to successful boss farming lies in understanding which bosses to target, how to access them, and what rewards they offer.

Players can farm bosses at any stage of the game by creating new instances of an area. On consoles, this is done by holding a button to move to a new map, while PC players can shift-click on map icons or transitions. However, farming bosses during the campaign is generally only recommended if you’re in dire need of gear upgrades or skill gems. The real farming potential lies in the endgame, where scaling drop rates and unique rewards make boss farming highly rewarding.

Early-Game Boss Farming

For players still progressing through the campaign, farming bosses can be a useful way to level up and accumulate resources. However, the loot from early-game bosses is less specialized compared to endgame bosses. Here are some of the best early-game bosses to farm: 

1. Accessible Mini-Bosses

Location: Most Maps

Potential Rewards: Skill/Support Gems, Gear,POE 2 Currency

Examples:

The Executioner in Ogan Village

The Queen of the Kabbalah Python in Kes

The Mighty Silver Fist in Jungle Ruins

These mini-bosses are ideal for early-level farming, as they drop useful loot such as gear, skill gems, and currency orbs. While their rewards aren’t as powerful as those from endgame bosses, they provide a solid foundation for leveling up and preparing for more challenging content.

2. Curtain Bosses

Location: Ogan Manor / Fearless Vanguard / Black Chamber

Potential Rewards: Skill Gems, Gear, Currency

Curtain Bosses serve as important milestones in the game, but their loot tables are fairly generic. They don’t drop unique items, making them less valuable for targeted farming. However, they can still yield decent loot and experience, making them worth farming if you need extra resources.

Endgame Boss Farming

Once you reach the endgame, boss farming becomes a much more lucrative endeavor. The endgame offers a variety of bosses with unique drops, each requiring specific strategies to access and defeat. Here are some of the best endgame bosses to farm:

3. The Lord of the Mists

Location: Altar in Frethorne (endgame version)

Potential Rewards:

Beetle Bite (Unique Boots)

Ingenuity (Unique Belt)

Burden of Shadows (Unique Scepter)

Pragmatism (Unique Body Armor, Difficulty 2 and above)

From Nothing to Something (Unique Gem, Difficulty 4 only)

The Lord of the Mists is a side quest boss in Act I, but its endgame version is where the real farming value lies. To access this boss, you need to interact with the altar in the endgame and purchase the Audience with the King item. Increasing the difficulty through the Atlas skill tree improves your chances of obtaining the boss’s unique items, making this a highly rewarding farm for endgame players.

4. Oros, the Fallen Source

Location: Start an Expedition with a level 79+ log, find Danig

Potential Rewards:

Ark Guardian (Unique Helmet)

Orowathara (Unique Mace)

Svalin (Unique Shield)

Heroic Tragedy (Eternal Gem)

Oros's Resolve (Unique Vial of Life)

Oros is the top boss in the Expedition event. To spawn him, you need to start an Expedition with a level 79+ log and find Danig on the map. While this process is somewhat RNG-dependent, the rewards are well worth the effort, especially if you’re looking for an Eternal Gem or a Unique Shield.

5. Trial Master (Lord of Chaos)

Location: Chaos Trial (Ultimatum with level 75+ inscription)

Potential Rewards:

Glimpse of Chaos (Unique Helmet)

Forge of Hatred (Unique Gloves)

Mathusot's Plot (Unique Shield)

The Dresser (Unique Gem)

Zephi's Origin (Unique Belt)

The Trial Master is one of the most challenging and rewarding bosses in the game. To fight him, you need to complete the Chaos Trial with an Ultimatum inscription of level 75 or higher. The fight is filled with chaos and difficulty, but the unique items you can obtain are highly sought-after for final gear farming.

6. Zarok, the God of Time and Space

Location: Complete the Trials of Sekhma (with a Djinn Barya at level 75+)

Potential Rewards:

The Burden of Leadership (Unique Relic)

Seasons of Change (Unique Relic)

The Last Flame (Unique Relic)

Desperate Alliance (Unique Relic)

A Tale of Memory (Unique Relic)

Potion of the Peacemaker (Unique Relic)

Zarok is the final boss of the Trials of Sekhma, a multi-floor trial that requires a level 75+ Djinn Barya to open. The trial is challenging, but the guaranteed drops of unique relics make it an excellent choice for players targeting specific items.

7. Arbiter of Ashes (True Final Boss)

Location: Use the fragments of the castle on Atlas and place them in the Burning Monolith

Potential Rewards:

Ab Aeterno (Unique Boots)

Morior Invictus (Unique Body Armor)

Sine Aequo (Unique Gloves)

Solus Ipse (Unique Helmet)

Faith Prism (Unique Gemstone, Difficulty 4 Only)

Holy Flame (Unique Scepter, Difficulty 4 Only)

The Arbiter of Ashes is the ultimate endgame boss, offering the most powerful loot in the game. To fight this boss, you’ll need to collect fragments from three castles and combine them into the Burning Monolith. While the process is long and involved, defeating the Arbiter is a rewarding challenge for those seeking the best gear in the game.

8. Xesht, We Are One (Lord of the Rift)

Location: Use a Riftstone in a Realmgate (300 Rift Fragments)

Potential Rewards:

Beyond the Range (Unique Quiver)

Chorus of the Storm (Unique Amulet)

Blood of Xoph (Unique Amulet)

Hands of Wisdom and Action (Unique Gloves)

Hide of the Loyal (Unique Body Armor, Difficulty 2 and above)

Controlled Transformation (Unique Gem, Difficulty 4 and above)

Xesht is the boss at the end of the Riftstone encounter. To summon him, you’ll need to collect 300 Rift Fragments and craft them into a Riftstone. The Rift mechanic is a fast and efficient way to farm endgame content, especially if you optimize your map layout for rift farming.

9. Simulacrum Bosses (Kosis and Omniphobia)

Location: Use Simulacrum in Realmgate (300 Simulacrum Fragments)

Potential Rewards:

Assailum (Unique Helmet)

Perfidy (Unique Amulet)

Melting Maelstrom (Unique Vial)

Struggle Scream (Unique Amulet)

Collapsing Horizon (Unique Staff, Difficulty 2 and above)

Megalomaniac (Unique Gem, Difficulty 4 only)

Kosis and Omniphobia are the final bosses of the Simulacrum encounter. To access this fight, you’ll need to collect 300 Simulacrum Fragments from the Delirium Rift. The fight is challenging, but the potential rewards make it a worthwhile endeavor for endgame players.

Conclusion

Boss farming in Path of Exile 2 is a complex but highly rewarding aspect of the game. Whether you’re targeting early-game mini-bosses for leveling up or tackling endgame bosses for unique items, understanding the mechanics and rewards of each boss is key to optimizing your farming strategy. By focusing on the bosses that align with your goals and playstyle, you can maximize your efficiency and build the ultimate character in Path of Exile 2. Happy farming!