One Simple Mechanic Makes Path Of Exile 2’s Boss Fights Better

Path of Exile 2, the new hit ARPG on console and PC, has been received spectacularly by fans and newcomers. One of the most impressive features of Path of Exile 2 is its staggering number of bosses, reaching well over 100 unique encounters. Beyond the sheer number of bosses, which already eclipses rival ARPGs, the bosses themselves are well-made, fun to fight, and, most importantly, memorable.

Contributing to the memorability of these bosses is the difficulty inherent in the fights. While bosses are essential to any ARPG, almost every significant ARPG includes a mechanic in which a boss’s health does not reset when the player is defeated. With this decision, players can effectively steamroll past any roadblock a boss presents. Path of Exile 2 functions differently, with the bosses completely reset upon a player’s defeat. Bosses in Path of Exile 2 then maintain both their intended roadblock of player skill and gear and add a feeling of achievement reminiscent of Dark Souls or Monster Hunter.

Resetting Health Diminishes Boss Fights

Boss Fights Should Offer A Challenge

When the boss’s health doesn’t reset, the fight’s outcome becomes binary. A player is either equipped with gear, skills, and a build capable of defeating the boss, or they aren’t. The choice can also cause bosses to have inflated health bars to extend the fight, creating a series of defeats and gradual progress that doesn’t necessitate better play. When a boss is finally defeated, it typically doesn’t bring any notable sense of achievement beyond the cascading parade of loot. The challenge is diminished, the core of what a good boss fight should offer.

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Path of Exile 2 changes this formula, a departure for the genre and a major difference in philosophy from even POE1. Fights with bosses are difficult, even with a muscular build or effective gear. Learning animations, attack patterns, and mechanics is essential to defeating a boss, as health flasks will drain quickly if hits are accumulated. Perhaps the greatest benefit is the sense of accomplishment upon defeating a boss. Often, that final attempt will be the result of a gradual understanding of the boss: finding more windows to attack and better ways to evade.

Loot & Player Skill Matter More In Path Of Exile

POE 2 Tests Knowledge In And Out Of Fights

Loot is often the lifeblood of an ARPG. Crafting a powerful build sits at the center of the genre, assisted by the various loot, passive, and ability systems implemented. Bosses will always function as a loot-check to some degree, whether by testing a player’s resistances, defensives, or damage. Path of Exile 2 is no different in this regard, but the added emphasis on player skills in PoE 2 creates an experience that ultimately feels more satisfying.

Path of Exile 2 characters a monk, druid, and sorcerous.

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Regardless of the elegance of a build, every boss fight requires careful positioning and an understanding of gameplay mechanics. A better build will always mean the boss dies quicker and the player slower, but bosses never feel like a pure stat-check in Path of Exile 2. Grabbing a weapon upgrade doesn’t nullify the fight’s difficulty but goes hand-in-hand with that improved knowledge, eking out that percentage of extra damage in the windows of opportunity that progressively becomes more apparent within a fight. Gear becomes an enhancement instead of the full picture.

Path of Exile 2 Is The Premier ARPG For Boss Fights

A Step Forward For The Genre

Path of Exile 2 will undisputedly go down as the ARPG with the greatest boss content. Bosses are more than just a spectacle in POE 2; they are a core foundation of the game. It’s clear that an immense amount of development time went into them based on their number, frequency, and distinctness. Thankfully, Grinding Gear Games had the foresight to have boss fights reset upon player defeats. If this were not the case, the massive edge that Path of Exile 2 has over its competition would have been reduced.

Where other ARPGs have shirked away from boss fights, Diablo 4 hasn’t introduced a new world boss since launch – Path of Exile 2 has crafted a new niche that can be added to its already revered progression systems. Ideally, boss fights will continue to be developed and will further serve as the foundation of end-game progression and content updates. Path of Exile 2‘s masterclass boss fights have made me hesitant about returning to other ARPGs.