Count Geonor serves as the final boss of Act 1 in Path of Exile 2, and he’s significantly more challenging than anything encountered so far. Unlike a simple damage sponge, Count Geonor boasts a diverse array of attacks and multiple phases, making his fight one of the most unforgettable experiences in the game.
As the boss gatekeeping the next world map, it’s expected you’ll get mechanic-checked quite hard during this battle. The fight is especially tricky if you’re playing hardcore, as there are a lot of maneuvers that can catch you off guard the first time around.
If you’re having a hard time beating Count Geonor after many trials and tribulations, this guide is here to help you.
Where to Find Count Geonor in Path of Exile 2
After defeating The Executioner in Ogham Village, you’ll progress to the Ogham Manor Ramparts and eventually enter Ogham Manor. Inside, you’ll need to traverse three perilous levels filled with deadly enemies to reach Count Geonor. Along the way, you’ll occasionally pass crumbling scaffolding, catching glimpses of Geonor below, accompanied by the caged, tentacle-like Beast.
Certain enemies in this area, known as Blood Carriers, leave behind pools of blood that drain your health rapidly, making exploration particularly challenging. The manor also features an optional boss, Candlemass, The Living Right. Defeating this boss is highly recommended, as it provides valuable experience and Skill Gems to enhance your character’s power.
When you reach the final level and locate the lift leading to the arena, teleport back to town to ensure your gear is up to standard. Use the NPC merchant Finn to gamble for new items if needed. Upgrading your equipment, particularly your weapon, is crucial for defeating bosses in Path of Exile 2. Keep in mind that newer blue rarity items can often outperform older yellow rarity gear that may appear stronger at first glance.
How to Defeat Count Geonor in Path of Exile 2
As the fight begins, Count Geonor leaps from his throne and lands squarely at the center of the arena. This allows you to prepare a delayed-activation spell, such as Mercenary’s Grenades or Sorceress’ Frost Bomb, to deal some early chip damage and kick off the battle.
Stage 1: Defeating Count Geonor
In Stage 1, Count Geonor executes a three-hit sword combo with impressive momentum. However, melee classes can easily evade this by dodging to his flanks. During this stage, there are three major attacks to watch for, each signaled by a stinger cue:
- Frost Lance: Count Geonor fires a chilling projectile from the tip of his sword. The attack has a noticeable wind-up, making it easy to dodge. However, if it connects, it will drastically slow your movement.
- The Charge and Spin: Count Geonor flashes red before charging forward until he reaches the edge of the arena. Once there, he spins around and swings his sword in a wide arc that can cover nearly a third of the arena. This attack deals significant damage, so make sure to avoid it. It’s also an AoE attack, meaning you can’t dodge-roll through it or block it. The best strategy is to run to the opposite end of the arena as soon as he starts charging.
- The Frost Cage: Count Geonor launches two ice shards that form walls, isolating a conical area before he slams his sword to unleash a burst of frost. The ice walls take a moment to fully form, giving you a chance to react quickly and move out of the danger zone.
Stage 2: Defeating Count Geonor
When Count Geonor reaches around two-thirds of his health, he will drive his sword into the ground and transform into a wolf. Be cautious not to step into the frozen circle around the sword, as it will expand and can freeze you.
In wolf form, he gains melee bite attacks and also has three telegraphed moves to watch out for:
- The Blood Calling: As the wolf howls, three trails of blood stretch out, creating bloodstains that summon a frozen zombie each. While you’ll need to deal with the summons afterward, this is an ideal moment to land a few hits if you’re playing a melee class.
- The Crimson Charge: The wolf forms a series of large blood spots in a line ahead of it, then charges along that line, triggering small explosions at each spot. This attack is easy to avoid as a ranged class, but if you’re melee, you’ll need to create some distance between yourself and the boss to dodge it. Once the blood spots appear, check if they’re the ones that spawn ads, as they look quite similar. If they’re arranged in a straight line, that’s your signal to back up.
- The Crimson Dive: The wolf leaps into the air and dive-bombs you from above, creating a red circle that marks the damage AoE. The circle will glow brighter as the attack is about to land, so be cautious. This move resembles Asinia’s Rite of the Full Moon, so you’ve probably had some practice dodging it.
If he returns to his human form, Count Geonor calls his sword back to him, and it can deal damage if you intercept its path. Once again, be mindful of the seemingly dormant blade.
Stage 3: Defeating Count Geonor
When Count Geonor reaches about one-third of his health, he will enter his final form: a wolf with a skilled sword arm. At the start of this phase, the boss will fully restore his health, effectively resetting the fight.
Count Geonor’s basic melee attack occasionally gets a more advanced variation in this phase, particularly after performing one of his special moves. He will swing his sword in an arc, similar to the Charge-and-Spin from the first phase, and then repeat the swing, covering his flank. There’s no clear warning for this move, so if you’re playing melee, be ready for surprises. Aside from that, here are the moves he can perform during this phase:
- The Frost Breath: Count Geonor exhales a blast of ice, a straightforward attack that becomes easier to dodge the closer you are to him.
- The Frostbound Ground: Multiple ice spots will appear on the ground, eventually forming glaciers that damage and freeze anything in their path. This move is easy to avoid by standing on a patch of ground where the ice spots haven’t formed yet. If you’re a ranged class, this is also the perfect moment to unleash your attacks.
- The Crimson Dive: This move is the same as in the previous phase, but with less time to react. As soon as Count Geonor seems to vanish into thin air, you should start moving to avoid the attack.
- The Fog: Count Geonor will blanket the area in a dense fog that gradually freezes you, effectively reducing the arena to a confined space. Within this mist, zombies will continuously spawn, and Count Geonor will leap at you from the fog every five seconds. You’ll also notice he pauses his recitations just before each attack, in between the verses.
The best strategy is to stay near the center of the arena and watch for the pounce, giving you time to react. The ads will automatically die once the fog clears after about 30 seconds.
- The Frost Beams: Count Geonor will raise his sword to summon a series of icicles from above. These will create white pillars at the points of impact, and the attack repeats four times. Being hit by these beams will instantly freeze you, leaving you vulnerable to heavy damage from the next wave. Even if you’re a caster, it’s best to stop attacking during this move and focus on staying mobile.
- The Crimson Rays: Similar to the Ice Beams, this move fires blood projectiles from the ground, which explodes with Cold damage in the affected areas. The strategy remains the same as before, but this attack occurs only once or twice, requiring you to react more quickly.
The most challenging mutation of the fight occurs when the Fog and Blood Beams happen simultaneously, making it extremely difficult to avoid. However, as long as you maintain consistent damage, you can avoid this scenario three out of four times.
Note: If you are fighting the Count Geonor in Path of Exile 2, then there aren’t many offensive upgrades that will greatly increase your DPS. Instead, you will be looking for more defensive upgrades through gear with Cold Resistance and using a Cold-Immunity Charm.
Defeating Count Geonor in Path of Exile 2: Rewards
Once Geonor is defeated, The Hooded One appears to interrogate him. Through their exchange, they discover Oriana’s next destination, the Vasteri Desert. The Hooded One then puts an end to Geonor’s suffering. He drops randomized loot, typically including several orbs.
Conclusion: Defeating Count Geonor in Path of Exile 2 is a stiff challenge, but the loot and progression make it worthwhile. His complex mechanics and phases will really test your skills, though.
