How to Easily Beat Zalmarath, The Colossus in Path of Exile 2 (PoE2)

Zalmarath the Colossus is a boss encountered in Act 2 of Path of Exile 2 during a series of quests. This formidable opponent combines wide-area attacks with precise ground strikes and features a devastating wipe mechanic that guarantees a player’s death. Without a solid understanding of Zalmarath’s attack patterns, players can quickly become overwhelmed, creating a significant obstacle to progression.

This guide covers the essentials of beating Zalmarath, the Colossus in Act II, including its location and strategies to simplify your encounter with him.

Locating Zalmarath, the Colossus in Path of Exile 2 

Zalmarath, the Colossus, can be found at the Dais of Reckoning, located at the end of the Titan Grotto in Act 2, during the A Crown of Stone quest–one of the three quests you’ll need to complete before you can finish The Trail of Corruption Pt 2.

Note: Interact with the large tree in the center of the area, and a path will open up. Be sure to grab the Waypoint as soon as you enter the Titan Grotto.

Zalmarath, the Colossus’ Strategies and Mechanics

Zalmarath’s battle features numerous attacks from the boss, as well as a wipe mechanic that can quickly eliminate a player. Here’s a list of the attacks Zalmarath will use during the fight:

• A sweeping ground attack with the boss’s hand that can damage players caught in its path.

• A straight ground slash from the center to the edge of the platform.

• Three rapid slams near the boss’s body.

• Multiple red bolts in an AOE attack, each dealing minor damage to players.

• The boss shoots at the ceiling, causing rocks to fall onto the platforms in random locations, potentially dealing minor damage to players.

• Multiple red lasers target and attack players at a distance.

• A one-handed ground slam.

• Wipe Mechanic: If the boss impales a sword in the center of the platform, players must stand behind the sword to shield themselves from the wipe mechanic. This attack creates an area-wide fire effect that lasts for 4 seconds.

• Occasionally, small mobs capable of freezing players will fly toward them and should be dealt with immediately.

How to Defeat Zalmarath, the Colossus in Path of Exile 2 

• Zalmarath is enormous and utilizes its size for wide, sweeping attacks. With one arm, it can fling you to the side before striking down on you or unleash a large cone of stones with a single swing of its sword. It can also shoot laser beams and send small, lightning-charged balls across the battlefield. As if that weren’t enough, it has a powerful ultimate move capable of instantly eliminating players.

• When Zalmarath slams his sword down onto the dais and leaves it there, take cover behind it. Zalmarath will unleash a wide burst of lasers from its eyes, and if you’re not protected by the sword, you’re finished.

• Most of the fight will involve constantly repositioning and dodging attacks. However, there’s a catch: you need to defeat Zalmarath before it destroys the entire dais, and it has a lot of health. 

• The good news is that Zalmarath has one major weakness: it’s slow. With proper timing, you can deal significant damage between its attacks. At first, concentrate on dodging Zalmarath’s attacks, landing hits whenever you have an opening. Once you’re confident in your timing, step up your game. Unleash everything you’ve got between its attacks, and you should be able to bring it down before you’re left standing on a dangerously small platform.

• If you’re finding this fight challenging, consider optimizing your build. Focus on boosting your single-target damage, prioritizing passive skills that increase your base weapon damage. If you have cold attack skills available, use them, as Zalmarath is particularly vulnerable to that damage type.

Defeating Zalmarath, the Colossus in Path of Exile 2: Rewards

Upon Zalmarath’s death, it will drop random loot along with The Flame Ruby, which is required to complete A Crown of Stone and acquire the Horn of Vastiri from Zarka.

Path of Exile 2: The Bug with Zalmarath’s Boss Fight Explained 

While the fight may look visually impressive, the positive aspects seem to end there. Players have spent over 1.5 hours on the encounter, not due to its difficulty but because it has become plagued with bugs.

• The ranged auto-aim has caused significant frustration, with abilities often missing their targets.
• Players sometimes found themselves trapped in a limbo state, requiring them to log out and back in. 
• Additionally, the boss’s one-shot slash frequently glitched, appearing without animation and instantly killing players.
• Even those who managed to defeat him were sometimes thrown out of the arena, forcing them to restart the fight from scratch.

Tips to Keep in Mind If You Can’t Beat Zalmarath

Here are some tips to keep in mind if you want to defeat Zalmarath, regardless of the bug:

• Regardless of your class, stay close to him, hang around his arm that isn’t holding the knife, and respond accordingly. Moving out into the open from behind the sword wall and the lightning spheres.
• Use any AoE binds repeatedly and focus on damaging the spawned mobs.