Path of Exile 2: How to Defeat the Viper Napuatzi in Act 3?

Dec-23-2024

 

In Path of Exile 2 early access, you can experience three acts, each filled with exciting challenges, captivating stories, and powerful bosses. In the heart of Act 3, amidst the ominous lands of Utzaal, lies a deadly adversary: Viper Napuatzi.

 

The battle with Viper Napuatzi takes place in a small arena, creating a claustrophobic and tense atmosphere. While she may not be the most complex foe, her rapid, multi-layered poison attacks combined with the confined space make her extremely dangerous. Defeating this boss not only rewards you with POE2 Currency but also unlocks Cruel Difficulty. Here's how to prepare for the battle and defeat the Viper Napuatzi.

 

 

Preparing for the Fight

Viper Napuatzi is a tough opponent, especially because she deals a lot of poison damage. Before heading into battle, make sure your character is at least level 43-45, though higher levels are always better. She's resistant to almost all types of damage, so chaos damage is your best option. Physical damage won't be as effective, so focus on chaos attacks.

 

If you're playing as a Warrior, you can use slam attacks, or as a Witch, you can go for a chaos build. Rangers with poison or chaos skills also work well. Monk and Sorceress might find the fight harder, so if you're playing one of these, consider stacking chaos resistance in your gear and passive skill tree.

 

To prepare, farm equipment with chaos resistance during Act 3, and enhance them using Exalted Orbs. You can also get a Chaos Resistance Ring, which can drop in Act 3 or be bought from vendors in Acts 2 or 3. Additionally, if you've defeated Ignagduk and completed the Tribal Vengeance quest, you can get the Blooming Antidote Charm, which makes you immune to poison when poisoned – very useful in this battle!

 

Fighting Viper Napuatzi

Throughout the fight, she'll progressively add more attacks, rather than switch between distinct phases. Once you enter the arena, keep in mind that Viper Napuatzi's attacks are a mix of poison, spear strikes, and ranged poison projectiles.  

 

Her basic spear attacks include a lunge and a three-hit combo, where the first two hits are close range followed by a slam. Dodge the initial two hits and roll to the side to avoid the slam.

 

Napuatzi's Poison Swirl and Leap Attack involve charging forward and spinning her spear. To dodge this, simply move away from her. Most of her attacks deal poison chaos damage, so maintaining high chaos resistance is crucial.

 

Watch out for her Charged Poison Snakes attack, when you see Napuatzi charge her spear and hear a loud thump, she's preparing to send out poison snakes across the arena. Back off and dodge when she releases the attack.

 

Additionally, Napuatzi can quickly backstep and throw poison in front of her, which you should roll backward to avoid. Another dangerous move is her Poison Lightning Knives, which bounce off the sides of the arena. Dodge these by rolling to the side. By understanding and reacting to these moves, you can effectively defeat Viper Napuatzi and advance to Cruel Difficulty.

 

Phase Transitions

Once Napuatzi hits 85% health, she'll place her spear in the ground and create a poison pool around it. She will then levitate and bombard the arena with fire and chaos attacks. Be careful of this blasts, the blasted places are marked by circles on the ground. Simply move around the arena and avoid standing in the circles. Chaos Bombardment is similar to fire bombardment but cover a wider area. You need to roll to dodge these larger attacks.

 

After she lands, she'll start firing poison projectiles. These can come in rapid streams or a shotgun-style blast. Use area-of-effect (AoE) abilities to deal damage here. The shotgun blast can be dodged by rolling through it, while the poison stream requires you to run around and keep a safe distance.

 

 

Minion Phase

At around 30% health, Napuatzi will crouch and summon minions around the arena. These minions will fire spears back and forth. Watch for their green glow to predict where the attacks will land. Stay in safe zones, and zigzag to avoid getting hit. The arena will gradually shrink during this phase, making it even more challenging.

 

Final Phase

Once Napuatzi hits 5% health, she'll start spamming her spear attack and will hover over the arena. You can't damage her during this phase, so focus on dodging until she lands. When she does, resume your attack until she's defeated!

 

With the death of Viper Napuatzi, you will not only can obtain Regal Orbs or some rare equipment that may drop through her, but also enter Cruel difficulty and endgame.

Are you prepared to take the plunge?