Path of Exile 2: How to Find and Defeat the King in the Mists

Dec-13-2024

 

In Path of Exile 2, players will encounter many formidable foes, the King in the Mists is one of them. This boss is optional, which is a powerful cultist shaman hidden deep within the treacherous Freythorn. This area is notorious for its narrow wooden bridge paths, you’ll be easily get trapped by hordes of monsters when navigating there.

 

This boss has a wide array of deadly abilities, if you're looking to defeat this cultist shaman, this guide will introduce you to how to find it in Freythorn and defeat it.

 

 

How to Find The King in the Mists

Before facing the King in the Mists, you'll need to complete a few tasks. Start by finding and activating three Ritual Altars scattered around the edges of Freythorn. These altars are usually close to Checkpoints, so keep an eye out for them as you explore. Once you've activated each altar, a wave of cultists will spawn—defeat them to proceed.

 

After completing all three Ritual Altars, you need to head to the central arena in the map. The King of Mists awaits there. After reaching, you’ll need to activate the final altar in the arena to summon the boss. However, if you attempt to enter the arena before completing the Rituals, a black cloud will block your way, so be sure to meet the requirements first!

 

Note: As all maps in Path of Exile 2 are randomized, the locations of the Ritual Altars will change each time you enter the map, but you still can find them near the edges of the map. Keep exploring the edges until you find them.

 

How to Beat The King in the Mists

It is important to note that you’ll have a two-phase fight with the King of Mists, and while his abilities are telegraphed, his attacks can quickly overwhelm the unprepared.

 

Phase 1: Human Form

In this phase, the King appears as a hooded figure wielding a staff. His attacks are centered around curses and status effects, so dodging is essential. Below is an introduction of his attacks in this phase.

 

Thorngrip: The boss will create a cone of damaging vines in front of him.

Invasive Growth: He slams his staff on the ground, creating an AoE of damaging vines.

Blood Pools: Red pools of blood that cause damage over time if you stand in them.

Affliction Totems: These totems periodically pulse, inflicting curses and physical damage.

Ritual of Dance: A curse that traps you in stasis for a few seconds if you stop moving.

Ritual of Meditation: A curse that traps you if you move when the timer runs out.

 

To survive, you must carefully pay attention to which curse is active at the moment. You can tell which curse is affecting you by checking the curse icon on the top left of your screen or by noticing the color of the curse circle around your character. If the curse is purple, keep moving (for Ritual of Dance). If it’s red, stop moving (for Ritual of Meditation).

 

The King’s attacks are relatively slow and telegraphed, but managing the curses can be tricky, especially when both Rituals are in play at the same time. If the fight becomes too difficult, you can summon friends to join you.

 

Phase 2: Wildwood Form

Once the King in the Mists reaches about 33% HP, he'll enter Wildwood Form. This is a more dangerous state and he will become untargetable for a brief moment, regenerates his health, and transforms into a leshen-like tree creature.

 

In this form, he gains new abilities.

Purple Pustules: These glowing purple pustules grow from the ground. If you get too close, they explode and stack the Shadow Surge debuff, which makes you take more physical damage.

Insect Swarm: The King summons a wave of insects that move in a straight line, dealing damage to anyone in its path.

Insect Ball: A swarm of dark insects follows you and explodes on impact.

 

During this phase, the King becomes more aggressive, and the frequency of curses increases. The key to surviving is to avoid the Purple Pustules. While a few stacks of Shadow Surge won’t kill you, stacking five or more can lead to a quick death. Be mindful of your positioning and keep moving to avoid the stacks.

 

Loot and Rewards

After defeating the King in the Mists, you will receive valuable rewards, including the Gembloom Skull. This unique item grants you a permanent +30 Spirit, which is the only source of increased Spirit capacity in all of Act 1.

 

Additionally, by interacting with Ritual Altars, you can obtain Tributes, a special currency that allows you to purchase unique rewards. You can farm Tribute by repeatedly defeating the King in the Mists, especially early in the game.

 

For Sorceress players, defeating the King in the Mists also offers an opportunity to obtain an Uncut Spirit Gem 4, which is the earliest way to unlock the Raging Spirits skill—a major upgrade for your build.

 

This is all about King of Mists. With this guide, defeating this boss will be easy and straightforward. Good luck, exile!