How to Beat Scourge of the Skies in Path of Exile 2
The Scourge of the Skies is one of the most grotesque and memorable encounters you'll face in Path of Exile 2. Found in Act Four, this mutated shrike terrorizes the skies above Ngamakanui and serves as a true test of your ability to manage movement, damage, and resource control in confined arenas.
Defeating this boss isn't just a matter of raw power, it's about staying calm under pressure, reading its attack patterns, and knowing when to reposition. This detailed guide will walk you through everything you need to know about finding, fighting, and defeating the Scourge of the Skies.
Where to Find Scourge of the Skies
You'll encounter the Scourge of the Skies on Shrike Island, the third island in the Ngamakanui archipelago. It's a single-zone area that culminates in this boss fight, so there's no need to navigate a complex dungeon layout or multiple paths, just progress through the island until you reach the arena.
Before starting the fight, ensure you've upgraded your gear and replenished your flasks. This encounter demands mobility and endurance, so bring at least one movement skill gem, a defensive aura, and a way to deal sustained damage over time. Players who have invested wisely in their POE 2 Currency, buying quality support gems, skill upgrades, or better weapon bases, will find this battle far more manageable.
Understanding the Boss
The Scourge of the Skies is a mutated bird-like horror, part shrike, part nightmare. Its flesh appears fused with corrupted tendrils, and it constantly screeches as it swoops and slams across the battlefield. Beyond the visual horror, it possesses several distinct attack phases that you'll need to adapt to if you want to survive.
Primary Attacks and Patterns
Corrosive Puddle Slam
The Scourge will periodically dive into the ground, creating large pools of acidic bile that linger for several seconds. These zones inflict heavy chaos and physical damage over time.
Tip: Move the boss gradually around the arena in a circular pattern. This ensures the puddles don't overlap and block your escape routes later in the fight.
Visceral Spew (Projectile Rain)
Occasionally, the Scourge flaps its massive wings and launches a rain of fleshy projectiles across the arena. These can be dodged by moving perpendicular to the attack, but getting caught in multiple projectiles can drain your health quickly.
A Topaz Flask or a piece of gear with projectile damage reduction can significantly mitigate this.
The Plagueling Spawn
Perhaps the most unsettling part of this encounter, the Scourge will disgorge a Plagueling, a parasitic creature that runs erratically across the battlefield, slashing and leaping at you. After a short while, it re-enters the Scourge's body to continue the cycle.
Here's the key: do not kill the Plagueling.
If you destroy it, the Scourge becomes enraged, triggering a devastating attack where it rains viscera across the arena. This phase can easily wipe unprepared players. Instead, deal enough damage to force it back inside, then refocus your attention on the main boss.
Battle Strategy and Recommended Builds
The fight rewards steady movement and timing rather than brute force.
Positioning: Keep moving slowly in a clockwise or counterclockwise loop. This helps you avoid puddles and gives you clear vision of incoming attacks.
Damage Type: Fire-based attacks are especially effective here, both thematically and mechanically. The Scourge is weak to burn damage, so Flameblast, Fire Trap, or Ignite-based builds can cut through its health bar efficiently.
Flasks and Resistances: Chaos and physical resistances are critical. Bring a Staunching Flask to counter bleed effects and an Amethyst Flask to resist chaos damage.
Support Gems: Use Lifetap or Inspiration to manage mana efficiently, and Increased Duration for lingering fire or poison effects.
If you're struggling, take a moment to evaluate your POE 2 Currency investments. Often, a single high-quality gem or flask upgrade can change the outcome of a fight. Spending wisely on crafting materials or trading for better gear before this battle is one of the smartest moves you can make.
Dealing with the Plagueling Phase
When the Plagueling emerges, your instincts might tell you to eliminate it fast. Resist that urge. Instead, keep it on the move and avoid direct confrontation.
Circle the arena while chipping away at its health, but stop before it dies. Eventually, the Scourge will reclaim the creature, temporarily halting its attacks and giving you a short window to heal or reposition.
This restraint-based mechanic is one of the most interesting parts of the fight, it punishes reckless aggression and rewards control and patience. It's a subtle lesson in the tactical pacing that Path of Exile 2 encourages across many of its new boss encounters.
Rewards and Drops
Defeating the Scourge of the Skies rewards you with a mix of random rare POE 2 items, crafting materials, and one of the weapon pieces required for The Search questline. While the boss doesn't drop any exclusive uniques, the loot pool is decent for this stage of the game.
Savvy players often farm this boss a few times to gather early resources or to sell valuable rares in exchange for POE 2 Currency. Even though the loot isn't guaranteed to be groundbreaking, smart trading and crafting can turn your rewards into valuable upgrades for your build.
Final Thoughts
The Scourge of the Skies may look like a nightmare from the depths of Wraeclast's corruption, but with patience, preparation, and smart use of POE 2 Currency, it's a beatable foe. The fight teaches important lessons about arena control, resource management, and restraint, all vital for success later in Path of Exile 2's campaign.
So before you step onto Shrike Island, stock up on flasks, polish your gear, and fine-tune your build. Stay light on your feet, don't panic when the Plagueling appears, and remember: strategy trumps fear. Once the Scourge falls, the skies will be clear, and you'll walk away stronger, richer, and one step closer to mastering the path ahead.
MMOexp POE 2 Team