How to Defeat Balbala, The Traitor in Path of Exile 2
Path of Exile 2 offers some of the most intense and dynamic boss fights in ARPG history, and Balbala, The Traitor, stands out as one of the earliest true difficulty spikes. After completing Earning Passage and enduring the brutal encounter with Rathbreaker, Act 2 opens up and introduces more expansive zones, varied mission paths, and the illusion of strategic freedom. However, that freedom is quickly tested in Traitor's Passage, where players must face Balbala in an unforgiving, high-pressure battle. Success here requires preparation, awareness, and timing.
Understanding the Arena
Upon entering the arena, you'll immediately notice its restrictions. Unlike the more open areas of Act 2, this battle takes place within a confined circular space, almost like a combat prison, with a giant pit right in the middle. This pit blocks your movement and line of sight, making dodging more complicated and kiting almost impossible. You cannot drop into the pit or bypass it, so you must anticipate Balbala's position constantly.
Considering how much damage and gear management matter in this fight, many players invest in early crafting or trades using POE 2 Currency to optimise survivability before attempting the encounter. A few resistances or flask upgrades can make all the difference.
Balbala's Attack Patterns
As soon as Balbala breaks free, there's no warmup period. They immediately launch into a rapid barrage of attacks, blending poison, physical, and elemental damage types. This assault is often relentless, giving players very little time to reposition. Among the most notable abilities are a series of magical knife-based attacks. These are relatively straightforward to avoid if you see them coming, but taking even one hit unprepared can result in a massive health drop.
While the basic attacks are harsh, the most dangerous element isn't the direct damage but the mechanics layered around it. To mitigate the risk, invest your POE 2 Currency early in high-quality flask upgrades and crafting modifications that enhance defensive bonuses.
The Poison Gas Mechanic
Balbala will intermittently vanish into a cloud of poisonous gas that rapidly spreads across the arena. This is by far the deadliest phase of the fight. If you fail to locate Balbala in time, the poison will continue blanketing the arena, swiftly draining your health. You should immediately run along the outer rim of the arena, scanning for movement or attack indicators. When you do find Balbala, she'll channel a devastating area-of-effect attack directly below her. The instant you spot her, move close enough to interrupt the spreading gas, then dodge-roll away from the AoE blast.
Many players report that this phase leads to more deaths than any other, particularly for those lacking poison resistance. If you're struggling, consider using POE 2 Currency to acquire poison mitigation gear, or trade for flasks that reduce elemental effect duration.
The Coin-Based Shade Summons
One of Balbala's most interesting mechanics involves tossing coins to the ground, creating golden runes. Approaching these runes causes shades of Balbala to spawn, miniatures that attack with lower potency. While this might seem like a nuisance, you can exploit it strategically. Purposefully trigger the shades early, defeat them rapidly, and use them to refill your flasks. This tactic is especially useful for builds reliant on sustained flask use.
Clever players even use accumulated POE 2 Currency to prepare a flask-based defense strategy ahead of the fight, knowing the shades provide valuable refills during prolonged engagements.
Managing Arena Chaos
Between poison gas, shade spawns, rune pressure zones, and Balbala's direct attacks, the arena quickly feels smaller than it is. This claustrophobic effect increases panic and causes many players to make poor movement decisions. To counteract this, always keep your character near paths with fewer obstacles and avoid reacting impulsively. Predict movement rather than rely on reaction.
High-mobility builds generally perform better in this fight, but tankier builds can also succeed with enough poison resistance and properly allocated passive points. If you're not yet geared for this, consider pausing progression and farming POE 2 Currency or completing optional quests to obtain better items before retrying.
Recommended Build Preparation
Stack poison resistance using gear modifications or crafted flasks.
Invest in life regeneration and recovery rate boosts, especially beneficial during the shade farming phase.
Upgrade flasks using POE 2 Currency, prioritising immunity to elemental ailments.
Armour or evasion builds should include an emergency escape skill on a low-cooldown trigger.
Post-Fight Rewards
Defeating Balbala, The Traitor, unlocks access to the Trial of Sekhemas, where you'll select your class' Ascendancy. This represents one of the most powerful progression milestones for your build. Completing this trial will completely reshape your playstyle, often resulting in a massive power spike. Many players immediately invest POE 2 Currency into reorganising their gear afterward to maximise Ascendancy benefits.
Final Thoughts
Balbala is one of the most challenging early bosses in Path of Exile 2, testing not just reflexes, but planning and patience. The fight teaches players the importance of arena awareness, resource management, and fight pacing. Proper preparation, including smart allocation of POE 2 Currency toward gear upgrades and flask optimisation, often determines whether players walk out victorious or return to Traitor's Passage repeatedly.
If you enter the fight calmly, anticipate the poison gas, capitalise on shade spawns, and invest wisely in survival mechanics beforehand, Balbala, The Traitor, will fall. And when she does, you'll emerge stronger, ready to shape your future with an Ascendancy class that truly defines your path forward.
MMOexp POE 2 Team