Count Geonor, the first Act boss in Path of Exile 2, poses a significant challenge for players, often causing frustration and setbacks. Many adventurers find themselves stuck for prolonged periods trying to conquer this formidable foe, and some even attribute their decision to stop playing the game to this particular boss. Nevertheless, with the right mechanics and strategies, players of all classes and builds can triumph over Count Geonor. This guide outlines essential tactics for defeating him and navigating the dreaded Putrid Wolf phase.
Strategies for Defeating Count Geonor the Putrid Wolf
The encounter with Count Geonor unfolds in two distinct phases. Initially, players face Count Geonor in his human form alongside his wolf counterpart. When his health drops to approximately 40-50%, he laments his wife’s departure before transforming into the Putrid Wolf, fully restoring his health and escalating the challenge.
Phase One: Battling Count Geonor
In the first phase, Count Geonor engages players with a series of melee combos using his sword, becoming particularly dangerous up close. He also performs sweeping attacks, affecting enemies within a 180-degree arc.
As the battle progresses, Geonor shifts into his wolf form, directing his sword to strike down in a random location, inflicting freezing damage within a circular area. While he commands the sword, his wolf form relentlessly bites and lunges at players.
For those with a competent build, this initial phase can often be concluded quite quickly—usually within a minute.
Phase Two: The Transformation into Geonor, the Putrid Wolf
Upon reaching 50% health, Count Geonor enters a transformation phase, during which he becomes invulnerable to damage. Occasionally, this transformation may trigger as low as 30% health, particularly when he is engaged in extended attack animations.
Regardless of how much damage you inflict during the first phase, his transformation restores him fully. Following his metamorphosis, Geonor, now the Putrid Wolf, will summon blinding snowy fog accompanied by a pack of smaller corrupted wolves to besiege you.
In this phase, Geonor verbalizes threats while lunging toward you after each utterance, causing intense damage and staggering effects. These assaults can be perilous, especially if you find yourself surrounded by wolves while incapacitated. Such situations can quickly lead to defeat.
To navigate this perilous phase, consistently eliminate the corrupted wolves and adeptly dodge Geonor’s lunges. Increasing the volume during the fight allows you to better hear Geonor’s phrases. Dodge immediately after he finishes speaking, as he will always launch himself at you following each line.
When Geonor completes two phrases consecutively, this phase concludes, and the fight continues. You can monitor the dialogue through the chat window for additional insights into his next moves.
Once you navigate the most treacherous aspects of this phase, be prepared to face Geonor’s new attack patterns. Two notable attacks include laser beams that he summons from above, inflicting substantial damage upon anyone in their path. These beams typically emit three blasts, creating a hazardous environment. When Geonor’s health wanes, the beams will turn red, indicating added chaos damage.
Another major threat arises when Geonor leaps into the air, crashing down with immense force and dealing area-of-effect damage within a specified radius. You can anticipate this by observing the red circle that appears before he lands. Use a double dodge roll to escape the attack’s impact, as being slightly late can result in significant damage.
His remaining attacks primarily consist of ice and melee strikes, mirroring some of his initial moves, yet with distinctive variations noted in the accompanying images.
With practice and understanding of these mechanics, the battle will become increasingly manageable, even at the Cruel difficulty level. If you continue to struggle, consider acquiring or trading for better gear to enhance your character’s capabilities; sometimes a single upgrade can substantially influence your success in the fight.
Good luck as you take on this challenging boss! Remember, with persistence, victory is within your grasp.
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