Path of Exile 2 Walkthrough Part 1: Act 1 (Clearfell to Count Geonor)

This is part 1 of our full Path of Exile 2 walkthrough. It covers Act 1 from the opening beach to the fight with Count Geonor in Ogham Manor. We go zone by zone, flag every permanent reward you should grab, and give quick tips for each boss.

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The whole walkthrough

Written for the current early-access version, before the 1.0 launch on December 11, 2026. Acts 5 and 6 arrive with 1.0, and this walkthrough will be updated then.

Before You Start: Character Creation

Early access has eight classes at the time of writing: Warrior, Ranger, Witch, Sorceress, Monk, Mercenary, Huntress and Druid. The Duelist and Shadow join with 1.0 on December 11 (see our beginner guide for which class to pick). Each class starts on a different part of the same big passive tree, so your class mostly decides your starting weapon and early skills.

• Want it easy? Ranged classes like the Ranger, Mercenary or Sorceress keep you away from boss hits, which helps a lot in Act 1.
• Skills come from gems. You find Uncut Skill Gems and Uncut Support Gems and choose which skill to cut from them. You are not locked into the class skills.
• Dodge roll is your best friend. Almost every boss attack in this act can be rolled through or away from. Practice it early.

Act 1 at a Glance

Here is the usual order of zones. The game nudges you along the main path, but some areas are optional.

The Riverbank and the Bloated Miller

You wake up on a riverbank with almost nothing. Pick up the first weapon and gems you find and follow the path inland. At the end you meet the Bloated Miller, the first real boss.

How to beat him: nearly all of his attacks hit in front of him. Stay behind or to the side. Watch for his big two-handed slam and his charge. When he winds up, roll sideways, then hit him while he recovers. He is slow, so patience wins this one.

Clearfell Encampment and Clearfell

The encampment is your first town. Talk to everyone, since several people hand out quests here. Renly is the blacksmith and he matters later. Then head out into Clearfell, a large forest.

• Beira of the Rotten Pack: a side boss somewhere in Clearfell. Killing her gives a permanent +10% Cold Resistance. Always do this one.
• Mud Burrow: a cave entrance in Clearfell. Inside is the Devourer, a big burrowing worm. He deals physical and chaos damage. Watch where he digs and move away from the spot he bursts out of. Kill him and return to Renly for an Uncut Support Gem.

The Grelwood and the Red Vale

The Grelwood is a gloomy forest that leads to the Tree of Souls. The tree is sealed, and you need special spikes to open it. Those come from the Red Vale, which you also reach from the Grelwood.

In the Red Vale, find and activate the three Obelisks of Rust. Each one leads to a fight and gives you a Runed Girdle. The third one summons the Rust King, who drops the last girdle.

How to beat the Rust King: stay to his side or behind him to avoid his melee swings. As his health drops he starts summoning swords, firing shard volleys and calling in undead soldiers. Clear the adds quickly so they don't trap you, then get back to damaging him.

Take the girdles to Renly in town. He forges them into Runed Spikes. Bring the spikes back to the Tree of Souls in the Grelwood to move the story on.

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Playing on PC? A gaming mouse with side buttons makes skill swapping much easier.

The Grim Tangle

The Tree of Souls opens the way into the Grim Tangle, a twisted, rotting part of the forest. A rotten druid boss waits here as part of the main story. Keep moving and don't stand in anything on the ground. Beyond the Tangle you reach the cemetery.

Cemetery of the Eternals and Lachlann

This is a maze of tombs. The main boss, Lachlann of Endless Lament, sits behind a locked door. To open it you must explore two side dungeons inside the cemetery:

• Tomb of the Consort
• Mausoleum of the Praetor

Each one has a boss and a key item you need for Lachlann's door. Do both, then return to the main cemetery.

How to beat Lachlann: keep moving in a circle around him instead of standing still, and roll out of any marked ground effects. Clear the rest of the cemetery first so you arrive with a few extra levels. He drops an Uncut Skill Gem, which is a nice upgrade at this point.

The Hunting Grounds and Freythorn

The Hunting Grounds is a wide open forest. Look for the Crowbell, an optional boss. Beating him gives a Book of Specialisation, which grants extra passive points for your weapon set. These let you spec your second weapon set differently from your first.

From here you can also reach Freythorn, an optional side area. It is one of the best detours in the whole campaign:

• Activate the ritual altars around the zone.
• This summons the King in the Mists.
• Beat him for a permanent +30 Spirit. Spirit lets you run more persistent buffs and minions. Don't skip it.

The King in the Mists can hit hard and hide in his fog. Keep your health flask topped up and back off when he vanishes.

Ogham Farmlands and Ogham Village

The Farmlands lead to the village. Two things to grab here:

• Una's Lute: it is lying around in the Farmlands. Pick it up and bring it to Una for two extra weapon set passive points.
• The Crop Circle: a special spot in the fields. Guides list an Uncut Skill Gem as the reward here, so check it if you see it.

Ogham Village is burning and full of enemies. Find Renly's Smithing Tools and hand them to him. This unlocks the Salvage Bench in town, which lets you break down gear for crafting materials.

The Executioner guards the village. Defeat him for an Uncut Support Gem. Stay mobile and punish him after each big attack.

The Manor Ramparts and Ogham Manor

Climb the Manor Ramparts and enter Ogham Manor. The manor is a big indoor maze, and it is packed with tough enemies. Open doors carefully and pull small groups.

Candlemass: an optional boss inside the manor. Beat him for a permanent +20 maximum Life. That is free tankiness, so find him before the final fight.

Boss: Count Geonor

Count Geonor waits at the end of the manor. He is the final boss of Act 1, and he has two phases.

Phase 1:

• Sword combos: he swings up to four times in a row. Roll away or kite him once he starts.
• Leap slam: a red circle shows where he will land. Move to the edge and roll out as he comes down.
• Ice aura: when his sword is planted it puts out a cold zone. Don't stand near it.

Phase 2: he takes on his wolf form and the fight gets faster.

• Ice spikes: he plants his weapon and covers most of the room in spikes. Run to the edge of the arena.
• Mist: he hides in fog, small enemies keep coming, and he charges at you every few seconds. Kill the adds fast and watch for his rush.
• He can still use his phase 1 moves, so stay alert.

Tips: ranged builds have an easier time here. Summoners often struggle a little more. Bring a good life flask, use your Cold Resistance from Beira, and try to be a couple of levels above the zone. Many players go in around level 16 to 17.

Once Geonor falls, Act 1 is done and you can travel on to Act 2.

Act 1 Permanent Rewards Checklist

• +10% Cold Resistance (Beira of the Rotten Pack, Clearfell)
• +30 Spirit (King in the Mists, Freythorn)
• +20 maximum Life (Candlemass, Ogham Manor)
• Weapon set passive points (Crowbell's Book of Specialisation, and Una's Lute)
• Salvage Bench (Renly's Smithing Tools)

Exact reward values can shift between patches. The list above reflects the current version as best we can confirm.

FAQ

How do I beat Count Geonor in Path of Exile 2?

Stay mobile and roll out of his red leap circles. In his second phase, run to the edge when he plants his weapon for the ice spikes, and kill the adds quickly when he hides in the mist. A ranged build and a level or two above the zone make it much easier.

Where is Freythorn and is it worth doing?

Freythorn is an optional area reached from the Hunting Grounds. Yes, do it. Activating the ritual altars and beating the King in the Mists gives a permanent +30 Spirit.

How do I open the Tree of Souls?

Activate the three Obelisks of Rust in the Red Vale and beat the Rust King to collect all the Runed Girdles. Renly turns them into Runed Spikes, which you place at the Tree of Souls in the Grelwood.

How do I open Lachlann's tomb in the Cemetery of the Eternals?

Clear both the Tomb of the Consort and the Mausoleum of the Praetor inside the cemetery. Each gives a key item needed to open his door.

Which Act 1 bosses give permanent bonuses?

Beira gives Cold Resistance, the King in the Mists gives Spirit, and Candlemass gives maximum Life. The Crowbell and Una's Lute give extra weapon set passive points.

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