Path of Exile 2 Walkthrough Part 2: Act 2 (Vastiri Desert)

This is part 2 of our full Path of Exile 2 walkthrough. It covers Act 2 in the Vastiri desert: from the Vastiri Outskirts and the Ardura Caravan, through the three Horn quests, all the way to the final fight with Jamanra, the Abomination in The Dreadnought.

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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.

Act 2 at a glance

Act 2 trades the dark woods of Ogham for open desert. Your home base is the Ardura Caravan, a moving town that carries you across the Vastiri. Instead of walking from zone to zone, you pick your next stop on the desert map from the caravan.

The act also gives you more freedom than Act 1. After the first clash with Jamanra, three separate routes open up, and you can clear them in any order. You need all three before the act moves on.

The route below follows the current early access campaign. One recent change matters: patch 0.5 removed the old second Dreadnought zone, the Dreadnought Vanguard. The final boss now waits in The Dreadnought itself, so ignore older guides that send you through two ship zones.

Vastiri Outskirts

You arrive on the edge of the desert and soon meet Zarka, who leads you toward the caravan. The zone ends with Rathbreaker, a boss who relies on a pack of hyenas and archers.

• Kill the hyenas fast with area damage. If you let them pile up, they do more damage than the boss.
• Stay near the middle of the arena. The cliff edges are where arrows rain down.

Once you reach the Ardura Caravan, the Earning Passage quest ends. Talk to Zarka for her quest reward. If you skipped it earlier, she still offers it in the caravan. Sell, stock up, and check the vendors for gear upgrades before moving on.

Mawdun Quarry and Mawdun Mine

Pick the Mawdun Quarry on the desert map and push through it into the Mawdun Mine. The boss at the bottom is Rudja, the Dread Engineer.

• She spins with a flamethrower. Dodge roll through the edge of the flames rather than running in a circle.
• Her grenade charge is the big hit. Watch for the wind-up and roll just as she is about to swing, not earlier.

Traitor's Passage and the Trial of the Sekhemas

The direct road to the Halani Gates is closed, so you take the Traitor's Passage instead. Its boss is Balbala, the Traitor.

• She turns invisible and spreads poison around the room. Walk along the walls and push into her to reveal her.
• Coin runes appear on the floor and spawn extra enemies. Step on them to disarm them.

Balbala drops Balbala's Barya, the token that starts the Trial of the Sekhemas. You reach the trial from the desert map. Clearing it for the first time unlocks your Ascendancy class and your first two Ascendancy points. The trial is tough on a fresh character, so many players come back once they have better gear. You can also take your first Ascendancy from the Trial of Chaos in Act 3 instead.

Halani Gates: Jamanra, the Risen King

At the end of the Halani Gates you meet Jamanra, the Risen King for the first time. This is the main story fight of the first half of the act.

• Do not dodge his big sword slam too early. Wait for the swing to commit, then roll.
• When he calls a sandstorm, stop attacking and get behind the shield your ally raises. That is the safe spot.
• The fight is long, so bring full flasks and top them up between phases.

After this fight, a sandstorm still blocks the way to Deshar. To clear it, Zarka needs the materials for the Horn of the Vastiri. That means finishing three quests: A Theft of Ivory, The City of Seven Waters and A Crown of Stone. Do them in any order you like.

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Route 1: Keth, the Lost City and the Buried Shrines

Keth is a ruined city full of snakes and poison. Its boss is Kabala, Constrictor Queen, and she is worth killing for a Book of Specialisation. Reading it gives you two weapon set passive points.

• Kabala deals chaos damage and poison. Any chaos resistance helps a lot here.
• When the red mist spreads, move to the safe part of the pit and wait it out.

Enemies in Keth and the Lost City can drop the Kabala Clan Relic. Hold on to it for later. Continue through the Lost City into the Buried Shrines, where Azarian, the Forsaken Son guards the end of The City of Seven Waters quest. Many of his fire attacks can be avoided by rolling behind him.

Route 2: Mastodon Badlands and the Bone Pits

Cross the Mastodon Badlands to reach the Bone Pits. Here you fight Iktab, the Deathlord and Ekbab, Ancient Steed together for A Theft of Ivory.

• The two are linked. When one dies, the other gets stronger.
• Try to bring both low before you finish either one. If you cannot, kill Iktab first, since an empowered Ekbab is harder to handle.

Enemies in the Bone Pits can drop the Sun Clan Relic. You want both relics before you go to the Valley of the Titans.

Route 3: Valley of the Titans and the Titan Grotto

The Valley of the Titans is a step up in difficulty, so check your resistances first. Inside you find an altar for the Ancient Vows quest. Place the Sun Clan Relic and the Kabala Clan Relic on it, then pick one permanent bonus from the choices it offers. The exact options have shifted between patches, so read them in game and take the one that fits your build.

Push on into the Titan Grotto and beat Zalmarath the Colossus for the Flame Ruby. That finishes A Crown of Stone.

With all three quests done, return to Zarka in the caravan. She gives you the Horn of the Vastiri. Travel back to the Halani Gates and sound it to clear the storm.

Deshar, Path of Mourning and the Spires of Deshar

Beyond the storm lies Deshar, a city of burial towers. Look around the base of the towers for a fallen Dekhara holding a Final Letter. Bring it back to Shambrin in the caravan to finish Tradition's Toll. The reward is another Book of Specialisation, worth two more weapon set passive points.

The Path of Mourning has no boss, but it does hide an optional urn that can give an uncut support gem. Then climb the Spires of Deshar.

• Find the Sisters of Garukhan shrine in the Spires and use it. It gives a permanent +10% Lightning Resistance. Do not skip it.
• The boss is Tor Gul, the Defiler. He does not move, so stay behind him. Fire resistance helps against his breath, and movement speed helps you avoid his head smash.

The Dreadnought: Jamanra, the Abomination

The last zone is The Dreadnought, a huge moving war machine. Since patch 0.5 the final fight happens right here, with no second Vanguard zone. At the end you face Jamanra, the Abomination.

• He hits hard in melee. Keep moving and save your dodge roll for his big, telegraphed swings.
• He fights in phases and grows more dangerous as his health drops. Use a breather between phases to refill flasks.
• Kill adds quickly when they appear, so you are not trapped while dodging.

When he falls, head back to the Ardura Caravan and speak with the Hooded One and Sekhema Asala to close out the act. Then you are ready for Act 3.

Permanent rewards checklist

Since patch 0.4, Abyss encounters also show up in some campaign areas, starting in Act 2. They are worth clearing for the extra loot when you see them.

FAQ

How do I get the Horn of the Vastiri in Path of Exile 2?

Finish A Theft of Ivory in the Bone Pits, The City of Seven Waters through Keth and the Lost City, and A Crown of Stone in the Titan Grotto. Then talk to Zarka in the Ardura Caravan. Sound the horn at the Halani Gates to clear the sandstorm.

Where do I find the Sun Clan Relic and the Kabala Clan Relic?

The Sun Clan Relic drops from enemies in the Bone Pits. The Kabala Clan Relic drops from enemies in Keth and the Lost City. Place both on the altar in the Valley of the Titans to pick a permanent bonus.

Where is the Dreadnought Vanguard?

It no longer exists. Patch 0.5 removed it, and Jamanra, the Abomination is now fought at the end of The Dreadnought.

Should I do the Trial of the Sekhemas in Act 2?

It unlocks your Ascendancy, which is a big power boost. If it feels too hard, you can come back later or do the Trial of Chaos in Act 3 for your first Ascendancy instead.

Where is the lightning resistance bonus in Act 2?

It comes from the Sisters of Garukhan shrine in the Spires of Deshar. Using it gives a permanent +10% Lightning Resistance.

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