The Bloated Miller is the first boss you’ll face in Path of Exile 2, and defeating him is essential to progress to the Clearfell Encampment, the game’s initial hub. This boss fight represents a significant increase in difficulty and serves as the final challenge in the tutorial. If you can’t overcome this boss, you won’t be able to access the main game. If you’re struggling, here’s how to defeat the Bloated Miller, along with useful strategies and weaknesses that any character class can leverage.
Tips and Strategies for Beating the Bloated Miller in Path of Exile 2
The Bloated Miller is especially potent in melee combat, so it’s best to maintain your distance and chip away at his health. However, some classes may not have that option. Here are some handy tips to help players of all classes exploit the Miller’s weaknesses and emerge victorious.
- Ensure you’re well-equipped. Make sure to equip all the weapons and skill gems you collected during the tutorial before the fight. Take some time to practice on the undead outside the arena to familiarize yourself with your skills.
- Keep your distance. The Bloated Miller becomes more dangerous in close quarters; however, he can also charge at you and unleash shockwaves from afar.
- If you’re fighting up close, try to position yourself behind him. The Miller primarily targets opponents in front of him, so staying behind is a safer option.
- Dodge to the sides, not backward or forward. The boss’s attacks usually have a long reach but limited width, so move around him instead of retreating straight back.
- Don’t focus on the minions he summons. How you deal with these summons can vary based on your character class. For example, Witches can use them to create their own undead. Generally, it’s most effective to keep your focus on the Miller while avoiding the slower minions. If you’re playing a Sorcerer or a character with area-of-effect attacks, you can take down the minions with the same moves that hit the Bloated Miller.
- If you use elemental attacks, keep them going. Many elemental effects build up with consecutive hits, so if you have frost or poison abilities, employ the same attack repeatedly for maximum effect.
With these tips, you should find the Bloated Miller easier to handle. If you’re still struggling, you can grind for better gear in the earlier areas of the game. Expect a tougher challenge against the Devourer boss in the next mission, but don’t worry—our guide can help with that too. And if you realize that your chosen skills aren’t ideal, we’ll also show you how to respec in Path of Exile 2, though you’ll need to wait a bit before that option becomes available.
