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[AventurineLe]

Deep in the heart of Path of Exile 2's dark and twisting underworld lies one of Act Four's most memorable encounters, The Prisoner, a merciless killer lurking in the depths of the Abandoned Prison. This boss fight is a brutal test of POE 2 Currency endurance, timing, and awareness, demanding precision and smart positioning from even the most experienced Exiles.

Defeating The Prisoner not only unlocks key story progress but also grants valuable loot, helping players earn crucial POE 2 Currency and POE 2 items that enhance builds and gear upgrades. This guide will walk you through exactly how to find, fight, and conquer The Prisoner, and how to make the most of your rewards afterward.

Where to Find The Prisoner in Path of Exile 2

To locate The Prisoner, you'll need to journey through the Abandoned Prison during Act Four. This eerie, decaying labyrinth is filled with rusted bars, flooded tunnels, and tormented spirits, a haunting prelude to the showdown that awaits.

As you progress, you'll reach the Solitary Confinement zone, found beneath the main cell blocks. This area transitions into a waterlogged confinement section, a dimly lit network of flooded corridors leading toward the boss chamber.

Once inside, you'll notice the environment shifts dramatically, walls close in, lighting darkens, and eerie whispers echo through the halls. These visual cues mark your final approach. When you enter The Prisoner's lair, a short cutscene triggers, introducing the hulking figure chained in the center of the room. Then the chains snap, and the fight begins.

The Prisoner's Attack Patterns and Phases

The Prisoner is a heavy-hitting boss that combines brutal melee swings with wide-area elemental attacks. His speed and aggression make him particularly dangerous for melee players, though ranged builds won't have it easy either, his area-of-effect abilities can punish careless movement or poor positioning.

To defeat him, you'll need to learn his attack cues and respond accordingly. Here's a breakdown of his most dangerous moves:

Frost Nova

The Prisoner slams the ground, sending out a circular wave of frost that expands rapidly across the room. The nova slows anyone caught in its radius and deals significant cold damage.

How to avoid it: Roll or dash through the frost ring at the right moment, dodging outward usually results in getting clipped. Rolling through minimizes damage and prevents the slow effect from taking hold.

Timing is everything here. Wait until the frost pulse is just about to hit your character before using your evasion skill.

Waves of Oppression

The Prisoner raises his arms and shouts, "You can hide, but you cannot run!", a clear signal that this devastating attack is coming. He then releases waves of energy that travel across the room, hitting at both mid-range and long-range distances.

How to avoid it: This is one of the few moments you want to get close instead of retreating. Rush into melee range right after he starts casting, the energy waves won't hit targets directly next to him. Stay close until he finishes his second wave before backing off to heal or reposition.

This attack can easily wipe out ranged builds that rely too heavily on distance, so keep a movement skill ready to close the gap instantly.

Blood Nova

When The Prisoner's health drops to roughly 25%, he enters his final phase. His Frost Nova transforms into Blood Nova, a far deadlier version that inflicts physical damage over time and applies a stacking slow effect.

How to survive: Just like with Frost Nova, rolling through is your best option, but you'll need to time it perfectly. Rolling too early can leave you standing in the damage zone. Consider saving a flask charge or a movement skill like Flame Dash or Whirling Blades for these moments.

In this final phase, The Prisoner also becomes faster and more aggressive, chaining his attacks with less downtime. Managing stamina and positioning becomes critical here, you'll need to stay calm, strike when safe, and retreat when he winds up another slam.

Using the Ballistae to Defeat The Prisoner

If you look around the room, you'll notice three mounted ballistae positioned at different angles. These siege weapons are essential to finishing the fight. During certain points in the battle, you'll receive an on-screen prompt to activate one of them.

When prompted, sprint to the nearest ballista and interact with it. You don't need to aim, the ballista will automatically lock onto The Prisoner and fire a massive bolt, dealing heavy damage.

However, activating the ballista leaves you vulnerable for a few seconds, so make sure you have enough space or a distraction (like a minion or totem build) to buy you time.

Repeat this process when prompted throughout the fight. After all three ballistae have fired successfully, The Prisoner's defenses will collapse, giving you the perfect window to finish him off.

Best Strategies by Build Type

Melee Builds: Stay mobile and favor side positioning. The Prisoner's frontal cone attacks and AoEs punish direct face-offs. Dual wielders or players using Whirling Blades can quickly dodge and re-engage from his flanks.

Ranged Builds: Focus on spacing and mobility. Use traps, totems, or ballistas to keep pressure on him while you reposition. Keep your cooldown-based escapes ready for Frost and Blood Novas.

Minion Builds: Let your minions tank while you focus on triggering the ballistae. Keep your summons refreshed between each attack wave.

Regardless of build, using flasks that counter freeze, chill, or bleeding will significantly improve survivability. A flask with "Immunity to Chill and Freeze" is particularly useful against Frost Nova.

The Prisoner Rewards

Defeating The Prisoner yields a satisfying array of rewards, a mix of rare gear drops, crafting materials, and a generous pile of POE 2 Currency. While he doesn't drop a unique item, he does hold the final piece of the weapon required for "The Search" questline, making him an important milestone for progression.

The POE 2 Currency you earn here, including orbs, shards, and crafting fragments, can be traded or used to upgrade equipment, reroll modifiers, or fine-tune resistances. Smart players can use this opportunity to prepare for the even harder fights coming later in Act Four and beyond.

Final Thoughts

The Prisoner is more than just another boss, he's a test of reaction time, resource management, and composure. His ability to control the battlefield with large-area attacks forces you to think strategically, balancing aggression with defense.

For players looking to farm valuable POE 2 Currency, The Prisoner's fight is well worth the effort, both for the challenge and for POE 2 Divine Orbs for sale the drops. Conquer him, claim your rewards, and step confidently into the later acts, because if you can survive The Prisoner, you're ready for whatever Path of Exile 2 throws at you next.