The Mastermind Boss Guide Path of Exile



How to fight The Mastermind

You are able to fight the Mastermind once you’ve obtained enough intelligence from the Immortal Syndicate by completing safehouses and successfully interrogating the leaders.


Preparing for The Mastermind


Despite the number of green attacks in the fight, Catarina only deals physical and fire damage, for the fight we’d recommend the following:


  • Over 5000 EHP
  • Capped fire resistance
  • Basalt, Granite & Quicksilver Flask
  • High mobility skill gem i.e Dash


Fighting the Mastermind


The Forbidden Vault


Once you enter the Masterminds Lair, you’ll arrive in the Forbidden Vault, where it’ll be revealed that the Mastermind is Catarina and you’ll have to defeat her while she uses basic attacks. Once Catarina has taken enough damage, she summons zombified versions of Jun’s family to attack you, after you defeat them and damage her enough she will retreat through a portal and flee to the Sculpture Garden.


The Unearthed Hideout


Once Catarina flees, you’ll make your way through the Unearthed Hideout to chase her, here you’ll kill several monsters before eventually arriving at the Sculpture Garden. This area grants 200% increased experience.


The Sculpture Garden


The Sculpture Garden is a large square arena with 4 totems in each corner and a large statue in the centre.During the fight when Catarina’s health pool reaches 90%, Catarina will teleport to the centre of the arena and release one of the syndicate leaders to attack and fight you whilst she heals, the statue in the centre will begin to cast a spell now periodically, it unleashes the spell around the arena in a clockwise pattern.After you beat Catarina down once again one of the corner totems will connect to you with a green line, Catarina will be invulnerable during this and you need to run to the totem that is connected to you and wait in that area for two seconds for the totem to be destroyed, during those two seconds you will not take damage but as soon as the totem explodes the area will inflict a strong damage over time so get out of it ASAP.Once this is done, Catarina will once again teleport to the centre of the arena and release another syndicate leader to attack and fight you whilst she heals. This will continue until the last totem, once you have killed all the syndicate leaders in the centre Catarina will destroy the last totem herself and the next time you deplete her HP the fight will be over.


The Mastermind’s Attacks & Abilities


Soul Mortar


Catarina releases a soul which explodes in a small area on impact.Deals 1402 to 2102 Physical Damage, 50% of physical damage converted to fire damage.


Carpet Bomb


Catarina unleashes a number of souls to bomb an area around her.Deals 2102 to 3154 Physical Damage, 25% of physical damage converted to fire damage.


X Circle Slam


Catarina briefly channels before unleashing a large area slam in front of her, the slam splits off into a giant X from the initial area.Catarina Deals 2102 to 3154 Physical Damage


Spawn Volatile Skeletons


Catarina spawns a number of skeletons with the voice line “Arise my children”, these skeletons linger on the ground for around 10 seconds before glowing and then becoming alive, when they are alive they will crawl towards you and explode on impact, dealing 876 to 1314 physical damage, 50% of physical damage converted to fire.When these skeletons begin to flash, walking over them will cause them to be destroyed without dealing any damage.


Scythe Slash


Catarina slashes in front of her with her scythe.Deals 1902 to 2853 physical damage.


Scythe Throw


Catarina throws her scythe into the ground, creating a pool around it that deals damage over time.


Teleport Slam


Catarina will teleport on top of you and after a brief delay hits with a large, high damage slam. Catarina can teleport to you multiple times before doing the slam.