The fight against Balbala in Path of Exile 2 can be challenging, especially when it enters the poison phase. Balbala, a POE 2 Currency notorious boss, utilizes poison-based attacks that can quickly overwhelm unprepared players. If you don’t know how to handle the poison phase, it can result in rapid depletion of your health and a swift defeat. This guide will walk you through strategies to prevent or manage the poison phase and secure your victory in the encounter.

1. Understanding the Poison Phase Mechanics
During the fight with Balbala, the boss will periodically enter a "poison phase," where it starts emitting toxic clouds and poison projectiles across the arena. These poison clouds can deal significant damage over time (DoT) to any player standing within them, and the poison projectiles themselves are highly dangerous. If you fail to react quickly, you will be swarmed with poison effects that stack, eventually leading to your demise.

The key to surviving and stopping the poison phase lies in avoiding the poison clouds and managing your poison resistance effectively.

2. Poison Resistance and Immunity
The first line of defense against Balbala’s poison phase is ensuring your character has sufficient poison resistance. In Path of Exile 2, poison resistance can be increased through various means:

Gear: Look for armor, rings, and amulets that increase your poison resistance. Some unique items, such as Cloak of Defiance, provide a significant boost to poison resistance and can make a huge difference in surviving Balbala’s attacks.

Passive Skill Tree: Select passive nodes that increase your poison resistance. Nodes like "Toxic Guard" or "Vile Protection" provide enhanced poison resistance, making it easier to weather the poison phase.

Flasks: Use flasks like the Divine Life Flask or Chemically Infused Flask, which grant temporary poison immunity or greatly reduce poison damage taken.

Having high poison resistance reduces the amount of damage you take from the poison clouds, giving you more time to focus on dodging and countering Balbala's attacks.

3. Poison Mitigation Through Movement and Positioning
One of the most critical aspects of surviving the poison phase is avoiding the toxic clouds and projectiles that Balbala summons. Positioning is key:

Stay Mobile: Constant movement is essential during the poison phase. Make sure to always be on the move to avoid staying in one spot too long and getting caught by poison clouds.

Watch for Telegraphed Attacks: Balbala’s poison phase attacks are usually telegraphed, meaning you can see them coming before they hit. Keep an eye on Balbala’s movements and be ready to dodge at a moment’s notice.

Use Mobility Skills: Mobility skills like Flame Dash or Leap Slam are crucial for dodging poison clouds and projectiles. Use them to quickly reposition yourself during the fight, ensuring you don’t stay within the poison zone for too long.

Position yourself near the edges of the arena and be ready to reposition when Balbala begins its poison phase. Staying away from the center reduces the chances of getting trapped in multiple poison clouds.

4. Active Skill Usage and Poison Phase Interruption
Some abilities and skills in Path of Exile 2 can directly interrupt or mitigate the poison phase:

Ailment Immunity: Certain skills and items grant you ailment immunity, which prevents poison from stacking on you. Skills like Vaal Discipline provide momentary immunity to all ailments, including poison, giving you an opportunity to recover if things get too chaotic.

Poison Cleanse: If you have access to poison-cleansing skills, such as Purity of Elements or Cleanse, use them to remove poison debuffs. This can be particularly useful if you're caught in a cloud and need a quick way to clear the poison effects.

Divine Blessing and Flasks: Some flasks, like the Basalt Flask or Quicksilver Flask, provide bonuses to defense and movement speed, respectively. Combining these with poison-clearing flasks can make it easier to manage the fight’s toxic elements.

5. Team Coordination
If you're running the Balbala fight with a cheap POE 2 Currency Orbs team, communication and coordination can make a massive difference. Have players focus on positioning to keep Balbala away from areas with large amounts of poison clouds. Furthermore, a support character with defensive auras or buffs (such as Purity of Elements or Vitality) can provide crucial protection against the poison.