PoE Defeat The Syndicate Mastermind without taking any damage from their sculpture

Catarina, Master of Undeath, is the leader of the Immortal Syndicate and a formidable opponent in Path of Exile. This article will guide you through defeating Catarina in the Mastermind’s Lair without taking any damage from the central sculpture, a key element in her challenging encounter.

Contents

  1. Background
  2. Mechanics and Abilities
  3. Strategies to Avoid Damage from the Sculpture
  4. Conclusion

Background

Catarina, Master of Undeath, can be encountered as early as Act 9 but is primarily fought in the Mastermind’s Lair. Her area level ranges from 68 to 83, depending on the level of your highest completed Safehouse.

Key Details:

  • Level(s): 68-83
  • Location(s): Mastermind’s Lair
  • Health: 1,211,796
  • Damage: 1,426
  • Attack Speed (ApS): 1.35
  • Resistances:
    • Fire: 30%
    • Cold: 30%
    • Lightning: 30%
    • Chaos: 15%
  • Modifiers:
    • Cannot Be Fully Slowed
    • Immune To Knockback
    • Unwavering

Mechanics and Abilities

General Abilities:

Catarina employs a range of deadly abilities throughout the fight:

  • Carpet Mortar: Fires a barrage of soul projectiles in front of her, converting 25% of physical damage to fire damage.
  • X Circle: Drops a scythe from the sky, dealing physical damage.
  • Circle X: Large skull appears with an X-shaped bite effect, dealing physical damage.
  • Volatile Object Explode: Spawns skulls that turn into crawling skeletons if not destroyed, which then explode on contact, converting 50% of physical damage to fire damage.
  • Sideways Carpet Bomb: Spawns green bombs on the floor that detonate in sequence, converting 50% of physical damage to fire damage.
  • Scythe Swing: Long-range scythe attack that deals 100% more damage and can’t be evaded.
  • Rollout: Teleports to the player and charges an area-of-effect attack, dealing 200% more damage and converting 25% of physical damage to fire damage.
  • Unearth Slam: Throws her staff into the ground, leaving a damaging area effect pool.
  • Donut of Destiny: Detonates into a nova of projectiles.
  • Soul Mortar: Fires a barrage of soul projectiles without a voice line, converting 50% of physical damage to fire damage.
  • Teleport: Repositions herself.

Fight Phases:

  1. Initial Phase:

    • Catarina begins with basic attacks and summons unique zombies to aid her.
    • After taking damage, she retreats to her safe house.

  2. Sculpture Garden Phase:

    • The arena contains four large totems in the corners and a central sculpture.
    • Catarina uses her abilities and summons Syndicate leaders at certain health thresholds.
    • The sculpture in the center becomes active, firing damaging waves.
    • Catarina heals herself and becomes immune to damage when totems are active. Players must stand in the glowing quadrant to destroy the totem.

  3. Blackflame Phase:

    • The central statue casts spells in a circular pattern.
    • Catarina charges up the totems, making her immune until they are destroyed.
    • At low life, she summons volatile skeletons.

Strategies to Avoid Damage from the Sculpture

To defeat Catarina without taking any damage from the sculpture, follow these strategies:

Key Tips:

  1. Understanding the Sculpture Mechanic:

    • The central sculpture becomes active after the first Syndicate leader dies, firing damaging waves in a predictable pattern towards the arena corners.

  2. Positioning:

    • Stay Mobile: Constantly move to avoid the waves fired by the sculpture.
    • Use Corners: Utilize the corners of the arena to dodge the waves effectively.

  3. Identify Safe Zones:

    • Observe Patterns: Watch the pattern of the waves and identify safe zones where you can stand without being hit.

  4. Totem Destruction:

    • Quickly Destroy Totems: Stand in the glowing quadrant to destroy the totems quickly, minimizing the duration of the damage-over-time effect.

  5. High Mobility Builds:

    • Speed and Evasion: Opt for a build that emphasizes speed and evasion to maximize your chances of avoiding the sculpture’s attacks.

  6. Practice and Preparation:

    • Familiarize Yourself: Practice the encounter to become familiar with Catarina’s abilities and the sculpture’s attack patterns.
    • Flask Management: Ensure you have flasks ready for instant healing and movement speed boosts.

Conclusion

Defeating Catarina, Master of Undeath, without taking any damage from her sculpture is a challenging but achievable task. By understanding her mechanics, staying mobile, and quickly destroying the totems, you can successfully navigate this encounter and emerge victorious. Good luck, Exile!

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