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QUICK ANSWER
Direct answers
What counts as complete?
The boss or quest is finished and any dropped reward item has been consumed or handed to the correct NPC.
What should I prioritise?
Passive points, Weapon Set Passive points, Spirit, maximum Life and permanent resistances before optional loot-only detours.
Can I return later?
Usually yes. Use the Waypoint, finish the objective, then verify that the reward state changed.
Why can a killed boss still be incomplete?
Some permanent rewards come from a dropped consumable or a follow-up quest hand-in rather than the kill flag alone.
OVERVIEW
How to use this guide
This is a completion workflow for Acts 1–4, not a claim that every optional boss gives permanent power. The important distinction is mandatory story progression, optional permanent rewards, and optional loot encounters that can safely wait.
Campaign routing and reward values can change during Early Access. Use the world-map reward icon and the linked current reward table as the final check, especially after a patch or alternate campaign path.
REFERENCE TABLE
Progression framework
Progression framework for the current article topic.
| Stage | Readiness | Priority | Stop condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Act 1 | Beira of the Rotten Pack; The Crowbell; King in the Mists; Una's Lute; Candlemass | Cold resistance, passive points, Spirit, passive points, maximum Life | Consume dropped items and complete the associated quest hand-ins; do not leave Freythorn before confirming the Spirit reward. |
| Act 2 | Kabala; Final Letter; Ancient Vows; Garukhan Sisters | Passive points, passive points, a permanent choice, lightning resistance | Ancient Vows is a choice: read the current reward before committing rather than following an old recommendation. |
| Act 3 | Mighty Silverfist; Sacrificial Heart; Ignagduk; Venom Draught | Passive or Weapon Set points, fire resistance, and a permanent choice | Some rewards require an item interaction or NPC step after the boss. |
| Act 4 | Journey's End; Halls of the Dead; Trail of the Ancestors; Abandoned Prison; Whakapanu Island | +2 Weapon Set Passive Points at Journey's End; three trial tattoo choices; +5% maximum Mana at Navali's Rest; +2 passive points from the completed trial; a flask-recovery choice; a permanent defense choice | Complete the post-boss hand-ins: free Freya, speak to Hinekora, and confirm each tattoo or permanent choice before leaving the island chain. |
REFERENCE TABLE
Decision matrix
Decision matrix for the current article topic.
| Choice | Strength | Best fit | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passive Skill Points | Permanent tree flexibility | Complete immediately | Verify the passive-point total changed after consuming or handing in the reward. |
| Weapon Set Passive Points | Separate allocation for weapon sets | Complete before finalising swap setups | These points are not ordinary global passive points. |
| Spirit | Enables persistent skills and companions | High priority for Spirit-dependent builds | Confirm the quest reward was actually granted. |
| Maximum Life | Permanent survival | Complete on every character | Small permanent bonuses compound with later defenses. |
| Elemental resistance | Permanent resistance budget | Complete before mapping | Do not use it as an excuse to ignore gear caps. |
| Choice reward | Permanent build-specific effect | Pause and read | A choice can be harder to reverse than an ordinary gear mistake. |
REFERENCE TABLE
Scenario recommendations
Scenario recommendations for the current article topic.
| Situation | Recommendation | Action | Risk control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing the campaign | Mandatory route first | Mark permanent rewards to revisit before mapping | Do not rely on memory after changing acts. |
| Spirit-starved build | Prioritise King in the Mists and other current Spirit rewards | Verify the Spirit total | A kill without the reward step may leave the build unchanged. |
| Resistance problem | Complete Beira, Garukhan and Ignagduk-type permanent objectives | Then fix remaining caps on gear | Permanent bonuses supplement rather than replace equipment. |
| Returning on a higher-level character | Use Waypoints and clear only missing reward objectives | Consume every reward item immediately | Check the world map and passive totals before leaving. |
CARD GRID
Practical workflow
Run the process in order and preserve a rollback point before spending heavily.
Step 1
Open the act world map and inspect every reward-bearing icon before moving to the next act.
Step 2
Classify each objective as mandatory, permanent reward, choice reward, or loot only.
Step 3
After the kill, pick up quest items and read them; right-click consumables or return them to the named NPC as instructed.
Step 4
Verify the character sheet, passive total, Spirit total, or quest state rather than trusting the boss corpse alone.
Step 5
At the end of Act 4, compare the current character against the linked quest-reward table and revisit any missing entries.
CARD GRID
Common mistakes and fixes
These failures cost more time than a small difference between two reasonable choices.
Leaving after the kill
Why it fails: The permanent reward may be a consumable or hand-in.
Do this: Finish the quest step and verify the stat.
Following an old reward value
Why it fails: Early Access campaign rewards can move or change.
Do this: Use the current world map and database.
Confusing passive-point types
Why it fails: Weapon Set points do not behave like ordinary passive points.
Do this: Check the allocation interface before planning the tree.
Picking a permanent choice blindly
Why it fails: The popular option may not fit the current build.
Do this: Read both effects in the current client.
DIAGNOSTIC
Quick diagnostic
Choose the symptom that best matches the current problem.
PROBLEMS & ANSWERS
Frequently asked questions
Do I need every optional boss?
No. Prioritise bosses and quests that grant permanent character power; loot-only encounters can wait.
Can the world map be trusted?
It is the best current in-client indicator, but verify the reward was consumed or handed in.
Are Cruel and alternate-act rewards identical?
Do not assume so during Early Access. Check the current campaign route and reward table for the character.
What should I check before maps?
Passive totals, Weapon Set points, Spirit, permanent Life and resistance rewards, plus any unresolved choice reward.
Why does the checklist avoid some exact values?
Values and Act 4 routing have changed; where a current primary or database record is not stable, the guide gives a verification method instead of inventing precision.
SCREENSHOTS & VIDEO
Walkthrough video guide
PoE 2 creator
Full Act 1-6 Campaign Walkthrough (rewards route)
A continuous walkthrough of the entire campaign. Use it to plan which optional bosses and side quests to hit before each act boss.
What to watch for: Detour to optional bosses and accept side quests before finishing an act - most permanent rewards are missable on the critical path.
Open source ↗SOURCES & CHANGELOG
Sources and verification
CHANGELOG
Revision history
- Replaced the short summary with a decision framework, comparison matrices, a practical workflow, failure recovery, and current-version boundaries.
- Added a walkthrough video section; replaced the external hero image with a local webp per the image-fingerprint contract.
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