Path of Exile 2's 0.5 update, Return of the Ancients, introduces the Spirit Walker ascendancy for the Huntress class, and with it, the ability to tame beast-type bosses as permanent companions. This is one of the most exciting additions for summoner and companion-focused players since PoE 2 launched. Alongside the new Runes of Aldur league mechanic, massive crafting overhauls, and several new unique items supporting minion builds, companion builds are receiving more support than ever before.
PoE 2 0.5 Best Beast Bosses & Companions To Tame (Return of the Ancients)
Minion and companion builds in Path of Exile 2 have historically struggled with low damage output and clunky gameplay, but the 0.5 patch is delivering sweeping improvements. The developers confirmed in the Q&A that tame beast damage is being tripled, companion nodes on the passive tree are receiving reworks, and a new scepter unique allows players to field any number of companions. The Spirit Walker ascendancy provides Catharsis Blessing (granting companions 60% of your main-hand weapon damage), the Idolatry node (10% increased companion damage per idol in your equipment plus reservation efficiency), and most notably The Natural Order, the ability to tame unique beast bosses. Combined with the new breach crafting branch dedicated to minion modifiers and 160+ new runes arriving through the league mechanic, companion builds have multiple new avenues for scaling damage that didn't exist before. With all of this in mind, here's a look at which beast bosses are worth taming, which companions work best alongside other minion builds, and what modifiers, auras, and support gems you should target.
Best Unique Beast Bosses for Spirit Walker Companion Builds
The Spirit Walker's Natural Order node allows you to tame one unique beast boss at a time. Unique tame beasts receive 30% increased movement speed from the ascendancy and get possessed by a random Azmeri spirit every 20 seconds for additional bonuses. The developers have stated that each boss is manually tuned when converted to a companion, so the raw numbers from their enemy versions won't carry over 1:1. That said, their base stat ratios, skill kits, resistances, and movement tags give us a strong indication of their relative power.
Here we rank all 32+ beast bosses by their life multiplier, damage multiplier, fire resistance, and movement speed. Below is a ranking of the most promising beast bosses from strongest to most situational, incorporating those data points.
1. Morvak, the Infernal
Stats: 313% Life | 500% Damage | 75% Fire Res | Fast Movement | High Armor | Fire Damage | Highest Damage
Damage Type: Physical + Fire (40-100% conversion on various skills)
Location: Canyon (Map Boss)
Morvak is the map-tier version of Vornas, the Fell Flame, and sits head and shoulders above every other beast boss with a staggering 500% damage multiplier, the highest of any tameable beast by a wide margin. It also carries 313% base life, 75% fire resistance, +80% armour, and the fast movement. Its skill kit converts physical damage to fire across multiple abilities, including flame breath, ground slashes, multi-slam combos with flame waves, and a leap slam for gap closing.
This combination makes Morvak the undisputed top pick for both hit-based and Infernal Legion builds. For Infernal Legion specifically, the high life multiplier means massive fire DOT output while the 75% fire resistance dramatically reduces self-damage. The fast movement means it can actually keep up with you during mapping, a problem that plagues most other boss beasts. GhazzyTV specifically called this out as "probably among the stronger if not strongest options" for Infernal Legion combined with the Malice Scepter crit weakness interaction.
2. Mighty Silverfist
Stats: 250% Life | 463% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Very Fast Movement | Decent AoE | High DMG | Aggressive | Devastating in Melee Range
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Act 3, Jungle Ruins
Mighty Silverfist matches the Abominable Yeti's 463% damage multiplier but one-ups it with the very fast movement, the fastest movement category available on any beast boss at this damage tier. Known as "Harambe the hardcore run ender" by the community, Silverfist's gorilla-type attacks hit brutally hard, and it can actually keep pace with aggressive playstyles.
The fast move speed and aggressiveness make Silverfist arguably the best option for players who prioritize mapping speed and don't want their companion falling behind. The tradeoff compared to Morvak is no fire resistance (making it weaker for Infernal Legion) and less life, but for pure hit-based companion damage with maximum uptime, Silverfist is a top contender.
3. The Abominable Yeti
Stats: 250% Life | 463% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Fast Movement
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Interludes (Act 3) - Glacial Tarn
The Abominable Yeti, affectionately nicknamed "Harambe mk2" - ranks S tier purely on the strength of its 463% damage multiplier combined with the fast movement. This is the second-highest damage modifier among all beast bosses, and unlike many high-damage options, the Yeti doesn't suffer from crippling slowness.
For hit-based companion builds that don't care about Infernal Legion, the Yeti offers raw physical slam damage that scales incredibly well with the Spirit Walker's tripled damage bonus and the 60% weapon damage sharing from Catharsis Blessing. Its straightforward physical attacks also mean you can scale it with a single damage type rather than spreading investment across elements.
4. Chetza, the Feathered Plague
Stats: 250% Life | 250% Damage | -30% Fire Res | Very Slow Movement | Massive AoE | Tornado Ability | Flying
Damage Type: Physical/Cold
Location: Trial of Chaos (trial version of Scourge of the Skies)
The tornado bird - one of the most feared bosses in the Trial of Chaos, now available as your companion. The damage modifier is lower than the top three, but Chetza's tornado ability is what carries this pick. The tornado deals enormous AoE damage while moving independently across the battlefield, giving it map-clearing potential that most melee bosses cannot match. The very slow base movement speed is a genuine problem for mapping, and the -30% fire resistance makes it a poor Infernal Legion host. But for raw AoE and boss damage through abilities, Chetza is among the best. Flying means it will not get stuck on terrain or doorways.
5. Scourge of the Skies
Stats: 288% Life | 250% Damage | -30% Fire Res | Very Slow Movement | Multiple Abilities | Tornado/Rain/Channel | Flying
Damage Type: Physical/Bleed
Location: Act 4, Shrike Island
The Act 4 version of the blood bird, and the original source of the tornado nightmare. Similar to Chetza but with higher life (288% vs 250%) and the same devastating ability set: tornado, rain of blood, channeling vomit attack. Also summons a smaller bird companion during the fight—whether this persists in tamed form is unknown but could add extra value. Very slow movement speed remains the drawback. Statistically slightly tankier than Chetza, which could matter for Infernal Legion or general survivability.
6. Quadrilla Sergeant
Stats: 250% Life | 463% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Fast Movement | Strong AoE | High DMG | Aggressive Melee
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Vaal Ancient Beacon (randomly spawning unique monster)
A Vaal Ancient Beacon variant of the Abominable Yeti with identical offensive stats. Same 463% damage as Silverfist and the Yeti. The issue is availability, this boss spawns randomly in Vaal Ancient Beacon encounters, making it inconsistent to farm. If you find one, it's A-tier at minimum. The random spawn nature keeps it from S-tier for practical purposes.
7. Vornas, the Fell Flame
Stats: 313% Life | 313% Damage | 75% Fire Res | Fast Movement | Good AoE | Fire-Based | Ranged Abilities
Damage Type: Physical + Fire
Location: Interludes (fire dude at the gate)
The campaign version of Morvak with slightly lower damage but the same fire resistance advantage. 75% fire resistance and 313% life make this the second-best Infernal Legion host after Morvak. The 313% damage modifier is respectable, and fast movement speed means good map mobility. If you cannot access Morvak in maps yet, Vornas is your campaign-accessible substitute.
8. Bahlak, the Sky Seer
Stats: 250% Life | 333% Damage | -30% Fire Res | Slow Movement | Very Large AoE | Tornado Abilities | Flying
Damage Type: Physical/Cold Mixed
Location: Trial of Chaos
Bahlak matches Rakkar's 333% damage modifier and shares the flying, but trades 38% life for something potentially more valuable: a tornado summon ability. If the AI uses the tornado frequently, it creates a mobile damage zone that clears enemies across a wide area independently of where Bahlak itself is standing. This gives it map-clearing potential that stationary melee bosses simply cannot replicate.
The big question mark, as with all ability-dependent bosses, is how often the tamed version actually uses its best moves. If Bahlak spams its tornado, it jumps to S-tier for clearing. If it primarily uses basic attacks and only occasionally summons a tornado, the slow movement speed and -30% fire resistance make it a worse pick than faster options with similar damage numbers. The Trial of Chaos location means you need to reach and complete trials to tame it, adding a progression gate.
9. The Black Crow
Stats: 250% Life | 375% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Fast Movement | Good AoE | Melee Cleave | Aggressive
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Maps
The map version of the Crowbell with black feathers. At 375% damage with fast movement, the Black Crow sits in a strong middle ground, not as raw-powerful as the gorilla bosses but still hitting hard while maintaining good map mobility. Its smaller model size is a practical advantage that many players overlook: no doorway issues, no getting stuck on terrain, and better pathing through tight corridors.
For builds that value consistent uptime and smooth navigation over peak damage numbers, the Black Crow is an underrated pick.
10. Xyclucian, the Chimera
Stats: 288% Life | 250% Damage | 30% Fire Res | Slow Movement | Large AoE | Multi-Element | Flying
Damage Type: Fire/Cold/Physical/Poison (Mixed)
Location: Act 3, Chimeral Wetland
A multi-element boss with cold, fire, physical, and poison abilities. The multi-element damage spread is both a strength and a weakness. It gives wide coverage against resistant enemies, but makes it very difficult to scale damage through a single element with curses or support gems. Decent life pool and the flying help with survivability and navigation. The diverse ability set means unpredictable AI behavior—sometimes great, sometimes frustrating.
11. Rakkar, the Frozen Talon
Stats: 288% Life | 333% Damage | -30% Fire Res | Slow Movement | Large AoE | Channeling Abilities | Flying
Damage Type: Cold
Location: Interlude, Heart of the Tribe
Rakkar is the ice owl/bear creature GGG showcased prominently in their 0.5 reveal footage, which suggests internal confidence that it performs well as a companion. The 333% damage modifier is strong, 288% life gives it above-average tankiness, and the flying means no terrain or doorway navigation issues. Its cold-based abilities include large AoE ground effects and channeling attacks that can lay down sustained damage zones.
The downsides are real: slow movement speed means Rakkar will fall behind during fast mapping, and the -30% fire resistance makes it a poor Infernal Legion candidate. The channeling animations are also a concern, as some of Rakkar's abilities take a pretty long time to cast, potentially wasting 2-3 seconds attacking empty space after enemies die. For bossing encounters where the target stays in place, this is a non-issue and potentially a strength. For mapping, the slow speed and long cast times drag it down from the top tier.
12. Thraeven, Wing of Winter
Stats: 250% Life | 333% Damage | -30% Fire Res | Slow Movement | Large AoE | Cold Abilities | Flying
Damage Type: Cold
Location: Maps (map version of Rakkar)
Thraeven is the map-accessible version of Rakkar with one statistical difference: 250% life instead of 288%. Everything else, the 333% damage, the -30% fire resistance, the slow movement, the flying ability, and the cold-based ability kit—carries over identically. The slightly lower life pool means marginally less survivability and slightly less Infernal Legion damage if you were considering that route (which you shouldn't, given the -30% fire res).
The advantage over Rakkar is farmability. Maps are repeatable endgame content you'll be running constantly, while the Interlude is a one-time progression zone. If you want a cold-based flying companion with strong channeling abilities and don't mind slow movement, Thraeven is the version you'll have more chances to find with ideal monster modifiers attached. The practical difference between Thraeven and Rakkar is minimal enough that location convenience should drive your choice.
13. Great White One (The Landshark)
Stats: 288% Life | 300% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Fast Movement | Strong AoE | Tail Cleave | Possible Tornado
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Act 4, Wak Pano Island
Fast movement, good life pool, and a tail whip cleave attack with large AoE. May or may not summon tornadoes (unclear if the tornadoes in its boss fight are zone mechanics or boss abilities). If the tornadoes carry over to tamed form, this boss jumps to S-tier for clearing. Without them, it's still a very respectable A-tier pick. The "Street Sharks build" is already a community meme.
14. Uxmal, the Beastlord
Stats: 288% Life | 250% Damage | 30% Fire Res | Slow Movement | Large AoE | Multi-Element | Flying
Damage Type: Fire/Cold/Physical (Mixed)
Location: Trial of Chaos
Uxmal is the Trial of Chaos version of Xyclucian, same chimera archetype, same three-headed design, same multi-element attack spread. The stat line is identical: 288% life, 250% damage, 30% fire resistance, slow movement, flying. Every strength and weakness that applies to Xyclucian applies here. The diverse abilities mean unpredictable AI prioritization, and scaling damage through support gems requires accepting that some attacks won't benefit.
The "no regen" flag noted in the spreadsheet is the distinguishing concern. If the tamed version retains this property, the companion cannot passively regenerate health, which significantly affects survivability in prolonged encounters. For Infernal Legion builds, "no regen" could be fatal—the constant self-damage with no recovery means inevitable death on a timer. This single flag potentially drops Uxmal below Xyclucian for any build that doesn't provide external healing to companions. Needs testing to confirm whether the flag carries over.
15. The Sandstrider
Stats: 288% Life | 300% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Fast Movement | Strong AoE | Melee | Shark Archetype
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Maps (map version of Great White One)
The Sandstrider is the Great White One for map farmers with identical 288% life, 300% damage, fast movement, and the same shark-type moveset. The map location means it's repeatable and farmable, giving you multiple attempts to tame one with ideal monster modifiers. If monster mods are your primary concern for optimization (haste aura, damage mods, AoE), the Sandstrider offers more chances to roll well.
No functional gameplay difference exists between this and the Great White One. Same attacks, same speed, same stat profile. Choose based on which you encounter first and whether the monster modifiers on a specific instance are what you're looking for. For endgame optimization, the map version's repeatability gives it a slight practical edge over the one-time campaign encounter.
16. Geonor, the Putrid Wolf
Stats: 305% Life | 280% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Medium Movement | Melee | High HP Pool
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Act 1, Ogham Manor
Count Geonor's wolf form, the highest life pool of any beast boss. 305% life makes this the tankiest beast boss available, which is valuable for Infernal Legion builds. However, the community widely suspects Geonor will not be tamable since he's technically a human who transforms, and the fight ends with him yielding rather than dying. GGG joked about this in the Q&A. If somehow tamable, the life pool alone makes it strong for RF-style companion builds.
17. The Crowbell
Stats: 163% Life | 375% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Fast Movement | Good AoE | Melee Cleave | Fast Animations
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Act 1, Hunting Grounds
An early Act 1 boss with surprisingly good stats relative to its level. 375% damage is excellent—tied with The Black Crow. Fast movement and snappy melee animations. The low life pool (163%) is the main weakness, making it fragile in endgame content. Purely melee range means it will take hits constantly. Fun pick and accessible extremely early, but not durable enough for harder content.
18. Kabala, Constrictor Queen
Stats: 266% Life | 240% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Very Fast Movement | Ranged Attacks | Possible Summons | Curse Application
Damage Type: Physical/Chaos
Location: Act 2, Keph
A ranged snake boss with summoning potential. Very fast movement speed is a major plus for mapping. The ranged attack style means Kabala stays at distance and takes less direct damage. May summon ant minions if that ability carries over to tamed form. The 240% damage modifier is below average, but the safety of ranged attacks and very fast speed could compensate. Community members noted the 40% increased physical damage taken curse she applies to enemies is useful for party support.
19. Rathbreaker
Stats: 203% Life | 281% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Fast Movement | Small AoE | Melee/Narrow Cone | Fast Animations
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Act 2, Three Out Square
A hyena centaur from Act 2 with balanced stats. Fast animations and decent damage, but small AoE on most attacks. The rain of arrows ability may not actually belong to Rathbreaker, it might come from adds in the fight. If the rain of arrows isn't retained, the clearing potential drops off sharply. Below-average life pool.
20. Elzarah, the Cobra Lord
Stats: 288% Life | 313% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Medium Movement | Unknown Abilities | Humanoid Type
Damage Type: Physical/Chaos (presumed)
Location: Unknown (Humanoid type with beast flag in database)
A humanoid boss with surprisingly high damage. 313% damage and 288% life are solid numbers. The humanoid typing raises questions about whether it will actually be tamable through the beast-specific Natural Order node. If it is, the stats are competitive with A-tier options. Medium movement speed is average.
21. Ekbab, Ancient Steed
Stats: 200% Life | 270% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Medium Movement | Large Body | Melee Cleave | Construct Type
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Act 2, Bone Pit
The skeleton mammoth from Act 2, listed as Construct type but flagged as a beast. The mammoth archetype is already known for Infernal Legion builds due to large hitboxes and high life in non-boss variants. As a boss, Ekbab has 200% life—decent but not exceptional. The Construct typing makes tamability uncertain. Medium movement speed and melee-only attacks. If tamable, the large body could be useful for AoE Infernal Legion coverage.
22. Gressor-Kul, the Apex
Stats: 250% Life | 250% Damage | 30% Fire Res | Slow Movement | Multi-Element | Flying | No Move Flag
Damage Type: Fire/Cold/Physical (Mixed)
Location: Maps (map version of Xyclucian)
Gressor-Kul is the map-tier chimera, statistically weaker than both Xyclucian and Uxmal with 250% life instead of 288%. It retains the same multi-element attack kit and flying, but a concerning combination suggesting this boss may have limited or no voluntary movement AI in its tamed form. If Gressor-Kul stays rooted in place as a companion, it becomes completely useless for mapping, you'd run past every pack while your companion stands still in the previous screen. The 30% fire resistance and flying are nice quality-of-life features, but they don't compensate for a companion that won't follow you. This needs immediate testing when 0.5 launches. If the "no move" flag is stripped during taming, Gressor-Kul is a reasonable B-tier chimera. If retained, it's one of the worst picks in the game.
23. Karash, The Dune Dweller
Stats: 250% Life | 250% Damage | 30% Fire Res | Very Fast Movement (base) | No Move Flag | Scorpion Archetype
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Maps (map version of Akthi)
Karash has the same scorpion archetype as Akthi with identical damage and slightly better life. The 30% fire resistance and very fast movement look appealing on the stat line. This boss may not voluntarily move toward enemies or follow the player in its tamed form. A companion that won't move is a companion that provides zero value during mapping, you run forward, it stays behind, and you're functionally playing without a companion. The very fast base speed suggests it can move under certain circumstances (perhaps charging to attack), but the flag's presence means this behavior is at minimum unreliable. Do not build around Karash unless testing confirms the flag is stripped during taming.
24. Ashar, the Sand Mother
Stats: 250% Life | 250% Damage | 30% Fire Res | Very Fast Movement (base) | No Move Flag | Scorpion Archetype
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Act 2 (trial version of Akthi)
Ashar is the trial version of Akthi and the campaign equivalent of Karash, sharing the same scorpion archetype and identical stat line: 250% life, 250% damage, 30% fire resistance, very fast base movement, and the problematic "no move" notation. Every concern about Karash applies equally here, a companion that refuses to move is unusable for standard gameplay.
The only scenario where a stationary companion has value is if you're running content where enemies come to you (wave-based encounters, ritual altars, breach circles), and even then, you'd prefer a companion with higher damage or life. At 250%/250%, Ashar doesn't even excel in the stationary niche. Between this and Akthi (which lacks the "no move"), Akthi is the clear choice from the scorpion archetype despite its lower life pool.
25. Akthi, the Final Sting
Stats: 200% Life | 250% Damage | 30% Fire Res | Very Fast Movement | Melee | Scorpion Archetype
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Interludes
Giant scorpion boss from the Interludes. Very fast movement speed is appealing, but 200% life and 250% damage are both below average for boss beasts. The 30% fire res provides modest Infernal Legion protection. A decent early-access option but outclassed by endgame alternatives.
26. Gorian, the Moving Earth
Stats: 313% Life | 250% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Medium Movement | Ground-Based | Burrowing Behavior
Damage Type: Physical
Location: Maps
A super-sized Devourer found in maps. High life (313%) but middling damage. The Devourer archetype has a habit of burrowing underground and becoming untargetable—and during that time, it also stops dealing damage. If this behavior carries over to tamed form, Gorian will have significant downtime as a companion. The life pool makes it somewhat viable for Infernal Legion, but the burrowing AI could be a dealbreaker.
27. Unchained Beast
Stats: 250% Life | 275% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Medium Movement | Melee | Average Profile
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Vaal Ancient Beacon (randomly spawning unique monster)
A Vaal Ancient Beacon variant. Average stats across the board. Random spawn makes it inconsistent to obtain. Nothing particularly wrong with it, but nothing that recommends it over higher-tier options either.
28. Anundr, the Sandworm
Stats: 200% Life | 250% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Medium Movement | Burrowing Behavior | Ground-Based
Damage Type: Physical
Location: Interludes
A super version of the Devourer. Same burrowing concerns as Gorian and The Devourer. Below-average life. The Devourer archetype's tendency to hide underground makes all three variants poor companion choices unless GGG has specifically adjusted their tamed AI.
29. The Ravenous Fang
Stats: 300% Life | 250% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Medium Movement | Melee | No Standout Abilities
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Maps (map version of Blind Beast)
The Ravenous Fang is the map-tier version of the Blind Beast with identical stats: 300% life, 250% damage, 0% fire resistance, medium movement. The high life pool is its only notable attribute. No documented special abilities, no elemental coverage, no ranged attacks, no summoning mechanics. It attacks in melee range with generic physical hits. The 300% life makes it technically viable for Infernal Legion, higher than many alternatives and large enough to produce reasonable aura damage. But medium movement speed combined with zero utility and zero interesting mechanics makes this one of the most boring companion options available. If you need a tanky body for Infernal Legion and cannot access Morvak, Vornas, or Geonor, The Ravenous Fang works by default. For any other build, skip it.
30. The Blind Beast
Stats: 300% Life | 250% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Medium Movement | Melee | Small Model | Generic Attacks
Damage Type: Physical Hit
Location: Act 4, Isle of Kin
Widely considered the worst boss to tame. High life but feels like a rare monster rather than a true boss. Small model, slow animations, generic melee slap attacks. As Jay said: "I can slap better." The 300% life is its only redeeming quality for Infernal Legion. D-tier for anything else.
31. Yama The White
Stats: 263% Life | 338% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Very Slow Movement | Diverse Abilities | Phase-Dependent | Spirit-Themed
Damage Type: Physical/Mixed
Location: Act 4, Hall of the Dead
The spirit monkey from Act 4 with dramatic phase transitions. The damage modifier (338%) is actually strong, but the very slow movement speed and heavy reliance on fight-phase mechanics make this a risky tame. Many of Yama's most impressive moves are tied to specific boss phases that likely will not carry over to companion form. The community loves the theme, but practically, you're getting a very slow monkey with an unknown moveset.
32. Frozen Mandibles
Stats: 250% Life | 250% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Very Fast Movement | Large Mouth | Rare Type with Unique Generation
Damage Type: Cold/Physical
Location: Interludes
A rare beast with unique generation typing. Listed as a Rare with GenerationType: Unique—meaning it may not be tamable through Natural Order at launch. If it becomes tamable, the very fast movement speed is its best quality, but the average damage and life don't recommend it over true unique bosses.
33. The Rain Festival Beetle
Stats: 150% Life | 227% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Slow Movement | Summons Adds | Low Stats
Damage Type: Physical
Location: Maps (strongbox boss)
A strongbox boss with add-summoning behavior. Very low life and below-average damage. Summons adds, which could be interesting if the summoned beetles carry over to tamed form. Otherwise, one of the weakest options available. Slow movement compounds the problem.
34. The Noxious Behemoth
Stats: 150% Life | 150% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Very Slow Movement | Chaos Laser | Currently Tame-Disabled
Damage Type: Chaos
Location: Act 3
The Noxious Behemoth holds the lowest damage modifier in the entire beast boss roster at 150% and ties for the lowest life pool. Very slow movement speed rounds out a stat line with no redeeming qualities. The spreadsheet explicitly notes it is a Rare type with GenerationType: Unique and is currently tame-disabled, meaning you cannot tame it in the game's current state.
35. The Devourer
Stats: 115% Life | 220% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Medium Movement | Burrowing | Projectile Attack | Low AoE
Damage Type: Physical/Poison
Location: Act 1, Mud Burrow
The first beast boss you encounter in the game. The lowest life modifier of any beast boss (115%). Frequently burrows underground, becoming both invulnerable and unable to deal damage. As a companion, this downtime could be devastating. Act 1 accessibility is its only advantage, and it's quickly outclassed by everything else.
36. The Rotten Druid
Stats: 150% Life | 200% Damage | 0% Fire Res | Very Slow Movement | Unknown Abilities
Damage Type: Chaos/Physical (presumed)
Location: Act 1
The fungus boss from Act 1, possibly not tamable. Very slow, very low stats, and questionable beast classification. The community suspects this boss may be changed before or during 0.5. Even if tamable, the combination of 150% life, 200% damage, and very slow speed puts it firmly at the bottom of any ranking.
Best Unique Beast Bosses To Tame for Different Purposes
Best for Infernal Legion (ranked by Life × Fire Res)
Morvak – 313% Life, 75% Fire Res, fast_movement (clear winner)
Vornas – 313% Life, 75% Fire Res, fast_movement
Gorian, the Moving Earth – 313% Life, 0% Fire Res, medium_movement
Geonor – 305% Life, 0% Fire Res, medium_movement
The Blind Beast / The Ravenous Fang – 300% Life, 0% Fire Res, medium_movement
Best for Hit-Based Builds (ranked by Damage × Speed)
Morvak – 500% Damage, fast_movement
Mighty Silverfist – 463% Damage, very_fast_movement
The Abominable Yeti – 463% Damage, fast_movement
Quadrilla Sergeant – 463% Damage, fast_movement
The Black Crow – 375% Damage, fast_movement
Best Mapping Speed (ranked by movement)
Mighty Silverfist – very_fast_movement, 463% Damage
Kabala, Constrictor Queen – very_fast_movement, 240% Damage
Morvak – fast_movement, 500% Damage
The Abominable Yeti – fast_movement, 463% Damage
The Black Crow – fast_movement, 375% Damage
Special Unique Beasts Worth Testing
Ekbab, Ancient Steed (Construct type) – 200% Life, 270% Damage, medium_movement. Has a "beast" flag in poe2db despite being categorized as Construct. Worth testing on day one.
Elzarah, the Cobra Lord (Humanoid type) – 288% Life, 313% Damage, medium_movement. Community-suggested addition despite humanoid classification.
Frozen Mandibles – 250% Life, 250% Damage, very_fast_movement. Currently tagged as Rare but has "GenerationType: Unique." May become tameable in 0.5.
Best Beast Companions To Tame for Other Minion Builds
Not every player running companions will be a Spirit Walker focused purely on boss beasts. For spectre builds, Infernal Legion builds, or hybrid setups, regular tame beasts with the right rare modifiers provide enormous value through their passive aura effects and damage contributions.
Elephant Tortoise
Remains the gold standard for non-boss Infernal Legion companions. Its 350% life multiplier as a base beast type exceeds many boss beasts when unique monster multipliers are stripped away. Its death-action flag and large model provide excellent area coverage for IL. Community testing by Previlein confirms that a Tortoise Elephant has roughly 12% higher HP than a tamed Morvak when you account for how boss multipliers are removed during taming.
Crested Behemoth
Another high-HP beast option. With investment, it can reach over 100K HP in the current patch, producing substantial IL DOT. Strong for players who haven't unlocked boss taming yet.
Drudge Osseodon
Pairs with the Lost-Men Subjugator spectre for a documented synergy combo. The companion draws aggro while the Subjugator applies debuffs. One of the few companion + spectre interactions with proven results.
Flying Beasts (Gargantuan Wasp, Vile Vulture)
For builds needing companions that keep pace and never get stuck on geometry, any flying-tagged beast works. They path more aggressively toward enemies and don't block doorways.
Bogfelled Commoner (Spectre Alternative)
Worth mentioning for context: Previlein's testing shows Bogfelled Commoner Spectres already perform on par with a 1-mod Elephant Tortoise for single-target Infernal Legion damage. Boss beasts need to outperform this benchmark to be worth the Spirit Walker investment.
Tame Beast Best Modifiers
Tamed companions retain up to four monster modifiers from their rare versions. Getting the right combination requires resetting zones repeatedly until the desired mods appear—a tedious but rewarding process. Unique boss beasts cannot receive rare modifiers, but your non-boss companions can stack these effects for the whole team.
Offensive Modifiers
AoE Mod / Extra Range - The single most impactful modifier for Infernal Legion builds. Expands the DOT radius from a small circle to clearing entire packs in one pass. Previlein notes that "a beast with AoE mod is already enough" for comfortable mapping without oil grenade tech.
Gains X% of Physical Damage as Extra Fire/Lightning/Cold - Stacking two of these on a 4-mod rare gives 80% damage as extra burn for IL. The optimal damage setup for companions not using AoE.
Gain Damage Mods - Flat increases to companion DPS. Straightforward and always useful for hit-based beasts.
Shocking Ground - Forces enemies to take increased damage from all sources. Layers with other companions' attacks and your own skills.
Cold Exposure - Reduces enemy cold resistance for the whole party.
Crit Mods - Increased crit chance or multiplier for hit-based companions like Mighty Silverfist or Bahlak.
Defensive/Utility Modifiers
Temporal Bubble - Slows nearby enemies, reducing incoming pressure from packs. Extremely strong in boss fights where dodging is life or death.
Haste Aura - 20% attack/cast speed + 10% movement speed for all nearby allies including you. The single most popular choice.
Energy Shield Aura - 20% of life as ES for nearby allies. Adds a meaningful defensive layer to your character.
Extra Life - Direct HP increase for IL scaling or survivability with Loyalty Support.
Modifiers to Avoid
Burrowing / Phase behaviors - If a modifier causes the companion to become untargetable, it also stops dealing damage
Proximity Shield - Does not help a companion and can interfere with your own ranged attacks
The Farming Problem
A major caveat: getting an ideal combination of 3-4 mods on a single companion requires extreme patience. Multiple community members report spending hours resetting zones for just two desired mods. Certain combinations (Haste Aura + AoE + damage mod) may take dozens of attempts. The community hopes the new Atlas system in 0.5 provides methods to add modifiers to beasts more reliably.
Tame Beast Best Auras
Monster aura modifiers are among the most powerful reasons to bring multiple non-boss companions, as their effects apply to you, your other minions, and each other. Stacking several companions with different auras creates compounding benefits.
Haste Aura
Grants 20% increased attack and cast speed plus 10% movement speed to all nearby allies, including your character. This makes your entire build feel smoother—faster movement skill usage, quicker debuff application, better dodge roll responsiveness. The go-to choice for any companion slot.
Energy Shield Aura
Grants 20% of life as energy shield to all nearby allies. For builds running hybrid life/ES or simply wanting a damage buffer, this adds survivability to everyone in range. Particularly strong when stacked with other defensive layers.
Damage Auras
Various monster aura mods grant flat damage, increased damage, or elemental penetration to nearby allies. Multiple companions with different damage auras multiply each other's effectiveness.
Resistances/Defensive Auras
Some rare mods provide resistance auras or damage reduction. While less flashy than offense, these free up gear affixes that would otherwise need to cap resistances—effectively giving you more room for damage stats on equipment.
Companion-Carried Auras (from Monster Mods)
Haste Aura - The gold standard. Attack speed, cast speed, and movement speed for you and all minions.
Energy Shield Aura - Grants ES based on life. Very strong for survivability on you and other companions.
Rallying Cry - Increases damage of nearby allies. Stacks well with multiple companions.
Player-Run Auras That Support Companions
Blasphemy + Temporal Chains - Combined with the Raven's Flock grueling madness or maim, this creates extreme slow stacking on enemies
Vulnerability / Flammability - Depending on your companion's primary damage type, cursing enemies amplifies their output
Determination / Grace - Does not directly buff companions, but keeps you alive so your companions stay summoned
Azmeri Spirit Rotation
The Natural Order node causes tamed beast bosses to be possessed by a random Azmeri spirit every 20 seconds. Each spirit provides a different buff:
Some grant increased damage
Some grant life or defensive bonuses
Some grant AoE effects
The random rotation means you cannot rely on a specific Azmeri spirit being active at any given time, which community members flagged as a potential frustration. Plan around base performance, not peak spirit buffs.
Tame Beast Best Support Gems
Support gems socketed into your Tame Beast or companion skill gem slots determine how your companion deals damage and what additional effects it provides.
For Infernal Legion Builds
Infernal Legion - The most popular and powerful choice. Deals a percentage of the companion's maximum life as fire DOT to nearby enemies while burning the companion itself. High-HP beasts like Morvak (75% fire res reduces self-damage dramatically) or Elephant Tortoises become walking zones of death. Scales with minion damage, fire damage over time multiplier, and the companion's raw life pool.
Minion Life Support - More life means more Infernal Legion damage and more survivability.
Loyalty Support - Redirects a percentage of damage taken from you to your companion. At 30% with the unique helm and tree investment, this effectively makes your companion a damage sponge.
Burning Damage Support - Scales the Infernal Legion burn if it's classified as burning damage in the support interaction.
For Hit-Based / Attack Builds
Minion Damage Support - Straightforward damage increase to all companion attacks.
Melee Physical Damage Support - If your companion is melee (Silverfist, Crowbell, etc.), this provides a large damage multiplier.
Added Fire / Added Cold - Adds flat elemental damage that scales with the companion's attack speed.
Increased AoE Support - Expands the hit radius of slam and cleave abilities, improving clear speed.
For Ranged / Caster Companions
Spell Damage Support - If the companion uses spell-like abilities (Chetza's tornado, Bahlak's ranged attacks).
Projectile Damage Support - For companions with projectile-based auto attacks (Kabala, some worm variants).
Greater Multiple Projectiles - If the companion fires projectiles, GMP multiplies clearing potential.
Universal Supports
Feeding Frenzy (if available) - Increases companion aggression, causing them to seek out and attack enemies proactively rather than waiting.
Minion Speed - Addresses the single biggest QoL issue with companion builds: slow companions falling behind during mapping.
Pick your beast. Build around its strengths. And if all else fails, at least you'll have a giant monkey smashing things next to you while you figure out the rest.
