u4gm Where to Find and Beat Blackjaw in PoE 2

You don’t mark him on a checklist or plan your build around him. You meet him the way Path of Exile 2 loves to introduce its best encounters: by surprise. You’re exploring Jiquani’s Machinarium, dipping into the Oubliette a little earlier than you probably should, flasks half-drained, confidence slightly higher than your actual Exalted Orb buy safety margin. Then suddenly, Blackjaw, The Remnant is there, and the game quietly asks whether you actually understand movement yet.

If you’re the type of player who takes detours for permanent power, this is one worth taking. The reward isn’t flashy, but it pays dividends later, especially once the campaign starts layering unavoidable fire damage and tight arenas on top of you. You’ll feel the difference when things start getting oppressive.

That said, don’t walk in expecting gear to solve the problem. You can top up, upgrade a weapon, or even overprepare your flasks, but this fight isn’t a stat wall. Blackjaw is a positioning exam, and he punishes bad habits hard.

Stay Close, Don’t Kite

The most common mistake in this fight is distance.

Backing away feels safe, but against Blackjaw it actually makes everything worse. His most dangerous attacks live in his front arc, and every time you roll backward you’re forcing yourself to re-enter that zone on his terms. That’s how people get clipped, stunned, and deleted before they understand what happened.

Instead, play uncomfortably close.

Stick to his side—ideally his hip—and circle him like you’re trying to steal something out of his back pocket. Blackjaw’s turns are slow and deliberate, which means your job isn’t to escape him, but to make him rotate. As long as he’s turning, he’s not hitting you. Keep your camera steady, keep your movement small, and keep tapping damage whenever he commits to an animation.

The moment you drift in front of him for more than a heartbeat, you’re gambling. His heavy hits come out faster than they look, and they don’t forgive sloppy positioning.

Phase One: Learn the Hands

The first phase is all about reading his body language.

Blackjaw telegraphs clearly, but he’s designed to bait panic dodges. His Frontal Slam is the big check here. He’ll lean into it, sometimes chaining it, and the natural reaction is to roll backward. Don’t. Slide sideways instead, stay tight, and punish the recovery window. The attack has commitment, and that’s your opening.

The Flamethrower Breath is even more deceptive. There’s a noticeable inhale that makes a lot of players dodge early. If you roll on the inhale, you often end up clipped when the fire actually starts. The correct response is patience—circle during the wind-up, then dodge only once the breath commits and the flame actually appears.

He also has a quick shove that functions more like a space reset than a kill move. Treat it as an invitation, not a warning. Get pushed out, then immediately rush back in and reclaim your position at his side.

The upward slash is the one attack that really chunks early characters. When you see that rising motion start, don’t hesitate—cut behind him instantly. Trying to tank or outspace it almost always ends badly.

Phase Two: When the Floor Becomes the Boss

Once the fight transitions, the arena becomes hostile.

Burning patches, lingering fire, and shrinking safe zones turn what was a clean movement test into controlled chaos. This is where most good attempts fall apart, not because of Blackjaw himself, but because players refuse to disengage.

The Jump Slam is the biggest trap. It tracks aggressively if you dodge too early. The correct timing feels late—wait until the landing is actually happening, then roll. Dodging on the jump will get you followed. Dodging on impact gets you clear.

As magma and fire start claiming the room, you have to change your mindset. It’s okay to stop dealing damage. This is critical. If the ground is hostile, step away. Run to a clean tile. Let burn stacks fall off. Refill your mental space before re-entering.

Fire resistance flasks help. Reduced ignite duration helps. But the real win condition here is discipline. Don’t trade hits when the environment is stacked against you. Blackjaw doesn’t enrage. He doesn’t pressure you for time. You lose this phase by being greedy, not by being slow.

Why This Detour Matters

If you bring Blackjaw down, you walk away with the Flame Core and a permanent Fire Resistance bonus. It’s not exciting on paper, but it quietly smooths out a large chunk of the campaign. Every fire-heavy zone, every cramped arena, every surprise ignite becomes slightly more manageable.

More importantly, this fight teaches a lesson the game will keep testing: movement beats stats. If you can stay calm here, stay close, read animations, and respect the floor, you’re better prepared for what Path of Exile 2 throws at you later.

Blackjaw isn’t mandatory—but beating him early changes how u4gm Divine Orb the rest of the campaign feels. And once you understand his rhythm, he stops being a surprise and starts being proof that you’re actually playing the game on its terms.