PoE 2 Boss Guide:Yama the White Strategy & Drops

Yama the White is a deceptive and agile boss encounter located in the Halls of the Dead within the Eye of Hinekora region of Act 4 in Path of Exile 2. As the guardian of the Trial of the Ancestors, this white-furred simian trickster tests exiles not with brute force, but with illusions and deadly Chaos magic. Defeating him is essential for unlocking the true potential of your character's weapon versatility.

Lore & Background

Yama is an ancient spirit beast bound to the Halls of the Dead, serving the Karui goddess Hinekora. He acts as the final gatekeeper for those seeking the wisdom of the ancestors. Unlike the mindless beasts of Wraeclast, Yama is intelligent, mocking challengers with laughter as he weaves through the shadows.

He wields a staff infused with the essence of the void, capable of splitting his soul into multiple forms. To the Karui, he is the "White Shadow," a reminder that death is not an end, but a confusing labyrinth that one must navigate with clarity.

Core Mechanics

Yama deals primarily Chaos Damage and Physical Damage. The fight is defined by his high mobility and his ability to become untargetable while his clones attack. Chaos Resistance is mandatory for this fight.

Phase 1: The Trickster's Staff

• 1. Chaos Staff Slam
  Description: Swing the staff in hand for melee attacks, with chaotic damage conversion.
  Strategy: Lateral movement or rolling.
• 2. Chaos Flamethrower
  Description: Yama swings his staff like a flamethrower, spraying purple chaos clouds in a fan-shaped area ahead.
  Strategy: This is a sustained guiding skill, and the best time to output is to circle around behind him.
• 3. Eye Blast
  Description: He summons a purple-eyed totem/rune on the ground, which explodes after a brief delay, leaving lingering damage.
  Strategy: Run away immediately when you see purple circles on the ground and do not step on the remaining purple areas.

Phase 2: Clones (80% & 50% HP)

After Yamata disappeared, he summoned multiple ghostly clones, which hovered around the arena.

• 1. Monkey Pillars
  Description: Yama disappears and splits into multiple white monkey clones, standing around the arena. The clones will continuously throw chaotic projectiles at you. You cannot attack the original body.
  Strategy: This is a pure dodging phase, focusing on positioning and dodging projectiles until he jumps back onto the field.
• 2. Soulrend 
  Description: Large patches of the arena are covered in bubbling purple sludge.
  Strategy: Yama pulls the player's soul out of their body and generates multiple soul illusions on the field. You need to quickly find the glowing/highlighted illusion and touch it (or stand within its aura)

Recommended Builds

High mobility and Chaos mitigation are the keys to surviving the Halls of the Dead.

• Monk - Whirling Strike: The high mobility allows you to chase Yama when he vaults away. The Monk's "Mantra of Stability" can help mitigate the Chaos damage.
• Ranger - Poison Barrage: Yama is agile, but damage-over-time (DoT) keeps ticking even when he is vaulting or hiding on pillars.
• Key Stats: Chaos Resistance should be at least 0% (positive). An Amethyst Flask is highly recommended.
• One-sentence strategy summary:
  Avoid purple water: When you see a purple circle on the ground, run immediately and don't step on the poison.
  Pillar phase: When he climbs the pillar, you can't hit him, so focus on dodging bullets.
  Find the soul: After the soul is knocked out, find the glowing doppelgänger and stand next to it to save yourself.
  Claim rewards: Pick up coins to exchange for +2 talent points.

Loot Table

Yama is the source of a critical character progression item for Act 4.