Apollonia the Terrible, also known as the Gryphon, is the first big boss you will face in Titan Quest 2. Fast, aggressive, and hard-hitting, this fight will punish you if you get greedy or stand still too long. Here is how to beat it, no matter your build.
Boss Mechanics and What to Expect
This gryphon comes at you with a mix of quick melee combos, a lunging attack to close the gap, and dangerous Aerial Blasts that punish ranged play. It also starts using a barrage of wind attacks if you try to stay out of reach for too long.
So, to reiterate, here is what to expect during the fight:
- Fast Melee Chain that can easily overwhelm you if you stay close too long
- Lunge Dash to close gaps or punish you if you get too greedy
- Aerial Blasts that slam the ground if you keep your distance
- Wind Wave Barrage, if you try to cheese the fight from too far away
The good news is that most of these attacks have clear visual cues, such as glowing ground markers or short animations that let you react before the hit lands. If you are paying attention, you can dodge or reposition in time.
Elemental resistances are high across the board, except for Lightning, which works great. Poison and Bleed also deal reliable damage over time and are good choices for both melee and hybrid builds.
Tips for Melee Builds
You need to keep moving! Skills like Whirlwind or anything that lets you reposition while attacking are a big help. Do not stand still to charge up heavy attacks unless you are sure the gryphon is staggered or recovering.
Stick to fast hits and move out quickly. If your weapon adds Poison or Bleed, even better – you can chip away at the boss without staying in danger for too long.
Tips for Ranged Builds
Ranged play is viable, but you will need to kite smart. If you stay too far away for too long, the gryphon starts launching wide-area air blasts that force you to dodge or take heavy damage.
Try to stay just at the edge of its range, moving in and out while landing shots. Use Barrier (Q) to absorb Aerial Blasts if you get caught during cooldowns. Lightning-based attacks are especially effective.
Quick Recap: Best Strategy
This fight is all about staying mobile, reading attack patterns, and using your build’s strengths. Melee players should dip in and out quickly, while ranged builds need to keep dodging and avoid tunnel vision. If you can manage your cooldowns and positioning, you will take it down without too much trouble.
So, to quickly recap:
- Move constantly to avoid melee chains and wind blasts
- Use Lightning, Poison, or Bleed for the best damage
- Time your cooldowns so you always have an escape option
- Barrier helps a lot during her AoE combos
- Stay mid-range if possible – too close is risky, too far gets you blasted
If you are running into a wall here, it is not you – the Gryphon is a serious step up from earlier mobs. But once you learn the patterns and keep moving, the fight becomes way more manageable.
And remember – this is only the first real boss. Things get harder from here!
For more updates, guides, and more, make sure to take a look at our main Titan Quest 2 news hub.
