You’re staring at your Atlas in Path of Exile 2, and there it is: a giant, swirling mess of a Maelstrom blocking the way to a node called the Jade Isles. It’s annoying. You want to get in there, kill Manoki, and grab that sweet loot, but the game basically tells you to "go find a light" first. That light is the PoE 2 Karui Beacon, and honestly, it’s one of those mechanics that feels like a bit of a scavenger hunt until you realize how the Atlas logic actually works.
Most people get stuck because they expect the Beacon to be its own map or a unique quest marker on the world map. It isn't. It's a dynamic objective that hides inside other maps you're already running. If you’ve been slamming your head against the wall trying to figure out why the Jade Isles won't open, it’s usually because you’re running the wrong tier or just looking in the wrong corners of the zone.
The Karui Beacon: What It Actually Is (and Isn't)
Basically, the Karui Beacon is a "key" mechanic for what GGG calls Anomaly Maps. In this case, the anomaly is the Eye of the Storm, which keeps the Jade Isles veiled. You can’t just walk in. To dispel that Maelstrom barrier, you have to find and activate a physical beacon—a big, tribal-looking structure—somewhere in the surrounding Atlas region.
Think of it like a lighthouse for the soul. The Jade Isles are "lost" in the storm, and you're providing the coordinates.
One thing that trips up a lot of players is the level requirement. Jade Isles is a level 65 zone. This means you typically need to be messing around with Tier 6 Waystones or higher to even get the Beacon to trigger. If you’re still farming low-tier white maps, you can run them until the sun goes down and you’ll never see a sniff of that Beacon.
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Where to Actually Find the Beacon
You don’t have to guess. The game actually gives you a hint, though it’s tucked away in the Atlas UI. Look at the Eye of the Storm node. See those lines connecting it to other maps? Those are your targets.
The PoE 2 Karui Beacon has a chance to spawn in any map that is physically adjacent to the Eye of the Storm. It’s not a 100% spawn rate in every single run, but if you clear the maps directly touching the anomaly, it shows up pretty quickly. I’ve noticed it tends to spawn near the end of the map, often near the boss arena or the final "large" pack of monsters.
- Step 1: Identify the "Eye of the Storm" on your Atlas.
- Step 2: Stock up on Waystones for the maps connected to it.
- Step 3: Enter the map and look for a unique objective marker on your minimap—it looks like a little tribal flame or pillar.
- Step 4: Fight the guardians. You can't just click it and leave; usually, a pack of Karui-themed elites will jump you the moment you get close.
Once you click that thing, the game gives you a satisfying visual of the Maelstrom clearing on your Atlas. You’re in.
Why You Can't Find It (Troubleshooting)
Sometimes the Beacon just... doesn't show up. It’s frustrating. One common issue is the "Rare Kill" requirement. In some map layouts, the Beacon is tied to the death of the final Rare monster if there isn't a traditional map boss. If you’re the type of player who zooms to the boss and ignores the side paths, you might be leaving the Beacon un-triggered in the middle of a pack of mobs you skipped.
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Also, watch out for the "Activation Failed" bug. A few people have reported that they find the Beacon, click it, and the game tells them the map can't be accessed. Usually, this is because the Jade Isles node itself is bugged by another overlapping influence, like a Delirium mirror or a Vaal Temple. If that happens, honestly, just restart your client and run a different adjacent map. It usually resets the instance logic.
Taking Down Manoki, the Chosen
So you found the PoE 2 Karui Beacon, the clouds parted, and you’re standing in the Jade Isles. Great. Now comes the hard part. The boss here is Manoki, the Chosen. If you remember the Chieftain fight from Act 4, this is that, but on a massive dose of steroids.
Manoki is a multi-phase nightmare. He uses a lot of "Avoid Cues"—those audio and visual tells that GGG added to PoE 2 to make combat feel more like an action game and less like a stat-check. When he screams and reaches into his chest, he’s about to punch the ground and spawn ice spikes. Do not stand there. You will die.
The fight is heavily themed around cold and physical damage. If your resistances aren't capped at 75%, you’re going to have a bad time. He also has a "Charging Fist" move that can one-shot squishier classes like the Sorceress or the Ranger if you don't time your dodge roll perfectly.
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The Rewards: Is It Worth the Hassle?
Why bother with all this? Because Jade Isles is a "Deadly Map Boss" node. The loot tables here are weighted much higher than your average map. You’re looking for things like:
- Unique Relics: Specifically those tied to the Karui ancestors.
- High-Tier Waystones: This is one of the best ways to break into the next bracket of map tiers.
- Ancestral Currency: Items used to craft tribal modifiers onto your gear.
Final Tips for a Smooth Run
Don't go into the Jade Isles with a half-finished build. The jump in difficulty from the "Beacon map" to the actual Isles is significant.
Make sure your flasks are set up for recovery. In PoE 2, you don't get flask charges just for breathing; you have to earn them by killing or hitting bosses. If you waste your Life Flask during Manoki’s first phase, you’ll be bone-dry by the time he hits his 50% empowerment phase.
Honestly, the PoE 2 Karui Beacon is just the gatekeeper. The real challenge is the Isles themselves. Clear the surrounding maps, watch for the minimap icon, kill the rare mobs to be safe, and once you get that "Maelstrom Dispelled" message, go back to town and gear up for a real fight.
To get started, pull up your Atlas right now and highlight the Eye of the Storm. Check which Tier 6+ Waystones you have that connect to it. Run those three maps specifically, and make it a point to full-clear them until that Beacon pops. Once it’s active, the Jade Isles will stay unlocked for that Atlas cycle, so you only have to do the legwork once.