Path of Exile 2: PoE 2 crafting guide and overview
Here's a complete beginner's guide to crafting in Path of Exile 2
Confused by crafting in Path of Exile 2? Crafting in Path of Exile 2 is a complicated beast with many moving parts. There are multiple currencies known as Orbs that you'll use when upgrading your gear, and you'll also need to understand the Affix system, which is somposed of Prefixes and Suffixes. Newcomers to the Path of Exile franchise will need to familiarise themselves with these concepts, and even if you played Path of Exile 1, it always helps to have a refresher.
In this guide we'll provide a step-by-step overview of crafting in Path of Exile 2 and put you on the right path towards leveling up your gear from Normal to Rare and beyond. Keep in mind that this guide only covers normal crafting.
In this guide:Path of Exile 2 Crafting: Rarities and Affixes
It's important to understand the interplay between item Rarity and Affixes in Path of Exile 2. Rarity denotes how rare your equipment is, and works on a scale from your start-of-game Normal items to Magic, Rare, and finally Unique items, which are the ones you'll need to tackle Path of Exile 2's endgame. Rarity is denoted by the colour of an item's name, making it easy to tell what's what.
Affixes, meanwhile, represent the modifiers attached to your items - for instance, a percentage boost to Lightning Resistance. Affixes are divided into Prefixes and Suffixes. Just like grammatical rules, Prefixes are the mods displayed first when you look at an item, while Suffixes come afterwards. On an item with a lot of Prefixes and Suffixes, it can still be tricky to determine which is which, but luckily this isn't vital.
When analysing an item's Rarity and its Affixes, keep the following in mind:
- Normal: Items with a White name that have no Affixes.
- Magic: Items with a Blue name that have up to 1 Prefix and 1 Suffix.
- Rare: Items with a Gold name that have up to 3 Prefixes and 3 Suffix.
- Unique: Items with an Orange name that have any number of Affixes.
It's important to note that you can typically find Normal and Magic items via drops. Rare items are harder to come by, and Unique items even more so. Expect to only find these in the wild after defeating major enemies.
Path of Exile 2 Crafting: Orbs
Crafting in Path of Exile 2 is all about taking items, increasing their Rarity, and adding more Affixes. In order to do this, you need to wrap your head around the game's currencies, known as Orbs. These can be found as enemy drops or occasionally purchased from NPCs, and they're used to upgrade the rarity of items or grant other benefits, such as a refund on the Passive Skill Tree.
The following Orb types exist in Path of Exile 2:
- Transmutation Orb: Transforms a Normal item to a Magic item with 1 Affix.
- Augmentation Orb: Adds 1 Affix to a Magic item.
- Alchemy Orb: Transforms a Normal item into a Rare item with 4 Affixes.
- Orb of Chance: Randomly transforms a Normal item into a Magic, Rare, or Unique item.
- Regal Orb: Transforms a Magic item into a Rare item, adding 1 Affix.
- Exalted Orb: Adds 1 random Affix to a Rare item.
- Orb of Annulment: Removes 1 random modifier from a Magic or Rare item.
- Chaos Orb: Removes 1 random modifier and replaces it with another random modifier.
- Divine Orb: Randomises the numerical values of the random modifiers on an item.
- Vaal Orb: Unpredictably changes the item and prevents the item from being crafted further.
You'll make use of all of the Orbs on this list throughout the game, commonly by starting from a Normal Item and building it up via a Transmutation Orb, adding an Affix via an Augmentation Orb, and then continuing the transformation with a Regal Orb, and so on.
Of the Orbs in this list, Transmutation, Augmentation, and Alchemy Orbs are relatively common drops at the onset of the game. All other Orbs are either uncommon or rare drops.
Path of Exile 2 Crafting: Gear and Attributes
As you pick up new gear in Path of Exile 2, you'll notice the relationship that items have with the game's three core Attributes - Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence. Generally, you'll want to upgrade an item to boost the stats that your chosen class relies on the most. If you pick up a dropped item, find that it already has Affixes, and aren't sure if it'll work well with your build, follow these basic guidelines:
- Items that boost Strength often have Armour Affixes. The class that relies on Strength and Armour is the Warrior, and to a lesser extent the Mercenary.
- Items that boost Dexterity typically have Evasion Affixes. The classes that rely most on Evasion are the Ranger, the Mercenary, and the Monk.
- Items that boost Intelligence often have Energy Shield Affixes. All classes use Energy Shield, but especially the Sorceress and Witch.
For more on the most important stats for Path of Exile 2's classes, see our guide to character Attributes.
That finishes up a basic look at crafting in Path of Exile 2. If you need more assistance, check out our guide on what to do first in Path of Exile 2, our class tier list, our guide to the Passive Skill Tree, and our rundown of character Attributes.