Path of Exile 2 has a relatively complex (and fairly confusing) crafting system that lets players make the gear that they need for their builds. Many players can finish their entire playthroughs without crafting a single item, but if you're a Solo Self-Found (SSF) character, or if you want to make tons of money by selling items, then you'll definitely want to learn how to craft items in PoE 2, hopefully without going bankrupt.
This guide aims to simplify the crafting process by giving you an easy-to-follow guideline on how to use crafting materials, though we'll also be going through some of the more advanced stuff, in case you really want to dig deeper into how this process works.
PoE 2: Item Crafting Overview
- Find a good Normal base item (or start with a Magic item).
- If using a Normal item, upgrade it to Magic by using an Orb of Transmutation.
- Add another affix by using an Orb of Augmentation.
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Upgrade it to Rare by using a Regal Orb or Lesser/Normal/Greater Essence.
- Optional: Upgrade with a Regal, then use a Perfect Essence
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Desecrate the item using an Abyss crafting item (Jawbones, Ribcages, etc).
- Optional: Use Abyss Omens to modify your Desecration outcome
- Fill any remaining affix slots using Exalted Orbs.
- Upgrade the item's Quality and add Sockets to finish it off.
This is an extremely basic overview of how to craft items in PoE 2, and it applies to most items in the game, provided that they can be modified and that you have the right materials to mod them with. With any luck, you should end up with a good item on your hands. If any of the crafting steps yields a bad affix, sell the item to a vendor and try again. Now, onto the finer details.
What Are Affixes?
Affixes are the additional modifiers that items have in PoE 2. Base items have varying Implicit modifiers, and you can add Explicit modifiers to them by using PoE 2's crafting currencies. Before you craft anything, make sure you have an item with Implicit mods that fit what you need.
There are two types of Affixes:
- Prefixes tend to have more direct stat bonuses such as Adds Physical Damage to Attacks, Increased Physical Damage, and so on.
- Suffixes tend to have utility-based bonuses, such as bonus Strength, increased Critical Chit Chance, Levels to Skills, etc.
Items can have three Prefixes and three Suffixes at a time. You need to know which mods are Prefixes or Suffixes because you can make crafting more deterministic by using certain crafting currencies. The PoE2DB website has a full list of potential affixes that items can roll, so refer to their lists to see the stuff you need on your gear.
Your item's level determines how strong its rolled affixes can be. Also, affixes come in different tiers; T1 affixes offer the highest values.
Greater and Perfect Orbs
By now, you should have noticed that there are Greater and Perfect variants for certain crafting currencies. When used, these will modify your item the same way that their regular versions do, except they have a minimum Affix level tied to them, which means the Affixes they'll add to your item have a higher chance of being T1 Affixes.
Upgrading Magic to Rare
You have a number of options when it comes to upgrading a blue item into a yellow one:
- Use Regal Orbs to add a random Affix
- Use Essences to add an affix of your choice
- Use Orbs of Alchemy to turn your item into a four-mod Rare
Realistically, you should only be using Regal Orbs or Essences to upgrade Magic items to Rare ones. Orbs of Alchemy will replace any existing Affixes on your Magic item with new ones while also adding two more. Only use Orbs of Alchemy if the Magic item you want to upgrade has bad/low-tier Affixes.
Regal Orbs will add a random Prefix or Suffix to your item, while Essences will add a predetermined Prefix or Suffix based on the type of Essence you used. You can only use Lesser, Normal, and Greater Essences to upgrade a Magic item to a Rare one.
What About Perfect Essences?
Perfect Essences tend to have stronger effects than their lesser counterparts, but as of the PoE 2 0.5 patch, you can only use one item that adds a crafted modifier to your item. If you've already used a Greater Essence, then you won't be able to add a Perfect Essence to your item. Sometimes, it may be worth gambling with a Regal Orb instead of using a Greater Essence, especially since some Perfect Essences have some seriously strong mods on them (like the Perfect Essence of Battle, which grants additional skill levels).
Instead of Essences, Jewels (Rubies, Sapphires, Emeralds, and Diamonds) can be modified by using Liquid Emotions, which drop from the Delirium mechanic.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Desecrating Items
Desecration is part of the Abyss mechanic in PoE 2, and it adds a random Affix to your item that must be revealed at the Well of Souls. Once you throw your Desecrated item down the well, you can choose between three different Affixes that appear, giving you a slightly more deterministic means of modding your items.
This ability to choose mods is what makes Desecration such a vital step in crafting, especially when you throw in Omens into the mix.
Abyss Omens
There are tons of possible Desecrated modifiers, and if you want to eliminate as much RNG from your Desecration attempts as possible, you'll want to use the following:
- Omen of Sinistral/Dextral Necromancy makes your next Desecration attempt only replace a Prefix/Suffix
- Omen of the Sovereign/Liege/Blackblooded makes your next Desecration attempt only have Ulaman/Amanamu/Kurgal Affixes
- Omen of Abyssal Echoes lets you reroll the results of a Desecration once
- Omen of Light makes Orbs of Annulment only remove Desecrated modifiers, allowing the item to be Desecrated again
Exaltation
By now, your item should have four Affixes on it. You can finish off your crafting project by slamming two Exalted Orbs onto your item to fill up the remaining slots. This is part of the process is just as RNG-reliant as the first two crafts you make using Transmutation and Augmentation Orbs, so to minimize the risk of completely bricking your crafted item, you'll want to use Greater or Perfect Exalted Orbs. These, however, are extremely rare, and they're very expensive as well.
Crafting is Finished! Now What?
If you ended up with a good item, you can sell it on the PoE 2 player market or use it yourself. If the item is bad, then you just ended up wasting a ton of resources. In the case of the latter, just sell it for cheap on the market, sell it for Gold at a vendor, or use the Reforging Bench to turn it into something else.
Alternatively, you can use Orbs of Annulment and various Omens to try and salvage your failed crafting project. This can be pretty expensive, though, and you might be better off just crafting a new item.
Don't forget to use other crafting currencies like Catalysts, Alloys, and other similar stuff to get more ideal stats on your gear.
Verisium Anvil
The Verisium Anvil is part of the Runes of Aldur league in PoE 2 that allows players to make Runeforged and Runemastered equipment. Runeforging an armor piece slightly reduces its base stats, but it gains Runic Ward in return. Runic Ward can be used to cast Kalguuran Skills, and if you run out of Life, it'll serve as an additional buffer that will keep you from dying.
Unique items can also be upgraded using the Verisium Anvil, and that includes weapons. Ezomyte and Kalguuran equipment in particular can receive significant upgrades when treated at the Verisium Anvil. For example, the Duality Unique Quarterstaff can reach 1000 Physical DPS when upgraded at the anvil.
I only recommend upgrading Rare armor pieces at the Verisium Anvil if you plan on using a lot of Runic Ward. Otherwise, just keep your gear as they are.
Path of Exile II
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 88/100 Critics Rec: 100%
- Released
- December 11, 2026
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Nudity, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Language, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items)
- Developer(s)
- Grinding Gear Games
- Publisher(s)
- Grinding Gear Games
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Cross Save
- All platforms
- Prequel(s)
- Path of Exile
- Franchise
- Path of Exile
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Playable
- Early Access Release
- December 6, 2024
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash, MMORPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- How Long To Beat
- 35 hours
- File Size Xbox Series
- 100.32 GB
- Wiki
