Here’s a guide to the basics behind crafting in Path of Exile 2
Confused by crafting in Path of Exile 2?Crafting inPath of Exile 2features a fair number of moving parts. There are several currencies known as Orbs that you’ll use when upgrading your gear, and understanding upgrades requires grasping the Affix system applied to equipment. Newcomers to thePath of Exilefranchise 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 providean explanation of the basics behind crafting in Path of Exile 2and 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, as endgame crafting is a separate beast.
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.Raritydenotes 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 intoPrefixesandSuffixes. 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:
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.
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:
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.
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:
For more on the most important stats for Path of Exile 2’s classes, see our guide tocharacter Attributes.
That finishes up a basic look at crafting in Path of Exile 2. If you need more assistance, check out our guide onwhat to do first in Path of Exile 2, ourclass tier list, our guide to thePassive Skill Tree, and our rundown of characterAttributes.
