Crafting
Crafting is an essential part of Path of Exile 2 - not only for gear.
Quick Reference
- Adding modifiers to items thus maybe increasing their rarity
- Consider using the best Item Bases for your build
- Reduce the amount of materials required by using Omens and Essences
The Fundamentals
Crafting is, generally speaking, taking different Orbs and smashing them on items to add, change, or remove modifiers. This might also enhance the Rarity of the item. Starting from Normal, with magical effects up to a rare with up to 6 magical effects or even a Unique item.
These modifications are not restricted to gear but also Waystones, Strongboxes, Juweles, Essences... Not every Orb will work with every item. Try it out for yourselves.
Item Bases
There are a variety of different items in the game. Looking at Weapons there are not only Weapon Classes but also different Bases as well. Let's take the Class Wands as an Example. The Class Wands also offers different Base Types to choose from, like the Withered Wand, Volatile Wand, Attuned Wand, etc. The Base type is relevant for rolling Uniques. You cannot roll a Unique Volatile Wand with an Attuned Wand as a Base Item you smash a Chance Orb on.
Every Base Type offers different implicit modifiers, that cannot be changed. In other words, a Withered Wand will always provide the Skill Chaos Bolt, which cannot be changed.
This is important to craft gear, especially in the end game, when you opt to get specific stats. Let's say you want to maximize your energy_shield check the available item for the ones with the highest implicit energy shield values. With Patch 0.2.0, or the release of Dawn Of The Hunt the Body Armor with the highest implicit energy_shield value would be the Vile Robe which provides an Energy Shield of 184 points.
Omens
Omens come with a variety of mechanics including certain benefits for crafting. The Omen of Dextral Exaltation, Omen of Sinistral Exaltation and Omen Of Greater Exaktation changing the impact of exalt_orbs.
Here is a list of the rest of them:
- Omen Of Whittling
- Omen Of Sinistral Erasure
- Omen Of Dextral Erasure
- Omen of Greater Annulment
- Omen of Sinistral Annulment
- Omen of Dextral Annulment
- Omen Of Sinistral Alchemy
- Omen Of Dextral Alchemy
Essences
Essences are like orb_of_transmutation and regal_orb. They add a modifier to a normal or magic item and upgrade them to magic or rare items respectively. The main difference is: The provided type of modifier is depending on the essence.