U4GM - Using POE 2 Currency to Upgrade Item Quality and Sockets
In Path of Exile 2 (POE 2), understanding how to effectively use the in-game currency system is essential for optimizing your gear and improving your character’s overall performance. One of the key ways to enhance your equipment is by upgrading item quality and modifying sockets. This guide will explore how POE 2 currency plays a crucial role in this process, helping both new and seasoned players make informed decisions.
What is POE 2 Currency?
POE 2 currency refers to the various items used to craft, modify, and enhance gear within the game. Unlike traditional gold or coins found in other RPGs, POE 2 features a barter-based economy, where each currency item serves a specific function. This system encourages players to experiment and understand the nuances of each type of currency, offering deep customization for their builds.
Upgrading Item Quality
Improving the quality of an item enhances its base stats, making it more effective in combat. For weapons, quality increases physical damage. For armor, it improves defense. For flasks, it boosts their effects or reduces their charge use. In POE 2, the following currency items are commonly used for quality upgrades:
Armourer's Scrap: Increases the quality of armor.
Blacksmith's Whetstone: Improves weapon quality.
Glassblower's Bauble: Used for flasks.
Gemcutter's Prism: Enhances the quality of skill gems, which in turn can boost the effectiveness of your abilities.
These upgrades are percentage-based, with each use adding up to 5% quality, up to a maximum of 20%. It’s best to use these items on normal (white) quality items to get the most value, as the percentage gain decreases on higher-rarity items.
Modifying Item Sockets
Sockets are vital in POE 2 because they determine how skill gems are equipped and linked. More sockets and better links mean more powerful skill combinations. Several types of POE 2 currency are designed to help modify these sockets:
Jeweller’s Orb: Changes the number of sockets on an item. The maximum number of sockets depends on the item’s type and level.
Chromatic Orb: Changes the color of sockets, allowing you to better match the requirements of your skill gems.
Orb of Fusing: Reforges links between sockets. Linking sockets is essential for supporting your main skills with support gems.
Efficient socket crafting requires patience and an understanding of item level restrictions. Higher-level items have access to more sockets and better link potential, but they also consume more resources during crafting.
Tips for Efficient Currency Use
Know your item levels: Before investing POE 2 currency, check the item level to ensure it can reach your desired socket configuration or quality potential.
Use the crafting bench: In POE 2, the crafting bench offers deterministic upgrades, allowing you to apply sockets, links, and quality for a fixed price. This method is more predictable and often more cost-effective than using orbs blindly.
Trade wisely: Not all currency is created equal. Use community trade platforms or in-game tools to exchange excess currency for the ones you need.
Preserve high-value items: Reserve your high-end crafting currency for items that are central to your build. Don't waste your resources on temporary gear.
Mastering the use of POE 2 currency to upgrade item quality and sockets is a cornerstone of successful character development. With thoughtful investment and strategic planning, you can transform average gear into powerful assets that enhance your gameplay experience. Whether you're upgrading quality with a Whetstone or perfectly coloring sockets with Chromatic Orbs, every decision counts. Take the time to understand each type of currency and how it fits into your crafting goals — your character’s future power depends on it.