Currency Conservation vs. Spending: Finding the Balance

Efficient PoE players understand that hoarding currency can sometimes be as dangerous as POE2 Currency overspending. You don’t want to run maps with subpar gear just because you’re saving every Orb. But neither do you want to waste Exalts on minor upgrades that offer negligible improvements.

Mastering PoE 2 Gear Crafting: How to Scale Your Damage with the Right Items and Mods

In Path of Exile 2, crafting is more than just a tool for upgrading your gear—it’s a vital part of optimizing your character's damage potential. With an expansive system that includes crafting benches, rare modifiers, and unique item combinations, knowing how to effectively craft your gear can be the difference between dominating the endgame and falling short.

From base items to endgame gear, crafting is key to scaling your damage and improving your character's overall power. Whether you’re trying to craft the perfect weapon or fine-tune your defensive stats, understanding how to use the various crafting mechanics in PoE 2 will set you on the path to success.
Understanding Crafting Bases: Starting Strong

The foundation of any crafted item is the base item. These are the weapons, armor, or accessories that you’ll apply your crafting mods to. In PoE 2, each base item comes with inherent properties that influence the crafting process.

    Weapon Bases: Whether you’re crafting a sword, bow, or staff, each base type offers different initial stats and mod possibilities. For instance, a sword might give you better attack speed or critical chance mods, while a bow could provide increased projectile damage.

    Armor Bases: Armor bases determine the type of defense and resistances your item can roll with. Heavy armor, such as plate, offers better physical defense, while lighter armor types might focus on energy shield or evasion.

    Accessory Bases: Rings, amulets, and belts are critical for scaling your damage and survivability. These bases can roll additional stats like elemental resistances, life, mana, or damage modifiers specific to your build.

Crafting a high-tier item starts with selecting the right base, which complements your build and endgame goals. If you’re focusing on scaling elemental damage, look for a base that offers the most elemental damage or critical modifiers.
The Role of Crafting Mods: Scaling Your Damage

Crafting mods are where the real magic happens in PoE 2. The various mod types are split into categories based on their effect, and some will have a more significant impact on your build than others. For example, mods that increase attack speed, critical strike chance, or POE 2 Currency Orbs damage over time are highly sought after by certain builds.