The Orb of Alchemy underwent notable changes in Path of Exile 2 compared to the original game, particularly in its drop mechanics and vendor trade options.

In PoE 2, the Orb of Alchemy continues to upgrade normal (white) items into rare (yellow) items, but now it guarantees exactly four modifiers on the rare item. This is a more focused usage compared to PoE 1, where the orb could yield between three to six random modifiers. Importantly, in PoE 2, the Orb of Alchemy can only be used on normal items, no longer on magic (blue) items as it was in PoE 1. This change emphasizes the rarity and value of the orb and the items it upgrades.

Regarding drop mechanics, Orbs of Alchemy in PoE 2 are no longer obtainable through vendor recipes that involved selling rare items for Alchemy Shards or similar systems from PoE 1. Instead, these orbs drop randomly from monsters and chests during gameplay. Salvaging or vendor trade recipes that produced Orb of Alchemy or their components are absent or significantly altered in PoE 2, making farming and direct drops the primary acquisition method. This shift has led to adjustments in farming routes and strategies to maximize drop chances, especially among players actively looking to farm poe 2 currency through mapping or league mechanics.

As for vendor trades, the Orb of Alchemy has become more specialized in PoE 2 and is priced relatively high in the in-game currency exchange system. For example, trading an Orb of Alchemy currently demands roughly one Exalted Orb, making it a valuable and rarer currency in the crafting ecosystem. This contrasts with PoE 1, where players could craft Orbs of Alchemy more easily through vendor recipes from shards gathered by selling items. Because of this price shift, many players now consider whether to buy poe 2 currency from trusted marketplaces to keep pace with the demands of PoE 2’s new economy.

The changes in PoE 2 aim to make Orbs of Alchemy a more precious resource, reserved for meaningful crafting steps rather than a common currency. The crafting system redesign restricts its use, enhancing the significance of farming and trading for it, and encouraging a more strategic approach to gear upgrading.

• Orb of Alchemy now guarantees four modifiers on rare items and only works on normal items (no magic items).

• Orbs of Alchemy drop randomly from monsters and chests; vendor recipes to craft orbs from shards have been removed.

• Vendor trades for Orbs of Alchemy are costly, about one Exalted Orb per Alchemy Orb, reflecting its increased value.

• These changes make the Orb of Alchemy rarer and more strategically valuable in PoE 2 crafting and economy.

This overhaul reflects a broader revamp in PoE 2's crafting and currency systems to deepen gameplay complexity and balance resource availability.