In Path of Exile, deciding when to use a Divine Orb versus saving it for trading hinges on a balance between immediate crafting needs and the orb's high market value. Divine Orbs are rare and valuable, often regarded as one of the top-tier currencies, so wasting them on suboptimal items can lead to a loss in potential value. Many players treat them as part of their broader cheap poe 2 currency strategy rather than spending them too early.

Using a Divine Orb is most advisable on high-value magic, rare, or unique items where the explicit modifier values can be significantly improved. Since Divine Orbs only reroll the numeric values within an item's existing affix tiers, they are best applied to pieces that already have desirable affixes but with suboptimal rolls. This can turn a good item into a near-perfect one, dramatically enhancing its power or trading value. Crafting scenarios often include trying to maximize life, resistances, damage, or other critical stats on gear intended for endgame builds or for sale.

However, Divine Orbs are extremely rare, and their trading value can surpass many other currencies. In active league economies, they often fluctuate between several exalted orbs' worth of chaos orbs, sometimes even higher, making them a valuable asset to stockpile. Trading Divine Orbs instead of using them can be a smart choice if the player is not focused on min-maxing gear at the moment or if the market offers favorable exchange rates, such as turning Divine Orbs into numerous exalted or chaos orbs to finance other gear upgrades or crafting attempts. This is one reason some players decide to buy poe 2 currency during the early stages of a league to boost their liquidity and avoid missing opportunities.

For newer players or those in early league stages, it’s generally better to save Divine Orbs or trade them rather than use them frivolously. The cost-performance ratio for crafting with Divine Orbs improves as players reach higher-tier maps and endgame content, where the incremental gains on gear significantly affect character strength.

Experienced traders often recommend monitoring league economy trends. When Divine Orbs are especially rare, holding onto them may yield better returns, whereas during times of increased drop rates or market flooding, using them for crafting might be more beneficial. Additionally, using Divine Orbs on legacy unique items can transform affixes to current tiers, adding further crafting value.

Divine Orbs should be used for crafting when the item is already promising and can benefit from better numeric rolls, especially in late-game and high-tier gear optimization. Saving Divine Orbs for trading is optimal when their market value is high, supplies are low, or when the player prefers liquidity to fund other upgrades. This strategic balance ensures maximizing both the orb’s value and its impact on gameplay progression.