PoE 2 Currency Guide

Ben Author

Created - 29.11.2024 Updated - 29.11.2024

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Grinding Gear Games has put a lot of time and effort into making Path of Exile 2 more accessible to everyone. Whether you are a seasoned veteran of the original game or a complete beginner in the series, the sequel to one of the most popular ARPGs out there is certainly an amazing one.

Even though most of the systems in the game are easy to understand, there are things that still need a bit of explaining to fully grasp their functions far beyond what their item description says. That is the case for PoE 2 Currency, so we have decided to create the ultimate guide for you!

In this article, we will talk about the different currencies that you will find in Path of Exile 2. We are also going to provide you with some tips on how you can unlock their full potential. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

The Different PoE 2 Currencies

GGG has made it a mission to simplify things as much as possible in the highly anticipated sequel of Path of Exile 1. As such, the company has removed a bunch of currency items from the original game, so you are left with only the essentials.

Before we begin, it is important to note that we created this guide days before the launch of PoE 2 Early Access. That means that some things may be outdated by the time the game is available to the general public.

That being said, if you want to go Path of Exile 2 currency farming, here are the ones that you can obtain in the game:

Gold

Gold is one of the main currencies in Path of Exile 2. Players had a glimpse of this back in the original game when gold was first introduced as part of Path of Exile: Settlers of Kalguur.

This currency has a lot of practical uses. For one, you can purchase various items from vendor NPCs. Gold is a great way to get your starter equipment, so it is best that you spend it often in the campaign, particularly when you go to the next town.

According to GGG, town vendors that sell items play a crucial role in early-game gearing. That is because the vendors now have more items on offer than ever before. Additionally, the things that they sell are better suited to your current PoE 2 build. If you are playing the new Mercenary class, for example, you might find more crossbows than swords being sold to you.

Another important function of gold in this game is that you can use it to refund skill points. This is similar in function to the Orb of Regret in PoE1. Because you can now respec skill points using this particular currency, you can experiment with the best notable passive skills for your build without worry or fear.

Gold can be gained from killing monsters or by selling items to the vendor NPCs. As you progress through the campaign, you might reach a point where there is an overabundance of gold. What can you do if you have so much supply? Fortunately, there is now a way to spend your extra gold and that is to gamble for items.

Certain NPCs in the game offer unidentified items just like what Gheed does in Diablo II: Resurrected. Most of them are probably stuff with mediocre modifiers, but some of them might turn out all right. If you are lucky, you could even get superior items that can replace your current gear purchased a couple of acts back.

Jonathan Rogers, game director for Path of Exile 2, said that all currencies can be traded to other people except for gold. This encourages you to spend gold in any way to improve your character.

Orb of Transmutation

Before we talk about this next Path of Exile 2 currency, it is important to touch on the topic of item rarities. Items in this game can be classified as Normal (White), Magic (Blue), Rare (Yellow), and Unique (Orange). Here is a rundown of how many modifiers such items can roll when using certain crafting currencies:

• Normal: None
• Magic: 2 mods = 1 prefix and 1 suffix
• Rare: 6 mods = 3 prefixes and 3 suffixes
• Unique: Comes with preset modifiers

Having said that, Orb of Transmutation upgrades a normal item into a magic item. However, it is worth pointing out that this currency works differently now than it was in the original game.

You see, the Orb of Transmutation also converted a normal item to a magic one back then, though it could roll one or two modifiers. Its implementation in Path of Exile 2 is actually nice because it only guarantees a single mod—a prefix or a suffix (not both).

Orb of Augmentation

After you have used an Orb of Transmutation, you then have to follow it up with an Orb of Augmentation. This basically adds another modifier on a Magic Item, which is great for crafting items early on.

Aside from that, both of the aforementioned PoE2 currencies can be used on Waystones to put a couple of modifiers on them as well.

Regal Orb

The Regal Orb works the same way as its PoE 1 counterpart. After spending an Orb of Augmentation, you’d want to transform that magic item into a rare item by using a Regal Orb. By doing so, the resulting item will have three modifiers.

Exalted Orb

An item crafted with a Regal Orb only has a few modifiers on it. To finish the crafting project, you have to spend a few Exalted Orbs to populate the rest of the empty affixes.

Rogers said that the Orb of Transmutation, Orb of Augmentation, Regal Orb, and Exalted Orb are the basic crafting currencies in Path of Exile 2.

To ensure that you have amazing gear during the campaign, the drop rates of these currencies have been significantly increased. This gives you the freedom and flexibility to try crafting your own gear.

Orb of Alchemy

GGG is always particular when it comes to item descriptions. If something says that it only does this, then its function is only limited to that specific outcome.

Orb of Alchemy is still the same as its Path of Exile 1 counterpart, where it transforms a normal item into a rare one when used. However, there is a fundamental change made in the sequel wherein it now guarantees four modifiers instead of having the chance of populating all of the affix slots.

That is a good change, in our opinion. Forcing only four modifiers every time you spend an Orb of Alchemy allows you to save the item if it rolled with mediocre mods. Hopefully, you will get better affixes after utilizing the Exalted Orb twice.

Chaos Orb

Oh, how time flies! The Chaos Orb used to be the most traded PoE Currency on the market because of its relatively good drop rate and various applications.

In case you are wondering, the Chaos Orb allowed players to randomize modifiers on crafted gear or maps in the original game. It was also used as a means of adding certain modifiers on items via the Crafting Bench.

So, what does it do in Path of Exile 2? The Chaos Orb now functions as an Orb of Annulment and Exalted Orb combined. In other words, it removes one random modifier on an item and then replaces it with another mod.

Because of the change in function, it is possible that the Chaos Orb is more expensive than Exalted Orbs in PoE 2!

Divine Orb

While the change to Chaos Orbs in PoE 2 is massive, the good news is that the Divine Orb has retained its function. This still rerolls the numerical values of the modifiers that are already on an item similar to what it does in Path of Exile 1.

If you are new to this awesome ARPG, the numerical values on item modifiers are on a range based on their tier. The Divine Orb can only roll values on a particular range—no more, no less.

For example, you have a pair of boots that has a Tier 1 life modifier, which grants a bonus to maximum life ranging from +100 to +120 HP. That said, using the Divine Orb will only result in numbers anywhere between 100 to 120. This means that it cannot go to 95 or 121 because these are values that are not within the said range.

If you are saving your Divine Orbs, only use them on items that have the best modifiers for your character.

Vaal Orb

If you are one of those bold enough to be okay with wildly unpredictable outcomes, then this next PoE2 currency will make you happy.

The Vaal Orb is a well-known currency that can corrupt items and Waystones. Here are the possible things that can happen after using a Vaal Orb:

• Adds new implicit modifiers on gear
• Puts an additional socket to a piece of gear
• Can alter the magnitude of modifiers on unique items, for better or worse
• Turns a unique item into a rare item with random modifiers (aka “bricking”)
• Does nothing

One of the more interesting things that a Vaal Orb can do in Path of Exile 2 is to change the value of mods on a unique item. More specifically, the orb could either de-value the unique by decreasing its mods’ effect to 0.8x or make the item better by amplifying the modifiers’ bonuses to 1.2x.

Take the Cloak of Flame, for example. This body armor has a unique modifier that says “40% of Physical Damage as Fire Damage.” Using a Vaal Orb could potentially boost that effect to 48% if you are lucky!

Of course, that particular outcome is subject to RNG. To put it in another way, you have to be extremely lucky for that to happen. However, if you are successful, the resulting item can be sold for an exorbitant price on PoE Trade!

Essences

Essences in Path of Exile 2 enable you to craft gear with one guaranteed modifier depending on the type that was used. The Essence of Hate, when used on a pair of boots, guarantees a movement speed modifier, which helps you traverse areas more quickly.

How about body armor? Well, you can choose Essence of the Body. This puts a single life modifier on a piece of gear, thus improving your survivability.

Take note that Essences have different tiers that can only be utilized on items that have specific rarities. The “Normal” Essence upgrades a normal item into a magic item. The “Greater” Essence, on the other hand, transforms a magic item into a rare one.

Omens

Omens are also found in Path of Exile 2, though they now have vastly different effects compared to the ones in the original game. Back then, these things were only utilized to gain temporary buffs after leveling up or prevent a huge loss of EXP in the case of death. In PoE 2, Omens are now being used for meta-crafting.

The Omen of Sinistral Exaltation, for example, adds only prefix modifiers after spending an Exalted Orb. This is similar in function to the Eldritch Currencies in Path of Exile 1, specifically the Eldritch Exalted Orb when the Searing Exarch modifier is dominant.

Now, these currency items have to be in your inventory to enjoy their effect. One major change in the sequel, however, is that Omens now only activate when you right-click on them, thus alleviating the need to store the unused ones in your stash tabs.

Runes

When Path of Exile 2 Early Access was revealed, Rogers said that weapons and armor in the game can still have sockets, but they’re no longer used for socketing gems. Instead, they are meant for runes and soul cores, the latter of which will be explained shortly.

Runes, also known as “Ezomyte Runes,” provide additional effects that help address your build’s shortcomings. Do you need additional elemental damage? How about your resistance to cold damage? Is it sorted out? Well, Runes can resolve them!

Bear in mind that Runes that you have already inserted on your gear cannot be removed anymore. That is why you have to think twice before putting one in.

Soul Cores

Although Runes certainly have their uses, Soul Cores are better in terms of the benefits they provide. These things grant modifiers that you’d want on an endgame character in PoE2, such as additional Spirit, critical damage, and even Magic Find (MF)!

Soul Cores have to be inserted into equipment that contains sockets. On that note, it should be said that two-handed weapons and body armor can have two sockets, while the rest of your gear only has one.

Artificer’s Orb

In this Path of Exile 2 currency guide, we mentioned that some items can possess sockets that allow you to insert any Rune or Soul Core of your choosing. But, how exactly do you add sockets on gear in this game? That is possible with the help of the Artificer’s Orb.

The Artificer’s Orb is a new currency item in PoE 2 that can be obtained from salvaging items that have sockets on them. While Vaal Orbs can potentially add a socket to your gear, the problem is that you can no longer make further changes to the resulting item due to its “Corrupted” State. But, with the Artificer’s Orb, you can put sockets to your weapon or armor without them being corrupted.

Having said that, we suggest that you keep all of your unused items with sockets and use the Salvage Bench to turn them into Artificer’s Orbs.

Blacksmith’s Whetstone

We’d like to emphasize the importance of quality on items in this PoE 2 currency guide. For weapons, in particular, the higher their quality is, the more damage they can inflict upon the enemy.

To increase the quality of a weapon, you have to use Blacksmith’s Whetstones numerous times until you reach 20%. This currency can be acquired by salvaging weapons with quality using the Salvage Bench.

Armourer’s Scrap

If the Blacksmith’s Whetstone is utilized as a way to improve the quality of a weapon in Path of Exile 2, the Armourer’s Scrap does the same but only for different types of armor. Improving an armor’s quality bolsters its defensive layers considerably.

Jeweller’s Orb

If you have played PoE1 before, you know that the Jeweller’s Orb was primarily used for adding sockets to gear. However, the version that is in the sequel is vastly different compared to its predecessor. Why? It now puts an additional socket to a skill gem that already has at least three.

Aside from that, the Jeweller’s Orb now has different tiers. The “Perfect” Jeweller’s Orb, for example, adds a socket to a skill gem with four sockets on it.

Gemcutter’s Prism

If increasing the quality of weapons raises their damage output and improving the quality of armor enhances their defensive capabilities, what happens if you raise the quality of a skill gem? Good question! Although we can certainly provide the answers for you, it is best that you find them out yourself.

Raising the quality of a skill gem requires you to use the Gemcutter’s Prism. This particular currency is more valuable than ever since skill gems now always drop with zero quality.

If you are into PoE 2 currency farming, then we recommend that you farm plenty of Gemcutter’s Prisms and sell them for a huge profit in the Currency Exchange.

Orb of Fusing

Jonathan Rogers said that the Orb of Fusing still exists in the game but will have an entirely new purpose. In case you do not know, this PoE Currency was used to link the sockets on weapons and armor so that you can add more support gems to your skills, thus greatly enhancing their power.

However, because there is no longer a need to link sockets in Path of Exile 2, Rogers and his team decided to give the Orb of Fusing an entirely different functionality. As to what particular purpose it serves, that remains to be seen.

Rogers did provide a hint, though. He said that the Orb of Fusing is utilized to unlock some “late-game power.” This statement alone might lead to this specific currency becoming one of the more expensive ones on the market!

PoE Currencies That Are Not Present in the Game

As we have mentioned earlier in this Path of Exile 2 currency guide, GGG spent quite a lot of time making things simpler for veterans and beginners alike. This has resulted in the removal of a number of currency items from the previous game.

If you are interested in knowing which ones did not make the cut, here are the currencies that existed in PoE 1 but were ultimately removed in Path of Exile 2:

Why Was Orb of Scouring Removed?

This is probably the biggest change that GGG has made in Path of Exile 2. The Orb of Scouring not being present in the sequel is a huge blow to the crafting community.

For those who do not know, the Orb of Scouring allowed players to remove all of the modifiers on crafted gear. Think of this as a way to “reset” the crafting project and start all over again.

While that may sound dire, removing all of the undesired modifiers on items in one fell swoop actually saved people from spending a ton of money. This is the reason why the Orb of Scouring was so invaluable.

Now, if it was really that useful, why did GGG decide not to include it in PoE2? Again, it is mainly to simplify the crafting process for everyone. Unfortunately, we think that it led to oversimplification, which forces you to think about crafting in another way.

Instead of using an item like Orb of Scouring to remove unwanted modifiers on gear, you now have to farm item base types religiously. Why is that, you ask? If you tried to craft a two-handed sword and you failed to get the modifiers that you want, then you need to replace that with a completely new two-handed sword and start over.

GGG may backtrack on this decision and bring back Orb of Scouring at some point, but that may require a huge public outcry for it to happen.

Other PoE Currencies That Are Not Available in the Sequel

• Orb of Alteration
• Chromatic Orb
• Eldritch Currencies
• Harvest Lifeforce
• Fracturing Orb
• Orb of Regret
• Orb of Dominance
• Awakener’s Orb
• Enkindling Orb
• Orb of Unmaking
• Sacred Orb
• Orb of Horizons
• Harbinger’s Orb
• Scarabs
• HInekora’s Lock

Final Thoughts

There are still a bunch of currency items in Path of Exile 2 even though GGG has made it a mission to simplify things. Having played the original game, we feel that the company managed to do a good job in making sure that certain things are easier to understand.

Although the removal of Orb of Scouring is a bit rough, crafting items in the sequel has become relatively easy now that the various crafting currencies, such as Orb of Transmutation, Orb of Augmentation, Regal Orb, and Exalted Orb, are more accessible than ever before.

Metamods, which used to be available only from the Crafting Bench, can now be found in the adjusted Omens. It will be interesting to see what amazing endgame items the community can cook up now that PoE 2 Early Access is upon us!

With that said, we hope that you have enjoyed our ultimate currency guide. If you like to read more Path of Exile 2 guides, don’t forget to visit our main page!