Path of Exile 2 (PoE2), the much-anticipated sequel to the popular action RPG Path of Exile, introduces a fresh experience while maintaining the intricate and rewarding systems that have made the original game so beloved by fans. One of the core aspects of PoE2—as in its predecessor—is the currency system, which plays a crucial role in trading, upgrading gear, and crafting your way to success in the game.

While PoE2 is packed with a wealth of new content, the currency system is one area that remains pivotal to a player's progression. Whether you're a veteran or new to the PoE series, understanding how currency works is key to optimizing your build, crafting, and overall game experience.

In this comprehensive currency guide, we'll break down the various types of currency items you'll encounter in PoE2, how to earn them, and how to use them effectively for crafting, trading, and progression. If you want to take full advantage of the economy in PoE2, this guide will give you all the tools you need to become a master of currency.

What is Currency in Path of Exile 2?

In Path of Exile 2, currency is primarily used to craft, modify, and trade items. Unlike many other RPGs where currency is just a number on the screen, in PoE2, each currency item has a specific function. Currency is one of the most defining features of PoE's economy and progression system, and it provides a lot of depth in terms of crafting and trading.

POE 2 Currency can be broken down into basic currency (like orbs and scrolls) and rare or unique currency (such as divine orbs or exalted orbs), each serving specific purposes. Understanding how to use these currencies efficiently is crucial for your success in the game.

Types of Currency in PoE2:

1. Scrolls and Orbs

These are the most common and basic forms of currency in PoE2. They are used for modifying gear, crafting, or trading.

Chaos Orb: Chaos Orbs are one of the most important and widely used currencies in PoE2. They can be used to re-roll the modifiers on a rare item, turning it into a completely new version with random affixes. It's commonly used when trying to craft or reroll high-end gear.

Exalted Orb: A highly sought-after orb, the Exalted Orb can be used to add a random affix to a rare item. They are one of the more expensive forms of currency due to their ability to add powerful modifiers to items.

Divine Orb: This orb is used to reroll the numeric values of existing modifiers on an item, allowing you to fine-tune your gear. It's crucial for adjusting damage, life, or resistances on your high-end items.

Orb of Fusing: The Orb of Fusing is used to link sockets on your items. This is crucial for players who are creating powerful skill gems or support gem setups on their armor. You need linked sockets to maximize your gear's potential.

Orb of Regret: This item allows you to respec passive skill tree points. They are useful when you want to adjust your build without having to start over from scratch.

These orbs and scrolls form the core crafting tools in PoE2, allowing players to modify their gear and customize their builds. They're also essential in crafting the highest-quality items and improving your odds of getting the best results from high-tier maps or bosses.

2. Currency for Trade and Investment

Some currencies are not used for crafting directly but are instead used for poe2 trade or to boost your character's progression.

Orb of Alchemy: This orb is used to upgrade a normal item to a rare one, with random affixes. It's often used when crafting items or when transitioning low-tier gear to mid-tier items. The Orb of Alchemy is highly used early in the game when crafting rare items with decent affixes.

Orb of Scouring: The Orb of Scouring removes all modifiers from a rare item, effectively making it a normal item again. It's useful when you want to start fresh and re-craft an item but don't want to lose the base item itself.

Orb of the Jeweller: This currency is used to re-roll the number of sockets an item has. This is important for customizing armor, weapons, and accessories for specific gem setups.

Vaal Orb: The Vaal Orb is one of the more mysterious currency items in PoE2, as it has a chance to corrupt an item, adding potential risks and rewards. Vaal Orbs can create powerful affixes but also come with the risk of destroying an item permanently. These are mainly used on high-end gear.

These types of currencies are incredibly useful for the trade market, as they can modify the stats of an item in a way that increases its value, allowing players to either flip items for profit or use them to customize their own gear.

3. Essence and Fossils

Essences and Fossils are more specialized currencies used for crafting and altering specific properties of items.

Essences: These are items that you can use to add guaranteed affixes to an item. They are used to craft rare items with specific mods that can't be obtained through normal crafting means. For example, using an Essence of Rage can guarantee that a crafted item will have a mod that increases physical damage. Essences are an excellent tool for crafting specific build types.

Fossils: Fossils are used in Delve crafting and can be applied to an item in the Crafting Bench to alter the item's affixes based on the fossil's properties. For example, a Shuddering Fossil can help increase the chances of increased life mods or other defensive affixes. Fossils can provide higher odds for certain mods to appear on your gear, making them a crucial resource when crafting high-quality items.

Essences and Fossils are invaluable for players who want more control over the crafting process and want to specialize their items to suit specific build needs.

4. Currency for Endgame Progression

Cartographer's Chisel: This item improves the quality of maps, boosting their rewards and difficulty. Cartographer's Chisels are particularly valuable for high-level players who wish to farm higher-tier maps or engage with difficult endgame content.

Blessed Orb: This currency can be used to increase the quality of an item, improving its stats. It's essential for those who want to maximize the value of a high-tier item or ensure that their gear is as effective as possible for endgame content.

These currencies help players progress through endgame content like Uber Labyrinth, The Shaper, or The Elder, providing the extra resources and advantages needed to optimize powerful gear and encounter tougher bosses.

Earning Currency in PoE2

There are several ways to acquire currency in Path of Exile 2, and depending on your preferred playstyle, you can focus on different methods to earn wealth.

1. Farming and Grinding

The most straightforward way to earn currency in PoE2 is through farming and grinding. Killing monsters, clearing maps, and completing challenges all yield a steady amount of currency. While this can be slow, it's also the most rewarding method for consistent progression. You can farm bosses, high-tier maps, and league content for a chance at valuable drops like unique items or rare currency items.

2. Trading

As you accumulate items that you don't need, you can sell them on the trade market. For example, high-quality essences, fossils, and unique items are always in demand and can be traded for substantial amounts of currency. Trading is a fantastic way to earn a lot of wealth, especially if you're familiar with the market and know how to identify valuable items.

3. Delve, Heist, and Other League Mechanics

PoE2 continues to feature league-specific mechanics that can be highly profitable. For example, Delve allows players to explore underground mines, offering opportunities to farm rare fossils and currency items. Likewise, Heist mechanics allow players to steal items and earn currency by completing heists, which can then be traded or used for crafting.

Conclusion

The currency system in Path of Exile 2 is one of the most intricate and rewarding aspects of the game, providing players with a vast array of tools for crafting, trading, and progressing. Understanding the various types of currency and how they interact with different systems can give you a huge advantage as you explore the world of PoE2.

Whether you're farming for high-tier items, engaging in trade, or crafting your dream gear, currency is your key to success. By mastering the use of orbs, essences, fossils, and other crafting tools, you'll be able to build powerful items that enhance your playstyle and give you an edge in the game's tough challenges.