The 2026 Guide to Path of Exile 2 Currency: Stop Wasting Your Orbs
You are staring at an inventory full of colorful rocks, a weapon that hits like a wet noodle, and a global chat screaming about "Divines." Welcome to the economy of Path of Exile 2.
I have spent an unhealthy amount of time staring at item modifiers, and I can tell you that Path of Exile 2 does not hold your hand. It hands you a bag of dice and pushes you into a casino run by demons. As we head into 2026, the meta is settling, but the fundamentals remain brutal. You need to understand that "Currency" in this game is not gold. It is utility. Every orb you spend is an opportunity cost. Do you use it to upgrade your gear, or do you trade it to someone else who knows how to use it better than you? Let's break down exactly how to navigate this mess without bricking your build.
The Anatomy of an Item (Read This or Go Broke)
Before you touch a single crafting orb, you need to understand what you are looking at. An item is not a single object; it is a collection of slots waiting to be filled.
Rarity Matters
Normal (White): It has zero modifiers. It is a blank canvas.
Magic (Blue): It has up to 2 modifiers. Specifically, 1 Prefix and 1 Suffix.
Rare (Yellow): It has up to 6 modifiers. Specifically, 3 Prefixes and 3 Suffixes.
Unique (Orange): It does weird stuff and generally cannot be crafted on.
Prefixes vs. Suffixes This is where new players lose money. You cannot shove 6 damage mods onto a sword because the game enforces rules.
Prefixes: These are usually your "big number" stats. On weapons, this is Physical Damage or Elemental Damage. On armor, this is Life, Mana, and Evasion/Armour.
Suffixes: These are your utility stats. Resistances, Attributes (Strength/Dexterity), and Attack Speed live here.
You can check this in-game by holding Alt over an item to see the grey text breaking down the tiers and types. If you try to roll a Suffix on an item that already has 3 Suffixes, nothing will happen. You need to know what "space" is available on the item.
The Currency Tier List
I have categorized these not by rarity, but by what they actually do to your blood pressure.
The "I Am Poor" Starter Pack
These are common, and you should use them liberally while leveling.
Orb of Transmutation: Upgrades a White item to Blue. It adds 1 mod. Use this on flasks immediately.
Orb of Augmentation: Adds a mod to a Blue item. If your magic sword only has one stat, hit it with this to get a second one.
Orb of Alteration: Rerolls a Magic item. I know you want the perfect mod, but spamming these is a trap early on.
The Mid-Game Workhorses
Regal Orb: Upgrades a Blue item to Yellow (Rare) and adds 1 mod. This is the bridge between a good magic item and a potentially great rare item.
Orb of Alchemy: Upgrades a White item straight to Yellow (Rare) with 4 modifiers. This is your bread and butter for making maps rare or hoping for a lucky drop on a good weapon base.
Chaos Orb: Rerolls a Rare item completely. It removes a random mod and adds a new random one. It is technically a gamble, but the community uses it as the standard "dollar bill" for trading.
The High Roller Table
Exalted Orb: Adds a modifier to a Rare item. If you have a great item with an open slot (e.g., it only has 5 mods), you slam this and pray.
Divine Orb: Rerolls the numeric values of existing modifiers. It won't give you new stats, but it can turn a "+10 Life" roll into a "+100 Life" roll if the tier allows it. This is the "Gold Standard" for high-end trading.
Orb of Annulment: Removes a random modifier. This is for when you have a god-tier sword that rolled "+1 Mana" and you want to risk deleting it to save the item. It is 100% a gamble.
The "Do Not Touch" Zone
Mirror of Kalandra: It creates a duplicate of a non-unique item. It is the rarest item in the game. If you find one, do not use it. Sell it and buy literally whatever you want forever.
The New PoE 2 Mechanics: Sockets and Runes
PoE 2 changed how sockets work, and if you are playing like it is 2013, you are going to be confused.
Gem Sockets vs. Item Sockets
Jeweller's Orbs: These are now used on Skill Gems, not armor. They add support sockets to the gem itself.
Artificer's Orbs: These add sockets to your Gear (Armor/Weapons). You get these by salvaging socketed items.
Runes and Soul Cores Sockets on your gear are for Runes. These are guaranteed modifiers you can plug in.
Ezomyte Runes: These add specific enchantments depending on where you put them. A Glacial Rune in a weapon adds Cold Damage, but in armor, it adds Cold Resistance.
Soul Cores: These are the endgame versions found in the Trial of Chaos. They provide percentage-based stats or Spirit.
How to Craft Without Crying (A Step-by-Step Algorithm)
You want to make a good item? Stop closing your eyes and spamming Chaos Orbs. Follow the logic.
Step 1: Get the Right Base You need an item with the correct Item Level (ilvl). Higher ilvl means higher tier modifiers can roll. If you try to craft on a low-level sword, you will never see Tier 1 damage rolls.
Step 2: The Magic Phase Use an Orb of Transmutation to make it blue. Use Orbs of Alteration until you see a modifier you actually want (like "Increased Physical Damage"). If it only has one mod, use an Orb of Augmentation to add a second.
Step 3: The Rare Transition Once you have two great mods on a blue item, hit it with a Regal Orb. This makes it Rare and adds a third mod. If the third mod sucks, you have a choice: live with it, or try to Annul it off (risky).
Step 4: The Essence Shortcut Alternatively, ignore the above and use an Essence. Essences upgrade an item to Rare and guarantee one specific modifier. This is often the smartest way to craft because you remove one layer of RNG.
Step 5: The Finish If you have an open slot on a good Rare item, you can use the Crafting Bench (if available) or an Exalted Orb to fill the last spots.
A note on Trading
Sometimes the best way to craft is to let someone else do it. You can use the in-game trade site or the NPC Alva to swap currency. Gold is used for NPC trading and respecs, but player trading runs on Chaos and Divines.
The Bottom Line
Crafting in Path of Exile 2 is a money sink. It is designed to consume your resources. The smartest players know when to craft and when to just buy the item from someone who got lucky. But if you insist on pulling the lever on the slot machine, at least make sure you are using the right coin. Good luck, Exile. You are going to need it.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Captain Wayne – Vacation Desperation Review: The Best Boomer Shooter of the Year Costs 10€
Moonlighter 2 Early Access Review: The Best Shopkeeping Sim Just Got a Whole Lot Better
News Tower Review: It’s Like The Sims Meets Citizen Kane, and I’m Addicted
Northgard: Definitive Edition Just Dropped, And It’s Basically A Loot Piñata
Report: Creative Assembly Will Reveal A Sci-Fi ‘Total War’ At The Game Awards