Guide:Crafting

Crafting a helmet.

Crafting refers to creating or improving items with certain orbs and other currency by adding and removing modifiers. It requires a number of orbs and scrolls to do so.

Path of Exile's in-game currency is required for both crafting and trading items. Since most crafting techniques are costly and unpredictable, only the most succesful crafting attempts are cost-efficient. As a result it is often preferable to buy a desired item from another player instead of crafting it yourself. As a rule of thumb, advanced crafting for equipment, weapons and jewels should also be avoided until the player has access to high level items (with an item level of 80 or more) to make sure the highest tier of modifiers is available.

Despite its unpredictability and high initial capital requirement, succesful crafts can be very lucrative for the player(s) involved. There might be a buyer willing to pay more than the initial investment and allow you to make a profit. Owners of the crafted item can also set up a mirror service, through which other players use their Mirrors of Kalandra to make a copy of the crafted item. The owner of the crafted item is paid a fixed mirror fee everytime a player mirrors his item. This repeated income can be used to earn back the crafting investment.

Under some circumstances, an item with the desired combination of mods may simply not yet exist. In that case crafting it is the only way of obtaining it.

Crafting techniques

There are a number of crafting techniques that you can choose from. They differ in terms of the amount orbs required, aswell as the rarity of the base item and the item you're going to craft.

Basic crafting techniques

You have a few options to directly upgrade a white (normal) item to either a magic or rare item. They don't require very expensive currency, but don't have much customization possible either. One orb will usually do the job.

There are three ways to do this (taken from Invalesco's Crafting Guide)

• Use an Orb of TransmutationOrb of TransmutationStack Size: 40Upgrades a normal item to a magic itemRight click this item then left click a normal item to apply it. on a white item to upgrade it to a magic item.
• Use a Orb of ChanceOrb of ChanceStack Size: 20Upgrades a normal item to a random rarityRight click this item then left click a normal item to apply it. on a white item to get either a magic, rare or unique version of the item. The rarity is chosen completely randomly (although higher rarities are less likely).
• Use an Orb of AlchemyOrb of AlchemyStack Size: 20Upgrades a normal item to a rare itemRight click this item then left click a normal item to apply it.. This makes your white item rare.

These basic methods are inexpensive, but arbitrary.

Advanced crafting techniques

Instead of changing all the modifiers on an item at once, you can also add each one separately. This is a more reliable way of crafting and you can make sure that you add only desirable mods. This is however quite pricey and therefore you are recommended to only use these techniques to craft high-level gear. These methods are taken from Invalesco's crafting guide.

• Chaos OrbChaos OrbStack Size: 20Reforges a rare item with new random modifiersRight click this item then left click a rare item to apply it. crafting: after you have alched an item, you use chaos orbs until you get the desired mods. You can also use ScourOrb of ScouringStack Size: 30Removes all modifiers from an itemRight click this item then left click on a magic or rare item to apply it. + AlchOrb of AlchemyStack Size: 20Upgrades a normal item to a rare itemRight click this item then left click a normal item to apply it. to get the same effect. This method is not recommended for getting specific modifiers.

• The Systematic Alt/Regal/Exalt Method: an effective method to get the mods you want. It consists of a series of steps you follow.

1. Start with a white item (preferably with a high item level)
2. Use an Orb of TransmutationOrb of TransmutationStack Size: 40Upgrades a normal item to a magic itemRight click this item then left click a normal item to apply it.
3. Keep spamming Orbs of AlterationOrb of AlterationStack Size: 20Reforges a magic item with new random modifiersRight click this item then left click a magic item to apply it. until you get the two mods you want.
4. Use Regal OrbRegal OrbStack Size: 20Upgrades a magic item to a rare itemRight click this item then left click a magic item to apply it. Current modifiers are retained and a new one is added.. If you roll an unwanted mod, scourOrb of ScouringStack Size: 30Removes all modifiers from an itemRight click this item then left click on a magic or rare item to apply it. the item and start over at step one.
5. (Use Eternal OrbEternal OrbStack Size: 10Creates an imprint of an item for later restoration
   The imprint can't be applied to Fractured ItemsRight click this item then left click on an item to create an imprint. This imprint can later be used to restore this specific item to that imprinted state. to make an imprint of the item. Although it isn't essential to use an eternal at this step, it is the safest way to craft. If your exalts turn out bad, you have something to fall back on.)
6. Use three Exalted OrbsExalted OrbStack Size: 20Augments a rare item with a new random modifierRight click this item then left click a rare item to apply it. Rare items can have up to six random modifiers.. (If you roll an unwanted mod, restore the item with the Eternal Orb.)
7. If necessary, use a Divine OrbDivine OrbStack Size: 20Randomises the values of the random modifiers on an itemRight click this item then left click a magic, rare or unique item to apply it. or Blessed OrbBlessed OrbStack Size: 20Randomises the values of the implicit modifiers of an itemRight click this item then left click another item to apply it. to alter the mod values.
8. (Corruption, see below.)

Master crafting

Main page: Master crafting

Using crafting benches provided by the masters, it is possible to craft a specific modifier. These require a certain level of the corresponding master and have a price that needs to be paid at the time of the craft (depending on the mod). By default, every item is limited to one of these mods, but there are ways to bypass that limit.

+3 Level Weapon Crafting

The total cost of this craft will be 2-5× Exalted OrbExalted OrbStack Size: 20Augments a rare item with a new random modifierRight click this item then left click a rare item to apply it. Rare items can have up to six random modifiers. + change (alts/augs/regals/scours), so you get to save 1 ex and have the option to use it later if your other mods are ideal. Can be used for +3 bows for Poison arrow build / +3 staff for SRS build

1. alt/aug spam until +2 bows AND a suffix
2. regal hoping for a second suffix (if not scour and start again)
3. Cannot Roll Attack mods (1 ex)
4. Exalt for guaranteed +1 gems (1 ex)
5. Scour Cata mod and Leo mod for DOT (1 scour 5 alch)

Alternatively, take any iLVL 64 bow, preferably a cheap 6 link with MS or high APS.

1. Roll single stat +2 bow gems
2. Add Cannot roll attack mods (1 ex)
3. Regal (safe cause the only prefix that can roll is +1 Gems)
4. If you hit the +1 gem good
5. if not exalt
6. after you hit +1 gem remove the Cat Mod and add the Leo mod for DOT
7. if you want Reroll the Leo mod until 30%
8. Exalt out the remaining suffixes

video Demo

For a +3 6L staff

Take any iLVL 55 staff.

1. master mod a suffix, regal a prefix until you hit +2 fire (35 regals and scours on average)
2. remove the suffix so you are left with a single stat rare +2 Fire
3. Multi Mod (2 ex), No Cast (5× Blessed OrbBlessed OrbStack Size: 20Randomises the values of the implicit modifiers of an itemRight click this item then left click another item to apply it.), No Attack (1 ex), Flat mana (5/10 alts)
4. Exalt Paragons (As it is all that can be added)
5. Remove mods

Video demo 2

Corruption

Main page: Corrupted

Using a Vaal OrbVaal OrbStack Size: 20Corrupts an item, modifying it unpredictablyRight click this item then left click an item to corrupt it. Corrupted items cannot be modified again. it is possible to improve an item even more, but with the risk of losing important stats or links/sockets. After being corrupted, the item can't be modified anymore.

Vendor recipes

Some vendor recipes allow for a more controlled way of crafting items, like always adding a certain modifier to a white item. These kind of recipes are being added to the game at a fast pace, so in the long run, expect this to alter the way crafting is done.

For a list of vendor recipes pertaining to Crafting, see Vendor Recipes#Crafting.

Resources

There's currently a guide on Crafting by [1] Invalesco on the game forum. [2]

Velkor has also got a spreadsheet for item mods that may be a useful reference for those intending to do crafting. [3]