Guide:Crafting

Master crafting a helmet.

Crafting refers to creating or improving items with certain orbs and other currency by adding and removing modifiers. Sometimes masters are involved as well.

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.

Meta-crafting modifiers

The more advanced master crafting techniques mainly revolve around the interaction between meta-crafting mods and Orb of ScouringOrb of ScouringStack Size: 30Removes all modifiers from an itemRight click this item then left click on a magic or rare item to apply it.. Although the orb's description says it Removes all properties from an item, modifiers protected by meta-crafting mods will remain untouched. This way, players can remove unsuccesful crafts without losing all the other modifiers.

Using Elreon's meta-crafting mod to combine multiple other meta-crafting mods allows for even more control of the item. This way the player can often limit the pool of possible mods so that outcome of the craft is almost guaranteed.

This table shows the meta-crafting modifiers for each master:

Master	Modifier	Affix type	Cost
Catarina	Cannot roll Attack Mods	Suffix	1x 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.
Elreon	Can have multiple Crafted Mods	Suffix	2× 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.
Haku	Prefixes Cannot Be Changed	Suffix	2× 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.
Leo	Cannot roll Mods with Required Level above 28	Suffix	3x 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.
Tora	Suffixes Cannot Be Changed	Prefix	2× 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.
Vagan	Cannot roll Caster Mods	Suffix	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.

Keep in mind that this technique of crafting requires multiple 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. and several level 8 masters.

Suffix or Prefix Wipe

Crafting an amulet

After having rolled some desired affixes, one can utilize Tora's or Haku's meta-crafting mod to protect them while altering the item. In the example on the right, we're trying to improve a five affix amulet. We're pleased with the following modifiers:

• of Penetrating (critical strike chance)
• of Exile (chaos resistance)
• of Destruction (critical strike multiplier)

These are all suffixes. We don't care for the other modifiers. In this case, since there's still one affix slot available, we can craft Tora's meta-crafting mod (Suffixes Cannot Be Changed) to protect these mods and reroll the prefixes. We then scour the amulet, so only the suffixes remain. Note that Tora's mod is also a prefix, so it will be wiped in the process.

The player can then attempt to exalt prefixes again and repeat the process if the results aren't satisfactory. Be warned that this technique is only worthwile when trying to isolate two or three affixes. In the case of only one wanted affix, 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. on a white item to get the affix is generally a cheaper option. Keep in mind that Tora's and Haku's meta crafting mods cost two 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. each time they are are crafted.

Single Mod Magic Item

For some crafting techniques the player might need a magic item with one specific affix, but with the other affix slot still available. This can be done by crafting a master mod onto the item. It can be any mod, as long as it is not the same affix type as the wanted mod (e.g. if the wanted mod is a prefix, master craft a suffix). Then use a 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.. This may take many times, since the item needs to be scoured whenever an incorrect mod spawns. When the wanted mod spawns, remove the master crafted mod.

This magic item can be used as a base for further crafting using meta-crafting mods.

+3 Level Weapon Crafting

Using the masters' meta-crafting mods players can relatively cheaply create bows and staves with +3 to level of Socketed Bow Gems or +3 to level of Socketed Fire / Cold / Lightning Gems. In this example we'll craft a bow:

1. Start with the preferred base bow with an item level of at least 64.
2. Use 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. and Orbs of AugmentationOrb of AlterationStack Size: 20Reforges a magic item with new random modifiersRight click this item then left click a magic item to apply it. until the Sharpshooter's prefix (+2 to level) and a random suffix is rolled.
3. Use a 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. hoping for a second suffix. If not, scour the bow and start over.
4. Craft Catarina's meta-crafting mod Cannot Roll Attack Mods for the cost of one 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. .
5. Use an 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. for a guaranteed Fletcher's prefix (+1 to level).
6. Remove Catarina's meta-crafting mod.
7. The item can be finished to the player's liking. In case of a Poison Arrow build, a good idea might be to craft (15 to 30)% increased Damage over Time through Leo's crafting bench.

Alternative technique:

1. Choose the preferred base bow with an item level of at least 64.
2. Craft it into a single mod magic bow with the Sharpshooter's prefix (+2 to socketed Bow Gems) using the technique explained above.
3. Craft Catarina's Cannot roll Attack Mods meta-crafting mod.
4. Use a 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.. The Fletcher's prefix (+1 to socketed Bow Gems) is guaranteed to spawn.
5. Remove Catarina's meta-crafting mod.
6. Exalt or master craft the remaining affixes.

A slightly different technique is used when crafting a staff with +3 to level of Socketed Fire / Cold / Lightning Gems. In this example we craft a staff with +3 to Level of Socketed Fire Gems.

1. Choose the preferred base staff with an item level of at least 55.
2. Craft it into a single mod rare item with the Lava Caller's prefix (+2 to Socketed Fire Gems) using the technique explained above.
3. Craft Elreon's (Can have multiple Crafted Mods), Vagan's (Cannot roll Caster Mods) and Catarina's (Cannot roll Attack Mods) meta-crafting mods.
4. Master craft +x to Maximum Mana through Catarina's crafting bench.
5. Craft the Paragon's prefix (+1 to Socketed Gems) by using an 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..
6. Remove all master crafted mods.
7. Exalt or master craft the remaining affixes.

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.

External links

video Demo

Video demo 2

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]