Crafting Changes in PoE 2 0.3 The Third Edict

Crafting is getting a massive overhaul in PoE 2 The Third Edict, which should allow players more control over their itemisation and allow them to be more self-sufficient without relying on the Trade Site or random drops for their next upgrade

Crafting Update Overview

In Path of Exile 2 0.3, several new Crafting materials are now available, many old systems have been reworked, and some surprisingly power Currency items from Path of Exile 1 have made their way into PoE 2

• Essences have been reworked, and now guarantee specific modifiers: Full Essence Update Guide
• New tiers of existing Currency items have been added: Normal, Greater and Perfect Orbs of Transmutation, Augmentation, Regal Chaos and Exalted Orbs which guarantee mods of a higher tier
• 15 New Omens have been added, some extremely powerful, while some less-used ones have been removed
• Desecrated Modifiers: New Abyss-themed Crafting modifiers which allow you to apply and then choose 1 out of 3 random modifiers
• Hinekora's Lock has been added to the game, allowing players to peer into the future
• New Exceptional bases can now drop in endgame content, providing Quality up to 30%, or even additional sockets above the usual maximum

Each of these systems work in conjuction to provide options for both early item progression, as well as the pinnacle of late game crafting

Greater and Perfect Currency

In PoE 2 0.3, you'll now be able to find Normal, Greater and Perfect versions of Orbs of Transmutation, Augmentation, Regal, Chaos and Exalted Orbs. While the functionality of these Currency items remain the same, the increased tiers of them will guarantee higher tier mods, meaning you'll be unable to Exalt slam on a useless T9 modifier on a high-tier base when trying to perfect your endgame Weapon.

These new Orbs guarantee a Minimum Modifier Level which might sound confusing. Certain item modifiers can only appear on items with a certain item level. For example, Tier 4 Fire Damage on Crossbows can only appear on Crossbows with a tier of at least 51, and Tier 3 Physical Damage appears at item level 54, while tier 3 appears at ilvl 46 and below. Looking at the Currency items above which guarantee a Minimum Modifier Level of 50, this means that these crafting items can guarantee fairly high tier modifiers.

It also appears that Orbs of Transmutation and Augmentation add higher minimum mod levels than their Rare-Item-Crafting counterparts, with Greater adding modifiers with a minimum level of 55 and Perfect 70

Essence Rework

Essences have been reworked to instead guarantee specific modifiers instead of one with a specific Tag, but random tier. Previously, Essences felt hard to use because while they provided some control over guaranteeing a mod with a specific tag, players were often left with not only the wrong modifier (with the right tag), or the right modifier, but too low a tier to be deemed a success.

In PoE 2 0.3, there are now multiple tiers of Essences (Lesser, Normal, Greater) that function similar to Regal Orbs by converting a Magic item to a Rare with a specific guaranteed modifier, and also Perfect Essences that function similar to a Chaos Orb by removing a random modifier, then adding a specific powerful one.

Knowing what you get makes Essences so much more useful, not only in the early game, but well into the endgame

We have a full guide on the Essence rework which you can read here: Essence Update in PoE 0.3

Desecrated Modifiers

Along with PoE 2 The Third Edict, a new mechanic is being added: Rise of the Abyssal. This introduces several new campaign and endgame challenges, bosses and pinnacle content, but also some new crafting mechanics

As you complete Abysses, you'll occasionally find ancient bones that can be applied to items to Desecrate them and add a Desecrated modifier. Desecrated modifiers will remain hidden until you take the item to the Well of Souls in Act 2 to reveal it, allowing players to choose one of three modifiers to improve their item

This allows players the agency to improve existing items without a risk of ruining the item. The Desecrated modifier options will be random, but most should be useful enough to provide players with an obvious upgrade to their character.

In the endgame, special Desecrated modifiers also exist that are unique to the Abyss mechanic, providing players with more power and creative options for creating their next build

Omen Updates

Along with the other crafting changes, a series of new Omens are being added to the game. Omens are found in Rituals and affect the way Currency items are applied to items. Although we haven't seen all of the new Omens, we were given a glimpse into some of the new powerful ones being added in PoE 0.3

Omen of the Ancients

The Omen of the Ancients will guarantee that your next Orb of Chance upgrades the item you apply it to into a Unique item. This could mean that you could guarantee certain Unique items if that item base type has only one possible outcome

Omen of Sanctification

The Omen of Sanctification is one of the most powerful and exciting high-end crafting Omens being added in The Third Edict. Sanctifying an item will cause its modifiers to roll at values of between 80-120%, but then add the Sanctified tag to the item, preventing it from being crafted on further. This could mean that a once perfect item could become 20% more perfect by rolling the modifier values above what is normally possible. Because of its power, it is presumed that this Omen will be extremely rare and valuable

And this is only 2 of the 15 new Omens that are being added. Let's hope the rest are this good

Removed Omens

Several unused Omens have been removed in Path of Exile 2 patch 0.3

• Omen of Greater Annulment
• Dextral Alchemy
• Sinistral Alchemy
• Dextral Coronation
• Sinistral Coronation

Rest in peace, you will not be missed

Hinekora's Lock

One of the most powerful items in all of Path of Exile is the Hinekora's Lock, and it is being added to in the next patch of PoE 2. Hinekora's Locks allow players to see the outcome of the next Currency item they would apply to it without having to apply it, allowing them massive control over the crafting process. However, Hinekora's Locks are likely to be incredibly rare, meaning they'll be reserved for the top end of crafting.

For example, a player might have an item with 5 great modifiers, and 1 bad one. It would be a risk to use an Orb of Annulment or Chaos Orb, as these could remove one of the good modifiers and leave the bad one. However, with a Hinekora's Lock, a player can apply it to them item, click the Annul/Chaos and hover over the item to see what would happen to it if they applied it. If they are unhappy with the outcome, they can clear the Hinekora's Lock with another Currency item that doesn't ruin the item (something like a Divine Orb), and then check with a new Hinekora's Lock

Exceptional Bases

And if all of that wasn't enough, you'll now also be able to find Exceptional Bases in Path of Exile 2. Exceptional Bases are items that can roll with:

• Quality above 20%, up to 30%
• Additional Sockets above the usual maximum

These bases should provide options for players looking to squeeze every last drop of power out of their characters and push them to the limit. Oh, and Unique items can roll as Exceptional bases too

All of these crafting changes in PoE 2 0.3 should make players feel more self-sufficient and less reliant on the Trade Site. Let's hope that future patches keep up the improvements and updates to one of the most important systems Path of Exile 2 has to offer!

• PoE 2 0.3 Essence Update
• PoE 2 Auction House
• PoE 2 Act 4 Overview