Artificer's Orb: The Ultimate Guide for Crafting Rare Items

[Tyler]

How to Obtain Artificer’s Orbs
The primary way to acquire Artificer's Orbs is through salvaging socketed gear. By dismantling items that already have sockets at the Salvage Bench—unlocked early in Act One via the “Finding the Forge” quest—you obtain Artificer's Shards. Collecting 10 shards allows you to craft one Artificer's Orb. To maximize shard collection, focus on salvaging items with multiple sockets, as these yield more shards. Additionally, Artificer's Orbs can occasionally drop from enemies, chests, and destructible objects, though this method is less reliable. When targeting specific areas, players often combine this with other farming activities such as gathering cheap poe 2 currency efficiently.

Using Artificer’s Orbs Effectively
To use an Artificer's Orb, right-click it in your inventory and then left-click the item you want to enhance. The orb adds one socket to the item, provided it has not reached its maximum allowed sockets. For instance, two-handed weapons and body armor can receive up to two sockets, while other equipment like helmets, gloves, boots, one-handed weapons, and off-hands can receive one socket each. This socket addition is crucial because it expands the number of runes or soul cores you can equip, allowing for deeper customization and stronger character builds.

Popular Runes and Soul Cores
Once sockets are added, you can insert various runes or soul cores to tailor your gear’s bonuses. Some popular choices include:

Soul Core of Azcapa: Increases item rarity on armor and grants Spirit when socketed in martial weapons.
Soul Core of Tacati: Enhances chaos resistance when placed in armor.
Soul Core of Citaqualotl: Boosts elemental damage with attacks when socketed in martial weapons.
Soul Core of Jiquani: Helps increase life, addressing survivability concerns.
Iron Rune: Increases physical damage, benefiting many attack skills.
Elemental Runes (Desert, Storm, Glacial): Improve fire, lightning, or cold resistance respectively, helping to cover elemental weaknesses.

Strategic Tips for Crafting with Artificer’s Orbs

Prioritize using Artificer's Orbs on high-impact gear such as main weapons and body armor to maximize the benefit from additional sockets.
Salvage socketed gear frequently to maintain a steady supply of Artificer's Shards for crafting more orbs.
Experiment with different rune and soul core combinations to find synergies that best complement your build.
Remember that not all gear types support rune sockets—amulets, belts, and rings cannot be socketed with Artificer's Orbs.

Why Artificer’s Orbs Are Essential for Rare Item Crafting
In *Path of Exile 2*’s crafting system, adding sockets is a critical step in upgrading rare items. Without sufficient sockets, you cannot fully utilize the rune system that provides significant stat boosts and utility. Artificer's Orbs enable you to unlock these sockets, transforming a good rare item into a powerful, build-defining piece. This makes them indispensable for players aiming to maximize their gear’s potential and tackle challenging endgame content.

Whether you're salvaging for shards or combining upgrades with poe 2 currency for sale from trading hubs, Artificer's Orbs are a cornerstone of crafting rare items in Path of Exile 2. By efficiently gathering shards through salvaging, applying orbs to key weapons and armor, and strategically socketing runes or soul cores, you can greatly enhance your character’s power and customization options. Mastery of Artificer's Orbs not only improves your gear but also enriches your overall gameplay experience.