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Almost every item you find inPath of Exile 2can be upgraded in some way or another. The only notable exceptions are unique items, which cannot be altered in any way. Pretty much everything else is fair game provided you have the right upgrade materials on hand. If you do, you can improve an item’s stats or rarity and add various Runes to it to make it stronger, among other things.
How to Unlock Equipment in Path of Exile 2
There’s so much loot in the world of Path of Exile II, sometimes you just don’t know what to do with it.
Runes can only be engraved into items that have empty sockets. Some of the weapons and armor you’ll find in your travels come with one or two empty sockets right off the bat, but most of them won’t have any. This doesn’t mean the item can’t hold any Runes. It just means that you’ll need to add the sockets yourself. Keep reading to find out how.
How to Add Sockets to Items
The only way you can add a socket to a weapon or piece of armor is by using anArtificer’s Orb. Simply select the Orb and it will automatically highlight every compatible item in your inventory or stash. You’ll notice right away thatonly certain items can hold sockets. If you’re playing a magic-based build, you’re automatically out of luck because the Artificer’s Orb doesn’t work on staves, wands, and scepters. Accessories like rings and amulets cannot be socketed either. This is very much intentional, but it’s unclear whether this is a permanent design choice or a temporary one that will change in the future as development continues.
Most compatible items can only have one socket, but chest armor and two-handed weapons can hold up to two of them. It’s possible to add an extra socket using aVaal Orb, however,doing so will corrupt the item in the process. Corrupt items cannot be modified further, so make sure the item already has the maximum number of Runes equipped before you decide to apply an additional socket.
Runes cannot be removed or replaced once they’ve been inserted into a socket.
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How to Get Artificer’s Orbs
Artificer’s Orbs can be obtained via the salvaging mechanic. Go to the Salvage Bench and destroy items in exchange for Artificer’s Shards.Once you have 10 of these shards, they will automatically combine to create an Artificer’s Orb.Each Orb is a single-use item, so you essentially need to destroy 10 items in order to add a socket to one of your weapons or pieces of armor. Like most other things in Path of Exile 2, Artificer’s Orbs can sometimes also be obtained as drops or quest rewards.
It’s important to mention thatonly certain items can be salvaged. Namely, items that either have sockets (empty or otherwise) and items with the Quality trait. You can hover over an item to check for both or just visit the Salvage Bench and let it highlight all compatible items for you. You should think carefully before salvaging an item because many of them can be disenchanted instead. Likewise, certain items are better off being sold, traded or transferred to your other characters.
Path of Exile II
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This is your cheat sheet for surviving countless challenges in Path of Exile 2.
