Mastering the Art of Crafting with Artificer's Orbs in PoE

[Jerry]

What Are Artificer's Orbs and Why Are They Important?
Artificer's Orbs “poke holes” into your equipment by adding additional rune sockets. These sockets are crucial because runes and soul cores provide a wide range of enhancements, such as increased damage, resistances, or other utility effects. The more sockets your gear has, the more runes you can equip, which directly translates to stronger and more versatile builds. This makes Artificer's Orbs valuable throughout your entire *Path of Exile 2* journey, from early game progression to challenging endgame content.

How to Obtain Artificer's Orbs
There are two primary ways to acquire Artificer's Orbs:

1. Salvaging Socketed Gear:
The most reliable method is to salvage gear that already has sockets using the Salvage Bench, which you unlock early in Act One by completing the “Finding the Forge” side quest. Salvaging socketed items yields Artificer's Shards, and collecting 10 shards allows you to craft one Artificer's Orb. To maximize shard collection, focus on gathering gear with multiple sockets—these often drop from unique enemies, bosses, or special map locations. Revisiting cleared areas and creating new instances to farm socketed gear repeatedly can boost your shard supply.

2. Random Drops:
Artificer's Orbs can also drop randomly from enemies, chests, and destructible objects, though this is less consistent. Targeting unique enemies and bosses or exploring special points of interest on the map increases your chances of finding them. In some cases, these orbs are found while farming cheap poe 2 currency sources in high-traffic zones.

How to Use Artificer's Orbs Effectively
Using an Artificer's Orb is straightforward: right-click the orb in your inventory, then left-click the weapon or armor piece you want to enhance. Each orb adds one rune socket, up to the item’s maximum allowed sockets—typically two for two-handed weapons and body armor, and one for other equipment types. This socket addition expands your ability to customize your gear with runes, enabling powerful synergies and build enhancements.

Because sockets are a fundamental part of the new rune system in PoE 2, strategically using Artificer's Orbs on high-quality or build-defining gear is crucial. Early in the game, increasing sockets on your main weapons and armor can significantly boost your effectiveness. In the late game, maintaining and upgrading sockets on your best gear ensures your character remains competitive against tougher challenges.

Tips for Maximizing Artificer's Orb Usage

* Prioritize salvaging items with multiple sockets to efficiently gather Artificer's Shards.
* Use orbs on gear pieces that will have the most impact on your build, such as your main weapon or body armor.
* Remember that some gear types, like amulets, belts, and rings, do not support rune sockets, so focus your orbs on martial weapons and armor.
* Combine socket additions with the right runes or soul cores to tailor your character’s strengths, whether it’s boosting elemental damage, resistances, or survivability.

Mastering Artificer's Orbs is about understanding their role in expanding your gear’s rune sockets and how that translates into build customization and power. Whether you're just starting out or swimming in poe 2 currency for sale late in the game, the strategic use of these orbs is a cornerstone of character optimization in Path of Exile 2.