Path of Exile 2: All Crafting Changes in 0.3.0 (The Third Edict)

Path of Exile 2 continues to evolve with each League, and the upcoming update 0.3.0 - The Third Edict brings some of the most significant changes to crafting the franchise has seen. Grinding Gear Games is shifting crafting from being a niche late-game pursuit to a more reliable and engaging system throughout the entire campaign.

From new crafting currencies that make early-game item creation more deterministic to endgame upgrades like Perfect Orbs and Sanctified items, the patch completely reshapes how players will interact with their gear. Instead of endlessly sifting through ground loot, Path of Exile 2 now gives you more tools to craft powerful weapons and armor on demand.

In this article, we'll break down every crafting change coming in Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict.

Desecrated Modifiers and Abyssal Socketables

The new Abyss mechanic introduces fresh crafting layers tied to bone-based currencies and hidden modifiers.

·Abyssal Bones can be applied to a Rare item to insert a Desecrated modifier. The modifier is hidden until you take the item to the Well of Souls (available in Act 2). There, you can reveal the modifier by choosing one of three outcomes.

·If you're unhappy with the result, you can use an Omen of Abyssal Echoes to reroll the selection.

·These bones also apply to Waystones, making them even more customizable.

In addition, entering Dark Domains through Abyssal Pits can drop high-rarity Abyssal Socketables, offering unique bonuses depending on which gear slot they're placed in. Examples include:

·On Gloves: Critical Hit chance is Lucky against Parried enemies.

·On Body Armour: Prevent 3% more of Deflected damage (boosting the new Deflection mechanic's cap).

·On Helmets: Gain +1 Accuracy Rating for each point of Evasion Rating on the Helmet.

This system blends deterministic crafting with chase uniques, rewarding players who engage with Abyss content.

Essence Changes and Perfect Essences

Essences are undergoing a major overhaul in patch 0.3.0.

·Even basic Essences found early in the campaign now act as a deterministic version of Regal Orbs. Instead of adding a random Rare affix, they clearly display which modifier they will grant before use.

·This ensures Essences are worth using as you level, rather than hoarding them for later.

In addition, Perfect Essences are being introduced:

·Perfect Essences function like an upgraded Chaos Orb. They remove one random affix from a Rare item and replace it with a specific, predetermined affix.

·The affixes from Perfect Essences are much stronger than normal mods, often scaling with percentage-based bonuses (like % increased damage) rather than flat numbers.

This pushes Essences closer to being everyday crafting tools, similar to item modification systems in other ARPGs like Last Epoch.

Endgame Crafting Currencies: Greater and Perfect Variants

As players transition into mapping, crafting gains new endgame-tier currency variants.

·Greater Orbs and Perfect Orbs replace regular crafting Path of Exile 2 Currency drops at higher levels.

·These enhanced currencies guarantee a minimum modifier level on crafted affixes.

For example:

·Greater Orbs of Augmentation/Transmutation: Minimum modifier level of 55.

·Perfect Orbs of Augmentation/Transmutation: Minimum modifier level of 70.

This scaling applies to a wide range of orbs-including Regal Orbs, Chaos Orbs, and Exalted Orbs.

The goal is clear: rather than chasing ultra-rare drops, crafting should become a consistent path to competitive endgame gear.

Exceptional Item Bases

White item bases are also receiving an upgrade in the form of Exceptional variants.

Exceptional items can roll with special bonuses right out of the gate:

·They may drop with higher inherent Quality, up to +30%.

·They can roll with one additional item Socket beyond the usual limit.

This bonus even applies to what you're buying Path of Exile 2 items, meaning your favorite uniques can show up with extra sockets or superior quality. Combined with corruption or crafting outcomes, Exceptional bases create a chase layer for min-maxers.

New Omens for Crafting

Omens return in The Third Edict with new ways to influence crafting outcomes. A few highlights include:

1. Omen of the Ancients: Guarantees that the next Orb of Chance will successfully upgrade an item to Unique.

2. Omen of Sanctification: Upgrades the next Divine Orb use into a Sanctification process, permanently transforming the item into a Sanctified state.

·Sanctified items cannot be crafted further.

·During Sanctification, all affix values reroll, but then receive an additional 80%-120% multiplier.

·A perfect Sanctified roll can make an item up to 20% stronger than normal.

3. Omen of Chaotic Monsters: Using a Chaos Orb on a Waystone replaces all affixes with monster pack size-related modifiers.

These Omens expand crafting into more specialized and risky territory, offering players long-term goals and high-stakes gambles.

Hinekora's Lock - Predict Crafting Outcomes

One of the most exciting new crafting currencies in patch 0.3.0 is Hinekora's Lock.

·Drops from Act 4 onwards.

·When applied to an item, it imbues it with Hinekora's foresight.

·Afterward, any crafting currency you apply will show the exact predicted outcome before finalizing the craft.

This introduces true deterministic crafting to Path of Exile 2, allowing you to make informed decisions instead of blind gambles. It's expected to be highly sought after in both trade and solo play.

Recombinator Changes

Recombinators are being reworked with a new toggle: Unpredictable Recommendation mode.

·When enabled, you are guaranteed that your item won't be destroyed in the Recombination process.

·The tradeoff: you lose control over which modifiers are chosen for the resulting item.

This makes Recombinators less risky for players who hate item destruction, while still preserving the gambling nature of modifier merging.

What These Changes Mean for Path of Exile 2 Crafting

The Third Edict is a paradigm shift for crafting in Path of Exile 2. Here are the biggest takeaways:

1. Crafting Becomes Core Progression

·With Essences and lower-tier orbs made more useful, players are encouraged to craft gear constantly instead of waiting for rare drops.

2. Deterministic Options Reduce RNG Pain

·Perfect Essences and Hinekora's Lock add predictability and control to a historically random system.

3. Endgame Crafting is Competitive with Loot Drops

·Greater and Perfect Orbs give crafting a clear role in high-level play, making it possible to build top-tier gear without pure drop luck.

4. New Chase Items Add Depth

·Exceptional bases, Sanctified items, and Abyssal Socketables add layers of progression for hardcore players chasing perfect rolls.

5. Omens and Recombinators Encourage Experimentation

·The new Omen system and Recombinator rework offer high-risk, high-reward mechanics for adventurous crafters.

Final Thoughts

Crafting in Path of Exile 2 has always been powerful but often intimidating. With patch 0.3.0 - The Third Edict, GGG is streamlining and expanding the system to make it both accessible for newcomers and deep enough for veterans.

·Early-game crafting with Essences now feels smooth and rewarding.

·Endgame players get new deterministic tools like Hinekora's Lock and Perfect Essences.

·Chase items like Exceptional bases and Sanctified gear add long-term goals for those pushing the boundaries.

Whether you're a casual player looking to smooth out campaign gear or a hardcore crafter chasing mirror-tier perfection, The Third Edict update ensures that crafting is finally a main pillar of progression in Path of Exile 2.