Crafting Pathways: Augment + Alteration Chains to Save on Alchemy Spam
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The crafting pathway combining Orbs of Augmentation and Orbs of Alteration is an effective method to save on Alchemy (or Alchemical) Orbs spam in Path of Exile 2 by focusing on stepwise, controlled affix additions on magic (blue) items before upgrading them to rare poe 2 currency.
Start with a White (Normal) Base
Use an Orb of Transmutation to convert the normal item into a magic item that gains exactly one random affix—either a prefix or a suffix.Add a Precise Second Affix with Orb of Augmentation
Apply an Orb of Augmentation to the magic item that has one affix. This adds the second affix in the complementary slot (if you have a prefix, the Orb of Augmentation will add a suffix, and vice versa). The result is a two-stat magic item with both affix slots filled.Use Orbs of Alteration to Reroll Both Affixes
Craft with Orbs of Alteration by rerolling the two affixes on your magic item repeatedly. This allows you to seek a desirable combination of stats without risking losing the second affix you already have, since the item remains magic and the affix slots stay stable. Because you are upgrading a magic item and not a rare, you avoid wasting more expensive Alchemy Orbs at this stage cheap poe 2 currency.Stop When Satisfied and Upgrade to Rare
Once you land on a good pair of affixes through alteration rerolls, you can then use a Regal Orb to upgrade the magic item to rare, adding a third affix slot. This stepwise approach ensures that you spend expensive crafting currencies like Alchemy orbs only when you already have a strong base—reducing waste.Benefits of This Method:
Cost Efficiency: Using augments and alterations reduces the need for Alchemy Orbs (or PoE 2’s equivalent) which add multiple affixes at once but can waste potential if rolls are poor.
Greater Control: You can control the crafting process more predictively by adding affixes one at a time and rerolling only two mods rather than starting with fully randomized rare items.
Better Early-to-Mid Game Gear: This method allows you to craft effective magic items suitable for leveling and early gear progression without the risk or cost associated with rare items early on.
Vendor and Recipe Friendly: Two-affix magic items crafted this way can often be used in vendor recipes or further crafting benches efficiently.
Typical Crafting Flow Example:
White Base → Orb of Transmutation (1 affix) → Orb of Augmentation (2 affixes) → Orb of Alteration (reroll mods until good) → Regal Orb (upgrade to rare with 3 affixes)
This Augment + Alteration chain is a common, resource-saving practice in Path of Exile 2’s crafting economy to maximize value from your currency and minimize wasteful Alchemy spam while still aiming for quality gear upgrades.
Instead of blindly applying Alchemy Orbs to normal items—which can waste currency and yield unsatisfactory rolls—use Transmute → Augment → Alteration rerolls to precisely craft two-affix magic items before upgrading, saving costs and improving crafting outcomes significantly.