In Path of Exile 2 (POE 2), managing gear is a core aspect of gameplay. As you progress through the game, you’ll often find yourself collecting unwanted Magic, Rare, or quality-enhanced items. Rather than selling these items directly or letting them clutter your inventory, POE 2 offers two powerful systems to POE 2 Currency recycle your gear into valuable resources: Disenchanting and Salvaging.

Disenchanting: Turning Unwanted Gear into Currency Shards

Disenchanting is a method to break down Magic or Rare items, transforming them into valuable currency shards. Magic items have a single modifier, while Rare items have multiple, so disenchanted items will yield a proportional amount of shards based on their rarity. This process is particularly helpful for players who want to make the most of their unwanted items without resorting to the traditional vendor method.

To disenchant an item, you will need to use the Disenchanting Bench at your hideout or through a crafting station. When you apply the disenchanting process to a Magic or Rare item, it will dismantle the item’s mods, returning currency shards that can be used for crafting or traded with other players. This is especially valuable for endgame players who accumulate a lot of loot that doesn't fit their build, allowing them to recycle items they don’t need into resources they can use.

Salvaging: Breaking Down Quality-Enhanced Gear for Crafting Resources

On the other hand, Salvaging focuses on items that have quality enhancements, modifiers, or sockets—gear that may have specific crafting potential but doesn't fit your build. The Salvage Bench is used for dismantling these quality-enhanced items to extract valuable crafting resources. These materials can be used for crafting or upgrading your gear, making salvaging an essential step in the crafting process.

When you salvage an item, you break it down into resources like Orb of Alchemy, Essences, Fossils, or even Jeweller’s Orbs. Salvaging is particularly beneficial for high-quality or rare gear that may not be suitable for your current build but can still provide valuable components for future crafting. Whether it's a rare chest with sockets you don't need, or a weapon with modifiers that don’t suit your playstyle, salvaging allows you to get the most out of these items by recycling them into crafting materials.

Why You Should Disenchant and Salvage First

The key to efficient inventory management in Path of Exile 2 is always to disenchant or salvage your gear first, before selling it. This strategy helps ensure that you’re maximizing the value of every item you pick up. The resources obtained from disenchanting and salvaging are critical for crafting and upgrading your gear, and in many cases, they can be far more valuable than the base item itself.

Only sell items that cannot be disenchanted or salvaged. These are typically low-value or low-quality items that don’t offer any crafting potential. By focusing on disenchanting and salvaging, you ensure that you have a constant supply of useful crafting materials, which can significantly improve your progression in the game.

Conclusion

Disenchanting and Salvaging in Path of Exile 2 provide valuable ways to recycle unwanted or unused gear into useful crafting materials. Whether you’re breaking down Magic or Rare items for currency shards through disenchanting, or dismantling quality-enhanced gear for crafting resources through salvaging, both systems help streamline the process of building and refining your character. Always prioritize disenchanting or salvaging your gear to maximize the potential of every item, and only sell what cannot be recycled. This approach will not only keep your inventory organized but also boost your crafting resources, enabling you to buy POE 2 Exalted Orbs create better gear and tackle even tougher challenges in Path of Exile 2.