Reforging Bench in Path of Exile 2 for Solo Self-Found Players

Path of Exile 2 is a game built on a complex and deep mechanics system, where every decision and action has a profound impact on your success. One such mechanic that has flown under the radar for many players, especially newcomers or those playing Solo Self-Found (SSF), is the Reforging Bench. This mechanic can be a game-changer, particularly when used correctly, and can provide immense value to players who are crafting gear and seeking specific affixes. However, many players misunderstand or misuse this mechanic right out of the gate, missing out on its potential.

What is the Reforging Bench?

The Reforging Bench is a crafting tool in Path of Exile 2 that allows players to combine three items of the same type and rarity to re-roll one of them into a new item. This process is particularly beneficial when crafting gear, as it allows for a chance to turn seemingly useless items into something much more useful, and it offers a way for SSF players to save valuable resources while still optimizing their gear.

However, many players simply throw three random items into the Reforging Bench, hoping for the best, without fully understanding how the mechanics work or the importance of certain factors. If used properly, this system can be incredibly powerful and can help you craft highly optimized gear or even acquire valuable POE 2 Currency.

The Importance of Item Level

One of the most common mistakes players make when using the Reforging Bench is failing to consider the item level. The item level determines which modifiers are available on the item you are crafting, and failing to account for this can severely limit your potential results.

For instance, consider this scenario: you're crafting a piece of armor with an item level of 82, but you're using other items in the process that have a lower item level, like level 81. The Reforging process will result in an item of the lowest item level of the items you're using. This means if you combine an item level 82 piece with two item level 81 pieces, the resulting reforge will always be item level 81, and therefore, will have access to lower-tier affixes.

Certain affixes (mods) are only available on items with specific item levels. For example, mods like increased armor or increased evasion on body armor can have much higher tiers available at item level 82 compared to item level 81. If you fail to use items of the right item level, you might end up with a piece of gear that’s much worse than what you could have gotten by carefully selecting items of a higher level.

The correct approach is to ensure that all items you’re using in the Reforging process have the same item level to maximize the chances of obtaining higher-tier affixes.

Rarity Matters: Expert, Advanced, and Normal

When reforging, players need to be mindful of the rarity of the items they are combining. The items need to be of the same rarity—whether that’s normal, advanced, or expert. If you use a mixture of rarities, the reforge will fail to work, so it’s critical to ensure that all the items you are crafting with have the same rarity level.

• Normal items are your basic, unmodified items.

• Advanced items have at least one modifier.

• Expert items typically have multiple modifiers and are often the preferred item to reforge when you're aiming for high-end gear.

The goal is to combine items of the same rarity to increase the chances of the reforge result being an improved version of what you put in. If you use items with a higher rarity, you increase the likelihood of rolling with more useful mods. If you use lower-tier items, you may get poor results, even if the affixes are rolled randomly.

Reforging Essences: A Valuable Opportunity

Another often overlooked aspect of the Reforging Bench is the ability to reforge Essences. Essences are crucial crafting materials in Path of Exile 2, used to add specific mods to items, but they can be hard to come by, especially in the early or middle stages of the game. The Reforging Bench offers a way to exchange essences you don’t need for those that are more useful.

For example, if you have several Essences of Body that you don’t need, you can use the Reforging Bench to exchange them for another type of Essence that you may find more valuable, like Greater Essences. This is especially useful if you're looking for specific high-tier affixes that are not readily available from the Essences you've gathered.

Additionally, for SSF players who struggle to find specific Essences in the game, the ability to reforge them is invaluable. You don’t have to waste currency on buying Essences from other players or the market; you can simply reforge your excess Essences into ones that you need for crafting.

Reforging Currency and Runes

While the Reforging Bench is commonly associated with item crafting and Essences, it also extends to other valuable in-game currencies and materials. For instance, you can reforge Distilled IR, Distilled Guilt, Distilled Greed, Distilled Paranoia, and Distilled Envy, gradually upgrading them into more potent versions. Similarly, you can reforge runic currencies like Rebirth Runes, which can be used for other crafting purposes in the game.

This is a fantastic way to make use of excess currency or runes you may have accumulated without a clear use. Rather than letting them pile up in your inventory, you can reforge them into something more useful, thereby optimizing your resources.

The ability to reforge runes is also particularly helpful if you need specific runes for crafting but don't want to farm them directly. By re-forging lower-tier runes into higher-tier ones, you can quickly accumulate the runes you need for crafting, saving you time and effort.

Reforging Weapons and Gear

The process of reforging isn’t just for crafting armor and essences—it also applies to weapons and other gear. Let’s take a crossbow as an example: if you are trying to craft a new crossbow with desirable mods, you’ll want to use other crossbows of the same item level and rarity to make sure the reforge result is useful. Just like with armor, the item level is crucial here—using low-level crossbows will result in a lower-level reforge, which may restrict your potential mods.

One of the benefits of reforging weapons is that you can get specific types of damage mods or even added elemental damage for your build. For example, if you're trying to craft a bow for elemental damage, combining bows with a higher item level will increase your chances of getting top-tier elemental mods.

The Final Takeaway: Experiment and Refine

The Reforging Bench is an incredibly versatile mechanic that offers players the chance to optimize their gear and crafting strategies, especially in Solo Self-Found play. However, to maximize its potential, players must be mindful of several key aspects:

1. Item level is crucial—ensure the items you combine have the same item level.

2. Rarity matters—use items of the same rarity for better results.

3. Essences and currency can be reforged for more valuable items/materials or buy Path of Exile 2 Currency.

4. Experimenting with different items, gear, and currencies can open up powerful crafting opportunities.

Ultimately, the Reforging Bench is a tool that can significantly improve your crafting experience in Path of Exile 2. While it may seem confusing at first, taking the time to understand its intricacies and experimenting with different combinations will make you a much more effective crafter, especially in SSF play where resource optimization is key.