Crafting in Path of Exile 2 is a confusing and extremely complicated affair that can be overwhelming for new players. Veterans of the first Path of Exile often have existing knowledge to fall back on, but that’s not the case for the newcomers.
Recombination is a crafting mechanic that allows players to combine the desired modifiers from two items into one. The exact rules of how it works are explained below.
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What is Recombination in PoE 2
Recombination is an Expedition crafting mechanic in PoE 2 that allows players to mix and match stats from two different items into a single item. Only Magic and Rare items of the same type can be combined via this method; Uniques are invalid targets. If the two items are of different base types (like an Expert Quarterstaff and an Advanced Quarterstaff), the recombined item’s base type will be chosen at random, which will also decide which Implicit this item gets.
Recombination is an Expedition mechanic and, as such, requires Artifacts obtained through Expedition maps as Currency. Every attempt costs between 10-25 Artifacts, depending on the rarity and strength of the items.
How to Recombine Items in PoE 2
In PoE 2, recombination can be done at a Recombinator.
- Place both items in a Recombinator.
- Select the desired modifiers from each item through the context menu (at least one from each item). The recombination cost and the percentage chance of success will be displayed at the bottom.
- Once satisfied, hit Recombine.
Regardless of whether a recombination succeeds or fails, both of the original items are destroyed.
The success rate of recombination depends on the rarity of modifiers and the number of modifiers selected. The rarer a modifier is, the less likely it is that the recombination will succeed. Similarly, the more modifiers you choose, the less likely it is that the recombination will succeed.
Trying to recombine two items of different types will not work. This means you cannot combine a Bow and a Quarterstaff together, even though there is often overlap between the two in terms of modifiers. However, you can combine an Emerald Ring and an Unset Ring because both of these items are of the same type: Ring, even though their base types are different.
Should You Use Recombination in PoE 2
Yes, you should, but in moderation. Every recombination attempt costs Artifacts, and if you are combining every item you pick off the ground, this cost will quickly bankrupt you if you’re not exclusively running Expedition content in the endgame. Buying Artifacts through the Currency Exchange should only be a consideration if you have two really, really high-value bases to combine. Otherwise, you’re better off simply using Chaos Orbs.
Recombination can allow you to obtain some absolutely insane items. However, it is almost always a bad idea to combine two high-value Rare items in pursuit of a combination of the two. A much more reliable method is to combine a Magic Item with the exact modifier you want with a Rare that’s only lacking in that one department. This has a relatively high chance of success, and you will only lose one valuable item in the process if the attempt fails.
