Crafting in Path of Exile 2 is an intricate art, one that offers numerous pathways to creating items that can dramatically boost your character's performance. Among the various item types available in the game, Talismans are a versatile and coveted choice for players who want to maximize their physical damage potential. While crafting a Talisman may seem intimidating at first, understanding the process and knowing the best strategies can significantly streamline the journey. This guide is designed to walk you through crafting a mid-tier Talisman, focusing on optimizing its physical damage potential.

1. Overview

Talismans in Path of Exile 2 serve as both powerful functional items and prestigious collectibles. With their capacity to enhance key stats, such as physical damage, attack speed, and other modifiers, Talismans are highly valued for builds that rely on weapon-based combat. Crafting a mid-tier Talisman involves selecting the right base, applying physical damage modifiers, and adding additional useful stats that will enhance your character's effectiveness.

In this guide, we'll dive into the crafting steps to make a Talisman that maximizes your physical damage output, boosts attack speed, and incorporates relevant modifiers to round out the item. By following these steps, you'll be able to craft a powerful Talisman that can significantly increase your DPS (damage per second).

2. What You'll Need

Before you dive into the crafting process, it's crucial to gather all the necessary materials and resources. Here's a list of what you'll need:

Base Talisman: The foundation of your craft. Choose a Talisman with a mod slot configuration that allows for physical damage modifiers and other beneficial affixes.

Currency: You'll need a variety of Orbs of Alteration, Exalted Orbs, and other POE 2 Currency to reroll and lock in desirable modifiers.

Crafting Bench Mods: Crafting benches are essential for adding specific mods to your Talisman. Focus on mods that boost physical damage, attack speed, and life or resistances.

Essences or Fossils: These can be used to influence the outcome of the craft. Fossils such as Pristine Fossils (for life mods) or Dense Fossils (for physical damage) can help steer the crafting process toward the desired result.

3. Talisman Craft Base

The first step is selecting a suitable base. A good Talisman base will have enough mod slots to incorporate all the necessary modifiers. While there are several types of Talismans available, for this guide, we will focus on one that works well for physical damage builds.

Step 1: #% Increased Physical Damage

Start by ensuring that your Talisman has a base mod that boosts physical damage. This mod is essential for maximizing the potential of any physical damage build. Use a Crafting Bench or a Fossil Modifier to guarantee that this mod appears on your item. This base mod will lay the groundwork for the damage output of the Talisman.

Additionally, the increased physical damage mod can scale well with other offensive stats, helping you get more out of each attack.

Step 2: Getting Flat Physical Damage

Once you have increased physical damage, the next step is to add flat physical damage modifiers. These modifiers are crucial because they scale directly with your weapon's damage and attack speed.

To roll flat physical damage, you can use an Essence of Anger to ensure a guaranteed result, or you can rely on Crafting Bench Mods if you have the right options available. The flat damage can vary based on weapon type, so ensure that the physical damage you roll fits the kind of weapon you plan to use, such as one-handed or two-handed weapons.

Step 3: Getting the Third Prefix

By this stage, you will have two key mods-physical damage and flat physical damage. Now, you need to secure a third prefix to round out the item. Useful third prefixes for a mid-tier Talisman could include:

+# to Maximum Life: This adds a defensive layer, helping you survive longer in combat while boosting your overall tankiness.

Additional Damage for Specific Attacks: Some Talismans can boost damage for certain weapon types or attacks, making this a great option for specific builds.

These additional prefixes will help solidify your Talisman's overall usefulness by improving both offensive and defensive stats.

Step 4.1: Getting +5 to Attack Skills

For mid-tier Talismans, adding +5 to Attack Skills is a valuable option. This mod will give your attack skills a significant boost, increasing their effectiveness. Attack skills are central to many physical damage builds, and having this mod can improve your DPS while also making it easier to use powerful attack abilities.

You can achieve this mod by using an Exalted Orb or by crafting it via a Crafting Bench if available. While this may be a costly step, it's well worth the investment if you're aiming for high-end performance in combat.

Step 4.2: Getting +5 More Cheaply

If you're looking to save on currency, there's an alternative method to achieve the same goal without spending too many resources. Use a cheaper option like a low-tier Essence or a specific Fossil that can help roll +5 to attack skills without breaking the bank. It may not be as reliable as using high-tier currency, but it's a viable approach for players on a tighter budget.

Step 5.1: Getting Attack Speed

The next important step is increasing Attack Speed. This modifier is critical for physical damage builds because it not only increases your DPS but also reduces the cooldown of your attack skills. Attack speed can be rolled using specific fossils (e.g., Hungry Fossil) or added via the crafting bench.

With attack speed, your character will hit faster, resulting in more damage over time and smoother combat flow.

Step 5.2: If You Went the Cheaper Route

If you opted for a more cost-effective approach earlier (such as using cheaper Essences for +5 to attack skills), you might have fewer resources left to add attack speed. In this case, keep your eyes open for additional attack speed mods during the crafting process.

Don't be afraid to use Orbs of Alteration or Essences to roll attack speed if you didn't secure it early on.

Step 6: Finishing the Craft

At this point, your Talisman should have all the essential offensive mods, such as increased physical damage, flat physical damage, attack speed, and possibly +5 to attack skills. It's time to finish the crafting process by adding any remaining suffixes that complement your build.

These might include:

Life Mods: Boosting your maximum life ensures your character can survive longer during combat.

Resistances: Adding resistances can make your character more versatile in various environments and scenarios.

Make sure to use the crafting bench to lock in these final mods, ensuring that your Talisman is complete and ready for use.

Conclusion

Crafting a mid-tier Talisman in Path of Exile 2 may seem like a challenging task at first, but with the right strategy, it can become a rewarding and highly beneficial endeavor. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can craft a Talisman that maximizes your physical damage potential, boosts your attack speed, and adds essential defensive stats to complement your build.

Whether you're crafting for your own use or aiming to sell the Talisman to other players, these tips will help you create a powerful item that can elevate your gameplay and increase your character's effectiveness in combat. Take the time to gather the right materials, carefully select your mods, and refine your item through the crafting process to ensure you get the most out of your Talisman.And if you're looking to further enhance your crafting capabilities or need more materials, consider to buy POE 2 Orbs to support your crafting journey.