Path of Exile 2's Expedition crafting stands out as adeterministic system that empowers players to shape their gear with far more control than traditional RNG-reliant methods. Unlike gambling with orbs, this mechanic lets you incrementally upgrade items through NPC interactions, using unique artifacts as POE 2 Currency.

Whether you're a beginner gearing up for mapping or an endgame player refining meta items, mastering Expedition crafting is key to building powerful characters without being at the mercy of luck. This guide breaks down everything you need to know, from core mechanics to pro tips.

Understanding the Basics of Expedition Crafting

Expedition crafting revolves around four key NPCs, each specializing in specific item types and using distinct artifacts. Unlike other crafting systems, it follows a step-by-step process: you select a base item, then choose to accept or decline sequential upgrades proposed by the NPC.

The system's deterministic nature means you won't waste resources on random flops-every action has a clear purpose, whether adding, upgrading, rerolling, or removing modifiers. This makes it ideal for both casual players and min-maxers.

At its core, success relies on two things: acquiring the right artifacts and making smart choices during the crafting chain. Let's start with the foundational elements: artifacts and NPCs.

Key NPCs, Artifacts, and Specializations

Each Expedition NPC has a unique role, item focus, and required artifact. Dannig is the exception-he doesn't craft directly but swaps artifacts, making him vital for resource management.

Gwennen: Weapons, Foci, and Quivers

Gwennen specializes in all weapon types (one-handed, two-handed), foci, and quivers. Her currency is the Broken Circle Artifact, which stacks up to 20 and can also be used in recombinators.

She's the go-to NPC for building attack or spell weapons. Whether you need a high-damage sword for a melee build or a focus with spell damage for casters, Gwennen's crafting chain can refine modifiers to match your needs.

Tujen: Jewellery and Belts

Tujen handles jewellery (rings, amulets) and belts, using Black Scythe Artifacts. Jewellery is often the bottleneck for endgame builds, as it provides critical stats like resistances, attributes, and damage multipliers.

Tujen's crafting options are perfect for fixing resistance gaps or adding build-defining modifiers (e.g., increased critical strike chance on amulets). His belt upgrades can also roll life, mana, or utility mods like flask charge gain.

Rog: Armour and Shields

Rog is your armor and shield specialist, requiring Order Artifacts. He's essential for survival-focused builds, as armor and shields dictate your defenses-from physical damage reduction to spell suppression.

Whether you're crafting a high-evasion chest or a block-focused shield, Rog's upgrades can boost modifier tiers or remove unwanted stats (like useless elemental resistances on a chaos build).

Dannig: Artifact Exchange

Dannig uses Sun Artifacts to trade for other artifact types. This is a lifesaver for SSF (Solo Self-Found) players or those short on a specific artifact. For example, if you have excess Sun Artifacts but need Broken Circle Artifacts for Gwennen, Dannig bridges the gap.

He also opens Expedition logbooks, which are valuable for farming more artifacts and high-tier loot. Never discard Sun Artifacts-they're the most versatile currency in Expedition crafting.

Core Crafting Mechanics: How It Works

Expedition crafting follows a simple flow, but knowing when to accept or decline upgrades is crucial. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of the process:

Step 1: Acquire Artifacts

Artifacts drop from Expedition encounters, logbooks, and chests in dig sites. Focus on farming runic monster markers and yellow chests-they yield the highest artifact quantities. You can also buy artifacts from other players, but farming them yourself is more cost-effective.

Step 2: Select a Base Item

Each NPC offers base items of varying rarities (normal, magic, rare) matching your character level (capped at item level 79). Always start with a base that has decent existing modifiers-refining a good item is cheaper than fixing a bad one.

For example, if you want a spell damage focus, pick a magic focus with +1 to spell gems already. This saves you from spending steps adding that modifier later.

Step 3: Navigate the Crafting Chain

After purchasing the base item (costing 1 artifact), the NPC presents a chain of 5 crafting options. Each option is random but falls into four categories:

Add a Modifier: Introduces a new random prefix or suffix.

Upgrade Modifiers: Increases the tier of an existing modifier (e.g., from +10% life to +15% life).

Reroll Modifiers: Replaces one or more modifiers with new random ones.

Remove Modifiers: Eliminates specific stats (e.g., all prefixes or suffixes).

You can accept or decline each step. Declining skips the option permanently, so choose wisely-accept upgrades that align with your build, and skip those that add useless modifiers.

Step 4: Refresh NPC Inventories

If an NPC's base items don't suit your needs, use Exotic Coinage to refresh their inventory (costs 1 coin per refresh). This is useful for farming high-item-level bases (ilvl 75+) for endgame crafting.

Exotic Coinage drops from Expedition chests or can be poe2 trade. Save them for when you're targeting specific bases (e.g., ilvl 86 armor for max-tier mods).

Pro Tips and Tricks for Maximizing Results

Expedition crafting's true potential lies in optimization. These tips will help you get the most out of every artifact and crafting chain.

Prioritize High-Item-Level Bases

Item level (ilvl) determines the maximum tier of modifiers an item can roll. For endgame gear, aim for ilvl 79+ bases-they unlock the highest-tier stats (e.g., +20% life on rings, 30% spell suppression on chests).

NPCs offer bases matching your character level, so level up to 79+ before focusing on endgame crafting.

Plan Your Crafting Chain in Advance

Before starting a crafting chain, define your goal. Are you adding resistance to a ring? Upgrading spell damage on a focus? Knowing this helps you decide which steps to accept.

For example, if you're crafting a life belt, accept "upgrade modifier" steps that boost life, but skip "add modifier" steps that roll elemental damage (useless for a defense-focused belt).

Optimize Artifact Farming

To avoid running out of artifacts, optimize your Expedition farming:

Focus on runic monster markers-they drop more artifacts than regular chests.

Use Atlas passive trees to boost pack size and rare monster density. Nodes like "Disturbed Rest" (more markers) and "Detailed Records" (extra logbooks) are game-changers.

Equip unique tablets like "Forgotten by Time"-they duplicate runic monsters and reduce their health, increasing loot drops.

Logbooks are also a great artifact source-sell excess ones for exalts or use them to farm high-density dig sites.

Use Dannig Wisely for SSF Players

In SSF, you won't have access to player trading, so Dannig is critical. Stockpile Sun Artifacts to trade for other types when you're short.

For example, if you need Order Artifacts for Rog but only have Black Scythe Artifacts, trade Sun Artifacts (earned from logbooks) for Order Artifacts via Dannig.

Avoid Common Mistakes

Many players waste artifacts by making these errors-steer clear of them:

Accepting Every Step: Not all upgrades are useful. Skipping bad steps saves you from ruining a good base.

Starting with Bad Bases: Refining a base with useless modifiers (e.g., a sword with mana mods for a melee build) wastes artifacts. Always pick bases with relevant stats.

Ignoring Remnant Modifiers: When farming Expeditions, detonate remnants to boost runic monster loot. Prioritize remnants that increase artifact quantity or rare spawns.

Combine with Recombinators for Advanced Crafting

Expedition artifacts (Broken Circle, Black Scythe, Order) can also be used in recombinators to combine two items into one. This is advanced but powerful for creating hybrid gear.

For example, combine two weapons with good modifiers via a recombinator (using Broken Circle Artifacts) to get a single weapon with the best stats from both.

Endgame Crafting Strategies

Once you're comfortable with the basics, use these strategies to craft endgame meta gear:

Targeted Modifier Removal

If an item has one bad modifier (e.g., a chest with fire resistance when you need cold), wait for a "remove modifier" step in the chain. This lets you eliminate the useless stat and make room for better mods.

Tier Up Critical Modifiers

For build-defining stats (e.g., +1 to all skills on an amulet), prioritize "upgrade modifier" steps. High-tier versions of these mods can turn a good item into a best-in-slot one.

Budget Crafting for New Players

New players don't need to chase endgame gear immediately. Use Expedition crafting to fix resistance gaps and add core stats (life, mana) to cheap bases.

Start with magic items-they have fewer modifiers, making it easier to roll useful stats. Graduate to rare items once you have a steady artifact income.

Final Thoughts

Expedition crafting is one of PoE 2's most underrated mechanics. Its deterministic nature gives you control over your gear, and with the right strategies, it's accessible to players of all skill levels.

Remember to farm artifacts efficiently, plan your crafting chains, and use each NPC's specialization to your advantage. Whether you're crafting weapons, armor, or jewellery, this system lets you build gear tailored to your playstyle-no RNG required.

With practice, you'll turn common bases into powerful items that carry you through endgame maps and bosses. So grab your artifacts, visit your favorite NPC, and start crafting-your perfect build awaits.