Path of Exile 2: How to get runes and unlock their sockets

The runes in Path of Exile 2 play a vital role in enhancing your character’s abilities. If you’re new to the game, you might find the mechanics surrounding runes a bit unclear. This guide will cover how to find and utilize runes effectively.

How to Obtain Runes

Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed method to obtain runes. Like many items in the game, they are acquired randomly as you progress through the game and defeat enemies. Defeating foes may reward you with runes to collect.

It’s worth noting that runes can be quite rare in the early game. As you advance beyond the starting areas, defeating monsters becomes a more consistent way to gather runes. Keep in mind that you can only stack 10 units of the same rune type in your inventory.

To boost your chances of discovering runes, it’s beneficial to understand how instances work in the game. Learning to reset zones can enhance your rune farming strategy.

How to Use Runes and Their Purpose

Runes in Path of Exile 2 function similarly to the system found in Diablo 2. Players can embed a rune into an item to add an extra modifier to its stats, thereby enhancing the item’s capabilities beyond its base attributes.

• Runes can be placed in both weapons and armor.
• The modifiers provided by runes are usually associated with specific elements (ice, fire, lightning, or chaos).
• Embedding a rune in a weapon will boost its damage related to the element of the rune.
• Alternatively, adding a rune to an armor piece will improve your resistance to that elemental type.

For example, the Glacial Rune grants increased cold resistance or enhanced cold damage, while the Desert Rune offers similar effects for fire. This system is straightforward, but keep in mind that during the early access phase of PoE 2, runes are non-replaceable. Once a rune is attached to an item, it cannot be removed or swapped for another.

It’s possible that future updates will allow players to uninstall runes and replace them, but for now, you should carefully consider which runes you decide to embed in your gear.

How to Unlock Runes’ Sockets in Your Items

Many items in Path of Exile 2 won’t have sockets for runes initially. If you’re looking to unlock these slots for better optimization, there is a way!

Players can add a socket to a weapon or piece of armor using a special item called the Orb of the Artisan. This orb is necessary to unlock rune sockets. Keep in mind that two-handed weapons and armor can have up to two sockets, while one-handed weapons and other gear can only hold one.

The challenge lies in acquiring the Orb of the Artisan, which you will need to find randomly as loot from defeating enemies and bosses. Alternatively, you can try dismantling items to receive shards that can be converted into an Orb of the Artisan.