There are plenty of ways to customize and strengthen your character build in Path of Exile 2, and one of the simplest and most effective ways to do that is by inserting runes into sockets in Path of Exile 2.
However, not every gear in PoE 2 drops with rune sockets, so you have to add them to the gear you like.
Sadly, PoE 2 doesn’t do a decent job highlighting how to do that, especially in the early game, which is why this ONE Esports guide explains how to add sockets in Path of Exile 2.
How to insert rune sockets in Path of Exile 2
You can add sockets in Path of Exile 2 by using an Artificer Orb. These are incredibly valuable and rare items with minimal drop rates.
Bosses and mobs can drop Arficer Orbs, so it’s best to explore locations that spawn both in abundance, like the Mawdun Mine in Act 2.
A more efficient way to farm rune sockets in Path of Exile 2 is to salvage useless gear with gear sockets to get Artificer Shards.
Dismantling a gear with a single rune socket will get you 1 Artificer Orb.
As soon as you have 10 Artificer Shards, they will automatically turn into an Artificer Orb.
Fortunately, the drop rate of gear with rune sockets increases as you progress deeper into the game’s campaign, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble collecting redundant gear with rune sockets.
Just like Exalted Orbs, you can also head to PoE 2’s trade website to exchange items for Artificer Orbs. The exchange value will depend from player to player.
Once you reach act 1 on cruel difficulty, you unlock PoE 2’s currency exchange system, which you can use to exchange other currencies for Artificer Orbs. However, the market ratio for exchanging currencies keeps changing, so it’s best to trade when the tide’s in your favor.
While most weapons and armor drops have one or two rune sockets, you can add a third one by using a late-game item called Vaal Orb.
Upon reaching act 3 of the campaign, you can start to get Vaal Orb, an item that can corrupt and modify your gear. It can also add a third rune socket to a gear, though it’s not guaranteed to do so.
These are all the ways to add sockets in Path of Exile 2.
READ MORE: How to get Exalted Orbs in Path of Exile 2
