Crafting a powerful elemental claw in Path of Exile (POE) requires strategic planning and understanding of various mechanics. Here’s a detailed guide focused on crafting such claws:
Crafting Stages:
Acquiring a Base Claw:
White Claw: Ideal for maximum control over crafting. Look for claws with a high base physical damage.
Rare Claws: Consider claws with desirable implicit modifiers like "+1 to Fire/Cold/Lightning Gems" or increased elemental damage specific to your chosen element.
Crafting with Essences and Orbs:
Essences: Apply powerful elemental damage prefixes using specific Essences:
Deafening Essence of Hatred: Adds increased Cold Damage.
Deafening Essence of Wrath: Adds increased Lightning Damage.
Deafening Essence of Anger: Adds increased Fire Damage.
Alterations/Augmentations: Re-roll existing modifiers or add a new random modifier. Use cautiously to avoid removing beneficial mods.
Refining with Advanced Techniques (Optional):
Fracturing Orbs: Guarantee a specific prefix or suffix, allowing targeted crafting. (Requires significant resources and game knowledge)
Chromatic Orbs: Force specific color sockets (red, green, or blue) for linking with desired elemental gems.
Adding Suffixes:
Crafting Bench: Craft valuable suffixes like increased attack speed, critical strike chance, or elemental penetration.
Exalted Orbs (High Risk): Attempt to roll a powerful endgame modifier, but be prepared for potentially undesirable outcomes.
Crafting Strategies:
Early Levels: Focus on acquiring a decent base with elemental damage through Essences. Prioritize attack speed for smoother leveling.
Mid-Game: Aim for higher tiers of elemental damage prefixes using higher tier Essences. Consider crafting critical strike chance or attack speed on the Crafting Bench.
End-Game: Utilize advanced techniques like Fracturing and potentially remnant Harvest crafting (refer to disclaimer below) for greater control over the process.
Important Considerations:
Crafting Involves Risk: Currency like Alterations or Exalted Orbs have a random effect.
High-Tier Orbs are Rare: Use them strategically and consider buying specific crafted claws from other players if crafting yourself proves too costly.
Understanding Modifiers: Crucial to know how prefixes, suffixes, and implicit modifiers impact your elemental damage build (Fire, Cold, or Lightning).
Additional Tips:
Plan Your Crafting Path: Research the specific elemental damage type (Fire, Cold, or Lightning) and desired modifiers for your build.
Consult Online Resources: Utilize build guides and crafting calculators for recommendations and planning your crafting process.
Start with a Good Base: A high physical damage claw with a relevant elemental implicit modifier is ideal.
Consider Alternatives: Purchasing a well-crafted elemental claw from other players might be more efficient than crafting yourself, especially for beginners.
Disclaimer: Remnant Harvest crafting mechanics mentioned earlier may not be entirely relevant as they are from a past league system. Consult reliable Path of Exile resources for the latest information on crafting techniques.
Here’s an example crafting process for a mid-game Lightning Claw:
Acquire: A white claw with high physical damage.
Craft: Use a Deafening Essence of Wrath to add a high tier of increased Lightning Damage prefix.
Craft: On the Crafting Bench, add increased Attack Speed or Critical Strike Chance suffix.
Optional: Use Chromatic Orbs to force blue sockets for linking with Lightning damage gems.
Remember: Crafting a top-tier elemental claw requires knowledge, strategic planning, and potentially a significant investment. By understanding the core mechanics, utilizing advanced techniques when possible, and considering alternative options like buying crafted claws, you can acquire a claw that significantly enhances your elemental damage output in Path of Exile.