Path of Exile 2, especially in the Dawn of the Hunt league, can be overwhelming for new players when it comes to currency farming. Whether you're just starting out or looking to build up your stash without diving into complex crafting strategies, there are some simple and effective methods you can use to earn PoE 2 currency.
In this guide, we'll walk you through the easiest ways to get your hands on some valuable currency, including Orbs of Augmentation, Exalted Orbs, and Divines, starting with the basics and gradually scaling up to more advanced strategies. Whether you're a beginner or looking for efficient ways to make steady progress, these methods will help you get there.
If you're just getting your feet wet in Path of Exile 2 Dawn of the Hunt, salvaging gear is hands-down the most straightforward way to start building your currency stash.
No trading, no advanced mechanics—just smart looting and efficient breakdowns.
Start with Shop Refresh Cycles: As you level up in the campaign, particularly through Act 1, the vendors refresh their stock every level.
Magic and armor vendors frequently offer items with 10–20% quality. These are goldmines for salvage materials. Check vendors each time you level up and buy any affordable, high-quality gear.
Unlock the Salvage Advantage: After completing the side quest “Renley Tools” in Act 1, you’ll unlock access to the Salvage Bench.
This tool is your early-game economy booster, letting you dismantle gear for valuable base materials.
The best part? It doesn’t require player interaction or risky investments. You’re converting loot directly into tradable currency.
Convert Gear to Scraps, Then to Orbs: Salvaging quality gear will yield armor scraps or weapon shards, depending on the base type.
Early on, these scraps are currency by themselves, but they also stack into Regal Orbs and later Exalted Orbs when converted in bulk.
Even if you’re only picking up a few items per zone, you’ll be surprised how quickly the value adds up.
Why It Works: This method is rooted in the simplicity of the PoE 2 loot system—every zone drops gear, every vendor sells refreshable quality gear, and the salvage system is consistent.
There’s no RNG gamble, no complicated timing. Just identify quality, salvage, and profit.
Focus on magic or rare items with high quality and low cost.
Don’t waste time on white items unless they hit 20% quality.
Over time, aim to fill your stash tab with bulk materials, then sell in stacks for even greater efficiency.
One of the most underrated but highly profitable methods in PoE 2 Dawn of the Hunt is disenchanting unique items into Chance Shards.
This technique transforms what would otherwise be vendor trash into serious currency, fast.
Disenchant Every Unique: Each unique item you pick up has the potential to yield 1 or even 2 Chance Shards when disenchanted.
Don’t overlook lower-tier uniques—many of them are dirt-cheap on the market but still break down into valuable shards. Use trade filters to spot bulk deals on these items and scoop them up.
Track the Exchange Rate: The real power of this strategy kicks in when the Chance Shard-to-Exalted Orb ratio tightens.
Historically, this method peaks in value when 1 Chance Shard can fetch close to 1 Exalted Orb. Watch trading trends closely. Once that tipping point hits, your shard stockpile becomes a goldmine.
Buy Low, Disenchant Smart: Seek out undervalued unique items, especially ones that consistently yield 2 shards.
These become major profit engines when flipped. Make it part of your daily routine to check trade boards for these deals and clear them out before others catch on.
Set up a loot filter or macro to auto-identify uniques you want to target for disenchanting.
This speeds up your workflow and increases overall efficiency when farming or flipping.
If you prefer a more market-savvy strategy, flipping high-quality gear is a smart, low-risk, and one of the best ways to build up currency reserves steadily over time.
Snag 20% Quality Gear: High-quality gear—especially armor pieces with 20% or higher quality—can be dismantled into armor scraps or other valuable crafting materials.
These materials sell quickly on the market, offering fast returns on your investment.
Snipe Deals on Trade: Use trade filters to locate gear with max quality that’s being listed below market value. Many players undervalue this gear, especially when clearing stash tabs in bulk.
You can capitalize on this by scooping up listings and flipping the output materials.
Turn Gear into Currency: Once you’ve gathered enough high-quality gear, convert it using your crafting bench or at an NPC into armor scraps, arcanist shards, or other applicable materials.
These can be listed instantly for resale at high demand.
Consistency is King: This method may not yield massive payouts per flip, but it shines in its reliability.
You can do this between mapping sessions, while waiting for trades, or as a side hustle during your main farming routine.
Target specific gear types with lower vendor weights but high quality-to-material conversion rates.
Gloves and boots are prime examples and can generate better margins per scrap than body armor.
Arbitrage in PoE 2: Dawn of the Hunt is a high-IQ currency strategy that taps into market imbalances, specifically around catalyst reforging.
With minimal risk and a bit of spreadsheet tracking, you can turn low-value items into pure profit.
Reforge Low-Tier Catalysts into High-Demand Winners: Start by buying up cheap catalysts like Carapace or Husk from the trade site.
These are typically undervalued due to oversupply or low usage. The trick is using reforging methods (via crafting benches or mechanics like corruption altars) to transform these into rare catalysts currently in high demand, such as Warlock, Predator, or Iron catalysts.
Monitor the Market—Not Just the Game: Arbitrage isn’t fire-and-forget. Use price-check tools or a simple spreadsheet to track your input costs versus potential output sale prices.
Make note of which rare catalysts sell fastest and at what margin. You’ll quickly start recognizing profitable patterns.
Risk-Free When Done Right: Unlike gambling on exalt slams or vaal orbs, catalyst arbitrage offers consistent returns with virtually no downside—if you stick to proven targets and track your data.
As long as the reforging result is sellable for more than your investment, you’re printing currency.
Passive Income Potential: This method scales beautifully. Once you’ve mapped out your targets and know the margins, you can automate parts of the process—batch-purchasing base catalysts, reforging in bulk, and listing in pre-priced tabs.
Many high-level players run this as background income while focusing on bossing or mapping.
Watch patch notes and meta shifts.
Catalyst demand can spike unexpectedly if a new build archetype rises or the crafting meta shifts.
Jump in early and you’ll profit before the rest of the playerbase catches on.
Method | How It Works | Effort | Profit Potential | When to Use |
---|---|---|---|---|
Salvaging Gear | Salvage high-quality items from shops and drops for armor scraps and orbs. | Low | Medium | Early game & SSF-friendly |
Disenchanting Unique Items | Turn unique items into Chance Shards. Focus on market flips and high-yield disenchantables. | Medium | High | Mid-league, when shard value rises |
High-Quality Gear Flipping | Buy 20% quality gear cheap, convert to scraps, and resell. | Medium | Medium | Anytime during the league |
Catalyst Arbitrage | Reforge cheap catalysts into expensive ones and resell for profit. | High | Very High | Mid-to-late league, market aware |
Azmeri Wisp Boss Farming | Use Spirit Possession + Cruel Hegemony tablets to boost boss drops. | Medium | Very High | Post-patch 0.2.0g |
For Azmeri Wisp Boss Farming, you can check out our detailed guide on How to Juice Map Bosses - Farm Azmeri Wisps Map Bosses in 0.2 Dawn of the Hunt.
Building up currency in Path of Exile 2 doesn’t need to be overwhelming. By focusing on these four straightforward methods—salvaging gear, disenchanting unique items, flipping high-quality gear, and using arbitrage for catalysts—you can steadily grow your currency without relying on high-risk strategies. Whether you're just starting out or looking to fine-tune your farming methods, these strategies will help you make the most of your time in PoE 2's Dawn of the Hunt league.
Remember, patience and consistency are key. Stick with these methods, and you'll be on your way to amassing a fortune in no time!