Solo vs Party Loot in PoE 2 – Does Being in a Party Drop More Loot?

Looting in Path of Exile 2 has always felt a bit like gambling with divine dice, and every league, I’ve tried to decode what makes the best loot rain down from the heavens. I’m Neolost, and after testing a truckload of rarity setups in this league (Dawn of the Hunt), I wanted to tackle one of the biggest questions I still hear: Does being in a party actually give you more loot in PoE 2?

So I ran the numbers. I did 30 maps solo and 30 maps with a partner, both under nearly identical conditions—rarity, atlas tree, map mods, you name it. I wasn’t just farming blindly; I was testing this with surgical precision (well, as precise as PoE testing gets). Here’s what I found, and what I think you need to know before grabbing a buddy and diving into maps together.

Why I Ran This Solo vs Party Loot Test

Earlier in the league, I ran a bunch of tests comparing rarity stats: 0% vs 100%, 100% vs 200%, and all the way up to 400%.

But something always bugged me—was rarity even the biggest factor when party bonus existed? If I can get 50% more loot just by having a partner nearby, is all this rarity obsession even worth it?

So I got someone, and we set out to grind maps together under controlled conditions. I wanted to see if duo play genuinely yielded a significant return, or if it was just hype.

Setup: Build, Atlas, and Mapping Conditions

To keep things consistent, I used a lightning spear clear-speed build with Stormlance and Barrage. It’s fast, reliable, and was running around 110% rarity at the time.

For maps, I chose tiles with:

• 15–20% quantity

• Rarity bonuses

• Rare monster density

I used Distilled Paranoia in all maps to increase rares and ran two towers and six tablets, with one tablet always being a Breach for more monsters.

My atlas tree was specced heavily into pack size and rare bonuses:

• Tablet effectiveness

• Remnants of power

• Breach passives: Rising Pyre, Interdimensional Invasion, and Crumbling Walls

The goal? Create consistent monster density across solo and duo runs, so the only variable was whether I had a friend along.

How Party Bonus Works (And What You Might Be Getting Wrong)

Here’s something I think a lot of players miss: Party bonuses only apply when you're close together.

Yep, that means if your duo runs off-screen chasing Breach hands while you’re finishing a strongbox, you won’t get the bonus in PoE 2. We made a point of sticking tightly together on the minimap, and trust me—it was harder than it sounds.

If you're playing with a friend who’s laggy, overly fast, or just really into looting side paths, you’re going to lose value.

The Loot Results: Let’s Talk Numbers

Let’s break it down with raw data of our PoE 2 Solo vs Party Loot Farm. Here’s how solo vs duo compares across 30 maps:

Divine Orbs + Annulments (Top Tier Currency)

• Solo: 4 Divines + 1 Annulment = 5 Total

• Duo: 3 Divines + 5 Annulments = 8 Total

Even though I technically dropped fewer raw divines in the party, annulments bring the total well above solo.

Chaos Orbs

• Solo: 66 Chaos

• Duo: 92 Chaos

That’s a clean 39% increase—pretty close to the expected 50% party bonus.

Exalted Orbs

• Solo: 312 Exalts

• Duo: 426 Exalts

A 36% boost, again aligning with the theory that duo play gives ~50% more loot.

Alchemy Orbs

• Solo: 60 Alchs

• Duo: 132 Alchs

Alchemy orbs were a wild outlier—more than double the solo amount. Probably just RNG, but still worth noting.

Vaal Orbs

• Solo: 125

• Duo: 161

About a 28% increase, a bit lower than the others, but still a nice bonus.

Simulacrum Splinters

• Identical. Zero change. Whether solo or duo, I got three Simulacrums worth both ways.

Bonus Drops and Observations

Here’s where things got spicy when we were playing in a Duo (Party) for Loot Farming in PoE 2:

• Uniques absolutely exploded in duo play. Not just quantity, but high-value ones too. I didn’t count every single one, but I estimate the total nearly doubled.

• Greater Jeweler Orbs also rained down more in party. I got 12 vs just 1 solo.

• Breached Stones and Catalysts increased, but not by much—maybe 30–40%.

And finally, Stellar Amulets (which I love hoarding like a dragon) went from 1 solo to 3 in party. Anecdotal? Sure. But it tracks.

So... Is Party Play Worth It in PoE 2 for Loot?

Let’s break this down like we’re in a Divination Card tab, sorting out whether The Saint’s Treasure is even worth your stash space.

1. The Cold Math: Friendship Tax Is Real

In my duo farming session, we ended up dropping 92 Chaos Orbs total. Seems solid, right? But then you hit the split.

• Duo Split: 92 Chaos / 2 = 46 Chaos per person

• Solo Run: I got 66 Chaos by myself

That’s a 20 Chaos difference—aka, a full Divine’s worth just evaporating into the ether of shared generosity.

The same thing happened with Divines and Exalts. Party play increased the total loot, yes. But when you're splitting, it often ends up being less per person compared to two solo runners doing their own thing.

Let’s say you’re both capable players with decent clear speed—solo play just prints more value per person.

So if you’re playing as equals, 50/50 split on the loot, you’re likely leaving PoE 2 currency on the table by duoing.

2. The Carry-Leech Setup: When It Does Make Sense

Now, here’s where it flips.

If you're the main carry with a speed-melting build, and your partner is more of a spectator than a slayer—say, a new player, a support with low clear speed, or your buddy’s little cousin running their first maps—then party play suddenly looks better.

Because now you’re not splitting the loot equally. You’re:

• Keeping the lion’s share (or all of it)

• Getting a 50%+ loot boost from just having them nearby

• Not wasting time coordinating or compromising your map speed

So yeah, if you’ve got a willing leecher and the party bonus still applies, you’re printing extra value for basically no cost.

It’s the classic carry-bagholder setup. You do the heavy lifting, they get the thrill of tagging along, and you get the profits. Win-win.

3. The Comfort Factor: The Real Boss Battle

Let’s talk about how it feels to party farm. Spoiler: It’s not always sunshine and exalts.

To get the party loot bonus in PoE 2, you have to stay close together, as in, visible on each other’s minimap. Not 10 screens away, blasting mobs in your own tempo. Nope. You’re tethered.

Which leads to:

• Awkward stop-and-go pacing

• Slowing down because someone wants to loot a Wisdom Scroll behind a rock

• Getting dragged into side rooms you never wanted to enter

Me? I like to zoom. I’m running fast builds that clear like they’ve had too much Quicksilver and a shot of Adrenaline. Having to babysit someone who’s poking around side content or checking every Strongbox in PoE 2 kills my rhythm—and honestly, my will to live.

4. Sync or Suffer: Why Map Flow Matters

There’s this unspoken rhythm when you’re solo. You know when to skip mobs, when to detour, and when to juice.

But in a party?

• You’ve gotta check if they’re caught up

• Wait for them at boss doors

• Double-back because they missed a tablet

And if they die? That’s a whole new can of worms.

The sync matters. Because if you’re not side-by-side during kills, you don’t get the party loot bonus. So suddenly that “50% more loot” becomes zero if they fall behind or chase loot off-screen.

5. The Efficiency Equation

Let’s math it out one last time. Suppose you both do 30 maps solo and then do 30 maps together as a duo:

Stat	Solo (Per Person)	Duo (Total)	Duo (Per Person)
Chaos Orbs	66	92	46
Divine Orbs + Annuls	5	8	4
Exalted Orbs	312	426	213

Across the board, duo play increases total loot by about 40–50%. But when you split, you’re behind solo numbers in every category.

So, unless you’re carrying and keeping the spoils—or your partner truly can’t run solo maps—the efficiency king remains solo mapping.

Bottom line?

Unless you’ve got a leech lined up or you’re in the mood for some chill co-op vibes, I’d keep things solo. Currency per hour wins matter more than social XP.

But hey, if you’re rich, relaxed, and running support, go forth and party.

Just don’t let friendship cost you a Divine.

In short, Solo is still better for earning Loot and Currency in PoE 2, while if you are looking for some good time, and can compromise on your loot or currency farm, then going with the Party route is still viable. 

Final Thoughts

Here’s what I learned from this PoE 2 Solo vs Party (Duo) Loot Farm:

• Yes, party play increases loot—about 50% across the board

• No, it doesn’t always increase your personal profit

• Yes, sticking together is key, and honestly, kind of a buzzkill

• No, this doesn’t mean solo is dead—because splitting loot kills your profit

Personally, I’d only run duo if:

• My partner is leeching or contributing without splitting the pot

• I’m farming uniques or juiced rares that benefit from quantity stacking

• I’m just bored with solo mapping and want some company

Would I do it again? Sure—but only with a chill partner who respects my zoomy nature and doesn’t mind me grabbing most of the loot. Otherwise, I’ll keep running solo and stacking divines like a goblin.

Hope this breakdown helped you decide whether party play is worth it for your grind. Whether you’re out there duoing or flying solo, may your maps be juicy and your loot divine.

– Neolost, for PoE2Currency.com signing off!