Understanding this emotional connection—and learning to separate it from economic reasoning—is key to POE2 Currency successful trading. The best traders treat items like stock brokers treat shares: assets to be moved when the time is right, not trophies to hoard.

Crafting and Corruption: Turning Trade Gear Into Value

Another way players navigate the trade vs. equip dilemma is through crafting. If a piece of gear is “almost perfect,” many players will take the risk of improving it through bench crafting, essence usage, or Vaal corruption.

While risky, this method can turn a 30 Chaos item into a 300 Chaos masterpiece—or destroy it entirely. The decision to craft, like trading, comes down to risk tolerance and timing.

Players who excel here often build their entire strategy around crafting for profit, buying cheap bases, enhancing them, and flipping them for a premium. Others craft only to perfect their own builds, turning trade gear into permanent assets.

The Smart Trader Knows When to Let Go

Ultimately, every item in Path of Exile 2 is a choice. Do you trade it to build a currency war chest, or do you wear it to POE 2 Orbs crush your next challenge? There’s no universal answer—only what fits your goals.