Mastering the use of Arcanist’s Etcher in Path of Exile 2 is essential for players focusing on caster builds that rely on wands, staves, or sceptres. This specialized currency item is designed to enhance the quality of these magical weapons, directly improving the skill granted by them. Understanding how to obtain and apply Arcanist’s Etcher effectively can significantly boost your spell damage, mana efficiency, and overall combat effectiveness. poe 2 currency
What is Arcanist’s Etcher?
Arcanist’s Etcher is a currency item unique to Path of Exile 2, used exclusively to increase the quality of caster weapons—wands, staves, and sceptres—up to a maximum of 20%. Unlike general quality improvements that might affect physical damage or attack speed, the Etcher enhances the quality of the spell skill granted by the weapon. This means that applying Etchers can increase spell damage, reduce mana costs, or improve cast speed depending on the weapon’s granted skill, making it a vital upgrade for any spellcaster aiming to maximize their damage output.
How to Use Arcanist’s Etcher
Using the Etcher is straightforward: right-click the Arcanist’s Etcher in your inventory, then left-click the wand, staff, or sceptre you wish to enhance. You can apply multiple Etchers incrementally until the weapon reaches the 20% quality cap. It’s important to track the weapon’s current quality level to avoid wasting Etchers once the maximum is reached. Players can hold the Alt key and hover over the granted skill to see the quality bonuses applied, although some tooltips may occasionally display incorrect values due to bugs. Regardless, the quality improvements reliably enhance gameplay performance.
How to Obtain Arcanist’s Etcher
Arcanist’s Etchers are moderately rare but can be acquired through several methods:
Monster Farming: Focus on high-density areas in mid-to-late game zones, particularly Acts 7 and 8. Magic-themed zones like the Frosted Spire and Embered Depths offer increased drop rates for magical crafting items. cheap poe 2 currency Moreover, targeting special enemies, optional bosses, and map bosses further improves your chances of obtaining Etchers.
Salvage Bench: After completing the “Finding the Forge” side quest in Act One, you unlock the Salvage Bench. This bench allows you to dismantle caster weapons with quality into Arcanist’s Etchers. This is the most consistent way to acquire Etchers, especially if you accumulate caster weapons with quality or purchase them from vendors.
Vendors: Some vendors sell caster weapons with quality. Using the search function to filter for quality items helps you find and buy these weapons, which you can then salvage for Etchers.
League Mechanics and Special Encounters: Participating in special league activities such as Ritual Encounters and Heists can reward Arcanist’s Etchers as well.
Tips for Crafting the Ultimate Caster Weapon
To maximize the benefits of Arcanist’s Etcher, prioritize applying it to your best caster weapon. After boosting quality, combine this with other crafting methods to add powerful modifiers like elemental damage, cast speed, or critical strike chance. Efficient farming in high-density areas and bosses in Acts 7 and 8 will help maintain a steady supply of Etchers. If you find yourself short on Etchers, consider farming gold to purchase quality caster weapons from vendors to salvage or explore currency trading platforms to acquire Etchers more quickly.
Mastering the use of Arcanist’s Etcher is a crucial step for any Path of Exile 2 player aiming to optimize spellcaster builds. By increasing the quality of your caster weapons, you unlock enhanced spell damage and efficiency, giving you a significant edge in combat and crafting the ultimate magical arsenal.
