Playing a game like PoE can absorb enough of your time without having to worry about extra currency. Orbs are what every Exile needs in their backpack, as the benefits to your in-game strength and finances can be astounding thanks to these little round currency balls.

 

However if you don't have a lot of time to wait to passively gain income through generic quests, here are a few tips on how to maximise your orb collecting and save precious hours.

 

 

Gear Up

 

Equipping stronger gear at any time is a must in any RPG; it's fundamental to boosting your orb drop rates. The caliber of gear you should be aiming for is the highest quality and rarity you can find. Rarity positively influences drop rates, therefore: the higher rarity, the more Chaos Orbs you'll be able to find.

 

The best places to farm for blue/rare items are the Church Dungeon, followed by the Fellshire Ruins. Only pick up the blue/rare items, for efficiency. Fellshire is not the only place to farm Chaos Orbs, but it's the safest area for all builds and classes. Chaos Orbs tend to drop more frequently in higher level areas (60+)

 

IIQ and IIR

 

IIQ (Increased Item Quantity) and IIR (Increased Item Rarity) are modifications (or mods) you can find on certain items that will help you progress further along the line in your orb farming endeavours. For example, look for the suffix "of Excavation" on rings, amulets and breastplates. This is an IIR mod that will give you (21-26)% increased rarity of loot.

 

If you're looking for increased quantity, items such as Eber's Key will grant you a 5% bonus to the amount of items you find in that area. Make the most of these mods to ensure that you get as many orbs as possible.

 

Please note! IIQ mods will not affect the drop rate of currency. This is best for if you're farming gear to sell, not if you're tryin to collect Orbs from mobs.

 

Boost Your Damage

 

The more mobs you can kill at once, the better chances you have of getting the item drop you're after. Therefore you should concentrate on high-damage skills and area-of-effect (AOE) skills to maximise your damage output and ensure you get your kills. Tackle mobs en masse and use your strongest AOE skills. Curse gems are entirely AOE; use them to your advantage.

 

Be careful not to become overrun with too many mobs during this stage. If your Defense is not up to par, you will be knocked out and this will set you back in your farming journey.

 

Watch Your Level

 

There exists a currency penalty in all PoE zones based on your character's level. If you have a level difference greater than 2 from the level of the area, you receive a penalty of 2.5% for every level after 2. For example: In a level 60 area a level 63 character will experience a 2.5% penalty.

 

However, take note that the penalty does not carry on in zones higher than level 66. In a level 72 character in a 60 zone will therefore only receive a 10% penalty, the same as a level 66 character.

 

Farm Silver Coins

 

Silver coins are an underestimated source of orbs. Orbs tend to trade for 9 or 10 silver coins. This is applicable to all characters and is therefore accessible for those at lower levels who perhaps can't manage to grind higher level maps.

 

Save your silver coins! Don't use them to seal a Prophecy. Save them for your orbs if you need them more.

 

Farming Orbs of Alteration

 

A reliable way of farming Chaos Orbs can be done as early as Act 1. The current going rate is 75 Orbs of Alteration for 5 Chaos Orbs.

 

Requirements:

 

Scrolls of wisdom

Rare gear (see above)

 

The method of farming these orbs is very simple. Farm rare gears (for example, in Fellshire Ruins as mentioned above) and sell them to an NPC. You will receive alteration shards for your efforts which can be crafted into Orbs of Alteration. Keep doing this and you will have Chaos Orbs aplenty.

 

Set Up A Shop

 

The forums will be your best friend when it comes to trading. Go to the Path of Exile forums and set up a thread under the 'Standard Trading - Shops' section. With that done, hunt down the best gear you can find. This is arguably a late-game tactic as finding gear higher-level players will trade with you is far easier when you yourself are higher-level too.

 

Use the forums to scout out good deals rather than selling everything to the NPCs. That will ensure you end up with the most orbs for your time. Make sure to find the best gear you can before selling it; people only want the best. If you try to sell something mediocre, you will struggle to find a buyer.

 

Be Patient

 

It can be tempting to give up when farming orbs. However, in an ARPG that is completely randomly generated, sometimes you won't always get what you need. Stay patient and take breaks when you need to; not everything is about the game.

 

Happy farming, exiles!