How to get and use Essence in Path of Exile 2

"Essence" is a feature in Path of Exile 2, added as one of the many mechanics to the core aspect of the game. These Essences are primary currencies players will encounter during their journey through the act missions, alongside multiple map tiers in the endgame. The primary usage of the Essences falls along the same lines as an Exalted, Regal, or Transmutation orb, with a few extra steps.

This article lists everything related to the essences in Path of Exile 2, including the things we know so far and a few simple tips to use them for upgrading your gear pieces.

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How to get Essence in Path of Exile 2?

Essence in Path of Exile 2 works like its first game counterpart, especially when acquiring them. If you are looking for an Essence in your run, note that the chances of getting an Essence are very rare in act maps and depend on your Atlas strategy in the endgame. For now, let's assume you are in the mid-game, somewhere in the cruel difficulty, and you want to have an essence.

Start by looking for a group of frozen enemies anywhere on the map, alongside a text box on top of them that states which Essences can drop after clearing which mob group.

Essence mobs frozen in the map (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Interact with the frozen mob in the middle to start a fight. However, be careful here as these fights are ambushes, and the group has a powerful rare enemy with three modifiers alongside minor mobs that are usually buffed by the rare mob.

Defeating every enemy in the group will drop one or two Essences, depending on your luck. As mentioned, getting an Essence encounter in the act can prove to be quite challenging. However, you can reset an area and try your luck.

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How to use Essence in Path of Exile 2?

Essences come in two forms, normal and Greater Essences. The former will be encountered by many in the initial stages of the game, which allows an item to upgrade from normal to Magic tier alongside a fixed modifier that is stated on the Essence.

For example, let us assume you got Essence of Ice as a drop, which upgrades a normal item to Magic tier with a guaranteed cold modifier. Hence, it can applied to any normal item, be it a weapon or armor, and that specific gear piece will be upgraded to the Magic/blue tier with a cold affix.

Item normal vs Magic Essence in Path of Exile 2 (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Usually, the armor pieces get defensive affixes, such as Cold Resistance, and weapons get offensive affixes, such as 'cold damage with attacks.'

Greater Essence (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Similarly, Greater Essences can further enhance a Magic item to the Rare tier, with one guaranteed affix.

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Check out other Path of Exile 2 guides and features:

• Warrior class overview: Skills, Ascendancies, and playstyle
• All Keystone Passives (known so far)
• You can dual-wield two-handed weapons