Unmaking the Unwanted: A Guide to Using Orbs of Annulment

[Jerry]

The Orb of Annulment in Path of Exile 2 is a valuable but inherently risky crafting currency used to remove a single random modifier from a magic or rare item. This function allows players to refine gear by eliminating unwanted affixes, potentially improving the item’s overall quality or making it more suitable for further crafting.

How the Orb of Annulment Works

When applied to a magic or rare item, the Orb of Annulment removes one modifier at random from the item’s affix pool. This can be a powerful tool for cleaning up otherwise excellent gear. For example, if you’ve crafted or found an item with several ideal stats and one weak or redundant mod, this orb provides a chance to fine-tune it.

However, the randomness of the removal is a double-edged sword. There’s always the risk it deletes a valuable or build-defining modifier instead. Because of this, the Orb of Annulment is best used on items with multiple affixes, where losing one won’t destroy the item’s usefulness, or as part of a more advanced crafting setup that uses affix-locking methods.

When and How to Use It

The Orb of Annulment is most effective when:

You're looking to refine near-perfect gear by removing one bad mod.

You're preparing an item for meta-crafting (e.g., isolating a single affix before augmenting).

You want to reduce cluttered suffixes or prefixes to open up crafting space.

For example, imagine a rare ring with three excellent resistances and one undesirable modifier like increased stun recovery. Using an Orb of Annulment here might remove the unwanted stat and leave the rest intact—potentially creating a perfect piece for your build.

To use it:
Right-click the orb in your inventory, then left-click a magic or rare item. The orb is consumed instantly, and one affix is removed at random.

Obtaining Orbs of Annulment

In Path of Exile 2, Orbs of Annulment are considered mid-to-high-tier crafting currency. They drop from high-level monsters, bosses, chests, and encounters like Harbingers or Rituals. Unlike the first game, there are no vendor recipes to create them, making farming or trading your best options.

If farming isn’t yielding enough, some players choose to buy poe 2 currency from trustworthy trade platforms to obtain Annulment Orbs and other essential currencies without grinding endlessly. This is especially helpful during league starts or when optimizing gear for endgame bosses.

Strategies to Mitigate Risks

Because of its random nature, using an Orb of Annulment carries the risk of ruining a good item. Here’s how players reduce that risk:

Use affix locking (via crafting benches or mod-specific orbs) to protect valuable prefixes or suffixes.

Only use the orb on items with more than one mod, so there’s less risk of deleting your best stat.

Use it strategically on gear with one bad roll among many good ones—never on perfect items.

While Annulment Orbs are expensive, players can mitigate their cost by bulk farming maps or engaging in profitable content. Alternatively, some prefer to buy cheap poe 2 currency during crafting marathons to avoid depleting their hard-earned stash.

The Orb of Annulment is a critical component in advanced Path of Exile 2 crafting. It allows players to surgically remove unwanted affixes, making room for better mods or setting up items for further enhancements. While it’s powerful, the orb's randomness demands careful planning and sometimes the courage to gamble a great item. Whether you're farming it naturally or choosing to buy poe 2 currency to streamline the process, understanding when and how to use this tool is key to becoming a successful crafter in Wraeclast.