Crafting Basics: Metacrafting
Last Updated:March 29, 2024|Change Log
Introduction
Metacrafting in Path of Exile is a broad term for crafts that make use of expensive modifiers called "Metamods" or "Metacrafts." They are found in the Crafting Bench after unlocking them in their respective Unique Map.
The 5 benchcrafts used in Metacrafting are:
- Suffixes Cannot Be Changed (cost: 2x Divine Orb)
- Prefixes Cannot Be Changed (cost: 2x Divine Orb)
- Cannot roll Attack Modifiers (cost: 1x Divine Orb)
- Cannot roll Caster Modifiers (cost: 1x Divine Orb)
- Can have up to 3 Crafted Modifiers (cost: 2x Divine Orb)
Use these methods wisely, it's easy to burn through a lot of currency quickly.
Unlock Locations
The locations for Metacrafts occasionally change with version updates. The Following Metacrafts can be unlocked in these Unique Maps:
- Suffixes Cannot Be Changed (Oba's Cursed Trove)
- Prefixes Cannot Be Changed (The Coward's Trial)
- Cannot roll Attack Modifiers (Caer Blaidd, Wolfpack's Den)
- Cannot roll Caster Modifiers (Whakawairua Tuahu)
- Can have up to 3 Crafted Modifiers (The Putrid Cloister)
Metacrafting Utilization
Metacrafting is important in high-end crafting where the Suffixes and Prefixes of an item are crafted separately. This is usually done when key modifiers are present that are very expensive to re-obtain if lost (e.g. +2 Gem Prefixes on an Amulet).
- Metamods are Benchcrafts that replace any crafted modifier already present on an item
You'll see Metacrafting commonly used with:
- Harvest Crafting
- Veiled Crafting
- Beastcrafting
It's also important to remember there are a number of restrictions when it comes to Metacrafting. For example:
- Usage of Essences is prevented.
- Usage of Fossils is prevented.
- An Awakener's Orb ignores any Metamod Benchcrafted on an item.
- An Orb of Dominance will not modify the Suffixes or Prefixes of an item if the corresponding Metamods are benchcrafted (Suffixes/Prefixes Cannot Be Changed). Cannot Roll Attack/Caster Modifiers will be ignored.
Prefixes/Suffixes Cannot be Changed
The two most commonly used Metacrafts are Suffixes/Prefixes Cannot be Changed. For a 2 Divine Orb Benchcraft cost, these Metacrafts prevent the Suffixes or Prefixes of an item from being modified.
- Used in situations where the Suffixes or Prefixes of an item are crafted separately due to the extreme cost of re-obtaining key modifiers (e.g. +2 Skill Gem Prefix Amulets).
- This does not mean mods can't be added though (e.g. a Suffix can be added to an item with less than 3 Suffixes even if Suffixes Cannot Be Changed is present).
Crafting a Elder Righteous Fire Helmet is a good example:
Elder Righteous Fire
High-end Righteous Fire helmets have 3 key modifiers, one of which is an Essence of Horror Suffix (30% More Elemental Damage) while the other two are Elder modifiers: Socketed Gems are Supported by Level # Burning Damage and Level # Concentrated Effect.
Essences cannot be used on an item with Metamods present so the Suffixes of this helmet are created first before the Prefixes. Since the Suffixes are incredibly expensive to re-obtain, Metacrafting is necessary to protect them while crafting the Prefixes. Let's dive into the process:
Step 1
Elder Righteous Fire
The 2 key Suffixes are Socketed Gems are Supported by Level # Burning Damage and Socketed Gems Deal 30% More Elemental Damage.
To get both, Essences of Horror are used until we hit any tier of Level # Burning Damage.
It's a 1/25 chance to see any tier of the Burning Damage when Essence spamming. Our third suffix is arbitrary (just settle for anything).
If you have an empty suffix the best option is to craft Suffixes Cannot Be Changed and Harvest Reforge Cold or Lightning for Resistance.
Step 2
Elder Righteous Fire
After obtaining the Suffixes, the best way to get the Level # Concentrated Effect mod is with Exalted Orbs.
+(25-34) to maximum Mana is benchcrafted to prevent it from being slammed with the Exalt. This only applies to Energy Shield bases. If you're using an armor or evasion base, craft Life. There is a 1/22 chance to add any tier of the Concentrated Effect mod.
Step 3
Elder Righteous Fire
If Level # Concentrated Effect isn't slammed after using 2 Exalted Orbs, Suffixes Cannot Be Changed is added for 2 Divines and an Orb of Scouring is used to try again.
It takes about 11 Suffix-locks so 22 Divines worth of Metacrafts.
Step 4
Elder Righteous Fire
After a few cycles through Step 2 and 3, the Concentrated Effect mod is Exalted, +70 to Maximum Life is crafted if room is available. This is an example of a completed helmet.
More Examples with Prefixes/Suffixes Cannot be Changed:
Protecting the Suffixes or Prefixes of an item before using a Veiled Orb.
Before:
Suffix-Locked
After:
Veiled Prefix
Protecting the Suffixes or Prefixes of an item before using a Harvest reforge.
Before Reforge Chaos:
Suffix-Locked
After:
Example
Cannot Roll Attack/Caster Modifiers
Cannot Roll Attack/Caster Modifiers are incredibly powerful for their ability to prevent certain modifier tags from being added or removed from the items they are crafted on. These Metamods are both Suffixes and cost 1 Divine Orb each.
- Crafting Cannot Roll Attack Modifiers or Cannot Roll Caster Modifiers prevents mods of that specific tag from being added or removed from that item (e.g. an Attack modifier cannot be Annuled from an item if Cannot Roll Attack Modifiers is present).
Example 1: Deterministic Exalt Slamming
Before
+1 Arrow Quiver
Our Quiver currently has 3 Suffixes: Cannot Roll Attack Modifiers, Bow Attacks fire 1 additional Arrows, and +31% to Critical Strike Multiplier with Bows.
Cannot Roll Attack Modifiers prevents any modifier with an Attack-tag such as Adds # to # Lightning Damage to Attacks from being added with an Exalted Orb.
After
+1 Arrow Quiver
Since #% increased Damage with Bow Skills and +# to maximum Life are the only non-Attack Prefixes, they are guaranteed with each Exalted Orb slam.
This is a deterministic way to craft some of the best Quivers in Path of Exile.
Example 2: Orb of Annulment Cycling
Before
+1 Arrow Quiver
While Cannot Roll Attack Modifiers guarantees #% increased Damage with Bow Skills or +# to Maximum Life with an Exalted Orb , the tiers chosen are random.
Luckily, we can "force" high-tiers by using Orb of Annulment paired with our Metamod.
With Cannot Roll Attack Modifiers crafted, the Adds 17-23 to 34-39 Physical Damage to Attacks Prefix and our 2 desired Suffixes (Bow Attacks fire 1 additional Arrows, and +31% to Critical Strike Multiplier with Bows) are all protected from being removed with the Orb of Annulment.
Since +3 to Maximum Life, 5% increased Damage with Bow Skills, and Cannot Roll Attack Modifiers are the only non-Attack mods present, Orbs of Annulment are used to remove them without risking our valuable mods.
Remember: Cannot Roll Attack Modifiers can also be removed since it doesn't have an Attack tag. It must be re-crafted for 1 Divine Orb if it gets deleted.
After
+1 Arrow Quiver
Since Attack modifiers are protected, +3 to Maximum Life and 5% increased Damage with Bow Skills were removed after using 2 Orbs of Annulment. Luckily the Metamod wasn't deleted or it would've needed to be added back before using another Annul.
Can Have up to 3 Crafted Modifiers
Can Have up to 3 Crafted Modifiers allows items to have 2 Benchcrafted modifiers in addition to itself. It costs 2 Divine Orbs and its unlock location is found in The Putrid Cloister. While expensive, it's used all the time due to its wide range of usefulness.
Example 1: Finishing Items
Before
Multimodded
Since 3 strong modifiers are already present, Can Have up to 3 Crafted Modifiers is crafted for 2 Divine Orbs.
After
Minion Build
Crafting Multimod allows us to add 2 additional strong modifiers, effectively making a 5-mod wand for Minion Builds. In this case we added Minions deal (45-54)% increased Damage and Trigger a Socketed Spell when you Use a Skill, with a 8 second Cooldown, Spells Triggered this way have 150% more Cost.
Example 2: Combining with other Metacrafts
Before
+2 Physical
For this +2 Physical Amulet craft, Prefixes Cannot be Changed is crafted to protect +1 to Level of all Skill Gems and +89 to maximum Life while Cannot Roll Attack Mods is added as well to prevent any Attack mods from being added in the next step.
After
+2 Physical
A Harvest Augment Physical removes a random modifier from an item while adding a Physical-tag modifier in exchange.
Since Prefixes Cannot be Changed is crafted, +1 to Level of all Skill Gems and +89 to maximum Life cannot be removed. Instead, one of the 3 Metamods are removed at random.
With Cannot Roll Attack Mods present, the only Physical modifier the Harvest Augment can add is +1 to Level of all Physical Skill Gems.
While expensive, this is one of the only ways to deterministically craft a +2 Physical Amulet with three perfect Prefixes.
Summary
- While Metacrafting carries a high price tag, it is the only option for creating powerful high-end items in many situations.
- They are found in the Crafting Bench after unlocking them in their respective Unique Map.
- For a 2 Divine Orb cost, Suffixes/Prefixes Cannot be Changed prevent the Suffixes or Prefixes of an item from being modified.
- For a 1 Divine Orb cost, crafting Cannot Roll Attack Modifiers or Cannot Roll Caster Modifiers prevents mods of that specific tag from being added or removed from that item (e.g. an Attack modifier cannot be Annuled from an item if "Cannot Roll Attack Modifiers" is present).
- For 2 Divine Orbs, Can Have up to 3 Crafted Modifiers allows items to have 2 additional Benchcrafted modifiers since the Metamod itself counts as one of the three.
Credits
Written by spicysushi
Reviewed by Facefoot, Palsteron
