PATH OF EXILE 2
Runes, sockets and corruption
Match augments to the actual equipment, inspect their effects, and understand irreversible changes.
Introduction
Match augments to the actual equipment, inspect their effects, and understand irreversible changes.
Socket an effect
- 01
Choose the item first
Open a socket on the intended equipment. Equipment augment sockets and skill support sockets are separate systems: a rune in gear does not use a support slot.
- 02
Read the correct effect
The same augment can give different effects to different equipment types. Read the selected item’s effect and any Bonded variant. A weapon effect is not automatically the effect granted to armour.
- 03
Review special rules
Check required level, equipment restrictions and any Limited to value. Some augments target a specific weapon or armour category. An empty socket does not make every augment valid.
- 04
Compare the result
Inspect final item properties and character totals. Resistance augments can repair defensive gaps; local damage and armour effects belong to the item. Conditional effects still need their stated conditions.
Extra sockets
Exceptional equipment
Exceptional equipment has above-maximum quality or an additional augment socket. These are alternative properties, not an automatic promise of both. Record the actual exceptional property.
Special item rules
A Unique can override ordinary socket rules or restrict what can be inserted. Use the item’s recorded sockets rather than inferring capacity only from its shape or weapon size.
Planning is reversible
Removing an augment here edits the plan. It does not promise that a Socket-bound augment can be removed in-game without cost or loss.
Corrupted items
Before an irreversible craft
- 01
Read the risk
Check the currency or device text for the target. Some transformations destroy equipment or consume it to recover a socketed augment.
- 02
Keep a usable replacement
WDguide advice: do not risk the only item keeping your requirements or resistances working. Check the fallback first.
- 03
Update the saved result
Import or enter the observed result. Do not combine original modifiers with a speculative corruption outcome as though both are guaranteed.
An augment decision in practice
Choose the gap to fix
WDguide example: you need Fire resistance on an armour slot. Inspect and read its armour line. Its weapon damage line does not also apply to that armour piece.
Check eligibility before spending
Confirm the item has an available equipment socket and accepts this augment. Read any item-specific restriction or limit. Support sockets on do not provide sockets for equipment runes.
Check the finished setup
Compare the actual item and all four resistances after the change. WDguide advice: keep a working replacement before corruption. Planning a rune or a result in the editor does not perform the operation in game.