How to Farm Regal Shards in Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2, the highly anticipated sequel to Grinding Gear Games' flagship action RPG Path of Exile, has taken the ARPG world by storm with its vast world, intricate itemization, and deep systems. One of the core mechanics that remain crucial to success in Path of Exile 2 is the item crafting system. A critical part of this system involves crafting currency items, and among the most coveted are Regal Shards.

Regal Shards are essential crafting materials used to upgrade items in Path of Exile 2. While the game introduces many new systems, Regal Shards continue to play a vital role in crafting powerful gear that can shape your character's build and progression. In this article, we'll break down the importance of Regal Shards, and more importantly, how you can efficiently farm them in Path of Exile 2.

What Are Regal Shards?

In Path of Exile 2, Regal Shards are a POE 2 Currency item used to upgrade magic items to rare items. Magic items are those that have one or two mods, while rare items can have up to six. Regal Shards are the primary material used to enhance a magic item into a rare item, making them a crucial resource for crafting endgame gear.

Using Regal Shards is particularly helpful when you want to upgrade an item that already has desirable magic affixes. This upgrade can potentially transform an otherwise mediocre item into a powerful rare one. Regal Shards are also useful when you are crafting an item for a specific build and want to fine-tune the item's mods, potentially improving its value by adding additional affixes.

The process for using Regal Shards typically follows these steps:

Find or Create a Magic Item: Craft or acquire a magic item that suits your needs or fits your desired build.

Use a Regal Shard: Apply the Regal Shard to the magic item to upgrade it into a rare item.

Refine and Modify: Once the item is rare, you can use additional crafting methods (like Orbs of Alteration, Exalted Orbs, or Harvest crafting) to further tweak the item's mods.

Why Farm Regal Shards?

Farming Regal Shards becomes an important part of any player's crafting progression. Here's why:

Endgame Gear Crafting: Crafting high-tier gear for your endgame build often requires upgrading from magic items to rare ones, and Regal Shards are essential for this step.

Build Optimization: Since Path of Exile 2 allows for complex builds with synergies across multiple affixes, upgrading magic items into rare ones can unlock potent combinations that make or break your character's performance.

Economy and Trading: Regal Shards also have substantial value in the player-driven economy. Many players seek specific rare items, and a Regal Shard can help them craft the perfect piece of gear, making them valuable for trade.

Crafting Synergy: Regal Shards are not just for crafting; they often pair with other crafting mechanics (like Exalted Orbs or Harvest crafting) to create powerful items, which is why farming them efficiently is necessary for progression.

Methods for Farming Regal Shards in Path of Exile 2

While Regal Shards are an essential part of crafting, acquiring them in a steady and reliable manner can be challenging, especially in the early stages of the game. However, with the right approach, you can maximize your Regal Shard farming potential. Below are several effective methods for farming Regal Shards in Path of Exile 2:

1. Farming Magic Items for Regal Shards

The simplest way to farm Regal Shards is to directly farm magic items, which you can then upgrade. To do this effectively, focus on areas where magic items drop most frequently, or on monsters that are likely to drop items with high mod potential. Here's how you can farm magic items:

Play in High-Density Areas: High-density monster zones (such as maps with large groups of enemies) often have a higher chance of dropping magic items. You can farm areas with numerous mobs and hope for a good drop. Zones like The Twilight Strand or The Dunes are often known for having higher chances of magic item drops.

Clear Maps Efficiently: Running maps with high monster density and relatively quick clear times is one of the most efficient ways to farm magic items. Use high-clear-speed builds to farm areas like The Reef, The Quarry, or The Forbidden Woods, where you can quickly kill large groups of enemies and have a better chance of magic item drops.

Maximize Item Drops with Scarabs: Scarabs are items that enhance your map runs and increase the number of magic (and rare) items that drop. Use Cartographer's Scarabs to increase the quantity and rarity of items dropped. This also improves your chances of getting high-tier magic items that can be upgraded with Regal Shards.

Use The "Farming Method": By focusing on areas with high density of Pack Size modifiers, you increase the chance that magic items will drop. Additionally, focusing on Item Quantity and Item Rarity passives on your skill tree or gear can further boost your chances of finding high-value magic items that can be Regal'd.

2. Farming Specific League Mechanic Content

Path of Exile 2 introduces new league mechanics that can increase the likelihood of Regal Shard drops. Here's how you can make use of these mechanics:

Delve: In Path of Exile 2, the Delve mechanic continues to be a great way to farm crafting resources. As you explore deeper into the mines, you'll encounter high-tier magic items that are ideal for upgrading with Regal Shards. Additionally, specific nodes on the Delve tree increase the drop rates of magic and rare items.

Heist: The Heist mechanic introduces unique ways of farming valuable items and crafting resources. When you succeed in a heist, you often leave with a collection of high-quality magic items, which can then be upgraded into rare items using Regal Shards.

Incursion: If Path of Exile 2 continues the Incursion mechanic, this is another place where farming magic items becomes easier. Each successful Incursion run can yield high-value magic items, and the Temple of Atzoatl offers crafting options that synergize well with Regal Shards.

Breach: The Breach mechanic has long been a source of high-quality loot, and in Path of Exile 2, it may continue to provide good opportunities for farming magic items. Breach Zones often have high mob densities, making it easier to farm a significant number of items quickly.

3. Trade and Purchase Regal Shards

If you prefer not to grind directly for Regal Shards, you can always purchase them. Trading is a crucial aspect of Path of Exile 2, and many players find success in acquiring crafting materials by poe2 trade.

Trade with Other Players: If you're able to acquire items that other players value, you can trade these items for Regal Shards. Look for high-demand items like high-tier magic rings, amulets, or weapon mods, and see if you can exchange them for Regal Shards or other crafting materials.

Use Currency Exchange: On trading platforms like PoE.trade or The Trade Hub, you can exchange various currencies, including Chaos Orbs, Exalted Orbs, and even other crafting items for Regal Shards. If you're in a high-level map area with good loot, you may want to sell items for Regal Shards directly.

4. Harvest Crafting and Regal Shards

If Path of Exile 2 continues the Harvest Crafting system, this opens another route to obtaining Regal Shards. The Harvest mechanic allows you to grow your own crafting materials and can sometimes grant Regal Shards as a crafting outcome. Look out for new Harvest nodes that let you craft or upgrade items in exchange for Regal Shards.

5. Farming in High-Level Maps

Once you reach endgame content and start farming high-level maps, you'll find that Regal Shards become more common. High-tier maps (e.g., T16 maps) have increased chances to drop high-level magic items that can be upgraded with Regal Shards. Running these maps efficiently with the right build can yield a consistent flow of Regal Shards and other valuable crafting materials.

Conclusion

Farming Regal Shards in Path of Exile 2 requires a blend of effective farming, strategic crafting, and making use of the game's complex economy. Whether you're farming magic items to upgrade into rare ones, participating in league mechanics, or trading with other players, Regal Shards remain a valuable resource for crafting top-tier gear for your build.

To maximize your efficiency in farming Regal Shards, make sure you focus on high-density areas with good item drop rates, engage with league mechanics that reward crafting materials, and utilize the in-game economy to trade for materials when necessary. By following these strategies, you can ensure that you always have a steady supply of Regal Shards to upgrade your magic items and craft the perfect gear for your character.