Path of Exile Wiki

Please consider helping keep the wiki up to date. Check the to-do list of updates needed for version 3.14.0.

Game data exports will becoming later as the technical changes in addition to regular changes take some more time.

READ MORE

Path of Exile Wiki
This page is about the currency item. For the league, see Essence league.

An essence is part of a complex group of currency items used for crafting equipment. All essences can be used to upgrade a piece of normal rarity equipment to rare and apply one guaranteed affix. Some essences can also be used to reforge the affixes of rare equipment.

Table of essences[]

The name of an essence consists of three parts: the tier of the essence as a prefix, the word 'Essence', and the type of the essence as a suffix. For example, Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. has the prefix 'Whispering' and the suffix 'of Woe', which means that it is a tier 1 essence of the Woe type. An essence's type determines which guaranteed modifiers it can imbue to equipment, while its tier determines the magnitude of bonuses granted by those modifiers.

Natural essences[]

Groups A–E include all types of essences that can appear naturally with essence monsters. These essences come in seven tiers, each distinguished by a prefix word. An essence's tier can also be recognized by the number of lines in its 2D art icon. Note that not all types of essences exist for every tier. Lower tiers include fewer types of essences.

Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E
Tier mLvl Reforge Greed Contempt Hatred Woe Fear Anger Torment Sorrow Rage Suffering Wrath Doubt Loathing Zeal Anguish Spite Scorn Envy Misery Dread
Whispering 1 1+ Alchemy Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Muttering 2 12+ Alchemy Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Weeping 3 30+ Alchemy Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Wailing 4 48+ Alchemy Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. N/A N/A N/A N/A
Screaming 5 68+ Alchemy Chaos Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes..
Shrieking 6 N/A Alchemy Chaos Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes..
Deafening 7 N/A Alchemy Chaos Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes..

Corrupted essences[]

Group F includes the corrupted essences, which have no prefix word due to the fact that they exist in a tier unto themselves. These do not appear naturally with essence monsters, and can only be obtained by corrupting an essence monster with a Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes... (See § Corrupting essence monsters for details about this process.)

Group F
Tier mLvl Reforge Insanity Horror Delirium Hysteria
8 N/A Alchemy Chaos Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes..

Mechanics[]

Obtaining essences[]

Monsters trapped in essence crystals can occasionally be encountered in most areas. Activating the center essence crystal three times will break the crystals, freeing the trapped monsters. The essence item can be obtained by killing these monsters, which are also enhanced by special monster modifiers on the essence.

Some types of essences only exist at higher tiers. This forms a progression in which more types of essences become available in areas with higher monster level.

Tier 6, 'Shrieking' essences can be obtained by upgrading lower tier essences through the vendor recipe system or by corrupting tier 5 essences using a Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes...

Tier 7, 'Deafening' essences can be obtained by upgrading lower tier essences through the vendor recipe system.

Harvest exchanges[]

One of the random Harvest crafting options granted by Vivid Watcher upgrades an essence by one tier.

One of the random Harvest crafting options granted by Wild Homunculus changes a stack of essences into a different type of the same tier.

Corrupting essence monsters[]

Essences can be corrupted by using a Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. on a monster trapped by essence before releasing it.

This will result in one of the following outcomes chosen at random:

  • Mobs are broken free with empowered stats.
  • All contained essences have their tiers increased by 1 (e.g. 'Screaming' upgraded to 'Shrieking'). Note that the base essence type won't change, and this can't occur with "Deafening" essences.
  • Monster may gain one additional essence.
  • Transform essence types to random ones from the next type group. E.g., 'of Fear' transformed to 'of Wrath'.
    • Note that this can also increase the tier of the essence if the original is at a lower tier than the minimum for the next tier.
    • Essence of Hysteria, Insanity, Horror and Delirium can only be obtained by corrupting monsters with an essence of tier 5 (MEDS: Misery, Envy, Dread, Scorn).

The "Remnant of Corruption"-possessed monster has a monster aura that deals physical damage over time as well as slow the player character.

The player character cannot leech life from the "Remnant of Corruption"-possessed monster.

On slaying the "Remnant of Corruption"-possessed monster, the remnant is dropped just like normal Essences. Additionally two Fleshmonsters spawn on the drop location.

These possessing effects were in fact due to the essence adding the mods Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "mods.name"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.., Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "mods.name"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. to the monster.


Crafting[]

All essences can be used to upgrade a piece of normal rarity equipment to rare, similar to an Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.., and apply one guaranteed affix. Essences of tier 5 (Screaming) and above can also be used to reforge the affixes of rare equipment, which is similar to a Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes..; however, in addition to applying one guaranteed affix, using an essence this way will ignore and override any meta-crafting modifiers.[1]

WARNING: Despite the similar wording to Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.., using an essence on an item with a meta-crafting mod (Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "mods.name"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. or Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "mods.name"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes..) will ignore that mod and overwrite existing prefixes and suffixes ignoring any restrictions.

Tier Prefix Obtainable through max. level of

original item

Min. Level of

reforged item

Item
reforge
1 Whispering Lv. 1+ zone drop 35 1
2 Muttering Lv. 12+ zone drop 45 8
3 Weeping Lv. 30+ zone drop 60 20
4 Wailing Lv. 48+ zone drop 75 33
5 Screaming Lv. 68+ zone drop N/A 46
6 Shrieking Upgrading or corrupting tier 5 essences N/A 59
7 Deafening Upgrading tier 6 essences N/A 65

Essence possession effects[]

Essences are encountered in the wild as a monster 'possessed' by an Essence, mechanically similar to possession by a talisman or tormented spirit. Essence can only appear on a rare monster and the monster can have more than one essences possessed. When the monster is killed, the essences will drop as an item.

Essences Possession effect
Hatred
  • Shoot out a nova of Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. projectiles.
Woe
  • Summon Energy Locus that cast Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes...
Greed
  • Create a red bubble around the enemy and it explode into 3 projectile that does Corrupted Blood on hit, similarly to Malachai's TriBomb.
Contempt
  • Periodically cast an ice version of Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes...
  • At 'Screaming', it summon 3 spirits that looks like ice version of Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. but without the totem chasing toward player, apparently they are invulnerable to get hit.
Sorrow
  • Summon Totems that cast Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. at player's location.
Anger
  • Shoot out a nova of fire version Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. projectiles.
Torment
  • Periodically cast Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. at the player's location.
Fear
Suffering
  • Periodically cast Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.., then summon Arctic Golem when died.
Rage
  • Create fire runes that trigger when stepped on, dealing fire damage, similar to Malachai's Fire Traps.
Wrath
  • Shoot out a nova of lightning projectiles that behave like Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes..'s projectiles.
Doubt
  • Summon Essence Tarantula that does Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. and Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes...
Anguish
  • Summon Fiery Rubble that fracture into smaller size on death, which is a unique Cinder Elemental.
Loathing
Spite
  • Summon Totems that cast Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. and leave patches of Shocking Ground
Zeal
Misery
  • Shoot out pulses that inflict a chaos damage over time debuff on the player.
Dread
  • Cast a chaos version of Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes... Summon Guardian Golem, which is a unique Chaos Golem.
Scorn
Envy
  • Summon a grasping hand (looks like Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes..), that teleports the player to the monster's location. This can be evaded by moving.
Hysteria
Insanity
  • Cast Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. and summon invulnerable Spectral Spirits that attack the player.
Horror
Delirium
  • Summon monsters that looks like Carrion Minion, it casts chaos version of Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. that uses Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageName"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes.. MTX's.
Remnant of Corruption
  • Enemy has a physical damage over time and slow aura, cannot be leeched from. Summons 2 Fleshmonster when killed.

Vendor recipes[]

It is possible to upgrade essences in tier through a vendor recipe.

Result Recipe
1x essence of the same type one tier higher 3x essences of the same type and tier

The Essence Stash Tab provides the means to upgrade essences from within the tab itself. This has exactly the same outcome as the vendor recipe, but saves time spent moving items around.

Divination cards[]

The following divination cards can be exchanged for essences: Lua error: Error: invalid field alias "items._pageID"; aliases cannot contain dots or quotes..

Version history[]

Version Changes
3.14.0
  • Screaming Essences can now be used to reforge rare items, in addition to upgrading normal items to rare. This brings them into line with Shrieking and Deafening Essences.
  • Extensive balance changes to essence modifiers. (See Version 3.14.0 § Essence Balance for a complete list of changes.)
2.4.0g
  • All corruption only Essence mods (of Delirium, Horror, Hysteria and Insanity) now have a minimum level of 50.
2.4.0e
  • The Essence upgrade recipe now returns surplus Essences when you vendor four or more essences.
2.4.0c
  • The Essence of Hysteria boots mod now has a level 60 requirement.
  • Fixed some prison rooms where Essences could spawn in bad locations.
  • Fixed a bug where the Energy Locus summoned by Essence of Woe could be hit by skills such as Arc.
2.4.0

References[]

  1. Chris (August 22, 2016). "Essence Metamod Crafting". Path of Exile Forums. Retrieved January 12, 2021.