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Headhunter
Leather Belt
Requires Level 40+(25-40) to maximum Life+(40-55) to Strength
+(40-55) to Dexterity
+(50-60) to maximum Life
(20-30)% increased Damage with Hits against Rare monsters
When you Kill a Rare monster, you gain its Modifiers for 20 seconds
"A man's soul rules from a cavern of bone, learns and
judges through flesh-born windows. The heart is meat.
The head is where the Man is."
- Lavianga, Advisor to Kaom
Headhunter inventory icon
Acquisition
League(s): Nemesis
Headhunter has been added to core loot table.
Vendor Prices
Unique8x Chaos Orb
Vendor Offer
10x Alchemy Shard
9x Alteration Shard
Metadata
Item class: Belts

Headhunter is a unique Leather Belt inventory iconLeather BeltLeather BeltRequires Level 8+(25-40) to maximum LifeLeather Belt inventory icon, released in the Nemesis league. If players can consistently kill rare enemies, the Headhunter is the best-in-slot belt for clearing Maps, Heists, Grand Heists, Blighted maps, Harbinger encounters and Delirium encounters. Other belts might be more suitable for bossing. Due to its powerful effects and low drop rate[1][2], the Headhunter is usually one of the most expensive items in each league, traded amongst players for many dozens of Divine Orb inventory iconDivine OrbsDivine OrbStack Size: 10Randomises the numeric values of the random modifiers on an itemRight click this item then left click a magic, rare or unique item to apply it.
Shift click to unstack.
Divine Orb inventory icon
. It is also commonly used as a status symbol.

There is no item in the game that provides the same effects, however the Inspired Learning inventory iconInspired LearningInspired Learning
Crimson Jewel
Radius: SmallWith 4 Notables Allocated in Radius, When you Kill a Rare monster, you gain 1 of its Modifiers for 20 secondsIf you do not learn from a won battle
then you have already lost the war.
Place into an allocated Jewel Socket on the Passive Skill Tree. Right click to remove from the Socket.
Inspired Learning inventory icon
jewel provides a less powerful version of the Headhunter effect, with its ability to steal one mod from slain enemies as opposed to stealing all mods.

Item acquisition
Questionmark

Headhunter has been added to core loot table.

Upgrade paths

This item can be acquired through the following upgrade paths or vendor recipes:

AmountIngredientGeneral
Notes
Type
8Divination card inventory iconThe DoctorThe Doctor card artDivination card frameThe Doctor8Headhunter inventory iconHeadhunterHeadhunter inventory icon"They said I needed my head examined,
but I'd rather just take yours."
- Klopek the Cannibal
Divination card inventory icon
HeadhunterManual
11Divination card inventory iconThe FiendThe Fiend card artDivination card frameThe Fiend11Headhunter inventory iconHeadhunterHeadhunter inventory icon
Corrupted
Your era is now,
your power unwavered,
soon we will see
who the gods truly favoured.
Divination card inventory icon
corrupted HeadhunterManual
10Divination card inventory iconThe DemonThe Demon card artDivination card frameThe Demon10Headhunter inventory iconHeadhunterHeadhunter inventory icon
Two-Implicit
Corrupted
A man who hears voices may not necessarily be crazy.
Divination card inventory icon
two-implicit corrupted HeadhunterManual
8Divination card inventory iconThe ValkyrieThe Valkyrie card artDivination card frameThe Valkyrie8Nemesis ItemThe villain strikes,
the world is torn.
A war begins, a hero is born,
The nemesis sets the sky alight.
A hero's sacrifice
sets everything right.
- Drake's Epitaph
Divination card inventory icon
random Nemesis itemAutomatic
5Divination card inventory iconThe UndauntedThe Undaunted card artDivination card frameThe Undaunted5Nemesis Item
Corrupted
"Fate was always my nemesis...
But it didn't stop me then, and it won't stop me now."
- Kjetilbrann, The Undaunted
Divination card inventory icon
random corrupted Nemesis itemAutomatic
6Divination card inventory iconThe WretchedThe Wretched card artDivination card frameThe Wretched6BeltNecromancers, believe me, are more terrifying than their thralls.Divination card inventory iconrandom beltAutomatic
6Divination card inventory iconThe CacheThe Cache card artDivination card frameThe Cache6JewelleryVintage or crafted, Glittering and shiny
Dusty or glittering, huge or tiny
Secured within a chest
or unearthed from your mining
Find jewellery everywhere,
no need for divining!
So why is it so hard
to figure out which one to wear?
This one makes me stronger,
but does it match my hair?
Divination card inventory icon
random jewelleryAutomatic
9Divination card inventory iconFateful MeetingFateful Meeting card artDivination card frameFateful Meeting9League-Specific Item
Double-Influenced Item
Item Level: 97
Two-Implicit
Corrupted
Some people act as beacons,
illuminating the path for others.
I was lucky to meet one such person.

- Anton to Zhenya
Divination card inventory icon
random two-implicit corrupted level 97 league-specific itemAutomatic
7Divination card inventory iconPrejudicePrejudice card artDivination card framePrejudice7Item
Influenced Item
One who is blinded by their past may
only see a sliver of the present.
Divination card inventory icon
random influenced itemAutomatic
8Divination card inventory iconArrogance of the VaalArrogance of the Vaal card artDivination card frameArrogance of the Vaal8Item
Two-Implicit
Corrupted
Discovery can lead to beauty, or it can lead to ruin.
Divination card inventory icon
random two-implicit corrupted itemAutomatic
10Divination card inventory iconTime-Lost RelicTime-Lost Relic card artDivination card frameTime-Lost Relic10League-Specific ItemTime cannot wash away that which cannot be forgotten.Divination card inventory iconrandom league-specific itemAutomatic
1Time-Lost Incubator inventory iconTime-Lost IncubatorTime-Lost IncubatorAdds an incubated League-specific Unique item to an equippable item
Item drops after killing # monsters
League-specific Unique ItemRight click this item then left click an item to apply it. The Incubated item drops after killing a specific number of monsters.
Time-Lost Incubator inventory icon
random league-specific itemAutomatic
4Divination card inventory iconJack in the BoxJack in the Box card artDivination card frameJack in the Box4ItemTurn the crank,
close your eyes,
and pray to the gods
for a pleasant surprise.
Divination card inventory icon
random itemAutomatic
1Singular Incubator inventory iconSingular IncubatorSingular IncubatorAdds an incubated Unique item to an equippable item
Item drops after killing # monsters
Unique ItemRight click this item then left click an item to apply it. The Incubated item drops after killing a specific number of monsters.
Singular Incubator inventory icon
random itemAutomatic
1Divination card inventory iconThe VoidThe Void card artDivination card frameThe Void1Reach into the Void and claim your prize.Divination card inventory iconrandom divination card set exchangeAutomatic

Sources[]

The most common methods to farm the Headhunter or Headhunter-related divination cards are:

No. Method To Obtain Tips
1 Running certain maps which have a chance to drop Headhunter-related cards Headhunter-related cards Divination Scarabs improve the drop rate
2 Opening Stacked Deck inventory iconStacked DecksStacked DeckStack Size: 10A stack of unknown divination cardsRight click to take a divination card out of the deck.
Shift click to unstack.
Stacked Deck inventory icon
in any map or area
Headhunter-related cards
3 Running any map with the Nemesis league Zana mod active
(Nemesis may not be required in 3.14)
Headhunter Reliquary Scarabs improve the drop rate
4 Using on average 13,000[3][confirmation needed because of 3.14 change] Orb of Chance inventory iconOrb of ChanceOrb of ChanceStack Size: 20Upgrades a normal item to a random rarityRight click this item then left click a normal item to apply it.
Shift click to unstack.
Orb of Chance inventory icon
and Orb of Scouring inventory iconOrb of ScouringOrb of ScouringStack Size: 30Removes all modifiers from an itemRight click this item then left click on a magic or rare item to apply it.
Shift click to unstack.
Orb of Scouring inventory icon
on a Leather Belt within a map with the Nemesis league Zana mod active
(Nemesis may not be required in 3.14)
Headhunter
5 Using on average 430[4][confirmation needed because of 3.14 change] Ancient Orb inventory iconAncient OrbAncient OrbStack Size: 20Reforges a unique item as another of the same item classRight click this item then left click a unique item to apply it.
Shift click to unstack.
Ancient Orb inventory icon
on a Unique Leather Belt within a map with the Nemesis league Zana mod active
(Nemesis may not be required in 3.14)
Headhunter Item level 40 is best

Mechanics[]

Upon killing a rare monster, the player gains all of its monster modifiers for the next 60 seconds. You also gain the mods if a Minion, Trap, Mine or Totem kills a rare monster; this is an exception to the usual definition of "you".

The following mods can not be gained by the player:

  • FracturedFractured
    Nemesis
  • Inner TreasureInner Treasure
    Nemesis
    Monster drops 1 additional Unique Item (Hidden)
  • Soul ConduitSoul Conduit
    Nemesis
    Corpse can not be destroyed (Hidden)
    Can not be dominated (Hidden)

Effects[]

Headhunter stolen mods

An example showing the active mods stolen from slain enemies. Displayed mods: Frenzy Charges, Power Charges, Headhunter Buff, "Accuracy and Crits" Aura, Endurance Charges, "Energy Shield" Aura, "Medium Physical Damage" Aura, Tailwind, Inspiration Charges

Common mods that players can gain from killing rare enemies are listed in the table below. It is possible to gain all of these mods at once, if players can consistently kill rare enemies, therefore, it is possible to activate extreme defensiveness and huge damage boosts. Players will commonly gain mods that grant them a proximity shield, mods that multiply player's energy shield upto 10 times, and mods that grant improve damage and critical strike chance.

While the Headhunter has stolen mods from a slain enemy, it will display the activated mods next to the player's auras. The monster modifiers that Headhunter has stolen sometimes use alternate names, eg "Life Regen Aura" for the Vitality inventory iconVitalityVitalityAura, Spell, AoE
Level: (1-20)
Reservation: (28-233) Mana
Cooldown Time: 1.20 sec
Can Store 1 Use(s)
Cast Time: Instant
Radius: 36
Requires Level 10Casts an aura that grants life regeneration to you and your allies.Per 1% Quality:1Superior2Anomalous3Divergent2% increased Area of EffectYou and nearby Allies Leech 0.02% of Physical Attack Damage as LifeYou and nearby Allies deal 0.2% increased Damage while on Full LifeYou and nearby Allies Regenerate (15-247) Life per second
+(0-19) to radius
Place into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.
Vitality skill icon
Vitality inventory icon
aura, and so on. The table below uses the name displayed on the buff bar.

Note: It is not possible to gain any "negative" mods from enemies such as curses or hexes. Mods gained will always have a positive effect either to improve the player's defense or offensive capability.

Icon Mod Name Effects
Headhunter buff active icon Headhunter Buff Active
  • Always displays while the Headhunter is granting the player extra mods.
  • A countdown timer indicates the duration remaining for the extra mods.
Icon Mod Name Effects Image
Inspiration Charges status icon Max Inspiration Charges
  • Skills deal (5-7)% more Elemental Damage per Inspiration Charge
  • Skills have (6-8)% increased Critical Strike Chance per Inspiration Charge
  • Players can only stack upto a maximum of 5 Inspiration Charges, there is no known way to increase this limit
Headhunter inspiration charges
Power Charge status icon Max Power Charges
  • By default players can stack upto 3 Power Charges, skill tree passive nodes need to be activated to unlock more
Endurance Charge status icon Max Endurance Charges
  • By default players can stack upto 3 Endurance Charges, skill tree passive nodes need to be activated to unlock more
Frenzy Charge status icon Max Frenzy Charges
  • By default players can stack upto 3 Frenzy Charges, skill tree passive nodes need to be activated to unlock more
Tailwind status icon Tailwind
  • Grants 10% increased movement and action speed.
Soul Eater status icon Soul Eater
  • 5% increased attack speed per Soul Eater stack
  • 5% increased cast speed per Soul Eater stack
  • 1% increased character size per Soul Eater stack
  • Players gain 1 Soul Eater stack per slain enemy while the buff is active
  • Players can gain upto a maximum of 50 Soul Eater stacks, increasing the player size substantially
Headhunter soul eater
Proximity Shield status icon Proximity Shield
  • Players cannot be hit by direct damage from enemies outside the shield.
Headhunter proximity shield
Discipline skill icon Energy Shield Aura
  • Grants additional energy shield and increased energy shield recharge.
Headhunter energy shield
Purity of Elements skill icon Resists Aura
  • Grants additional elemental resistances.
Haste skill icon Speed Aura
  • Increases movement speed, attack speed and cast speed.
Vitality skill icon Life Regen Aura
  • Causes nearby enemies to take more physical damage.
Pride skill icon Medium Physical Damage Aura
  • Causes nearby enemies to take more physical damage.
  • Increases the character size
Pride skill icon Large Physical Damage Aura
  • Causes nearby enemies to take substantially more physical damage.
  • Substantially increases the character size
Precision skill icon Accuracy and Crits Aura
  • Grants accuracy and critical strike chance.
Headhunter faster run icon Faster Run
  • Grants faster run speed and action speed.
Headhunter status icon Grasping Vines
  • Grasping Vines slow your enemies when you take a hit.
Headhunter grasping vines
Headhunter status icon Lightning Retaliation
  • Lightning bolts strike at nearby enemies when you take damage.
Headhunter lightning retaliation
Headhunter status icon Physical Projectile Retaliation
  • Physical projectiles strike at nearby enemies when you take damage.
Headhunter physical projectile retaliation
Headhunter status icon Lightning Clone Retaliation
  • A lightning clone of the player detonates itself into enemies when you take damage.
Headhunter lightning clone retaliation
Headhunter elemental thorns icon Elemental Thorns
  • Fires a projectile which deals damage of each element when you take elemental damage.
Headhunter elemental thorns
Headhunter physical thorns icon Physical Thorns
  • Fires a projectile which deals Physical Damage when you take elemental damage.
Headhunter physical thorns
Headhunter status icon Fire Projectile
  • Fires a projectile which deals Fire Damage when you take elemental damage.
Headhunter fire projectile
Headhunter status icon Fire Totem
  • Fire totems automatically appear around the player which deal Fire Damage to enemies that hit the barriers.
Headhunter fire totem
Headhunter status icon Summon Skeletons
  • Skeletons automatically appear around the player which attack nearby enemies.
Headhunter summon skeletons

Corrupting[]

Warning: Before corrupting your Headhunter, remember to add Fertile Catalyst inventory iconFertile CatalystFertile CatalystStack Size: 10Adds quality that enhances Life and Mana modifiers on a ring, amulet or belt
Replaces other quality types
Right click this item then left click a ring, amulet or belt to apply it. Has greater effect on lower-rarity jewellery. The maximum quality is 20%.
Shift click to unstack.
Fertile Catalyst inventory icon
s or Intrinsic Catalyst inventory iconIntrinsic CatalystIntrinsic CatalystStack Size: 10Adds quality that enhances Attribute modifiers on a ring, amulet or belt
Replaces other quality types
Right click this item then left click a ring, amulet or belt to apply it. Has greater effect on lower-rarity jewellery. The maximum quality is 20%.
Shift click to unstack.
Intrinsic Catalyst inventory icon
s on it first, and to reroll its stats using Divine Orb inventory iconDivine OrbDivine OrbStack Size: 10Randomises the numeric values of the random modifiers on an itemRight click this item then left click a magic, rare or unique item to apply it.
Shift click to unstack.
Divine Orb inventory icon
and Blessed Orb inventory iconBlessed OrbBlessed OrbStack Size: 20Randomises the numeric values of the implicit modifiers of an itemRight click this item then left click another item to apply it.
Shift click to unstack.
Blessed Orb inventory icon
, as its stats cannot be modified after it is corrupted.

Extremely wealthy players may risk their Headhunter and corrupt it using Vaal Orb inventory iconVaal OrbsVaal OrbStack Size: 10Corrupts an item, modifying it unpredictablyRight click this item then left click an item to corrupt it. Corrupted items cannot be modified again.
Shift click to unstack.
Vaal Orb inventory icon
. It is possible to:

  • Brick it by turning it into a Rare Belt
  • Add an implicit
  • No effect other than adding the corrupted property
  • Other effects like transforming into another item

Implicits[]

The purpose of corrupting a Headhunter is to obtain rare Vaal Implicits. The full list of obtainable implicits for Headhunter are:

  • (8–10)% increased Area of Effect
  • +(20–25)% to Critical Strike Multiplier during any Flask Effect
  • (8–12)% increased Attack Speed during any Flask Effect
  • (8–12)% increased Cast Speed during any Flask Effect
  • (35–40)% increased Critical Strike Chance during any Flask Effect
  • (12–15)% increased Skill Effect Duration
  • (8–10)% increased maximum Energy Shield
  • (6–8)% increased maximum Life
  • (8–12)% increased Movement Speed during any Flask Effect
  • (20–30)% increased Rarity of Items found
  • (3–5)% increased Quantity of Items found
  • Wrath has (15–20)% increased Aura Effect
  • Anger has (15–20)% increased Aura Effect
  • Hatred has (15–20)% increased Aura Effect
  • Determination has (15–20)% increased Aura Effect
  • Discipline has (15–20)% increased Aura Effect
  • Grace has (15–20)% increased Aura Effect
  • (4–6)% increased Intelligence
  • (4–6)% increased Dexterity
  • (4–6)% increased Strength
  • +(14–16)% to all Elemental Resistances

Alternate artwork[]

Headhunter race season 7 inventory icon Race season 7 prize for reaching 1000 RP.
Headhunter Relic inventory icon Relic version from the Timeworn Reliquary

Version history[]

Version Changes
3.14.0
  • Many unique items that were league-specific have now also been added to the core drop pool.
  • (In content reveal video) No longer a Nemesis league-specific item. Now added to the core loot drop table.[5]
3.7.0
  • Decreased the droprate of Headhunter
2.3.1
  • Fixed a bug where Inspired Learning inventory iconInspired LearningInspired Learning
    Crimson Jewel
    Radius: SmallWith 4 Notables Allocated in Radius, When you Kill a Rare monster, you gain 1 of its Modifiers for 20 secondsIf you do not learn from a won battle
    then you have already lost the war.
    Place into an allocated Jewel Socket on the Passive Skill Tree. Right click to remove from the Socket.
    Inspired Learning inventory icon
    and Headhunter inventory iconHeadhunterHeadhunter
    Leather Belt
    Requires Level 40+(25-40) to maximum Life+(40-55) to Strength
    +(40-55) to Dexterity
    +(50-60) to maximum Life
    (20-30)% increased Damage with Hits against Rare monsters
    When you Kill a Rare monster, you gain its Modifiers for 20 seconds
    "A man's soul rules from a cavern of bone, learns and
    judges through flesh-born windows. The heart is meat.
    The head is where the Man is."
    - Lavianga, Advisor to Kaom
    Headhunter inventory icon
    did not correctly steal mods from Volatile Blood monsters.
1.1.5
  • Fixed a rare crash with the Headhunter unique.
1.0.4
  • Fixed an interaction between the Headhunter unique item and the Proximity Shield Nemesis mod, where the Proximity Shield did not expire.
1.0.2b
  • Fixed an instance crash related to Headhunter interacting with some Nemesis mods.
1.0.0
  • Introduced to the game.

See also[]

  • Replica Headhunter inventory iconReplica HeadhunterReplica Headhunter
    Leather Belt
    Requires Level 40+(25-40) to maximum Life+(40-55) to Strength
    +(40-55) to Dexterity
    +(50-60) to maximum Life
    (20-30)% increased Damage with Hits against Magic monsters
    20% chance when you Kill a Magic Monster to gain
    its Non-Bloodline Modifiers for 20 seconds
    "A type Delta test subject escaped with Prototype #18. He was last seen
    ten times the height of a man and crashing straight through walls."
    Replica Headhunter inventory icon

References[]

  1. Ordicomputers (18 Jan 2017). "1000+ headhunter tries". Path of Exile Subreddit. Retrieved 30 Jan 2021.
  2. Exiled_Angel (13 Sep 2017). "Loot from 6553 Ancient Orbs on Unique Belts". Path of Exile Subreddit. Retrieved 30 Jan 2021.
  3. 1000+ headhunter tries, Reddit, "It was a reported sample size of 5 [Headhunters] and 11-14.5k [Orb of Chance] per belt."
  4. Loot from 6553 Ancient Orbs on Unique Belts, Reddit, "6553 Ancient Orbs = 15 Headhunters. So it averages out to one in 437 Ancients over 15 headhunters."
  5. Path of Exile on Youtube (April 9, 2021). "Path of Exile: Ultimatum Content Reveal". YouTube. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
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