Crafting Bench Explained: Best Way to Color and Link Sockets in Path of Exile

In Path of Exile, the Crafting Bench is an indispensable tool for any player looking to precisely manipulate the sockets and links on their equipment. While Chromatic Orbs offer a degree of randomness, the Crafting Bench provides guaranteed outcomes, making it the preferred method for achieving specific socket configurations, especially for off-colors or high-link items. This guide will explore the Crafting Bench, its socket-related recipes, and how to effectively integrate it into your crafting strategy.

What is the Crafting Bench?

The Crafting Bench is a hideout decoration that functions as a powerful crafting station. It allows players to apply a wide array of modifiers to items, including those that directly affect sockets and links. Unlike currency items that rely on chance, Crafting Bench recipes offer deterministic results, albeit at a fixed currency cost.

crafting bench

Accessing Crafting Bench Recipes

Crafting Bench recipes are unlocked by completing various in-game content, such as:

  • Delving: Many socket and link recipes are found in the Azurite Mine
  • Betrayal Encounters: Interrogating or executing Immortal Syndicate members can reveal recipes.
  • Completing Quests: Some recipes are rewards for specific quests.
  • Unlocking Masters: Leveling up masters (like Jun, Alva, Niko, Einhar, Zana) can unlock their associated crafting options.

Once a recipe is unlocked, it becomes permanently available on your Crafting Bench across all your characters in that league.

Key Crafting Bench Recipes for Sockets and Links

The Crafting Bench offers several crucial recipes for socket manipulation. These are often categorized by the number of sockets or links, and whether they force specific colors.

Socket Coloring Recipes (Guaranteed Colors)

These recipes are invaluable for forcing specific colors, especially off-colors, onto items. They bypass the attribute weighting of Chromatic Orbs, offering guaranteed results.

  • Force 1 Socket of a Specific Color: Costs a small amount of Chromatic Orbs. This is useful for items where you need just one off-color, and then you can use raw Chromatic Orbs for the remaining sockets. Example: “1 Red Socket” (costs 1 Chromatic Orb)
  • Force 2 Sockets of Specific Colors: Costs more Chromatic Orbs, but guarantees two specific colors. Example: “2 Red Sockets” (costs 5 Chromatic Orbs)
  • Force 3 Sockets of Specific Colors: Even higher cost, but guarantees three specific colors. Example: “3 Red Sockets” (costs 15 Chromatic Orbs)
  • Force X Sockets of Specific Colors (e.g., 4, 5, 6): These recipes become progressively more expensive but are often the only viable way to achieve multiple off-colors on an item with high attribute requirements. Example: “4 Red Sockets” (costs 120 Chromatic Orbs)

Important Note: The cost of these recipes is fixed, regardless of the item’s attribute requirements. This is why they are often cheaper than spamming Chromatic Orbs for off-colors.

Socket Linking Recipes (Guaranteed Links)

These recipes are used to guarantee a certain number of linked sockets on an item. They are particularly useful for achieving 5-links and 6-links, which can be very expensive with Orbs of Fusing.

  • Force 2-Link: Costs 1 Orb of Fusing
  • Force 3-Link: Costs 3 Orbs of Fusing
  • Force 4-Link: Costs 10 Orbs of Fusing
  • Force 5-Link: Costs 150 Orbs of Fusing
  • Force 6-Link: Costs 1500 Orbs of Fusing

Note: The 6-link recipe is one of the most expensive Crafting Bench options, but it guarantees the outcome, removing the RNG associated with using raw Orbs of Fusing.

Socket Number Recipes (Guaranteed Sockets)

These recipes allow you to force a specific number of sockets on an item, up to its maximum based on item level and base type.

  • Force 2 Sockets: Costs 1 Jeweller’s Orb
  • Force 3 Sockets: Costs 3 Jeweller’s Orbs
  • Force 4 Sockets: Costs 10 Jeweller’s Orbs
  • Force 5 Sockets: Costs 150 Jeweller’s Orbs
  • Force 6 Sockets: Costs 1500 Jeweller’s Orbs

Important: Using these recipes will re-roll the socket colors and links. Always apply these before attempting to color or link your item.

Crafting Corrupted Items with the Bench

One of the most significant advantages of the Crafting Bench is its ability to modify sockets and links on corrupted items. Normally, corrupted items cannot be altered with regular currency. However, the Crafting Bench allows you to apply its socket and link recipes to corrupted gear, but with an additional cost: 1 Vaal Orb per Chromatic Orb, Jeweller’s Orb, or Orb of Fusing required by the recipe.

This makes the Crafting Bench the only deterministic way to get desired socket colors or links on a corrupted item, albeit at a steep price. For example, a 6-link on a corrupted item would cost 1500 Orbs of Fusing and 1500 Vaal Orbs.

When to Use the Crafting Bench vs. Chromatic Orbs

The decision to use the Crafting Bench or raw Chromatic Orbs (or Orbs of Fusing/Jeweller’s Orbs) depends on several factors:

  • Desired Outcome: If you need a specific, guaranteed outcome (especially off-colors or high links), the Crafting Bench is almost always the superior choice.
  • Item’s Attribute Bias: For items with strong attribute biases, forcing off-colors with Chromatic Orbs can be extremely expensive. The Crafting Bench offers a fixed, predictable cost.
  • Currency Availability: While Crafting Bench recipes have fixed costs, these costs can be substantial. If you have limited currency, you might try a few raw Chromatic Orbs first, but be prepared to switch to the bench if RNG is not in your favor.
  • Corrupted Items: For corrupted items, the Crafting Bench is your only option for deterministic socket/link modification.

Our Vorici Calculator integrates these Crafting Bench recipes into its calculations, allowing you to compare the costs of using raw orbs versus the bench for your specific item and desired outcome. This helps you make the most economically sound decision.

Conclusion

The Crafting Bench is a cornerstone of advanced item manipulation in Path of Exile. By understanding its socket and link recipes, and knowing when to leverage its deterministic power, you can save vast amounts of currency and achieve crafting goals that would be nearly impossible with random currency spamming. Master the Crafting Bench, and you’ll unlock a new level of control over your gear in Wraeclast.