Before you can use the Well of Souls, you'll need Preserved Bones, key crafting materials that drop from Abyssal Troves and encounters. Each bone corresponds to Path of Exile 2 Currency a specific type of equipment:
Preserved Collarbone - Used for Amulets, Rings, and Belts
Preserved Cranium - Used for Jewels
Preserved Jawbone - Used for Weapons and Quivers
Preserved Rib - Used for Armor Pieces
Preserved Vertebrae - Used for Waystones
Once you apply one of these bones to a Rare item, it becomes Desecrated and ready for modification in the Well of Souls.
Because each bone type is linked to specific gear slots, smart farming is key. For example, focusing on Preserved Jawbones can help you enhance early-game weapons for your build, while Preserved Collarbones may be better for boosting accessories in endgame content.
Important Restrictions and Tips
The Well of Souls opens up deep item customization, but there are a few crucial limitations to remember:
Permanent Modifiers: Desecrated Modifiers cannot be removed or changed later. Once you apply one, that item's destiny is sealed.
Limited Crafting Options: Desecrated gear acts like Corrupted gear, meaning most crafting tools and Path of Exile 2 Currency won't work on it.
Timing Matters: Don't desecrate early leveling gear. Save your Preserved Bones for strong rare bases or buy POE2 Items with ideal affix pools before applying modifiers.
Quest Dependency: You'll need to progress through "A Theft of Ivory" in Act 2 before the Well of Souls becomes available. Players who skip exploration may miss it entirely.
Why It's Worth Unlocking Early
Unlocking the Well of Souls early in the campaign provides huge long-term benefits. It acts as a gateway to Abyssal crafting, allowing you to experiment with rare combinations of modifiers and boost your power curve before reaching endgame maps.
It also helps you understand how Path of Exile 2 Items and the new crafting systems interact. Grinding Gear Games has clearly designed Abyssal crafting as a mid-game progression step that teaches players a risk-versus-reward decision-making theme central to Path of Exile's design philosophy.
Whether you're experimenting with early builds or saving materials for cheap POE 2 Chaos Orbs high-tier endgame gear, having access to the Well of Souls gives you flexibility and strategic depth.