How to Craft an Endgame Critical Strike Amulet in POE2 (Solar Amulet)

Amulets are arguably one of the most powerful and complex items to craft in Path of Exile 2. A well-crafted Solar Amulet can define a build, providing immense damage scaling through critical strike and skill gem levels. In the "Dawn of the Hunt" league, a fractured base is the key to creating these endgame masterpieces.

This guide will provide a complete, step-by-step flowchart for crafting a top-tier critical strike amulet. We will also dive deep into the strategic reasoning behind each step, such as why we prioritize fracturing critical strike mods and how to handle unexpected outcomes during the crafting process.

The Solar Amulet Crafting Flowchart

This flowchart visualizes the entire crafting journey. Use it as a reference as we break down the core decisions and strategies involved.

Deconstructing the Crafting Process

Let's explore the strategic thinking behind the steps in our flowchart.

The Foundation: Choosing Your Fractured Mod

The first decision in this high-stakes craft is what to fracture. For a top-tier critical strike amulet, the best path is almost always to lock in a core crit suffix.

Primary Recommendation: Fracture T1 +% increased Critical Strike Chance or T1 +% increased Critical Damage Bonus

As we detailed in our guide on which mods to fracture, the best mods to lock in are typically rare and value-defining "anchors". Critical strike modifiers on amulets are perfect examples:

1. They are Rare: Both T1 Critical Strike Chance and Multiplier have low weighting, making them difficult to roll naturally. Securing one upfront is a massive advantage.
2. They Set the Value Floor: An amulet with a fractured T1 crit mod is inherently valuable and sought-after. This guarantees the value of your crafting base.
3. They Reduce Future Costs: By locking in one of the desired suffixes, you make it significantly cheaper to target the remaining suffixes with an Omen of Whittling later on.

Alternative Path: Fracture + to Level of Skill Gems or + to Spirit

You could choose to fracture a prefix like +3 to Level of all... Skill Gems. This approach, similar to the philosophy in our Gemini Bow Crafting Guide, has its own trade-offs.

• Pro: The initial cost of this fractured base might be lower, and it provides an immediate, practical power boost for self-use.
• Con: Because a truly high-end amulet requires T1 critical strike suffixes, you will eventually have to spend much more currency and effort to add these specific mods to your prefix-fractured base.

Key Crafting Questions Explained

This is a complex craft, and things don't always go according to plan. Here’s how to handle common dilemmas.

1. What If You Hit Good PREFIXES While Crafting SUFFIXES?

You are using Chaos Orbs to roll for your suffixes, and you hit T1 +3 to Melee/Projectile Skills. This is a fantastic prefix, but your goal is to finish the suffixes first. What do you do?

The answer is to stay disciplined. Your priority is to complete the suffixes. You should use a targeted Omen of Dextral Exaltation + Exalted Orb. This forces the new mod to be a suffix, protecting your valuable prefix. If the resulting suffix is junk, you must be bold and use an Orb of Annulment, hoping to remove the bad suffix without touching your good prefix. It's a calculated risk to maintain focus on the primary goal.

2. Why Use an Orb of Annulment on a Bad Suffix?

You've hit one good suffix, but the second one is terrible. Why risk an Annulment Orb? As we covered in our deep dive on the Orb of Annulment, this is a strategic move for efficiency and certainty. Using an Annulment Orb gives you a 50/50 chance to solve your problem immediately. It's a more proactive and often more efficient approach than using Chaos Orbs and hoping for a better outcome, which can lead to a costly "bad luck loop."

Conclusion

Crafting an endgame Solar Amulet is a demanding process that requires a significant currency investment and a clear strategy. Because the desired modifiers are so numerous and rare, you must be prepared for costly steps and have a calm mindset throughout the process.

By following this flowchart and understanding the core principles behind each decision, you have a clear path to creating one of the most powerful items for your build.

We hope this guide helps you in your crafting journey. Happy crafting, exile!