When I first reached the endgame in Path of Exile 2, I was struggling. My damage was low, I kept dying to bosses, and my maps felt like a slog. I didn’t have a huge stash of currency or any high-end uniques. But what made a huge difference? Budget items. With smart planning and a few key purchases, I was able to push through tier 14+ maps and even tackle some bosses like The Apex Guardian and Eater of Worlds. Here’s exactly how I did it—step by step.

The first thing I learned was to prioritize impactful affixes over item level or rarity. I browsed U4GM for affordable PoE 2 items with high life, resistances, and useful modifiers like “Added Cold Damage to Spells” or “+#% to Fire Damage over Time Multiplier”. For less than 10 Chaos Orbs, I found gloves and boots that fit perfectly into my build and gave a massive performance boost.

I focused on upgrading my weapon first. A good rare wand or bow with high spell or attack damage can carry your whole build. I bought a +1 to Cold Spell Gems wand from U4GM’s PoE 2 items section, and it only cost me 8 Chaos. It wasn’t flashy, but paired with a 4-link setup and a few support gems, my clear speed skyrocketed.

Next came defensive upgrades. U4GM had plenty of budget chest armors with +70 life and triple resistances. I grabbed a simple Evasion/ES hybrid chest for 12 Chaos, rolled it with a few Alchemy and Chaos Orbs, and was able to cap my elemental resists in one go. This alone cut my deaths in half.

If you’re also struggling, here’s a quick plan you can follow:

  • Use Essences (Essence of Greed, Essence of Anger) to craft on white bases from the vendor.
  • Buy PoE 2 items like cheap 4-link armor or weapons with relevant modifiers.
  • Don’t chase uniques unless they’re essential—budget rares often outperform.
  • Prioritize movement speed boots (25-30%), high resistances, and weapons that boost your main damage type.
  • Consider using Orbs of Binding for instant 4-links on good bases.

To this day, I still use a Sapphire Ring called Dusk Vessel I picked up from U4GM. It cost me less than 15 Chaos, had cold res, and +max energy shield—perfect for my Frostbolt build. These small, smart investments let me clear maps efficiently without ever feeling underpowered.

You don’t need mirrors or exalts to enjoy endgame. Just know what to look for and where to buy PoE 2 items smartly—like from U4GM.