Path of Exile veterans will tell you that a thousand hours in the game are still rookie numbers. In a game that will literally take up thousands of hours of time, having good organization is a number one priority.
Although there are ways to limit the amount of obsolete loot you get - like installing loot filters - it's inevitable that you'll need to buy stash tabs in Path of Exile 2. Unlike in Diablo where you can pay for Stash Tabs with in-game gold, you will need to use points bought with real life money for Path of Exile 2.
Since stash tabs cost points, it's important to prioritize what stash tabs you buy first in Path of Exile 2. Here are the 5 best stash tabs to buy first in PoE 2 - and when to buy them:
Premium Stash Tabs
A premium stash tab is the first tab you should buy because it unlocks access to the in-game trading store. Much like PoE and WoW, PoE 2 has an Auction House players can access to sell their unwanted gear and look for specific pieces.
PoE 2 is implementing currency exchange as a part of the in-game auction house, a new addition from the first Path of Exile game. Players can unlock the in-game store by either upgrading their existing stash tab or purchasing a premium stash tab.
If you're not interested in using points to access the auction house, players can also use The Forbidden Trove, Path of Exile's largest third-party trading website.
Premium stash tabs allow you to assign different colors and names to your tabs to help organize gear. Premium tabs are definitely the most important stash tab to buy in Path of Exile 2. In a game that commands hundreds to thousands of hours, it will make you life a lot easier to start organizing your stash early.
Currency Tabs
Currency tabs are the second most important stash tab to have because they will automatically sort all the different in-game currencies in Path of Exile 2.
Although you can put currencies in the standard tab, you have to organize it manually and important currencies can be lost in between pieces of gear.
Map Tab
Although it doesn't feel like you have a ton of maps and waystones now, you will start to feel it later in the game. The map tab is a stash tab dedicated to holding only maps and waystones you pick up in Path of Exile 2.
After several runs of the campaign, you'll start to rack up enough maps to fill up one of these tabs. Having one or two map tabs lets you automatically dump maps into your stash without having to sort them away from your gear.
Divination / Card Tab
It's currently unclear whether divination cards will make their way into Path of Exile 2. No one has reported getting a Divination card in the first week of Early Access, but that doesn't mean the cards won't be added later.
Divination cards in PoE can be redeemed with specific NPCs for a specific item. These cards are useful for farming specific items in PoE.
Essence Tab
Essences are a core mechanic for upgrading your gear in both PoE and PoE 2. Essences are items players can use to add new properties to existing items. This item is basically a currency itself, and deserves its own stash tab.
When to Buy Stash Tabs in Path of Exile 2
Path of Exile differs from Diablo in that you usually won't be swamped with useless gear all the time. You likely won't feel the need to buy stash tabs until a couple runs through the campaign.
Use your early access points to purchase stash tabs. Even the cheapest early access key for $30 comes with 300 points, enough to purchase several tabs. Even though it's tempting to buy cosmetics, stash tabs are the most important quality of life improvement you can make to Path of Exile 2.
Stash tabs will also occasionally go on sale and cost less points than normal. You can also keep an eye on the in-game store and plan to purchase all your stash tabs when they go on sale.
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