*Image Credit: Grinding Gear Games, Path of Exile 2 (POE2)*

In Path of Exile 2, every piece of gear has something called Item Level (iLvL). This is the level of the item based on where it dropped. While iLvL doesn’t change how strong an item’s basic stats are, it’s super important for crafting and affixes. We’ll item levels and how they work in this article.

What Is the Maximum Item Level?

We don’t know the exact maximum item level in Path of Exile 2 yet, but in Path of Exile 1, it goes up to 88. You can get this high level by opening special strongboxes in Tier 16 maps that have a +5 item level modifier.

How to Get High Item Level Gear

To get gear with high iLvL:

Run high-tier maps – The higher the map level, the higher the item level of dropped gear.
Use mechanics that boost item levels – Some strongboxes and map modifiers increase item levels. Look for strongboxes that say something like “+5 to item level of drops.”

Combining these two will give you the best chance to find gear with the highest iLvL possible.

Why Does Item Level Matter?

Even though item level doesn’t directly change the damage or defense of an item, it’s super important when crafting. Here’s why:

Affix Limits: iLvL decides which affixes (like extra fire damage or life) can appear on your gear.
Maximum Tiers: Higher iLvL items can have higher-tier affixes, which means stronger modifiers.
Specific Crafting: Sometimes, having lower iLvL items is useful because it limits the number of possible affixes. This makes it easier to get the affixes you want when crafting.

Summary

Item Level = Important for Crafting.
Higher item level means better potential affixes and tiers.
To get high iLvL gear, play high-tier maps and use strongboxes with item level boosts.
Lower iLvL items can be helpful for specific crafting strategies.

Keep all of this in mind when hunting for gear or crafting in Path of Exile 2, and best of luck!