Modifiers

Modifiers are properties that can be added and randomized on items in Path of Exile 2, giving them stats, skills, and functionality. These properties provide bonuses or effects and are divided into several types:

Term	Explanation
Prefix	Modifiers that typically enhance primary stats, such as increased damage, life, mana, and movement speed
Suffix	Modifiers that usually focus on secondary stats, like resistances, accuracy
Affix	A term that generally describe either a prefix or suffix
Implicit	An innate modifier that is, by default, present on all versions of an item
Explicit	A modifier generated on an item of non-normal rarity, usally via random item generation or crafting
Enchantment	A modifier added to an item via specific methods that use the enchantment slot. For example, this can be via Runes on weapons and armor, or via instilling an amulet with Distilled Emotions
Corruption	A special type of enchantment modifier that can apply to an item from using a Vaal Orb

Magic items can have up to 2 modifiers (1 prefix and 1 suffix), while rare items can have up to 6 modifiers (3 prefixes and 3 suffixes). The specific combination of affixes determines the overall power and utility of the item, making modifiers central to itemization and character progression.

Local and global modifiers

Local modifiers are modifiers that directly affect the item they're on. Global modifiers affect the character as a whole. Base stats modified by local modifiers will appear blue as opposed to grey when viewing the item. Conditional modifiers are always global.

Local modifiers

On martial weapons:

• Adds # to # [Physical/Lightning/Cold/Fire/Chaos] Damage
  • This local modifier adds directly to the weapon's base added damage.
  • Global versions of this modifier may state ... to Attacks or ... to Spells, or neither. If neither is stated, it will apply to all spells and attacks.
• #% increased Physical Damage
  • This local modifier directly modifies the weapon's base physical damage. For example, if a weapon's base grants 50-100 Added Physical Damage, and it has the modifiers Adds 25 to 50 Physical Damage and 100% increased Physical Damage, its final base physical damage will be 150 to 300 Physical Damage.
  • If the weapon doesn't have any base physical damage, this modifier will do nothing.
  • Multiple sources of this modifier, such as by enchant from an Iron RuneIron RuneStack Size: 10Martial Weapons: 20% increased Physical Damage
    Armour: 20% increased Armour, Evasion and Energy ShieldPlace into an empty socket on equipment items. Once socketed it cannot be removed., are additive.
  • Because this modifier directly modifies the weapon's base physical damage, even if all the physical damage is later converted to another damage type, the modifier will still be effective, as it increased the damage that got converted.
  • Global versions of this modifier may specify ... Global Physical Damage, but not always. If they are not found on a martial weapon however, they will still be global.
• #% increased Elemental Damage
  • As of early access, this modifier doesn't actually exist as a local modifier (although it appears globally on a lot of non-martial sources). If it did, it would modify the weapon's base elemental damage like #% increased Physical Damage does the physical. The global version of this modifier is #% increased Elemental Damage with Attacks - note that it specifies "with Attacks" to make it clear that it's global.
• #% increased Attack Speed
  • This modifier directly modifies the weapon's base attack speed. It is multiplicative with global sources of attack speed.
• +#% to Critical Hit Chance
  • This modifier adds directly to the base critical hit chance of the weapon.
• +#% to Critical Damage Bonus
  • This modifier adds to the base critical damage bonus for critical hits with the weapon, which is +100% by default. This new value is multiplicative with global sources of critical damage bonus.

On sceptres:

• #% increased Spirit
  • This modifier directly modifies the Spirit's base stat, which grants +100 to Spirit.

On armour (equipment):

• +# to [Armour/Evasion Rating/Energy Shield]
• #% increased [Armour/Evasion Rating/Energy Shield] (and any combination of the three)
  • For energy shield specifically, global versions will specify ... maximum Energy Shield

On all items:

• #% reduced Attribute Requirements is always local.
  • The global version of this modifier will be phrased Equipment and Skill Gems have #% [increased/reduced] Attribute Requirements.