Last Epoch is quickly becoming one of the most beloved ARPGs out there. If you’re just starting out or returning after some time away, you might feel overwhelmed by all the mechanics, systems, and stats the game throws at you. Don’t worry—I’ve got you covered. This is Last Epoch Crafting for Dummies, a straightforward guide that focuses only on the essentials so you can jump into the game without feeling like you need a PhD in loot spreadsheets.

 

Let’s break down the basics of crafting, gear, and how to make your character stronger without drowning in advanced math.

 

Why Gear Matters More Than Anything

 

In Last Epoch, your gear isn’t just important—it’s the backbone of your build. While passive skill trees and individual skill upgrades provide direction, gear delivers the raw stats you need to actually function.

 

Think of it this way: if your build feels weak, slow, or fragile, it’s almost always your gear that’s holding you back. Maybe you’re running a fire build, but most of your items boost cold damage. Or maybe your resistances are so low that even a passing skeleton sneezing in your direction wipes you out.

 

Your first step whenever you struggle should be to look at your gear. Does it match your skills? Does it give you defenses like armor, ward, or dodge? If not, crafting will help you fix that. Having plenty of Last Epoch gold can also help you.

 

The Basics of Crafting

 

Crafting in Last Epoch is one of the most approachable systems in the ARPG genre. It’s not overly complicated, but it has depth that rewards learning. Here’s how it works:

 

Open the Forge (press F or interact with a forge in the world).

 

Place an item into the forge window.

 

You’ll see up to four modifier slots, known as affixes. Two are prefixes (offensive stats) and two are suffixes (defensive stats).

 

If a slot is empty, you can add a new affix using an affix shard. If a slot is filled, you can upgrade that affix to a higher tier for stronger bonuses.

 

Each crafting action consumes a resource called Forging Potential. This number represents how many more times you can modify the item. Once it hits zero, you can’t make any more changes. That prevents you from endlessly crafting the same item into god-tier perfection.

 

Adding and Upgrading Affixes

 

Affixes are the bread and butter of crafting. Every affix has multiple tiers, and higher tiers give you stronger stats. For example, a Tier 1 fire damage bonus is small, but by Tier 5, it becomes significant.

 

When you find affix shards out in the world, save them. These shards are used to add or upgrade stats on your gear. Want more health? Use a health shard. Need resistances? Use the appropriate resistance shard.

 

And here’s a pro tip: don’t ignore shattering. By using a Rune of Shattering, you can break down old gear into shards, giving you a stockpile of crafting materials for future upgrades.

 

Runes: Special Crafting Tools

 

Runes are consumable items that let you perform unique crafting actions. Some of the most useful ones include:

 

Rune of Shattering – Breaks an item down for shards.

 

Rune of Removal – Removes a random affix from an item (a gamble, but sometimes worth it).

 

Rune of Ascendance – Transforms an item into a unique item of the same type.

 

Runes of Shattering will be your best friend early on, since building a healthy shard collection makes all future crafting easier.

 

Glyphs: Influencing RNG

 

While runes change the type of action you’re taking, glyphs modify the outcome of that action. Think of them as ways to tilt the odds in your favor.

 

Glyph of Hope: Gives you a 25% chance to preserve forging potential when crafting. Always use this—it’s essentially free efficiency.

 

Glyph of Chaos: Rerolls an affix into a new one of the same type. Great for turning a useless stat into something you might actually need.

 

Glyph of Despair: Lets you seal an affix into a special fifth slot. This opens up a new slot for another stat, but it’s risky and rare.

 

Glyphs drop often enough that you shouldn’t hoard them. Use them as you go.

 

Legendary Crafting

 

Later in the game, you’ll discover Legendary Potential on unique items. This allows you to combine that unique with a crafted rare item, transferring up to four affixes from the rare item onto the unique.

 

This system takes time to unlock, but it’s what allows you to create incredibly powerful gear in the endgame. Think of it as the ultimate payoff for everything you learned about crafting along the way.

 

Tips for Smarter Crafting

 

Craft early and often. Don’t wait until you’re at the endgame. A few smart upgrades during leveling can make your journey much smoother.

 

Always max resistances first. Survivability is key, and capped resistances will save your life more often than big damage numbers.

 

Use loot filters. The game’s built-in filter makes it easy to highlight gear with the affixes you care about. Even if you don’t use the item, you can shatter it for shards.

 

Don’t hoard resources. Shards, glyphs, and runes are meant to be used. The game throws them at you frequently—experiment and learn.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Crafting in Last Epoch is one of the game’s best features, blending simplicity with enough depth to stay interesting even hundreds of hours in. By learning the basics of affixes, forging potential, runes, and glyphs, you’ll be able to craft gear that perfectly matches your build and keeps you alive through tougher challenges. Having enough cheap Last Epoch gold can help you survive.

 

So, grab your shards, fire up the forge, and start experimenting. You’ll be amazed at how quickly your power spikes once you stop relying only on loot drops and start shaping your gear yourself.