Path of Exile: Everything There is to Know About Trading
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When you learn how to trade in one game, you might think it’ll be the same across the board, but that’s not the case. Every game has a trading language, and the Path of Exile is no different. While there may be some similarities, there are enough differences worth pointing out.
The following is everything there is to know about trading on Path of Exile or PoE.
Why is Trading Vital?
Well, trading is important and not. It isn’t vital if you’re going to play by yourself. The problem is most folks play PoE with other people. That’s part of what makes this game fun and engaging. If you play with others, then learning to trade is pretty important. It’s something you’re expected to do, and it’s one way to gear up.
How to Buy Items From Others?
The first thing you should know is that there’s no auction house in the game. You will find a trade chat channel, but most people can’t figure it out. Maybe it’ll get better someday, but you’re better off visiting the official trade site. The site is managed, which helps maintain order and helps build trust amongst players. Part of what makes this site great is that it allows users to filter searches considerably, so you aren’t sitting there looking through pages too long. No one wants to grow old looking for items. You are going to have to buy PoE currency to get some of the items you’re hoping to get. The folks selling items are players like you.
How to Sell Items to Others?
At some point, you’ll have stuff you don’t need or want anymore. You need to own a premium stash tab. Right click your tab and press on the ‘public’ option. After that, you’ll want to look for the ‘each item individually priced’ option. Once you do all that, you are ready to place the items you want to sell into the tab. Then, go to each item within the tab and right click each to select a price. Now, those who don’t own a premium stash tab are going to face some obstacles. You’ll have to go to the trading forums and create a thread. Once you do that, you need to go back to the items on your character page. This can be found on the main website.Get the links to the items you’re thinking of selling, and link them in that thread you just created. Be sure that you tag each item with the ‘price x chaos’ tag. If you’re sitting there thinking this sounds a bit overwhelming, you’re not alone. Most players hate this and opt for a premium stash tab.
Which Currencies Should You Trade With?
PoE has a number of currency options, but don’t get lost in those. While it’s nice to have all of these currencies because you never know when they’ll be useful, it’s best to stick to what’s most common. At the moment, only two currencies are commonly used amongst players, and that’s Chaos Orbs and Exalted Orbs. Most things are priced using Chaos Orbs, which are dollar bills. Exalted Orbs are used, but these are used for big-ticket items since they represent 100 dollar bills. It’s not necessary to worry about Exalted Orbs as most things, including trades, are priced using Chaos Orbs. If you’re thinking of selling, you’ll likely use Chaos Orbs, so price your items using this currency. This isn’t to say you won’t ever use Exalted Orbs, but it’s rare. You’ll need to price things in Exalted Orbs when the items are valuable or when you’re dealing in bulk trades. Some folks get confused when folks price items in fractions of an Exalted Orb. The fraction is paid using regular Chaos Orbs.
Trade Etiquette in PoE
There’s a trade etiquette that virtually every PoE player pretty much abides by. You have to know what that etiquette is so that no awkward exchanges occur. The bottom line when it comes to trading within the game is that the buyer must go to the seller, but the seller must always initiate the trade. If you want to buy something from another player, you must first message that person. Be sure the item is on sale before you do this. All you have to do next is wait for the seller to send you an invitation. The buyer then accepts that invitation by right clicking the character’s portrait. Once the buyer does this, he or she will have to click on the ‘visit hideout’ option. What happens next is that your character will quickly travel to the seller’s hideout. When the seller is ready to make the trade, the person will send you a request.
Common Scams You’ll Want to Avoid
Wouldn’t be nice if people never tried to scam others, yet that’s not the case. People are willing to scam others and take advantage of their inexperience, and that happens within the Path of Exile world. While you don’t have to worry about this too much because most players are trustworthy, it does happen, and you should know that. The good thing is that you can avoid scams if you pay attention and know what to look for. Most players talk about four main types of scams, and you’re going to learn about those.
The trade cancel bait and switch
When you’re attempting to make a trade within the game, both parties have to hover their cursors over each other’s items. Bad actors won’t do that. The reason that both parties are expected to do this is so that you both check what you’re getting from this trade. The scammer will wait for you to hover over their items and immediately cancel the trade and just start a new one. Inside this new trade, they’ll add items you didn’t agree to. Most likely, they’ll add items of lower value or items that look the same but have poor stats. It’s important to check that you’re getting exactly what you were expecting before finalizing the trade. Some folks don’t do this and end up getting scammed.
The fake six-links issue
The next scam you should know about has to do with body armor and weapons with six-linked sockets. If you’ve been playing PoE, you know how important these are for the characters. You have probably noticed that these items sell well. Scammers know that everyone wants these sorts of items and will attempt to use that to scam you. They’ll list this item hoping that you buy it and fail to realize they replaced the item with a similar item, like a three or five-link item. The items that seem to be used for this scam often include Carcass Jack or other items that have gold or brown coloration, which are quite popular. The only thing you can do to avoid this scam is pay attention, and look at the item you’re getting before finalizing the trade.
The low-ball message
This is one of the easiest scams in the game. In essence, the scammer sends you a message about buying your item. The message is pretty simple, and there’s nothing special to it except for the fact that the item isn’t priced correctly. You are selling your item at a specific price, but they’ll offer something lower. They hope that you’ll have many items for sale, so you’ll probably forget the price. The good thing is you can easily avoid this scam. All you need to do is double check your original price, and make sure it matches before you accept any offer. It doesn’t take long to do this, and it prevents you from getting scammed.
The bartering scam
Bartering used to be sort of cool, but it’s not so great inside this game. Scammers will send you a message telling you they don’t have the exact currency to purchase your item, but they have an item they could trade. They’ll tell you the item has a similar value to your item, so it’s a fair trade. The likelihood that this is the case is low. What you just got was a scam, and they’re hoping you’ll trade in good faith. It’s wise to only accept currency for your items. It keeps you safe from scams, and you get the currency to spend it however you want.
There you have it. Now, you know everything there is to know about trading in the Path of Exile. It might feel a little overwhelming before you get used to the trading system, but you’ll get the hang of it. There’s no way you’ll get comfortable if you don’t start, and hopefully, this guide helps quieten that little voice in your head that’s making you feel a bit scared.
