In this guide, we'll explain what Foulborn items are, how they work, and how you can craft your own through the Genesis Tree system.
What Are Foulborn Items in Path of Exile?
·Foulborn items are alternative versions of regular items that feature different modifiers than their standard counterparts. They look and act like their original versions but possess new, altered affixes that appear in purple text. These Foulborn modifiers can significantly change how an item performs.
·Currently, only Foulborn unique items and Foulborn currency items exist in the game.
·Foulborn items can only be obtained through the Genesis Tree, a powerful new feature introduced in the Keepers of the Flame expansion.
For anyone collecting rare PoE Items, Foulborn variants stand out as elite-tier drops worth keeping.
How Do Foulborn Uniques Work?
1. By default, a Foulborn unique will have one modified affix, but players can increase this number by using the Extremely Foul Notable within the Genesis Tree, which allows for multiple alternate modifiers on a single item.
2. These alternate modifiers - marked in purple text - can be game-changing. For example, you might find a bow that originally boosts Projectile Speed, but its Foulborn variant instead enhances Projectile Damage or adds Chance to Impale.
3. Some alternate modifiers may require reworking your setup or completely changing your approach to damage scaling, mana sustain, or resistances.
Because these modifiers can be game-changing, many players now trade or buy POE Items that include powerful Foulborn affixes to optimize specific builds without relying on pure RNG.
What Are Foulborn Currency Items?
·Foulborn currency items are enhanced versions of their normal counterparts. They function in the same way but carry one significant advantage: they have a higher chance to roll powerful, high-level modifiers on crafted items.
·You can think of them as the "upgraded" versions of basic orbs. However, there's still RNG involved, and you can still end up with lower-tier modifiers if you're unlucky.
Currently, there are three types of Foulborn currency in the game:
·Foulborn Orb of Augmentation - Adds a new random modifier to a magic item, with high-tier mods being more likely.
·Foulborn Regal Orb - Upgrades a magic item to a rare item, favoring stronger modifiers.
·Foulborn Exalted Orb - Adds a new random modifier to a rare item, again with a higher likelihood of strong affixes.
Because these orbs improve your odds of hitting valuable rolls, they're extremely useful for early- and mid-league crafting. Many players use them to build solid rare bases before heading to the crafting bench or trading them for other high-value resources.
How to Craft Foulborn Items
To create Foulborn items, you'll need to interact with the Genesis Tree, a powerful new crafting system located in the Keepers of the Flame expansion's endgame content. The Genesis Tree is essentially a living crafting engine where players "grow" new items using specialized resources collected throughout the game.
There are two key crafting nodes in the Genesis Tree:
·Unique Item Womb - Used to craft Foulborn uniques. Requires an Ancient Wombgift.
·Currency Item Womb - Used to craft Foulborn currency. Requires a Lavish Wombgift.
You'll also need Graftblood, another Genesis Tree resource, to complete the crafting process. These materials are obtained primarily by completing Breach encounters across both the campaign and the endgame maps. As you continue to run Breaches and interact with the Genesis Tree, you'll accumulate enough resources to sustain ongoing Foulborn item crafting.
Once your Genesis Tree is properly developed, you can begin producing Foulborn uniques or currencies regularly, experimenting with different configurations to maximize the quality and potential of your drops.
Why Foulborn Items Matter
The introduction of Foulborn items fundamentally expands Path of Exile's itemization landscape. Foulborn uniques, in particular, breathe new life into legacy items by offering modified affixes that may completely redefine how an item performs within a build.
Final Thoughts
As the Keepers of the Flame update continues to evolve, Foulborn items in Path of Exile are an exciting evolution of item design, combining the game's deep crafting systems with a touch of mutation and unpredictability. Whether you're looking for a new chase item, experimenting with Genesis Tree mechanics, or seeking a way to enhance your gear crafting potential, Foulborn items offer a rewarding, high-risk-high-reward experience.