One ofPath of Exile 2’sdefining features is the sheer amount of items players are inundated with right from the get-go. From thedozen different currency typesto the hundreds of unique pieces of gear to the many different unique currencies needed for specific scenarios, if there is one thingPoE 2is not lacking, it’s items. Naturally, understanding and remembering what each and every single item in the game does is not an easy task, especially for beginners venturing into the world of Wraeclast for the very first time.

A great example of this is Soul Cores. These are items that are introduced very late into the campaign, and players are given no guidance on what these items are, what they do, and how to get more of them. This guide covers everything there is to know about Soul Cores in detail. Here’s the rundown.

soul core of citaqualolt in path of exile 2

What Do Soul Cores Do?

Soul Cores are a special type of Rune inPath of Exilethat functionexactly the same as regular Runes, i.e., being placed in empty gear sockets to add fixed stats to the items. They can be socketed inside empty rune slots just like Runes and can replace already placed Runes as well.

Like Runes, each type of Soul Core offers a different benefit to the player. The comprehensive list is detailed in the table below.

trial of chaos in path of exile 2

15% chance to Poison on Hit

+7% to Chaos Resistance

Path of Exile II Tag Page Cover Art

Recover 2% of Life on Kill

2% increased maximum Life

Path of Exile 2 Cover

Recover 2% of Mana on Kill

2% increased maximum Mana

The Player Facing An Optional Boss

30% increased Elemental Damage with Attacks

+5% to all Elemental Resistances

The Player Standing By Una’s Lute Box

+15 to Spirit

10% increased Rarity of Items found

Mighty Silverfist map boss in Path of Exile 2

5% increased Attack Speed

10% reduced Slowing Potency of Debuffs on You

The Player Getting The Book Of Specialisation From Una

15% chance to cause Bleeding on Hit

10% increased Charm Charges gained

Sorceress with Act 3 gear in PoE 2

20% increased Freeze Buildup

30% increased chance to Ignite

Atlas portals in PoE 2

30% increased chance to Shock

Hits against you have 10% reduced Critical Damage Bonus

Convert 20% of Requirements to Dexterity

Convert 20% of Requirements to Strength

Convert 20% of Requirements to Intelligence

Even though they are harder to obtain than Runes, Soul Cores are not necessarily better. They just offer more options to add on to gear.

How to Get Soul Cores

Unlike Runes, Soul Cores do not drop from regular monsters inPath of Exile 2. There are three main ways for players to get Soul Cores. They are:

Failing in the Trial of Chaos before reaching the end will result in all rewards that were earned up to that point being lost, including Soul Cores.