How to Anoint Your Items in Path of Exile 2

For exiles wandering the deadly continent of Wraeclast in Path of Exile 2, maximizing character power is the ultimate pursuit. Among all the enhancement systems available, Anointment (mechanically referred to as "Instilling" in PoE2) stands out as a cornerstone of endgame character optimization.

This guide breaks down exactly how the system works in the current version (including the 0.5.0 update), what materials you need, and how to apply anointments to both your amulets and waystones.

What Is Anointment? – From PoE1 to PoE2

Veteran players will remember anointment from the original Path of Exile, where you applied oils to rings and amulets via a specific NPC. In Path of Exile 2, the system has been significantly reworked.

Currently, anointment applies primarily to two item types:

• Amulets – to grant a free notable passive skill from the tree

• Waystones – to add delirious modifiers that increase difficulty and rewards

While the in-game terminology now calls this process "Instilling", the community overwhelmingly still refers to it as "anointing" – so don't be confused if you see both terms used.

The Core Material: Distilled Emotions

To anoint any item, you'll need currency items called Distilled Emotions. These are primarily obtained through the Delirium mechanic while mapping – kill Delirium-infested monsters and collect the drops when the fog clears.

There are currently ten different types of Distilled Emotions in the game (e.g., Distilled Anger, Distilled Greed, Distilled Despair, etc.). These materials can be:

• Dropped directly from Delirium encounters

• Upgraded via the Reforging Bench – combine three of the same lower-tier emotion into one higher-tier version

How to Anoint an Amulet – Free Notable Passives

Anointing an amulet is the most impactful use of the system. It allows you to allocate any notable passive skill from the massive passive tree without spending a single skill point to path toward it.

Step-by-Step Process:

1. Check the Recipe
   Open your Passive Skill Tree and hover over the notable passive you want. Press the Alt key (or R3 on controller) – the tooltip will show you exactly which three Distilled Emotions are required, along with the correct order.

2. Access the Anointment Interface
   Head to The Withered Willow – the area located west of the starting point in your Atlas map. Inside, click on the Decanter of Madness to open the instilling UI.
   Quick shortcut: You can also right-click any Distilled Emotion in your inventory to bring up the same interface.

3. Perform the Anointment
   Place your uncorrupted amulet into the top slot, then place the three Distilled Emotions into the three bottom slots in the exact order shown on the skill tree. Hit confirm – and the notable is now yours.

Critical Notes:

• Corrupted amulets cannot be anointed – always use uncorrupted ones.

• You can overwrite anointments – if you want to switch to a different notable later, simply repeat the process with the new recipe. The old anointment will be replaced.

How to Anoint a Waystone

Anointing waystones introduces a different layer of strategy – it's all about juicing your maps for better loot at the cost of increased difficulty.

When you anoint a waystone, it gains Delirious modifiers that significantly boost monster health and damage, but also dramatically improve drop quantity and rarity.

The Process:

The UI is the same – place your waystone in the top slot and fill the three emotion slots according to your desired recipe. Different combinations yield different outcomes, for example:

A Word of Caution:

Waystone anointments scale difficulty aggressively. If your build isn't fully optimized, jumping straight into high-delirium maps can be a quick way to burn through your portals. Start with lower-tier emotions and work your way up as you gauge your build's survivability and clear speed.

Final Tips for Efficient Anointing

• Farm Delirium strategically – if you're low on Distilled Emotions, focus on Delirium mirrors or Delirium-orbs in maps with high monster density.

• Plan your passive tree around your anointment – since you can grab a notable far from your current path, use this to reach keystones or cluster setups you normally couldn't afford.

• Keep a few spare emotions for waystone rolling – anointed maps are excellent for XP grinding and farming high-tier bases.

Conclusion

Whether you're chasing peak DPS for your boss-killer or optimizing your Atlas farming strategy, mastering the anointment system is essential for any serious Path of Exile 2 endgame player.

• Amulets give you build-defining passive skills for free.

• Waystones turn regular maps into loot-rich gauntlets – if you can survive them.

Learn the recipes, manage your Distilled Emotions wisely, and anoint your way to glory. Good luck, Exile – may your drops be plentiful and your deaths few.