In Path of Exile 2, crafting a tanky character capable of surviving intense endgame encounters hinges on maximizing your defensive stats. One of the most effective and accessible ways to bolster your armor’s base defenses is through the use of Armourer's Scrap, a currency item that increases the quality of armor pieces such as helmets, body armors, gloves, and boots.

How Armourer's Scrap Enhances Defense

Each Armourer's Scrap applied raises the quality of an armor piece by approximately 2–4%, depending on the item’s rarity, up to a maximum of 20% quality. This quality increase multiplicatively boosts the armor’s intrinsic stats—Armor, Energy Shield, and Evasion Rating—without affecting additional affixes or modifiers. For example, a rare helmet with 20% quality will have 20% more base armor or energy shield than the same helmet at 0% quality. This multiplicative effect on base defense often surpasses what additive “increased” modifiers can provide, making Armourer's Scrap a critical component for survivability in high-tier content.

Strategic Use for Tank Builds

To maximize your character’s durability, focus on applying Armourer's Scrap to your core defensive gear—helmets, body armors, gloves, and boots—that you intend to keep and further craft. Since the quality cap is 20%, it’s inefficient to waste scraps on temporary or low-tier items. Prioritize pieces with high base defense or those that synergize well with your build’s defensive mechanics, such as energy shield or evasion-based setups.

Acquiring Armourer's Scrap Efficiently

Armourer's Scrap is a moderately rare drop that becomes more common as you progress into higher difficulties and endgame maps. Here are the most effective ways to obtain it:

Monster Farming: Target high-density areas and maps known for currency drops, such as Frosted Barrens or Shattered Hollows, where chests and mobs frequently drop scraps. Many players looking to speed this process up opt for cheap poe 2 currency to fund gear and mapping investments more efficiently.

Salvage Bench: After completing the "Finding the Forge" side quest in Act One, you unlock the Salvage Bench, allowing you to dismantle armor pieces with quality into Armourer's Scraps reliably. This method is the most consistent source.

Vendor Purchases: Use the vendor search function to find quality armor, purchase it, and then salvage for scraps. This is especially useful if you struggle to find quality gear drops.

Trading: Armourer's Scrap is actively traded in the in-game currency exchange and player markets. If farming is slow, consider trading other resources like Exalted Orbs or Chaos Orbs. Many seasoned players keep an eye on poe 2 currency for sale to grab essential items like scraps quickly.

Additional Benefits

Besides boosting base defenses, increasing armor quality also improves your chances when socket crafting. Each 1% quality increases the likelihood of obtaining additional sockets or links by 1%, which is crucial for configuring powerful gem setups in your gear.

Tips for Efficient Usage

Apply scraps incrementally and monitor your armor’s quality to avoid exceeding the 20% cap and wasting resources.

Combine quality upgrades with other crafting orbs to add life, resistances, or defensive affixes for a well-rounded tanky build.

Maintain a stash tab dedicated to quality gear for bulk salvaging, ensuring a steady supply of Armourer's Scraps.

Armourer's Scrap is an indispensable resource for building a tanky character in Path of Exile 2. By strategically applying scraps to your key armor pieces, you multiplicatively enhance your base defenses, significantly increasing your survivability in challenging content. Efficient farming, salvaging, and crafting practices centered around Armourer's Scrap empower you to create resilient gear that can withstand the toughest battles Wraeclast throws at you.