Orb of Horizons is a currency item in Path of Exile that is used for shaping and manipulating your Atlas progression. It allows you to change what map tier a completed map resides in. So you can upgrade or downgrade a map's tier. This is useful for shifting maps between tiers to optimize your Atlas bonus objectives or influence certain maps at certain tiers. When used on a completed map, it will reroll the map as a random new tier within a set range (usually +/- 5 tiers). It will also remove and add new map modifiers/objectives based on the new tier. Sextants/Watchestones change too.
The vendor recipe to obtain Orb of Horizons involves trading in 6 Orb of Scouring to any vendor in exchange for 1 Orb of Horizons. To complete this recipe, have at least 6 Orb of Scouring PoE Items in your inventory. Scourings are commonly acquired through mapping, so most players will have a surplus of these. Open your inventory and select the 6 Scouring Orbs you wish to use in the recipe. Target and interact with any vendor NPC such as those located in your Hideout, towns, or journey areas. Select the "Trade" option rather than "Sell Items". Drag the 6 selected Scouring Orbs from your inventory into the trade window. The vendor will provide 1 Orb of Horizons in return for the 6 Scourings. Complete the trade to receive the Horizon Orb. It will be placed directly into your inventory.
Yes, there are a few other ways to obtain Orb of Horizons in Path of Exile:
Map Chests - Orb of Horizons have a chance to drop directly from chests that spawn in maps. Higher tier maps yield better odds.
League Mechanics - Sources like Heist, Delirium, and Metamorph encounter rewards can drop Orb of Horizons.
Delve Chests - Deeper Delve chests in Azurite Mines have a chance to contain Orb of Horizons.
Map Drops - On rare occasions, Orb of Horizons may drop directly from mobs or bosses within maps.
Unique Map Rewards - Completing red-tier unique maps occasionally yields Orb of Horizons.
Stacked Deck Rewards - Opening valuable currency-focused Stacked Decks can result in Orb of Horizons.
Zana Missions - Daily Zana map missions, especially her unique map offerings, can award Orb of Horizons.
The value of Orb of Horizon fluctuates based on supply and demand, but here are some typical price ranges you can expect in Path of Exile:
Early league (first 1-2 weeks): 2-3 Chaos Orbs each due to high demand for Atlas shaping and limited availability.
Mid league (few months in): 1-2 Chaos Orbs as supply increases from mapping and vendor recipes.
Late league/Standard: 1 Chaos Orb or 6-8 Alchemy Shards. Abundance deflates relative price.
In bulk: Players may offer 120-150 Horizons for 30-40 Chaos if buying large stacks. A 10-15% bulk discount.
SSF leagues: Higher value without trade, may be worth 1-2 Regrets each due to scarce acquisition methods.
League start SSF: Even more valuable early as only vendor recipe available. May trade for quality gear.
Orb of Horizons fluctuate from high-mid tier currency (2c) when first needed for Atlas progress down to a lower mid-tier price (1c) as economy/supply change. Bulk buying can always net a discount percentage. Their utility keeps Horizon's price fairly stable compared to some consumables.
Atlas shaping refers to manipulating your Atlas progression to optimize your maps and map drops. Orb of Horizons allow upgrading low tier maps to higher tiers for better bonuses/rewards, or downgrading over-leveled maps to complete bonus objectives. By shaping specific maps at certain tiers (usually yellow/red), future map drops are weighted towards those you've shaped, condensing progress. The four Watchstones allocated influence your tier range. Shaping maps lets you place Stones for efficient completion. Higher tiers offer access to more dangerous mods and layouts which some prefer for sac/launch setups. Completing maps of the same region at certain tiers boosts other region map drops through the bonus system.
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