You can refund individual skills or reset your entire skill tree using Orbs of Regret or a full reset

Path of Exile 2 lets you undo skill choices without starting a new character. The main tool is an Orb of Regret, which refunds one skill point at a time. You can also perform a full reset of your entire passive skill tree and active skills using specific in-game methods, though this is less common and comes with different requirements.

The method you use depends on whether you want to change a few skills or overhaul your entire build. Both paths are straightforward once you know where to find the refund mechanics and what each one costs.

Key Takeaways

  • Orbs of Regret refund one passive skill point each and can be found as drops, purchased from vendors, or earned through quests.
  • You use Orbs of Regret at any waypoint or town by opening your passive skill tree and clicking the refund button on the skill you want to undo.
  • Quest rewards grant you free refund points at specific story milestones, which you can spend on any passive skill.
  • A full passive tree reset is possible through specific NPC interactions or item use, though the exact method depends on your current game state.
  • Active skills (your main attack or spell) can be swapped freely without any cost by equipping a different gem in your weapon or gear.

Using Orbs of Regret to refund individual skills

An Orb of Regret is a currency item that removes one passive skill point from your tree and returns the point to your pool. You then spend that point elsewhere. To use one, open your passive skill tree (default key: P), find the skill node you want to refund, and click the refund button that appears when you hover over it. The Orb of Regret is consumed, and the point is yours to reallocate.

Orbs of Regret drop from enemies and chests as you play. You can also buy them from other players through the trade system, or purchase them from NPC vendors using other currency items. The cost in vendor trades varies depending on what you trade for them, so check your local vendor's rates.

If you only want to change one or two skills, Orbs of Regret are the most efficient method. You keep the rest of your build intact and only undo what you need to change.

Free refund points from quest rewards

As you progress through Path of Exile 2's story, you earn refund points by completing specific quests. These are free resets you can use on any passive skill without spending currency. You accumulate these throughout the campaign, so by the time you reach endgame, you have several refunds available.

To spend a refund point, open your passive skill tree, hover over any skill node, and click the refund button. Unlike Orbs of Regret, refund points are not consumed—you can use them repeatedly on different skills as long as you have them available. This makes them valuable for experimenting with your build.

The exact number of refund points you earn depends on how many quests grant them. Check your character sheet or passive tree interface to see how many refund points you currently have.

Swapping active skills without cost

Your active skills—the spells and attacks you use in combat—are not tied to your passive tree. You swap them by equipping different skill gems in your gear. There is no cost to change which gem you have socketed, so you can experiment with different abilities freely.

Skill gems go into sockets in your weapons, armor, and accessories. If you want to use a different skill, straightforward remove the current gem and place a new one in that socket. The old gem goes into your inventory and can be used elsewhere or sold. This means active skill changes are purely a matter of inventory management, not currency or refunds.

Performing a full passive tree reset

If you want to refund all your passive skills at once rather than one at a time, Path of Exile 2 provides methods to do so. The exact mechanism depends on your situation—some NPCs offer full resets under certain conditions, and specific items or quest completions may grant this option.

A full reset is useful if your build is fundamentally broken or you want to try an entirely different character direction without rerolling. However, it is less common than using individual Orbs of Regret, so check your current options in-game or consult the NPC dialogue in your town to see if a full reset is available to you.

Where to find Orbs of Regret

Orbs of Regret come from three main sources: monster drops, NPC vendors, and player trades. As you kill enemies and open chests, you have a chance to find Orbs of Regret as loot. The drop rate increases in higher-difficulty areas, so endgame content yields them more frequently than early story zones.

NPCs in towns sell Orbs of Regret in exchange for other currency items. The vendor rates are fixed, so you always know what you are paying. Player trading is the fastest way to get them if you have currency to spend—use the trade system to search for sellers and negotiate a price.

If you are early in the game and do not have many Orbs of Regret yet, rely on your free refund points from quests first. Save your Orbs of Regret for later when you are fine-tuning your endgame build.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I refund a skill I already used a refund point on?

Yes. Refund points are reusable—you can spend the same refund point on different skills multiple times. Once you use a refund point to undo a skill, that point remains available for future refunds. Orbs of Regret, by contrast, are consumed after one use.

Do I lose experience or levels when I refund skills?

No. Refunding skills only changes your passive tree and does not affect your character level, experience, or any other progression. You keep all your gear, items, and stats—only the passive skills you have allocated change.

What happens if I refund a skill but do not have another skill to spend the point on?

The refund point stays in your pool until you decide where to spend it. You can leave it unallocated for as long as you want and use it later when you know what you need. There is no penalty for holding onto unused points.

Can I refund active skills like spells and attacks?

Active skills are gems, not passive tree nodes, so you do not refund them—you swap them. Remove the gem from its socket and place a different gem there instead. The old gem goes into your inventory with no cost or penalty.

Is there a limit to how many times I can refund skills?

No hard limit exists. You can refund as many times as you have Orbs of Regret or refund points available. The only constraint is obtaining enough currency or earning enough refund points from quests.