Trying to trade 3 rare's identified

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m talking about is it worth it to up them in quality to get that extra alchemy orb? Is it for example worth investing 44 armor stones to get an extra alchemy orb?

For me it is because I don't trade. In order to minimize the number of scraps and whetstones used in the recipe what you do is keep your eyes open for drops that already have quality. Sometimes you may find a rare that already has quality. The temptation will be to ID it hoping it's an upgrade. There are some that I don't ID because they would be better suited for the recipe. For example, those gloves I linked I found that way. They are evasion and energy shield based gloves and the gear I use is pure armor. Why should I ID those when I know I won't use them? in the long run it would be better to put them in the stash and then wait for the blue and the white to drop with quality. If you farm the same areas long enough you WILL find the same gear all with quality.

As I said in my guide I play solo at a very slow and deliberate pace. I check all drops during and after I clear a zone. I look for whites with links and drops with quality. ALL drops with quality are are going to get picked up. I have a tab for armor and a tab for weapons. I also do the Armourers and Whetstone recipes. A total of 40% of gear will get you one scrap or whetstone. If you're looking for Strongboxes farm the Mud Flats. There always seems to be 2-3 there. if you find an Artisan's Strongbox they usually drop a few scraps and whetstones. You can read up on the different type of boxes here http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Strongbox

As i said this works for me. I use the alchs on rings, and belts too. I don't follow others builds so I don't need specific gear. Some will tell you to trade for upgrades. If you find that's easier for you then trade. Do whatever you have to do to survive and progress. As for me, this is how I play. I don't care about having the most currency, Having 100 exalts doesn't make me a better person. Hell, if i find a portal gem right now I'd be a happy camper. I don't care about having the absolute best gear. if a person looks at me and judges me by what I have and don't have, I don't want that person as a friend. I play to have fun and for me that's killing a lot of mobs. Don't get me wrong I would love to be able to run lv78 maps and kill Atziri, but I if never get there at least I had fun trying.