You can reset all your passives at once using an Orb of Unmaking, but it costs currency and you lose all passive points
Path of Exile 2 does not have a built-in "reset all passives" button. Instead, you use an Orb of Unmaking to refund every passive point you have spent, returning them all to your pool at once. This is different from refunding passives one at a time with Orbs of Regret. The trade-off is that Orbs of Unmaking are rarer and more expensive than Regrets, so a full reset costs more currency than refunding individual points.
The Orb of Unmaking works on your character immediately when you use it. You do not need to visit a vendor or NPC. Once used, all passive points return to your available pool, and you can spend them again however you want. This is useful if you have respecced your build so drastically that refunding one passive at a time would take dozens of Orbs of Regret.
Key Takeaways
- An Orb of Unmaking refunds all passive points at once, while an Orb of Regret refunds one point at a time.
- Orbs of Unmaking are rarer than Orbs of Regret and cost more currency on the trade market.
- You can also refund passives individually through NPCs in town if you prefer to keep most of your build intact.
- Ascendancy passives cannot be refunded and do not reset when you use an Orb of Unmaking.
When a full reset makes sense versus refunding one at a time
If you are changing only a few passive points—say, swapping out three or four nodes—an Orb of Regret is cheaper and faster. You use one Regret per point, so three changes cost three Regrets. But if you are pivoting your entire passive tree because your build is not working, or you want to try a completely different class path, an Orb of Unmaking saves you from using 20 or 30 Regrets.
The break-even point depends on the current market price of Regrets versus Unmaking orbs in your league. In most leagues, Orbs of Unmaking cost between 3 and 8 times what a single Orb of Regret costs. So if you need to refund more than 4 or 5 passives, an Orb of Unmaking is usually the better deal. Check the trade site for your league to compare prices before you decide.
How to find an Orb of Unmaking
Orbs of Unmaking drop from monsters and chests, but they are uncommon. You will not find many by farming alone. The fastest way to get one is to trade for it using the in-game trade board or a third-party trade site. Search for "Orb of Unmaking" and sort by price to find the cheapest listings.
Some players also find Unmaking orbs as rewards from league mechanics or vendor recipes, but these are not reliable sources. Trading is almost always faster. Make sure you have the currency the seller wants—usually Chaos Orbs or Exalted Orbs—before you make an offer.
Refunding passives one at a time through NPCs
If you do not want to spend an Orb of Unmaking, you can refund passives individually by visiting an NPC in town. Each NPC charges a small amount of currency (usually Orbs of Regret or Chromatic Orbs) per point refunded. This is slower than using an Orb of Unmaking, but it lets you keep the passives you want and only change the ones you do not.
The NPC refund option is also useful if you are low on currency and cannot afford an Orb of Unmaking right now. You can refund a few points at a time as you earn more currency, then rebuild your tree gradually. This approach takes longer but spreads the cost over time.
What happens to Ascendancy passives when you reset
Ascendancy passives—the special nodes you unlock after defeating the Ascendancy trials—do not reset when you use an Orb of Unmaking. They are tied to your Ascendancy class choice and cannot be refunded. If you want to change your Ascendancy passives, you have to respec your entire Ascendancy, which requires a separate currency item or NPC interaction.
This means an Orb of Unmaking only refunds your regular passive tree points, not your Ascendancy points. Plan your Ascendancy choices carefully, because changing them is more involved than resetting your main passive tree.
Comparing the cost of a full reset versus multiple refunds
| Refund Method | Cost Per Point | Total Cost for 10 Points | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orb of Regret (one at a time) | 1 Regret per point | 10 Regrets | Small changes, 1–4 points |
| Orb of Unmaking (all at once) | Varies by league (3–8 Regrets equivalent) | 1 Unmaking orb (costs 3–8 Regrets worth of value) | Large respec, 5+ points |
| NPC refund (one at a time) | 1 Chromatic or small currency | 10 Chromatics or equivalent | Early game, low currency |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Orb of Unmaking refund my Ascendancy passives?
No. Orbs of Unmaking only refund regular passive tree points. Ascendancy passives stay locked in place. To change Ascendancy passives, you need to respec your Ascendancy class through a separate method, usually involving a different currency item or NPC.
Can I undo an Orb of Unmaking after I use it?
No. Once you use an Orb of Unmaking, all your passives are refunded and the orb is consumed. You cannot get it back. Make sure you want to reset before you use it, because there is no undo.
Is it cheaper to refund 20 passives with Regrets or one Unmaking orb?
In most leagues, one Orb of Unmaking is cheaper than 20 Orbs of Regret. Unmaking orbs typically cost 3 to 8 times the price of a single Regret. Check your league's trade prices to compare exact costs before you decide which method to use.
Can I refund passives without spending currency?
No. Every refund method in Path of Exile 2 costs currency—either Orbs of Regret, Orbs of Unmaking, or Chromatic Orbs through NPCs. There is no free way to reset passives once you have spent them.