You can refund Ascendancy points through the passive tree interface, but the method and cost depend on which points you want to refund and when you took them

Path of Exile 2 lets you refund Ascendancy points you've allocated to your character, but it's not a free process. You spend Orbs of Regret — currency items you find or trade for — to undo individual Ascendancy passive allocations. The cost is one Orb of Regret per point, the same as refunding any other passive on your tree. There's no special Ascendancy refund button; you use the same refund system for everything.

If you want to reset your entire Ascendancy class and start over with a different one, that's a different process and requires a different item. Most players refund individual points when they want to respec a few choices, not the whole Ascendancy.

Key Takeaways

  • Refunding one Ascendancy point costs one Orb of Regret, which you can find as loot or buy from other players.
  • You refund Ascendancy points through the passive tree panel, the same way you refund regular passives — right-click the point and confirm.
  • If you want to change your entire Ascendancy class, you need a Tome of Unmaking, not Orbs of Regret, and this resets all Ascendancy points at once.
  • Orbs of Regret are tradeable and drop from monsters, so you can farm them or purchase them from other players if you don't have enough.

How to refund individual Ascendancy points using Orbs of Regret

Open your passive tree panel in-game. Find the Ascendancy point you want to refund — these appear in the Ascendancy-specific section of your tree, separate from the main passive grid. Right-click on the point you want to remove. The game will prompt you to confirm the refund and show you that it costs one Orb of Regret.

If you have the Orb of Regret in your inventory, click confirm and the point refunds immediately. The passive is removed from your tree and the Orb is consumed. You can then allocate a different Ascendancy point if you want, or leave that slot empty. There's no cooldown or waiting period — you can refund and reallocate as many times as you have Orbs for.

This method works for any individual Ascendancy point. If you want to refund three points, you spend three Orbs. If you want to refund ten, you spend ten. The cost scales with how many you change.

Where to find or get Orbs of Regret

Orbs of Regret drop from monsters throughout the game, so you'll accumulate them as you play. They're not rare, but they're not common either — you might find one every few hours of regular gameplay, depending on your character level and where you're farming. Higher-tier maps and endgame content tend to drop them more often than early acts.

The faster route is to trade for them. Other players sell Orbs of Regret on the in-game trade board or through third-party trading sites. The price varies by league and economy, but they're usually affordable — typically worth a small amount of common currency. If you have any extra loot you don't need, you can often convert it to Orbs through a few trades.

You can also farm specific content that has higher Orb drop rates. Some endgame bosses and map mods increase currency drops, so if you're planning a big respec, running a few high-tier maps first can help you gather the Orbs you need.

Resetting your entire Ascendancy class with a Tome of Unmaking

If you don't want to refund points one at a time and instead want to change your Ascendancy class completely, you need a Tome of Unmaking, not Orbs of Regret. This item resets all your Ascendancy points at once, letting you reallocate them to a different Ascendancy class or redistribute them within your current class however you want.

Tomes of Unmaking are rarer than Orbs of Regret and cost more to trade for. They drop from endgame content and certain boss encounters. If you're planning to switch Ascendancy classes, check the trade board for current prices — they vary significantly by league. For most players, it's cheaper to refund points individually unless you're changing most or all of them.

Once you use a Tome of Unmaking, all your Ascendancy points refund and you can reallocate them freely. You don't have to change classes — you can use it to reset within the same class if you want a completely different build path.

What happens if you don't have enough Orbs of Regret

If you try to refund a point and don't have an Orb of Regret in your inventory, the refund won't go through. The game will tell you that you need the item and won't let you confirm. You have to either find or trade for an Orb before you can proceed.

This means you can't accidentally spend currency you don't have. If you're planning a respec and know you'll need five Orbs, make sure you have them before you start refunding. It's usually faster to gather all the Orbs first, then do all your refunds at once, rather than refunding one at a time as you find Orbs.

Refunding Ascendancy points after a major patch or balance change

Path of Exile 2 sometimes rebalances Ascendancy classes or changes how certain passives work. When this happens, Grinding Gear Games occasionally grants free refunds — usually one free Orb of Regret per character, or sometimes a full Ascendancy reset for affected classes. These are announced in patch notes, so check the official website or in-game news when a major update drops.

Free refunds are not automatic — you still have to use them through the normal refund interface. The free Orbs appear in your inventory like any other item. If you miss the window to use them, they stay in your inventory, so there's no rush to refund immediately after a patch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I refund Ascendancy points for free?

No, refunding individual Ascendancy points always costs one Orb of Regret each. The only free refunds are occasional ones granted by Grinding Gear Games after major balance patches, and these are announced in patch notes. You have to spend currency to respec otherwise.

Do I lose my Ascendancy class if I refund all my points?

No. Refunding points doesn't change your Ascendancy class — you keep the same class and can reallocate the points however you want. If you want to switch to a different Ascendancy class entirely, you need a Tome of Unmaking, not Orbs of Regret.

What's the difference between an Orb of Regret and a Tome of Unmaking?

An Orb of Regret refunds one passive point at a time, including Ascendancy points. A Tome of Unmaking resets all your Ascendancy points at once, letting you reallocate them all together. Tomes are rarer and more expensive, so use them only if you're changing most or all of your Ascendancy points.

Can I refund Ascendancy points I took weeks ago?

Yes. There's no time limit on refunding Ascendancy points. You can refund a point you allocated at level 30 when you're level 90, as long as you have the Orbs of Regret to pay for it.

Do Orbs of Regret refund other types of passives too?

Yes. The same Orb of Regret refunds any passive point on your tree — regular passives, keystones, and Ascendancy points all cost one Orb each. It's a universal refund currency, not specific to Ascendancy.