Distilled Fear starts as a shimmering vial plucked from the haze of Delirium encounters, but its real value emerges when farmed efficiently and deployed with precision in Path of Exile 2. This potent emotion captures the essence of amplified terror, turning chaotic fog runs into structured power plays for maps and amulets. Mastering its cycle—from targeted drops to strategic application—elevates average farmers into endgame architects who juice Waystones without courting unnecessary death.
Farming Distilled Fear hinges on Delirium mirrors scattered across the Atlas, marked by their distinctive white icons on eligible Waystones. Enter these maps, smash the mirror to unleash the fog, and prioritize staying within its boundaries while clearing enemies relentlessly. A reward bar in the screen's corner fills as you progress, directly scaling your Fear drops: hit higher tiers by stacking pack size from scarabs, essences, or atlas passives like those boosting monster rarity. Open layouts with long corridors shine here—kite rares through the mist, pull packs into chokepoints, and avoid tight boss arenas that spike fog density prematurely. Aim for tier 11+ Waystones where Simulacrum splinters also drop, blending Fear farming with pinnacle prep. Run 20-30 maps per session on speed clears; a solid build yields 5-15 Fears per mirror, especially if you layer in Paranoia for more rares to harvest.
Trading skips the grind for veterans: hit the Currency Exchange post-Act 3, list Exalted Orbs against Fear, and snag bulk at Divine Orb rates during league peaks. Solo self-found players craft via the Reforging Bench—three identical emotions upgrade to the next tier, ensuring a steady supply without market reliance. Stockpile in stashes labeled by combo potential, as Fear's 22% rare modifier chance pairs brutally with Greed for loot or Envy for quantity.
Wise usage splits between Waystones and anoints. On maps, instill one Fear early for safer juicing—its 25% extra modifiers on rares demand capped resists and recovery, but reward with juicier drops from beefed-up packs. Triple it only on tanky setups in broad arenas; pair with Isolation for full Delirium coverage when fog farming div cards. Scout layouts first: greedly stack on Heist or Ritual maps for monster blooms, bail on Essence-heavy bosses.
Amulet anoints unlock its passive tree dominance—hover notables with Alt to reveal recipes like Fear-Greed-Ire for "Parrying Motion," granting blocks that fuel movement in fog swarms. Defensive staples like "All Natural" (two Fears plus Greed) patch elemental gaps, while utility nodes speed minion or evasion builds. Re-anoint as your tree evolves, prioritizing Fear for Delirium-centric farmers.
This loop—from mirror dives to empowered runs—sustains progression. Farm conservatively in hardcore, explode stacks in softcore leagues, and watch Distilled Fear forge your Atlas into a profit engine.