What Makes Heist So Good for Early Currency Farming in PoE 3.26
Once you’ve wrapped up the main campaign in Path of Exile 3.26 and completed your first few maps, the next big question becomes: how do you start stacking currency quickly? The answer for many experienced players is surprisingly simple—Heists.
Not a lot of players jump into Heists early, but that’s exactly why it works. It’s accessible, profitable, and doesn’t demand a high-end build to get started.
How to Start Running Heists Right After Campaign
As soon as you finish the campaign—typically around level 64–65—you can head straight to Rogue Harbour. All you need is a Rogue Marker to get inside. From there, you’ll want to interact with Wakano the Barber, who sells Heist contracts in exchange for Orbs of Chance.
Each time you level up, Wakano refreshes his contract inventory, letting you buy new ones for cheap. This makes it easy to build a contract pool early without spending chaos or alchemy orbs.
Which Heist Contracts to Buy First
When you’re just getting into Heists, focus on Agility and Lockpicking contracts. These offer strong early rewards without requiring high-level Rogues or blueprints.
Here's why:
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Lockpicking contracts almost always include currency chests and jewelry drops, which are key for Chaos recipes.
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Agility contracts also drop helpful loot and give early access to necessary Rogue companions.
Avoid running Demolition or Engineering early unless your build is fast and can handle the added risk—they’re slower and offer less consistent profit at the beginning of the league.
How to Use Heists for Chaos Recipe
A major part of the early strategy revolves around farming gear for the Chaos recipe. The idea is simple: collect a full set of unidentified rare items (including a ring, amulet, and belt) and sell them to a vendor for free chaos orbs.
Because rings and amulets are harder to find early on, Heist is ideal. Many Lockpicking Heists reward jewelry directly, and you can grab other required gear from random loot drops.
Quick Tip: Don’t ID the rares. Keep them unidentified to qualify for the Chaos recipe.
Currency Chests and Artifacts
Currency stashes in Lockpicking runs are another goldmine. Even without fancy modifiers, you can open one chest and walk away with 2+ chaos orbs, raw currency, or even fragments. These runs also provide Artifacts, which you can trade with NPCs for Heist-specific currency that sells well on day two or three of the league.
Save the artifacts and wait a bit before selling—prices usually spike slightly after day one as more players look to run Heists.
Cheap Ways to Improve Your Heist Efficiency
Even at lower levels, you’ll start finding gear for your Rogues. These can include cloaks that reduce Alert Level gain, gear that increases chest rewards, and trinkets that improve item rarity.
Outfitting Rogues like Niles and Tibbs with this gear makes a noticeable difference in how far you can go during each run. For agility-based contracts, make sure Tibbs and Tullina are equipped.
Don’t overthink stats early on. If the gear looks useful, toss an Orb of Transmutation on it and equip it.
Should You Use Alchemy Orbs on Contracts?
Early on, it's smart to save your Orbs of Alchemy. Instead, just use Transmutation and Augmentation orbs to roll basic mods. If you feel like optimizing further, try Orbs of Alteration to reroll for better bonuses.
Only once you're comfortably stocked should you consider alching contracts—especially if you’re confident in your build’s ability to handle harder mobs and mods.
Best Level Range to Farm Heists
Most players start Heisting around level 65 and continue through to around level 80. This window offers a sweet spot: fast level-ups, easy Heist contracts, and minimal need for blueprint planning.
At this stage, focus solely on contract farming. Don’t get sidetracked by elaborate setups or endgame mapping unless you’re already flush with currency.
How to Reinvent That Early Chaos Into Something Bigger
Once you’re holding a handful of chaos orbs, here’s what to do:
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Upgrade your build first. Prioritize defense or single-target power.
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Consider buying Divine Orbs early. These almost always increase in price by day 3–4 of a new league. If you can grab divines at 9–10 chaos early, you may be able to flip them later for a solid return.
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Don’t sell Rogue Markers too soon. Marker prices are lowest on day one. Holding them for a couple of days can lead to a better return if you choose to sell later.
Late Game Transition: Turning Heist Into Long-Term Income
If you’re pushing past level 80 and still want to profit from Heists, you can enhance your strategy through your Atlas passives. Specifically:
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Take “Secret Stash” to increase your chance of finding Smuggler’s Caches in maps.
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Pick up “Dutiful Soldier” so Huck joins your first Smuggler's Cache encounter in each map. This makes runs smoother.
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Grab “Finer Arts” for a better balance of useful contract types like Deception and Lockpicking.
These small tree investments let you continue using Heist as a steady income method even into later mapping content.
Quick Notes on Efficient Contract Running
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Loot fast, especially in Lockpicking runs. Get as many small chests as you can without triggering alert.
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Exit when you’re near max alert level—greedy runs usually fail.
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Prioritize chests labeled “Currency” and “Jewelry.”
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Avoid blueprints early unless you’re experienced and have the setup for them.
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Stick to easy contracts with minimal mods for early consistency.
Final Thoughts: Why Heist Still Works in PoE 3.26
Even in the latest leagues, Heist remains one of the most efficient and low-effort ways to farm currency after finishing the campaign. It doesn’t require a meta build or endgame gear and gives players at any level a way to earn consistent chaos, divines, and crafting materials.
If you follow the steps in this guide and pace your investment wisely, you’ll be well ahead of the curve by day three—ready to shift into mapping, crafting, or other strategies with plenty of capital behind you.
Conclusion: Simple, Reliable Currency from Heists
Heists continue to be one of the most effective ways to make early currency in Path of Exile 3.26. You don’t need advanced setups, high-end gear, or a meta build. All you need is a plan, a few Rogue Markers, and the right contracts.
By focusing on Lockpicking and Agility Heists, using Chaos recipes, and knowing when to buy or sell key currency items like Divines, you can stay ahead of the economy in the first few days of the league. Stick with the basics, and your stash tab will fill up fast.
FAQs: Early Heist Farming in PoE 3.26
Q: When should I start running Heists in PoE 3.26?
A: Start after you complete the campaign, ideally around level 64–65.
Q: Which Heist contracts are best early on?
A: Focus on Lockpicking and Agility. These offer high returns with low risk.
Q: Should I use Chaos or Alchemy orbs on early contracts?
A: No, save them. Use Transmutation and Augmentation orbs until your build can handle tougher content.
Q: How do I make the most of Chaos recipe farming?
A: Don’t identify rare items. Keep full sets of gear (including rings and amulets) and sell them unID’d to vendors.
Q: Is it worth investing Atlas passives into Heist?
A: Yes, taking “Secret Stash” and “Dutiful Soldier” helps with long-term Heist farming past level 80.
Q: Should I sell Rogue Markers immediately?
A: No. Wait until day 3 for better value if you’re not using them right away.
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