PoE2 Sanctify vs Quality Order: Why +6 but Never +5
In PoE2, Sanctify and Quality apply in a fixed order: Sanctification hits the base value (×0.78 to 1.22, rounded), then Quality applies at display (rounded down). So on a 50% Quality Absent Amulet, "+# to Level of all Spell Skills" shows +3, +4 or +6. No multiplier ever gives +5.
Zundamon
I found a 50% Quality Absent Amulet on the trade site with "+6 to Level of all Spell Skills"!
Metan
The T1 of that mod is a flat +3 with no range. Yet it shows +6.
Zundamon
And a search for +5 under the same conditions found nothing. +4 and +6 exist, so why not +5?
Metan
The order in which Sanctification and Quality apply explains it.
Two Boosts
Two boosts act on this item's numbers: Sanctification and Quality.
Zundamon
What does Sanctification actually do?
Metan
When an item becomes Sanctified, each mod's value is rerolled. Then it is multiplied by 0.78 to 1.22.
Metan
The ExileDesk engine draws that multiplier evenly in 0.01 steps. The result is rounded and stored as the mod's value.
Zundamon
And Quality?
Metan
That's Quality from a Sibilant Catalyst. At 50% Quality it is ×1.5.
Metan
This one applies at display time, and the fraction is rounded down.
Zundamon
But Quality caps at 20%. How can you stack 50%?
Metan
It's the normal 20% cap plus things like the "+20% to Maximum Quality" mod from an Essence of the Breach.
Metan
If you remove the Maximum Quality mod after adding Quality, the Quality stays.
| Boost | How to add it | Multiplier | Rounding | When it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanctification | Omen of Sanctification + Divine Orb | ×0.78 to 1.22 (0.01 steps) | Rounded | On the base value, stored as the mod's value |
| Quality (Caster Modifiers) | Sibilant Catalyst | ×1.5 at 50% Quality | Rounded down | At display time |
The different rounding and timing are the key to this whole post.
The Order Changes the Answer
The base value is +3. Let's calculate it in both orders.
Zundamon
It's just multiplication. The order shouldn't matter.
Metan
It does, because of the rounding in between. Look at the table.
| Order | Calculation | Shown | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanctify the base value → Quality | 3 × 1.22 = 3.66 → rounds to 4; 4 × 1.5 = 6 | +6 | Sanctification lifts it to 4, then Quality applies |
| Quality → Sanctify | 3 × 1.5 = 4.5; 4.5 × 1.22 = 5.49 | +5 | Even the best roll stops at +5 |
Zundamon
With Quality first, you can't get +6!
Metan
Right. Since +6 exists, the game must Sanctify the base value first and apply Quality afterward.
Metan
The ExileDesk engine uses the same order, and it matches the real item.
What Each Multiplier Shows
In the engine's order, here is what each multiplier shows at 50% Quality.
| Sanctification multiplier | Value after Sanctify (rounded) | Shown at 50% Quality (rounded down) | Steps (of 45) | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.78 to 0.83 | 2 | +3 | 6 (13.3%) | Sanctify lowers it, Quality brings it back to +3 |
| 0.84 to 1.16 | 3 | +4 (4.5 rounded down) | 33 (73.3%) | Sanctify doesn't move it, Quality makes it +4 |
| 1.17 to 1.22 | 4 | +6 | 6 (13.3%) | Sanctify raises it, Quality makes it +6 |
Zundamon
So where is the multiplier that gives +5?
Metan
There isn't one. Grouped by shown value, it looks like this.
| Shown at 50% Quality | Share (uniform multiplier assumed) | Appears? |
|---|---|---|
| +3 | 13.3% | Yes |
| +4 | 73.3% | Yes (most common) |
| +5 | 0% | Never, at any multiplier |
| +6 | 13.3% | Yes (6 of 45) |
Only +3, +4 and +6 can be shown. No multiplier gives +5.
Zundamon
That's why the trade search for +5 found nothing!
Metan
Exactly. The owner searched "Absent Amulet, 50% Quality, +5 to Level of all Spell Skills" and got zero results, just as the table says.
Metan
That search covered instant buyout listings only.
Zundamon
How hard is it to roll +6?
Metan
With an even multiplier, 6 steps out of 45. About 13%.
What If Quality Were 20% or 40%?
With the same rules (Sanctification rounds, Quality rounds down at display), changing the amount of Quality gives this.
| Value after Sanctify | 20% Quality | 40% Quality | 50% Quality | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | +2 | +2 | +3 | Goes up one only at 50% Quality |
| 3 | +3 | +4 | +4 | Goes up one from 40% Quality |
| 4 | +4 | +5 | +6 | +5 at 40% Quality, +6 at 50% |
Zundamon
At 20% Quality, not a single number moves!
Metan
3 × 1.2 = 3.6 and 4 × 1.2 = 4.8 both round back down.
Metan
At 40% Quality, a Sanctified 4 shows +5. Only 50% Quality reaches +6.
Zundamon
So a +6 item hit the top 13% on Sanctification and also stacked Quality to 50%!
Things to Watch When Crafting
Here are the points to remember when working with Sanctification and Quality.
Zundamon
Do I have to add Quality before Sanctifying?
Metan
Yes, before. Once an item is Sanctified, nothing more can be done to it, Catalysts included.
Metan
In the calculation, Sanctification applies to the base value and Quality applies later at display. That's how +6 happens.
Zundamon
If I roll +4, I'll just Sanctify it again.
Metan
Sanctification happens only once. A Sanctified item can't be Sanctified again, so a +4 is final.
Zundamon
What about mods with small numbers?
Metan
The rounding edge matters most there. For a value like +3, 3.49 versus 3.51 changes the result by one.
Metan
For mods with large values, the multiplier shows up directly in the number.
Zundamon
The same item's +55 Spirit was also above its T1 range (47 to 50)!
Metan
Spirit has no caster tag. So Quality didn't touch it, and that was Sanctification alone.
| Watch for | What happens | Why |
|---|---|---|
| When to add Quality | Only before Sanctifying | Nothing can be done after Sanctification |
| How many Sanctifications | Only once, and the roll is final | A Sanctified item can't be changed |
| Mods with small numbers | One point changes at the rounding edge | 3.49 and 3.51 give different results |
| +55 Spirit | Goes past T1 (47 to 50) from Sanctification alone | No caster tag, so Quality doesn't apply |
Not yet verified (2)
- The game doesn't publish whether every multiplier is equally likely. The roughly 13% chance of +6 is based on the engine's assumption.
- "+5 is possible at 40% Quality" is a prediction from the calculation, not checked with a trade search.
Sanctification applies to the base value and rounds; Quality applies at display and rounds down. Because of this order, 50% Quality never shows +5, and +4 jumps straight to +6.
Where the Numbers Come From
Show sources (2)
- The +6 item and the zero results for +5 were checked by the owner with real items and a search on the trade site.
- The Sanctification multiplier range (0.78 to 1.22), the calculation order and the rounding come from the ExileDesk engine (apply-vaal.ts, quality.ts). The order matches the real +6 item. Whether the multiplier is uniform is unconfirmed.
Try It Yourself
You can try Sanctification and Quality on an Absent Amulet on the crafting bench. Sanctify it and you'll see the same values as the tables above.
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Character art: Shikoku Metan / Zundamon standing art by Sakamoto Ahiru