With the arrival of Path of Exile 3.27, Grafts have become a prominent feature, offering new options to customize and strengthen builds. As players dive into the Keepers League, Grafts are turning out to be a core part of progression, bringing with them a range of passive and active skills as well as unique stat boosts. With this guide, we are going to break down what Grafts are in 3.27, how they function, and provide a ranking of the best Grafts currently available.
What are Grafts in Path of Exile 3.27?
Grafts in Path of Exile 3.27 represent a new form of "borrowed power." Each Graft consists of both a skill and a graft item, which together offer substantial bonuses—often in ways that would otherwise be tricky for specific builds to obtain. These skills can add offensive or defensive tools, and in many cases, they are designed to be hands-off, automatically activating under particular circumstances. This allows players to gain benefits without needing to alter their playstyle significantly.
You can equip up to two Grafts at a time, opening up creative combinations. Graft skills do not scale with the player’s personal stats, which explains their high base numbers, damage, cooldowns, and area of effect are all fixed. However, players can still find ways to amplify their effectiveness, such as reducing monster resistances or leveraging buffs that extend effect duration. Additionally, Graft items can roll three modifier types: one aimed at boosting the character, another enhancing the Graft skill itself, and a third related to the Graft blood system, which supports crafting. As a result, Grafts offer both immediate power boosts and opportunities for deeper min-maxing throughout the league.
PoE 3.27 Graft Tier List - Best Grafts for Different Builds
Below is a ranked list and summary of the standout Grafts currently known in 3.27. This tier list is based on observed in-game performance, flexibility, and synergy with popular builds.
1. Heart of Flame (S Tier)
Effect: When missing life, this guard-style Graft grants a powerful protective buff that absorbs a large portion of incoming damage before your life or energy shield. The buff persists for over 8 seconds and can absorb over 4,500 damage at level 30, rivaling a maxed Molten Shell.
This skill offers exceptional protection, especially when its cooldown is reduced or its duration extended via specific modifiers or items in Path of Exile 3.27. It can provide near-permanent uptime with the right setup, making it a top choice for both early mapping and late-game bosses.
2. Call the Pyre (S Tier)
Effect: Automatically triggers on attack, launching three pillars of fire that apply Cover in Ash to targets, causing them to take increased fire damage.
This is a game-changer for fire-based builds, especially Righteous Fire, as it provides consistent debuff application to tough enemies with minimal effort. The ability to enhance fire damage output so easily makes it highly desirable.
3. Wreathed in Light (S Tier)
Effect: An active skill that creates a radiant ground effect, granting bonus lightning damage and making all hit damage "lucky" while standing in the area—a significant damage boost for many builds.
Its large area and the powerful lucky damage mechanic benefit both lightning and certain chaos builds, such as replica Alberon's Warpath setups. The flexibility to use it for boss phases or peak damage moments gives it exceptional value.
4. Glowing Silhouette (A Tier)
Effect: Periodically summons lightning-imbued clones that seek out enemies, detonate, and leave shocked ground, increasing the damage enemies take.
With high base damage and constant uptime, this Graft provides reliable additional damage and crowd control. The shock effect is particularly valuable for scaling overall DPS, especially on bosses.
5. Seize the Flesh (A Tier)
Effect: When you Warcry, bone spires erupt, dealing significant physical damage and inflicting both bleed and impale. The spires explode when you use an exerted attack.
This Graft is highly beneficial for bleed builds, providing extra sources of bleed and impale, which in turn synergize with physical damage masteries. It's also useful for enabling Bloodlust Support and squeezing out more damage from physical builds.
6. Tender Embrace (A Tier)
Effect: When on low life, periodically grants a buff that increases life recovery rate and provides an endurance charge.
Offers strong regeneration and defensive utility, especially for builds that frequently drop to low life or use mechanics like Petrified Blood. The life recovery and endurance charges can help stabilize tough encounters.
7. Falling Crystals (A Tier)
Effect: Fires cold projectiles that pierce all targets, automatically targeting chilled or frozen enemies.
This Graft delivers consistent cold damage and is especially effective for clearing packs or supporting chill-based strategies.
8. Dance in the White (B Tier)
Effect: Summons a tornado that deals cold damage and sends out icicles, potentially freezing and chilling enemies.
While visually impressive and effective for crowd control, its long cooldown and more situational application put it a notch below the top options.
9. The Great Avalanche (B Tier)
Effect: Using an Offering summons multiple Hiveborn minions for a limited time.
This Graft is great for minion builds, adding extra temporary allies and attack speed, but its niche use and cooldown management make it less universally appealing.
10. Ennervating Grasp (B Tier)
Effect: Creates a field of lightning that periodically explodes, applying sap to enemies (reducing their damage).
Useful for extra crowd control and defense, but generally outclassed by more direct damage or utility Grafts.
11. Return to Dust (B Tier)
Effect: Summons hands that strike enemies, stunning rares and uniques.
Why B-Tier: Good for stun-based or crowd control strategies, but with a longer cooldown and less direct synergy for most builds.
12. His Burning Message (B Tier)
Effect: On cast, creates flame geysers over a wide area.
This graft offers area denial and decent fire damage, but the high cooldown and setup requirements limit its overall impact.
Grafts have quickly become a standout mechanic in PoE 3.27, offering players new layers of offense, defense, and utility. Early league progression benefits greatly from their flat bonuses and triggered abilities, while endgame players can experiment with rare modifiers and combinations for the best results. While only about half of the Grafts have been revealed so far, the diversity and impact of those currently available suggest that Grafts will remain a major focus for creative build-crafting throughout the league.
As more Grafts are discovered and tested, the meta is likely to continue evolving. For now, the options listed above provide a solid foundation for players looking to maximize their power in the Keepers League. Happy hunting!