Eternal Orbs were removed from Path of Exile in the 3.15 Ritual League update, so unfortunately, there aren’t any current "best uses" for them anymore. However, I can discuss the different strategies players used them for before their removal, which might be interesting from a historical perspective or for discussing similar items in the future:
High-End Crafting:
Mirroring god-tier items: This was the most common and controversial use. Players could use an Eternal Orb on an exceptional item and then Mirror it, creating a perfect replica that could be sold for massive amounts of currency. This effectively removed the unique status of the original item and could inflate the economy.
Crafting perfect modifiers: Players could use Eternal Orbs to repeatedly roll modifiers on an item until they were perfect, creating incredibly powerful gear. This was extremely expensive and time-consuming but could result in unbeatable items.
Other Uses:
Saving valuable mods: Players could use Eternal Orbs to "freeze" a specific modifier on an item before using another crafting orb, ensuring it wouldn’t be changed. This was helpful for preserving valuable rolls while trying to improve other aspects of the item.
Speculative crafting: Players could use Eternal Orbs to experiment with high-risk crafting strategies, knowing they could always revert to the original state if things went wrong. This could be a way to potentially create valuable items without as much risk.
Removal Reasons:
Eternal Orbs were ultimately removed by Grinding Gear Games due to concerns about their impact on the game’s economy and balance. Their ability to duplicate god-tier items and create near-perfect gear was seen as creating an unfair advantage for wealthy players and making certain item combinations too powerful.
Alternatives:
While Eternal Orbs are gone, several other crafting systems offer similar functionality:
Mirror of Kalandra: Can still be used to create replicas of items, but comes with additional restrictions and costs compared to Eternal Orbing.
Fossil crafting: Offers powerful modifiers and targeted rerolls, but requires specific fossils and specific item bases.
Essences and oils: Offer targeted crafting options but with randomness involved.
Bestiary crafting: Can add specific modifiers or change sockets on certain items.
Conclusion:
While Eternal Orbs are no longer a part of Path of Exile, their legacy lives on in discussions about crafting and the game’s economic balance. Understanding their uses and the reasons for their removal can offer valuable insights for players and developers alike.