Hinekora’s Lock is one of the most sought-after currency items in Path of Exile, especially for players looking to perfect their rare items through deterministic crafting. It allows you to preview the result of a crafting action before actually committing to it—a massive power boost in a game where crafting RNG can make or break an item. In this guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about Hinekora’s Lock: how to obtain it, where it drops, how to use it, and how to maximize its value.

What is Hinekora’s Lock?

Hinekora’s Lock is a rare and powerful Path of exile currency item introduced in the Trial of the Ancestors league and retained in the core game. When used on a rare item, it lets you see the outcome of a crafting action before you perform it. If you don’t like what you see, you can avoid wasting expensive currency. If the result is favorable, you can commit the actual crafting action.

It’s effectively a “peek into the future” mechanic that adds a huge amount of control to crafting, especially when trying to hit high-value suffixes or prefixes with Exalts, Annuls, or Eldritch currency.

How to Get Hinekora’s Lock in Path of Exile

Hinekora’s Lock is not a common drop—it is a reward from specific mechanics tied to the Trial of the Ancestors league content, and a few niche sources after its introduction into the core game.

1. Trial of the Ancestors Tournament (TotA) – Main Source

The primary method of acquiring Hinekora’s Lock is participating in the Trial of the Ancestors. This league mechanic is now a permanent part of the game (with some tweaks) and offers a rewarding tournament-style minigame.

Here’s how to get started:

Step 1: Access the Trial Arena

To begin a tournament, collect Silver Coins, which drop from enemies across Wraeclast.

Use the coins to enter the Halls of the Dead via a waypoint.

Participate in Ancestor Trials, where you fight against different Karui tribes in auto-battler-style arenas.

Step 2: Defeat Hinekora’s Tribe (Ramako)

Each tribe has unique rewards associated with it.

Hinekora’s Lock is specifically tied to the Ramako tribe, who worship Hinekora, Mother of Death.

When you choose a reward slot during the tournament, pick one that shows Hinekora’s Lock as a reward.

You must win that specific match to claim the Lock.

Step 3: Climb the Tournament Bracket

As you progress deeper into the tournament rounds (especially Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals), you’ll get more opportunities to see Hinekora’s Lock appear as a reward.

Some players report higher chances when reaching round 7 or beyond, though it’s still RNG-based.

 Pro Tip: Focus on upgrading and empowering your team of warriors. Prioritize fighters who synergize well together and use flanking mechanics to your advantage to secure wins against tougher opponents.

Drop Rate and Farming Tips

Hinekora’s Lock Drop Rate

There’s no publicly known drop rate, but player data suggests:

Hinekora’s Lock shows up roughly once every 10–20 matches where you pick Ramako as the reward.

The drop is not guaranteed even if you defeat the right tribe—you must select the right reward node on the bracket.

Optimizing Your Farming

Farm Silver Coins: The more matches you can enter, the more chances you have. Silver Coins drop commonly from map bosses, league content (Delirium, Heist, Ritual), and even delve.

Favor Ramako Tribe: Choose Ramako when it appears. Favor them during team recruitment and target them for reward rounds.

Use Rematch Tokens: These tokens can let you retry important rounds if you fail, giving another shot at securing a Lock.

Play Efficiently: Don't drag out matches or play overly risky. The goal is volume and win consistency.

Other Ways to Obtain Hinekora’s Lock (Post-League)

As of 3.24 and beyond (or the current expansion in your version), Hinekora’s Lock is primarily still tied to the Trial of the Ancestors. However, here are niche methods:

1. Trade with Other Players

Because the item is tradeable, the most consistent alternative is purchasing from others.

Use trade sites like the official Path of Exile Trade website or third-party platforms.

Prices vary by league, but expect a cost between 30 to 100 Chaos Orbs depending on availability.

2. Kirac’s Atlas Missions

Occasionally, Kirac missions and map device options rotate in special league mechanics. If Ancestor content becomes part of a Kirac rotation, you could access TotA without coins.

3. Unique Divination Cards or Future Additions

As of now, no divination card directly awards Hinekora’s Lock, but future expansions or fan-designed cards may add one.

Keep an eye on patch notes and league reveals for new drop sources.

How to Use Hinekora’s Lock

Once you have a Lock, use it wisely.

Basic Usage

Right-click the Lock.

Left-click a rare item you want to craft.

Use any crafting currency (Exalted Orb, Chaos Orb, Annul Orb, Eldritch Orb, etc.).

Instead of applying it immediately, you will preview the exact outcome.

If you like the result, proceed with the actual craft.

If you don’t, cancel it and try a different crafting path.

What It Works With

Works with:

Currency-based crafting (Exalted, Annul, Divine, Chaos, etc.)

Essences

Eldritch currency

Some bench crafts

Doesn’t work with:

Metacrafting mods (e.g., “Cannot roll Attack Mods”) during the preview

Fossils

Harvest crafts

Beastcrafting

Scourge or other multi-step crafting systems

Best Use Cases for Hinekora’s Lock

1. High-Risk, High-Reward Crafting

Use the Lock when:

You’re slamming an Exalt hoping to hit a +1 skill gem mod

You’re Annuling an item and don’t want to lose a key suffix

You’re Chaos Spamming an item trying to hit multiple T1 mods

2. Multi-Mod Prefix/Suffix Control

Let’s say you have a triple-T1 suffix ring, and you want to remove the bad prefix. Normally, using an Annul is risky. With Hinekora’s Lock, you can see whether the Annul will remove the correct mod.

3. Finishing Mirror-Tier Items

Crafters who sell mirror-worthy gear use Hinekora’s Lock as insurance. It saves time, money, and lets you aim for perfection.

Final Thoughts

Hinekora’s Lock is a powerful but limited tool, offering deterministic insight into one of Path of Exile’s most chaotic systems: crafting. While it doesn’t guarantee perfect results, it offers enormous value when used on high-tier Path of exile Items or costly crafts. Farming it takes time and effort—especially mastering the Trial of the Ancestors—but it’s well worth the investment if you’re deep into gear optimization or trade crafting.

Whether you’re a solo player trying to create the perfect weapon or a trade magnate looking to minimize losses on multimod slams, Hinekora’s Lock belongs in your toolbelt.