A planar essence is an item, usually obtained as a rift reward which can be slotted in a planar focus. It often has one or more attributes and at least one resistance. There are greater and lesser planar essences, which corresponds to the slot that must be available in the planar focus. Greater planar essences belong to different families. Two greater planar essences of the same family cannot be equipped at the same time.
These consumable items are for adjusting a character's stats, Elemental resistances and when you have access to Major Essences they usually have a proc like chance to add a HoT per heal of target. There is a total of 4 Minor Essence and 2 Major Essence slots available based on the quality of Core. You can equip them after you have equipped a Core to the Planar Focus bar on the character equipment screen. Cores come in a variety of quality and can be changed at any time by dragging a new one over the old one, thus replacing the original core and unlocking more Planar Essence slots. Cores are not destroyed and can be swapped at any time outside of combat to change one's stats.
Planar Essences can also be obtained in the spoils from contributing to closing a Rift and are usually of better quality than the similar level merchant sells.
Turaj Planeseeker in Freemarch, King's Retreat is one such vendor for Planar Essences. The essences he sells are minor and only add a small number of stats (these require Level 10 to equip). His inventory is as such:
- Source of Potential: 20 Planarite "Use, reveal a Planar Essence of Dexterity"
- Source of Stability: 20 Planarite "Use, reveal a Planar Essence of Endurance"
- Source of Thought: 20 Planarite "Use, reveal a Planar Essence of Intelligence"
- Source of Courage: 20 Planarite "Use, reveal a Planar Essence of Strength"
- Source of Prudence: 20 Planarite "Use, reveal a Planar Essence of Wisdom"