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Learn all you need to know about Path of Exile 2’s (PoE2) Skill Gem System and how you can use it to your advantage.
Path of Exile 2 has taken the franchise’s intricate and strategic gameplay to new heights. The core of the gameplay is the Skill Gem System, offering unparalleled customization and versatility. This allows for a diverse range of builds and playstyles. By integrating Active, Passive, and Spirit Skill Gems, you can tailor your characters’ abilities to match your strategic preferences.
In this article, we will break down the components and mechanics of the Skill Gem System in Path of Exile 2.
How Do Skill Gems Work in Path of Exile 2
Skill Gems are the cornerstone of Path of Exile 2’s combat system. They allow you to slot various offensive and defensive abilities into their kits. The skills you choose can make or break their builds. These factors underscore the importance of selecting the right gems to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in battle.
Types of Skill Gems
In Path of Exile 2, you can obtain Skill Gems from Uncut Gems. They shape these gems into any desired skill. Skill Gems fall into two primary categories:
- Active Skill Gems: These allow you to use skills directly in combat. They include a wide range of abilities such as attacks, spells, curses, mines, and totems. Each skill gem comes with specific tags indicating which modifiers can enhance its proficiency.
- Passive Skill Gems: These provide permanent or situational supportive buffs when slotted with Active Gems. Auras offer persistent benefits at the cost of reserving a portion of the player’s mana pool. They are a notable example from the original Path of Exile. However, Path of Exile 2 introduces Spirit Gems. This is a new variant that uses a resource called Spirit to maintain buffs instead of Mana.
Obtaining Skill Gems
You can obtain Skill Gems by using Uncut Gems. Right-clicking an Uncut Gem opens the Gemcutting menu. Here, select the desired skill gem based on their weapon of choice. Uncut Gems come in different types. These are Active, Passive, and Spirit. They correspond to the skill variants into which you can shape them.
- Uncut Active Gems: Shaping an Uncut Active Gem into an Active Skill Gem will result in a skill gem of the same level as the Uncut Gem.
- Uncut Passive Gems: Unlike in the original game, Path of Exile 2 allows you to equip only one of each Passive Skill Gem in their entire build. This fosters strategic choices and variety in endgame skill usage.
- Uncut Spirit Gems: You can use Uncut Spirit Gems to shape Spirit Skill Gems. Spirit Skill Gems introduce a new mechanic involving the Spirit resource for maintaining persistent buffs.
Path of Exile 2 offers hundreds of Skill Gems, ensuring that you can create a diverse array of builds. During Early Access, you will have access to a specific number of Active Skill Gems for different weapon types, such as Quarterstaves, Maces, Bows, and Crossbows, as well as Occult and Elemental skills for Witches and Sorceresses.
The system’s flexibility allows you to combine various skill gems to craft unique and powerful builds. You can tailor their characters to specific combat roles, whether it’s clearing waves of enemies or taking down bosses.
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