Path of Exile 2 features hundreds of Skill Gems, items that grant devastating active skills, and almost as many Support Gems. Combine these together to create your perfect build.
Each Skill can be modified by up to five Support Gems which change their behavior in drastic ways.
Path of Exile 2 New Skill Gem System: The Ultimate Customization Tool for Devastating Builds
Path of Exile 2 is bringing a host of exciting updates, and one of the most anticipated changes is its overhaul of the Skill Gem System. Skill Gems, which grant players devastating active skills, have been at the heart of Path of Exile’s complexity and customization since its inception. In PoE 2, this system has been expanded and refined to offer even more depth and flexibility, allowing players to craft truly unique and powerful builds.
With hundreds of Skill Gems and nearly as many Support Gems, the possibilities for customization are almost limitless. Whether you’re looking to unleash explosive spells, deadly melee attacks, or intricate elemental combos, PoE 2’s new Skill Gem system offers countless ways to modify your abilities and create the perfect playstyle.
At the heart of PoE 2’s Skill Gem system are two primary types of gems: Skill Gems and Support Gems. These gems work together to form the backbone of your character’s offensive capabilities, allowing you to fine-tune your abilities in ways that suit your preferred playstyle.
Skill Gems are the primary means through which your character performs actions, whether they are attacks, spells, or defensive maneuvers. These gems are equipped into the available sockets of your gear and directly determine what your character can do in combat.
Support Gems modify the behavior of your Skill Gems, allowing for deep customization and synergies between your abilities and playstyle. Each Skill Gem can be linked to up to five Support Gems (in a perfect setup), and the combination of these gems drastically changes how the skill behaves.
Each gem you link will change the behavior of the skill in ways that can fundamentally alter your character’s capabilities. The ability to link multiple support gems with a skill gem creates a world of possibilities, making every build highly customizable.
In PoE 2, gem linking has been enhanced with more flexibility and usability. While the concept remains the same—gems must be linked in gear to modify each other’s effects—PoE2’s system introduces new interactions and possible synergies that encourage more experimentation and customization. These improvements include:
In PoE 2, unique skill gems introduce powerful abilities that can transform your build into something extraordinary. These gems:
Additionally, unique Support Gems allow players to take control over their build in ways previously impossible, creating completely new playstyles.
PoE 2 introduces more detailed control over how skill gems scale as you level up. This means:
With the introduction of new weapon types, such as crossbows and potentially other exotic weapons, PoE 2 brings new gem types that complement these systems. For example, you might encounter new crossbow skill gems that incorporate projectiles, explosive effects, or precision damage scaling. Support gems for these new weapons will likely focus on enhancing range, projectile speed, and impact.
Creating the perfect Skill Gem setup in PoE 2 requires more than just slapping any gems together—it requires careful planning and understanding of synergies between skills, supports, and the passive skill tree. Here are some tips to optimize your setup:
The key to a powerful build is synergy. Make sure your Skill Gems and Support Gems complement each other. For instance:
Don’t be afraid to try out new combinations and hybrid setups. PoE 2 allows for greater experimentation with up to five support gems. Test different combinations to see how they affect your damage output, defenses, and resource management.
Keep in mind the core attributes of your character—strength, dexterity, and intelligence—and ensure your gems scale well with these stats. For example:
While optimizing for damage is essential, remember that defensive support gems like Fortify or Life Leech can dramatically improve your survivability, especially when scaling higher-tier content.
Path of Exile 2’s new Skill Gem System takes the customization that PoE is known for and enhances it even further. With hundreds of Skill Gems, almost as many Support Gems, and the ability to link up to five support gems per active skill, the possibilities for creating devastating, personalized builds are endless. The flexibility in how you can modify active skills, along with the unique gem interactions and enhanced scaling, allows for more complex and rewarding gameplay than ever before.
Whether you’re a veteran or a newcomer, the new Skill Gem System in PoE 2 promises to revolutionize the way you create and experiment with builds. With countless combinations and synergies, there’s never been a better time to dive into Wraeclast and unleash the full potential of your character!