Although it’s yet to be released, Path of Exile 2 has showcased a host of changes and new mechanics. Chief among them is the new skill gem rework, which has completely changed how the system works. Let’s take a look then at how Path of Exile 2’s Skill Gems work and what’s new.
Say Goodbye to Armor Slots
Previously, Skill Gems had to be slotted into specific armor slots. While unique, this system gave rise to a lot of frustrations, as you often had to spend hours and even days farming the resources required to get yourself the perfect piece of armor.
Well, say goodbye to that. In Path of Exile 2, each character starts off with 9 gem slots, all with their own respective support gem slots too. 9 is the maximum amount of gem slots that you can have, however, you can increase the number of support gem slots of a specific gem by using a Jeweler's Orb of the appropriate tier on it.
That’s right, Jewler’s Orbs have also received a rework. In Path of Exile 2, Jewler’s Orbs come in three tiers, with each subsequent tier unlocking an additional support gem slot for your gems.
From a broad viewpoint, this system is much simpler than before, however, it actually allows for a lot more intricacies when creating character builds. Because you aren’t restricted anymore by the number of armor slots, you can accomplish your ideal character build much sooner.
Uncut Gems Are Also New
In Path of Exile 1, gems, support gems, and their varieties, dropped out in the wild. That’s gone in Path of Exile 2. In Path of Exile 2, instead of receiving random gems for killing mobs, you’ll receive Uncut Gems that you’ll have to refine yourself.
Gemcutting is the new mechanic in this regard, and it’ll likely be something that you can only perform in a settlement. Gemcutting will allow you to create whatever Skill Gem or Support Gem you want out of an Uncut Gem. There is a catch though.
The level of the Uncut Gems you receive will be tied to the zone you’re in. Meaning, to unlock higher-level skills, you’re going to have to farm higher-level zones. This new change makes Path of Exile 2 feel much closer to a traditional RPG than its predecessor. There is an upside though.
One of Path of Exile 1’s biggest issues was how unexciting discovering new Skill Gems was once you’ve acquired your starter array. Once you have the basics, everything else feels the same. That’s gone in PoE 2. With this new system, unlocking new gems will actually be an exciting prospect rather than just a boring chore.
Weapon Sets, Skill Gems, and the Passive Skill Tree
Weapon Sets is a new mechanic in Path of Exile 2 that seemingly interacts with the other systems like the Skill Gem and the Passive Skill Tree. In Path of Exile 2, the types of weapons you use will actually have a tangible effect on your gameplay experience. Much more than in Path of Exile 1 that is.
For example. Say you’re a duel-wielder and you have a one-handed sword in each hand. To maximize your DPS, you tie one sword to a fire-type skill and another sword to a lightning-type skill. In that case, whenever you attack with a specific hand, you’ll trigger its respective skill.
That’s already great, however, it can become even better! Enter Weapon Sets perks. If you invest a few perk points into your specific weapon set’s branch, you’ll increase your character’s capabilities with that specific weapon set.
The implications of this are huge! Imagine hitting an enemy with one hand, only for the skill you’ve tied to that hand to trigger twice. It’s interesting to see how this system will work with Path of Exile 1’s weapon proficiency system. Both systems will likely be integrated in PoE2, just to different degrees.
Socket Colors Also Work Differently in PoE 2
Even though the old system is gone, socket colors are still making a comeback in Path of Exile 2. Considering how each character starts with 9 gem slots, it’s likely that you’ll receive three of each at the start: 3 Strength, 3 Dexterity, and 3 Intelligence.
There’s a problem here though. 9 is too many slots for any build, but 3 is just not enough. That’s where Chromatic Orbs come to the rescue. For all intents and purposes, Chromatic Orbs work pretty much the same way as they did in Path of Exile 1.
They’ve been altered slightly though. Now, instead of applying them to an item and praying that you get the right slot colors, you apply them to a specific slot and pray that you get the exact color you want so that you don’t have to waste another Chromatic Orb.
This makes it so that Chromatic Orbs don’t brick your items anymore every time you use them. This change will also likely make them rarer as a result. They might even become a valuable resource to be traded on the PoE marketplace.
A Bit on The Jeweler's Orb Rework
In Path of Exile 1, Jeweler’s Orbs were used to re-roll the number of sockets an item had up to its maximum. For most players, this was one of the most frustrating parts of Path of Exile, as it felt more like a gacha game mechanic than an RPG one.
That’s gone in Path of Exile 2, as the Jeweler’s Orb now works completely differently. Instead of being a specific item, Jewelers Orbs are now a type of item that comes in three tiers.
- Tier 1 Jewelers Orbs increase the amount of support slots a Skill Gem has from 2 to 3.
- Tier 2 Jewelers Orbs increase it by a further amount, from 3 to 4 support slots.
- Tier 3 Jewelers Orbs increase it to the maximum amount of support slots, which is 5.
This is applicable to all of your Skill Gems, meaning that each skill can now become a 6-link skill. The possibilities with this new system are truly endless, as well as the amount of DPS your characters will be able to output.
