How the skill gem system works in Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2 is out, at least in its Early Access form, and brings with it numerous wild and exciting systems that are set to revolutionize the aRPG genre. One mechanic, the skill gems, is a unique way of leveling up and unlocking abilities, so here’s how they work.

What are skill gems in PoE 2?

The skill gems, which come in both uncut and regular forms, are your primary way of unlocking and upgrading abilities in Path of Exile 2. They are perhaps the most important combat mechanic in the game, and you will need lots of them to pump those spells up and unlock new ones.

Uncut skill gems are the ones you will most often discover around the map. They frequently drop from enemies, especially tougher ones like bosses or elites, and allow you to engrave them to either turn them into a new spell (skill) or to upgrade an existing one.

This makes the spell leveling system vastly different from other games in the genre, which usually tie new abilities to your level obtained via XP, often also locking certain spells out until you reach a set level. Uncut skill gems and skill gems, on the other hand, allow you to pick out any spell you want, provided your skill gem is of the matching level. Collecting as many of these as possible is paramount, as it lets you pool numerous abilities you can switch between and helps you obtain more power and damage output for your currently active spells. Keep in mind this is the level of complexity PoE 2 has as a closed beta release; imagine the future!

How to get skill gems in PoE 2

There is currently no known method of properly farming for uncut skill gems. However, I advise you to simply go out into the world and fight all the enemies you can (if you get past the log-in screen and server issues, that is). There is a chance you will receive a drop from the weakest to the toughest enemy, making all of them worth killing. Don’t expect to see too many of these, as it wouldn’t make sense for the developers to make their drop rates too high and let players blaze through the leveling system without putting a point into their passive skill tree.

Aside from the skill gems, you will also likely obtain uncut support gems and uncut buff gems from enemies, which augment your abilities and provide them with extra effects and buffs when engraved. they function similarly to the skill gems and are obtained in the same way.