Gems Guide

Gems play a big role in Path of Exile 2, letting you customize your build and how your character fights. You will need different types of gems to unlock skills, buffs, and upgrades, so understanding how they work is important. This guide details everything you need to know about skill gems, what they do, how to get them, and how to use them for your character.

How to Get Skill Gems

Skill Gems drop in the form of Uncut Skill Gems, Uncut Spirit Gems, and Uncut Support Gems. You can find them as loot from enemies or as quest rewards. The level of the gem depends on the area where it dropped.

• Uncut Skill Gems: these are used to engrave Active Skills, which are the main abilities you will use in combat.
• Uncut Spirit Gems: these are used for Spirit-based abilities like Buffs, Auras, and permanent minions.
• Uncut Support Gems: these modify your Active Skills, making them stronger or adding extra effects.

Your weapons also have Basic Skills that do not cost Mana. You can boost these skills using Support Gems just like regular Active Skills.

Skill Gem Menu

The Skill Gem Menu lets you equip, unequip, and level-up your gems. You will also link Support Gems to Active Skills here.

Leveling and Slot Limits

Leveling Skill Gems

Each Uncut Gem has a level when dropped, which affects how you can use it.

• Use it to unlock a new skill.
• Use it to upgrade an existing skill.

For example, if you find an Uncut Level 7 Gem early in the campaign, it might help you get a head start, while a Level 19 Gem will be great for endgame builds.

If you want to engrave a skill, your Uncut Skill Gem must be at least the same level as the skill. So, a Level 7 skill needs a Level 7 (or higher) Uncut Skill Gem. The same applies to upgrading your skills.

Skill Gem Slots

You start with nine Skill Gem slots, but you can get more with certain items or the Gemling Legionnaire Ascendancy in the Mercenary Class (this Ascendancy gives you three extra slots). Some weapons, Unset Rings, and Unique Items can also give you extra slots.

Once you engrave a skill, that Uncut Skill Gem is used up. If you want to try a different skill later, you will need another Uncut Skill Gem, so it is a good idea to keep extras in your stash.

Building Your Skills

Your build is a combination of Active Skills, Support Gems, and Passive Abilities.

Active Skills

These are the abilities you use in combat. They are grouped by weapon type or combat style (bow, quarterstaff, occult, elemental, mace, crossbow, wands, sceptres, staves, spear, and shield). Each skill has a required level before it can be engraved (Level 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 or 13).

If you have a Level 5 skill, you will need an Uncut Skill Gem of Level 5 or higher to engrave it. You cannot use a lower-level gem to upgrade it. This applies to all skill types, including Support and Passive Gems.

Some weapons will already have an active skill slotted like wands, sceptres, staves, spears, and shields. It will count as a usable skill together with your other skill gems, and you can slot additional support gems for those as well. The skill will, however, disappear if you unequip the weapon.

List of Active Skill Gems (click to open)

Skill	Weapon Type	Gem Level Required
Lightning Arrow	Bow	Level 1
Escape Shot	Bow	Level 1
Poisonburst Arrow	Bow	Level 1
Lightning Rod	Bow	Level 1
Stormcaller Arrow	Bow	Level 3
Snipe	Bow	Level 3
Vine Arrow	Bow	Level 3
Barrage	Bow	Level 5
Toxic Growthh	Bow	Level 5
Electrocuting Arrow	Bow	Level 5
Freezing Salvo	Bow	Level 5
Sniper’s Mark	Bow	Level 7
Gas Arrow	Bow	Level 7
Voltaic Mark	Bow	Level 7
Rain of Arrows	Bow	Level 9
Detonating Arrow	Bow	Level 9
Ice Shot	Bow	Level 9
Shockchain Arrow	Bow	Level 11
Tornado Shot	Bow	Level 11
Magnetic Salvo	Bow	Level 13
Spiral Volley	Bow	Level 13
Falling Thunder	Quarterstaff	Level 1
Glacial Cascade	Quarterstaff	Level 1
Killing Palm	Quarterstaff	Level 1
Frozen Locus	Quarterstaff	Level 1
Staggering Palm	Quarterstaff	Level 3
Tempest Bell	Quarterstaff	Level 3
Vaulting Impact	Quarterstaff	Level 3
Wind Blast	Quarterstaff	Level 5
Ice Strike	Quarterstaff	Level 5
Tempest Flurry	Quarterstaff	Level 5
Wave of Frost	Quarterstaff	Level 7
Siphoning Strike	Quarterstaff	Level 7
Storm Wave	Quarterstaff	Level 7
Freezing Mark	Quarterstaff	Level 7
Charged Staff	Quarterstaff	Level 9
Mantra of Destruction	Quarterstaff	Level 9
Hand of Chayula	Quarterstaff	Level 9
Whirling Assault	Quarterstaff	Level 11
Shattering Palm	Quarterstaff	Level 11
Flicker Strike	Quarterstaff	Level 13
Gathering Storm	Quarterstaff	Level 13
Contagion	Occult	Level 1
Skeletal Warrior Minion	Occult	Level 1
Skeletal Sniper Minion	Occult	Level 1
Unearth	Occult	Level 1
Enfeeble	Occult	Level 3
Essence Drain	Occult	Level 3
Skeletal Arsonist Minion	Occult	Level 3
Bone Cage	Occult	Level 3
Raise Zombie	Occult	Level 5
Skeletal Frost Mage Minion	Occult	Level 5
Pain Offering	Occult	Level 5
Bonestorm	Occult	Level 5
Detonate Dead	Occult	Level 7
Vulnerability	Occult	Level 7
Profane Ritual	Occult	Level 7
Despair	Occult	Level 9
Skeletal Reaver Minion	Occult	Level 9
Dark Effigy	Occult	Level 9
Bone Offering	Occult	Level 11
Skeletal Storm Mage Minion	Occult	Level 11
Hexblast	Occult	Level 11
Skeletal Brute Minion	Occult	Level 13
Skeletal Cleric Minion	Occult	Level 13
Soul Offering	Occult	Level 13
Ice Nova	Elemental	Level 1
Spark	Elemental	Level 1
Frost Bomb	Elemental	Level 1
Flame Wall	Elemental	Level 1
Orb of Storms	Elemental	Level 3
Frostbolt	Elemental	Level 3
Ember Fusillade	Elemental	Level 3
Arc	Elemental	Level 5
Incinerate	Elemental	Level 5
Solar Orb	Elemental	Level 5
Cold Snap	Elemental	Level 5
Flammability	Elemental	Level 7
Hypothermia	Elemental	Level 7
Conductivity	Elemental	Level 7
Frost Wall	Elemental	Level 9
Lightning Warp	Elemental	Level 9
Mana Tempest	Elemental	Level 9
Fireball	Elemental	Level 9
Firestorm	Elemental	Level 11
Ball Lightning	Elemental	Level 11
Comet	Elemental	Level 11
Temporal Chains	Elemental	Level 13
Flameblast	Elemental	Level 13
Eye of Winter	Elemental	Level 13
Lightning Conduit	Elemental	Level 13
Earthquake	Mace	Level 1
Boneshatter	Mace	Level 1
Rolling Slam	Mace	Level 1
Mace Strike	Mace	Level 1
Shield Charge	Mace	Level 3
Armour Breaker	Mace	Level 3
Shockwave Totem	Mace	Level 3
Infernal Cry	Mace	Level 3
Perfect Strike	Mace	Level 5
Resonating Shield	Mace	Level 5
Leap Slam	Mace	Level 7
Earthshatter	Mace	Level 7
Shield Wall	Mace	Level 7
Sunder	Mace	Level 9
Volcanic Fissure	Mace	Level 9
Seismic Cry	Mace	Level 11
Supercharged Slam	Mace	Level 11
Stampede	Mace	Level 11
Ancestral Warrior Totem	Mace	Level 13
Hammer of the Gods	Mace	Level 13
Explosive Grenade	Crossbow	Level 1
Load Fragmentation Rounds	Crossbow	Level 1
Load Armour Piercing Rounds	Crossbow	Level 1
Load Permafrost Bolts	Crossbow	Level 1
Crossbow Shot	Crossbow	Level 1
Flash Grenade	Crossbow	Level 3
Load High Velocity Rounds	Crossbow	Level 3
Load Incendiary Shot	Crossbow	Level 3
Gas Grenade	Crossbow	Level 5
Load Rapid Shot	Crossbow	Level 5
Load Ice Shards	Crossbow	Level 5
Load Galvanic Shards	Crossbow	Level 5
Ripwire Ballista	Crossbow	Level 7
Voltaic Grenade	Crossbow	Level 7
Load Explosive Shot	Crossbow	Level 7
Load Glacial Bolt	Crossbow	Level 7
Artillery Ballista	Crossbow	Level 9
Oil Grenade	Crossbow	Level 9
Load Stormblast Bolts	Crossbow	Level 9
Load Hailstorm Rounds	Crossbow	Level 11
Load Shockburst Rounds	Crossbow	Level 11
Emergency Reload	Crossbow	Level 11
Load Siege Cascade	Crossbow	Level 13
Load Plasma Blast	Crossbow	Level 13
Cluster Grenade	Crossbow	Level 13
Chaos Bolt	Wands	Attached to the weapon
Bone Blast	Wands	Attached to the weapon
Mana Drain	Wands	Attached to the weapon
Power Siphon	Wands	Attached to the weapon
Volatile Dead	Wands	Attached to the weapon
Galvanic Field	Wands	Attached to the weapon
Decompose	Wands	Attached to the weapon
Exsanguinate	Wands	Attached to the weapon
Wither	Wands	Attached to the weapon
Skeletal Warrior Minion	Sceptres	Attached to the weapon
Discipline	Sceptres	Attached to the weapon
Malice	Sceptres	Attached to the weapon
Purity of Fire	Sceptres	Attached to the weapon
Purity of Ice	Sceptres	Attached to the weapon
Purity of Lightning	Sceptres	Attached to the weapon
Firebolt	Staves	Attached to the weapon
Freezing Shards	Staves	Attached to the weapon
Lightning Bolt	Staves	Attached to the weapon
Living Bomb	Staves	Attached to the weapon
Sigil of Power	Staves	Attached to the weapon
Soulrend	Staves	Attached to the weapon
Reap	Staves	Attached to the weapon
Shock Nova	Staves	Attached to the weapon
Consecrate	Staves	Attached to the weapon
Dark Pact	Staves	Attached to the weapon
Ember Fusillade	Staves	Attached to the weapon
Spark	Staves	Attached to the weapon
Blazing Lance	Spear	Attached to the weapon
Ice Spear	Spear	Attached to the weapon
Impale	Spear	Attached to the weapon
Puncture	Spear	Attached to the weapon
Spearfield	Spear	Attached to the weapon
Storm Spear	Spear	Attached to the weapon
Resonating Shield	Shield	Attached to the weapon
Shield Charge	Shield	Attached to the weapon
Shield Wall	Shield	Attached to the weapon

Support Gems

Support Gems modify your Active Skills, improving their effects. For example, they can:

• Increase damage
• Add effects like Ignite or Freeze
• Provide buffs while using certain skills

You can link up to 5 Support Gems to a single Active Skill. Support Gems come in different types based on attributes and levels:

• Strength Support Gem: Level 1, 2, 3
• Dexterity Support Gem: Level 1, 2, 3
• Intelligence Support Gem: Level 1, 2, 3

List of Support Gems (click to open)

Support Skill	Gem Type	Gem Level Required
Armour Explosion	Strength	Level 1
Bloodlust	Strength	Level 1
Break Endurance	Strength	Level 1
Brutality	Strength	Level 1
Corrupting Cry	Strength	Level 1
Double Barrel	Strength	Level 1
Eternal Flame	Strength	Level 1
Execute	Strength	Level 1
Fast Forward	Strength	Level 1
Fire Infusion	Strength	Level 1
Fist of War	Strength	Level 1
Ignition	Strength	Level 1
Impact Shockwave	Strength	Level 1
Inspiration	Strength	Level 1
Jagged Ground	Strength	Level 1
Lacerate	Strength	Level 1
Lifetap	Strength	Level 1
Meat Shield	Strength	Level 1
Overpower	Strength	Level 1
Persistence	Strength	Level 1
Premeditation	Strength	Level 1
Rage	Strength	Level 1
Ruthless	Strength	Level 1
Stomping Ground	Strength	Level 1
Unbreakable	Strength	Level 1
Vitality	Strength	Level 1
Aftershock	Strength	Level 2
Ancestral Urgency	Strength	Level 2
Auto Reload	Strength	Level 2
Bludgeon	Strength	Level 2
Demolisher	Strength	Level 2
Devastate	Strength	Level 2
Exploit Weakness	Strength	Level 2
Fire Penetration	Strength	Level 2
Font of Blood	Strength	Level 2
Fresh Clip	Strength	Level 2
Herbalism	Strength	Level 2
Holy Descent	Strength	Level 2
Infernal Legion	Strength	Level 2
Ironwood	Strength	Level 2
Life Thief	Strength	Level 2
Primal Armament	Strength	Level 2
Raging Cry	Strength	Level 2
Splinter	Strength	Level 2
Behead	Strength	Level 3
Cannibalism	Strength	Level 3
Dazing Cry	Strength	Level 3
Deep Cuts	Strength	Level 3
Despoiler	Strength	Level 3
Enraged Warcry	Strength	Level 3
Fire Exposure	Strength	Level 3
Font of Rage	Strength	Level 3
Heft	Strength	Level 3
Immolate	Strength	Level 3
Long Fuse	Strength	Level 3
Rageforged	Strength	Level 3
Rupture	Strength	Level 3
Searing Flame	Strength	Level 3
Tremors	Strength	Level 3
Upheaval	Strength	Level 3
Acceleration	Dexterity	Level 3
Ammo Conservation	Dexterity	Level 1
Bursting Plague	Dexterity	Level 1
Chain	Dexterity	Level 1
Combo Finisher	Dexterity	Level 1
Comorbidity	Dexterity	Level 1
Conduction	Dexterity	Level 1
Corrosion	Dexterity	Level 1
Crescendo	Dexterity	Level 1
Deceleration	Dexterity	Level 1
Encumbrance	Dexterity	Level 1
Innervate	Dexterity	Level 1
Lasting Shock	Dexterity	Level 1
Leverage	Dexterity	Level 1
Life Drain	Dexterity	Level 1
Lightning Infusion	Dexterity	Level 1
Lockdown	Dexterity	Level 1
Martial Tempo	Dexterity	Level 1
Murderous Intent	Dexterity	Level 1
Overabundance	Dexterity	Level 1
Perpetual Charge	Dexterity	Level 1
Pierce	Dexterity	Level 1
Pin	Dexterity	Level 1
Precision	Dexterity	Level 1
Profusion	Dexterity	Level 1
Scattershot	Dexterity	Level 1
Second Wind	Dexterity	Level 1
Swift Affliction	Dexterity	Level 1
Wind Wave	Dexterity	Level 1
Window of Opportunity	Dexterity	Level 1
Blind	Dexterity	Level 2
Bullseye	Dexterity	Level 2
Close Combat	Dexterity	Level 2
Electrocute	Dexterity	Level 2
Ferocity	Dexterity	Level 2
Ingenuity	Dexterity	Level 2
Lightning Penetration	Dexterity	Level 2
Maim	Dexterity	Level 2
Momentum	Dexterity	Level 2
Practiced Combo	Dexterity	Level 2
Ricochet	Dexterity	Level 2
Culling Strike	Dexterity	Level 3
Culmination	Dexterity	Level 3
Dazing Cry	Dexterity	Level 3
Deadly Poison	Dexterity	Level 3
Discombobulate	Dexterity	Level 3
Life Bounty	Dexterity	Level 3
Lightning Exposure	Dexterity	Level 3
Mana Bounty	Dexterity	Level 3
Mobility	Dexterity	Level 3
Neural Overload	Dexterity	Level 3
Nimble Reload	Dexterity	Level 3
Overcharge	Dexterity	Level 3
Payload	Dexterity	Level 3
Soul Drain	Dexterity	Level 3
Ambush	Intelligence	Level 1
Arcane Tempo	Intelligence	Level 1
Arcane Surge	Intelligence	Level 1
Clarity	Intelligence	Level 1
Cold Infusion	Intelligence	Level 1
Concentrated Effect	Intelligence	Level 1
Controlled Destruction	Intelligence	Level 1
Decaying Hex	Intelligence	Level 1
Deep Freeze	Intelligence	Level 1
Elemental Army	Intelligence	Level 1
Energy Barrier	Intelligence	Level 1
Expanse	Intelligence	Level 1
Fortress	Intelligence	Level 1
Frost Nexus	Intelligence	Level 1
Frozen Vortex	Intelligence	Level 1
Glaciation	Intelligence	Level 1
Heightened Curse	Intelligence	Level 1
Hourglass	Intelligence	Level 1
Ice Bite	Intelligence	Level 1
Impending Doom	Intelligence	Level 1
Last Gasp	Intelligence	Level 1
Magnified Effect	Intelligence	Level 1
Minion Instability	Intelligence	Level 1
Minion Pact	Intelligence	Level 1
Spell Cascade	Intelligence	Level 1
Unleash	Intelligence	Level 1
Withering Touch	Intelligence	Level 1
Bidding	Intelligence	Level 2
Cold Penetration	Intelligence	Level 2
Considered Casting	Intelligence	Level 2
Corpse Conservation	Intelligence	Level 2
Coursing Current	Intelligence	Level 2
Excise	Intelligence	Level 2
Feeding Frenzy	Intelligence	Level 2
Fiery Death	Intelligence	Level 2
Focused Curse	Intelligence	Level 2
Font of Mana	Intelligence	Level 2
Glacier	Intelligence	Level 2
Hinder	Intelligence	Level 2
Icicle	Intelligence	Level 2
Inevitable Critical	Intelligence	Level 2
Intense Agony	Intelligence	Level 2
Impetus	Intelligence	Level 2
Mana Flare	Intelligence	Level 2
Potential	Intelligence	Level 2
Rising Tempest	Intelligence	Level 2
Ritualistic Curse	Intelligence	Level 2
Shock Siphon	Intelligence	Level 2
Soul Thief	Intelligence	Level 2
Spell Echo	Intelligence	Level 2
Strip Away	Intelligence	Level 2
Wildfire	Intelligence	Level 2
Ablation	Intelligence	Level 3
Astral Projection	Intelligence	Level 3
Biting Frost	Intelligence	Level 3
Burning Inscription	Intelligence	Level 3
Capacitor	Intelligence	Level 3
Chaos Infusion	Intelligence	Level 3
Chaos Mastery	Intelligence	Level 3
Chaotic Freeze	Intelligence	Level 3
Cold Exposure	Intelligence	Level 3
Cold Mastery	Intelligence	Level 3
Cursed Ground	Intelligence	Level 3
Danse Macabre	Intelligence	Level 3
Drain Ailments	Intelligence	Level 3
Elemental Discharge	Intelligence	Level 3
Elemental Focus	Intelligence	Level 3
Energy Retention	Intelligence	Level 3
Execrate	Intelligence	Level 3
Extraction	Intelligence	Level 3
Fire Mastery	Intelligence	Level 3
Frostfire	Intelligence	Level 3
Hex Bloom	Intelligence	Level 3
Lightning Mastery	Intelligence	Level 3
Minion Mastery	Intelligence	Level 3
Physical Mastery	Intelligence	Level 3
Stormfire	Intelligence	Level 3
Supercritical	Intelligence	Level 3
Wildshards	Intelligence	Level 3

Passive Skills (Spirit Gems)

Passive Skills require Uncut Spirit Gems and are split into different categories:

• Permanent Minions and Auras: these require Spirit to stay active and provide continuous effects.
• Permanent Buffs: class-specific buffs that also require Spirit.

Some of these skills have stat requirements. If a Spirit Skill requires Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence, you might need to increase those stats to use it.

List of Spirit Gems (click to open)

Spirit	Type
Alchemist’s Boon	Ranger
Combat Frenzy	Ranger
Herald of Plague	Ranger
Herald of Thunder	Ranger
Plague Bearer	Ranger
Wind Dancer	Ranger
Barrier Invocation	Monk
Cast on Dodge	Monk
Charge Infusion	Monk
Elemental Invocation	Monk
Ghost Dance	Monk
Herald of Ice	Monk
Herald of Thunder	Monk
Lingering Illusion	Monk
Reaper’s Invocation	Monk
Barrier Invocation	Witch
Blasphemy	Witch
Cast on Critical	Witch
Cast on Minion Death	Witch
Grim Feast	Witch
Sacrifice	Witch
Withering Presence	Witch
Archmage	Sorceress
Arctic Armour	Sorceress
Blink	Sorceress
Cast on Freeze	Sorceress
Cast on Ignite	Sorceress
Cast on Shock	Sorceress
Elemental Conflux	Sorceress
Mana Remnants	Sorceress
Raging Spirits	Sorceress
Berserk	Warrior
Herald of Ash	Warrior
Magma Barrier	Warrior
Overwhelming Presence	Warrior
Scavenged Plating	Warrior
Time of Need	Warrior
Attrition	Mercenary
Defiance Banner	Mercenary
Dread Banner	Mercenary
Herald of Ash	Mercenary
Herald of Thunder	Mercenary
Shard Scavenger	Mercenary
War Banner	Mercenary

Meta Gems

Meta Gems are special skills that can be engraved using any Uncut Gem. They grant unique effects and can be placed in either an Active or Support slot.

Skill Gems are a huge part of building a strong character in Path of Exile 2. Understanding how to use them, engrave skills, and link Support Gems will help you create powerful and unique builds. So, go out there and explore the possibilities. And most importantly, have fun!