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Skill Gems & Supports
CoreActive skill gems are your attacks and spells; support gems modify them — links connect them.
What it is
Skill Gems are the source of all active skills in PoE — your character has no innate attacks beyond basic attack. Support Gems modify the behavior of active skills they are linked to (same item, connected sockets). Gems level up as you use them, up to level 20 (or 21 via corrupting). Quality on gems provides bonus stats. The right support gems dramatically change how a skill performs.
When you encounter it
Your first gems are given as quest rewards in Act 1. You'll buy, find, and trade gems throughout the game.
Key concepts
- •Gems must be in connected sockets to interact — a 4-link means one active + three supports
- •Not all supports work with all skills — check the tags (Fire, Projectile, AoE, etc.)
- •Awakened Support Gems (endgame) are stronger versions of regular supports
- •Divergent/Phantasmal/Anomalous gem quality variants have alternate effects
- •Vaal versions of gems (from corrupting) add a powered-up version of the skill with a soul charge system
Tips for new players
- 💡Buy missing support gems from Nessa/Clarissa/Siosa in the campaign — they sell most gems
- 💡Keep gems in XP-gaining slots even if you aren't using that skill yet — leveling gems has value
- 💡Googling '[skill name] support gems' will tell you the standard supports for your skill
- 💡Corrupting a gem to level 21/23% quality is an endgame upgrade — don't worry about it early