Summary
Although the game is doing very well in early access, it may be hard to callPath of Exile 2a big improvement (or the opposite) over its predecessor for the simple reason that they are extremely different in some regards, including the core gameplay. For example, the power level for builds inPath of Exile 2is much lower than in the first game, probably because in part GGG wanted a more balanced title once it was settled thatPoE 2would be a standalone sequel, and in part because the original had many years' worth of power creep to bring builds to the next level. Still, while the Gem system inPath of Exile 2is arguably better than armor sockets, it’s also worse.
Unlike Path of Exile, where Gems can be obtained easily from vendors, Path of Exile 2 requires players to either drop Uncut Gems or trade with other players to get the Gems they want.
Gems are necessary for allbuilds inPath of Exile 2, as they are divided into active Skill Gems, Support Gems, and Spirit Gems. The former essentially comprises all the various attacks and spells that characters can use to defeat enemies, with Support Gems making them more powerful in some way. Spirit Gems are a different beast, and they require players to reserve Spirit in order to be used to give permanent buffs. Overall,Path of Exile 2’s approach to Gems is quite different from its predecessor, for better and worse.
Path of Exile 2’s Gems Are History Repeating Itself After PoE’s 6-Links
The biggest difference betweenPath of Exile 2’s GemsandPoE’s is that the former ones have built-in sockets for Support Gems, and the latter ones require players to have armor sockets to link a given Gem to be supported. While there are merits to the idea of giving Gems themselves sockets in order to relieve pressure from itemization, there are also some problems with this idea. For starters, players may not need to have good five-linked or six-linked items for their Gems, but that problem is now shifted onto the Gems themselves.
Why Path of Exile 2’s Jeweller’s Orbs Are a Double-Edged Sword
In fact, the only way to give Gems other sockets beyond the starting two is to use Lesser, Greater, or Perfect Jeweller’s Orbs on them, but these items are rare drops and they are otherwise very expensive to purchase from other players. For example, a Lesser Jeweller’s Orb is typically sold for one Exalted Orb, whereas a Greater Jeweller’s Orb is usually sold for one Divine Orb. As such,Path of Exile 2’s economyhasn’t really changed in this sense because players still need valuable items to make their builds work.
One Divine Orb currently goes for around 69 Exalted Orbs onPath of Exile 2’s official trade website, meaning that a Greater Jeweller’s Orb is exponentially more expensive than a Lesser one.
Additionally, the cost and/or rarity of the Jeweller’s Orbs means that changing skills to try them or even swapping to different builds can be too prohibitive in cost and so not really feasible. On top of that, a lot of the best Skill Gems, Support Gems, and Spirit Gems become available inPath of Exile 2’s Cruel difficulty, meaning after Act 3 at the earliest. This makes for limited options in the early game, especially with many Gems still missing from the game altogether.
Path of Exile 2 Shifts The Pressure From Items to Gems
What follows is that using any Jeweller’s Orbs on early Gems may not be worth it in some cases, and even then, players need to start from scratch with Gems unlocked later in the game because the sockets are tied to them instead of gear.Path of Exile 2builds that have more chances of succeeding at beating the endgame will mostly require at least one or two five-linked Gems, which is easier said than done.
This approach is good when it comes to making items less expensive based on the number of sockets they might have, especially sincearmor sockets inPath of Exile 2are obtained with Artificer’s Orbs. However, it still makes itemization problematic in multiple ways, be it for newcomers, veterans, and those who want to experiment with what the game has to offer. It remains to be seen if things will change during early access, but it may require changes that are too substantial to make easily.
Path of Exile II
WHERE TO PLAY
Path of Exile 2 is a next generation free-to-play Action RPG created by Grinding Gear Games. Journey across the deadly continent of Wraeclast, meeting multiple immersive cultures while facing off against evil in many forms. Path of Exile 2 features twelve character classes, 240 Skill Gems, hundreds of equipment base types, a six-act campaign, more than a hundred unique boss fights, a deep endgame system and so much more. Play with your friends without losing any progress with couch co-op, cross-play and cross-progression.
