Sockets, Gems & Links - How to POE - Path of Exile Guides

In Path of Exile, you have sockets, gems and gem links. Here we'll cover the basics of them all so you know how to improve the strength of your character. SkiptocontentHowtoPOE >CompleteBeginnerGuidetoPathofExile >Sockets,Gems&Links TableofcontentsWhatAreGemsHowToUseGemsHowtolinkanitemWhatareGems?TheabilitiesyouuseinPathofExileareunique,theydonotcomefromclassesorascendancies,theycomefromskillgemsthatyoucanpurchasein-gameforcheapcurrency.Currently,PathofExilehas272totalactiveskillgemsand174supportskillgemswhichgivesplayersagreatopportunitytotrysomethingneweverytimetheyplay.ActiveSkillGemsActiveskillgemsareskillsthatyoucanactivateyourselfforamanacost.SupportSkillGemsSupportskillgemsenhancethepowerofyouractiveskillgemsgivingthemmanydifferenteffectsforexamplemoreprojectiles,moredamage&enhancedailmenteffects.VaalSkillGemsSomeskillshaveanadditionalskillcalleda“Vaal”skill,theseskillsarearesultofcorruptingusingaVaalOrb,theseskillsdonotcostmanaorlife,theyrequireyoutokillXamountofmonstersandthenyoucanactivatethenbeforeplacingthemoncooldown.Theycastasimilar,morepowerfulvariantoftheactivegemsskill.HowDoIUseGems?WhenyoufirstcreateyourcharacterinPathofExileyouwillstartwithonlyanauto-attack,youwillthengrabtwogemsasyouprogressthroughthestart,anactiveskillgemandasupportskillgem.Touseyouractiveskillgemsyouhavetoplacethegemintoa“socket”ononeofyourequippeditemswiththecorrespondingcolour,ifyouwanttosupportthatskilltomakeitmorepowerfulyouneedanothersocketonthatitemanditneedstobelinkedwiththesocketyouractiveskillgemisin.ShavronnesWrappingswith6fusedlinks.Themostyoucansupportanactiveskillgemwithis5supportgemsinoneitem,thisitemhastohavesixlinksandsixsockets,onlytwo-handedweaponsandbodyarmourpiecescanhave6maximumsockets.CheckoutthetablebelowtoseethemaximumnumberofsocketseachpieceofgearcanhaveinPathofExile.ItemTypeMaximumNumberofSocketsBodyArmour6SocketsTwo-HandedWeapon6SocketsGloves4SocketsHelmet4SocketsBoots4SocketsShield3SocketsOne-HandedWeapon3SocketsUnsetRings1SocketAnitemcanonlyreach6socketsifitisitemlevel50orabove.HowDoILinkAnItem?Linkinganitemiseasy,thenormal&mostcommonwayistouseanOrbofFusing,makesuretheitemyouaretryingtolinkismaximumqualityasitincreasesyourchancesofhittingthemaximumnumberoflinks.HowDoIDecideWhichSupportSkillsToUse?TherearesomanydifferentgemsinPathofExileitcanbetrickytryingtothinkofwhatyoushouldusespecifically,asanewplayerI’dadvisefollowingabuildguideuntilyou’refamiliarwithafewparticulargemsetups,youshouldpickupthegeneralideaafteryoutryafewdifferentbuilds.Next:BasicCurrencies