How to Get More Support Gem Slots in POE 2: A Comprehensive Guide
Path of Exile 2 is a game that thrives on customization and complexity, offering players a vast array of ways to build and optimize their characters. One of the most critical aspects of any build is the use of support gems, which can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your active skill gems. However, as you progress through the game, you may find yourself running out of support gem slots, limiting your ability to maximize your build’s potential. In this guide, we’ll explore how to get more support gem slots in POE 2 and make the most out of your character’s setup.
Understanding Support Gem Slots
In Path of Exile 2, support gems are a type of gem that modifies or enhances the behavior of active skill gems. Unlike active skill gems, which are used to perform specific actions in combat, support gems are socketed in the same equipment as your active skill gems and modify their effects. For example, a Multiple Totems Support gem can allow your totems to summon additional copies of your active skill, while a Concentrated Effect Support gem can increase the area of effect of your spells but reduce their damage.
The number of support gem slots you have is determined by the sockets available on your equipment. Each piece of equipment has a certain number of sockets, and the number of support gem slots you have is equal to the number of sockets that are linked together in a way that allows you to socket both an active skill gem and a support gem. For example, if you have a chestpiece with four sockets, you can create a 2-linked group for your active skill gem and a support gem, leaving the other two sockets for additional support gems or other types of gems.
How to Get More Support Gem Slots
Socket Crafting:
One of the most effective ways to get more support gem slots is by crafting sockets on your equipment. In Path of Exile 2, you can use crafting bench recipes or the Harvest league’s crafting system to add sockets to your gear. For example, you can use a Socket Crafting Recipe to add an additional socket to a piece of equipment, which can then be linked to create more support gem slots.
Using Meta-Modifications:
Another way to increase the number of support gem slots is by using meta-modifications on your equipment. Meta-modifications are special modifiers that can be applied to your gear using the Essence of Woe or Essence of Zeal currencies. For example, you can apply the Sockets meta-modification to a piece of equipment to increase the number of sockets it has, allowing you to create more linked groups for your support gems.
Leveraging the Passive Skill Tree:
The passive skill tree in Path of Exile 2 is a powerful tool for optimizing your character. By investing in nodes that increase the number of support gem slots or improve the effectiveness of your linked sockets, you can maximize the potential of your build. For example, the Gem Quality node increases the quality of all your gems, which can be especially beneficial for support gems that scale with quality.
Using Equipment with High Socket Counts:
The number of sockets on a piece of equipment is determined by its item type and rarity. For example, a high-level chestpiece can have up to six sockets, while a pair of gloves might have up to four. By equipping gear with higher socket counts, you can create more linked groups for your support gems, allowing you to enhance your active skill gems in multiple ways.
Case Study: Building a Totem Support Character
To illustrate the importance of support gem slots, let’s consider a totem support character. In this build, you would socket a Summon Totem gem in a linked group with Multiple Totems Support and Concentrated Effect Support. The Multiple Totems Support gem allows you to summon additional totems, increasing your damage output, while the Concentrated Effect Support gem enhances the area of effect of your spells.
By having more support gem slots, you could add additional support gems, such as Spell Cascade Support or Feeding Frenzy Support, to further enhance the effectiveness of your totems. This not only increases your damage output but also improves the survivability of your totems, making your build more robust.
Conclusion
In Path of Exile 2, support gems are a critical component of any successful build, and having enough support gem slots is essential for maximizing your character’s potential. By socket crafting, using meta-modifications, leveraging the passive skill tree, and equipping gear with high socket counts, you can get more support gem slots and enhance your