Grasping the revamped skill system in Path of Exile 2 is vital for thriving in this challenging game, especially in understanding the passive Spirit skills. Since its announcement, PoE 2 has been highly awaited due to the remarkable success of its predecessor. Although the sequel will launch in an early access phase with gradual content rollout, many exciting features have already been revealed. One standout aspect is the slower, more strategic combat, reminiscent of soulslike games, that gives PoE 2 a unique feel.
One of the most significant changes involves how skills operate in Path of Exile 2. Instead of being assigned to armor slots with support gems linked to them, skills are now organized in a dedicated tab. This enables players to equip up to nine different Skill gems alongside two to five Support gems for each Skill. Certain Skill gems associated with weapons or character classes may also be available in this tab without occupying any of the nine slots.
How To Acquire More Uncut Spirit Gems
Random Drops and Guarantees
Fortunately, there are many ways to obtain these valuable passive enhancements. The least reliable method involves farming Rare monsters, which will occasionally yield drops but may not provide consistent results. Players can enhance their chances by exploring specific loot rooms and completing quests that reward one-time Support gems. However, since the early access currently features only three acts, the only available loot room for acquiring gems is the Golden Tomb in Act 2.
Following these methods, the most reliable way to get guaranteed Support gems is through specific boss encounters. This change helps reduce the grind in PoE 2, which can often feel tedious when trying to collect various Skill gems. Currently, only two bosses offer this reward:
- King of the Mists from Act 1
- Ignaduk the Bog Witch from Act 3
How To Utilize Uncut Spirit Gems
Passive Skills
Uncut Spirit gems can be activated to pull up a list of Spirit skills. While it’s advisable to choose skills that correspond with your class, nothing prohibits you from selecting skills from other classes. Once you’ve made your selection, it can be inserted into the Skill tab and activated. Keep in mind that maintaining a Spirit gem will consume a certain amount of your character’s Spirit. This cost is manageable, although it can be challenging for classes like Witch that rely on Spirit to summon minions.
There are multiple ways to increase your Spirit to support varying builds. The only permanent increase comes from defeating specific bosses located throughout the game map. At present, the only two bosses that reward an increase in Spirit are the King of the Mists and the Bog Witch. While this method is somewhat limited, the bright side is that most classes do not require a high Spirit capacity.
Another method to enhance Spirit is through items found exclusively in Scepters and select Amulets. This is particularly important for Witch minion builds, which can raise Spirit levels beyond the requirements of other classes. Amulets serve as a valuable supplement if you wish to utilize multiple Spirit skills or further boost your minion builds.
The base minion spell on Scepters does not consume any Spirit, but summons fewer minions.
Spirit skills play a crucial role in developing an effective build in PoE 2 with its numerous changes from the original. They can significantly contribute to your survival and overall damage output. By stacking these skills, you can elevate these passive buffs far beyond their standalone effectiveness. It will be fascinating to see how the early access phase evolves and what new Spirit skills or updates are introduced, but for now, this is how to obtain and use Spirit gems in Path of Exile 2.