New Skill Gem system feels like a downgrade

Just watched a review of the game where the person was GLAZING the skill gem system in POE 2 over POE 1. I've got almost 200 hours into this game and about 3000 hours into the original. While I admit it's very simple for new (and I mean NEW) arpg players to understand, I hate the new system for the following reasons..

- Cannot craft a Gem unless you meet the level and attribute requirements.
This is extremely annoying when wanting to craft gems for a second
build, or just to sell on the market due to a spike in interest.
- Not all applicable support gems are listed under each skill. The support
gems suggested are often not even the best gems for the skill in
question. (Yes, I know about the check box at the bottom and all skills
tab..)
- If you happen to get unlucky with uncut gem drops, you can severely
handicap your build for several levels, leading to player frustation.
- New Videos explaining the skills are cool, but would love to see vids on
gems I don't meet requirements for.

Solution:

If you feel like the handicap of available options are good for the game, where hand holding leads to an easier time, maybe offer an alternative in the options menu? Diablo 3 had this (selective mode). Keep the current design for people that want it but just have all the gems tabbed by support and associated color like in POE1. Or maybe have Alva sell all crafted gems and supports after a playthrough?

I agree that the gem systems feel like a downgrade, except for not dealing with socket color is an improvement. The idea has been going around that we could do away with gems all together.

Instead of hoarding gems, if you find an uncut gem, your character can learn the skill and it would be tied to that character forever. Same idea for the supports, since IMO it feels lame searching for which skill has which support (icons are not easy to see). Maybe some type of drop-down selection for each skill and supports you have learned, which can then be leveled up however they decide.

It absolutely is a downgrade.

- You cannot use multiples of the same Support Gems.
- Trigger Gems got shafted by the energy mechanic.
- Sockets are tied to gems, so swapping out your 20% 6L for another is a no-no.
- Aquiring sockets is tied to (super rare) currency. There are no recipes to solve it.
- You are now limited to how many gems you can even socket, based on attributes.
- You cannot upgrade or alter gems with the reforge bench. Means no recipes.

And maybe a few other things I'm forgetting.

Its boring because there is no investment in it. In Poe1 we would level them so it felt like they were earned and therefore valuable but because the system is designed for flexibility with new players in mind and they drop everywhere they don't have the same value. You can change them mid boss fight which is just odd.

They're boring.

"Sockets are tied to gems, so swapping out your 20% 6L for another is a no-no"

I'm so tired of seeing references to 6 linking , PoE2 has no "6 link" its not poe1 where the slots were tied to the equipment and could be linked .
The text on the lesser jewelers orb clearly states "Adds a Support Gem Socket to a Skill Gem with 2 Support Gem Sockets" and so on .
By seeming most of the streaming world this mystical 6 link that everyone seems to talk about would be more realistic by those terms if the slots were tied to the actual character instead of the skill gem itself but its not.

You cannot get more than 5 slots on a Gem period. Skill + 5 supports, different game, different rules, different wording.

"

simplistik1978#7588 wrote:

"Sockets are tied to gems, so swapping out your 20% 6L for another is a no-no"

I'm so tired of seeing references to 6 linking , PoE2 has no "6 link" its not poe1 where the slots were tied to the equipment and could be linked .
The text on the lesser jewelers orb clearly states "Adds a Support Gem Socket to a Skill Gem with 2 Support Gem Sockets" and so on .
By seeming most of the streaming world this mystical 6 link that everyone seems to talk about would be more realistic by those terms if the slots were tied to the actual character instead of the skill gem itself but its not.

You cannot get more than 5 slots on a Gem period. Skill + 5 supports, different game, different rules, different wording.

Who cares what description says. It's 6link, waystones are maps, nothing can change that. Even Jonathan said that everyone in studio is calling waystones maps. Like dude, what are you even on about

I have found that the vast majority of all systems that are in PoE2 are a downgrade, so far.

The only change I'd like to see is--other than more gems for us to play with in total--is for the level requirements to be lowered. I feel like act 4 should be the act you get access to the final tier, and I mean right into act 4. If we're looking at about 10-12 levels average per act and expect to reach maps by 66 or so, that brings us to level 40-48 should be the range the final tier of active, reserved, and support gems become available.

The new system is otherwise genuinely better, only issue is that the means to get more sockets is much too RNG. Still, this game is clearly design around only "needing" 3 sockets which IMO is far better, and not being linked to gear (no pun intended) is SOOOOOO much fucking better. Beyond that, the fact that you cannot re-use a support gem means that players have to actually make decisions. Be honest, under almost no circumstance have any of you reading this NOT linked at least three of the following support gems in every skill in PoE1: 1) Increased cast/attack speed; 2) Increased damage of desired type; 3) Increased crit chance; 4) Increased ailment; 5) Leech. Supports being one use actually requires thought and consideration, far more interesting choices now, and makes it so that many more skills get used consistently. I think the biggest problem we face currently is we don't have enough interesting or useful support gems to fit in with multiple skills. I genuinely have no idea what I'd even use as a 4th or 5th socket on half my skills.

"

simplistik1978#7588 wrote:

"Sockets are tied to gems, so swapping out your 20% 6L for another is a no-no"

I'm so tired of seeing references to 6 linking , PoE2 has no "6 link" its not poe1 where the slots were tied to the equipment and could be linked .

You cannot get more than 5 slots on a Gem period. Skill + 5 supports, different game, different rules, different wording.

Are you - are you actually serious? 1 Skill gem + 5 sockets = ?

It never worked any differently in PoE 1. Difference being, in PoE 1 you could swap sockets with the bench any time with bubblegum currency you farmed along the way, or opt for a piece with white sockets. What even is this reply.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Edit: Reading it again, I get now what you mean. Was a bit too hasty with my reply. Still, that's just pedantic, really.

"

Dxt44#4050 wrote:

waystones are maps, nothing can change that. Even Jonathan said that everyone in studio is calling waystones maps. Like dude, what are you even on about

It literally tells you to "Complete X/X Tier X+ Maps" and not Waystones.