Path of Exile 2: Jewel Sockets, Explained
There are a lot of systems in Path of Exile 2 that intertwine and interact to grant players power from multiple sources. In addition to PoE 2 Support Gems, Skill Gems, equipment bonuses, Ascendancy, and Passive Skill Points, players can equip Jewels to gain major bonuses in the Passive Skill Tree.
To equip Jewels, players must first route to a Jewel Socket on the Passive Skill Tree, but depending on what Jewels you have to slot, re-routing your Skill Tree to grab one of these nodes can significantly empower your character with Sockets.
What Are Jewels & Jewel Sockets In Path of Exile 2?
Jewel Sockets are a special kind of socket that only appears in the Passive Skill Tree. Around 12 nodes away from the starting point for each Class on the Passive Skill Tree, you should see what appears to be an empty Socket - not unlike the empty Sockets in the Gemcutting/Skill Gem screen.
These are PoE 2 Jewel Sockets; as the name suggests, Jewel Sockets can only be filled with a Jewel item. In Path of Exile 2, Jewels grant a variety of extra bonuses to your character that only take effect when slotted into one of these Jewel Sockets.
When a Jewel drops, it will randomly generate Modifiers just like an item. These modifiers tend to grant Passive buffs not unlike the passive abilities granted by the Passive Skill Tree - including extra resistances, attribute bonuses, extra Armor and Evasion, and similar stats.
To get Jewels, Path of Exile 2 players have two main options: farm high-tier enemies (like Rares and Bosses) for random drops, or take on the Trial of the Sekhemas (unlocked in Act 2) and choose the Royal Chest at the end. The Royal Chest is guaranteed to contain Jewels, which makes it a much more reliable source of Jewels than any other, but you need to obtain Keys during the Trial to open these Chests.
How To Slot Jewels Into Jewel Sockets In PoE 2
To equip Jewels, Path of Exile 2 players simply have to pick up the Jewel in their inventory and open the Passive Skill Tree with the item selected. Drag the Jewel over to a Jewel Socket on your Passive Skill Tree to activate it.
You must spend a Passive Skill Point to unlock the empty Jewel Socket before you can slot a Jewel and benefit from its effects. However, once unlocked, players can freely swap out the Jewel Socket as they acquire different Jewels.
There is no cost to unequip a Jewel and socket a new one - just select the Jewel in the Passive Skill Tree and drag it back to your Inventory to free up the Socket.
Tips for Maximizing Jewel Usage
Plan Your Passive Tree: Don't waste Passive Points routing to unnecessary Jewel Sockets. Make sure the bonuses provided by Jewels outweigh the cost of reaching the Socket.
Identify Valuable Jewels: Learn which modifiers align with your build. For example, increased minion damage is excellent for summoners, while increased critical strike chance benefits damage dealers.
Experiment Freely: Jewels are easy to swap, so don't hesitate to try different combinations as you acquire better ones.
Farm Trials of the Sekhemas: This guarantees a steady supply of Jewels, allowing you to experiment or sell duplicates for PoE currency.
By strategically incorporating Jewels into your Passive Skill Tree, you can unlock immense power for your character. With a little planning and resource management, Jewel Sockets can transform your build and help you conquer the toughest challenges Path of Exile 2 has to offer.