The skills and abilities system in Path of Exile 2 is very unconventional with the addition of the Uncut Skill Gems. Unlike other isometric ARPGs, you don’t unlock skills here by dumping points in a tree but rather through a distinct resource you find as a drop. The system is a bit complex, and finding Uncut Skill Gems can be a bit of a nuisance.
This guide will cover what Uncut Skill Gems are used for and how you can increase your chances of getting them in Path of Exile 2.
Uncut Skill Gems in Path of Exile 2
As you fight hordes of enemies, bring down bosses, and complete quests in Path of Exile 2, you’ll eventually receive an Uncut Skill Gem. These gems are unallocated skills that you must first right-click on in your inventory to open up the list of all the skills available to you.
From the list, you can select the ability that you want to Engrave. The abilities on the list will depend on your weapon and the Uncut Skill Gem level. You can even use higher-level Uncut Skill Gems to increase your existing skill level.
You can only Engrave one skill to an Uncut Skill Gem. Any subsequent gems can’t be assigned the skill. You can activate as many Skill Gems as you want but you can only equip 9 Skills Gems at any given time.
After engraving, you can slot it into your skill slots and use it to mow down mobs.
How to Get Uncut Skill Gems
As mentioned above, you need Uncut Skill Gems to unlock new skills and abilities in Path of Exile 2. It is always a good idea to amass an ample supply of Uncut Skill Gems to upgrade your skills and experiment with new ones.
Other than a few quests and side quests that guarantee Uncut Skill Gem reward; there is no sureshot way of obtaining them. These gems are dropped randomly by defeating tough enemies and bosses (especially named ones) in the game and looting chests in hostile areas (not safe towns). You can’t even buy them right now.
You must farm and go on runs to increase your chances of finding these gems. In the section below, we will cover some farming methods that worked for us.
Farming Methods – Uncut Skill Gems
Even though it’s not a guarantee, but here are specific ways we have farmed Uncut Skill Gems in Path of Exile 2:
Finding skill gems in the early game is easier, so we recommend starting a new character; you’ll immediately receive one from the blacksmith in the first village you visit. Proceed to finish everything in Act 1.
As you collect Uncut Skill Gems, you can store them in your Stash and use your main leveled-up character to grab them from the stash and use them as you please.
Remember, earlier Acts will drop lower-level Uncut Skill Gems. Change the Act to drop better or even lower gems depending on your needs.
The following few ways are more random; thus, it is better to wear gear with the “Increased Rarity of Items Found” suffix. This will boost your chances of more drops with higher-level gems. The higher your percentage, the more luck you have in finding better gems.
As a general rule, you’ll notice different icons (Skulls, Treasure Chests, etc) on the map near the main waypoint nodes. These are side quests with area bosses. We highly recommend that you defeat these bosses repeatedly. They have the highest chance of dropping Uncut Skill Gems. Once you beat them, open the map, use CTRL+Click to Renew the same area, and farm the bosses again.
The best farming run we came across is Keth in Act II. This area is the best spot to farm gems of all kinds. You must start from the initial waypoint, circle the entire map, annihilate the regular mobs, defeat the mini-bosses that spawn, and open any chest you find. With enough luck, you’ll receive a healthy supply of Uncut Skill Gems in each run.
Do it once, renew the instance, and do it again. I have gathered a large sum of gems of every kind, especially mid-tier Uncut Skill Gems, using this method.
Knowing there is no guaranteed way of farming Uncut Skill Gems in Path of Exile 2 is frustrating. However, with the help of our tips and some consistent legwork, you’ll soon accumulate a considerable number of Uncut Skill Gems.