Gem socket

A gem socket is a socket in a gem which can have another type of gem socketed into it to modify the original gem.

Mechanics

Skill gems can be socketed with support gems. Meta gems can be socketed with skill gems.

Skill gems can have 2-5 sockets. The number of sockets can be increased with Jeweller's Orbs. They may colloquially be referred to as "links" instead (terminology from Path of Exile), in which case they would be considered 3-6 linked skills or gems.

Skills granted by items and passive skills

Skills not granted by a skill gem cannot gain sockets from Jeweller's Orbs. These include:

• Granted skills from items
• Granted skills from passive skills (e.g. Ascendancy notables)
• Default attacks

Default attacks, skills from passive skills, and certain item inherent skills such as Spear ThrowSpear ThrowAttack, AoE, Projectile, Barrageable
Level: (1-20)
Attack Speed: 70% of base
Attack Damage: (125-390)% of baseRequires: SpearHurl your Spear with force. Consumes a Frenzy Charge if you have one to cause the Spear to explode at the end of its flight.Explosion
Attack Damage: (232–724)% of base
Explosion radius is 2 metresSkills can be managed in the Skills Panel. have their skill level determined by the character's level. These skills automatically gain their 3rd, 4th, and 5th socket at skill level 10/15/20, or character level 36/64/90 respectively. This is not affected by gem level modifiers.

Character level skill scaling

Character Level	Skill Level	Sockets
1	1	2
3	2	2
6	3	2
10	4	2
14	5	2
18	6	2
22	7	2
26	8	2
31	9	2
36	10	3
41	11	3
46	12	3
52	13	3
58	14	3
64	15	4
66	16	4
72	17	4
78	18	4
84	19	4
90	20	5

Other item granted skills, such as those granted by caster weapons or unique items, have a level that is determined when the item drops. It is not possible to directly increase an item skill's sockets or levels; the only way to have an improved version of the skill is to find a new, higher item level version of the base type or unique item. This will also usually increase the item's level and attribute requirements. Starting from item level 62, the possible skill level that drops overlaps, and can result in the item having a higher required level than its item level. Skills granted this way have their socket count determined by the level of the granted skill. These skills will have 3, 4, or 5 sockets if at least skill level 10/15/20, which start dropping at item level 36/62/80 respectively. Regardless of the item level, the skill must meet be of the appropriate skill level in order to have the additional sockets.

Item level skill scaling

Skill Level	Item level range	Sockets
1	1-2	2
2	3-5	2
3	6-9	2
4	10-13	2
5	14-17	2
6	18-21	2
7	22-25	2
8	26-30	2
9	31-35	2
10	36-40	3
11	41-45	3
12	46-51	3
13	52-57	3
14	58-69	3
15	62-73	4
16	66-77	4
17	70-81	4
18	74-84	4
19	78+	4
20	80+	5

Version history

Version	Changes
0.3.0	Items with inherent Skills can now rarely drop with Skill levels up to level 20 in high-tier Maps. Skills that scale based on character level now gain 3 and 4 sockets when the skill reaches skill level 10 and 15 respectively, which correspond to character level 36 (from 40) and 64 (from 65), instead of skill level and sockets scaling independently. Likewise, skills that scale based on item level now also grant an additional socket at skill level 10 and 15, which can drop at item level 36 and 62 respectively. Note that item level 62 items can drop with skill level 14 instead, which will only have 3 sockets.[Undocumented]
0.1.0	Introduced to the game.