The journey to mastering four-socket skill gems in Path of Exile 2 revolves around understanding how to effectively use **Greater Jeweller’s Orbs** and complementary currency items to enhance your skill gems beyond their base two sockets. This guide breaks down the essentials of acquiring, applying, and maximizing the power of four-socket skill gems.
Understanding Skill Gem Sockets and Jeweller’s Orbs
Every skill gem in *Path of Exile 2* starts with two support gem sockets, allowing you to link two support gems that modify and empower the base skill. To increase the number of support sockets, players use Jeweller’s Orbs, which come in three tiers:
Lesser Jeweller’s Orb: Adds a third socket to gems with two sockets.
Greater Jeweller’s Orb: Adds a fourth socket to gems with three sockets.
Perfect Jeweller’s Orb: Adds a fifth socket to gems with four sockets.
The Greater Jeweller’s Orb is the key item for reaching four sockets, which opens up new possibilities for skill customization and power.
How to Obtain Greater Jeweller’s Orbs
Greater Jeweller’s Orbs are rare and primarily drop in the late endgame, especially in Tier 10 and above maps. Because their drop rate is low, efficient farming strategies are essential:
Map Selection: Focus on high-tier “Red Maps” (Tier 11+) to increase monster density and loot quantity.
Map Modifiers: Engage map mechanics such as Breach, Delirium, and Strongboxes to boost monster packs and loot drops.
Biome Choice: Grassland biomes are particularly lucrative for socket currency drops. Investing in the Atlas passive skill *Local Knowledge* increases socket currency drop rates by about 40% in these biomes.
Item Quantity and Rarity**: Equip gear and use consumables that increase item quantity and rarity to maximize drop chances.
If farming is slow or difficult, players can **buy poe 2 currency** through the in-game Currency Exchange system unlocked at Cruel difficulty, trading other valuable currency or items for Greater Jeweller’s Orbs.
Increasing Skill Gem Sockets: The Process
To upgrade a skill gem from three to four sockets, you first need a gem with three sockets. This typically involves:
1. Using a Lesser Jeweller’s Orb to upgrade a two-socket gem to three sockets.
2. Applying a Greater Jeweller’s Orb to that three-socket gem to add the fourth socket.
An alternative method involves using a **Vaal Orb** on a three-socket gem, which has a chance to add a fourth socket, though this is not guaranteed. Many players use this method as a
cheap poe 2 currency alternative when resources are limited.
Why Four Sockets Matter
Having four linked support gems dramatically expands your skill’s potential. Support gems can increase damage, add elemental effects, improve utility, or enhance survivability. With four sockets, you can combine multiple powerful supports, creating complex and highly effective skill setups that can tackle tougher content and bosses.
Tips for Maximizing Four-Socket Gems
Level Your Gems First**: Aim to upgrade your skill gems to level 20 before socketing extra supports, as higher-level gems benefit more from support effects.
Choose Complementary Supports**: Avoid redundant support gems; instead, select those that synergize well to maximize damage or utility.
Reserve Orbs for Core Skills**: Use your Greater Jeweller’s Orbs on your main damage-dealing or utility skills to get the most impact.
Plan for Future Upgrades**: After reaching four sockets, you can further upgrade to five sockets using Perfect Jeweller’s Orbs, continuing the progression.
Four-socket skill gems represent a significant power boost in *Path of Exile 2*, unlocked primarily through the use of Greater Jeweller’s Orbs. While these orbs are rare and best farmed in high-tier maps with specific biome and map modifiers, their impact on your build is substantial. By carefully farming, trading, and applying these orbs, you can transform your skill gems into formidable tools capable of conquering the game’s toughest challenges.