Skill Gem Tier System

Recently watched some "spin for a random build" videos and came up with this question: Why is there a tier system for the skill and spirit gems? To be clear I am fine with there being levels of uncut skill and spirit gems. I just don't understand why I have to wait for a level 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, or 13 skill/spirit gem to cut a skill I want to play. This doesn't feel like a wow my power is growing, it feels like thank god I can stop playing this skill I don't want to play to finally play the skill I do want to. I understand why there is one for the support gems due to power, but it makes no sense why there is one for skills and spirit gems. If you are afraid of skills being to OP early in the game, well you already drip feed skill gems during the campaign so it is already a hard choice. If it is damage reasons then I would like to point out you have 20 levels of uncut gems that are drip fed through progression, but lets be real... the skills right now are not balanced so why is it even a thing? Hell I would argue that most of the "high tier" skills are worse than spark, whirling assault, or grenades. For the spirit gems the costs are already prohibitive in some instances to use them too early. In the current balance of the game I just do not see any reason why these tiers exist besides maybe hand holding new players so they don't go into choice paralysis. If that is the case then just give recommended skill combination choices.

Could this be explained or just be eliminated from the game?

That's exactly the same reason I started to think the unlocking of gems with level is kinda awkward, so +1

That said, they did talk about this in the latest q&a. I won't remember exactly what was said since that thing was like 8 hours long, but it was basically "we like that people have to unlock skills with levels, we will keep things as are but maybe swap some skills around"

So I believe our best bet would be asking for some compromise

An idea I had is that by picking a certain character, you could be free of those restrictions for their respective weapons

Like for example, playing with Huntress you would get to choose the spear skills without restriction, but if you're playing a Witch and want Lightning Spear, then it would be restricted as it is now

That helps with class identity while not being too punishing for people who prefer more freedom

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iHiems#0168 wrote:

That's exactly the same reason I started to think the unlocking of gems with level is kinda awkward, so +1

That said, they did talk about this in the latest q&a. I won't remember exactly what was said since that thing was like 8 hours long, but it was basically "we like that people have to unlock skills with levels, we will keep things as are but maybe swap some skills around"

So I believe our best bet would be asking for some compromise

An idea I had is that by picking a certain character, you could be free of those restrictions for their respective weapons

Like for example, playing with Huntress you would get to choose the spear skills without restriction, but if you're playing a Witch and want Lightning Spear, then it would be restricted as it is now

That helps with class identity while not being too punishing for people who prefer more freedom

I like your idea if that is the case that GGG doesn't want to change it without compromise. I think it is definitely fair, but I am still perplexed why skill tiers are a thing. The more I have thought about it the less sense it makes. Unlike PoE 1, you can't just go buy skills from the vendor. You have to find an uncut skill gem or trade for one on the currency exchange. Then on top of that you have to have the correct stats, correct weapon, correct amount of resource to use the skill, and then hopefully you have support gems and jewelers orbs to enhance it. I think there is enough "friction" and is possibly one of the reasons some players are complaining about leveling a new character. I like character progression, but the tiers just don't make sense. Maybe they do just need to adjust which tiers the skills are and it will feel better, but I think they should try a league without them. Could be fun?

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WALKINGDEAD101#2353 wrote:

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iHiems#0168 wrote:

That's exactly the same reason I started to think the unlocking of gems with level is kinda awkward, so +1

That said, they did talk about this in the latest q&a. I won't remember exactly what was said since that thing was like 8 hours long, but it was basically "we like that people have to unlock skills with levels, we will keep things as are but maybe swap some skills around"

So I believe our best bet would be asking for some compromise

An idea I had is that by picking a certain character, you could be free of those restrictions for their respective weapons

Like for example, playing with Huntress you would get to choose the spear skills without restriction, but if you're playing a Witch and want Lightning Spear, then it would be restricted as it is now

That helps with class identity while not being too punishing for people who prefer more freedom

I like your idea if that is the case that GGG doesn't want to change it without compromise. I think it is definitely fair, but I am still perplexed why skill tiers are a thing. The more I have thought about it the less sense it makes. Unlike PoE 1, you can't just go buy skills from the vendor. You have to find an uncut skill gem or trade for one on the currency exchange. Then on top of that you have to have the correct stats, correct weapon, correct amount of resource to use the skill, and then hopefully you have support gems and jewelers orbs to enhance it. I think there is enough "friction" and is possibly one of the reasons some players are complaining about leveling a new character. I like character progression, but the tiers just don't make sense. Maybe they do just need to adjust which tiers the skills are and it will feel better, but I think they should try a league without them. Could be fun?

Yea I agree with you

In case you want to watch the Q&A answer, the gem unlocking question is at 59:10

https://youtu.be/P2-BLJQCeWo?si=O5ggk9m7m-91bYH8