Path of Exile 2 vs. PoE: How Gemcutter’s Prism Mec

[Tyler]

In Path of Exile 2, the core mechanic of Gemcutter’s Prisms—to improve the quality of skill gems by 1% per use up to a 20% maximum—remains largely consistent with the original Path of Exile. However, there are some notable evolutions and emphasis on their role that impact gameplay and player strategy:

1. Same Basic Functionality with Slight Tweaks

In both PoE and PoE 2, Gemcutter’s Prisms increase skill gem quality, which enhances various skill stats such as damage, cast speed, area of effect, or utility effects. In PoE 2, the usage remains: right-click the prism and left-click the gem to increase quality by 1% per prism, capping at 20%. This direct quality boost continues to be a significant factor in skill optimization.

2. Increased Drop Rates and Availability

PoE 2 reportedly features a significantly increased drop rate for Gemcutter’s Prisms compared to PoE, around 500% more in some early versions. This change reflects a design choice to make gem quality improvements more accessible, allowing players to enhance gems more readily in the newer game—even while managing other priorities like gear upgrades and cheap poe 2 currency collection.

3. Greater Emphasis on Quality’s Impact

PoE 2 highlights how quality affects not just damage but also other hidden benefits such as mana cost reductions and additional effects, making Gemcutter’s Prisms a crucial tool for endgame content and character optimization. The game encourages strategic use of these prisms to boost survivability, damage output, and utility in tougher encounters.

4. Improved Economy and Crafting Integration

While trading Gemcutter’s Prisms remains common as in PoE, PoE 2’s in-game economy and crafting systems integrate these prisms as key items for character progression. They can be gained via loot drops, player trading, vendor recipes, and special events. Players who buy poe 2 currency can also stockpile prisms indirectly by investing in trade goods, supporting gem enhancement goals more efficiently.

5. Community Feedback and Balancing

There were discussions in PoE 2 about potentially increasing the quality boost per prism (e.g., some talk about raising from 1% to 5% per use), though this was met with mixed feedback. The implemented system currently maintains 1% per prism, preserving the incremental and strategic nature of gem quality investment.

Path of Exile 2 retains the fundamental Gemcutter’s Prism mechanics from PoE but enhances their drop frequency, highlights additional quality benefits, and integrates them more deeply in crafting and endgame strategy, making them more accessible yet still valuable for maximizing gem and character potential. The core principle—incrementally boosting gem quality to enhance skill effectiveness—remains a key gameplay pillar across both titles.