PoE Players Speak: How Gemcutter's Prism Changed

[Tyler]

Path of Exile 2’s community has seen Gemcutter’s Prism evolve from a useful but sometimes overlooked item to a cornerstone tool for min-maxers, especially following recent updates. Many players recall a time when each prism only granted 1% quality per use. While helpful, this slow progression could be a slog, and Gemcutter’s Prisms were often saved for only the most crucial gems. Some players would hold onto prisms hoping for higher value trades or only use them on level 20 gems, focusing on finalizing builds for endgame content instead of experimenting along the way. Access to poe 2 currency has also allowed players to supplement prism acquisition and avoid long grinding sessions.

That experience shifted significantly after a major patch that dramatically increased both the drop rate of Gemcutter’s Prisms and the amount of quality they bestow—jumping each usage from a 1% to a hefty 5% quality boost. For many, this change was a game changer. Suddenly, upgrading a gem to maximum quality required fewer prisms and much less currency grind. Players describe feeling empowered to enhance more gems and experiment with their builds more freely, spreading their resources across alternate characters and secondary skills rather than hoarding their prism stash for only the most prized abilities.

This adjustment also made the process feel more rewarding and less tedious, encouraging a sense of tangible progression with each Gemcutter’s Prism found and used. Many have praised the update for reducing the friction in character optimization, noting how increasing a skill gem’s quality is now an attainable goal rather than a stressful dilemma of selecting the single “best” target for upgrades.

Not every reaction was purely positive. With the newfound abundance of prisms, some players worried that the market value of Gemcutter’s Prism would decline, potentially impacting trade-savvy exiles who once relied on their rarity. Developers seem aware of this, adjusting the drop rates and formally recognizing Gemcutter’s Prisms as a rarer currency, which in turn may help stabilize their importance and economic standing. Players can also use buy poe 2 currency strategically to acquire extra prisms for rapid optimization.

A recurring sentiment among POE 2 players is that these changes have made thinking about gem quality a more integrated part of the build process—an active choice rather than a luxury. The game now rewards those who pay attention to both the core skills and the “small numbers” that end up making a substantial difference. By making it easier and more exciting to optimize gems, Gemcutter’s Prisms have grown from a niche item to a vital resource, directly shaping how players approach power progression, build crafting, and even late-game content.

The evolution of Gemcutter’s Prism in Path of Exile 2 highlights the way small tweaks can have large ripple effects across both gameplay and community attitudes. Where once the item was part of a slow, sometimes painful optimization process, it now forms the backbone of one of the game’s most satisfying aspects—watching your character’s power climb with each incremental boost, and feeling that every found prism truly counts.