Skill gems are fundamental to character builds in Path of Exile, acting as the core source of your abilities. Each skill gem gives you an active skill—such as spells, attacks, or minions—that can be socketed into your weapons or armor. The true power of skill gems is unlocked when they are linked with support gems, which modify and enhance the active skills in various ways, such as increasing damage, speed, or adding utility effects PoE 1 Currency.

In Path of Exile 3.26, builds often revolve around maximizing the effectiveness of one or two main skill gems supported by multiple support gems in a linked socket setup, generally on your chest armor or a two-handed weapon that can have up to six linked sockets. For example, a 6-link setup might include a skill gem like Firestorm with supports that concentrate the effect, increase elemental damage, boost penetration against resistances, and allow multiple casts in quick succession. This combination exponentially increases your damage output compared to using the skill gem alone.

Skill gems level up as you use them, increasing their power and unlocking higher stat requirements. Each gem also has attribute prerequisites—strength, dexterity, or intelligence—that grow as the gem levels up. For example, a spark gem requires a certain level of intelligence that also increases with gem level, which impacts what characters can use it effectively early on. Gem leveling typically takes significant time; players often have skill gems reaching level 20 around character levels 89-91 in the endgame.

Patch 3.26 brought specific changes to skill gems, such as adjustments to animation, cast time, damage scaling, and critical strike chances. For instance, the Animate Guardian gem now allows guardians to retain items on death, but you cannot resummon them in the same area afterward. Other skill gems received damage and speed tweaks to balance their power and utility in gameplay.

Acquiring powerful or transfigured skill gems early in a league start can be challenging. Some of the most effective gems require players to engage with late-game content such as the Labyrinth and Divine Fonts to unlock transfigured versions of skill gems, which come with randomized but enhanced properties. Efficiently acquiring these gems can smooth the early league experience and optimize character builds from the start.

Lastly, Path of Exile differentiates between active skill gems, support gems, and newer gem types like Spirit gems (in Path of Exile 2 developments). Understanding the distinctions and how to best link skill gems with appropriate support gems is key for customizing your build. Linking skill gems to the right supports can dramatically increase damage, defensiveness, or utility, depending on your build's needs and play style.

In summary, mastering skill gems in Path of Exile 3.26 involves knowing how to level and equip them, strategically linking with support gems, adapting to patch changes, and efficiently acquiring powerful versions to enhance your gameplay from early league start through the endgame PoE Currency buy.