How To - Get High Level Gems

These are simple.

Monsters that can drop level 1-34 loot drop only rank 1 support gems.

Monsters typically drop loot equal to the zone level, or +1 for rare monsters. So you won't see rank 2 supports until Act 3.

Some mechanics can change this, such as Strongboxes that roll certain modifiers, but these are rare.

Monsters that drop level 35-52 loot drop only rank 2 support gems.

Monsters that drop level 53+ loot drop only rank 3 support gems.

RNG plays no part in what tier you get, only the content you are running.

This means you can't get support gems earlier than intended, except from other players. There's no "I got lucky so I got my Fire Mastery earlier than intended".

This search string will find uncut level 19 gems that were listed within the last hour by players who are still online and whom are charging 1 or 2 Exalted Orbs for the gem. https://www.pathofexile.com/trade2/search/poe2/Standard/ZXe6vREuQ

Settings used:

Search for "Uncut Skill Gem"

Item Level is minimum 19 (note, during Early Access, this is how you search for uncut gems)

Trade filters section modified to "Listed up to an hour ago" and "Buyout Price: 1-2 Exalted Orb"

It's my experience that traders asking 2 exalts will be more likely to reply.

This is a huge power boost on most builds, assuming you can manage the higher attribute requirements and higher mana costs. It is a cheaper upgrade than a Greater Jeweller's Orb, and likely more powerful.

Warning: Minimum levels to equip gems go up a lot with gem level, 78 for level 18 gems, 84 for 19 and 90 for 20. You can modify the trade site search to the highest you can use.

In Early Access, this information can be datamined.

81 or lower: 0 (level 20 uncut gems are absolutely banned from dropping)

82: 1 in 81 uncut gems will be level 20

83: 1 in 33

84: 1 in 19

85: 2 in 35 (getting even one level 85 item requires 'stars aligned' luck, so this is in no way practical)

No known ways to get level 86 or higher loot exist at the moment, but the game files contain probabilities of 1 in 5 for level 86, 1 in 2 for 87, 8 in 9 for 88 and 32 in 33 for 89.

As uncut gems are quite common, running tier 15 and tier 16 maps that are irradiated and on corrupted ground will eventually find you the powerful lategame upgrade that is level 20 gems.

Warning: Level 20 gems require you to be character level 90 to use them.

Corrupting a gem is a possible last step with the power to potentially raise its level beyond the normal maximum... but that can also ruin the gem by lowering its level, or reversing the benefits of an already applied Jeweller's Orb while preventing you applying another.

You also can no longer apply quality after you corrupt a gem.

Level 21 gems with 5 support sockets and 20 quality exist, and are the ultimate minmax step for wealthy characters deep into endgame progression.