Thinking Outside the Box: What if we had Rare Gems instead of sockets?

I don't think it would work in PoE as is.

Exactly for the reason you state.

Because there isn't really an apples-oranges relationship between support gems for the most part. There's pretty much a fairly solid hierarchy, otherwise we wouldn't be seeing the same supports as you state yourself.

We'd end up in pretty much the exact same situation that rare weapons and chest pieces are in, with certain affixes that absolutely must be rolled or the item is crap. Except it'd be for pretty much all gems.

In another game? Could work, provided the set of supports was build around it.

+1 for creative thinking, but I'd vote no on this proposal.

I don't think the proposed system offers as much flexibility as the current system. I think it takes away the value of being able to reuse gems from one character for another in a pick and choose fashion.

If the skill system became as difficult to get good mods as the gear system is, I'd be on the hunt for another game to play. IMO - the "Path" is the player choices of active and passive skills. Making the skill system into an item system takes away a lot of the player choice.

For example, imagine if, instead of a passive skill tree, you only had passive rare gems? (maybe you get a new passive crafting orb or such with each level up).

Now, where I do think you could be on the right track is if the gems themselves had the possibility of being rare -

A regular Leap Slam gem at level 10 requires character level 40, strenth 92, 13 mana, does 36% damage and has a 24% to knockback.

A rare Leap Slam gem at level 10 might require character level 42, strenth 100, 11 mana, does 38% damage, have a 24% to knockback, and 5% reduced stun threshold.

There could even be uniques such as Oak's Leap Slam gem which at level 10 requires character level 45, strenth 110, 8 mana, does 40% damage, 10% faster attack speed, has a 20% to knockback, and a 25% chance to Casts/War Cries Immortal Call when 10% or more of life is taken in a single hit.

I love the idea. People will reject it because once you're used to something, it's hard to change to something else. The problem most people complain about is the ability to choose precisely the supports you want to use, because it's character defining. I agree with that, but it could easily be solved with a proper crafting system.

This would help people having 2 versions of the same skill, where each one would be used in a different situation. Adapt and overcome.

Even though I would like to see this change, I know it will never gonna happen. Maybe it will come for PoE 2 hopefully...

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ScrotieMcB wrote:

But at the end of the day, this coupling you speak of is a clever idea but not very functional. If it were two well-designed systems then it would be one thing, but its not. Imagine a game where you go through with just white items, using only socketing as a progression mechanic; could you enjoy playing such a game?

Assuming that the design space currently reserved for affixes that support gems do not touch- such as direct damage mitigation and stat buffs- were added to the support gem pool, then yes. It would be a build-you-own-monster type of game.

I should mention that such a game would not have very long item progression, but that doesn't make it a bad game. It would probably rely on PvP to endure more than POE does, "How do I counter that guy's gem setup?" or "How does our team counter their team's setup?" A more tactical game, less RPG.

I remember suggesting something similar to this once... that gems should have a prefix and/or a suffix, but I wasn't saying it should replace the current socket/gem system (and people whined about "power creep" blah, blah, blah).

The only major criticism I have about this idea in the original post is that the "bad RNG" you described is the kind you experience when rolling yellow (rare) equipment, and this system basically just extends that to gems. Some options are strictly superior to others.

Example:

Fireball + LMP + Chance to Ignite + Conc Effect

...will be better than...

Fireball + Cold Dmg + Pierce + Reduced Mana

You still have that problem with starting with base 5, adding any 3 of 1-10, and there's a strictly better numerical comparison depending on the rolls.

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One of my favorite things about you, Scrotie, is that you want truly asymmetric balance, and this thread cries out for it in a very heartfelt way. Unfortunately, implementation is often the devil of the details when it comes to these kinds of ideas/changes/systems, and GGG seems reluctant to go any deeper into "cool/fun" ideas than the game already has.

I have an alternative solution -

Each gem dropped has 1-3 random "tendrils", which can be used to link with other gems. Each item can be modified as currently, contain sockets with a certain "shape" and "color" to fit a set of assembled skill gems. e.g. I have these gems -

green-Freezing Pulse-red
Cold to Fire-red
green-Faster Casting-red
blue-Chance to flee-white

I can link -

Cold to Fire - Freezing Pulse - Faster Casting - Chance to flee (red-blue-blue-green)

If my gloves has the same color, it will fit.

What on earth are you even trying to do with that "solution"? What is it trying to solve? To add?

All I see right now is "chromes even more frustrating."

seeing as how this is comming from scrottie i am making the following assumptions since I have never seen such a nonsensical post of you.

your trolling
your drunk
your high

or any combination of the above.

i sort of get what you are trying to say but its not thought out well. and it would make the "bad" rng worse and the good rng also worse.
its worse then the addition of vaal orbs basically.
which is pretty much what you described when you said "bad" rng.

honestly speaking there should never be this many levels of RNG within one game period.
the only thing you can do is peel away the layers and causing massive inflations in the short run like

making jewellers "add" a socket but making their drop rate that of an exalted orb.
fusing orbs the same deal.

or splitting the chrome orbs into three separate orbs and green blue red and allowing us to target specific sockets.

If we didn't have sockets and links, then I might as well just play Torchlight 2.

A player can have lots of fun without ever owning a 6L item. I've played for over a year without owning one, and I have tons of fun enjoying what I do have. I'm sure I could have traded for a 6L in the past, but I always wanted some other item instead (ie. Bino's when they were 20ex, rip bino's price)

Every game I ever play I have fun with what I have and am able to afford. I don't compare myself to others wealth or items, I just have fun doing what I enjoy, simply playing the game.

I've played more hours in this game than any other because I enjoy it. I make do with what I have and am content with that. If I don't have any fusing to try for a 6L or enough currency to buy one, then I just play without one. There is a lot of fun to still be found without one. Maybe one day I'll own a 6L but until then I'm not overly concerned about it. I've played over a year and 2,000+ hours of the game without ever having one and been completely happen. I could do another 2,000 hours and be just as happy.