Support gems UI is utterly bad, confusing, and misleading.

Honestly it should just be reworked from scratch.

There are several questions that any player asks when trying to add a support gem.

1) Is it supported by a given skill? There's ABSOLUTELY NO easy way to tell that. One would think that if a support gem is listed for a given skill - then it's supported. This much is true, but there are other supported gems available, but not displayed in the UI. You can only find them via "all gems" section.

2) Can it be slotted without breaking requirements? No way to tell. You might craft a gem only to find out you're lacking base stats to use it OR spirit to keep the skill (e.g herald skills) active.

3) Does it actually work? No way to tell. Some gems can be slotted (e.g. +bleed for Infernal Cry), yet it doesn't seem like they even do anything. Stats don't reflect their effect either.

The UI should at least list ALL valid gems for a given skill. It should display stats requirements and have an indication that you're about to break them by adding this support gem. And of course all slottable gems should actually do something.

First of, i agree with you. I used all the all gem section at the beginning and wasted some uncut support gems over it.

Well i did realize there is a better method.

Choose the skill gem and then undo the flag, bottom left "hide..." then you will see all viable support gems for that skill gem (as far as i tested it) and the restricrions are shown.

whoops .. double post

I also made a suggestion how to improve it..
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3614348

agree , also i want a hot key to open the gem cutter menu , would help alot with QOL when working on your build .

I love how they said "If you think a support should work then it will" But then when you look half of the supports you think should work dont.

I also HATE that I can only use a support gem ONCE.
That right there limits build diversity. Support Gem X is best in skill Y means you will ONLY use skill Y only support gem X in Y.

i have a question related to this thread. and yes, i 100% agree the support gem interface is not so great . . .

so here is an example of i think a gem not working when it says it does. by stating it says it does, i mean when i mouse over the geme, it has a green checkbox for the skill i want to put it in.

so i was trying the following. (if it is dumb, silly, or whatever ok, but my question is about the process itself) - i tried putting an 'envenom' and 'lacerate' gem into 'sparks' skill. both gems have a green checkbox when i hover over them. and once they are slotted i get no errors.

but i NEVER see either one of them proc as i do with other skills on other characters.

so are some gems just 'broken'? in that they do not work even though all parts of the interface indicate that they do?