Lore - gemcutting
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In PoE 1, Vorici (pre-Betrayal) made a big deal about geomancy - the art of crafting the Virtue Gems. Now our character can just ... do it? Without any training or explanation? I'd really like to see this to be explained lore-wise, or changed. Add another NPC vendor or something.
Last bumped on Dec 31, 2024, 6:38:34 PM
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Furthermore, another big deal was made about the difference between wearing Virtue Gems in our equipment vs. the practice of embedding the gems in the flesh. In PoE2, we just have a skills panel, with no explanation of where, on our character, the gems are located. I feel like this is an important question to address.
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Last edited by baconbyte#0146 on Dec 19, 2024, 8:06:08 PM
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They can start making up reasons or just adding all the lore text after actually working on the game. Like I get it's different teams that do these things so they're worked on concurrently but lore effects nothing about gameplay. 90% of ppl probably never read any story text anyway. It's just not the kind of game were story matters really.
Last edited by baconbyte#0146 on Dec 19, 2024, 8:05:34 PM
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Considering "The Hooded One", I feel like he'd be the natural choice for a geomancy vendor. Considering you get access to him halfway through Act 1, it might be an idea to have the skill and support gems you get at the start based off of your class (like your quest rewards in PoE1), then once you wake him up he can start cutting the uncut gems you've found.
It'll give a little hint to his nature too for those who didn't peg it from the trailer like I did. Although I'm unsure if the Seed should be producing uncut gems or not, considering the source of them from the former Beast was its crystalline skin (which the current one obviously lacks), so maybe some explanation for why we're finding 'uncut' ones in the hinterlands of the Eternal Empire's borders, far from the mines that they were extracted from, would be nice - especially since the Mercenary's dialogue implies that he's not seen any since leaving Oriath. Also I'd love some lore drops in this game for those who are interested, but didn't play the first game. Someone you can have an optional dialogue with in Clearfell about the virtue gems - an explanation how they were the source of the Eternal Empire's power that allowed them to crush the Ezomytes ages ago, and have since become common place across Wraeclast. Also I'd love if we can get some dialogue from a certain someone confirming the nature of thaumaturgy considering 'Virtue Gems' and his title of 'The Thief of Virtue'. I really like the idea that they were metabolized divine powers, condensed into usable form by mortals, as yet another one of his intended gifts to humanity. It really explains how the powers of thaumaturgy can allow humans to kill gods in the first game, and how outlandish some of them are (such as slicing down armies with a single swing of a sword). Last edited by Amorencinteroph#4321 on Dec 19, 2024, 8:14:51 PM
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" The story matters to me; it matters to me a lot. I think Path of Exile has had great lore and story so far; I talk to all the NPCs and I enjoy watching lore speculation videos on YouTube. I understand that I'm (probably) in the minority here, but it matters to me, and it matters to the people that write it, and I want them to know that. |
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" Splendid ideas! |
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" THIS, THIS, DEAR GOD THIS. I am enjoying PoE2 mechanically quite a bit and the story is good, but there are a number of things that surpass my willing-suspension-of-disbelief and totally remove me from enjoying the experience. This is one of them. Why can we just cut gems at will? Why do skill gems drop like candy, and why doesn't every npc just load up on them and become a superhero themselves? Where on our body are we inserting skill gems and passive jewels??? The entire structure of Wraeclast seems to fall apart when you account for the ease of access to semi-phenominal nearly cosmic powers. I have thought about possible solutions and I agree with OP that the easiest option would be to add 1 or more gem crafting NPCs, either to teach us how to cut gems or to cut them theirselves for us. The Hooded One would be a good option since he travels with us, but alternatively each act could have it's own gem cutting trainer that could cut or teach you a set limit of gem recipes based on level. |
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" To be fair you can make the same argument about PoE 1. The virtue gems in most Exiles hands just barely made them survive. Its also interesting that we see from the Kalgurans from Expedition/Kingsfield can't use them for whatever reason, so it might be argued that the Ezomytes in Act 1 can't (or don't, since its Eternals power). I think the nomads in Act 2 also don't because they're mortal enemies of Corruption. Then obviously the Vaal used them plenty and their entire structure became around empowering virtue gems with additional souls as part of their Mad Science empire. Although it can be argued the statistic requirements for high level gems that give you demigod-like power places it out of the reach of most people and our characters are the exceptional heroes who can fully exploit those powers. |
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