Remove Jeweller's Orbs and bound links to characters (quest rewards)

Title.
It would be 100% better (IMHO) if gem links were granted during campaign and endgame achievements.


Current system:
(-) you are not incentived to replace skills you invested on
(-) power progression is random (tied to 5L and 6L drop and/or vaal corruption)
(-) ends up having no benefit when you are a rich Exile
(-) good luck having 6L when you are a casual/poor Exile
(-) granted skills (from items and ascendancies) number of links makes no sense
(+) use orbs, PoE1 crafting experience
(+) leveling a new char is easier when you are a rich Exile

Character bound links:
(+) natural character progression feeling
(+) you can test skills on the fly (mana cost...)
(+) less bloat on UI, trade etc...

Link quests rewards could be something like:
- gain 1 link to all gems when you finish act 3
- gain 1 link to all gems when you finish act 6
- another one from T14 map completion
- another one from end game encounter
- ...

What do you think of it?

linking was always part of progression and was included in crafting, they wanted to get rid of the skill expression of using lmb ~900 times on an item to have it 6linked and wanted gear pieces to be easier to be replaced.

Links never were ment to be free just by "gaining levels"
So I think its a really bad idea if you take into account how linking was achieved before poe2 and what they wanted to change within that process.

"

linking was always part of progression and was included in crafting, they wanted to get rid of the skill expression of using lmb ~900 times on an item to have it 6linked and wanted gear pieces to be easier to be replaced.

Yup, while I fully agree, I'm not sure that the current system can really be considered as "crafting" anymore.

And the current solution has created new problems.
Gear pieces can be easily replaced (that's great), but now you're stuck with skills you've invested a lot in (and that sucks, IMHO).

"

Links never were ment to be free just by "gaining levels"
So I think its a really bad idea if you take into account how linking was achieved before poe2 and what they wanted to change within that process.

Yup, I fully agree that this would not fulfill PoE1 goals.

We could argue about what GGG really wanted to change.
Probably aiming at less friction, less RNG, and more "build testing during character progression".
In that regard, changes they made just feel incomplete to me.

Thanks a lot for your insights.

Yes, a lot more things, including gem sockets should be part of the campaign progression.

Movespeed (remove from boots) and Charm slots (remove from belt) are also things that are considered "mandatory" or part of the intended character progression and should be put into permanent rewards from bosses and quests.