How do Link Gems Work in Path of Exile?

Starting from PoE 3.16 Scourge league there will be added the new type of gems called link gems. There’s going to be six of them and they bring new mechanics to the game that we will explain in this post.

PoE link gems list

The first link gems will appear in PoE with the launch of the Scourge challenge league (patch 3.16). There are six of them:

• Soul Link
• Protective Link
• Intuitive Link
• Vampiric Link
• Flame Link
• Destructive Link

Below you can see a brief description of each of them.

• Soul Link. While linked, your Energy Shield will intercept some of the damage that a linked player would take.
• Protective Link. While linked, a linked player copies your block chance and recovers life when they block.
• Intuitive Link. While linked, a linked player’s hits can trigger your supported spells.
• Vampiric Link. While linked, your life leech gives recovery to a linked player instead.
• Flame Link. While linked, a linked player deals additional Fire Damage based on your life.
• Destructive Link. While linked, a linked player uses your Critical Strike Chance for main hand hits.

As you can see each of them gives special benefits to the player who links with you. But also all of these new link gems have some important things in common:

• Gems can link only with ONE player.
• If a linked player dies you also die.
• Link breaks if target leaves range or line of sight for 4 seconds.
• Link gems cannot be used by Totems, Traps, or Mines.

So when you decide to play with any of these gems you need to remember that you will play as an assistive character who gives additional benefits to the other party member. You will need to discuss what benefits suits his build best. Depending on that you will need to make a build that gives the most profit to the linked gem. For example, for Soul link, you would stack as much energy shield as possible, and for the Intuitive link, you would ask your party member what support spells are better for his build etc.

How to get link gems?

It is not very hard, you just need to know what vendors sell link gems. Also, remember that you can always purchase level one gems from Siosa after you unlock them from the required quest or from Lilly Roth at Lion Eye’s Watch at the Act 6. Below you can see what is the required level and stats to use the link gems and what vendors sell them.

• Soul Link – Requires Level 34, 79 Int.
  • It is offered to the Scion for completing Breaking the Seal, and can be purchased from Petarus and Vanja by Templar, Shadow and Witch.
• Protective Link – Requires Level 34, 50 Str, 35 Int.
  • It can be purchased from Petarus and Vanja by Marauder, Templar and Scion after completing Breaking the Seal.
• Intuitive Link – Requires Level 34, 79 Dex.
  • It is offered to the Scion for completing Breaking the Seal, and can be purchased from Petarus and Vanja by Duelist, Ranger and Shadow.
• Vampiric Link – Requires Level 34, 35 Str, 50 Dex.
  • It can be purchased from Petarus and Vanja by the Duelist, Ranger and Scion after completing Breaking the Seal.
• Flame Link – Requires Level 34, 79 Str.
  • It is offered to the Scion for completing Breaking the Seal, and can be purchased from Petarus and Vanja by Marauder, Duelist and Templar.
• Destructive Link – Requires Level 34, 35 Dex, 50 Int.
  • It can be purchased from Petarus and Vanja by the Shadow, Witch and Scion after completing Breaking the Seal.

As you can see not all classes can buy every gem but all of them can use any of them. Also, you may have noticed that all of the link gems will unlock after you break the seal in the Highgate at act 4. Scion will be offered some of the gems while others can buy them from Petarus and Vanja.

To sum up, new link gems gives players new ways to play together, where you can assist your party member in a new way except for auras, which have been nerfed.