Where Do Cluster Jewels Go in Path of Exile?
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The question of where to place Cluster Jewels in Path of Exile (PoE) is a fundamental one for players looking to optimize their builds and delve into the complexities of the passive skill tree. The short answer is: Cluster Jewels are socketed into the outermost jewel sockets of the passive skill tree. These specialized sockets are not always readily apparent but become accessible as you progress and invest passive skill points. They represent an expansion upon the traditional passive skill tree, allowing for significant customization and build diversity.
Understanding the Basics
Before exploring specific locations, it’s crucial to understand the fundamental nature of Cluster Jewels. Unlike regular jewels that simply provide stats and modifiers, Cluster Jewels fundamentally alter the layout of your passive skill tree. They create new clusters of nodes, branching outwards from the designated socket, and providing access to new passive skills, including powerful Notable skills and even Keystones.
- Outer Sockets: The key identifier for Cluster Jewel sockets is their position on the outer edges of the regular passive skill tree. These sockets are easily recognizable as they are distinctly separated from the typical passive nodes.
- Socketing: Once you’ve reached a designated outer socket on your skill tree and allocated a passive point into it, you may socket any cluster jewel you have in your inventory. You need a passive point allocated specifically to the socket itself, simply pathing to the socket is not enough to use it.
- Types of Cluster Jewels: There are three primary types of Cluster Jewels: Small, Medium, and Large. Each type varies in the size of the cluster it creates, the number of passives, and the potential for notable passives and socket options.
Identifying Jewel Sockets
Locating the right sockets for your Cluster Jewels is relatively simple:
- Visual Identification: Look for outermost jewel sockets on the passive skill tree. These are distinguished by their unique diamond shape and will have small circles at the center to help them stand out.
- Passive Allocation: You must spend a passive point on the jewel socket itself to activate it. Merely taking the path to a jewel socket is not enough.
- Access: Reaching these sockets often requires some investment into the passive skill tree. You have to spend several skill points to get to an outer jewel node, which might be on the very edge of a particular section of the tree.
The Impact of Cluster Jewels
Once placed, a Cluster Jewel drastically expands your options:
- New Passive Skills: It adds a cluster of passive skills based on the type of the cluster jewel, extending the tree and allowing access to entirely new stat and modifier options.
- Notable Skills: Cluster Jewels can contain Notable skills that are specific to their cluster. These notable skills provide powerful benefits to your character, and are a main reason many players use cluster jewels.
- Keystones: Large Cluster Jewels, in particular, may contain powerful Keystones that fundamentally alter how your character works, allowing for even more radical build customization.
- Strategic Placement: The arrangement of nodes around a Cluster Jewel is pre-determined on that cluster jewel, and you can use this to plan paths. You can also plan which Notable skills you want at the front by looking at its ordering in PoEDB.
- Stacking Notables: If you find multiple identical notable passives on different cluster jewels, they can stack, increasing their effect further. This is one of the only ways to achieve this.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What are Small Cluster Jewels and where do they go?
Small Cluster Jewels add a small cluster of 2-3 passive skills to your passive tree. They are socketed into small, medium, or large jewel sockets on the outer reaches of your passive tree. They are less complex than Medium or Large cluster jewels.
2. Where do Medium Cluster Jewels go in the Passive Tree?
Medium Cluster Jewels are socketed into allocated medium or large jewel sockets on the outermost edges of your passive skill tree. They create clusters of 4-6 passive skills and have one socket for a small jewel.
3. How do I place a Large Cluster Jewel and where does it go?
Large Cluster Jewels are placed into large jewel sockets on the outer areas of the passive skill tree. They create the largest clusters, adding 8-12 passive skills and having two sockets for Medium cluster jewels.
4. Do Cluster Jewel sockets have a radius like normal jewel sockets?
No, added passives from Cluster Jewels do not interact with jewel radius. Radiuses are only found on regular base jewels and unique jewels, which do work on normal skill nodes.
5. Can you stack the same Notable Skill from multiple Cluster Jewels?
Yes, Cluster Jewel Notables can stack, unlike regular Notables on the main passive skill tree. This is a powerful mechanic allowing for massive stat scaling with a good cluster jewel setup.
6. How many passives can a Small Cluster Jewel have?
Small Cluster Jewels always have 2-3 additional passive skills on their cluster.
7. How many passives can a Medium Cluster Jewel have?
Medium Cluster Jewels add 4-6 additional passive skills to the tree.
8. How many passives can a Large Cluster Jewel have?
Large Cluster Jewels add 8-12 additional passive skills on their unique cluster.
9. Do Cluster Jewel item levels matter?
Yes, item level is significant, especially for Large Cluster Jewels. For Large Cluster Jewels, an item level of 75 and above guarantees the potential to roll a second jewel socket in addition to the 3 available notable passives. There is little point getting a large cluster jewel over item level 75.
10. Can Small Cluster Jewels have two Notable Skills?
No, Small Cluster Jewels can only have one Notable passive skill.
11. Can Medium Cluster Jewels have multiple Notable Skills?
Yes, Medium Cluster Jewels can have up to two Notable Prefixes, meaning they can both be rolled on the jewel, and both can be allocated.
12. Can Large Cluster Jewels have two notable passives?
Yes, Large Cluster Jewels can have up to three Notable passives: two prefixes and one suffix.
13. How do I find specific notable passive skills on Cluster Jewels?
You can identify the order of Notable passive skills by checking their default order on resources like poedb. The order shown is also the order they will appear on the jewel cluster.
14. Can I socket a regular base jewel into a Cluster Jewel Socket?
Yes, both Cluster Jewel sockets can accept standard base jewels, in addition to different sizes of cluster jewels.
15. How do I remove a Cluster Jewel from a socket?
You can remove a Cluster Jewel from a socket by right-clicking on the jewel while it is in the socket. It will be returned to your inventory.
Conclusion
Cluster Jewels are a potent tool in Path of Exile, allowing players to vastly customize their builds by extending the passive skill tree. Understanding where to place these powerful jewels—specifically in the outermost sockets—and how they function is vital for optimizing your character. With careful planning and investment, Cluster Jewels can unlock unique and powerful builds.