In Path of Exile, skill gems play a crucial role in defining and enhancing your character’s abilities, providing a unique system for skill acquisition and progression that allows for a high degree of customization. Here’s a comprehensive overview based on the mechanics described:

How to Acquire Skill Gems
1. Uncut Skill Gems: Skill gems are primarily obtained as drops from defeating monsters and bosses throughout the game. As you explore, you’ll encounter various enemies that may drop these gems, which you’ll need to “cut” before use.
2. Quest Rewards: Completing specific quests not only enhances your storyline experience but also rewards you with skill gems. These quest rewards often introduce you to new skills as you progress.
3. Vendors: Certain vendors, particularly Lily Roth at Lion’s Eye Watch, offer a selection of skill gems for purchase. As you advance and complete quests, you unlock the ability to buy various gems, expanding your arsenal further.

Cutting and Using Skill Gems
– Cutting Uncut Skill Gems: Once you obtain an Uncut Skill Gem, you can cut it via the Gemcutters interface. This process allows you to choose from the available skills and create an active skill gem which you can then socket into your equipment.
– Socketing: To utilize the skills provided by these gems, they must be socketed into equipment. The effectiveness of these skills may depend on whether the sockets are linked, allowing for combinations with support gems that can enhance or modify the skills.

Leveling Up Skill Gems
– Finding Higher-Tier Uncut Skill Gems: Unlike character experience, skill gems level up through the acquisition of higher-tier Uncut Skill Gems. The tiers are indicated by Roman numerals, with each level reflecting the power and effectiveness of the skill.
– Upgrading: To increase the level of an existing skill gem, you need to find and use a higher-tier Uncut Skill Gem; this promotes hunting for better gear as you progress through the game.

Strategic Play
– Secondary Weapon Set: For players looking to diversify their skills, Path of Exile allows you to use a secondary weapon set. This feature enables the leveling of an additional set of skill gems concurrently, providing flexibility in your character’s build and skill rotation.

Summary
In summary, acquiring skill gems in Path of Exile involves actively seeking out Uncut Skill Gems from enemies, completing quests for rewards, and purchasing them from vendors. The progression of these gems is distinct as they rely on upgrading with higher-tier counterparts rather than character experience. This system emphasizes the importance of skill gems in defining combat strategies and character effectiveness, encouraging players to explore, engage in quests, and optimize their build for the challenges ahead.

This comprehensive skill acquisition and leveling system allows for a tailor-made gameplay experience, showcasing the deep customization and strategic planning that Path of Exile offers.