The core gem system stays pretty familiar with levels and quality working like you're used to but there's some interesting changes to how everything fits together. Your gems socket right into your character now instead of gear which gives you 9 slots to work with and keeps things way more organized. Something cool is how support gems actually plug into the skill gems themselves using special sockets you make with tiered jeweller's orbs, and you can get anywhere from 2 to 5 supports per skill depending how much you invest.

The way you get gems is pretty different now since you'll be crafting specific skills from uncut gems through gemcutting, instead of just hoping the right ones drop. Meta gems are a neat addition too, letting you set up automatic trigger conditions for your skills which opens up some creative builds. Quality bonuses and leveling still work basically the same way they always have, though they've done some tweaking to mana costs and how quality effects stack up in the endgame.

So while the core idea of making your gems stronger hasn't really changed, the whole system around them feels more polished and gives you more control over how you build your character. Just remember your gems are going right into your skill panel now, not your gear, and you'll probably spend some time at the Gemcutting station getting exactly the skills you want.