Attribute & Socket Colour Guide for Beginner

Introduction

There are three attributes in Path of Exile: Strength, Dexterity and Intelligence. They're mainly needed to satisfy attribute requirements, but did you know that they also affect socket colours and grant you stats? Let's learn about what attributes do and how they impact your character!

What Do Attributes Grant?

• 10 Strength grants +5 maximum Life and 2% increased Melee Physical Damage
• 10 Dexterity grants +20 Accuracy and 2% increased Evasion
• 10 Intelligence grants +5 maximum Mana and 2% increased maximum Energy Shield

Each of these stats can be gained at a minimum value of 1.

What Are Attributes Needed For?

Each of your gems and gear pieces (except for jewelry) have attribute requirements. In most cases, Attributes are not strong enough to be worth obtaining past the point of fulfilling these requirements.

You can solve attribute requirement issues in a variety of ways:

• Temporarily invest into one of the +30 attribute notables (e.g. Beef) scattered around the passive tree.
• Equip gear with attribute implicits (e.g. Heavy Belt or Turquoise Amulet).
• Equip gear or jewels with attribute modifiers.
• Use your Crafting Bench to add it for a low cost.
• Equip a lower level gem to lower the requirement, if it's not your main damage skill.

How Attributes Impact The Game

The Passive Skill Tree is divided into three areas, one for each attribute with two of them overlapping on each side. Each attribute has stats allocated to them that are only found within their area, e.g. Energy Shield and Caster stats for Intelligence, Armour and Melee stats for Strength, or Evasion and Projectile stats for Dexterity. This impacts the requirements, colour of gems, gear related to these stats, and the predominant attributes of each class. However, that doesn't limit you from investing into other attributes!

How Attributes Affect Socket Colours

Each attribute is tied to a base defense type and socket colour.

• Strength is tied to Armour and red sockets
• Dexterity is tied to Evasion and green sockets
• Intelligence is tied to Energy Shield and blue sockets

The probability to roll corresponding socket colours increases as the attribute requirement rises. E.g. a top tier base such as Vaal Regalia has a high chance to roll blue sockets when using a Chromatic Orb on it, which results in a lower probability to roll Green and Red sockets. Hybrid defense items such as Sadist Garb split their attribute requirements between two attributes, resulting in better chances to obtain non-corresponding socket colours while also making it easier to meet the individual attribute requirements of the item.

Summary

• Attributes grant minor offensive and defensive bonuses.
• Attributes are primarily needed to fulfill the requirements of your gems and gear.
• The passive tree is divided into 3 areas dedicated to each attribute type.
• Attributes are linked thematically and mechanically to defenses, playstyles, classes and socket colours.

This article is just an overview. There are many other ways to gain, benefit from or even convert attributes.

Credits

Written by Enki
Reviewed by Raxxanterax, Wudijo