I really want to tell all of you boys and girls that I have finished Self-Found Gems Challenge in Bestiary league, isn't it a very cool thing. I believe that most of the players haven't obtained this achievement. And thanks to R4PG Online Game Store, which has been providing me cheap Path of Exile Orbs and Currency for 3 seasons, R4PG is my best friend and strongest support! I did this in Abyss and got to 72, someone got to 83 and was still going strong before quitting! Bestiary will be interesting. Not having access to early abyss jewels and stygian belts will hurt, but beastcrafting uniques will be nice! So what are the rules: Self-found gems: This seems...nuts, right? Well yes, it is. But that's the point! But I've found this immensely satisfying and frustrating at the same time. Your build is evolving as you go so you are making decisions about how to succeed with what you find. It has also forced me to use skills I've never tried (FAQ: you *cannot* use the gem from the beach zombie). Weapon/Shield/Quiver: You can use any weapon you either 1) find and identify, or 2) find and craft. Reason: since you don't have access to gems until they drop, you need some way to progress early, and because you need to have a way to scale melee/range gems. Otherwise, your only real choice is a spell. Boots: Same as a weapon. Reason: Because you may not see a move skill drop for a while, this is something to make the challenge more bearable, and a way to keep you on the lookout for one additional item slot. Past Leagues: I like to incorporate leagues & past leagues. So you can use a Stygian belt if you find one and any Breach Rings, but I believe both don't drop til maps now. Someone noticed that you can craft talismans. Because they are corrupted and random, I think it's fine, but tier 1 recipe is too easy so you can craft any "Tier 2 Talisman with Beastcrafting". Jewels: You can use any jewels (found or from quests). Flasks: You can use any flasks of any rarity (found or from quests, you can and should alter the mods on them). All others: Everything else must be a NORMAL or UNIQUE item. You can replace your weapon or boots with Uniques if you choose. Tips: Sometimes it's a major grind to your first gem, sometimes you get it on the beach. Keep your eyes out for gemcutter boxes and if you have any alt/aug, try to get added items. Use prophecies around act 3 or 4 to look for uniques. With the addition of Bestiary, you should be able to fill out your gear with uniques much easier! Start with an idea and grind it out, or stay generic and wait till you find a skill to build around. Starting with a bow or wand is easiest to start killing from range.
