Gems · Updated 2026-10-24
Blood gems and gem slots
The second gem slot is not a quest item. It opens when that weapon reaches +3. The third opens at +6. The first is there from +1. Firearms have one slot or none.
Slot unlocks and the workshop unlock are different requirements. A compatible slot does not let you fit gems in the field: collect the Blood Gem Workshop Tool, return to the Hunter's Dream workbench, and choose Blood Gem Fortification.
Get the workshop tool
After defeating Father Gascoigne, take the chest on the route up from the Tomb of Oedon toward Oedon Chapel. It contains the Blood Gem Workshop Tool. Return to the Dream workbench, select a weapon and fit a gem matching an unlocked slot.
Shapes and versions
Radial, triangular and waning slots are common on right-hand weapons; circular slots are common on firearms. These are patterns, not a strict hand restriction. Use the actual weapon version's socket layout, including the Lost/Uncanny variants, rather than rejecting a gem because of which hand holds the weapon. Droplet gems fit any slot shape.
Different versions primarily change gem-slot layouts and acquisition, not the moveset. Cursed gems include a drawback; read that drawback and compare the resulting weapon panel instead of selecting solely by rating. You can remove and replace gems without destroying them or paying a removal fee.
Unlock the remaining slots
The first slot opens at +1, the second at +3 and the third at +6 on a normal three-slot trick weapon. A slot milestone does not supply a gem. Exact farming glyphs and rare-drop odds are outside this introductory guide.
Questions
How do I unlock the second gem slot?
Upgrade that weapon to +3. For a standard three-slot trick weapon the first opens at +1 and the third at +6. You also need the Blood Gem Workshop Tool to fit gems.
Are circular gems only for left-hand weapons?
No. They are common on firearms, but the individual weapon version's socket shapes decide compatibility. Droplet gems can fit any slot shape.