Shape of Dreams Gems Guide | Essences Explained
Getting stronger in Shape of Dreams isn’t just about unlocking new characters or memories. The real power comes from gems, known in the game as Essences. These socket into your abilities and change how they work, giving you faster casts, bonus damage, or even new effects like explosions. If you want to push deeper runs, learning how gems work is key.
What Gems Do in Shape of Dreams
Gems, called Essences, are upgrades that slot into your memories. Each one changes how the ability behaves or adds a passive bonus. You can move them around at any time for free, so you are never locked into one build during a run.
When you find multiple copies of the same gem, they automatically fuse into a higher quality version. Higher quality means stronger bonuses, so stacking is always worth it.
Gem Rarity and Quality
Each gem has two parts: rarity and quality.
Rarity decides how strong the base effect is (common, flawed, rare, legendary).
Quality increases each time two of the same gem fuse. Higher quality versions raise the numbers even more.
This system makes it possible to take even a basic gem and turn it into something powerful later in the run.
Where to Get Gems
You’ll mostly find gems at the shop NPC, Jonas. He sells a mix of memories and Essences each run. If he sells multiple copies of the same gem, you can buy them and they’ll fuse right away.
Gems can also drop during runs as rewards, just like memories. If you don’t want one, you can dismantle it for Dream Dust instead.
Gem Examples
Here are some confirmed Essences you can find in Shape of Dreams:
Move Speed Gem – Gain bonus movement speed when casting a memory or dealing fire damage.
Dusk Shard Gem – Creates shards on attack for extra damage.
Fireball Gem – Launches two fireballs whenever you cast a memory.
Fever Gem – Fire damage applies fever, causing enemies to explode.
High Health Gem – Deal more damage to enemies above 70% HP.
These can all be combined with abilities for strong synergies, like stacking fire gems on Flaming Whip for chain explosions, or boosting mobility with move speed gems on dash memories.
Tips for Using Gems
Always buy duplicates of gems when you can to fuse them into higher quality.
Don’t be afraid to swap gems between memories mid-run. It costs nothing.
Focus on synergy: fire gems work best with fire abilities, damage gems are strong on multi-hit skills, and utility gems like move speed can save runs.
If you’re broke, sell memories at shops for gold, or dismantle gems for Dream Dust when you don’t need them.
Final Blurb
Gems in Shape of Dreams give you the flexibility to adapt your build every run. By slotting Essences into memories and fusing duplicates for higher quality, you can push into harder dream levels with far stronger combos.
Knowing which gems to grab and how to combine them will make your runs smoother and your squad deadlier.
FAQ
What are gems in Shape of Dreams?
Gems are called Essences in the game. They are upgrades that socket into memories to change or boost abilities.
Can you swap gems mid-run?
Yes, you can freely move gems between abilities at any time without cost.
How do you upgrade gems?
Pick up or buy duplicates of the same gem. They fuse automatically into higher quality versions with stronger effects.
Where do gems come from?
You’ll find them as run rewards or in the shop sold by Jonas.
Do gems have rarity?
Yes, they have rarity (common, flawed, legendary) and quality levels that increase through fusing.
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