Sockets and Socketing





Contents
Basic Rules
Adding Sockets
Spawning with Sockets
Socketing in the Horadric Cube
Appendix


Sockets and Socketing by posterboy: http://classic.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=d2-general&t=1353173

See librarian's FAQtoids for a shorter account of sockets: http://www.mannm.org/d2library/faqtoids/item_eng.html#sock


Basic Rules

Socketables

• Circlets, Helms, including Barbarian Helms and Druid Pelts
• Body Armor
• Shields, including Necromancer Shrunken Heads and Paladin Shields
• Weapons (except Throwing Weapons)

Maximum Sockets

• Each base item has a limit on maximum sockets ("gemsockets" in Armor.txt and Weapons.txt)
  At the Arreat Summit, this figure is listed as Sockets: http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/weaponsandarmor.shtml.

• Each item type has a further limit on maximum sockets by internal level (ilvl) ("MaxSock1" {ilvl 1-25}, "MaxSock25" {ilvl 26-40}, and "MaxSock40" {ilvl 41+} in ItemTypes.txt)
  See Appendix for the MaxSockXX values by item type.

The lower value applies: a Colossus Voulge has gemsockets=4. Polearms have MaxSock1=3, MaxSock25=4, and MaxSock40=6. Hence, a CV will get max 3 sockets @ ilvl 1-25 and max 4 sockets otherwise.


Adding Sockets

An item which already has sockets cannot get additional sockets. Maximum sockets that may be added to an item,

• Unique, set, crafted: 1 socket
  Larzuk only.

• Rare: 1 socket
  a. Larzuk.
  b. Horadric Cube: (see below).

• Magic: 1-2 sockets
  a. Larzuk: 50/50 of 1 or 2 sockets (that is, if the item allows 2 sockets). Larzuk is your only option to add sockets to a magic item while retaining its properties.
  b. Horadric Cube: several recipes (see below). Notice: this will reroll the original properties of the item. Only do this if you want a new magic item with guaranteed sockets or a chance of sockets.

• Plain: 1-6 sockets
  a. Larzuk: 100 % chance of max sockets, regardless of difficulty. Again: it is the ilvl (~ drop location) that matters, not in which difficulty the item is socketed.
  b. Horadric Cube: several recipes (see below).

Plain items include: Low Quality, Cracked, Crude, Damaged, normal quality, and Superior. Ethereal items behave likewise.


Spawning with Sockets

• Unique, set
  Magic property, "sock" in UniqueItems.txt and SetItems.txt.

Spirit Forge Linked Mail: 2 sockets
Black Hades Chaos Armor: 3 sockets
Moser's Blessed Circle Round Shield: 2 sockets
Witchwild String Short Siege Bow: 2 sockets
Hone Sundan Yari: 3 sockets
Blade of Ali Baba Tulwar: 2 sockets. The sock property reads 3, but Tulwar has gemsockets=2.
Crown of Ages Corona: 1-2 sockets
Giant Skull Bone Visage: 1-2 sockets
Spike Thorn Blade Barrier: 1 socket
Head Hunter's Glory Troll Nest: 1-3 sockets
Rune Master Ettin Axe: 3-5 sockets
Hellrack Colossus Crossbow: 2 sockets
Bonehew Ogre Axe: 2 sockets
Tomb Reaver Cryptic Axe: 1-3 sockets
Heaven's Light Mighty Scepter: 1-2 sockets (1:3 of 1 socket, 2:3 of 2 sockets). The sock property reads 1-3, but Mighty Scepter has gemsockets=2. If 3 is rolled, 2 is taken.
Djinn Slayer Ataghan: 1-2 sockets

Aldur's Stony Gaze Hunter's Guise: 2 sockets
Aldur's Rhythm Jagged Star: 2-3 sockets (1:4 of 2 sockets, 3:4 of 3 sockets). The sock property reads 2-5, but Jagged Star has gemsockets=3. If 4 or 5 is rolled, 3 is taken.
Griswold's Valor Corona: 2 sockets
Griswold's Heart Ornate Plate: 3 sockets
Griswold's Honor Vortex Shield: 3 sockets
Griswold's Redemption Caduceus: 3-4 sockets
Immortal King's Will Avenger Guard: 2 sockets
Immortal King's Stone Crusher Ogre Maul: 2 sockets
Natalya's Shadow Loricated Mail: 1-3 sockets

• Rare, crafted: 1-2 sockets
  (P) "Mechanic's" (level 10, levelreq 7, frequency 3, group 122): 1-2 sockets

• Magic: 1-4 sockets
  (P) "Mechanic's" (level 10, levelreq 7, frequency 3, group 122): 1-2 sockets
  (P) "Artisan's" (level 33, levelreq 25, frequency 2, group 122): 3 sockets
  (P) "Jeweler's" (level 55, levelreq 47, frequency 1, group 122): 4 sockets

• Plain: 1-6 sockets
  a. In Normal, you will not find anything with more than 3 sockets.
  b. In Nightmare, you will not find anything with more than 4 sockets.

If a figure beyond the maximum sockets is rolled, then maximum will replace it. For instance, an Artisan's Coronet cannot get 3 sockets (Coronet: gemsockets=2) and will thus get 2.


Socketing in the Horadric Cube

• http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/cube.shtml

Recipes relevant to socketing (numbered for reference),


(1) 3 Perfect Skulls + Rare Item + The Stone of Jordan -> Same Rare Item with 1 socket


(2) Ral Rune + Thul Rune + Perfect Sapphire + normal quality Helm -> Socketed Helm of same type

(3) Tal Rune + Thul Rune + Perfect Topaz + normal quality Body Armor -> Socketed Body Armor of same type

(4) Tal Rune + Amn Rune + Perfect Ruby + normal quality Shield -> Socketed Shield of same type

(5) Ral Rune + Amn Rune + Perfect Amethyst + normal quality Weapon -> Socketed Weapon of same type


(6) Hel Rune + Scroll of Town Portal + Socketed Item (any) -> Destroy inserted Gems, Jewels, Runes


(7) 3 Chipped Gems + Magic Weapon -> Socketed Magic Weapon {ilvl 25} of same type

(8) 3 Flawless Gems + Magic Weapon -> Socketed Magic Weapon {ilvl 30} of same type

(9) 3 Standard Gems + Socketed Weapon (any) -> Socketed Magic Weapon {ilvl 30} of same type


(10) El Rune + Chipped Gem + low quality Armor -> normal quality Armor {ilvl 1} of same type

(11) Eld Rune + Chipped Gem + low quality Weapon -> normal quality Weapon {ilvl 1} of same type

(1)
Only Classic players should ever consider this recipe. In the Expansion, Larzuk will basically do it for free.

(2)-(5)
Random socket count {1, ... ,6}, restricted by gemsockets and ilvl tiers (MaxSockXX). If a figure beyond maximum is rolled, the recipe will return maximum.

A Mage Plate allows max 3 sockets (the lower value of gemsockets and MaxSockXX). Since rolling 3, 4, 5, or 6 occurs each with a probability of 1:6, in this case there is a 2:3 chance of getting 3 sockets. The Arreat Summit (see the Horadric Cube link) claims the odds should be 50/50, which is incorrect. The basis for calculating the socket odds in each of the recipes (2)-(5) is 6 sockets, according to CubeMain.txt.

We obtain the following table,


The Ethereal Bug
Concerning recipes (2)-(4) in particular, Ernir @ Battle.net Forums had this to say,

• http://classic.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=d2-general&t=1312543

Formally, the bug results in a 50 % boost to the Defense of ethereal Armor,

• Defense = [ [Base Defense * 1.5] * 1.5]

Subsequent +% Enhanced Defense and +Defense modifiers are then applied to this, in effect making it possible to create certain Rune Words with > 4k Defense.

Larzuk cannot glitch ethereal Armor
The above bug concerns the Horadric Cube, not Larzuk. He will drill holes as usual, even in your Superior, Ethereal Armor, but the Defense stays unmodified. There is no such thing as "Superior eth bugged"

(6)
Commonly used for "rerolling" Rune Words or socketing something different into unique, set, rare, or magic items.

(7)-(9)
The weapon gets 1-2 sockets randomly, provided the item type allows it. See the first two notes at the end of posterboy's thread @ Battle.net Forums.

(10)-(11)
The ilvl is degraded to 1, regardless of what it was beforehand. This allows you to get, for instance, 3 sockets in a plain Archon Plate or a Phase Blade. Find a low quality (Low Quality, Cracked, Crude, Damaged) AP or PB, restore it to normal quality in the Horadric Cube, and take the resulting item to Larzuk: 3 sockets guaranteed. Normally, these items would receive 4 or 6 sockets, respectively.

Rerolling to get Sockets
There is another recipe which is sometimes used for a chance of the "Mechanic's" prefix,


6 Perfect Skulls + Rare Item -> New Rare Item of same type

Notice: ilvl = int(.4 * clvl) + int(.4 * ilvl). That is, both input ilvl and clvl (character level) matter, and the resulting ilvl is 40 % of each, rounded down, and added together. Normally, this would reduce the size of the affix pool (meaning: less of the desired affixes available), only a Diadem is excepted from this; due to its inherent magic level and high quality level, it always has a chance of acquiring any affix, regardless of ilvl.

In short, a Diadem can always get +2 to [class] Skill Levels / Skills.


Appendix

Data from ItemTypes.txt. The lower of MaxSockXX and gemsockets (Sockets: http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/weaponsandarmor.shtml) determines the maximum sockets at a given ilvl.


Check the Rune Words main page if you don't know the exact meaning of Clubs, Hammers, and Maces: http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/runewords.shtml.

For further details, consult the ItemTypes.txt File Guide at the Phrozen Keep.

hello

where is the live?????

Changelog?^^

Again?

(nn rivil but there is a mistake in this one too !!!héhéhéhé)

Hello, my dear.





The old Max Socket Table link was broken.

Since I couldn't be bothered copy-pasting the huge table from posterboy's guide, people will now have to use their brains to compare two values.

Added the list of unique and set items that spawn with sockets.

End changelog.


Yes, again


^^

This post was edited by Faelwen on May 25 2009 08:33am

Hi.

a. In Normal, you will not find anything with more than 3 sockets.


4 os flail in Norm Cows ...

Spawned with 4 sockets ?