Sockets and Socketing- third editionTable of Contents- [1] Basics
- [2] Socket Rules
- [3] Socketing at Larzuk
- [4] Socketing in the Horadric Cube
- [5] The "Ethereal Armor Glitch"
[1] BasicsSocketables- Headgear (Circlets, Helms)
- Body Armor
- Shields
- Weapons (except Throwing Weapons)
There are 3 ways to get sockets in the above socketables,
- Have the item spawn with sockets.
- Use the Larzuk quest reward (A5Q1) on an item without sockets.
- Use a Horadric Cube recipe on an item without sockets to generate sockets: rerolling or socketing.
Maximum SocketsDo yourself a favour and learn to distinguish between these two,
The maximum sockets are either strictly less than or equal to the inherent maximum.
[2] Socket RulesThere are effectively 3 restrictions,
- The internal level (ilvl)
- The magic quality (unique, set, rare, magic etc.)
- Difficulty (items spawning with sockets in Normal and Nightmare)
1. ilvl tiersThe internal level, commonly known as the 'item level' (ilvl), restricts the maximum number of sockets according to a set of 3 ilvl tiers: 1-25 / 26-40 / 41+, each tier allowing at least the same maximum sockets as the previous one, and often higher maximum sockets. Every base item has its own set of maximum sockets assigned to it,
Max Socket TableNotice, the
Max Socket column lists the inherent maximum.
2. Magic QualityMaximum sockets that may be
added to an item without sockets,
- unique, set, rare, crafted
1 socket - magic
1-2 sockets (provided the base item allows 2 sockets)
Only Larzuk can socket unique, set, and crafted items without sockets. The same goes for magic items:
if you want the properties on a magic item be retained, then Larzuk is your only option.
Maximum sockets for an item
spawning with sockets,
- unique, set
Values given in UniqueItems.txt, SetItems.txt, e.g. Heaven's Light (1-3), Witchwild String (2), Aldur's Rhythm (2-5), Griswold's Redemption (3-4)
The inherent maximum takes precedence if the base item does not allow the socket numbers given in those files. Heaven's Light and Aldur's Rhythm are thus capped at 2 and 3 sockets, respectively. - rare, crafted
1-2 sockets: (P) "Mechanic's" - magic
1-4 sockets: (P) "Mechanic's" (1-2), "Artisan's" (3), "Jeweler's" (4)
The inherent maximum takes precedence if a socket prefix shows up that would normally generate more sockets than the base item allows.
3. Difficulty SettingThis applies to regular items that
spawn with sockets (grey text) in Normal and Nightmare,
- In Normal you will not find anything with more than 3 sockets.
- In Nightmare you will not find anything with more than 4 sockets.
An example serves to illustrate the difference between
adding sockets to an item without sockets and having an item
spawn with sockets. Suppose we had a regular ilvl 28 Crystal Sword drop from the Normal Secret Cow Level. It may not be able to spawn with >
3 sockets, however, if it has no sockets, it could get
4 sockets from Larzuk or when socketed in the Horadric Cube (see [4]).
[3] Socketing at LarzukHaving read [1] and [2], this is now entirely straightforward,
- Larzuk will add sockets only if the item is socketable and has no sockets.
- Larzuk will add the maximum sockets possible to a regular item (ethereal or not). That is, the ilvl tiers from [2] apply.
- Larzuk will add 1 or 2 sockets randomly (50/50 odds) to a magic item, provided the item allows 2 sockets. Otherwise he will add 1 socket always.
- Larzuk will add 1 socket to unique, set, rare, and crafted items.
- Larzuk will add the same number of sockets regardless of difficulty.
Again,
the drop location of the item matters when socketing at Larzuk, because ilvl is determined by where the item was dropped.
It does not matter if you socket the item in Normal, Nightmare, or Hell.
[4] Socketing in the Horadric CubeHoradric Cube Socket RecipesNumbered below for reference.
1) 3 Perfect Skulls + 1 Rare Item + Stone of Jordan = Add 1 Socket To a Rare Item2) 1 Tal Rune + 1 Thul Rune + 1 Perfect Topaz + Normal Body Armor = Socketed Body Armor of same type
3) 1 Ral Rune + 1 Amn Rune + 1 Perfect Amethyst + Normal Weapon = Socketed Weapon of same type
4) 1 Ral Rune + 1 Thul Rune + 1 Perfect Sapphire + Normal Helm = Socketed Helm of same type
5) 1 Tal Rune + 1 Amn Rune + 1 Perfect Ruby + Normal Shield = Socketed Shield of same type6) 1 Hel Rune + Scroll of Town Portal + Any Socketed Item = Unsocket that itemWarning: This will destroy any gems, runes, or jewels you have socketed. This is useful if you are not happy with the gems you have socketed and you want to socket the item in another way.
Comments1) Expansion players socket rare items at Larzuk, not in the Horadric Cube.
2) - 5)
The possible number of sockets is restricted by the maximum sockets for that item. That is, the ilvl tiers apply. If an item allows, say max 4 sockets, then you will not get 5 or 6. Even if a roll of the dice would return 5 or 6, you still get 4 sockets. In terms of odds, this necessarily means that you roll 4 sockets with a probability of 50%, as 4 sockets means rolling 4, 5, or 6 sockets, each with a probability of 1:6.
Some of the odds listed on the Arreat Summit are incorrect. The basis for calculating the socket odds in each of the recipes 2) - 5) is 6 sockets regardless. Although headgear cannot get more than 3 sockets, and body armor and shields no more than 4, the base of 6 is still used when determining the odds (see below).
Socket OddsCode
Horadric Cube Socket Odds
(recipes 2-5 above)
Maximum sockets 1 socket 2 sockets 3 sockets 4 sockets 5 sockets 6 sockets
1 100 %
2 ~ 16.7 % ~ 83.3 %
3 ~ 16.7 % ~ 16.7 % ~ 66.7 %
4 ~ 16.7 % ~ 16.7 % ~ 16.7 % 50 %
5 ~ 16.7 % ~ 16.7 % ~ 16.7 % ~ 16.7 % ~ 33.3 %
6 ~ 16.7 % ~ 16.7 % ~ 16.7 % ~ 16.7 % ~ 16.7 % ~ 16.7 %
[5] The "Ethereal Armor Glitch"Concerning recipes 2), 4), and 5) above, Ernir @ Battle.net Forums had this to say,
[QUOTEQuote (Ernir@Battle.net Forums)]
38. How does the "Eth Glitch" work?In Diablo 2 version 1.11 and 1.11b, there is a bug regarding the socketing of ethereal armors. Ethereal armors are assigned a 50% bonus to their base defense rating when dropped. This is normal. What is not normal is the fact that when sockets are added to an ethereal armor using the Horadric Cube, that ethereal defense bonus is applied again. The result is an armor with an absolutely impossible defense rating. Enhanced defense modifiers are then added to that base defense rating, so the difference in end defense is rather huge.
This bug appeared as a side-effect when the 1.10 ethereal armor upgrade bug was fixed (the bug is described in section 14). In order to fix that bug, a defense bonus of 50% was simply crammed into the ethereal unique armor upgrade formula. Unfortunately that fix also affected the ethereal armor socketing formula, making armors now gain a second defense bonus when socketed.
[...]
It is not debatable whether this is a "bug" or an "undocumented feature". It is obviously a result of a programming flaw, making it a bug. Ask anyone who has looked at the code, ethereal armors gaining defense when socketed is NOT intentional. Not a chance.[/QUOTE]
Formally, the glitch results in a 50 % boost to the Defense of ethereal Armor, applied and truncated (rounded down),
- Glitched Defense = [ [Base Defense * 1.5] * 1.5]
Subsequent +% Enhanced Defense and +Defense modifiers are then applied to this new value.
Larzuk cannot glitch ethereal ArmorSince recipes 2), 4), and 5) do not work with low-quality or superior items, one might be tempted to suggest having Larzuk glitch ethereal, Superior Armor. Well, he can't. Granted, the item will receive sockets, but that's it. The ethereal glitch concerns the Horadric Cube, not Larzuk. There is no such thing as 'superior eth bugged'
Rerolling to get SocketsThe following recipes do not guarantee sockets, but since they are popular and may result in socket prefixes, they are included here for completeness.
7) 1 Perfect Skull + 1 Rare Item + Stone of Jordan = 1 High Quality New Rare Item of the same typeThis formula has the possibility of creating a higher quality Rare Item than the following formula. ilvl = int(.66 * clvl) + int(.66 * ilvl) That is, the ilvl will be equal to .66 times your clvl (rounded down) plus .66 times the input item's ilvl (also rounded down).
8) 6 Perfect Skulls + 1 Rare Item = 1 Random Low Quality Rare Item of the same typeYou can use this formula to get another chance at a Rare Item of the same type. ilvl = int(.4 * clvl) + int(.4 * ilvl) Player level matters. This formula will not work on items larger than 3x2.
9) 3 Perfect Gems (of any type) + 1 Magic Item = 1 New Random Magic Item of the Same TypeYou can use this formula to get another chance at a Magic Item of the same type. The ilvl = ilvl. This means to use 100% of the ilvl of the input item. It's important to note the difference between "the ilvl is set to a fixed number" like what happens in some recipes and "the ilvl of the output is exactly the same as the ilvl of the input" as is the case here.
Restoring and SocketingWhat to make of those low-quality items that no one would ever use ? Most of them are indeed useless. But, suppose you need, say exactly 3 sockets in an Archon Plate or a Phase Blade. Normally, you would have to either find one with 3 sockets or chance a regular one in the Horadric Cube, as the ilvl is simply too high for 3 sockets at Larzuk.
However, if you restore one of these low-quality items in the Horadric Cube, the ilvl is degraded to 1,
10) 1 Eld Rune + 1 Chipped Gem + Low Quality Weapon = Normal Quality Weapon of same typeilvl = 1. That is, regardless of what the ilvl was beforehand, it will be set to 1.
11) 1 El Rune + 1 Chipped Gem + Low Quality Armor = Normal Quality Armor of same typeilvl = 1. That is, regardless of what the ilvl was beforehand, it will be set to 1.
thus putting the AP/PB in the lowest ilvl tier (1-25), allowing maximum 3 sockets (see the Max Socket Table in [2]). And we know that Larzuk adds maximum sockets.
AcknowledgmentsRead it if you want.
This post was edited by Sgull on Mar 18 2012 01:02pm