Sockets
In Diablo 2 Resurrected each Weapon, Shield, Body Armor, and Helmet can spawn with an amount of Sockets depending on its Item Level (ilvl), which depends on the monster or chest that it pops out of. Since Runewords require specific numbers of Sockets, knowing exactly how many Sockets your item can roll with is incredibly important. This article covers each item's Socket potential, Horadric Cube recipes, and Quest rewards that can get you to the number you need.
Item Generation
When a Base / Ethereal item drops from a Monster or a clickable object, it determines if the base is eligible for Sockets.
| Gear Slot | Socketable |
| Helmet | ✔ |
| Body Armor | ✔ |
| Shield | ✔ |
| Melee Weapon | ✔ |
| Missile Weapon | ✔ |
| Throwable Weapon | - |
| Amulet | - |
| Ring | - |
| Belt | - |
| Glove | - |
| Boots | - |
There is a 1/3 chance that an item spawns with Sockets. If it does spawn with Sockets then the item shows up in a Gray color; just like an Ethereal. You need to pick up the item to see the difference. An item can spawn as Socketed and Ethereal.
There are Difficulty restrictions for Socket values when the item is normally spawned. This does NOT limit the number of Sockets the item can get if you use the Horadric Cube recipe, or Larzuk Quest reward.
- Normal Difficulty has a maximum of 3 Sockets on items.
- Nightmare Difficulty has a maximum of 4 Sockets on items.
- Hell Difficulty does not have a Socket limit.
The game then determines how many sockets the item will spawn with. It determines the maximum Sockets based on the Item Level (ilvl).
An item's ilvl is determined by the monster that drops it, or the Area Level (alvl) for chests and other clickables. Let's use Normal Secret Cow Level as an example:
- The Area Level (alvl) is 28. This means that any clickable and base Hell Bovine you kill drops items with ilvl 28.
- The Cow King and his Minions are Monster Level (mlvl) 31 because they are a Super Unique boss pack which adds 3 to alvl.
- Any item dropped in this area has ilvl 28/31.
- Very common items that you get from this area that you can Larzuk Quest for a desirable amount of Sockets:
- Crystal Sword
- Broad Sword
- Long Sword
- Flail
- Poleaxe
- Partizan
- As you can see in the table under "Item Sockets by ilvl", these items receive 4 Sockets from Larzuk.
Item Sockets By ilvl
Horadric Cube Recipes
The Horadric Cube has many recipes which allow you to add Sockets to an item, following specific rules to determine the resulting number. Check our in-depth article, Horadric Cube Recipes, for more information.
Socketing Base Items
Add Sockets to a Body Armor
1 x Normal/Ethereal Body Armor (Mage Plate) + 1 x talrune + 1 x thulrune + 1 x perfecttopaz = Mage Plate
This recipe can be used to randomly add Sockets to a Normal/Ethereal unsocketed Body Armor, capped to the maximum Sockets the Body Armor can have. It can’t be used on Low-quality or Superior bases.
| Result | Max 2 Sockets | Max 3 Sockets | Max 4 Sockets |
| 1 Socket | 16.67% | 16.67% | 16.67% |
| 2 Sockets | 83.33% | 16.67% | 16.67% |
| 3 Sockets | - | 66.67% | 16.67% |
| 4 Sockets | - | - | 50% |
Add Sockets to a Weapon
1 x Normal/Ethereal Weapon (Executioner Sword) + 1 x ralrune + 1 x amnrune + 1 x perfectamethyst = Executioner Sword
Can be used to add 1-6 Sockets, randomly, to a Normal/Ethereal unsocketed Weapon. Cannot be used on Low-quality or Superior bases.
| Result | Max 2 Sockets | Max 3 Sockets | Max 4 Sockets | Max 5 Sockets | Max 6 Sockets |
| 1 Socket | 16.67% | 16.67% | 16.67% | 16.67% | 16.67% |
| 2 Sockets | 83.33% | 16.67% | 16.67% | 16.67% | 16.67% |
| 3 Sockets | - | 66.67% | 16.67% | 16.67% | 16.67% |
| 4 Sockets | - | - | 50% | 16.67% | 16.67% |
| 5 Sockets | - | - | - | 33.33% | 16.67% |
| 6 Sockets | - | - | - | - | 16.67% |
Add Sockets to a Helm
1 x Normal/Ethereal Helm (Helm) + 1 x ralrune + 1 x thulrune + 1 x perfectsapphire = Helm
Can be used to add 1-3 Sockets, randomly, to a Normal/Ethereal unsocketed Helm. Cannot be used on Low-quality or Superior bases.
| Result | Max 2 Sockets | Max 3 Sockets |
| 1 Socket | 16.67% | 16.67% |
| 2 Sockets | 83.33% | 16.67% |
| 3 Sockets | - | 66.67% |
Add Sockets to a Shield
1 x Normal/Ethereal Shield (Vortex Shield) + 1 x talrune + 1 x amnrune + 1 x perfectruby = Vortex Shield
Can be used to add 1-4 Sockets, randomly, to a Normal/Ethereal unsocketed Shield. Cannot be used on Low-quality or Superior bases.
| Result | Max 2 Sockets | Max 3 Sockets | Max 4 Sockets |
| 1 Socket | 16.67% | 16.67% | 16.67% |
| 2 Sockets | 83.33% | 16.67% | 16.67% |
| 3 Sockets | - | 66.67% | 16.67% |
| 4 Sockets | - | - | 50% |
Socketing Rare Items
Add 1 Socket to a Rare Item
3 x Perfectskull + 1 x thestoneofjordan + 1 x Rare Item (Rare Circlet) = Rare Circlet
Add 1 Socket to a Rare item which can have sockets, and does not currently have any sockets.
Creating New Magic Socketed Items
Socketed Magic Weapon (of the same type)
3 x Standard Gems (any type) + 1 x Normal Socketed Weapon (Short Sword) = Socketed Short Sword
Creates a Socketed Magic Weapon with iLVL = 30. It spawns with 1-2 sockets. The type of weapon is retained, but its original properties are removed (re-rolled). The resulting weapon can also roll a Prefix and a Suffix.
Socketed Magic Weapon (of the same type) iLVL = 25
3 x Chipped Gems (any type) + 1 x Magic Weapon (Short Sword) = Socketed Short Sword
Creates a Socketed Magic Weapon with iLVL = 25. It spawns with 1-2 sockets. The type of weapon is retained, but its original properties are removed (re-rolled). The resulting weapon can also roll a Prefix and a Suffix.
For weapons without sockets (i.e. Javelin), it creates a new Javelin without sockets.
Socketed Magic Weapon (of the same type) iLVL = 30
3 x Flawless Gems (any type) + 1 x Magic Weapon (Short Sword) = Socketed Short Sword
Creates a Socketed Magic Weapon with iLVL = 30. It spawns with 1-2 sockets. The type of weapon is retained, but its original properties are removed (rerolled). The resulting weapon can also roll a Prefix and a Suffix. For weapons without sockets (i.e. Javelin), it creates a new Javelin without sockets.
Removing Items from Sockets
Remove Gems, Jewels, and Runes from Socketed items
1 x Any Socketed Item (Spirit Crystal Sword) + 1 x helrune + 1 x scrolloftownportal = Crystal Sword
This removes any items placed inside the sockets of a base item. This destroys the Gems, Jewels or Runes in the item permanently, and you cannot use them again. The socketed item is unchanged in the process, and new items can be placed in its sockets.
Socket Quest (Larzuk)
The objective of this Quest is to kill Shenk the Overseer at the end of the Bloody Foothills just outside Harrogath in Act 5. Return to Harrogath and Larzuk offers to put Sockets into an item of your choosing:
- Base Items receive their maximum possible number of Sockets which depend on their Item Levels:
- Example: Any Monarch always receives 4 Sockets.
- Magic Items receive 1-2 Sockets (random).
- Rare, Crafted, Set, and Unique Items receive 1 Socket.
Credits
Written by MacroBioBoi
Reviewed by Teo1904