Socket

"Socket" refers to a functionality in an item that will allow it to be adorned with a magical gem that bears magical attributes. The mechanic allows the player to customize their items to a statistical extent, which can increase main attributes like Dexterity and Strength as well as other magical effects like damage return.

Item Sockets

Sockets for gold

There are item sockets in Diablo III. Runewords are not returning, but gem sockets can be added to a variety of items regardless of quality of item so a rare or legendary weapon could have sockets added to it. Items types such as Helsm, Bracers, Belts and Pants have been confirmed.

No jewels have been seen, and runes in Diablo III are for socketing into skills, not items. Jay Wilson referred to sockets and "gem sockets" in the Gamescom Artisan Presentation video in August 2010 so perhaps that signals a definitive decision made as to what can be put into sockets.

A gem provides different stats based into which item it is socketed, for example, an emerald socketed into a shield will provide some Dexterity, whilst an emerald socketed to a helm will provide Damage Return.

Socketing

Sockets are created in items by the Blacksmith Artisan in return for gold, providing another gold sink. Socketing was seen in the Gamescom 2010 Artistan presentation video where the Blacksmith socketed a simple buckler for 24424 gold pieces. This is likely to be changed, for better or for worse.

More types of items can have sockets in Diablo III, though the full list of such items has not yet been finalized. Jay Wilson spoke on this from Gamescom 2010: [1]

in.Diablo.d3: Can we socket everything in D3?

Jay Wilson: Not every single slot, but any item the blacksmith can add sockets to, about 6 different ones, he can do. It doesn’t matter the quality of the item. If you have legendary boots without a socket, he can add one.

Also, sockets can appear on any type of item. On D2 they only appeared on white items. In D3 a legendary, rare, anything, can have them. Sockets are treated like another affix.

Official Comments

Bashiok commented briefly on item sockets in February, 2009.[2]

We haven't released any information on our site, but it was possible to collect socketed items as well as gems in the BlizzCon demo... The gem stats at this point are more or less just the basics yanked from Diablo II to get the system running and have something to play around with.

Further Reading

• Items - The main article.
• Gems - To be socketed.
• Runes - No longer used with sockets.
• Known Items Listing - Known items.