Some advice on Socketing

[TheKingofKewl]

I want to list out some statistics on my barbarian for maybe some advice on how I am doing.

He's level 73 right now.

With equipment.

Strength 189
Dexterity 160
Vitality 120
Energy 10

Attack Damage 289 - 652
Concentrate Damage 427 - 989
Attack Rating 2422
Concentrate attack Rating 3719
Defense 2992
Life 633
Mana 82

Hell Mode Resists (with the minus -50 to all)

Fire 75
Cold 42
Lightening -6
Poison -1

Anyway too tired to get into all my equipment, but I am an axe master, using the Butcher's Pupil, a pretty good one handed axe.

I find I am more effective with axe and shield then two axes. If I find a good two handed axe I may use that instead.

I seem to do alright in hell, I've completed my first two quests. Blood raven was very tough because the undead surrounded her at all times. I tried to chop some down that strayed away to thin them out but it didnt seem to work. I figured if I was a paladin I could zeal them down, a sorceress I could shoot spells, amazon with arrows, necromancer raise dead and shoot some teeth but a barbarian what am I to do? Leap in? I would get slaughtered, so I lured her away alot and slowly weakened her.

I have 10 in Whirlwind, about 12 in Iron Skin (planning to max), 5 in Natural Resistances, 13 in Battle Orders (planning to max), 1 in Battle Commands. I also have maxed axe mastery, placed 10 in concentrate I can't remember if the guide said to max. A point in speed and stamina increase. I am trying to build this guy into a tank.

I am wondering what item to socket. I do not know how vital this option is, but I have kept it open. I read that certain items have a set amount of sockets available to them, can they be increased over the max?
Are socketed items the way to go? Or are the best items set items or uniques?


Also my paladin is a zealer, and he is sword and shield. I craft him so far a king's grace out of a war sword. It seems to be the best one handed sword type for paladins. The nightmare equivalent seems to be an ancient sword doing twice base damage so there must be a hell version equivlent to.

I'm wondering what my friend level 93 is using as a zealer paladin. I'm pretty sure he had 4 or 5 sockets in sword, shield and armor. Maybe he was using a broad sword style, I think they offer more sockets but less damage. You can't socket rares or uniques can you?

I need some guidance for these characters, my paladin will soon be in hell mode as well I want him to be well equipped. Can you help Adeyke and others :)
thanks!!

[adeyke]

I can't really give advice, but I can clarify some things.

The socket quest can be used on any item that can have sockets but doesn't have them already. You can use it on rares, uniques, crafted items, and set items and get exactly 1 socket. Or you can use it on magic items, for 1-2 sockets randomly (assuming the item can have more than 1). Finally, you can use it on non-magical items to get the maximum that item can have at its ilvl.

You can find this maximum with the calculator in my signature. It'll show three numbers for the max sockets: ilvl 1-25, ilvl 26-40, and ilvl 41+. This maximum is absolute; there's no way at all to get more. There's also no way at all to add more sockets to an item that already has some.

[TheKingofKewl]

I thank you for your help. Thouhg I'm still stumped on one thing.

The paladin I sometimes get the opportunity to talk to has a really powerful sword, he's levl 93.
I could have sword it had 4 or 5 sockets

The damage read out was very high and it swung very fast.
It did somehting like 50-300 in both cold and magic damage. And it had a few other nice features. And his armor had runes in it to and had 1414 armor. He traded to get some of his stuff so I don't know how I can get some of these things.
I want to know where to get make some of the really elite stuff.

thanks

I can't really give advice, but I can clarify some things.

The socket quest can be used on any item that can have sockets but doesn't have them already.  You can use it on rares, uniques, crafted items, and set items and get exactly 1 socket.  Or you can use it on magic items, for 1-2 sockets randomly (assuming the item can have more than 1).  Finally, you can use it on non-magical items to get the maximum that item can have at its ilvl.

You can find this maximum with the calculator in my signature.  It'll show three numbers for the max sockets: ilvl 1-25, ilvl 26-40, and ilvl 41+.  This maximum is absolute; there's no way at all to get more.  There's also no way at all to add more sockets to an item that already has some.
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[ShadowHM]

I thank you for your help. Thouhg I'm still stumped on one thing.

The paladin I sometimes get the opportunity to talk to has a really powerful sword, he's levl 93.
  I could have sword it had 4 or 5 sockets

The damage read out was very high and it swung very fast.
It did somehting like 50-300 in both cold and magic damage. And it had a few other nice features. And his armor had runes in it to and had 1414 armor. He traded to get some of his stuff so I don't know how I can get some of these things.
I want to know where to get make some of the really elite stuff.

thanks
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The sword you saw sounds like Azurewrath, an elite Unique Sword.

http://www.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/e...ords.shtml

For that to drop, you just have to keep playing (and playing and playing) in Hell, with as much Magic Find as you can muster and still stay alive.

Take a look through the Rune Word listings at the Arreat Summit website:

http://www.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/runewords.shtml

As to how to get to make these things, keep playing until you find those runes. :) If you have a partner to play with, you can eventually accumulate quite a few runes by taking turns with Hellforge rushes (i.e. the high character escorts a baby through the game to get the Hellforge quest in all three difficulties). You can also run the Countess in Nightmare and Hell repeatedly (i.e. ad nauseum) and cube up everything you find in each run. While you are on the way, you will eventually find the base items to make them in, whether as grey drops, or as white ones that you can take to Larzuk.

[Chaostheory]

Hell Mode Resists (with the minus -50 to all)
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In hell difficulty the resistances are at -100 (at least i think they are),
however you might have done Prison of ice quest which gives 10 (or 15, not sure)
to all resistances, also you have points in natural resistance which boosts your resistances too

   Are socketed items the way to go? Or are the best items set items or uniques?
Also my paladin is a zealer, and he is sword and shield. I craft him so far a king's grace out of a war sword. It seems to be the best one handed sword type for paladins. The nightmare equivalent seems to be an ancient sword doing twice base damage so there must be a hell version equivlent to.
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I don't know which are better, runewords or uniques, i think that getting an unique is much easier than high runes in bnet so i'd say uniques...
Of course you should also add crafted items to your lists :P
Probably u don't know much of them yet, fear not, neither do i :w00t: but i do know a page which knows :D :
Crafted items

And for the runeword King's grace:

I think the runeword Kingslayer is better than King's grace, because crushing blow takes any opponent down very quicly when used by a zealer, also prevent monster heal is good for very tough enemies. Here are the two runewords and their affects:

Kingslayer
Character Level: 53
(1.10 Runeword)

Mal + Um + Gul + Fal (hmm.. might take some time to find these :D )

4 Socket Swords/Axes

+30% Increased Attack Speed
+230-270% Enhanced Damage (varies)
-25% Target Defense
20% Bonus To Attack Rating
33% Chance of Crushing Blow
50% Chance of Open Wounds
+1 To Vengeance
Prevent Monster Heal
+10 To Strength
40% Extra Gold From Monsters

And then King's grace...

King's Grace
Character Level: 25

Amn + Ral + Thul

3 Socket Swords/Scepters

+100% Enhanced Damage
+100% Damage To Demons
+50% Damage To Undead
Adds 5-30 Fire Damage
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage - 3 Second Duration
+150 To Attack Rating
+100 To Attack Rating Against Demons
+100 To Attack Rating Against Undead
7% Life Stolen Per Hit

Of course there may be better runewords, but this is the best i found to use on a one handed SWORD (the best for zealer)

I need some guidance for these characters, my paladin will soon be in hell mode as well I want him to be well equipped. Can you help Adeyke and others :)
thanks!!
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Of course we will help u, just post your questions here at these forums :D

[TheKingofKewl]

I am searching and searching nightmare act 5 for socketable war swords and ancients swords but I find everythign but.
I am finding some decetn runes though like Ral and Eld and Sol I think its a 35th level +10 vitality one. I'm hanging onto them

Anyway I have friends looking. If someone finds a 3 socket one handed ancient sword I will pay for it in decent runes. Anyway think about it guys :-)

In hell difficulty the resistances are at -100 (at least i think they are),
however you might have done Prison of ice quest which gives 10 (or 15, not sure)
to all resistances, also you have points in natural resistance which boosts your resistances too
I don't know which are better, runewords or uniques, i think that getting an unique is much easier than high runes in bnet so i'd say uniques...
Of course you should also add crafted items to your lists  :P
Probably u don't know much of them yet, fear not, neither do i  :w00t:  but i do know a page which knows :D  :
Crafted items

And for the runeword King's grace:

I think the runeword Kingslayer is better than King's grace, because crushing blow takes any opponent down very quicly when used by a zealer, also prevent monster heal is good for very tough enemies. Here are the two runewords and their affects:

Kingslayer
Character Level: 53
(1.10 Runeword)

Mal + Um + Gul + Fal    (hmm.. might take some time to find these  :D  )

4 Socket Swords/Axes

+30% Increased Attack Speed
+230-270% Enhanced Damage (varies)
-25% Target Defense
20% Bonus To Attack Rating
33% Chance of Crushing Blow
50% Chance of Open Wounds
+1 To Vengeance
Prevent Monster Heal
+10 To Strength
40% Extra Gold From Monsters

And then King's grace...

King's Grace
Character Level: 25

Amn + Ral + Thul

3 Socket Swords/Scepters

+100% Enhanced Damage
+100% Damage To Demons
+50% Damage To Undead
Adds 5-30 Fire Damage
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage - 3 Second Duration
+150 To Attack Rating
+100 To Attack Rating Against Demons
+100 To Attack Rating Against Undead
7% Life Stolen Per Hit

Of course there may be better runewords, but this is the best i found to use on a one handed SWORD (the best for zealer)
Of course we will help u, just post your questions here at these forums :D
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