View source for Item socket

{{redirect|Socket|sockets in the passive skill tree|jewel socket}}

[[Image:socket.png|thumb|upright|An example of a bow with three linked sockets; two of which are occupied by skill gems.]]

'''Item sockets''' are slots on [[equipment]] or [[Delve Stackable Socketable Currency|resonators]] into which other items can be placed. There are 3 types of sockets: 

* Coloured sockets in which [[skill gems]] of a matching colour can be socketed
** Coloured sockets can be '''linked''' together, which is required for [[Support Skill Gems|support skill gems]] to provide benefits to linked [[Active skill gem|active skill gems]].
* Abyss sockets in which [[Abyss Jewel]]s can be socketed
* [[delve socketable currency|Resonator]] sockets in which [[fossil]]s can be socketed

==Coloured sockets==

===Colours===
Each socket has one of four colours:
* red, associated with [[strength]]
* blue, associated with [[intelligence]]
* green, associated with [[dexterity]]
* white

Skill gems have to be placed into a socket with the corresponding colour with the exception of white gems and sockets, which can be placed into a socket of any colour or take a gem of any colour respectively. 

The random choice of colour for sockets is weighted based upon the magnitude of the relevant attributes (strength, dexterity, intelligence) required to use the item. For example, a low strength requirement (low base-level) pure strength armour item has a higher probability of rolling off-color sockets than a high strength requirement (high base-level) pure strength armour. 

White sockets can be obtained through [[corruption]] by using a {{il|Vaal Orb}} at a 25% chance.<ref name="WhiteChance"/> They can also be crafted into an item using an {{il|Encrusted Fossil}} or [[Vorici, Silent Brother|Vorici]]'s crafting bench in the [[Immortal Syndicate]] Research safehouse. The Altar of Corruption in the [[Temple of Atzoatl]] has a chance to corrupt an item to have all white sockets.

The colour of sockets can be changed by {{il|Chromatic Orb}} reforging or by using the [[Crafting Bench]] in your [[hideout]].

===Number of sockets===
The number of possible sockets on [[equipment]] is based on the [[item level]] as well as the type of the equipment being used. 

The number of sockets can be changed by {{il|Jeweller's Orb}} reforging, using the [[Crafting Bench]] in your [[hideout]], an {{il|Orb of Binding}} or a {{il|Encrusted Fossil}}. Corrupted items can only be changed through the [[Crafting Bench]] and need an equivalent amount of {{il|Vaal Orb}} as the usual cost of {{il|Jeweller's Orb}}, {{il|Chromatic Orb}} and {{il|Orb of Fusing}} to change sockets on any corrupted item.

====Maximum number of sockets by equipment type====
* Most [[Belts]], [[amulets]], [[rings]] and [[quivers]] do not have sockets. Exceptions are {{il|Unset Ring}}, {{il|Black Maw Talisman}}, {{il|Stygian Vise}}, and {{il|ornate quiver}}.
* [[One-Handed|One-handed weapons]] and [[shield]]s can only have up to 3 sockets max
* [[Boots]], [[helmet]]s and [[glove]]s can have up to 4 sockets
* [[Body armour]]s and [[Two-Handed|Two-handed weapons]] can have up to 6 sockets

Some items have exceptions to these rules.

====Item level====
{| class = "wikitable"
! Number of sockets
! Minimum item level
! {{abbr|Weight (6S & 3S)|Applies to items that can have a maximum of 6 sockets such as two hand weapons and body armours or a maximum of 3 sockets such as one hand weapons and shields }}
! {{abbr|Weight (4S)|Applies to items that can have a maximum of 4 sockets such as gloves, helmets and boots}}
! First [[vendor]]
|-
| 1 || 1 || 50 || 100  || Act 1
|-
| 2 || 1 || 120 || 90  || Act 1
|-
| 3 || 2 || 100 || 80  || Act 1
|-
| 4 || 25 || 30 || 30  || Act 3
|-
| 5 || 35 || 5 || {{n/a}}  || Act 4
|-
| 6 || 50 || 1 || {{n/a}} || Act 6
|}
<!-- Info can be sourced from:
4S: Metadata/Items/Armours/AbstractArmour.ot
6S: Metadata/Items/Armours/BodyArmours/AbstractBodyArmour.ot or Metadata/Items/Weapons/TwoHandWeapons/AbstractTwoHandWeapon.ot
3S: Metadata/Items/Armours/Shields/AbstractShield.ot or Metadata/Items/Weapons/AbstractWeapon.ot
-->

The item level item is generally applicable, but note that there are a few cases where the restriction does not apply:

* [[Hillock]], upon death, ''always'' drops a specific weapon with three differently coloured sockets, which is dependent on your class.
* Unique items that override the socket mechanics, such as {{il|Tabula Rasa}} which ''always'' has 6 linked white sockets.
* Items from [[strongboxes]] with {{Ml|ChestItemSockets}} affix
* Sockets can be crafted to an item using the [[Crafting Bench]] ignoring [[item level]] restrictions

===Links===
Sockets can be linked to other sockets in the same item. In order to provide their benefits support skill gems have to be placed in sockets linked to other sockets containing active skill gems. 

Multiple support skill gems of the same type can only be applied once to an active skill gem, however it is possible to apply a single support skill gem to multiple active skill gems at once. If multiple support gems of the same type are socketed in the same link, the highest level support is used.

:''For example, the two skills {{il|Fireball}} and {{il|Freezing Pulse}} may be linked with the support skill {{il|Elemental Proliferation}} in a three linked item, or {{il|Freezing Pulse}} may be replaced by {{il|Chance to Ignite}} to enhance the {{il|Fireball}} even more. However linking two instances of {{il|Elemental Proliferation}} will only provide the bonus of the highest level one.''
:Spell Totem Support can be linked with most blue Active skills (Arc, SRS, Frostbolt, etc) in a 6 link armor/Tabula Rasa

The number of links can be reforged using an {{il|Orb of Fusing}}, the [[Crafting Bench]], an {{il|Orb of Binding}} or a {{il|Encrusted Fossil}}.

==== Order ====
<section begin=skill_gem_order />Generally the order in which skill gems are linked only holds importance for [[trigger gem]]s and for rounding the mana cost. The order for sockets used is:
{|style="text-align:center;"
|-
  | 1
  | ⇒
  | 2
|-
  |
  | 
  | ⇓ 
|-
  | 4
  | ⇐
  | 3
|-
  | ⇓ 
  | 
  | 
|-
  | 5
  | ⇒
  | 6
|}
If multiple trigger gems are socketed in several equipped items the order will be:

:Main hand ⇒ Amulet ⇒ Helm ⇒ Off hand ⇒ Body armour ⇒ Gloves ⇒ Boots<section end=skill_gem_order />

===Items with non-standard interactions===

====Base items====
* {{il|Unset Ring|Unset Rings}} have 1 socket instead of none.
* {{il|Black Maw Talisman|Black Maw Talismans}} have 1 socket instead of none.
* {{il|Gnarled Branch}} can only have up to 3 sockets, despite being a two-handed weapon.
* {{il|Fishing Rod}} can only have up to 4 sockets, despite being a two-handed weapon.

====Unique items====
* {{il|The Goddess Unleashed}} and {{il|Oni-Goroshi}} always have 6 linked sockets. They are the only one-handed weapons that can have more than three sockets.
* {{il|Actum}}, {{il|Kaom's Heart}}, {{il|Replica Kaom's Heart}}, {{il|Kaom's Roots}}, and {{il|The Grey Spire}} do not have any sockets.
* {{il|Malachai's Artifice}} always has a white socket and grants stats based on the colour of the gem socketed into the item.
* {{il|Prismatic Eclipse}}, {{il|Scaeva}}, and {{il|Crown of the Tyrant}} grant stats based on the colour of the sockets in the item.
* {{il|Tabula Rasa}} always has 6 white linked sockets.
* {{il|Skin of the Loyal}} and {{il|Skin of the Lords}} always come with six linked sockets that are randomly colored. These cannot be modified with the crafting bench.
* {{il|Dialla's Malefaction}} does not need to have the socketed gems match the socket colors, effectively functioning as white sockets.
* {{il|Loreweave}} always has 6 sockets.
* {{il|Shadowstitch}} always has 6 linked sockets.
* {{il|Maloney's Mechanism}} always has 3 sockets, one of which can be lost if replaced by a vaal implicit.

=====Unique items from races=====
All [[Descent: Champions Chests#Unique item chests|Descent: Champions unique items]] have three white, linked sockets (except for {{il|Slivers of Providence}} and {{il|Chains of Time}}).

===Related divination cards===
There are [[divination card]]s that grant items with a high number of sockets and links.

{{Query base items
|where=
  items.class="Divination Card"
  AND items.description LIKE "%-link%"
|description=1
}}

===Related Prophecies===
* {{il|The Jeweller's Touch}} will cause the next {{il|Jeweller's Orb}} used on an appropriate item to make that item become a fully-linked five-socket item. 
* {{il|Fated Connections}} will cause the next {{il|Jeweller's Orb}} that resulted in an item having 6 sockets to also make those sockets fully linked.

==Abyssal socket==
{{Main|Abyssal socket}}

Abyssal sockets are special types of sockets exclusively found on [[Abyss]] themed items. A single socket can be found on {{il|Stygian Vise}} and between one and two sockets on Abyss-related uniques. Abyss sockets can also be crafted into an item using a [[Resonator]] with a {{il|Hollow Fossil}}.

The following uniques have abyss sockets:
* [[Bubonic Trail]]
* [[Command of the Pit]]
* [[Hale Negator]]
* [[Lightpoacher]]
* [[Shroud of the Lightless]]
* [[Tombfist]]

Abyss sockets take the place of regular sockets, i.e. an item will have the number of maximum coloured sockets reduced by the amount of abyss sockets; for example, a glove with two abyss sockets can only have up to a maximum of 2 coloured sockets. 

You can only socket [[abyss jewel]]s into these sockets.

==Resonator sockets==
{{main|Resonator}}
Resonators are a special [[currency]] [[item class]] which have sockets for [[fossil]]s.

==Developer Information==
{{development information|section=yes}}

Relevant information about the sockets can be found in the "Sockets" section of .ot files (based on which files the item in question inherits).

The format used for sockets is
    <number of sockets>:<item level requirement>:<spawn weighting>

The socket colours are commonly represented as:
{| class="wikitable"
! Colour
! Letter Code
! Numerical ID
|-
| red
| R
| 1
|-
| green
| G
| 2
|- 
| blue
| B
| 3
|- 
| white
| W
| 
|}

==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="WhiteChance">{{cite web|author=chris_wilson|date=July 16, 2015|title=Chris Wilson on chances of corrupting White Sockets|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/3dgggv/chris_wilson_on_chances_of_corrupting_white/ct54drb|publisher=Path of Exile Subreddit|accessdate=July 16, 2015}}</ref>
}}

[[Category:Item mechanics]]
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