Diablo II Guide: Gems in Lord of Destruction

Gems in Diablo II are socketable items that add magical effects to socketed weapons, shields, and helms. Helms and shields can have anywhere from one to four sockets, while weapons can have one to six sockets.The expansion, Lord of Destruction, added socketed armor and improved gem buffs.

There are seven types of gems, each with a different effect relating to its color, and five grades of gems which determine the degree of effect. You can't remove gems once they go into a socket, so take careful consideration before you use them. Save more valuable gems for rare and powerful equipment and vice versa.

The five grades of gems have a restricted use based on your character level:

1. Chipped – Requires character level 1. Selling price: 250 (500 for Skulls).
2. Flawed – Requires character level 5. Selling price: 750 (1500 for Skulls).
3. Normal – Requires character level 12. Selling price: 2500 (5000 for Skulls).
4. Flawless – Requires character level 15. Selling price: 7500 (15000 for Skulls).
5. Perfect – Requires character level 18. Selling price: 15000 (30000 for Skulls).

There are two ways to upgrade a gem. The first is to touch a gem shrine, which upgrades one random gem in your inventory. If you want to upgrade a specific gem, drop everything else so it becomes the only gem in your inventory. The second way to upgrade a gem is to transmute three of the same quality gem in the Horadric Cube. This will create single new gem one grade higher.

 Amethysts are purple. They symbolize endurance and vitality.

• Chipped – +40 to Attack Rating in weapons; +8 to Defense in shields; +3 to Strength in helms and armor.
• Flawed – +60 to Attack Rating in weapons; +12 to Defense in shields; +4 to Strength in helms and armor.
• Normal – +80 to Attack Rating in weapons; +18 to Defense in shields; +6 to Strength in helms and armor.
• Flawless – +100 to Attack Rating in weapons; +24 to Defense in shields; +8 to Strength in helms and armor.
• Perfect – +150 to Attack Rating in weapons; +30 to Defense in shields; +10 to Strength in helms and armor.

 Topazes are yellow. They symbolize the power of lightning.

• Chipped – +1-8 Lightning Damage in weapons; +12% Lightning Resist in shields; +9% Magic Find in helms and armor.
• Flawed – +1-14 Lightning Damage in weapons; +16% Lightning Resist in shields; +13% Magic Find in helms and armor.
• Normal – +1-22 Lightning Damage in weapons; +22% Lightning Resist in shields; +16% Magic Find in helms and armor.
• Flawless – +1-30 Lightning Damage in weapons; +28% Lightning Resist in shields; +20% Magic Find in helms and armor.
• Perfect – +1-40 Lightning Damage in weapons; +40% Lightning Resist in shields; +24% Magic Find in helms and armor.

 Sapphires are blue. They symbolize the power of cold.

• Chipped – +1-3 Cold Damage in weapons; +12% Resist Cold in shields; +10 to maximum Mana in helms and armor.
• Flawed – +3-5 Cold Damage in weapons; +16% Resist Cold in shields; +17 to maximum Mana in helms and armor.
• Normal – +4-7 Cold Damage in weapons; +22% Resist Cold in shields; +24 to maximum Mana in helms and armor.
• Flawless – +6-10 Cold Damage in weapons; +28% Resist Cold in shields; +31 to maximum Mana in helms and armor.
• Perfect – +10-14 Cold Damage in weapons; +40% Resist Cold in shields; +38 to maximum Mana in helms and armor.

 Emeralds are green. They symbolize the power of poison.

• Chipped – +10 Poison Damage to weapons; +12% Resist Poison to shields; +3 to Dexterity in helms and armor.
• Flawed – +20 Poison Damage to weapons; +16% Resist Poison to shields; +4 to Dexterity in helms and armor.
• Normal – +40 Poison Damage to weapons; +22% Resist Poison to shields; +6 to Dexterity in helms and armor.
• Flawless – +60 Poison Damage to weapons; +28% Resist Poison to shields; +8 to Dexterity in helms and armor.
• Perfect – +100 Poison Damage to weapons; +40% Resist Poison to shields; +10 to Dexterity in helms and armor.

 Rubies are red. They symbolize the power of fire.

• Chipped – +3-4 Fire Damage to weapons; +12% Resist Fire to shields; +10 to maximum Hit Points in helms and armor.
• Flawed – +5-8 Fire Damage to weapons; +16% Resist Fire to shields; +17 to maximum Hit Points in helms and armor.
• Normal – +8-12 Fire Damage to weapons; +22% Resist Fire to shields; +24 to maximum Hit Points in helms and armor.
• Flawless – +10-16 Fire Damage to weapons; +28% Resist Fire to shields; +31 to maximum Hit Points in helms and armor.
• Perfect – +15-20 Fire Damage to weapons; +40% Resist Fire to shields; +38 to maximum Hit Points in helms and armor.

 Diamonds are white. They symbolize purity and light.

• Chipped – +28% damage versus Undead in weapons; +6% to all Resistances in shields; +20 to Attack Rating in helms and armor.
• Flawed – +34% damage versus Undead in weapons; +8% to all Resistances in shields; +40 to Attack Rating in helms and armor.
• Normal – +44% damage versus Undead in weapons; +11% to all Resistances in shields; +60 to Attack Rating in helms and armor.
• Flawless – +54% damage versus Undead in weapons; +14% to all Resistances in shields; +80 to Attack Rating in helms and armor.
• Perfect – +60% damage versus Undead in weapons; +19% to all Resistances in shields; +100 to Attack Rating in helms and armor.

 Skulls work like gems in socketed items.

• Chipped – Hit steals 2% Life and 1% Mana in weapons; attacker takes 4 damage in shields; Replenish Life +2, Regenerate Mana +8% in helms and armor.
• Flawed – Hit steals 2% Life and 2% Mana in weapons; attacker takes 8 damage in shields; Replenish Life +3, Regenerate Mana +8% in helms and armor.
• Normal – Hit steals 3% Life and 2% Mana in weapons; attacker takes 12 damage in shields; Replenish Life +3, Regenerate Mana +12% in helms and armor.
• Flawless – Hit steals 3% Life and 3% Mana in weapons; attacker takes 16 damage in shields; Replenish Life +4, Regenerate Mana +12% in helms and armor.
• Perfect – Hit steals 4% Life and 3% Mana in weapons; attacker takes 20 damage in shields; Replenish Life +52, Regenerate Mana +19% in helms and armor.