I tried it so you don't have to: socketing and then improving the quality of a damaged armor

General Discussion
1

Socketing a damaged armor/helm and then improving its quality (with the “El Rune + chipped gem” cube recipe) removes the sockets.

I found threads on the internet asking the question but haven’t found an answer so I sacrificed a socketing quest to find it out. (The socketing was done by a character that was rushed through normal difficulty specifically for the socketing quest.)

I used a “Damaged Bone Visage” that received 3 sockets from Larzuk. After socketing the name was still “Damaged Bone Visage” and the cube recipe (El rune + chipped) worked with it but removed the sockets. To make it worse, the defense barely improved: it was ninety-something (don’t remember the exact value) and the improved defense is 108. (Can this cube recipe roll max defense?)

The recipe sets the ilvl to 1 so using it before socketing would give only 2 sockets with a Bone Visage:

  • http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/cube.shtml
  • https://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Sockets
3 Likes
2

Good man. - - - - - - - - -

3

You are right,
That formula should at least keep the sockets and other features like skill tabs of items for sure.

But also give the best defense possible of the item.

Now this make me think for the update should be added something cool to use superior quality gloves belt and boots.
And also regular etheral ones !
We never pick them up !!