The quality of your gear makes all the difference in Diablo 4 due to its level syncing system. If you have subpar gear for your level, you'll struggle with any area because monsters are set to your current level, not the level of the story for that area. In order to improve your gear, you can upgrade it or add gems to it. But how?
The Jeweler is your one-stop shop for everything related to gems, from crafting them, removing them, and even adding more places to put them to your favorite weapon. Our guide will cover crafting and sockets for gems, required materials, limits on the crafting system, and when to upgrade gear.
The Jeweler
Whereas vendors like the Blacksmith tend to turn into glorified trashcans in the late game, NPCs like the Occultist and the Jeweler will continue to be relevant long past your first playthrough. The Jeweler is where you will:
- Craft gems
- Unsocket gems
- Add sockets to items
- Upgrade jewelry
The number of sockets on a piece of gear, as well as the quality of the gem inside, can make a huge difference to the power of that item - these mechanics shouldn't be ignored.
How To Craft Gems
Crafting gems at the Jeweler is a key method of upping your power level in the early stages of the game. Gems are crafted using a handful of resources and can be made into different tiers.
Required Materials
In order to craft gems, players will need a modest amount of gold and three of the previous tier gems of the same type. Gems will drop similarly to gear from enemies and from chests, so you can slowly build up a cache of them to craft into higher-quality versions.
Gem Tiers
There are a total of five gem tiers currently in Diablo 4. These are:
- Crude
- Chipped
- Standard
- Flawless
- Royal
The tier of gems that drops from chests and enemies is dependent on your character level. However, gems that you craft will usually be a higher tier than those you encounter in the wild.
Everything About Gem Sockets
Gem sockets allow you to affix gems to your gear. Some gear will drop with sockets already on it, but you can also add sockets to your favorite gear pieces. In Diablo 3, some gear could not have gem sockets (such as gear sets), but it is currently unknown if this mechanic will make a return.
The bonus granted by your gem is dependent on the type of gear it has been attached to, so be sure to read before dropping things in. You can see what bonus a gem is currently giving to an item by hovering over the gear.
Socketing A Gem
Socketing a gem is very easy in Diablo 4. If you have an item with an empty socket and a gem, simply drag the gem onto the gear piece. This will cause the gem to stop taking up its own inventory slot and instead display inside the gear piece. However, once a gem has been socketed, it cannot be unsocketed so easily.
Unsocketing A Gem
To remove a gem from a piece of gear, you'll need to use the relevant menu at the Jeweler. This will look like a pair of pliers and is the second tab for this vendor. Despite it being mildly inconvenient that you must use a Jeweler NPC to retrieve gems from equipment, it does not cost anything.
Always unsocket gems before selling gear. Selling a piece of equipment with a gem inside will cause the gem to disappear, and you will not be able to retrieve it. If you attempt to buy the gear back, the socket will be empty.
Adding Sockets To Gear
Adding a socket to your favorite gear, it's going to cost you a pretty penny. For this reason, it is recommended to wait to add sockets until you have your late-game gear. Adding a socket to an amulet can cost around 18,000 gold and a Shattered Prism (these are difficult to farm).
If you have equipment whose aspects you really love, then adding sockets can be a great way to keep the gear relevant. The number of sockets any one piece of gear can hold depend on its type:
- Helm - 1 Socket
- Chest - 2 Sockets
- Pants - 2 Sockets
- Amulet - 1 Socket
- Ring - 1 Socket
- 1-Handed Weapon - 1 Socket
- 2-Handed Weapon - 2 Socket
- Bow - 2 Socket
- Focus - 1 Socket
Once a gear item has a socket, there does not appear to be any way to remove it or otherwise recover the materials.