========================================================================
========================================================================
================================GEM GUIDE============================
========================================================================
======================================================================

     Diablo 2 Gem Guide
    By Vincento
     firm1315@aol.com
     Last Updated 6-20-01

===Version History===

Version 1.0 - Completed Gem Guide
Version 1.1 - Added some new recipes and fixed Section 3 and 4 thanks
              to Darklord
Version 1.2 - Added new recipe, added Darklord's e-mail address

===Table of Contents===

1. Introduction
2. The Gems and their effects
3. Socketed Uniques/Rares/Set Items
4. Horadric Cube Recipes and Gems
5. Closing Statements/Copyright
_______________________________________________________________________

===Section 1=== Introduction

Gems are very magical items that can be very valuable, useful, and have
extremely special effects to it that can help you proceed in Diablo 2. Gems
have two purposes in this game; to be sold and to be socketed into
weapons/helms/shields. All weapons can be found socketed but the only armor
you can find that will be socketed are helms and shields. How many gems you
can put into a socketed weapon or shield depends on how big that weapon or
shield is. For example: a Dagger will have two sockets while a Flamberge will
have three sockets. A Buckler will have two sockets while a Gothic Shield
will have three sockets. All socketed helms can only contain two gems.

There are seven different types of gems: Amethyst, Diamond, Emerald, Ruby,
Sapphire, Skull, and Topaz, each with different magical properties when you
put them into socketed weapons/helms/shields. If you put one gem into a weapon
and then the same one into a shield the effects for the socketed item will
be different (see section 2).

There are also five different levels for gems: Chipped, Flawed, Regular,
Flawless, and Perfect. Once you put three gems of the same level, like three
chipped Emeralds, into the Horadric Cube and transmute it, the gems will turn
into one gem of the next grade, i.e. you'll get a Flawed Emerald. If you have
any more questions feel free to email me at firm1315@aol.com.
_______________________________________________________________________

===Section 2=== Gems and Their Affects

**AR = Attack Rating

AMETHYST                  HELM EFFECT    SHIELD EFFECT    WEAPON EFFECT
Chipped Amethyst  -    +3 to Strength     +5-6 Defense     +15-19 to AR

Flawed Amethyst   -    +4 to Strength     +7-8 Defense     +20-29 to AR

Amethyst          -  +5-6 to Strength    +9-10 Defense     +30-39 to AR

Flawless Amethyst -  +7-8 to Strength   +11-13 Defense     +40-49 to AR

Perfect Amethyst  - +9-10 to Strength   +14-17 Defense     +50-60 to AR

=======================================================================

DIAMOND          HELM EFFECT            SHIELD EFFECT     WEAPON EFFECT
Chipped Diamond  - +10 to AR     +5-6% to resistances   Enhanced Damage
                                                         against Undead

Flawed Diamond   - +15 to AR     +7-8% to resistances   Enhanced Damage
                                                         against Undead

Diamond          - +20 to AR    +9-11% to resistances   Enhanced Damage
                                                         against Undead

Flawless Diamond - +25 to AR   +12-15% to resistances   Enhanced Damage
                                                         against Undead

Perfect Diamond  - +30 to AR   +16-20% to resistances   Enhanced Damage
                                                         against Undead

=======================================================================

EMERALD                HELM EFFECT     SHIELD EFFECT      WEAPON EFFECT
Chipped Emerald  - +3 to Dexterity     +10-12% Resist  +2 Poison Damage
                                               Poison

Flawed Emerald   - +4 to Dexterity     +13-16% Resist  +3 Poison Damage
                                               Poison

Emerald          - +5-6 to Dexterity   +17-20% Resist  +4 Poison Damage
                                               Poison

Flawless Emerald - +7-8 to Dexterity   +21-25% Resist  +4 Poison Damage
                                               Poison

Perfect Emerald  - +9-10 to Dexterity  +26-30% Resist  +5 Poison Damage
                                               Poison

=======================================================================

RUBY            HELM EFFECT           SHIELD EFFECT       WEAPON EFFECT
Chipped Ruby  -   +6-8 Life     +10-12% Resist Fire    +3-4 Fire Damage

Flawed Ruby   -  +9-11 Life     +13-16% Resist Fire    +3-5 Fire Damage

Ruby          - +12-15 Life     +17-20% Resist Fire    +4-5 Fire Damage

Flawless Ruby - +16-20 Life     +21-25% Resist Fire    +5-6 Fire Damage

Perfect Ruby  - +21-25 Life     +26-30% Resist Fire   +6-10 Fire Damage

=======================================================================

SAPPHIRE               HELM EFFECT   SHIELD EFFECT        WEAPON EFFECT
Chipped Sapphire  -   +6-8 to Mana   +10-12% Resist    +1-3 Cold Damage
                                               Cold            (1 sec.)
Flawed Sapphire   -  +9-11 to Mana   +13-16% Resist    +2-3 Cold Damage
                                               Cold          (1.5 sec.)
Sapphire          - +12-15 to Mana   +17-20% Resist    +2-4 Cold Damage
                                               Cold            (2 sec.)
Flawless Sapphire - +16-20 to Mana   +21-25% Resist    +3-5 Cold Damage
                                               Cold          (2.5 sec.)
Perfect Sapphire  - +21-25 to Mana   +26-30% Resist    +3-7 Cold Damage
                                               Cold            (3 sec.)

=======================================================================

SKULL               HELM EFFECT     SHIELD EFFECT         WEAPON EFFECT
Chipped Skull  - *Steals 2% Life   Attacker takes     Replenish Life +2
                 Steals 1% Mana          2 damage    Regenerate Mana 8%

Flawed Skull   - Steals 2% Life    Attacker takes     Replenish Life +3
                 Steals 2% Mana          3 damage    Regenerate Mana 8%

Skull          - Steals 3% Life    Attacker takes     Replenish Life +3
                 Steals 2% Mana          4 damage   Regenerate Mana 12%

Flawless Skull - Steals 3% Life    Attacker takes     Replenish Life +4
                 Steals 3% Mana          5 damage   Regenerate Mana 12%

Perfect Skull  - Steals 4% Life    Attacker takes   Replenish Life +4-5
                 Steals 3% Mana        6-7 damage   Regenerate Mana 16%
 *HIT

=======================================================================

TOPAZ                HELM EFFECT   SHIELD EFFECT          WEAPON EFFECT
Chipped Topaz  - +7-9% chance of  +10-12% Resist  +1-6 Lightning Damage
                 getting magical       Lightning
                            item

Flawed Topaz   -  +10-13% chance  +13-16% Resist  +1-7 Lightning Damage
                      of getting       Lightning
                    magical item

Topaz          -  +14-17% chance  +17-20% Resist  +1-8 Lightning Damage
                      of getting       Lightning
                    magical item

Flawless Topaz -  +18-20% chance  +21-25% Resist +1-10 Lightning Damage
                      of getting       Lightning
                    magical item

Perfect Topaz  -  +21-25% chance  +26-30% Resist +1-15 Lightning Damage
                      of getting       Lightning
                    magical item
_______________________________________________________________________

===Section 3=== Socketed Uniques/Rares/Set Items

The huge new discovery that's all over the internet is the discovery for the
Horadric Cube Recipe where you can socket Unique/Rare/Set Items!! There are
many people who claim they discovered it, but no one knows who really
discovered it for sure. Here's the recipe:

1 unique/set/rare weapon (not throwing) + 6 Perfect Gems = 1 socketable
                                                            item of the
                                                             same type

1 unique/rare/set helm or shield + 3 Perfect Gems = 1 socketable item
                                                     of the same type

Please understand that you can only use weapons, helms, or shields for this
trick. No armor cause it won't work. Also sometimes I've gotten the
helm/shield trick to work with 3 perfect gems bu sometimes it will only work
if you put 6 perfect gems in. You just have to test it out.

There are so many different ways to make this trick extremely useful. If you
have the Tarnhelm and you use this trick on it, try putting two Perfect Topazes
into the Tarnhelm. Your chance to find a magical item will be about 70-80%!
Try experimenting with all these different gems with every unique
helm/weapon/shield you find.

This recipe has got to be a huge glitch that Blizzard forgot to take out of
the game when they programmed it. Sometimes it works perfectly, and other
times and can never get it to work. Sometimes it works with Unique items,
but then it doesn't work with Set Items. My friend can only get the recipe
to work on normal items. Maybe it's just my computer.
_______________________________________________________________________

===Section 4=== The Horadric Cube and Gems

Here are some very useful recipes you can use with gems to transmute special
items with the Horadric Cube.

3 Gems of the same level = 1 Gem of the next level

1 Unique/Rare/Set Weapon + 6 Perfect Gems = 1 socketable item of the
                                                    same type

1 Unique/Rare/Set Helm or Shield + 3 Perfect Gems = 1 socketable item
                                                     of the same type

1 Rare Item + 6 Perfect Gems = new Rare Item with different attributes

1 Amulet + 6 Perfect Gems(one of everything except skull) = Prismatic
                                                              Amulet

1 Ring + any Emerald + 4 Antidote Potions = 1 Viridian Ring (Resist
                                                   Poison 20-30%)

1 Ring + any Ruby + 4 Exploding Potions = 1 Garnet Ring (Resist Fire
                                                         20-30%)

1 Ring + any Sapphire + 4 Thawing Potions = 1 Cobalt Ring (Resist Cold
                                                           20-30%)

1 Ring + any 2 Topazes = 1 Coral Ring (Resist Lightning 20-30%)

3 Chipped Gems = 1 Flawed, 3 Flawed = 1 Regular, 3 Regular = 1 Flawless, 3
Flawless = 1 Perfect

If you have discovered any recipes that I don't have on this FAQ please E-mail
me at firm1315@aol.com. I will happily test it out and if it works, I will
put the recipe in this section and also add your name to the Special Thanks
section at the bottom of the page, if you want to be regognized.
_______________________________________________________________________

===Section 5=== Closing Statements and Copyright

I hope you found what you were looking for with this FAQ.

Special Thanks:

GameFAQs.com

Blizzard

Darklord

If you have any suggestions or comments to make my FAQ better please email
me at firm1315@aol.com. I will improve my site to fit your needs, if they
are reasonable, and add you to my Special Thanks list. If you have any
questions about anything Diablo 2 please email me. You can also reach a
contributer to this FAQ, Darklord, at Darklord2f@home.com.

Copyright 2001
firm1315@aol.com
Last Updated 6-21-01







