What can be socketed?

♦ Rings and Amulets
All of the statistics listed on rings and amulets will transfer to the item.
Only those abilities usable by your character will work - so a Glad will not get +1 to Lightning Strike for example.

Jewelry for a class other than your own - you may socket this, and you will get all of the benefits listed on that jewelry. E.g. - a BM can socket a DE amulet, and get any bonuses it offers.

You will still be subject to the level and skill requirements for that item.
Socketing with such an item may prevent you from using the armor/weapon if your character cannot meet that requirement.

When multiple items with minimum requirements are put together, only the highest minimum requirement will apply. e.g. - an amulet requiring "minimum concentration: 10" will never be usable by a BM, as he can't have concentration.

Certain rings and amulets now have special class specific CA boosts - these can be identified by the fact that they actually specify (in color) the Character class they are for - e.g. "Dark Elf Sudden Fury" in purple. These class specific bonuses do not add to CA's of other classes.

Bonuses on rings/amulets to "Combat Arts" do not affect Spells, even though spells are described as combat arts as well. You will need to find one with bonus to "Spells" instead.

If the ring or amulet is of higher level than the item to be socketed, the item will assume the level of the ring/amulet. This may bring about speed penalties and if you don’t meet the level of that new item including what has been socketed your char will not be able to wear it.

Socketed set item jewelry will still count as equipped set items. Other classes set item jewelry can be equipped as well (which can really fill up the set item list accessible in inventory)

Rings and amulets with a minimum skill requirement, when socketed can override the minimum skill requirements of the item they are socketed into. This is possible when the jewelry item’s requirement (e.g. Minimum Meditation: 10) is higher than the skill requirement of the item it is being socketed into (e.g. Minimum Sword Lore: 8). The item with the highest minimum requirement will set the overall minimum requirement. If the minimum requirements are equal, the minimum will be set by first - the item itself, then slot 1, slot 2 etc.

♦ Runes
The CA/Spell of the rune adds to your CA level, as long as you have learned at least one of that CA/spell.

As above, BM and Sera Lightening Strike are not compatible

There is only a 1/2 penalty to regeneration times compared to "learning" the rune

The extra ability of the rune comes into effect - e.g. life leech on a vamp rune, +10 to regeneration, 10% chance of binding a flier, +5% to experience gained etc.

Any classes’ runes can be socketed.

CA's of the same name from other classes will add to your CA e.g. a Vamp attack rune will give you +1 to Attack and +3% life leech.

♦ Blacksmith Arts
Each Blacksmith has three "Arts" that may be socketed

They differ for each smith, but are all Attack, Defense and Damage related.

♦ Other Items
·Special items are the Orbus and the Scale of a Dragon, both are quest rewards.
·Skulls

Socket Color

Sockets have different colors - these relate to a percentage boost given to the abilities of items placed in those sockets. These bonuses only apply to the fixed value resistance and damage bonuses of rings and amulets. Therefore a +100 damage might become +105, but +100% stays +100%

Effects of Movement Speed and Attack Speed

Socketing a ring or amulet with a level above your player level will raise the level of the whole item. Therefore a level 90 ring socketed in a level 60 sword will produce a level 90 socketed sword.

Sacred Plus has introduced penalties for equipping gear above your player level. Attack speed suffers in high level weapons, and movement speed in high level shields and armor.

There is no penalty for "wearing" a ring or amulet above your level. (but you must have the suitable minimum level requirement)

This effects where you should socket various items.

Wear the highest level ones - no penalty on these.

Socket the next highest where they will have least effect -
Casting BM's - socket them on your weapon - attack speed doesn't effect spell casting (as far as I can see - I have had up to -30% AS with no casting speed change)
Smaller armor pieces have a lesser effect on movement - so socket high level things on belts, boots, greaves before armor and shields.

Removing Items

Only one socketed item is recoverable when "de-Socketing" an item. All of the socketed items other than the single one selected disappear.
Therefore, do not socket multiple exceptional items in one piece.
This is tempered by the fact that an exceptional amulet at level 45 is nothing special by level 50. A +3% critical amulet is still great though.
Blacksmith Arts cannot be selected for removal. They will disappear if another socketed item is removed. The message here is do not fill an item with Blacksmith Arts if you want to re-socket it later.