Mike said in the last Livestream that the team tried creating a socket system for the game, but since they didn’t found a unique socket system they decided to not implement one yet. So i’m bringing my idea of a unique socket idea that would create a new layer for builds to be created.
Main idea: All items type will have x amount of sockets slots, the amount wont be randomised, but the sockets won’t be just simple sockets, each Socket will have a Condition that will be randomised. Each socket can be filled by a Gem, this gems will give a random Effect do X thing or gives X bonus for X seconds.
Socket: Sockets will have a set of possible conditions depending of the type of items, some examples:
Body Armor:
Your life is bigger than 57%
Your life is lower than 81%
You reached Endurance Threshold
Weapon:
You hit a rare/boss with less than 73% life
You killed a normal enemy
Gem: Gems will be what gives socket powers, each Gems will have only one effect, we can also have unique gems that give a strong effect, we can also add set gems(each item can only have one set gem), some examples:
+10% Armour for 10 seconds(18 seconds cooldown)
+50% Void Damage for 27 seconds(23 seconds cooldown)
Unique Examples:
You have 100% increased damage (Infinite while condition is active)
You Cast Smite at the closest enemy(5seconds cooldown)
You summon a Immortal Capibara(30 seconds cooldown)
Set Examples:
+1% to all resistances for each gems of this set
+1% fire damage per 10% ignite chance while you have 3 of this set gem equipped
Crafting: We can add a Rune that will randomize the condition from the Sockets in the item and another that will randomize the values of the conditions.
Gems can be made to be crafted like a normal item with a effect with 1-4 modifiers, making possible to shatter other gems and craft your ideal gem, or we can allow to be only possible to reroll the effect to a random one so we can add a rune that randomize the Effects and Values.
Unique Gems can also have LP and allow us to combine a normal gem with a unique one creating a legendary gem.
Each Gems can be removed and inserted at will in the items!
Legendary Crafting: I do believe that legendary crafting should include this sockets( uniques shouldn’t include sockets, making it this way you force players to find a Exalted item with the modifiers and also Sockets slots with the condition they like to combine with the unique and create their ideal legendary, making it this way you “nerf” legendaries and since normal items will have sockets you will buff set items.
What do you guys think about my idea for a Unique Socket System?
I actually think it should be the opposite. Set gems only work if they’re on the same item. Otherwise it would be too easy to fill sets this way, considering the number of total sockets you’ll get.
Besides, it would be a sort of trade, where you would need to fill that item’s slots to get the set bonus.
I dont think it will be a problem to fill the sets in this way, since the effect will only work when the conditions are met, so even if someone have a set gem in all their items, each socket condition need to be meet, imagine having a lot more damage but you need to always be low health, have hit a rare/boss recently and be standing still. People could try to make it work, but it would be impractical with that amount of conditions.
I am not a fan of the triggered effects of most examples you gave.
Casting skills or summon new minions is kinda cool, but all the rest were very generic stats that will only trigger if the condition was met. We have that already in passives and skill spec trees and it literally does not feel “Unique” at all.
Its just random stats for random things happening, most of which you can’t even fully control.
I am not sure why people always bring up and suggest a socket system, like there needs to be one. I never seen the merit of it, except some early/midgame fixing for certain stats, but with the examples you gave even that can’t be done with them.
Also adding new crafting methods on top of all existing ones will put even more strain on the forging potential and since the core item will be more important than the sockets for the most part you will only ever craft sockets if they is sufficient FP left after you “finished” the rest of the item. Making the socket the cherry on top, but not really a standout feature that will be extensively used.
The only socket/gem system I thought woule somewhat be cool, but also come with a little bit of power creep, would be something that directly interacts with idols.
Like some of the “blocked” slots in the idol grid have socket slots and then they will give effects based on certain idol types equipped for example. This would put a little bit of strain on what idols you want to use and maybe makes using other idols that you normally wouldn’t pick still be worthwhile.
But yeah anyway that would probably be an idea for an entire new thread.
TL:DR
Don’t like the idea, its not really unique and way too generic for the most part.
I think some of the ideas you have for such a system are cool, I just don’t really like adding things like sockets. Personally, I dislike there being a big gap between finding a potential upgrade and getting to wear it. The more steps you have to go through before you can equip the piece, the less exciting the drop is and the more exhausting it is because it represents extra work you need to do.
For example back when I played WoW, it was annoying that you’d get a drop during a raid, but then you’d have to go get gems, get someone to enchant it, and at some point they added the stat reforging (whatever it was called). So rather than just slapping it on and moving on to the next boss, you either had to put the raid on hold or wait until a break or after the raid.
LE already has plenty of item crafting you can/need to do to potential upgrades. I’d rather not bloat it with more.
Sockets make more sense in games like MMOs where the items have set stats, and then you get to personally adjust them with sockets.
“Sockets” in this game would just be more affixes, its not different then having an affix that is “if hp above 81% do 3% more damage” or whatever.
if we would have a socket system, id say instead let them be a unique mechanic to a specific base. So maybe you have gloves/boots/helmets that have sockets, the sockets are their implicit affix, so instead of having a raptor helm for +3% minion crit, you could have the socketed helmet. and let you get really custom with your implicit on those items, with high roll options, maybe each comes with 1-3 sockets that cant be changed, and maybe there is something like +6 int, or a more rare +1 to melee skills, or an even better say +10 int thats also rare, so you could do some insane high roll implicits.
I think adding sockets to every slot just means it becomes a “Chore” mechanic that is added on top of what we already have.
So far what we seem to be getting is rather then more mechanics added onto items, we are getting horizontal items that try and reach legendary power, but conflict with legendaries. And so my idea would be similar, you give up potential legendary status, to get juicy customizable implicits.
Leave sockets in poe2 imo. This game needs a lot more uniques across the board to chose from so by the end of a league you dont get the same X classes all dressed the same in their sunday bests. Sockets sounds like a lazy way around the need to create more items. Games with tons of items and more options to build a variation of builds rather than hover around the viable end game easy ones would be a much better choice.
System right now is awesome. Just lacks items. Tons of old items are no longer viable and have been left in the dust and not reworked with the new items which have much better stats on them ie; clothos.
Dont forget your core items, give them an overhaul, make their drop rates of higher lp much better because they’re crazy compared to farming newer things. Add more items. Ask the fans for ideas on items if you’re struggling example ; you have 5 x 1 handed maces and the best is a well rolled weaver.
I am generally for such an expansion of the build-making in the game. I don’t particularly care how unique it will be compared to other games, I think that by and large everything more or less adequate has already been invented, so I would be happy with a copy of the system from POE, maybe with the addition of something unique of my own. Although in any case, these sockets and what is inserted into them will most likely be about affixes or expanding the capabilities of abilities/their improvement, while in POE these sockets are abilities.
