how to roll sockets in armor d2r

You roll sockets in armor in D2R with the Horadric Cube recipe: Tal + Thul + Perfect Topaz + a normal body armor. It adds a random number of sockets, up to the armor’s maximum, and it does not work on superior items.

How it works

For normal body armor, the cube rolls between 1 and 6, then caps the result at the item’s max sockets. Since chest armor tops out at 4 sockets, a roll of 4, 5, or 6 all becomes 4 sockets.

What to use

• Normal body armor only. White, gray, or ethereal bases are fine if they are not superior.

• Recipe: Tal Rune + Thul Rune + Perfect Topaz + normal body armor.

• Alternative: Larzuk from the Siege on Harrogath quest adds sockets, and on a normal item he gives the maximum possible sockets for that item.

Important limits

• You cannot use the cube recipe on superior armor.

• You cannot reroll an item that already has sockets with this recipe.

• The final socket count depends on the armor base’s max sockets, so some bases cap below 4.

Example

If you use the recipe on a Mage Plate , the result can be 1, 2, or 3 sockets, because that base’s maximum is 3. The cube still “rolls” 1 through 6, but anything above the max gets capped to the max.

Quick scoop

Tal + Thul + Perfect Topaz + normal armor = random sockets.
Want guaranteed max sockets on a normal base? Use Larzuk instead.

TL;DR: To roll sockets in D2R armor, cube Tal + Thul + Perfect Topaz with a normal, non-superior body armor ; the result is random and capped by that armor’s max sockets.