In Diablo IV, gems are one of the biggest game changers for equipment loadout. Rocks are, in essence, a means of producing high-level effects from precious stones. No matter what class a player chooses, the use of gems increases their survivability substantially. Survival comes from the ability to not only increase your damage via various effects but also gain resistance and unique effects. Using gems is as simple as placing them inside socketed items, which can be found in monsters and dungeons. Gems are great for everything from adding magical effects to your damage, such as life-stealing and ultimate damage, to adding armor to jewelry.
Acquiring gems is far more complicated than finding socketed equipment, as they can be on the rare side of monster drops. The more complex the enemy is killed, the more likely they will drop some gems for the player to enjoy. Collecting as many gems as possible is a great way to ensure you can upgrade your favorite effects and stats. The higher you boost a gem, the more valuable it will become and hold more potent results. You are upgrading your gems to make them more helpful in the later game. This can happen at any jeweler you come across in major cities. Similarly, you can socket equipment at the jeweler, allowing you to add gems to your favorite items!
Socketed Equipment
Collecting socketed items is one of the first and most important aspects of any build requiring gems. You can get these socketed items in various ways, but they’re essential for using gems. There are a few things to remember when socketing a piece of equipment of any rarity. Firstly, every item can be socketed at any jeweler, different from other Diablo titles. You can also take gems from these sockets to trade them out for a better thing. Additionally, socketed equipment can be dropped from monsters similar to rocks themselves, but it is far more common.
Socketed equipment will act like ordinary items except hold the capacity for up to three gems. Gems can be filled in these socket slots, and they can be upgraded. In these sockets, gemstones enchant the equipment with their added effects. The more gems placed inside a weapon, the more valuable it becomes, making it an excellent means of making extra money in-game. Socketed equipment will become less potent than your newly found loot. In these cases, don’t be afraid to sacrifice your old gear for the gems they had at the jeweler.
Jeweler
When upgrading your equipment, consider the jeweler for increasing gems’ effectiveness. Undoubtedly, one of the best ways to make your character more powerful is through upgrading gems. Jewelers will allow you to do this by combining several gems together to create a refined version. As a trader, you can sell and buy socketed equipment from them as well as equip and unequip gems from items. Early game the jeweler will be a great way to acquire some socketed equipment while in the late game, you can socket your newly acquired things. Very often, you’ll use the jeweler for taking your high-level gems back instead of losing them by selling them.
Jeweler on the map
Jewelers can be found in most major cities throughout the country. Jewelers like to be near the center of commerce which makes sense given their trade. They’re usually near accessory merchants, so you can find them there. They’re easy to find on the map because they’re depicted with jewels. Remember that not every town has a jeweler, so always take stock of where you’re heading before you do so! Throughout Sanctuary there are many locations with jewelers, but the most accessible to players will be the capital of Kyovashad.
Jeweler Services
When using the Jeweler, you’ll be presented with several services available to the player. Firstly, you’ll have the ability to craft high-quality gems as well as socket them into items. Following this is the ability to unsocket items, as well as upgrade rings and amulets. These services will be important for preserving the best possible equipment during your Diablo IV playthrough. Make sure to visit the jeweler as often as possible to upgrade your gems in order to stay ahead of the monster hordes!
One of the most important aspects of jewelers is their ability to craft high-quality gems out of lower ones. The basic system is level locked and requires the player to improve themselves in order to acquire higher-level gems. In this sense, this is the first mainline Diablo title to enforce this level of restriction. There is no buying gems in Diablo IV, however, you can sell them to the jeweler for a good price. The best case scenario when starting out is to hoard your gems in your bank, as every gem type is best for certain class types.
Jeweler upgrading gems
Upgrading Gems
When it comes to upgrading gems, this generally means the refinement of the quality of that particular gem. This is a main service for any jeweler and allows the player to heighten the effects of a particular gemstone color. This is a fundamental way of preventing your character from being underpowered as sometimes sheer armor is not enough. Upgrading a gemstone requires multiple of the same kind to be combined together. This will require a certain player level to progress Through the different stages of refinement. The more upgraded a gem is, the more powerful it will become overall.
One of the best aspects of these high-level gems is that they can be removed and stored for any character class. This can allow for a new playthrough of a different class to get the most out of one of the hardest systems to overcome. Because of the gate-keeping nature of gemstone refinement being behind level walls, early-game gemstones can be hard. It can be a great investment in late-game to collect as many gems as possible. At higher levels you may find higher quality gemstones in the wild though this is rare, being locked behind bosses and elite enemies.
Quality Ratings
When it comes to gems and how they can be refined, they come in a variety of level caps. As the player progresses through the game, they will encounter more potent gems and collect them in order to upgrade. The list of gem qualities goes in this order: crude, chipped, standard, flawless, and royal. The quality of gems will depend on the level of potency of that gem’s abilities. The higher the level, the more powerful it will become. In a sense, you can refine these gems into higher-quality ones by collecting as many as possible throughout your playthrough.
Gem inventory of various qualities
Crude Gems
Crude gems are the smallest of the group, and often the first ones you will encounter. Being small, and weak in scale, at the time these gems will be great for making your character more powerful. At level two you can upgrade these further, but they are great for saving for late-game experiences! Once upgraded, a crude gem will become a chipped one, worth significantly more. In its base form, a crude gem is worth only a couple hundred gold or at most four hundred a pop.
Chipped Gems
Chipped gems are the second refinement stage, making the gem slightly more potent. These are great first steps and will become more common to find as you progress through the story. Chipped rubies is a significant first step for some gems as they give some of the most substantial bonuses from the start. At level nine they can be upgraded to a standard gem, which holds much more potential. Chipped gems are worth anywhere from four hundred to seven hundred, being worth just under double that of a crude gem. So remember to keep as many chipped gems in your inventory as possible so you can upgrade them later!
Standard Gems
Standard gems are the middle road for potency when it comes to your gem collection. Gems like these are usually used mid-game and allow the player to really take advantage of them. It’s quite common to craft these instead of getting them from bosses and strongholds. At level twenty-five you’ll Be able to refine a standard gem into a flawless one, making it one step closer to perfection! Standard gems can run anywhere from one thousand to three thousand gold, being worth substantially more than the previous two gem types.
-source Lucky Ghost Diablo
Flawless Gems
Diablo IV‘s flawless gems are some of the most potent gems you can find. You don’t often find them in the wild, though. Royal gems, the pinnacle of gem crafting, can be upgraded into flawless gems until level fifty. It’s important to note that these gems are incredibly potent and can get you through the game by themselves. Being worth about five to ten thousand a piece, these gems can make a quick profit if you build up a firm stash of them. Flawless gemstones are perfect to stock up on for new playthroughs, as they save these playthroughs the hassle of building a new collection!
Royal Gems
Acting as the last stage of gem refinement, royal gems have the most potent abilities and are worth the most. As a refined version of the Paragon system, these gemstones need to be crafted. The royal gems will make Paragon characters more robust, and they’re only available at level fifty. It’s worth a lot of gold, but shouldn’t be sold, since it’s a badge of collection in itself. Obtaining these gems can be a hassle as collecting enough of them becomes a struggle without the coveted gem bag from prior games. In light of this, you can use the teleportation system and town storage to build up to the peaks of your gem collection quickly!
| Jewel Quality | Level Needed to upgrade | Rarity | Gem Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crude | 2 | Common | 300-400 Gold |
| Chipped | 9 | Uncommon | 400-600 Gold |
| Standard | 25 | Rare | 800-1200 Gold |
| Flawless | 50 | Craft Only | 3k-4k Gold |
| royal | N/A | Craft Only | 10k+ Gold |
Types of Gems
Acting as enchantment in Diablo, these precious stones can draw significant power from a player’s equipment. Gemstones come in multiple varieties and stages of refinement. Fundamentally, these precious stones will become more critical the later level you become. It’s essential to stock up on as many gems as possible during your initial run of a Diablo game. This is because they can be carried over to your new characters. Remember that gems come in different colors with various effects on whatever piece of equipment you attach them to.
Gem qualities
Rubies
There are rubies all over the open world. Typically used by physical damage dealers, these are one of the more common ones. These gemstones have the useful ability to increase overpower damage when applied to a weapon. Additionally, they can increase maximum health points when placed on armor. Finally, rubies can be placed on jewelry to provide fire resistance. It’s important to remember that, unlike other Diablo titles, gemstones do not add elemental damage to weapons!
Amethysts
Amethysts hold a purple appearance and act as one of the best gemstones for rogue class characters. These nifty gems offer the distinct ability to upgrade damage over time for your abilities if placed on a weapon. Additionally, in armor, it reduces damage over time making it effective for squishy characters. Finally, in jewelry, amethysts offer unique shadow resistance which can help against demons! Unlike most gemstones, Amethysts are best used on characters who have low health or deal damage over time. It’s ideal for increasing a sorcerer’s build or a rogue’s poisoning, as well as great for combating demons!
Emerald
Emeralds are a green hue and serve as one of the biggest changes in Diablo IV. Rather than adding poison damage, when placed on a weapon, emeralds provide critical strike bonuses to vulnerable enemies. In armor, these gemstones provide the user with thorn damage against attacking melee combatants. Finally, in jewelry, emeralds can imbue poison resistance to the player as a call back to its original uses. This gemstone is perfect for crowd controllers and tanks, however, it falls short of its original poisonous dominance!
Socketing Gems
Topazes
One of the best gems for melee classes, topaz is a yellowish gem essential for every player. Increasing basic skill damage can help you progress through difficult encounters in the early game. When placed on armor, topaz offers the player a damage reduction bonus which is essential in certain stronghold fights. Finally, when placed on jewelry the player will be offered powerful lightning resistance. This gemstone can be one of the most valuable to the player as all three of its abilities are great in nature. By far, the best feature is the damage reduction Topaz offers, making the player more resilient in battle!
Diamonds
Diamonds are one of the rarest gem types in Diablo, offering a whitish clear hue, and are worth a lot of money. These are a powerful inclusion in any build no matter the class. Universally potent abilities. For weapons, ultimate skill damage will be increased making your deadly skill More potent! On armor, diamonds produce a barrier generation bonus that works similarly to a certain quest amulet. Finally, in jewelry, diamonds grant the player resistance to all elemental types, being incredibly effective in combination with skulls. Diamonds may be worth the money, but they’re also worth holding as their abilities outweigh gold. Keeping them for later dungeon runs allows massive resistance to deadly boss fights!
Sapphires
One of the more circumstantial gems in Diablo IV, sapphires are unique as they’ve been changed completely from their former self. Holding a bluish hue, these gemstones have nothing to do with ice anymore instead focusing on more situational bonuses. On weapons, these gemstones allow the critical strike bonuses to be increased against crowd-controlled enemies. On armor, the player will gain a damage reduction bonus if they are fortified. Last but not least, jewelry gives the player resistance to crowd control. These abilities feel weak and highly circumstantial, being a letdown from the potential cold resistance they would have had for the gem.
Jewelers Shop
Skulls
Skulls are one of the best gems in Diablo IV for all classes, being able to provide some of the best bonuses. These gems appear like tiny cartoon skulls that are honestly cuter in appearance than menacing. On a weapon, skulls provide the potent ability known as life steal which basically adds a vampire effect to your damage. An armor socketed with a skull will have a bonus to healing received by the player. Finally, when placed on jewelry, you can add physical armor to the item granting a tank build for any class. This gem is incredibly potent for spellcasters and tanks alike, being useful for staying alive.
| Jewel Type | Armor | Weapon | Jewelry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruby | Maximum Life Bonus | Overpower Damage | Fire Resistance |
| Amethyst | Reduces Damage of Time taken | Increasing Damage Over Time Reduction | Shadow Resistance |
| Emerald | Thorns Damage | Critical Damage to Vulnerable | Poison Resistance |
| Topaz | Damage reduction while Impaired | Basic Skill Damage | Lightning resistance |
| Diamond | Barrier Generation | Ultimate Skill Damage | Resistance from All Elements |
| Sapphire | Damage reduction while Fortified | Critical Strike damage to Crowd-Controlled | Damage resistance while control Impaired |
| Skull | Healing bonus received | Life drain on kill | Armor added |
Where To Find Gems
Gems can be found in a number of ways in Diablo IV, each of which requires the player to explore the open world. The most basic means of acquiring gemstones is through loot chests and breaking ore veins with a glittering effect around them. Generally, the higher level you are, the more likely you are to find gems through these methods. Quests and dungeons act as the other means of acquiring gems fast as you’ll be presented with plenty of monster hordes. Gemstones drop on a rate basis, meaning the more you kill the more likely you are to find one. You can’t buy Gemstones in Diablo IV, however by repeating as many dungeons as you can you’re more likely to find what you want!
Gems appear like normal loot
Gem Farming
When it comes to dealing with Gemstone Farming, there are four basic methods of collecting gemstones. The first way is by repeating as many high-level dungeons as possible on your first playthrough. In this way, you’ll be able to create a bank account character, which is your second means of farming. The higher level you are, the more likely creatures are going to drop gems. Making high-damage builds is the third method, allowing you to kill large hordes quickly and collect their potential gemstones. Finally, you can work with allies and other players during world events which are sure to drop a lot of gems!
| Encounter type | Difficulty | Drop Rate | Encounter Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glittering Ore | Easy | at least one gem | rare |
| Loot Chests | Easy | Not guaranteed | uncommon |
| Monster Hordes | Level Stringent | Low | very common |
| Elite Enemies | Difficult | good chance | common |
| Dungeons | Hard | very high | common |
| Strongholds | Very Hard | high | rare |
| World Events | Extreme | Guaranteed one | very rare |
Creatures That Drop Gems
There are plenty of creatures that drop gemstones in the world of Diablo. Some of the most potent drops come from loot goblins, world bosses, and stronghold leaders. These are sure to drop a large number of gemstones the higher level you are, and sometimes even give you high-level ones. Elite enemies and normal bosses have a strong chance of dropping gemstones once defeated however will require work to be put into them. Finally, basic hordes have a small chance of dropping low-level gemstones which increases in chance with level. By far the most likely to drop these gems are loot goblins, however, they are in themselves a rare occurrence.
Socket Strategies
When it comes to socketing gemstones into your equipment, there are a few strategies that should be kept in mind. For one, try to socket gemstones according to your class’ needs. If you are running a sorcerer it’s better to get armor and life steal than say basic skill damage. Mixing and matching gemstones are a great means of making sure you plug in as many weak points as possible. Meanwhile, going with a singular gemstone approach allows a user to maximize a particular effect. Remember, you have access to up to three sockets so using these gemstones is up to the matter of the user. There is no better time to apply bonuses to a character, rather using them as a means to constantly upgrade your power level!
-source DonTheCrown
Glorious Gems
No matter how you choose to play Diablo IV, it’s important to recognize that gemstones are an essential asset to your survival. Even on the easiest difficulty, gemstones will allow the player to escape countless threats through their buffs. Make sure you keep a firm supply of them on hand, as they’re a great liquidation of gold, as well as a great way of protecting you from the dangers of the world. At higher difficulties, gemstones are quintessential to defeating your foes as otherwise you’ll fall short on damage and durability. Diablo IV is no different than any other mainline title in that whoever has the most powerful gemstones wins.
