Embarking on your journey in Tree of Savior is an exciting endeavor, filled with thrilling combat and intricate character progression. Among the many systems that empower your hero, gem socketing stands out as a crucial element for optimizing your gear and unleashing your true potential.
Mastering how to socket gems in Tree of Savior can significantly boost your damage, survivability, and overall effectiveness in challenging content. This guide will walk you through every step, from understanding gem types to strategically placing them for maximum impact on your chosen build.
The Fundamentals of Gem Socketing in Tree of Savior
In Tree of Savior, gems are powerful enhancements that can be inserted into specific slots on your equipment. These slots are not present on all gear pieces; you’ll find them primarily on weapons, armor pieces (head, chest, legs, hands, and feet), and sometimes on accessories depending on the item.
Each gem possesses unique properties that can alter your character’s stats, grant new skills, or enhance existing ones. The type of gem and the item it’s socketed into will determine the overall benefit. Understanding the synergy between gems and your gear is the first step towards building a formidable character.
Types of Gems and Their Effects
Tree of Savior offers a diverse array of gems, each with a distinct purpose. They can broadly be categorized into several types:
- Stat Gems: These gems directly increase your character’s core statistics. Examples include gems that boost Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Constitution, and Spirit. These are fundamental for any build, providing a solid base for damage and survivability.
- Attack Gems: Focused on offensive capabilities, these gems can increase your physical or magic attack power, critical rate, critical damage, or even add elemental damage to your attacks.
- Defense Gems: Crucial for surviving tough encounters, defense gems can enhance your physical and magic defense, increase your HP or SP pools, or provide resistances to specific elemental types.
- Utility Gems: These gems offer more specialized benefits, such as increased movement speed, reduced cooldowns on skills, improved accuracy, or even the chance to inflict status effects like Stun, Freeze, or Burn on your enemies.
- Set Bonus Gems: Some rare gems, often obtained from specific content or events, can contribute to set bonuses when socketed into multiple pieces of gear from the same set. These can offer significant, unique advantages.
Gem Rarity and Levels
Gems come in various rarities, typically indicated by their color or an icon. Higher rarity gems generally offer more potent effects. Furthermore, gems can be leveled up to increase their effectiveness. A level 1 gem might offer a small stat boost, while a level 10 gem of the same type can provide a substantial increase.
Leveling gems is usually done through a dedicated NPC or a specific system within the game, often requiring other gems or specific crafting materials. The process can be costly, so it’s wise to focus on leveling gems that are essential for your build.
Where to Obtain Gems
Acquiring gems is a multi-faceted aspect of the game, with several avenues to explore. The method you use will often depend on the type and rarity of the gem you seek.
Monster Drops
Many common gems can be obtained by defeating monsters throughout the world of Tree of Savior. Different monsters and areas tend to drop specific types of gems. Farming specific monster types known to drop valuable gems can be an effective strategy, especially for lower-level gems or those needed in bulk.
Dungeons and Missions
Instances like dungeons and missions are excellent sources for higher-quality gems. Often, completing these challenges will reward you with chests or directly drop gems. Some of the most powerful gems are exclusively found within the most difficult dungeons and raids. (See Also: How to Chainsaw a Tree Down Safely and Effectively)
The Gem Merchant Npc
There are specific NPCs in most major towns that act as Gem Merchants. These merchants often sell a selection of common and sometimes slightly rarer gems for in-game currency. While not the most efficient way to acquire top-tier gems, they are a reliable source for filling out basic gem slots or acquiring materials for gem leveling.
Crafting and Crafting Materials
Some advanced gems can be crafted. This typically involves collecting specific crafting materials, which themselves can be obtained from monster drops, dungeons, or trading with other players. Crafting recipes are usually learned from NPCs or found as rare drops.
Trading with Other Players
The player-driven economy plays a significant role in acquiring gems. The market system allows players to buy and sell gems, making it possible to acquire almost any gem by saving up the necessary in-game currency. This is often the most direct way to get a specific gem you need, though prices can fluctuate based on demand.
Events and Special Content
Tree of Savior frequently runs in-game events that offer exclusive rewards, including unique gems or materials needed for gem enhancement. Participating in these limited-time events is crucial for obtaining some of the most sought-after items.
The Process of Socketing Gems
Once you have acquired the gems you desire, the next step is to actually socket them into your equipment. This process is straightforward but requires attention to detail.
Identifying Socketed Gear
Not all gear pieces come with gem slots. You can identify if an item has sockets by inspecting its stats. Gear with available sockets will display a number indicating how many are open. For example, a weapon might show “Gem Slots: 2/3”, meaning it has three potential slots, with two currently empty.
The number of sockets on an item can vary. Generally, higher item level and rarer gear tend to have more sockets. Sometimes, items have a fixed number of sockets, while others might have a random number of sockets determined upon acquisition.
Using the Gem Socketing Npc
To socket a gem, you will need to visit a specific NPC, often referred to as the “Gem Master” or a similar title, found in major cities. Interacting with this NPC will bring up a special interface for gem operations.
The interface will typically show your inventory and the gear you have equipped. You will select the piece of equipment you wish to socket, and then drag and drop the desired gem from your inventory into one of the available slots on the item. Each socketing operation may consume a small amount of in-game currency or a specific material, depending on the game’s current version and patches. (See Also: How to Get Rid of a Tree Stump with Charcoal)
Removing Gems
Mistakes can happen, or you might want to transfer a gem to a different piece of gear. Gems can be removed from equipment, but this process usually comes with a cost. The Gem Master NPC will also offer the service of gem removal. Be aware that removing a gem might destroy it, or it might return the gem to your inventory, potentially at a reduced level or with a fee. Always check the details provided by the NPC before proceeding.
Strategic Gem Placement for Optimal Builds
Simply filling your gear with any available gems is not an optimal strategy. Effective gem socketing requires careful planning and an understanding of your character’s build and intended role.
Understanding Your Build’s Needs
Before you start socketing, you need to know what your character excels at and where it needs improvement. Are you a damage-dealing wizard focused on critical hits and magic attack? Or a sturdy tank needing more HP and physical defense? Your build dictates your gem priorities.
- Damage Dealers: Focus on gems that boost your primary damage stat (e.g., Strength for physical, Intelligence for magic), critical rate, critical damage, and attack speed. Elemental damage gems can also be highly effective if your attacks have an inherent elemental component.
- Tanks: Prioritize gems that increase HP, physical and magic defense, and potentially block or evasion stats. Gems that provide damage reduction or increase threat generation can also be valuable.
- Support Classes: Look for gems that enhance your healing output, reduce skill cooldowns, or increase your buff durations. Mana regeneration or SP pool increases can also be crucial for sustained support.
Synergizing Gems with Gear Bonuses
Many pieces of gear in Tree of Savior come with their own unique bonuses or set effects. Your gem choices should complement these existing bonuses. For instance, if a weapon already grants a significant boost to fire damage, socketing fire damage gems into it will create a powerful synergy.
Similarly, if a set of armor provides a substantial defensive bonus, you might opt for offensive gems on those pieces to balance your character’s strengths, or further enhance survivability with defensive gems depending on your role.
Prioritizing High-Value Slots
Some gear pieces might have more or fewer gem slots, or perhaps slots on more desirable items (like your primary weapon). It’s generally a good idea to invest your best and most powerful gems into the gear that has the most impact on your character, such as your weapon or chest armor.
Consider which slots are most accessible and which pieces of gear are most likely to be upgraded frequently. You don’t want to socket your most expensive gems into a piece of gear you plan to replace within a few levels.
The Role of Set Bonuses
As mentioned earlier, some gems contribute to set bonuses. If you are working towards a specific gear set that offers powerful synergistic effects, identifying the gems that complete these sets is paramount. These can often provide benefits that are far greater than individual gem effects.
Advanced Gem Enhancement and Management
Beyond simple socketing, there are ways to further enhance your gems and manage your gem inventory effectively. (See Also: How Often Should I Water My Meyer Lemon Tree?)
Gem Grinding and Leveling
As gems level up, their effectiveness increases dramatically. The process of gem leveling usually involves combining lower-level gems or using specific materials. This is a crucial part of end-game progression, as maximizing the level of your key gems can provide a significant power spike.
Be mindful of the costs associated with gem leveling. It can consume a substantial amount of in-game currency and resources, so it’s best to focus on leveling gems that are integral to your build.
Gem Extraction and Salvaging
Sometimes, you might acquire gems that are not useful for your current build or gear. Instead of letting them clutter your inventory, you can often extract or salvage them. This process might yield crafting materials, lower-level gems, or other useful items. This is a good way to get some value out of unwanted gems.
Understanding Gem Transfer Systems
In some versions of Tree of Savior, there might be systems that allow for the transfer of gems or gem properties between items. These systems are often complex and may involve specific NPCs or items. If available, they can be incredibly useful for optimizing your gear without having to re-socket every time you upgrade.
Keeping Up with Patches and Updates
The gem system in Tree of Savior, like many aspects of the game, can be subject to changes through patches and updates. New gems might be introduced, existing ones might be rebalanced, or the mechanics of socketing and enhancement could be altered. It’s always a good idea to stay informed about game updates to ensure you are using the most effective gem strategies.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
While gem socketing is a rewarding system, there are common mistakes players make that can hinder their progress.
- Socking without a Plan: Randomly placing gems without considering your build or gear synergy is a recipe for wasted resources. Always have a goal in mind.
- Ignoring Gem Levels: A low-level gem, even if it’s the right type, will offer minimal benefit. Prioritize leveling your most important gems.
- Overspending on Temporary Gear: Avoid socketing your most valuable gems into gear that you plan to replace very soon. Focus on your permanent or long-term gear pieces.
- Not Checking Gem Removal Costs: Be aware that removing gems can be expensive or even destroy them. Plan your socketing carefully to minimize the need for removal.
- Forgetting About Set Bonuses: Powerful set bonuses can be overlooked if you only focus on individual gem stats. Investigate potential set synergies.
By understanding these principles and avoiding common pitfalls, you can transform your gear from ordinary to extraordinary, paving the way for success in the challenging world of Tree of Savior.
Conclusion
Mastering how to socket gems in Tree of Savior is a fundamental aspect of character progression. By understanding the various gem types, their acquisition methods, and the strategic placement of these enhancements, you can significantly amplify your character’s effectiveness. Prioritize gems that align with your build’s needs, synergize them with your gear’s existing bonuses, and always consider the long-term value of your investments. Careful planning and execution in gem socketing will undoubtedly lead to a more powerful and rewarding gameplay experience as you conquer the challenges Tree of Savior presents.
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