In WoW: The War Within, you can once again obtain sockets for your equipment. However, PvP players have an advantage in getting these sockets. In some cases, they receive them much earlier and often in larger quantities compared to PvE players.
The equipment system in World of Warcraft will remain mostly unchanged in the upcoming expansion, The War Within. However, there are a few areas where the developers are making significant adjustments. This adjustment is necessary due to the introduction of war packs and the associated gear.
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Besides these adjustments, the WoW developers are maintaining the familiar upgrade system and the distinction between “normal” gear and PvP gear. There are minimal changes in the Great Treasury as well. Nonetheless, it’s uncertain whether we’ll still receive the popular consolation prizes in the form of sockets in WoW: The War Within since the endgame hasn’t been tested in the alpha phase yet.
Nevertheless, it’s already certain that we’ll be able to acquire additional sockets from other sources – specifically, Azeroth’s jewelers.
WoW: More Insights into Jewelry Crafting in The War Within
In the alpha version, there are two items available to add sockets to our equipment – one designed for PvE and the other for PvP.
- PvE: Magnificent Jeweler’s Setting
- Use: Adds 1 socket to an amulet or ring. (Jewelry can have up to 2 sockets.)
- PvP: Vicious Jeweler’s Setting
- Use: Adds 1 socket to a War Within PvP item. Applicable to Helms, Amulets, Bracers, Belts, and Rings. (Jewelry can have up to 2 sockets.)
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Unlike Dragonflight, where most items could have a maximum of one socket, in The War Within, each item can accommodate two sockets. However, upon careful inspection of the tooltips, it becomes apparent that the PvP version offers significantly more sockets, as it can be applied to a broader range of items.
This seemingly favors PvP players. Yet, there’s an aspect we’re not aware of yet, but it aligns logically with this information.
In The War Within, the PvP route vanishes from the Grand Vault, replaced by a deeper and quest-centric path. PvP enthusiasts, however, earn extra resources to expedite their equipment acquisition.
Consequently, PvP players won’t receive potential sockets as consolation prizes. If these prizes could fill sockets in the vacant slots (bracers, helmet, and belt), it would restore balance.
One might still argue for a bias towards PvP players, given their ability to purchase sockets directly. However, the discrepancy isn’t as pronounced upon closer examination. Ultimately, everyone ends up with the same number of sockets on their gear.
Moreover, in The War Within, the following sockets are available:
Uniquely Craftable Gemstones
- Insightful Blasphemite: Boosts Primary Value and adds +1% Maximum Mana per Equipped Gem.
- Culminating Blasphemite: Enhances Primary Value and grants +1% Critical Strike Value per Equipped Gem.
- Elusive Blasphemite: Augments Primary Stat and bestows +2% Movement Speed per Equipped Gem.
- Cubic Blasphemia: Amplifies Primary Value and yields +20% fame and wealth per equipped gem.
- Enduring Bloodstone: Increases Primary Stat and reduces damage taken by 15% when under a control effect.
- Cognitive Bloodstone: Elevates Primary Stat and grants Foresight (immune to loss of control for 4 seconds) when opponents cast Disrupt into the void.
- Determined Bloodstone: Advances Primary Stat and inflicts bonus damage with your next attack when slowed.
Additionally, there are “normal” gemstones akin to those in Dragonflight. Here’s a brief selection:
- QuickRuby: Offers 190 Critical Strike and 127 Speed.
- Deadly Sapphire: Provides 190 Versatility and 127 Critical Strike.
- Masterful Emerald: Grants 190 Tempo and 127 Mastery.
- Versatile Onyx: Imparts 190 Mastery Hit Rating and 127 Versatility.
- Quick Amber: Yields 190 Stamina and 127 Speed.
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You can create as many of these as you wish, or rather, as many as you have sockets in your equipment.
How do you speculate Blizzard will address this? Will PvP players indeed be able to directly purchase all their sockets from the jewelers, while PvE players can only access some through the treasury? Such an arrangement might seem inequitable. Perhaps in the initial weeks, we’ll witness some players opting for dungeons and raids with PvP gear, given the ability to affix two sockets.
