Are gems worth keeping Diablo 2?

In most cases, no – stockpiling excessive gems is an inefficient use of time and stash space for experienced players in the end game. While gems can provide helpful stat boosts when socketed, their power fades quickly compared to high runes and set/unique items that define top builds.

Gems have valuable niche uses, but hoarding them broadly is unnecessary. As we‘ll explore, a few key gem types are useful in expected quantities for upgrading runes, early magic finding, crafting, and rerolling select items. Beyond those specific purposes, gems lack relevance versus the item hunt for elite gear.

Gem drop rates: exponential growth for upgrades

We first need to analyze the drop rates and upgrade costs associated with gems:

As shown, the drop rates decrease exponentially while upgrade costs swell rapidly. Collecting enough high-end gems to fill multiple sockets is unrealistic compared to finding coveted uniques like Windforce or runes for Enigma.

Opportunity cost: why runewords are preferred

Gems ultimately lag far behind runeword items that define elite Diablo 2 builds. Let‘s analyze their comparative gold value and opportunity cost:

• Most top runewords require very rare, powerful runes to craft.
• An elite runeword weapon like Grief far outpaces a standard unique with perfect gems.
• Ex: Grief can take months of grinding high runes. A socketed elite bow with 120% enhanced damage takes days.

In other words, every moment farming gems could be better spent hunting truly best-in-slot gear for your build. This analysis remains true even accounting for acquiring gems incidentally from regular play.

When are gems useful?

Understanding gem utility requires recognizing their shifting benefits during different stages of play:

Leveling and early end game

Here sockets for gems really shine by addressing resists, faster cast/hit recovery, magic find and other needs while you assemble builds. Farming socketed items from Nightmare and early Hell best applies gems.

Late end-game

As elite uniques and runewords come together, gem value in sockets declines sharply. Some key examples:

• Helms: Griffon‘s Eye and Harlequin Crest surpass Shako + topazes.
• Weapons: Grief and anderenal‘s vastly outpace socketables.

Topazes maintain some relevance to hit desired magic find caps, but require selectively socketing Andariel‘s Visage, armor, and swap weapons.

Viable niche gem uses

Gems aren‘t totally obsolete in late game. Here are viable niche uses:

• Runeword Upgrading: Cubing gems cuts grind substantially. Even perfect gems are expendable for elite runes.
• Crafting: Recipes like amulets and rings gain relevance with more disposable gems.
• Rerolling: Jewels and grand charms call for gems during imbue and reroll attempts.

But again, gem applicability rests in narrow use cases. As your gear develops, broad hoarding loses usefulness rapidly.

Conclusion

Hopefully this analysis clarifies why most Diablo 2 players shouldn‘t broadly stockpile gems. While helpful leveling and early on, runewords and elite uniques soon outpace sockets and trivialize flawless/perfect gems. Collecting full inventories has prohibitive opportunity costs against gear progression.

Stay alert to gem relevance declining over time – resident utility rests in rune upgrading and select topaz magic finding. For most veterans with advanced characters, keeping about 10-15 perfect gems of a few key types is more than sufficient!