====== Sockets ======

Sockets provide many ways by which you may customize your equipment. In particular, armour and weapons have 'sockets' into which 'socket items' may be inserted, whereupon they grant bonuses to your character when worn or wielded.

===== Equipment with Sockets =====
An piece of equipment with sockets is distinguished by having a tag of the form ''[2/5]'' or similar at the end of its name. The second number, in our example 5, is the total number of sockets in the piece, while the first number, i.e. 2, is the number of used sockets.
  
Almost every piece of equipment found on the mud has a small percent chance to be spawned with empty sockets. The number of sockets is random and ranges from 1 to 9, in general. 

Examples:
  A shiny silver headband (small) [0/5]
  Maker Hook in perfect condition (Hand to Hand) [0/4]


One notable exception to this rule is any __autoloading__ armor or weapons you receive from your guild. These will receive a fixed number of sockets dependent on your character level: one socket for every 50 levels. E.g. a level 120 character will have guild armor with 2 slots and a level 234 character will have one with four.


===== Socket Items =====

Mobs throughout the MUD will randomly load items that may be inserted into the sockets. These items come in a variety of types, each with its own bonus, and levels which determine the degree of the bonus received. The bonus will also change depending on if the item is inserted into an armor or a weapon. Below is a list of socket types:

^Name^Bonus^
|Anti-gravitizer|Increases carrying capacity|
|Laser amplifier|Increases laser-weapon damage|
|Van De Graff generator|Can damage opponents if used in a weapon, or negate damage if used in armours.|
|Experience generator|Gains additional experience during combat|
|Mini-shield|Increases equipment durability|
|Stat enhancer|Gives a bonus to a particular stat (STR, CON, INT etc)|
|Sonic impulse reactor|Can stun opponents if used in a weapon, or negate damage if used in armours|



===== Using Sockets =====
Once you have a socket item and a piece of equipment with a free socket, you need simply '''insert <socketname> into <equipment>'''. Once inserted, a socket item may only be removed at a special store on Caladan for a large cash fee. 

**Important**: If you logout with sockets in your guild equipment, they will be reset when you next log in. For this reason, guild equipment is viewed as the worst place to insert socket items.


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See also: [[tips:storingitems]]