Recipes

This page lists Horadric Cube recipes and covers what has changed from the vanilla game. Note that while many vanilla recipes are quite useful, many others are not.

Gem & Rune Recipes
Flawless Gems, Perfect Gems, and all Runes are now stackable. They can be switched between their stacked and unstacked forms by cubing them. Some other items are newly stackable as well, and those items can be stacked/unstacked in the same way. Gems and Runes cannot be inserted into equipment sockets while in their stacked forms.

There are also convenient shortcuts for stacking/unstacking items without using cube recipes:
 * ctrl+shift+click - switches a single item between stacked/unstacked forms
 * ctrl+click (while holding items) - places an item in stacked form
 * ctrl+shift+click (while holding items) - places an item in unstacked form

The gem-upgrading recipes are the same except the recipe for upgrading Flawless Gems, which now requires a key in addition to the gems.

The rune-upgrading recipes now require a key in addition to the runes. These recipes no longer require any gems.

Socketing Recipes
Sockets can only be added to 0-socket items that are capable of gaining sockets: helms, chests, shields, and non-throwing weapons. The maximum sockets an item can get is always restricted by the item base. "Standard" refers to items that are neither Superior nor Inferior. Note that the ethereal armor bug has been fixed in PD2.

Larzuk's Puzzlebox Larzuk's Puzzlebox is a new item that adds 2-4 sockets to two-handed weapons or 1-2 sockets to other items, with equal chances for the number of sockets added. It has a droprate that is similar to a high rune (same TC as Gul / Vex ) and can be quite valuable since it can be used alongside Worldstone Shards to get items with both corruption modifiers and multiple sockets.

Larzuk's Puzzlepiece is also new and has the same effect, except it cannot be used with unique or set items. It's more common with a rarity similar to Mal.


 * The socketing recipes for regular items each roll 1-6 sockets with equal chances, but the actual number of sockets added will still be limited by the item base (e.g. Grim Helm will get 1 socket 1/6 of the time and 2 sockets 5/6 of the time)

In addition to these recipes, corruptions also have a chance to add sockets.

Besides recipes, the first quest in Act 5 (Siege on Harrogath) offers another way to get sockets. Larzuk will reward the player by adding sockets to an item of their choice:
 * Regular items receive the maximum amount of sockets (depends on the base and ilvl)
 * Magic items receive 1-2 sockets (equal chance for either outcome)
 * Other items ( Unique / Set / Rare / Crafted ) receive 1 socket

Upgrading Recipes
Set items and crafted items can now be upgraded. Set items use the same recipes as unique items, and crafted items use the same recipes as rare items. These recipes upgrade the item's base and do not affect item affixes.

Item requirements will be increased according to the item's new base. In vanilla, the required level was also increased further by +5/+7 (exceptional/elite) but this is not the case in PD2.


 * Although armor with Enhanced Defense normally has base defense set to its maximum value + 1, upgraded armor with Enhanced Defense has its base defense value randomly selected again.
 * Upgrading ethereal items will not increase their current durability according to however much their maximum durability increases - their current durability may actually be reduced by a seemingly random amount.
 * Unlike vanilla, upgrading a Circlet will turn it into a Coronet instead of the exceptional version (Tiara)

Repairing Recipes
The repairing recipes have been merged, and now repair and recharge items without requiring any gems. There's also a new recipe that can be used to repair any item, including ethereal items.

Other Modification Recipes

 * Vial of Lightsong is a new item that can drop from any enemy (1:7.5 million chance)
 * Lilith's Mirror is a new item that can drop from any enemy (1:25 million chance)

Creation Recipes
These recipes create new items - any affixes on ingredient items are not preserved.

If a recipe has stackable gems/runes as ingredients, those ingredients can be stacked or unstacked, and even stacked in different groups. Here are some examples using the rerolling recipe with a grand charm:



Recipes for creating regular arrows from multiple bolts and regular bolts from multiple arrows have been removed.


 * These recipes can be used to guarantee a certain number of sockets in combination with Larzuk's quest. Unfortunately, few items can get more than 3 sockets at ilvl 1, so they have limited usefulness.


 * Rerolling magic items with perfect gems is a good way to get more opportunities at getting specific magic items. Magic items aren't typically competitive with other options, but magic charms have no alternatives so they're a popular choice for rerolling - grand charms are especially useful if they get +1 to a class skill tab.


 * Rerolling rare items with perfect skulls is a good way to get more opportunities at getting specific rare items. The ilvl will be reduced each time, so it's most effective on high level characters with high level items - it's particularly effective with items that have few useful high-level affixes (like rings) or Diadems since their high qlvl/mlvl completely counteracts lower ilvls. With repeated rerolling, the ilvl for can stabilize as high as ilvl 65 with a level 98+ character.

Besides recipes, the fifth quest in Act 1 (Tools of the Trade) offers another way to generate rare items. After returning the Horadric Malus, Charsi will imbue a zero-socket regular item of the player's choice. The imbued item will become a new rare item of the same type and have the same possible affixes (indistinguishable from "typical" rares except if it's Wirt's Leg), although there are some differences in the item generation:


 * (capped at 99)


 * if an ethereal item is imbued, the resulting item will also be ethereal (no other item stats matter)
 * if the item is capable of getting pointmods (staffmods), it will have much better chances than usual to get pointmods and for those pointmods to be higher level (+3 to multiple skills)
 * Note: Pointmod chances are increased based on the character's level, up to level 94

Popular imbue targets are diadems for characters of any level and pointmod-capable items for level 71+ characters. Imbuing other items at lower levels can result in useable items, but will usually prevent the best affixes from having a chance to appear.

While normally considered a downside, corruptions also have a chance to turn items into rares.

Jewel Fragments are new items - they have no affixes and cannot be socketed into equipment, but can stack up to 50 and be used like jewels for recipes.

Essences can now drop from bosses in Nightmare difficulty as well as Hell difficulty. (same drop chances)
 * Token of Absolution resets character skills/stats
 * Twisted Essence of Suffering drops from Andariel/Duriel (~16.1%/~21.3% chance)
 * Charged Essence of Hatred drops from Mephisto (~8.3% chance)
 * Burning Essence of Terror drops from Diablo (~8.3% chance)
 * Festering Essence of Destruction drops from Baal (~8.3% chance)

Relic of the Ancients, Pandemonium Talisman, Vision of Terror, Voidstone, and all their ingredients (except the uber organs and Hellfire Torch) are new items.

Characters can no longer freely exit/re-enter Uber Tristram while enemies remain within, and the same applies to the new Diablo-Clone fight. Note that only 1 uber zone (or map) may be opened per game.


 * Relic of the Ancients grants access to Uber Ancients for all players near the blood fountain
 * Sigil of Madawc drops from T1 map monsters (1:12k chance)
 * Sigil of Talic drops from T2 map monsters (1:10k chance)
 * Sigil of Korlic drops from T3 map monsters (1:8k chance)


 * Pandemonium Talisman grants access to Uber Tristram for all players near the blood fountain (replaces the direct portal that used to be made with 1 of each uber organ)
 * Mephisto's Brain drops from Uber Izual in the Furnace of Pain
 * Diablo's Horn drops from Lilith (sometimes referred to as Uber Andariel) in the Matron's Den
 * Baal's Eye drops from Uber Duriel in the Forgotten Sands


 * Vision of Terror grants access to the new Diablo-Clone fight for all players near the blood fountain (DClone no longer randomly appears when Stones of Jordan are sold to merchants)
 * Prime Evil Soul drops from Diablo/Baal in Hell difficulty (2% chance - unconfirmed)
 * Black Soulstone drops from Uber Tristram bosses (12% chance per uber boss)
 * Pure Demonic Essence drops from Map bosses (2% chance - unconfirmed)


 * Voidstone grants access to Rathma
 * Splinter of the Void drops from Shadow of Mendeln map event (40% chance - unconfirmed)
 * Trang-Oul's Jawbone drops from undead enemies (1:45k chance in Hell, 3x/9x rarer in Nightmare/Normal)
 * Hellfire Torch

Killing the Cow King will no longer prevent you from opening the Secret Cow Level.

Uber Keys now have slightly different colors to help differentiate them, and are now also dropped by Blood Raven, Bloodwitch, and Izual in Hell difficulty. They can also be dropped during the Spire of Darkness event in maps.


 * Key of Terror drops from The Countess (1:11 chance) and Blood Raven (1:9 chance)
 * Key of Hate drops from The Summoner (1:8 chance) and Bloodwitch (1:9 chance)
 * Key of Destruction drops from Nihlathak (1:8 chance) and Izual (1:9 chance)

Crafting
Main article: Crafting


 * Crafting recipes are no longer limited to specific item bases (such as Helm/Casque/Armet for Blood Helms)
 * Circlets (and quivers) are the exception, and cannot be crafted with
 * Safety Weapon crafts are restricted to Bows and Crossbows
 * Using an ethereal item to craft will cause the resulting item to be ethereal
 * Crafted items no longer have higher level requirements than their rare equivalents (was +10 with an additional +3 per affix, up to +22)
 * Crafted items can now be upgraded (same recipes as upgrading rares)
 * Rare items can now be used in crafting recipes
 * The predetermined affixes for many crafts have been adjusted, and new Vampiric/Bountiful crafting recipes have been added

Corruptions
Main article: Corruptions

Worldstone Shards can be used to corrupt equipment and maps, either adding a corruption modifier or sockets (if applicable), or turning the item into a random rare of the same type. Maps always gain a corruption modifier when corrupted. Corrupted items cannot be corrupted again, but they can be modified by other recipes.


 *  Regular / Ethereal Equipment
 * 50% chance to gain sockets (up to the maximum amount of sockets)
 * 50% chance to turn into a random rare


 * Other Equipment (Socketable)
 * 25% chance to gain sockets (1-3 for armor, 1-4 for one-handed weapons, 1-6 for two-handed weapons)
 * 50% chance to gain a modifier
 * 25% chance to turn into a random rare


 * Other Equipment (Unsocketable)
 * 75% chance to gain a modifier
 * 25% chance to turn into a random rare

Tainted Worldstone Shards are dropped by Rathma and can be used to corrupt Annihilus, either adding a corruption modifier, or turning the item into a random magic small charm with a red color palette.

Maps
Main article: Maps

Maps can be modified with several items via the Horadric Cube.


 * Arcane Orb (upgrades regular to magic )
 * Zakarum Orb (upgrades regular to rare )
 * Angelic Orb (upgrades magic to rare )
 * Orb of Destruction (downgrades to regular )
 * Horadrim Orb (rerolls rare )
 * Cartographer's Orb (combines 3 into a higher tier)
 * Horadrim Scarab (turns a T3 into a dungeon)
 * Standard of Heroes (adds heroic bonuses)