Q: Socketing a rare druid helm

[Earl Grey]

Here is the helm I want to socket: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/earlgrey/D2_druid_antlers_bitter_hood.jpg (2 Sockets, +2 Druid skills)

The character is a Lvl 53 Winddruid that has just entered Nightmare. I'm far from a rich player (for example the highest rune I have is an IO) so please keep that in mind. :)

Rest of equipment is this:
Weapon: Earthshaker
Gloves: Sander's Taboo
Boots: Natalya's Soul
Belt: Crafted Caster Sharkskin belt w 6fcr, 47 life, lightning and fire resists, etc
Armor: "Stealth" Demonhide Armor
Shield: 2 PDiamond, 60% block Bone Shield
Amulet: +1 Druid, +20 Mf
Ring 1: Rare, +10 fcr, resistances
Ring 2: Rare, +10 fcr, resistances
GC w +1 Elemental and +25 life (My pride and joy! :) )

I could change the gear to get a bit of Mf, since I have a Goldwrap and Chance Guards. It's not much though.

Mercenary is a Holy Freeze (picked up last night) with this:
Weapon: "Insight" War Scythe (Used up my last SOL rune there...)
Armor: Darkglow
Helm: Rare 134def

My MF character is a lvl 74 MeteORb sorc who is in Act I Hell. That is my highest level character and the first one I made. I have not made any trades so she is my primary means of finding stuff.

[HardyZ]

Your resists seem to be high enough for nightmare, so:

to me, the best cheap option is 2xperfect skulls, replenish life +10 and 38% mana regen is really good for such a price

An another cheap option would be 2xperfect rubies, more life is always good(+76 here, so your helm would give you more than 100 additional life).

I'd prefer the 2xperfect skulls option myself, regen is really cool on pvm casters.

Hope it helps!

[Earl Grey]

Thanks for the reply.

The "Insight" on my merc has a L17 Meditation Aura which pretty much seems to take care of all my mana regeneration needs. Would the PSkulls option still be useful on top of that?

[HardyZ]

oh, my bad, didn't see the merc's gear

Then, with insight taken into account, i'd say go with the rubies option if your life is a bit low, or with the regen if your life is high enough. I mean, if your life is high enough, more would be overkill, while regenerating between battles would still have a use.

That's my opinion at least :D

[Herald of Doom]

Definately prubies. If you don't need resists, ias or ed% from a socket and you can't afford highrunes, prubies are the best.

HoD

[RetroStar]

I would go with Rubies or Shaels.

[HardyZ]

I would go with Rubies or Shaels.

hey, good call, i forgot about shaels, pretty good option too!

[bluedragoon]

maybe p topaz for more mf