Larzuk's sockets on shields

[Agility]

Say I want to make a spirit runeword shield using a superior gilded shield. Using Larzuk's socket quest, will I get the max number of sockets on the shield (4)? As well, do I keep the inherent bonuses on the shield (i.e 35 resist all) in addition to my spirit stats?

Will I always get max sockets on any white normal/superior item brought to Larzuk?

Thanks for your help.

Btw, is the gilded shield a good choice? I don't want to boost my strength that much to use a monarch or something and I don't have the moolah for a HOZ =P

-ac.

[Orphan]

In your case, yes you will get 4 sockets from a white guilded shield, since (if I remember correctly) the lowest monster capable of dropping that item is the Smith, on NM.

Larzuk will give the maximum sockets available to an item depending on it's ilvl (ie, depending on where you found it). This means that you won't necessarily get the max sockets from an item, if the item is too low. With regards to paladin shields, any shield with an ilvl less than 25 will have 3 sockets. Shields 25 or greater will have 4.

I don't know the exact mlvl of the Smith in Act 1 NM, but I know it's higher than 25 :)

[Evrae Altana]

As well, do I keep the inherent bonuses on the shield (i.e 35 resist all) in addition to my spirit stats?
Yes, you get the inherent 35 resist all on the Gilded Shield in addition to the resists the Spirit runeword itself gives you.

[krischan]

I don't know the exact mlvl of the Smith in Act 1 NM, but I know it's higher than 25 :)
The smith is in the Barracks which is a L40 area in nm. From ilvl 40 or 41 on, white items will get the maximum number of sockets from Larzuk. I don't know the mlvl of the Smith right now, but I would be surprised if it's not higher than the area level.

BTW, the Smith doesn't drop a nonmagical item if it can be magical instead, just like any boss or super-unique, so don't expect socketable white items from him ;)