Finding the gear to make spirit

[Aaron]

I started playing a couple weeks ago, couldn't wait for reset any longer.

Made a pure blizz sorc.

I have all the runes to make 2 spirits, one in a shield, the other in a crystal sword.

My problem: I am unable to find a 4os shield of any kind, or a 4os crystal sword.

I've been running cows in NM hoping for at least a 4os shield.

Should I consider trading for these items?? thx.

[buckies]

Cube recipe does the trick for me. There are plenty of white Monarchs that drop in hell, and this recipe will get you the four sockets at a cheap price:

1 Tal Rune + 1 Amn Rune + 1 Perfect Ruby + Normal Shield = Socketed Shield of same type

Dunno if NM cows can drop the white Monarch, but certainly the Pits in Act 1 hell can, so it's not that much of a problem (just ignore the Cold Immunes in the Pits and target the devilkin).

[droid]

You can trade for a 0os white monarch for super cheap and Larzuk it. Or, if you want to save your quest, you can socket it in the cube and take your chances, or just trade for a 4os monarch, which still isnt that pricey if you dont care about defense.

NM cows cant drop Monarchs, I'm pretty sure. I find lots in Hell Pits and CS, and I've found a few running the Tower in Hell too, both from monsters and from the armor racks on level 5.

As for swords, you can find a 4os Crystal or Long sword (or Battle Sword, but you need higher than base dex for that) anytime after A2 NM....NM cows is a good spot to run for that. You just have to be patient and get lucky, I just got a 4os LS for my no-twink practice sorc in a solo NM Baal run. If you're really desperate you can cube white CSs or LSs with Amn+Ral+PAmethyst+Sword=Socketed sword, but again, its not guaranteed to get 4os.

Keep in mind, though, that CS and LSs from Normal mode cant have more than 3 sockets ever.

[Road Ratt]

Hell cows is a good, if not the best, place to find monarchs.

Larzuk will give a monarch shield 4os if you don't want to take your chances with the cube recipe and have an open socket quest.

[Aaron]

Good info, just 2 questions about the monarch:

1- Larzuk automatically gives 4os for any shield you ask him to socket ? Is this for hell only?

2- You need 156 str. to wear a monarch and you get 133-148 def. in return. With a Troll Nest you only need 106 str. and you get 158-173 of def. So why choose the monarch?

Thx

[DH Amazon]

Good info, just 2 questions about the monarch:

1- Larzuk automatically gives 4os for any shield you ask him to socket ? Is this for hell only?

2- You need 156 str. to wear a monarch and you get 133-148 def. in return. With a Troll Nest you only need 106 str. and you get 158-173 of def. So why choose the monarch?

Thx

1 Monarch is lowest str req. shield you can get 4 sockets, so its only option for sorcs to make spririt shield (other options need almost 200 str).
You can burn your norm socket quest to get 4 sockets in monarch.

2. Troll Nest, max sockets is 3, so you can't make spirit in it.

So your only option is monarch, so get that 156str. Its high, but we can't avoid it. Eth monarch needs only 146str, but its not practical in long run. Nice for temp use though.

[droid]

Larzuk will always give max sockets in every difficulty. So any Monarch he'll punch 4 holes in, any Troll Nest he'll punch 3 in, etc.

Cube recipe gives 1-4 sockets randomly, so you have a 25% chance of rolling 4 on a Monarch with it.

Larzuk is the only way to socket a Superior Monarch, though.