Upping items socketed with uber ancients jewels

I have a Wizendraw that I socketed with a Protector's Frost jewel, which has a min level requirement of 75. Since double upping Wizendraw to an elite Crusader Bow increases the level requirement from 26 to 69 (which is still less than 75), I figured I might as well just up it to elite. However, I was surprised to see that after upping it twice, the level requirement is now 87.

I wouldn't expect that dropping a LV75req jewel in a LV69req bow would increase the level requirement, so did the level requirement increase because I upped the bow after putting the jewel in it?

Wizendraw ( Crusader Bow base): Required Level 63

Protector's Frost Jewel: Required Level 75

The Math: max(63, 75) + 12 = 87

I have no idea why the difference between 63 and 75 (12) is added to make 87 lvl requirement.


https://www.reddit.com/r/Diablo_2_Resur ... d_lvl_req/

Spider-Dan wrote: 2 days ago

so did the level requirement increase because I upped the bow after putting the jewel in it?

The jewel when socketed sets the base weapon level requirement to 75, if you upgrade the weapon to exceptional, you incur a +5 penalty, and then +7 for elite. 75 + 12 = 87

The order doesn't matter, the upgraded weapon would end up having a level requirement of 87 either way because the game performs a recalculation when socketing.

D2Veteran wrote: 2 days ago

Spider-Dan wrote: 2 days ago

so did the level requirement increase because I upped the bow after putting the jewel in it?

The jewel when socketed sets the base weapon level requirement to 75, if you upgrade the weapon to exceptional, you incur a +5 penalty, and then +7 for elite. 75 + 12 = 87

The order doesn't matter, the upgraded weapon would end up having a level requirement of 87 either way because the game performs a recalculation when socketing.

I understood this "There is a +5 modifier to the base level requirement when transmuting a normal rare/unique to the exceptional item type. There is a +7 modifier when a rare or unique is upgraded from exceptional to elite." and the math, what I don't understand is the reasoning. A Crusader Bow has a user requirement of 57, the elite unique version an Eaglehorn has a user requirement of 69. A Windforce which is the top unique bow in the game has a user requirement of only 73, and though I understand the math and accept the result, I still have no idea why the difference is added, but then why and Blizzard rarely makes sense.

mhlg wrote: 2 days ago

I understand the math and accept the result, I still have no idea why the difference is added

Unique items can have arbitrary level requirements chosen by the developers, presumably as a progression gate. It isn’t derived from the normal affix formula used for magic/rare/crafted items, where the level requirement is generally 75% of the highest affix level, rounded appropriately. This has nothing to do with base upgrade penalties or affix modifications by way of socketed items changing the outcome requirements.

mhlg wrote: 2 days ago

Wizendraw ( Crusader Bow base): Required Level 63

Protector's Frost Jewel: Required Level 75

The Math: max(63, 75) + 12 = 87

I have no idea why the difference between 63 and 75 (12) is added to make 87 lvl requirement.


https://www.reddit.com/r/Diablo_2_Resur ... d_lvl_req/

It’s just a coincidence what the difference is between Crusader Bow and Protector's Frost, it has nothing to do with the reason why the game adds +12 (+5/+7) to 75. You’re seeing a Pattern where there is none.

If you put an ancient jewel into a Pluckeye ( Short Bow, req level 7), it would also get a req of 75, and if you upgraded that twice to Spider Bow (req level 41) the result would also be req level 87.

If you upgrade any unique, set or rare the game incurs these req level “penalties” to the upgraded results, and normally the basis for the +5/+7/+12 is the upgraded result’s req level, but having a jewel in the item with a higher requirement than the base itself will cause the game to use the jewel’s req level as the base value instead.

EDIT: There's one more special rule with upgrading - if the unique/set/rare already has a required level greater than the upgraded base's req level, then the +5/+7/+12 is tacked onto that number instead of the upgraded base's req level. Not sure if there are any unique/set items where this applies (maybe someone else knows?), but it can happen with rare items in particular. A rare Crystal Sword with the Scorching prefix (121-170 fire damage) would have a required level of 67 because that's the req level of the Scorching prefix. If you upgrade that to a Phase Blade (req level 54), it would have a required level of 79 when upgraded since the +12 is tacked onto 67, not 54. And again, if you put an ancient jewel into that Phase Blade, the required level would jump to 87.

ShadowHeart wrote: 2 days ago

There's one more special rule with upgrading - if the unique/set/rare already has a required level greater than the upgraded base's req level, then the +5/+7/+12 is tacked onto that number instead of the upgraded base's req level. Not sure if there are any unique/set items where this applies (maybe someone else knows?

I know of two off the top of my head: Hwanin's Blessing from 35 to 40 (previous + 5) in Mesh Belt to 68 (56+5+7) in Mithril Coil, Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest from 66 to 73 (previous +7)

Some years ago I updated the relevant pages with additional info:
recipes/recipe-exceptional-version-of-s ... 85809.html
recipes/recipe-elite-version-of-set-armor-t785811.html