[2009] The Socketed Tournament of Confusion [by jamesixgun]

[Grisu]

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This tournament has already ended. It was originally started by @jamesixgun on Sep 3, 2009. The last post was made Dec 4, 2009.
(link to original thread on diabloii.net) ​

The Socketed Tournament of Confusion

Socket to Me!

It's time for the . . .

Socketed Tournament of Confusion​

Goals:

• To promote underused gems, items and mercs
  
  
• To promote class-specific items and items with class-specific bonuses (wands/scepters/staves)
  
  
• To confuse everyone with convoluted rules and regulations :whistling:

General Restrictions:

• 1.10+ LOD, Vanilla or FAM, Hardcore or Softcore, pretty much anyone (as long as they're untwinked )! We want Mats/Pats and Guardians! :yes:
  
  
• GoMule (or ATMA) is allowed as an extended stash
  
  
• Enter as many times as you like. Should you choose to play multiple active toons, each character must have a separate stash.
  
  
• Skill and Attribute point distribution is at player discretion (with some restrictions, see below).
  
  
• Full clears are not required, but skipping waypoints and quests will result in point penalties.
  
  
• Re-running for items/experience/whatever you like is allowed, but only within the current act and before defeating the Act Boss. No re-running of Act Bosses or the MooMoo Farm.
  
  
• Save and Exit to avoid death is not allowed. No exception for SC toons.
  
  
• Player settings may be changed at your discretion (No Chest-popping Cheese, Please!)
  
  
• Imbue/socket and other quest rewards may be saved for later acts/difficulties, but will result in point penalties (see scoring, below)
  
  
• Gambling is allowed and encouraged
  
  
• Assassins and Barbarians are free to dual-wield, or not, at player discretion
  
  
• Only one castable, damage-dealing minion may be used, and will incur a point penalty. Restrictions apply (see below).
  
  
• NO A2 MERCS
  
  
• Teleport may not be used unless an item grants charges.
  
  
• All charms may be used without restriction.
  
  
  *Rules vary slightly for Hardcore and Softcore play (see below). There will be 2 ‘winners,’ one HC and one SC.

Item Restrictions:
[*] Weapon/Helms/Armor/Shields must all be socketable and follow socket rules (below). Socket quest may be used on any item.

• Starting equipment may be used without restriction.
  
  
• Items with class-specific bonuses (wands/scepters/staves) must be used once they become available.
  
  
• Class-Specific Items must be used at all times, once they become available, with two exceptions.
  
  
  [*]Amazons must wield bows/crossbows/javelins/spears. These items may be class specific or not, at player discretion.
  
  [*]Assassins must wield Katars
  
  [*]Barbarians and Druids must wear class-specific helmets
  
  [*]Paladins must use Scepters and Pally shields
  
  [*]Necromancers must use Wands and Necro heads
  
  [*]Sorceresses may use Orbs or Staves or one of each​
  
  
• Amulet/Rings/Belt/Gloves/Boots must be of varying types: one maximum of each type (white, eth, blue, yellow, orange, green, gold). Personalization quest may be used to allow multiple use of one item type (multiple golds, for example). White items may be used without restriction, but must be replaced as finds/shopping/gambling/crafting allows. See scoring for more details.
  
  
• Throwing weapons may be freely used, but you’ll miss out on some points.
  
  
• Oskills from items may be used (with some restrictions, see below), but only if the items are socketable; CtC allowed and encouraged.
  
  
• Imbues and other reward items may be freely used, but point totals will be effected.

Socket Restrictions:

Socketable refers to any item with sockets.

There are 9 possible socket fillers (Amethyst, Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Skull, Topaz, Jewels, and Runes). Jewels may be magic or rare and of any color. Runes may be of any type.

• only one filler may be used in any given socketable. For example, if you have some Studded Leather with 2 open sockets, and you stick a topaz in one socket, a topaz must also fill the other socket.
  
  
• socketable items may be of any color, type, or quality
  
  
• each socketable must contain a different filler. For example, if you have topazes in your Studded Leather, your helmet, weapons, and shields must use other filler types.
  
  -exception: the 10th socketable (available only with an A3 merc), may be filled with the filler of your choice, but it must be employed on the merc, and must be the only filler of that type on the merc.
  
  
• one total runeword (on toon or merc) may be used, but runes may be used to fill the 10th socket.
  
  
• Gem qualities may be mixed and matched at your discretion.

Merc Restrictions:

A1, A3, or A5 ONLY. Items must follow above rules



Skill Restrictions: I originally planned to have some complex and convoluted rules regarding skill placement, but why? The item restrictions should be enough. However, a few rules remain.

Minions

• Assassins and Amazons may use a Shadow or the Valk, but will incur a point penalty (see below).
  
  
• Druids are limited to Grizzly only, plus the spirit of your choice. Use of Grizzly will incur a point penalty. Additional points may be put into Wolves for synergy. Hardcore players may use vines without penalty.
  
  
• Necromancers are limited to one Golem of any type: no skeletons, no skeleton mages, no revives. Point penalty applies.
  
  
• Mind Blast and Conversion may be used without restriction.

Teleport

• Teleport may be used if an item grants charges, or if you find the runes for Enigma (HA!). Otherwise, you get to run.
  
  
• Sorceress may only skill Teleport as a pre-req for Energy Shield. It may not be used. Items with “+X to Teleport (Sorceress Only)” may be used, but the use of Teleport granted by such items is forbidden.
  
  
• Dragon Flight, Leap, and Leap Attack may be used without restriction.

Scoring

• -1 per clvl
  
  
• -5 per death, if softcore (please be honest)
  
  
• -5 (HC) or -10 (SC) for use of a castable minion (may only use one, and must follow above rules).
  
  
• -5 (HC) or -10 (SC) for use of a HEL rune to un-socket an item.
  
  
• +1 per waypoint, including town waypoints; -5 for each skipped waypoint
  
  
• +2 per quest completed before leaving the act; -2 for quests completed after leaving the act; -5 for quests completed after leaving the difficulty (quest completion defined as greyed out in quest window); -10 for skipping a quest completely
  
  
• Killing Cow King counts as 1 quest.
  
  
• +5 for completing Normal; +10 for completing Nightmare; +20 for completing Hell (defined in all cases as killing the Cow King)
  
  
• +1 per item type used in non-socketable slots (white, eth, blue, yellow, orange, green, gold, personalized*), tallied after killing the Cow King in each difficulty, and added to previous total: potential for 18 points. No wardrobe quick-change cheese, please.
  
  
  *Personalization quest may be used to allow the use of one item type in multiple slots. Every personalized item in use for the majority of an Act receives one point, for a maximum of one point in Nightmare and two points in Hell. This is in addition to the points earned for multiple item types.​
  
  
• +1 per socket-filler used (Amethyst, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, Emerald, Diamond, Skull, Rune, Jewel), tallied after killing Cow King in each difficulty, and added to previous total: potential for 27 points. Socketable must be completely filled for points to count.
  
  
• Note that you receive a maximum of 1 point per item slot, except for Personalized items, which receive an additional point in Nightmare and Hell.

The Guardian and Mat/Pat with the highest score receive bragging rights (one Hardcore winner and one Softcore winner). In case of a tie, lowest level wins.

Tournament ends when there have been no posts for two weeks. I will post a last call for final write-ups.


Thanks to everyone who helped with the planning phase of this tourney. I couldn't have done it without your help!


Good Luck!! now go stuff some sockets!