Originally Posted by
Riot
OT: Hope you don't throw in the towel just because you can't be #1. This is an expensive aspiration for anyone doing anything playing any game. When I was playing Diablo 3, guys would spend Thousands every month to gear up (easily seen via public auction) so it is no different anywhere else. Ever played Lineage? A sword sold for $10k in Asia realm (that was 1 item)... Dark Age of Camelot? The same story there. EverQuest? A guy sold an account for $5k - $10 all the time for top raid ready characters. World of Warcraft? Same story there. Either be happy and content playing the game and have fun, or try to be the top player and then you will need to unfortunately fork over some money. It is the way it is in every game I have seen.
Back to this game: All I am saying is to unlock the last slot is 320 gems per piece. That alone is not trivial. Right now if you get black smiting past 80, the pay for cool down refreshed on Thor's day, it is around 40 - 50 gems per depending what you are trying to clear. So either, you are going to save save save... for months to open a few sockets, or pay to get some gems.
Because at the current rate of 40 gems or 80 gems if you have the city to double your sails on Saturday... I just do not see how the heck anyone is going to be able to afford to pay for opening a socket.