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** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' and Materia are basically this, except without the mated-for-life aspect (as befits the PowersAsPrograms nature of Materia).
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' allows you to modify weapons; its GreenRocks were generally consumable items (oddly enough, the required items had the opposite effect: poison items made poison-resistant armor and antidotes made poisonous weapons). While you can't unmodify a sword, you also don't need to; there's no randomly-generated equipment in the game. Instead, there is basically just ''one'' flavor of weapon and armor for each character, which is completely blank and which you then modify to your heart's desire, and which you can buy basically anywhere. Any combination of qualities you find in one weapon, you can create in another, with a few exceptions in the game's {{Infinity Plus One Sword}}s.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' allows you to modify weapons; its GreenRocks were generally consumable items (oddly enough, the required items had the opposite effect: poison items made poison-resistant armor and antidotes made poisonous weapons). While you can't unmodify a sword, you also don't need to; there's no randomly-generated equipment in the game. Instead, there is basically just ''one'' flavor of weapon and armor for each character, which is completely blank and which you then modify to your heart's desire, and which you can buy basically anywhere. Any combination of qualities you find in one weapon, you can create in another, with a few exceptions in the game's {{Infinity Plus One Sword}}s.
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** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' and Materia are basically this, except its various spinoffs have Materia, which is this trope without the mated-for-life aspect (as befits the PowersAsPrograms nature of Materia).
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' allows you tomodify add abilities to weapons; its GreenRocks were generally consumable items (oddly enough, the required items had the opposite effect: poison items made poison-resistant armor and antidotes made poisonous weapons). While you can't unmodify a sword, you also don't need to; there's no randomly-generated This is done in blank slots of equipment, of which there can be four at most, so four abilities is the maximum (and most equipment in the game. Instead, there is basically just ''one'' flavor of weapon and armor for each character, which is completely blank and which you then modify find has less due to your heart's desire, and which you can buy basically anywhere. having <4 slots and/or some slots already being filled with abilities). Any combination of qualities abilities you find in one weapon, you can create in another, with a few exceptions in the game's {{Infinity Plus One Sword}}s.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' allows you to
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* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'' has the rather complicated mod system. Each piece of equipment gets eight slots (or ten, in the case of companions) that the player can use to equip mods. Need more health on your Warframe? Equip the Vitality mod. Want to add some [[KillItWithFire Heat damage]] to your sword? Try using Molten Impact. However, every mod equipped uses up a certain amount of points, and the number of points available is directly tied to the level of the equipment in question; there are ways to stretch your points further than normal, but they require rare items and some effort. Since Warframes only get minor stat boosts from leveling up and weapons don't get any stat increases at all, modding is the only way to make your gear strong enough to take on the game's hardest challenges. Unlike most examples of this trope, mods can be freely moved around or removed between missions, and the same copy of a mod can be equipped to two different items as long as those items aren't equipped at the same time (in practice, this means you only need duplicates for Sentinel weapons).
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* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'' ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'':
** The game hasthe a rather complicated mod system. Each piece of equipment gets eight slots (or ten, in the case of companions) that the player can use to equip mods. Need more health on your Warframe? Equip the Vitality mod. Want to add some [[KillItWithFire Heat damage]] to your sword? Try using Molten Impact. However, every mod equipped uses up a certain amount of points, and the number of points available is directly tied to the level of the equipment in question; there are ways to stretch your points further than normal, but they require rare items and some effort. Since Warframes only get minor stat boosts from leveling up and weapons don't get any stat increases at all, modding is the only way to make your gear strong enough to take on the game's hardest challenges. Unlike most examples of this trope, mods can be freely moved around or removed between missions, and the same copy of a mod can be equipped to two different multiple items as long as those items aren't equipped at the same time (in practice, time.
** Most items that can be modded can also be socketed with an Orokin Catalyst or Reactor, which doubles its mod capacity, and a Focus Lens which converts excessive Affinity (experience points) into Focus points that can be spent on upgrades to its associated Focus school. There are also Exilus Mods, which have less important effects but can be equipped in a special slot (that must be unlocked with another item). Unlike mods, these upgrades are permanent and consume the associated item (although Focus lenses can be replaced with another lens, destroying the old one in the process).
** Warframes have five Archon Shard slots, in which rare gem-like Shards can be socketed for further boosts. Like with mods, Archon Shards can be removed, but unlike them, thismeans you only need duplicates for Sentinel weapons).costs resources.
** The game has
** Most items that can be modded can also be socketed with an Orokin Catalyst or Reactor, which doubles its mod capacity, and a Focus Lens which converts excessive Affinity (experience points) into Focus points that can be spent on upgrades to its associated Focus school. There are also Exilus Mods, which have less important effects but can be equipped in a special slot (that must be unlocked with another item). Unlike mods, these upgrades are permanent and consume the associated item (although Focus lenses can be replaced with another lens, destroying the old one in the process).
** Warframes have five Archon Shard slots, in which rare gem-like Shards can be socketed for further boosts. Like with mods, Archon Shards can be removed, but unlike them, this
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* In ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'' 2nd edition weapons and armor can be engraved with [[RunicMagic runes]] that can be transferred from one compatible item to another, or temporarily stored on a runestone. Runes are divided into Fundamental and Property runes. There are only four Fundamental runes: Armor Potency (increases armor class) and Resilience (improves saves) for armor, Weapon Potency (adds to attack rolls) and Striking (multiplies damage) for weapons, an item can only have one of each but they can be upgraded to stronger versions. Property runes add special qualities to the item such as elemental magic or the ability to harm ghosts, but an item can only hold as many Property runes as the bonus granted by its Potency rune (i.e. a sword with a +2 Weapon Potency rune can have two Properties).
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* ''VideoGame/{{Xeodrifter}}'' has a non-RPG implementation. Picking up gun upgrades adds a point that can be freely moved between five categories: shot speed, shot power, rate of fire, shot spread (points into this add spread between shots), and shot waviness (points into this make shots move in a sine wave pattern). Power upgrades need 2 points to improve their effect, everything else needs just one point per slot.
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* Primary Spirits in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' are equipment that boost the defense and (with one exception) attack power of whoever uses them and often grant one other change, such as increasing the power of certain types of attacks, increasing jump height, or, for a disadvantageous example, starting the fight with damage. Each one also has a number of slots, ranging from zero to three, allowing the player to also equip Secondary Spirits that give certain buffs, such as slowly healing over the course of the battle or starting the battle made of metal, but take up certain amounts of slots depending on the trait.
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** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', component upgrading is introduced for armor and weapons. Armor typically has arm and leg slots, while one-handed weapons typically have a grip/haft slot. Two-handers have an additional pommel slot. Bows have a slot for the hand grip, and staves have a slot for the shaft and the [[BladeOnAStick blade on the other end]], and all weapons have a Rune slot. [[ICallItVera Bianca]], Varric's [[AutomaticCrossbow one-of-a-kind crossbow]], has the most of all with four; a bow limb slot, a grip slot, an aiming module slot, and a rune slot.
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** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', component upgrading is introduced for armor and weapons. Armor typically has arm and leg slots, while one-handed weapons typically have a grip/haft slot. Two-handers have an additional pommel slot. Bows have a slot for the hand grip, and staves have a slot for the shaft and the [[BladeOnAStick blade on the other end]], end, and all weapons have a Rune slot. [[ICallItVera Bianca]], Varric's [[AutomaticCrossbow one-of-a-kind crossbow]], has the most of all with four; a bow limb slot, a grip slot, an aiming module slot, and a rune slot.
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In the original concept of the trope as presented by ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'', once a gem was in a socket, the match was permanent and that was the end of the story. When combined with RandomlyGeneratedLoot (which ''Diablo'' also featured), this meant that every piece of EQ you encountered was completely unique, even ''before'' you socketed it out. It ''also'' meant you lived in fear of socketing a gem and then, on the very next dungeon crawl, [[TooAwesomeToUse uncovering an even better piece of gear you ought to have saved the gem for]].
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In the original concept of the trope as presented by ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'', ''VideoGame/DiabloII'', once a gem was in a socket, the match was permanent and that was the end of the story. When combined with RandomlyGeneratedLoot (which ''Diablo'' also featured), this meant that every piece of EQ you encountered was completely unique, even ''before'' you socketed it out. It ''also'' meant you lived in fear of socketing a gem and then, on the very next dungeon crawl, [[TooAwesomeToUse uncovering an even better piece of gear you ought to have saved the gem for]].
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A piece of Socketed Equipment comes with a number of empty "sockets," into which can be placed various "gems" (ie. GreenRocks) to add more qualities to said piece of equipment: a ruby might add [[ElementalRockPaperScissors Fire damage]] or [[ImmuneToFire resistance to fire]], a black diamond might add LifeDrain, and so on.
In the original concept of the trope as presented by ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'', once a gem was in a socket, the match was permanent and that was the end of the story. When combined with RandomlyGeneratedLoot (which ''Diablo'' also featured), this meant that every piece of EQ you encountered was completely unique, even ''before'' you socketed it out. It ''also'' meant you lived in fear of socketing a gem and then, on the very next dungeon crawl, [[TooAwesomeToUse uncovering an even better piece of gear that you would've rather saved the gem for]].
In technical terms, this trope is a modular customization scheme in which you can create gear with any combination of pre-determined qualities you desire. In general, it's only seen in games with RandomlyGeneratedLoot, since this ups the possible combinations immensely; it also means you can't control an item's sockets, style (IE sword vs spear vs etc) or pre-existing enchantments, and instead have to spend a lot of time adventuring (or SaveScumming) in the hopes of finding that perfect piece of gear. This is a ''very'' effective time sink.
In the original concept of the trope as presented by ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'', once a gem was in a socket, the match was permanent and that was the end of the story. When combined with RandomlyGeneratedLoot (which ''Diablo'' also featured), this meant that every piece of EQ you encountered was completely unique, even ''before'' you socketed it out. It ''also'' meant you lived in fear of socketing a gem and then, on the very next dungeon crawl, [[TooAwesomeToUse uncovering an even better piece of gear that you would've rather saved the gem for]].
In technical terms, this trope is a modular customization scheme in which you can create gear with any combination of pre-determined qualities you desire. In general, it's only seen in games with RandomlyGeneratedLoot, since this ups the possible combinations immensely; it also means you can't control an item's sockets, style (IE sword vs spear vs etc) or pre-existing enchantments, and instead have to spend a lot of time adventuring (or SaveScumming) in the hopes of finding that perfect piece of gear. This is a ''very'' effective time sink.
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A piece of Socketed Equipment comes with a number of empty "sockets," into which can be placed various "gems" (ie. GreenRocks) {{Power Crystal}}s) to add more qualities to said piece of equipment: a ruby might add [[ElementalRockPaperScissors Fire damage]] or [[ImmuneToFire resistance to fire]], a black diamond might add LifeDrain, and so on.
In the original concept of the trope as presented by ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'', once a gem was in a socket, the match was permanent and that was the end of the story. When combined with RandomlyGeneratedLoot (which ''Diablo'' also featured), this meant that every piece of EQ you encountered was completely unique, even ''before'' you socketed it out. It ''also'' meant you lived in fear of socketing a gem and then, on the very next dungeon crawl, [[TooAwesomeToUse uncovering an even better piece of gearthat you would've rather ought to have saved the gem for]].
In technical terms, this trope is a modular customization scheme in which you can create gear with any combination of pre-determined qualities you desire. In general, it's only seen in games with RandomlyGeneratedLoot, since this ups the possible combinations immensely; it also means you can't control an item's quantity of sockets, style (IEsword vs spear vs etc) "Is this a weapon my character class can use?") or pre-existing enchantments, and instead have to spend a lot of time adventuring (or SaveScumming) in the hopes of finding that perfect piece of gear. This Since the entire ''Diablo'' franchise (and [[FollowTheLeader every clone of it]], for that matter) is built on this trope, it is clearly a ''very'' effective time sink.
In the original concept of the trope as presented by ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'', once a gem was in a socket, the match was permanent and that was the end of the story. When combined with RandomlyGeneratedLoot (which ''Diablo'' also featured), this meant that every piece of EQ you encountered was completely unique, even ''before'' you socketed it out. It ''also'' meant you lived in fear of socketing a gem and then, on the very next dungeon crawl, [[TooAwesomeToUse uncovering an even better piece of gear
In technical terms, this trope is a modular customization scheme in which you can create gear with any combination of pre-determined qualities you desire. In general, it's only seen in games with RandomlyGeneratedLoot, since this ups the possible combinations immensely; it also means you can't control an item's quantity of sockets, style (IE
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* ''Videogame/VagrantStory'' has a variety of gemstones that Ashley can find and socket into his wepons and shields in order to change their properties.
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* In the ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' series, weapons, armor, and talismans each have zero to three slots that players can put decorations in to put points into a skill, which becomes active once enough points are added. Some of these decorations take away points from a different skill, which can activate a skill with a negative effect if enough points are taken away (for example, having enough negative points in a skill that boosts fire resistance will make you more vulnerable to fire-based attacks). Some decorations take up two or three slots, in exchange for providing a bigger boost than decorations that just need one slot.
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* In the ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' series, weapons, ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'':
** Weapons, armor, and talismans each have zero to three slots that players can put decorations in to put points into a skill, which becomes active once enough points are added. Some of these decorations take away points from a different skill, which can activate a skill with a negative effect if enough points are taken away (for example, having enough negative points in a skill that boosts fire resistance will make you more vulnerable to fire-based attacks). Some decorations take up two or three slots, in exchange for providing a bigger boost than decorations that just need one slot.
** Weapons, armor, and talismans each have zero to three slots that players can put decorations in to put points into a skill, which becomes active once enough points are added. Some of these decorations take away points from a different skill, which can activate a skill with a negative effect if enough points are taken away (for example, having enough negative points in a skill that boosts fire resistance will make you more vulnerable to fire-based attacks). Some decorations take up two or three slots, in exchange for providing a bigger boost than decorations that just need one slot.
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alphabetizing, crosswicking Pokemon SMD entry, commenting out ZCE, and soft splitting into video game and non-video game examples
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!!Examples:
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* The fishing gears in ''VideoGame/AceFishing'' has slots that can be loaded with pearls. The additional value of the pearls are randomised, though.
* ''VideoGame/{{Aion}}'' has sockets in all of the armors, weapons, and shields. The number of sockets usually depend on the item's rarity, but can vary in some exceptions. Players can slot manastones into these sockets to provide a direct boost to their stats, although putting more than one in an item may cause the socketing to fail, which destroys ALL the manastones already in that item! Some weapons also have a "godstone" slot that will accept one godstone that will give the weapon a chance to proc a specific effect, such as additional damage. And, on top of all of that, the players themselves can earn up to five stigma slots and three advanced stigma slots, which are used for slotting additional skills you can't obtain any other way.
* ''VideoGame/{{Aion}}'' has sockets in all of the armors, weapons, and shields. The number of sockets usually depend on the item's rarity, but can vary in some exceptions. Players can slot manastones into these sockets to provide a direct boost to their stats, although putting more than one in an item may cause the socketing to fail, which destroys ALL the manastones already in that item! Some weapons also have a "godstone" slot that will accept one godstone that will give the weapon a chance to proc a specific effect, such as additional damage. And, on top of all of that, the players themselves can earn up to five stigma slots and three advanced stigma slots, which are used for slotting additional skills you can't obtain any other way.
* ''VideoGame/ArNosurge'' does away with equipment completely and instead the characters install parts called Plugins into their weapons and armor, which are predetermined. These include increasing Break for the enemies, causing them damage similar to poisoning, increasing the regen rate at the start of some turns, and such.
* ''VideoGame/CapellasPromise'' has orbs, which can be placed into equipment for bonus effects but can never be removed.
* The way that you enhance your superpowers in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' works in a similar fashion. On level-ups that don't give new powers you will instead get 2-3 slots that you can distribute among your powers for a total of 6 slots per power. Enhancements go into those slots and work to improve the stats of that power such as increasing accuracy and damage or reducing recharge time. There are also special types of enhancements that improve 2, 3 or even 4 stats at the same time. You can also mix and match enhancement types. Just because you slotted 1 piece from the Touch of Death set doesn't mean that you must use only that set for that power (although you need more pieces of it to get the set-bonuses for having X number of that set's pieces). It's common place to mix different enhancement types and sets to get certain desired stat boosts, which is referred to as "[[http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Frankenslot frankenslotting]]".
* Present in the original ''VideoGame/DarkCloud'', each weapon has two to five slots for attachments. When a weapon is upgraded, it absorbs those attachments, adding them to the weapon's base power. Once it has been improved enough to cross certain thresholds, it may be [[EvolvingWeapon built up into a stronger weapon with higher maximum ability.]]
* The way that you enhance your superpowers in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' works in a similar fashion. On level-ups that don't give new powers you will instead get 2-3 slots that you can distribute among your powers for a total of 6 slots per power. Enhancements go into those slots and work to improve the stats of that power such as increasing accuracy and damage or reducing recharge time. There are also special types of enhancements that improve 2, 3 or even 4 stats at the same time. You can also mix and match enhancement types. Just because you slotted 1 piece from the Touch of Death set doesn't mean that you must use only that set for that power (although you need more pieces of it to get the set-bonuses for having X number of that set's pieces). It's common place to mix different enhancement types and sets to get certain desired stat boosts, which is referred to as "[[http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Frankenslot frankenslotting]]".
* Present in the original ''VideoGame/DarkCloud'', each weapon has two to five slots for attachments. When a weapon is upgraded, it absorbs those attachments, adding them to the weapon's base power. Once it has been improved enough to cross certain thresholds, it may be [[EvolvingWeapon built up into a stronger weapon with higher maximum ability.]]
* In ''VideoGame/DigimonWorld4'', weapons and armor found in the field or available in the shop randomly generate with a number of mod slots. The player can add chips to raise stats, apply elemental properties, or produce other unique effects.
* ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' has Specialists, essentially [=NPCs=] that live inside items. Once a Specialist is subdued (by going into the [[RandomlyGeneratedLevel Item World]] of that particular item and [[DefeatMeansFriendship beating them up]]), they can be moved around to other items and even combined with other Specialists of the same type to power them up. Every item also has a number of slots to hold Specialists, with 'rare' and 'legendary' items generally having more slots than normal items.
* ''VideoGame/DivineDivinity'' refers to them as "charms". The difference here that the amount of charms you can put on a piece of equipment is determined by your Charms skill, in addition to the "Charm Quality" of the item.
** ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': socketed equipment is randomly obtained and can be enhanced with "runes", each of which has different effects depending on the equipment type to which it's added. Runes can be added and removed at will; the ItemCrafting system also allows some runes to be fitted with "frames", which irreversibly creates a new rune.
* ''VideoGame/Dota2'' uniquely has this only for cosmetic effects. Fitting, as the items themselves are strictly cosmetic.
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
** The enchantment system in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''. Sandal can add or remove runes free of charge. The runes themselves come in different grades; the most powerful ones usually have to be bought (which is the case for most of the uber gear in this game). The ExpansionPack added armor runes, and a pyramid style (consuming weaker ones to make stronger ones) upgrade/crafting skill for them (that could be a GameBreaker if you had enough money). Many players gave their weak ones to the mages/templars to strengthen their forces and get xp in the original campaign, then played Awakening and incidentally missed out on a lot of crafting opportunities.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', the enchantment system is revised, runes can no longer be removed from equipment once they are set in, but can be replaced by other runes. Thanks to the revised crafting system, this method is actually more cost effective than the system that was in place in the first game.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', component upgrading is introduced for armor and weapons. Armor typically has arm and leg slots, while one-handed weapons typically have a grip/haft slot. Two-handers have an additional pommel slot. Bows have a slot for the hand grip, and staves have a slot for the shaft and the [[BladeOnAStick blade on the other end]], and all weapons have a Rune slot. [[ICallItVera Bianca]], Varric's [[AutomaticCrossbow one-of-a-kind crossbow]], has the most of all with four; a bow limb slot, a grip slot, an aiming module slot, and a rune slot.
* ''VideoGame/EveOnline'' has "rigs" - modules that can be fitted to space ships' "rig slots" but can never be removed except by destroying them. Basically sockets and gems {{in space}}. However, many rigs in EVE actually impart a penalty to one aspect of your ship, as well as the bonus to another one (for instance, increasing armor hp at the cost of a reduction in max speed). The various rigging skills reduce this penalty though.
* ''VideoGame/ExaPico'':
** ''VideoGame/ArTonelicoMelodyOfElemia'': All equipment can be enhanced by placing Grathnode Crystals into them, each of which have different effects like adding elemental damage or increasing stats. Said crystals can also be applied to the Song Magic of the Reyvateils to make them hit more times or cost less MP.
** ''VideoGame/ArTonelicoQogaKnellOfArCiel'': The girls' Song Magic can be customized using fairies called Hyumas that aside of providing extra effects like buffs, elemental resistances and increase to the periodic healing in battle, also changes the battle music depending on how the battle goes.
* Referred to as "augments" in the ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' games. Ironically, most "Legendary" weapons come pre-slotted with enhancements, meaning the perfectly normal sword you found and slapped 6 enhancements on could theoretically (especially in the sequel) be more powerful than either of the Infinity Plus One Swords available. Taken to it's hilarious extreme with the most customizable and powerful weapon in the first game (provided you actually perform the sidequest necessary to find it) is a frying pan.
* ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' has Specialists, essentially [=NPCs=] that live inside items. Once a Specialist is subdued (by going into the [[RandomlyGeneratedLevel Item World]] of that particular item and [[DefeatMeansFriendship beating them up]]), they can be moved around to other items and even combined with other Specialists of the same type to power them up. Every item also has a number of slots to hold Specialists, with 'rare' and 'legendary' items generally having more slots than normal items.
* ''VideoGame/DivineDivinity'' refers to them as "charms". The difference here that the amount of charms you can put on a piece of equipment is determined by your Charms skill, in addition to the "Charm Quality" of the item.
** ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': socketed equipment is randomly obtained and can be enhanced with "runes", each of which has different effects depending on the equipment type to which it's added. Runes can be added and removed at will; the ItemCrafting system also allows some runes to be fitted with "frames", which irreversibly creates a new rune.
* ''VideoGame/Dota2'' uniquely has this only for cosmetic effects. Fitting, as the items themselves are strictly cosmetic.
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
** The enchantment system in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''. Sandal can add or remove runes free of charge. The runes themselves come in different grades; the most powerful ones usually have to be bought (which is the case for most of the uber gear in this game). The ExpansionPack added armor runes, and a pyramid style (consuming weaker ones to make stronger ones) upgrade/crafting skill for them (that could be a GameBreaker if you had enough money). Many players gave their weak ones to the mages/templars to strengthen their forces and get xp in the original campaign, then played Awakening and incidentally missed out on a lot of crafting opportunities.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', the enchantment system is revised, runes can no longer be removed from equipment once they are set in, but can be replaced by other runes. Thanks to the revised crafting system, this method is actually more cost effective than the system that was in place in the first game.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', component upgrading is introduced for armor and weapons. Armor typically has arm and leg slots, while one-handed weapons typically have a grip/haft slot. Two-handers have an additional pommel slot. Bows have a slot for the hand grip, and staves have a slot for the shaft and the [[BladeOnAStick blade on the other end]], and all weapons have a Rune slot. [[ICallItVera Bianca]], Varric's [[AutomaticCrossbow one-of-a-kind crossbow]], has the most of all with four; a bow limb slot, a grip slot, an aiming module slot, and a rune slot.
* ''VideoGame/EveOnline'' has "rigs" - modules that can be fitted to space ships' "rig slots" but can never be removed except by destroying them. Basically sockets and gems {{in space}}. However, many rigs in EVE actually impart a penalty to one aspect of your ship, as well as the bonus to another one (for instance, increasing armor hp at the cost of a reduction in max speed). The various rigging skills reduce this penalty though.
* ''VideoGame/ExaPico'':
** ''VideoGame/ArTonelicoMelodyOfElemia'': All equipment can be enhanced by placing Grathnode Crystals into them, each of which have different effects like adding elemental damage or increasing stats. Said crystals can also be applied to the Song Magic of the Reyvateils to make them hit more times or cost less MP.
** ''VideoGame/ArTonelicoQogaKnellOfArCiel'': The girls' Song Magic can be customized using fairies called Hyumas that aside of providing extra effects like buffs, elemental resistances and increase to the periodic healing in battle, also changes the battle music depending on how the battle goes.
* Referred to as "augments" in the ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' games. Ironically, most "Legendary" weapons come pre-slotted with enhancements, meaning the perfectly normal sword you found and slapped 6 enhancements on could theoretically (especially in the sequel) be more powerful than either of the Infinity Plus One Swords available. Taken to it's hilarious extreme with the most customizable and powerful weapon in the first game (provided you actually perform the sidequest necessary to find it) is a frying pan.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' and Materia are basically this, except without the mated-for-life aspect (as befits the PowersAsPrograms nature of Materia).
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' allows you to modify weapons; its GreenRocks were generally consumable items (oddly enough, the required items had the opposite effect: poison items made poison-resistant armor and antidotes made poisonous weapons). While you can't unmodify a sword, you also don't need to; there's no randomly-generated equipment in the game. Instead, there is basically just ''one'' flavor of weapon and armor for each character, which is completely blank and which you then modify to your heart's desire, and which you can buy basically anywhere. Any combination of qualities you find in one weapon, you can create in another, with a few exceptions in the game's {{Infinity Plus One Sword}}s.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' also has a materia system, although they work more like gems from ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', providing small stat bonuses. Materia can be obtained by converting gear that has been equipped long enough to reach 100% "spiritbond"; higher-level gear has a higher chance of turning into higher-grade materia. These can then be attached to gear by a crafter of sufficient level, or by special "Materia Melder" [=NPCs=] (for a fee). Materia can be melded to gear beyond the number of allotted slots, but "advanced melding" like this has a chance of failure, resulting in the materia being destroyed, and cannot be performed by Materia Melder [=NPCs=]. Prior to Patch 3.2, high-end gear typically lacked materia slots entirely; nowadays, it simply disallows advanced melding. There is also a limit to how high materia can raise any given stat on a piece of gear.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyCrystalChroniclesEchoesOfTime'' has a forgiving gem system that works well with character customization. All equipment has one or more slots. Using equipment in battle increases its level. When it's level 3 it can be destroyed to produce a "Jewel". Jewels can be added and removed for a small fee. Some Jewels increase the level cap of equipment, and equipment produce two and three Jewels at levels 10 and 20 respectively. After beating the game for the first time, the player will have several Jewels and Armors to specialize their characters.
* ''VideoGame/{{Flyff}}'' allows you to make sockets in weapons & suits of armour (up to 10 & 4, respectively) for extra stat cards, although you need a CS item to keep the gear from breaking (you can put static bonus run speed or base stat cards in weapons, or % bonus HP/MP/FP/ATK/DEF cards in suits).
* ''VideoGame/ForeverHome'' has Shards, which work a lot like Materia from ''Final Fantasy VII'' in that they can be duplicated after they accumulate enough PP.
* ''VideoGame/FreedroidRPG'' has up to 4 sockets on equipment and if there aren't, you may add them. Compatible add-ons can also be produced and vary with socket and equipment type.
* ''VideoGame/{{Geneforge}}'' implemented a simple version of this from the third game onwards, along with ItemCrafting. Almost every item can take one and only one gem, with the exceptions taking no gems [[InfinityPlusOneSword because they're so powerful anyway]].
* ''VideoGame/GrandChase'' has cards for weapons. Only rare weapons/Armor and Higher can be equipped with them. They can be removed with a (cash) item.
* ''VideoGame/GrimDawn'' has components and augments that can be attached to items to grant stat bonuses, new skills, or proc effects. A piece of equipment can only have one of each type of item attached to it.
* All armor and most weapons in ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' have upgrade slots. The weapons that don't (and those with missing slots) have built-in bonuses that are, usually, equivalent to max upgrades for the missing slots.
* ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonIslandOfHappiness'' lets you do this with Wonderfuls, making this your method of upgrading your tools.
* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfArdania'' plays this trope absolutely straight, wherein the player can take many pieces of equipment to a "socket carver" to have sockets carved into his equipment. He may then place magical artifacts called "Dwarvern beard rings" into those sockets.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' and Materia are basically this, except without the mated-for-life aspect (as befits the PowersAsPrograms nature of Materia).
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' allows you to modify weapons; its GreenRocks were generally consumable items (oddly enough, the required items had the opposite effect: poison items made poison-resistant armor and antidotes made poisonous weapons). While you can't unmodify a sword, you also don't need to; there's no randomly-generated equipment in the game. Instead, there is basically just ''one'' flavor of weapon and armor for each character, which is completely blank and which you then modify to your heart's desire, and which you can buy basically anywhere. Any combination of qualities you find in one weapon, you can create in another, with a few exceptions in the game's {{Infinity Plus One Sword}}s.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' also has a materia system, although they work more like gems from ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', providing small stat bonuses. Materia can be obtained by converting gear that has been equipped long enough to reach 100% "spiritbond"; higher-level gear has a higher chance of turning into higher-grade materia. These can then be attached to gear by a crafter of sufficient level, or by special "Materia Melder" [=NPCs=] (for a fee). Materia can be melded to gear beyond the number of allotted slots, but "advanced melding" like this has a chance of failure, resulting in the materia being destroyed, and cannot be performed by Materia Melder [=NPCs=]. Prior to Patch 3.2, high-end gear typically lacked materia slots entirely; nowadays, it simply disallows advanced melding. There is also a limit to how high materia can raise any given stat on a piece of gear.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyCrystalChroniclesEchoesOfTime'' has a forgiving gem system that works well with character customization. All equipment has one or more slots. Using equipment in battle increases its level. When it's level 3 it can be destroyed to produce a "Jewel". Jewels can be added and removed for a small fee. Some Jewels increase the level cap of equipment, and equipment produce two and three Jewels at levels 10 and 20 respectively. After beating the game for the first time, the player will have several Jewels and Armors to specialize their characters.
* ''VideoGame/{{Flyff}}'' allows you to make sockets in weapons & suits of armour (up to 10 & 4, respectively) for extra stat cards, although you need a CS item to keep the gear from breaking (you can put static bonus run speed or base stat cards in weapons, or % bonus HP/MP/FP/ATK/DEF cards in suits).
* ''VideoGame/ForeverHome'' has Shards, which work a lot like Materia from ''Final Fantasy VII'' in that they can be duplicated after they accumulate enough PP.
* ''VideoGame/FreedroidRPG'' has up to 4 sockets on equipment and if there aren't, you may add them. Compatible add-ons can also be produced and vary with socket and equipment type.
* ''VideoGame/{{Geneforge}}'' implemented a simple version of this from the third game onwards, along with ItemCrafting. Almost every item can take one and only one gem, with the exceptions taking no gems [[InfinityPlusOneSword because they're so powerful anyway]].
* ''VideoGame/GrandChase'' has cards for weapons. Only rare weapons/Armor and Higher can be equipped with them. They can be removed with a (cash) item.
* ''VideoGame/GrimDawn'' has components and augments that can be attached to items to grant stat bonuses, new skills, or proc effects. A piece of equipment can only have one of each type of item attached to it.
* All armor and most weapons in ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' have upgrade slots. The weapons that don't (and those with missing slots) have built-in bonuses that are, usually, equivalent to max upgrades for the missing slots.
* ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonIslandOfHappiness'' lets you do this with Wonderfuls, making this your method of upgrading your tools.
* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfArdania'' plays this trope absolutely straight, wherein the player can take many pieces of equipment to a "socket carver" to have sockets carved into his equipment. He may then place magical artifacts called "Dwarvern beard rings" into those sockets.
* Most gear in ''VideoGame/IrisOnline'' has slots for up to 5 cards (which ones go in which slot is based on blood types).
* In ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'', this is a special property of the Scratch n' Sniff Sword/Crossbow (comes with the power to summon stickers to put on it), the Fossilized Necklace (beat up skeletal enemies to get their teeth), and the Over-the-shoulder Folder Holder (find and acquire special stat-boosting folders to put in it).
* In ''VideoGame/KingdomsOfAmalurReckoning'', some equipment has sockets for gems that can be added at a Sagecrafting altar. Putting points into the Sagecrafting skill allows a player to craft the best possible gems in the game. Investing points into the Blacksmithing skill allows a player to use gems as forging materials, negating the need to find equipment with sockets.
* The Orbments in all the games in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrails'' series have a set of slots for various Quartz. Which Quartz the player installs determine the stats and arts available to the character equipping the Orbment.
* ''VideoGame/LightFairytale'': The Orb system is similar to the Materia system of ''Final Fantasy VII''. However, weapons and armor automatically gain the affinity of elemental orbs equipped to them.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' had weapon, armor, grenade and ammunition upgrades. While early weapons and armor only had one weapon and armor upgrade slot, it increased to two slots in more powerful versions. However, there was only one grenade launcher, which only had one grenade upgrade slot, and each weapon could only have one ammunition upgrade.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' "streamlined" this into universal (for class of gun a la sniper rifles) upgrade system, and ammo in the form of skill point costing ammo powers that were annoying to have to activate every level.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' brought the system back, though only for weapons and each weapon has exactly two slots. Any upgrade or "mod" fits the basic five weapon types and can be put into any number of these weapons at once. Multiplayer also has three additional slots that affect the entire character, but the upgrades are used up after a mission. These include ammo mods (replacing ammo powers from singleplayer), damage boosts and armor boosts (ranging from faster shield recharge to faster power recovery or run speed). More types were added over time, and there is now a fourth slot for non-expendable upgrades that do all kinds of things, like increasing grenade, consumable, and ammunition carrying capacity, and specific and combined damage bonuses for the whole range of character builds/equipment that got added in in patches.
* ''VideoGame/MapleStory'' allows players to use a device bought with mesos to add a socket to their each of their armor that they can put a Nebulite in to increase their stats. Nebulites can either be obtained through world bosses or you can get them through an [[BribingYourWayToVictory item Gachapon]].
* ''Franchise/MegaMan'':
** ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'': X and Zero can equip two special parts after defeating the Mavericks that can be added to their armor.
** ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'': The Navi Customizer lets you socket Mega Man with programs that enhance his abilities. There are rules for customizing, and breaking the rules may result in Mega Man getting bugged.
* In the ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' series, weapons, armor, and talismans each have zero to three slots that players can put decorations in to put points into a skill, which becomes active once enough points are added. Some of these decorations take away points from a different skill, which can activate a skill with a negative effect if enough points are taken away (for example, having enough negative points in a skill that boosts fire resistance will make you more vulnerable to fire-based attacks). Some decorations take up two or three slots, in exchange for providing a bigger boost than decorations that just need one slot.
** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterWorld'' revamps the game's skill system, and consequently how decorations work. Decorations drop randomly after high-rank missions, and only high-rank armors and weapons have decoration slots, with the "beta" versions of armor pieces having fewer built-in skills than the "alpha" versions, but more decoration slots.
* In a rare non-RPG example, this is how card upgrades work in the deckbuilding roguelike ''VideoGame/MonsterTrain.'' Rather than cards having fixed stats for upgrades, they instead have two sockets that upgrade stones are applied to. A pair of Artifacts will add a third socket to every card of a certain type in your deck.
%%* ''VideoGame/{{Pangya}}'' equipment (y'know, ''golf clubs and clothes'') features these.
* ''VideoGame/PathOfExile'':
** The game inverts ''Diablo II'''s system: the skill tree consists entirely of passive skills, while sockets are used for active skills. Almost every equipment comes with sockets, which determine what combat skills you can use and what skill-enhancing gems you can link to it, making skill management some odd cousin of the InventoryManagementPuzzle. The lack of equipment enhancement from socketing is compensated for by nearly everything being enchanted, and there being several ways to upgrade or add enchantments.
*** Also, gems very easily pop into and out of your equipment, and it's pretty much ''expected'' you shift your gems around into new spots if the gear you find has linked sockets that allow you to combine your gem-granted skills in new ways.
** Path of Exile also has a socketed ''skill tree''. Around the skill tree, there are slots to socket Jewels into, which basically serve as an enchantable passive node, which you can craft to optimize your character's stat bonuses. Unique jewels also interact with the skill tree, such as converting the stats of nearby passive skills to a different one, letting you allocate skills without directly connecting to them, and even upgrade active skills. More complex jewels can replace every passive skill within its radius with new ones, gain bonuses based on how it's connected to your skill tree, or add an entire passive skill cluster of your making, which can have ''its own'' jewel sockets.
* Looplets in ''VideoGame/PokemonSuperMysteryDungeon'' are held items that have notches where you can insert Emeras to give a Pokémon perks such as stat boosts or the ability to [[SuperMode Mega Evolve.]] However, they wear off upon exiting a dungeon.
* ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'' has slots in weapons and equipment for cards, which are rare drops from monsters.
* ''VideoGame/RatchetDeadlocked'' uses this. Each weapon has 10 slots for Alpha mods, which upgrade mundane things like firing rate, accuracy, and [[MoneyMultiplier money]], and one slot for an Omega mod, which adds an odd effect like napalm, electric shock, or [[ForcedTransformation morph]].
* In ''VideoGame/RavenswordShadowlands'', weapons and armor (some of them, at least) come with "Enhancement" slots, meaning that you can put gems into them that provide bonuses to either damage or your stats. However, there's also some other items like [[PoisonedWeapons Spider Venom]] that you have to put into such slot in order to make use of it.
* Guns in ''VideoGame/ResonanceOfFate'' all have various slots where you attach parts to increase their stats. The expansion parts themselves can have ''more slots'' to attach ''more parts'' and then those parts can have even more slots, leading to truly insane designs with multiple scopes, barrels and grips stacked on top of each other with no regard to what they're pointing at...in the end, only the size of the customizer's grid limits the amount of add-ons used.
* ''VideoGame/{{Sacred}}'' allowed socketing of up to four rings/amulets/runes or blacksmith abilities. You could recover only one of these, so if you found something useful early on most players socket that and fill the rest with the blacksmith powers. Dwarves could socket anywhere and and had specialist blacksmith powers.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublic'': The game features "upgradeable" equipment that could be fitted with better components. In the first, armor and non-lightsaber weapons had only one "gem" per socket; all guns used the same scope, for instance, although some had different bonuses from it. In contrast, lightsabers not only had a wide variety of stat crystals for two slots (and a color slot), but also had two special color crystals ([[InfinityMinusOneSword Mantle of the Force, and Heart of the Guardian]]) that changed the effects of ''absolutely every'' upgrade crystal, in two separate ways.
*** ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' featured a full range of different components for each slot; weapons had three slots apiece, armor had two, and lightsabers had five (although two were "crystal" slots that worked like in the first game) not counting their color crystal. Any given slot had between about three and six different types of upgrade, each with multiple levels. These can now be crafted, with a large variety of skill requirements, making your crew's skills more useful. The main character (only) can get a special crystal that changes effect with the player's alignment and level, but the specialness is reserved for that crystal alone this time.
** Most types of weapons and armor in ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' feature modification slots, which determine ''all'' of their stats (including how much damage weapons deal, how well armor protects, etc.). High-end gear contains more powerful mods, but all pieces of gear are just as effective when equipped with the same mods, and mods can be extracted from items for a nominal fee. Virtually all "special" items, including items sold through the in-game store, are empty modifiable gear, meaning players can use it with appropriate mods through the entire game.
* Alchemists in ''VideoGame/TalesOfMajEyal'' can insert gems into armor, granting the gem's special bonus to the armor. Each piece of armor can only take one gem, and adding a new gem removes the old one.
** The ''Embers of Rage'' expansion adds a system for crafting steampunk devices and attaching them to equipment to provide stat bonuses or a new ability.
* ''VideoGame/TreeOfSavior'' follows ''Diablo's'' example--an uncommon drop from enemies (especially boss monsters), gemstones provide buffs (and penalties) depending on what kind equipment they're inserted into. Sockets must be first drilled into equipment before any gems can be inserted, though.
* In ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'', this is a special property of the Scratch n' Sniff Sword/Crossbow (comes with the power to summon stickers to put on it), the Fossilized Necklace (beat up skeletal enemies to get their teeth), and the Over-the-shoulder Folder Holder (find and acquire special stat-boosting folders to put in it).
* In ''VideoGame/KingdomsOfAmalurReckoning'', some equipment has sockets for gems that can be added at a Sagecrafting altar. Putting points into the Sagecrafting skill allows a player to craft the best possible gems in the game. Investing points into the Blacksmithing skill allows a player to use gems as forging materials, negating the need to find equipment with sockets.
* The Orbments in all the games in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrails'' series have a set of slots for various Quartz. Which Quartz the player installs determine the stats and arts available to the character equipping the Orbment.
* ''VideoGame/LightFairytale'': The Orb system is similar to the Materia system of ''Final Fantasy VII''. However, weapons and armor automatically gain the affinity of elemental orbs equipped to them.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' had weapon, armor, grenade and ammunition upgrades. While early weapons and armor only had one weapon and armor upgrade slot, it increased to two slots in more powerful versions. However, there was only one grenade launcher, which only had one grenade upgrade slot, and each weapon could only have one ammunition upgrade.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' "streamlined" this into universal (for class of gun a la sniper rifles) upgrade system, and ammo in the form of skill point costing ammo powers that were annoying to have to activate every level.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' brought the system back, though only for weapons and each weapon has exactly two slots. Any upgrade or "mod" fits the basic five weapon types and can be put into any number of these weapons at once. Multiplayer also has three additional slots that affect the entire character, but the upgrades are used up after a mission. These include ammo mods (replacing ammo powers from singleplayer), damage boosts and armor boosts (ranging from faster shield recharge to faster power recovery or run speed). More types were added over time, and there is now a fourth slot for non-expendable upgrades that do all kinds of things, like increasing grenade, consumable, and ammunition carrying capacity, and specific and combined damage bonuses for the whole range of character builds/equipment that got added in in patches.
* ''VideoGame/MapleStory'' allows players to use a device bought with mesos to add a socket to their each of their armor that they can put a Nebulite in to increase their stats. Nebulites can either be obtained through world bosses or you can get them through an [[BribingYourWayToVictory item Gachapon]].
* ''Franchise/MegaMan'':
** ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'': X and Zero can equip two special parts after defeating the Mavericks that can be added to their armor.
** ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'': The Navi Customizer lets you socket Mega Man with programs that enhance his abilities. There are rules for customizing, and breaking the rules may result in Mega Man getting bugged.
* In the ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' series, weapons, armor, and talismans each have zero to three slots that players can put decorations in to put points into a skill, which becomes active once enough points are added. Some of these decorations take away points from a different skill, which can activate a skill with a negative effect if enough points are taken away (for example, having enough negative points in a skill that boosts fire resistance will make you more vulnerable to fire-based attacks). Some decorations take up two or three slots, in exchange for providing a bigger boost than decorations that just need one slot.
** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterWorld'' revamps the game's skill system, and consequently how decorations work. Decorations drop randomly after high-rank missions, and only high-rank armors and weapons have decoration slots, with the "beta" versions of armor pieces having fewer built-in skills than the "alpha" versions, but more decoration slots.
* In a rare non-RPG example, this is how card upgrades work in the deckbuilding roguelike ''VideoGame/MonsterTrain.'' Rather than cards having fixed stats for upgrades, they instead have two sockets that upgrade stones are applied to. A pair of Artifacts will add a third socket to every card of a certain type in your deck.
%%* ''VideoGame/{{Pangya}}'' equipment (y'know, ''golf clubs and clothes'') features these.
* ''VideoGame/PathOfExile'':
** The game inverts ''Diablo II'''s system: the skill tree consists entirely of passive skills, while sockets are used for active skills. Almost every equipment comes with sockets, which determine what combat skills you can use and what skill-enhancing gems you can link to it, making skill management some odd cousin of the InventoryManagementPuzzle. The lack of equipment enhancement from socketing is compensated for by nearly everything being enchanted, and there being several ways to upgrade or add enchantments.
*** Also, gems very easily pop into and out of your equipment, and it's pretty much ''expected'' you shift your gems around into new spots if the gear you find has linked sockets that allow you to combine your gem-granted skills in new ways.
** Path of Exile also has a socketed ''skill tree''. Around the skill tree, there are slots to socket Jewels into, which basically serve as an enchantable passive node, which you can craft to optimize your character's stat bonuses. Unique jewels also interact with the skill tree, such as converting the stats of nearby passive skills to a different one, letting you allocate skills without directly connecting to them, and even upgrade active skills. More complex jewels can replace every passive skill within its radius with new ones, gain bonuses based on how it's connected to your skill tree, or add an entire passive skill cluster of your making, which can have ''its own'' jewel sockets.
* Looplets in ''VideoGame/PokemonSuperMysteryDungeon'' are held items that have notches where you can insert Emeras to give a Pokémon perks such as stat boosts or the ability to [[SuperMode Mega Evolve.]] However, they wear off upon exiting a dungeon.
* ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'' has slots in weapons and equipment for cards, which are rare drops from monsters.
* ''VideoGame/RatchetDeadlocked'' uses this. Each weapon has 10 slots for Alpha mods, which upgrade mundane things like firing rate, accuracy, and [[MoneyMultiplier money]], and one slot for an Omega mod, which adds an odd effect like napalm, electric shock, or [[ForcedTransformation morph]].
* In ''VideoGame/RavenswordShadowlands'', weapons and armor (some of them, at least) come with "Enhancement" slots, meaning that you can put gems into them that provide bonuses to either damage or your stats. However, there's also some other items like [[PoisonedWeapons Spider Venom]] that you have to put into such slot in order to make use of it.
* Guns in ''VideoGame/ResonanceOfFate'' all have various slots where you attach parts to increase their stats. The expansion parts themselves can have ''more slots'' to attach ''more parts'' and then those parts can have even more slots, leading to truly insane designs with multiple scopes, barrels and grips stacked on top of each other with no regard to what they're pointing at...in the end, only the size of the customizer's grid limits the amount of add-ons used.
* ''VideoGame/{{Sacred}}'' allowed socketing of up to four rings/amulets/runes or blacksmith abilities. You could recover only one of these, so if you found something useful early on most players socket that and fill the rest with the blacksmith powers. Dwarves could socket anywhere and and had specialist blacksmith powers.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublic'': The game features "upgradeable" equipment that could be fitted with better components. In the first, armor and non-lightsaber weapons had only one "gem" per socket; all guns used the same scope, for instance, although some had different bonuses from it. In contrast, lightsabers not only had a wide variety of stat crystals for two slots (and a color slot), but also had two special color crystals ([[InfinityMinusOneSword Mantle of the Force, and Heart of the Guardian]]) that changed the effects of ''absolutely every'' upgrade crystal, in two separate ways.
*** ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' featured a full range of different components for each slot; weapons had three slots apiece, armor had two, and lightsabers had five (although two were "crystal" slots that worked like in the first game) not counting their color crystal. Any given slot had between about three and six different types of upgrade, each with multiple levels. These can now be crafted, with a large variety of skill requirements, making your crew's skills more useful. The main character (only) can get a special crystal that changes effect with the player's alignment and level, but the specialness is reserved for that crystal alone this time.
** Most types of weapons and armor in ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' feature modification slots, which determine ''all'' of their stats (including how much damage weapons deal, how well armor protects, etc.). High-end gear contains more powerful mods, but all pieces of gear are just as effective when equipped with the same mods, and mods can be extracted from items for a nominal fee. Virtually all "special" items, including items sold through the in-game store, are empty modifiable gear, meaning players can use it with appropriate mods through the entire game.
* Alchemists in ''VideoGame/TalesOfMajEyal'' can insert gems into armor, granting the gem's special bonus to the armor. Each piece of armor can only take one gem, and adding a new gem removes the old one.
** The ''Embers of Rage'' expansion adds a system for crafting steampunk devices and attaching them to equipment to provide stat bonuses or a new ability.
* ''VideoGame/TreeOfSavior'' follows ''Diablo's'' example--an uncommon drop from enemies (especially boss monsters), gemstones provide buffs (and penalties) depending on what kind equipment they're inserted into. Sockets must be first drilled into equipment before any gems can be inserted, though.
* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'' has the rather complicated mod system. Each piece of equipment gets eight slots (or ten, in the case of companions) that the player can use to equip mods. Need more health on your Warframe? Equip the Vitality mod. Want to add some [[KillItWithFire Heat damage]] to your sword? Try using Molten Impact. However, every mod equipped uses up a certain amount of points, and the number of points available is directly tied to the level of the equipment in question; there are ways to stretch your points further than normal, but they require rare items and some effort. Since Warframes only get minor stat boosts from leveling up and weapons don't get any stat increases at all, modding is the only way to make your gear strong enough to take on the game's hardest challenges. Unlike most examples of this trope, mods can be freely moved around or removed between missions, and the same copy of a mod can be equipped to two different items as long as those items aren't equipped at the same time (in practice, this means you only need duplicates for Sentinel weapons).
Changed line(s) 27 (click to see context) from:
** Socketed items were intorduced in the first Expansion pack. Sockets come in three different colours (Red, Yellow and Blue) (plus Meta Gems and Prismatic Slots), gems come in 3 primary and 3 secondary colours (Red, Yellow, Blue, Orange, Green and Purple, as well as Prismatic) and you get a bonus for matching up the colours. Gems can be either found or cut by Jewelcrafters. The best Gems can also only be used by Jewelcrafters. Uncut gems cannot be placed in sockets (in a massive aversion of AllNaturalGemPolish).
to:
** Socketed items were intorduced introduced in the first Expansion pack. Sockets come in three different colours (Red, Yellow and Blue) (plus Meta Gems and Prismatic Slots), gems come in 3 primary and 3 secondary colours (Red, Yellow, Blue, Orange, Green and Purple, as well as Prismatic) and you get a bonus for matching up the colours. Gems can be either found or cut by Jewelcrafters. The best Gems can also only be used by Jewelcrafters. Uncut gems cannot be placed in sockets (in a massive aversion of AllNaturalGemPolish).
Changed line(s) 35,69 (click to see context) from:
* ''VideoGame/DivineDivinity'' refers to them as "charms". The difference here that the amount of charms you can put on a piece of equipment is determined by your Charms skill, in addition to the "Charm Quality" of the item.
** ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': socketed equipment is randomly obtained and can be enhanced with "runes", each of which has different effects depending on the equipment type to which it's added. Runes can be added and removed at will; the ItemCrafting system also allows some runes to be fitted with "frames", which irreversibly creates a new rune.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' and Materia are basically this, except without the mated-for-life aspect (as befits the PowersAsPrograms nature of Materia).
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' allows you to modify weapons; its GreenRocks were generally consumable items (oddly enough, the required items had the opposite effect: poison items made poison-resistant armor and antidotes made poisonous weapons). While you can't unmodify a sword, you also don't need to; there's no randomly-generated equipment in the game. Instead, there is basically just ''one'' flavor of weapon and armor for each character, which is completely blank and which you then modify to your heart's desire, and which you can buy basically anywhere. Any combination of qualities you find in one weapon, you can create in another, with a few exceptions in the game's {{Infinity Plus One Sword}}s.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' also has a materia system, although they work more like gems from ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', providing small stat bonuses. Materia can be obtained by converting gear that has been equipped long enough to reach 100% "spiritbond"; higher-level gear has a higher chance of turning into higher-grade materia. These can then be attached to gear by a crafter of sufficient level, or by special "Materia Melder" [=NPCs=] (for a fee). Materia can be melded to gear beyond the number of allotted slots, but "advanced melding" like this has a chance of failure, resulting in the materia being destroyed, and cannot be performed by Materia Melder [=NPCs=]. Prior to Patch 3.2, high-end gear typically lacked materia slots entirely; nowadays, it simply disallows advanced melding. There is also a limit to how high materia can raise any given stat on a piece of gear.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyCrystalChroniclesEchoesOfTime'' has a forgiving gem system that works well with character customization. All equipment has one or more slots. Using equipment in battle increases its level. When it's level 3 it can be destroyed to produce a "Jewel". Jewels can be added and removed for a small fee. Some Jewels increase the level cap of equipment, and equipment produce two and three Jewels at levels 10 and 20 respectively. After beating the game for the first time, the player will have several Jewels and Armors to specialize their characters.
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
** The enchantment system in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''. Sandal can add or remove runes free of charge. The runes themselves come in different grades; the most powerful ones usually have to be bought (which is the case for most of the uber gear in this game). The ExpansionPack added armor runes, and a pyramid style (consuming weaker ones to make stronger ones) upgrade/crafting skill for them (that could be a GameBreaker if you had enough money). Many players gave their weak ones to the mages/templars to strengthen their forces and get xp in the original campaign, then played Awakening and incidentally missed out on a lot of crafting opportunities.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', the enchantment system is revised, runes can no longer be removed from equipment once they are set in, but can be replaced by other runes. Thanks to the revised crafting system, this method is actually more cost effective than the system that was in place in the first game.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', component upgrading is introduced for armor and weapons. Armor typically has arm and leg slots, while one-handed weapons typically have a grip/haft slot. Two-handers have an additional pommel slot. Bows have a slot for the hand grip, and staves have a slot for the shaft and the [[BladeOnAStick blade on the other end]], and all weapons have a Rune slot. [[ICallItVera Bianca]], Varric's [[AutomaticCrossbow one-of-a-kind crossbow]], has the most of all with four; a bow limb slot, a grip slot, an aiming module slot, and a rune slot.
* ''VideoGame/{{Geneforge}}'' implemented a simple version of this from the third game onwards, along with ItemCrafting. Almost every item can take one and only one gem, with the exceptions taking no gems [[InfinityPlusOneSword because they're so powerful anyway]].
* ''VideoGame/RatchetDeadlocked'' uses this. Each weapon has 10 slots for Alpha mods, which upgrade mundane things like firing rate, accuracy, and [[MoneyMultiplier money]], and one slot for an Omega mod, which adds an odd effect like napalm, electric shock, or [[ForcedTransformation morph]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Pangya}}'' equipment (y'know, ''golf clubs and clothes'') features these.
* The way that you enhance your superpowers in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' works in a similar fashion. On level-ups that don't give new powers you will instead get 2-3 slots that you can distribute among your powers for a total of 6 slots per power. Enhancements go into those slots and work to improve the stats of that power such as increasing accuracy and damage or reducing recharge time. There are also special types of enhancements that improve 2, 3 or even 4 stats at the same time. You can also mix and match enhancement types. Just because you slotted 1 piece from the Touch of Death set doesn't mean that you must use only that set for that power (although you need more pieces of it to get the set-bonuses for having X number of that set's pieces). It's common place to mix different enhancement types and sets to get certain desired stat boosts, which is referred to as "[[http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Frankenslot frankenslotting]]".
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublic'': The game features "upgradeable" equipment that could be fitted with better components. In the first, armor and non-lightsaber weapons had only one "gem" per socket; all guns used the same scope, for instance, although some had different bonuses from it. In contrast, lightsabers not only had a wide variety of stat crystals for two slots (and a color slot), but also had two special color crystals ([[InfinityMinusOneSword Mantle of the Force, and Heart of the Guardian]]) that changed the effects of ''absolutely every'' upgrade crystal, in two separate ways.
** ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' featured a full range of different components for each slot; weapons had three slots apiece, armor had two, and lightsabers had five (although two were "crystal" slots that worked like in the first game) not counting their color crystal. Any given slot had between about three and six different types of upgrade, each with multiple levels. These can now be crafted, with a large variety of skill requirements, making your crew's skills more useful. The main character (only) can get a special crystal that changes effect with the player's alignment and level, but the specialness is reserved for that crystal alone this time.
* ''VideoGame/{{Aion}}'' has sockets in all of the armors, weapons, and shields. The number of sockets usually depend on the item's rarity, but can vary in some exceptions. Players can slot manastones into these sockets to provide a direct boost to their stats, although putting more than one in an item may cause the socketing to fail, which destroys ALL the manastones already in that item! Some weapons also have a "godstone" slot that will accept one godstone that will give the weapon a chance to proc a specific effect, such as additional damage. And, on top of all of that, the players themselves can earn up to five stigma slots and three advanced stigma slots, which are used for slotting additional skills you can't obtain any other way.
* ''VideoGame/EveOnline'' has "rigs" - modules that can be fitted to space ships' "rig slots" but can never be removed except by destroying them. Basically sockets and gems {{in space}}. However, many rigs in EVE actually impart a penalty to one aspect of your ship, as well as the bonus to another one (for instance, increasing armor hp at the cost of a reduction in max speed). The various rigging skills reduce this penalty though.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' had weapon, armor, grenade and ammunition upgrades. While early weapons and armor only had one weapon and armor upgrade slot, it increased to two slots in more powerful versions. However, there was only one grenade launcher, which only had one grenade upgrade slot, and each weapon could only have one ammunition upgrade.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' "streamlined" this into universal (for class of gun a la sniper rifles) upgrade system, and ammo in the form of skill point costing ammo powers that were annoying to have to activate every level.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' brought the system back, though only for weapons and each weapon has exactly two slots. Any upgrade or "mod" fits the basic five weapon types and can be put into any number of these weapons at once. Multiplayer also has three additional slots that affect the entire character, but the upgrades are used up after a mission. These include ammo mods (replacing ammo powers from singleplayer), damage boosts and armor boosts (ranging from faster shield recharge to faster power recovery or run speed). More types were added over time, and there is now a fourth slot for non-expendable upgrades that do all kinds of things, like increasing grenade, consumable, and ammunition carrying capacity, and specific and combined damage bonuses for the whole range of character builds/equipment that got added in in patches.
* Referred to as "augments" in the ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' games. Ironically, most "Legendary" weapons come pre-slotted with enhancements, meaning the perfectly normal sword you found and slapped 6 enhancements on could theoretically (especially in the sequel) be more powerful than either of the Infinity Plus One Swords available. Taken to it's hilarious extreme with the most customizable and powerful weapon in the first game (provided you actually perform the sidequest necessary to find it) is a frying pan.
* ''VideoGame/GrandChase'' has cards for weapons. Only rare weapons/Armor and Higher can be equipped with them. They can be removed with a (cash) item.
* Most gear in ''VideoGame/IrisOnline'' has slots for up to 5 cards (which ones go in which slot is based on blood types).
* ''Franchise/MegaMan'':
** ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'': X and Zero can equip two special parts after defeating the Mavericks that can be added to their armor.
** ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'': The Navi Customizer lets you socket Mega Man with programs that enhance his abilities. There are rules for customizing, and breaking the rules may result in Mega Man getting bugged.
* ''VideoGame/{{Flyff}}'' allows you to make sockets in weapons & suits of armour (up to 10 & 4, respectively) for extra stat cards, although you need a CS item to keep the gear from breaking (you can put static bonus run speed or base stat cards in weapons, or % bonus HP/MP/FP/ATK/DEF cards in suits).
* All armor and most weapons in ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' have upgrade slots. The weapons that don't (and those with missing slots) have built-in bonuses that are, usually, equivalent to max upgrades for the missing slots.
* ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonIslandOfHappiness'' lets you do this with Wonderfuls, making this your method of upgrading your tools.
* ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'' has slots in weapons and equipment for cards, which are rare drops from monsters.
* ''VideoGame/TreeOfSavior'' follows ''Diablo's'' example--an uncommon drop from enemies (especially boss monsters), gemstones provide buffs (and penalties) depending on what kind equipment they're inserted into. Sockets must be first drilled into equipment before any gems can be inserted, though.
* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfArdania'' plays this trope absolutely straight, wherein the player can take many pieces of equipment to a "socket carver" to have sockets carved into his equipment. He may then place magical artifacts called "Dwarvern beard rings" into those sockets.
** ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': socketed equipment is randomly obtained and can be enhanced with "runes", each of which has different effects depending on the equipment type to which it's added. Runes can be added and removed at will; the ItemCrafting system also allows some runes to be fitted with "frames", which irreversibly creates a new rune.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' and Materia are basically this, except without the mated-for-life aspect (as befits the PowersAsPrograms nature of Materia).
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' allows you to modify weapons; its GreenRocks were generally consumable items (oddly enough, the required items had the opposite effect: poison items made poison-resistant armor and antidotes made poisonous weapons). While you can't unmodify a sword, you also don't need to; there's no randomly-generated equipment in the game. Instead, there is basically just ''one'' flavor of weapon and armor for each character, which is completely blank and which you then modify to your heart's desire, and which you can buy basically anywhere. Any combination of qualities you find in one weapon, you can create in another, with a few exceptions in the game's {{Infinity Plus One Sword}}s.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' also has a materia system, although they work more like gems from ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', providing small stat bonuses. Materia can be obtained by converting gear that has been equipped long enough to reach 100% "spiritbond"; higher-level gear has a higher chance of turning into higher-grade materia. These can then be attached to gear by a crafter of sufficient level, or by special "Materia Melder" [=NPCs=] (for a fee). Materia can be melded to gear beyond the number of allotted slots, but "advanced melding" like this has a chance of failure, resulting in the materia being destroyed, and cannot be performed by Materia Melder [=NPCs=]. Prior to Patch 3.2, high-end gear typically lacked materia slots entirely; nowadays, it simply disallows advanced melding. There is also a limit to how high materia can raise any given stat on a piece of gear.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyCrystalChroniclesEchoesOfTime'' has a forgiving gem system that works well with character customization. All equipment has one or more slots. Using equipment in battle increases its level. When it's level 3 it can be destroyed to produce a "Jewel". Jewels can be added and removed for a small fee. Some Jewels increase the level cap of equipment, and equipment produce two and three Jewels at levels 10 and 20 respectively. After beating the game for the first time, the player will have several Jewels and Armors to specialize their characters.
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
** The enchantment system in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''. Sandal can add or remove runes free of charge. The runes themselves come in different grades; the most powerful ones usually have to be bought (which is the case for most of the uber gear in this game). The ExpansionPack added armor runes, and a pyramid style (consuming weaker ones to make stronger ones) upgrade/crafting skill for them (that could be a GameBreaker if you had enough money). Many players gave their weak ones to the mages/templars to strengthen their forces and get xp in the original campaign, then played Awakening and incidentally missed out on a lot of crafting opportunities.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', the enchantment system is revised, runes can no longer be removed from equipment once they are set in, but can be replaced by other runes. Thanks to the revised crafting system, this method is actually more cost effective than the system that was in place in the first game.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', component upgrading is introduced for armor and weapons. Armor typically has arm and leg slots, while one-handed weapons typically have a grip/haft slot. Two-handers have an additional pommel slot. Bows have a slot for the hand grip, and staves have a slot for the shaft and the [[BladeOnAStick blade on the other end]], and all weapons have a Rune slot. [[ICallItVera Bianca]], Varric's [[AutomaticCrossbow one-of-a-kind crossbow]], has the most of all with four; a bow limb slot, a grip slot, an aiming module slot, and a rune slot.
* ''VideoGame/{{Geneforge}}'' implemented a simple version of this from the third game onwards, along with ItemCrafting. Almost every item can take one and only one gem, with the exceptions taking no gems [[InfinityPlusOneSword because they're so powerful anyway]].
* ''VideoGame/RatchetDeadlocked'' uses this. Each weapon has 10 slots for Alpha mods, which upgrade mundane things like firing rate, accuracy, and [[MoneyMultiplier money]], and one slot for an Omega mod, which adds an odd effect like napalm, electric shock, or [[ForcedTransformation morph]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Pangya}}'' equipment (y'know, ''golf clubs and clothes'') features these.
* The way that you enhance your superpowers in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' works in a similar fashion. On level-ups that don't give new powers you will instead get 2-3 slots that you can distribute among your powers for a total of 6 slots per power. Enhancements go into those slots and work to improve the stats of that power such as increasing accuracy and damage or reducing recharge time. There are also special types of enhancements that improve 2, 3 or even 4 stats at the same time. You can also mix and match enhancement types. Just because you slotted 1 piece from the Touch of Death set doesn't mean that you must use only that set for that power (although you need more pieces of it to get the set-bonuses for having X number of that set's pieces). It's common place to mix different enhancement types and sets to get certain desired stat boosts, which is referred to as "[[http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Frankenslot frankenslotting]]".
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublic'': The game features "upgradeable" equipment that could be fitted with better components. In the first, armor and non-lightsaber weapons had only one "gem" per socket; all guns used the same scope, for instance, although some had different bonuses from it. In contrast, lightsabers not only had a wide variety of stat crystals for two slots (and a color slot), but also had two special color crystals ([[InfinityMinusOneSword Mantle of the Force, and Heart of the Guardian]]) that changed the effects of ''absolutely every'' upgrade crystal, in two separate ways.
** ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' featured a full range of different components for each slot; weapons had three slots apiece, armor had two, and lightsabers had five (although two were "crystal" slots that worked like in the first game) not counting their color crystal. Any given slot had between about three and six different types of upgrade, each with multiple levels. These can now be crafted, with a large variety of skill requirements, making your crew's skills more useful. The main character (only) can get a special crystal that changes effect with the player's alignment and level, but the specialness is reserved for that crystal alone this time.
* ''VideoGame/{{Aion}}'' has sockets in all of the armors, weapons, and shields. The number of sockets usually depend on the item's rarity, but can vary in some exceptions. Players can slot manastones into these sockets to provide a direct boost to their stats, although putting more than one in an item may cause the socketing to fail, which destroys ALL the manastones already in that item! Some weapons also have a "godstone" slot that will accept one godstone that will give the weapon a chance to proc a specific effect, such as additional damage. And, on top of all of that, the players themselves can earn up to five stigma slots and three advanced stigma slots, which are used for slotting additional skills you can't obtain any other way.
* ''VideoGame/EveOnline'' has "rigs" - modules that can be fitted to space ships' "rig slots" but can never be removed except by destroying them. Basically sockets and gems {{in space}}. However, many rigs in EVE actually impart a penalty to one aspect of your ship, as well as the bonus to another one (for instance, increasing armor hp at the cost of a reduction in max speed). The various rigging skills reduce this penalty though.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' had weapon, armor, grenade and ammunition upgrades. While early weapons and armor only had one weapon and armor upgrade slot, it increased to two slots in more powerful versions. However, there was only one grenade launcher, which only had one grenade upgrade slot, and each weapon could only have one ammunition upgrade.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' "streamlined" this into universal (for class of gun a la sniper rifles) upgrade system, and ammo in the form of skill point costing ammo powers that were annoying to have to activate every level.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' brought the system back, though only for weapons and each weapon has exactly two slots. Any upgrade or "mod" fits the basic five weapon types and can be put into any number of these weapons at once. Multiplayer also has three additional slots that affect the entire character, but the upgrades are used up after a mission. These include ammo mods (replacing ammo powers from singleplayer), damage boosts and armor boosts (ranging from faster shield recharge to faster power recovery or run speed). More types were added over time, and there is now a fourth slot for non-expendable upgrades that do all kinds of things, like increasing grenade, consumable, and ammunition carrying capacity, and specific and combined damage bonuses for the whole range of character builds/equipment that got added in in patches.
* Referred to as "augments" in the ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' games. Ironically, most "Legendary" weapons come pre-slotted with enhancements, meaning the perfectly normal sword you found and slapped 6 enhancements on could theoretically (especially in the sequel) be more powerful than either of the Infinity Plus One Swords available. Taken to it's hilarious extreme with the most customizable and powerful weapon in the first game (provided you actually perform the sidequest necessary to find it) is a frying pan.
* ''VideoGame/GrandChase'' has cards for weapons. Only rare weapons/Armor and Higher can be equipped with them. They can be removed with a (cash) item.
* Most gear in ''VideoGame/IrisOnline'' has slots for up to 5 cards (which ones go in which slot is based on blood types).
* ''Franchise/MegaMan'':
** ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'': X and Zero can equip two special parts after defeating the Mavericks that can be added to their armor.
** ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'': The Navi Customizer lets you socket Mega Man with programs that enhance his abilities. There are rules for customizing, and breaking the rules may result in Mega Man getting bugged.
* ''VideoGame/{{Flyff}}'' allows you to make sockets in weapons & suits of armour (up to 10 & 4, respectively) for extra stat cards, although you need a CS item to keep the gear from breaking (you can put static bonus run speed or base stat cards in weapons, or % bonus HP/MP/FP/ATK/DEF cards in suits).
* All armor and most weapons in ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' have upgrade slots. The weapons that don't (and those with missing slots) have built-in bonuses that are, usually, equivalent to max upgrades for the missing slots.
* ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonIslandOfHappiness'' lets you do this with Wonderfuls, making this your method of upgrading your tools.
* ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'' has slots in weapons and equipment for cards, which are rare drops from monsters.
* ''VideoGame/TreeOfSavior'' follows ''Diablo's'' example--an uncommon drop from enemies (especially boss monsters), gemstones provide buffs (and penalties) depending on what kind equipment they're inserted into. Sockets must be first drilled into equipment before any gems can be inserted, though.
* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfArdania'' plays this trope absolutely straight, wherein the player can take many pieces of equipment to a "socket carver" to have sockets carved into his equipment. He may then place magical artifacts called "Dwarvern beard rings" into those sockets.
to:
* ''VideoGame/DivineDivinity'' refers to them as "charms". The difference here that the amount of charms you can put on a piece of equipment is determined by your Charms skill, in addition to the "Charm Quality" of the item.
''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles'':
**''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'' includes socketed equipment is randomly obtained items that allow you to socket and can be enhanced unsocket gems without consequence to boost various attributes or give new ones entirely. Some items come pre-equipped with "runes", each of which has different effects gems with the caveat that they cannot be removed. Certain gems can only be equipped in armor or only in weapons while some allow you to socket them in either one. Weapons can have up to three sockets while armor pieces can have only up to one and sometimes even the same weapon or armor piece can have more or less slots depending on the enemy that drops it.
** ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'' uses a similar system to its predecessor with slots for augments. This time around, while there are equipmenttype to which it's added. Runes can be added and removed at will; the ItemCrafting system also allows some runes to be fitted with "frames", which irreversibly creates a new rune.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' and Materia are basically this, except without the mated-for-life aspect (as befits the PowersAsPrograms nature of Materia).
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' allows you to modify weapons; its GreenRocks were generally consumable items (oddly enough, the required items had the opposite effect: poison items made poison-resistant armor and antidotes made poisonous weapons). While you can't unmodify a sword, you alsopre-equipped augments, they don't need to; there's no randomly-generated fill up any slots, and a RandomlyGeneratedLoot system allows for dropped equipment in the game. Instead, there is basically just ''one'' flavor to have varying numbers of weapon and armor for each character, which is completely blank and which you then modify to your heart's desire, and which you can buy basically anywhere. Any combination of qualities you find in one weapon, you can create in another, with a few exceptions in the game's {{Infinity Plus One Sword}}s.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' also has a materia system, although they work more like gems from ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', providing small stat bonuses. Materia can be obtained by converting gear that has been equipped long enough to reach 100% "spiritbond"; higher-level gear has a higher chance of turning into higher-grade materia. These can then be attached to gear by a crafter of sufficient level, or by special "Materia Melder" [=NPCs=] (for a fee). Materia can be melded to gear beyond the number of allotted slots, but "advanced melding" like this has a chance of failure, resulting in the materia being destroyed, and cannot be performed by Materia Melder [=NPCs=]. Prior to Patch 3.2, high-end gear typically lacked materia slots entirely; nowadays, it simply disallows advanced melding. There is also a limit to how high materia can raise any given stat on a piece of gear.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyCrystalChroniclesEchoesOfTime'' has a forgiving gem system that works well with character customization. All equipment has one or moreslots. Using equipment in battle increases its level. When it's level 3 it can be destroyed to produce a "Jewel". Jewels can be added and removed for a small fee. Some Jewels increase the level cap of equipment, and equipment produce two and three Jewels at levels 10 and 20 respectively. After beating the game for the first time, the player will have several Jewels and Armors to specialize their characters.
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
** The enchantment system in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''. Sandal can add or remove runes free of charge. The runes themselves come in different grades; the most powerful ones usually have to be bought (which is the case for most of the uber gear in this game). The ExpansionPack added armor runes, andcompleting a pyramid style (consuming weaker ones to make stronger ones) upgrade/crafting skill for them (that could be mid-game sidequest, a GameBreaker if you had enough money). Many players gave their weak ones to the mages/templars to strengthen their forces and get xp in the original campaign, then played Awakening and incidentally missed out on a lot of crafting opportunities.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', the enchantment system is revised, runes can no longer be removed from equipment once they are set in, but can be replaced by other runes. Thanks to the revised crafting system, this method is actually more cost effective than the systemshop that was in place in the first game.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', component upgrading is introducedallows for armor and weapons. Armor typically has arm and leg slots, while one-handed weapons typically have a grip/haft slot. Two-handers have an adding additional pommel slot. Bows have a slot for the hand grip, and staves have a slot for the shaft and the [[BladeOnAStick blade on the other end]], and all weapons have a Rune slot. [[ICallItVera Bianca]], Varric's [[AutomaticCrossbow one-of-a-kind crossbow]], has the most of all with four; a bow limb slot, a grip slot, an aiming module slot, and a rune slot.
* ''VideoGame/{{Geneforge}}'' implemented a simple version of this from the third game onwards, along with ItemCrafting. Almost every item can take one and only one gem, with the exceptions taking no gems [[InfinityPlusOneSword because they're so powerful anyway]].
* ''VideoGame/RatchetDeadlocked'' uses this. Each weapon has 10augment slots for Alpha mods, which upgrade mundane things like firing rate, accuracy, and [[MoneyMultiplier money]], and one slot for an Omega mod, which adds an odd effect like napalm, electric shock, or [[ForcedTransformation morph]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Pangya}}'' equipment (y'know, ''golf clubs and clothes'') features these.
* The way that you enhance your superpowers in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' works in a similar fashion. On level-ups that don't give new powers you will instead get 2-3 slots that you can distribute among your powers for a total of 6 slots per power. Enhancements go into those slots and work to improve the stats of that power such as increasing accuracy and damage or reducing recharge time. There are also special types of enhancements that improve 2, 3 or even 4 stats at the same time. You can also mix and match enhancement types. Just because you slotted 1 piece from the Touch of Death set doesn't mean that you must use only that set for that power (although you need more pieces of it to get the set-bonuses for having X number of that set's pieces). It's common place to mix different enhancement types and sets to get certain desired stat boosts, whichis referred to as "[[http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Frankenslot frankenslotting]]".
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublic'': The game features "upgradeable" equipment that could be fitted with better components. In the first, armor and non-lightsaber weapons had only one "gem" per socket; all guns used the same scope, for instance, although some had different bonuses from it. In contrast, lightsabers not only had a wide variety of stat crystals for two slots (and a color slot), but also had two special color crystals ([[InfinityMinusOneSword Mantle of the Force, and Heart of the Guardian]]) that changed the effects of ''absolutely every'' upgrade crystal, in two separate ways.
** ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' featured a full range of different components for each slot; weapons had three slots apiece, armor had two, and lightsabers had five (although two were "crystal" slots that worked like in the first game) not counting their color crystal. Any given slot had between about three and six different types of upgrade, each with multiple levels. These can now be crafted, with a large variety of skill requirements, making your crew's skills more useful. The main character (only) can get a special crystal that changes effect with the player's alignment and level, but the specialness is reserved for that crystal alone this time.
* ''VideoGame/{{Aion}}'' has sockets in all of the armors, weapons, and shields. The number of sockets usually depend on the item's rarity, but can vary in some exceptions. Players can slot manastones into these sockets to provide a direct boost to their stats, although putting more than one in an item may cause the socketing to fail, which destroys ALL the manastones already in that item! Some weapons also have a "godstone" slot that will accept one godstone that will give the weapon a chance to proc a specific effect, such as additional damage. And, on top of all of that, the players themselves can earn up to five stigma slots and three advanced stigma slots, which are used for slotting additional skills you can't obtain any other way.
* ''VideoGame/EveOnline'' has "rigs" - modules that can be fitted to space ships' "rig slots" but can never be removed except by destroying them. Basically sockets and gems {{in space}}. However, many rigs in EVE actually impart a penalty to one aspect of your ship, as well as the bonus to another one (for instance, increasing armor hp at the cost of a reduction in max speed). The various rigging skills reduce this penalty though.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' had weapon, armor, grenade and ammunition upgrades. While early weapons and armor only had one weapon and armor upgrade slot, it increased to two slots in more powerful versions.unlocked. However, there was only one grenade launcher, which only had one grenade upgrade slot, and each weapon could only are some items that can't have one ammunition upgrade.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' "streamlined" this into universal (for class of gun a la sniper rifles) upgrade system, and ammo in the form of skill point costing ammo powers that were annoying to have to activate every level.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' brought the system back, though only for weapons and each weapon has exactly two slots. Any upgrade or "mod" fits the basic five weapon types and can be put intoany number of these weapons at once. Multiplayer also has three additional extra slots that affect the entire character, but the upgrades are used up after a mission. These include ammo mods (replacing ammo powers from singleplayer), damage boosts and armor boosts (ranging from faster shield recharge to faster power recovery or run speed). More types were added over time, and there is now a fourth slot for non-expendable upgrades that do all kinds of things, like increasing grenade, consumable, and ammunition carrying capacity, and specific and combined damage bonuses for the whole range of character builds/equipment that got added in in patches.
* Referred to as "augments" in the ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' games. Ironically, most "Legendary" weapons come pre-slotted with enhancements, meaning the perfectly normal sword you found and slapped 6 enhancements on could theoretically (especially in the sequel) be more powerful than either of the Infinity Plus One Swords available. Taken to it's hilarious extreme with the most customizable and powerful weapon in the first game (provided you actually perform the sidequest necessary to find it) is a frying pan.
* ''VideoGame/GrandChase'' has cards for weapons. Only rare weapons/Armor and Higher can be equipped with them. They can be removed with a (cash) item.
* Most gear in ''VideoGame/IrisOnline'' has slots for up to 5 cards (which ones go in which slot is based on blood types).
* ''Franchise/MegaMan'':
** ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'': X and Zero can equip two special parts after defeating the Mavericks that can be added to their armor.
** ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'': The Navi Customizer lets you socket Mega Man with programs that enhance his abilities. There are rules for customizing, and breaking the rules may result in Mega Man getting bugged.
* ''VideoGame/{{Flyff}}'' allows you to make sockets in weapons & suits of armour (up to 10 & 4, respectively) for extra stat cards, although you need a CS item to keep the gear from breaking (you can put static bonus run speed or base stat cards in weapons, or % bonus HP/MP/FP/ATK/DEF cards in suits).
* All armor and most weapons in ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' have upgrade slots. The weapons that don't (and those with missing slots) have built-in bonuses that are, usually, equivalent to max upgrades for the missing slots.
* ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonIslandOfHappiness'' lets you do this with Wonderfuls, making this your method of upgrading your tools.
* ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'' has slots in weapons and equipment for cards, which are rare drops from monsters.
* ''VideoGame/TreeOfSavior'' follows ''Diablo's'' example--an uncommon drop from enemies (especially boss monsters), gemstones provide buffs (and penalties) depending on what kind equipment they're inserted into. Sockets must be first drilled into equipment before any gems can be inserted, though.
* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfArdania'' plays this trope absolutely straight, wherein the player can take many pieces of equipment to a "socket carver" to have sockets carved into his equipment. He may then place magical artifacts called "Dwarvern beard rings" into those sockets.added.
!!Non-Video Game Examples
**
** ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'' uses a similar system to its predecessor with slots for augments. This time around, while there are equipment
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' and Materia are basically this, except without the mated-for-life aspect (as befits the PowersAsPrograms nature of Materia).
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' allows you to modify weapons; its GreenRocks were generally consumable items (oddly enough, the required items had the opposite effect: poison items made poison-resistant armor and antidotes made poisonous weapons). While you can't unmodify a sword, you also
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' also has a materia system, although they work more like gems from ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', providing small stat bonuses. Materia can be obtained by converting gear that has been equipped long enough to reach 100% "spiritbond"; higher-level gear has a higher chance of turning into higher-grade materia. These can then be attached to gear by a crafter of sufficient level, or by special "Materia Melder" [=NPCs=] (for a fee). Materia can be melded to gear beyond the number of allotted slots, but "advanced melding" like this has a chance of failure, resulting in the materia being destroyed, and cannot be performed by Materia Melder [=NPCs=]. Prior to Patch 3.2, high-end gear typically lacked materia slots entirely; nowadays, it simply disallows advanced melding. There is also a limit to how high materia can raise any given stat on a piece of gear.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyCrystalChroniclesEchoesOfTime'' has a forgiving gem system that works well with character customization. All equipment has one or more
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
** The enchantment system in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''. Sandal can add or remove runes free of charge. The runes themselves come in different grades; the most powerful ones usually have to be bought (which is the case for most of the uber gear in this game). The ExpansionPack added armor runes, and
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', the enchantment system is revised, runes can no longer be removed from equipment once they are set in, but can be replaced by other runes. Thanks to the revised crafting system, this method is actually more cost effective than the system
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', component upgrading is introduced
* ''VideoGame/{{Geneforge}}'' implemented a simple version of this from the third game onwards, along with ItemCrafting. Almost every item can take one and only one gem, with the exceptions taking no gems [[InfinityPlusOneSword because they're so powerful anyway]].
* ''VideoGame/RatchetDeadlocked'' uses this. Each weapon has 10
* ''VideoGame/{{Pangya}}'' equipment (y'know, ''golf clubs and clothes'') features these.
* The way that you enhance your superpowers in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' works in a similar fashion. On level-ups that don't give new powers you will instead get 2-3 slots that you can distribute among your powers for a total of 6 slots per power. Enhancements go into those slots and work to improve the stats of that power such as increasing accuracy and damage or reducing recharge time. There are also special types of enhancements that improve 2, 3 or even 4 stats at the same time. You can also mix and match enhancement types. Just because you slotted 1 piece from the Touch of Death set doesn't mean that you must use only that set for that power (although you need more pieces of it to get the set-bonuses for having X number of that set's pieces). It's common place to mix different enhancement types and sets to get certain desired stat boosts, which
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublic'': The game features "upgradeable" equipment that could be fitted with better components. In the first, armor and non-lightsaber weapons had only one "gem" per socket; all guns used the same scope, for instance, although some had different bonuses from it. In contrast, lightsabers not only had a wide variety of stat crystals for two slots (and a color slot), but also had two special color crystals ([[InfinityMinusOneSword Mantle of the Force, and Heart of the Guardian]]) that changed the effects of ''absolutely every'' upgrade crystal, in two separate ways.
** ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' featured a full range of different components for each slot; weapons had three slots apiece, armor had two, and lightsabers had five (although two were "crystal" slots that worked like in the first game) not counting their color crystal. Any given slot had between about three and six different types of upgrade, each with multiple levels. These can now be crafted, with a large variety of skill requirements, making your crew's skills more useful. The main character (only) can get a special crystal that changes effect with the player's alignment and level, but the specialness is reserved for that crystal alone this time.
* ''VideoGame/{{Aion}}'' has sockets in all of the armors, weapons, and shields. The number of sockets usually depend on the item's rarity, but can vary in some exceptions. Players can slot manastones into these sockets to provide a direct boost to their stats, although putting more than one in an item may cause the socketing to fail, which destroys ALL the manastones already in that item! Some weapons also have a "godstone" slot that will accept one godstone that will give the weapon a chance to proc a specific effect, such as additional damage. And, on top of all of that, the players themselves can earn up to five stigma slots and three advanced stigma slots, which are used for slotting additional skills you can't obtain any other way.
* ''VideoGame/EveOnline'' has "rigs" - modules that can be fitted to space ships' "rig slots" but can never be removed except by destroying them. Basically sockets and gems {{in space}}. However, many rigs in EVE actually impart a penalty to one aspect of your ship, as well as the bonus to another one (for instance, increasing armor hp at the cost of a reduction in max speed). The various rigging skills reduce this penalty though.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' had weapon, armor, grenade and ammunition upgrades. While early weapons and armor only had one weapon and armor upgrade slot, it increased to two slots in more powerful versions.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' "streamlined" this into universal (for class of gun a la sniper rifles) upgrade system, and ammo in the form of skill point costing ammo powers that were annoying to have to activate every level.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' brought the system back, though only for weapons and each weapon has exactly two slots. Any upgrade or "mod" fits the basic five weapon types and can be put into
* Referred to as "augments" in the ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' games. Ironically, most "Legendary" weapons come pre-slotted with enhancements, meaning the perfectly normal sword you found and slapped 6 enhancements on could theoretically (especially in the sequel) be more powerful than either of the Infinity Plus One Swords available. Taken to it's hilarious extreme with the most customizable and powerful weapon in the first game (provided you actually perform the sidequest necessary to find it) is a frying pan.
* ''VideoGame/GrandChase'' has cards for weapons. Only rare weapons/Armor and Higher can be equipped with them. They can be removed with a (cash) item.
* Most gear in ''VideoGame/IrisOnline'' has slots for up to 5 cards (which ones go in which slot is based on blood types).
* ''Franchise/MegaMan'':
** ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'': X and Zero can equip two special parts after defeating the Mavericks that can be added to their armor.
** ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'': The Navi Customizer lets you socket Mega Man with programs that enhance his abilities. There are rules for customizing, and breaking the rules may result in Mega Man getting bugged.
* ''VideoGame/{{Flyff}}'' allows you to make sockets in weapons & suits of armour (up to 10 & 4, respectively) for extra stat cards, although you need a CS item to keep the gear from breaking (you can put static bonus run speed or base stat cards in weapons, or % bonus HP/MP/FP/ATK/DEF cards in suits).
* All armor and most weapons in ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' have upgrade slots. The weapons that don't (and those with missing slots) have built-in bonuses that are, usually, equivalent to max upgrades for the missing slots.
* ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonIslandOfHappiness'' lets you do this with Wonderfuls, making this your method of upgrading your tools.
* ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'' has slots in weapons and equipment for cards, which are rare drops from monsters.
* ''VideoGame/TreeOfSavior'' follows ''Diablo's'' example--an uncommon drop from enemies (especially boss monsters), gemstones provide buffs (and penalties) depending on what kind equipment they're inserted into. Sockets must be first drilled into equipment before any gems can be inserted, though.
* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfArdania'' plays this trope absolutely straight, wherein the player can take many pieces of equipment to a "socket carver" to have sockets carved into his equipment. He may then place magical artifacts called "Dwarvern beard rings" into those sockets.
!!Non-Video Game Examples
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* In ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'', this is a special property of the Scratch n' Sniff Sword/Crossbow (comes with the power to summon stickers to put on it), the Fossilized Necklace (beat up skeletal enemies to get their teeth), and the Over-the-shoulder Folder Holder (find and acquire special stat-boosting folders to put in it).
* ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' has Specialists, essentially [=NPCs=] that live inside items. Once a Specialist is subdued (by going into the [[RandomlyGeneratedLevel Item World]] of that particular item and [[DefeatMeansFriendship beating them up]]), they can be moved around to other items and even combined with other Specialists of the same type to power them up. Every item also has a number of slots to hold Specialists, with 'rare' and 'legendary' items generally having more slots than normal items.
* ''VideoGame/FreedroidRPG'' has up to 4 sockets on equipment and if there aren't, you may add them. Compatible add-ons can also be produced and vary with socket and equipment type.
* ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' has Specialists, essentially [=NPCs=] that live inside items. Once a Specialist is subdued (by going into the [[RandomlyGeneratedLevel Item World]] of that particular item and [[DefeatMeansFriendship beating them up]]), they can be moved around to other items and even combined with other Specialists of the same type to power them up. Every item also has a number of slots to hold Specialists, with 'rare' and 'legendary' items generally having more slots than normal items.
* ''VideoGame/FreedroidRPG'' has up to 4 sockets on equipment and if there aren't, you may add them. Compatible add-ons can also be produced and vary with socket and equipment type.
to:
* In ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'', this is a special property of the Scratch n' Sniff Sword/Crossbow (comes with the power to summon stickers to put on it), the Fossilized Necklace (beat up skeletal enemies to get their teeth), and the Over-the-shoulder Folder Holder (find and acquire special stat-boosting folders to put in it).
* ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' has Specialists, essentially [=NPCs=] that live inside items. Once a Specialist is subdued (by going into the [[RandomlyGeneratedLevel Item World]] of that particular item and [[DefeatMeansFriendship beating them up]]), they can be moved around to other items and even combined with other Specialists of the same type to power them up.''TabletopGame/EdgeOfTheEmpire'': Every item also weapon has a limited number of hardpoints that can be used to install improvements (underbarrel flamethrower, scope, etc.), and some Technician careers allow you to add more of them to weapons.
* Many artifacts in the role-playing game ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' have slotsto hold Specialists, with 'rare' and 'legendary' items generally having more slots than normal items.
* ''VideoGame/FreedroidRPG'' has up to 4 sockets on equipment and if there aren't, you may add them. Compatible add-onsfor hearthstones, which can also be produced and vary with socket and equipment type.used either to regain Essence (common trait for all hearthstones) or to utilize a power unique to the stone.
* ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' has Specialists, essentially [=NPCs=] that live inside items. Once a Specialist is subdued (by going into the [[RandomlyGeneratedLevel Item World]] of that particular item and [[DefeatMeansFriendship beating them up]]), they can be moved around to other items and even combined with other Specialists of the same type to power them up.
* Many artifacts in the role-playing game ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' have slots
* ''VideoGame/FreedroidRPG'' has up to 4 sockets on equipment and if there aren't, you may add them. Compatible add-ons
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* Guns in ''VideoGame/ResonanceOfFate'' all have various slots where you attach parts to increase their stats. The expansion parts themselves can have ''more slots'' to attach ''more parts'' and then those parts can have even more slots, leading to truly insane designs with multiple scopes, barrels and grips stacked on top of each other with no regard to what they're pointing at...in the end, only the size of the customizer's grid limits the amount of add-ons used.
* In ''VideoGame/KingdomsOfAmalurReckoning'', some equipment has sockets for gems that can be added at a Sagecrafting altar. Putting points into the Sagecrafting skill allows a player to craft the best possible gems in the game. Investing points into the Blacksmithing skill allows a player to use gems as forging materials, negating the need to find equipment with sockets.
* ''VideoGame/LightFairytale'': The Orb system is similar to the Materia system of ''Final Fantasy VII''. However, weapons and armor automatically gain the affinity of elemental orbs equipped to them.
* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles'':
** ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'' includes socketed items that allow you to socket and unsocket gems without consequence to boost various attributes or give new ones entirely. Some items come pre-equipped with gems with the caveat that they cannot be removed. Certain gems can only be equipped in armor or only in weapons while some allow you to socket them in either one. Weapons can have up to three sockets while armor pieces can have only up to one and sometimes even the same weapon or armor piece can have more or less slots depending on the enemy that drops it.
** ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'' uses a similar system to its predecessor with slots for augments. This time around, while there are equipment with pre-equipped augments, they don't fill up any slots, and a RandomlyGeneratedLoot system allows for dropped equipment to have varying numbers of slots. After completing a mid-game sidequest, a shop that allows for adding additional augment slots is unlocked. However, there are some items that can't have any extra slots added.
* Alchemists in ''VideoGame/TalesOfMajEyal'' can insert gems into armor, granting the gem's special bonus to the armor. Each piece of armor can only take one gem, and adding a new gem removes the old one.
** The ''Embers of Rage'' expansion adds a system for crafting steampunk devices and attaching them to equipment to provide stat bonuses or a new ability.
* ''VideoGame/MapleStory'' allows players to use a device bought with mesos to add a socket to their each of their armor that they can put a Nebulite in to increase their stats. Nebulites can either be obtained through world bosses or you can get them through an [[BribingYourWayToVictory item Gachapon]].
* ''Sacred'' allowed socketing of up to four rings/amulets/runes or blacksmith abilities. You could recover only one of these, so if you found something useful early on most players socket that and fill the rest with the blacksmith powers. Dwarves could socket anywhere and and had specialist blacksmith powers.
* ''VideoGame/PathOfExile'':
** The game inverts ''Diablo II'''s system: the skill tree consists entirely of passive skills, while sockets are used for active skills. Almost every equipment comes with sockets, which determine what combat skills you can use and what skill-enhancing gems you can link to it, making skill management some odd cousin of the InventoryManagementPuzzle. The lack of equipment enhancement from socketing is compensated for by nearly everything being enchanted, and there being several ways to upgrade or add enchantments.
*** Also, gems very easily pop into and out of your equipment, and it's pretty much ''expected'' you shift your gems around into new spots if the gear you find has linked sockets that allow you to combine your gem-granted skills in new ways.
** Path of Exile also has a socketed ''skill tree''. Around the skill tree, there are slots to socket Jewels into, which basically serve as an enchantable passive node, which you can craft to optimize your character's stat bonuses. Unique jewels also interact with the skill tree, such as converting the stats of nearby passive skills to a different one, letting you allocate skills without directly connecting to them, and even upgrade active skills. More complex jewels can replace every passive skill within its radius with new ones, gain bonuses based on how it's connected to your skill tree, or add an entire passive skill cluster of your making, which can have ''its own'' jewel sockets.
* Most types of weapons and armor in ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' feature modification slots, which determine ''all'' of their stats (including how much damage weapons deal, how well armor protects, etc.). High-end gear contains more powerful mods, but all pieces of gear are just as effective when equipped with the same mods, and mods can be extracted from items for a nominal fee. Virtually all "special" items, including items sold through the in-game store, are empty modifiable gear, meaning players can use it with appropriate mods through the entire game.
* ''VideoGame/Dota2'' uniquely has this only for cosmetic effects. Fitting, as the items themselves are strictly cosmetic.
* In ''VideoGame/DigimonWorld4'', weapons and armor found in the field or available in the shop randomly generate with a number of mod slots. The player can add chips to raise stats, apply elemental properties, or produce other unique effects.
* ''VideoGame/ExaPico'':
** ''VideoGame/ArTonelicoMelodyOfElemia'': All equipment can be enhanced by placing Grathnode Crystals into them, each of which have different effects like adding elemental damage or increasing stats. Said crystals can also be applied to the Song Magic of the Reyvateils to make them hit more times or cost less MP.
** ''VideoGame/ArTonelicoQogaKnellOfArCiel'': The girls' Song Magic can be customized using fairies called Hyumas that aside of providing extra effects like buffs, elemental resistances and increase to the periodic healing in battle, also changes the battle music depending on how the battle goes.
* ''VideoGame/ArNosurge'' does away with equipment completely and instead the characters install parts called Plugins into their weapons and armor, which are predetermined. These include increasing Break for the enemies, causing them damage similar to poisoning, increasing the regen rate at the start of some turns, and such.
* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'' has the rather complicated mod system. Each piece of equipment gets eight slots (or ten, in the case of companions) that the player can use to equip mods. Need more health on your Warframe? Equip the Vitality mod. Want to add some [[KillItWithFire Heat damage]] to your sword? Try using Molten Impact. However, every mod equipped uses up a certain amount of points, and the number of points available is directly tied to the level of the equipment in question; there are ways to stretch your points further than normal, but they require rare items and some effort. Since Warframes only get minor stat boosts from leveling up and weapons don't get any stat increases at all, modding is the only way to make your gear strong enough to take on the game's hardest challenges. Unlike most examples of this trope, mods can be freely moved around or removed between missions, and the same copy of a mod can be equipped to two different items as long as those items aren't equipped at the same time (in practice, this means you only need duplicates for Sentinel weapons).
* The fishing gears in ''VideoGame/AceFishing'' has slots that can be loaded with pearls. The additional value of the pearls are randomised, though.
* The Orbments in all the games in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrails'' series have a set of slots for various Quartz. Which Quartz the player installs determine the stats and arts available to the character equipping the Orbment.
* In the ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' series, weapons, armor, and talismans each have zero to three slots that players can put decorations in to put points into a skill, which becomes active once enough points are added. Some of these decorations take away points from a different skill, which can activate a skill with a negative effect if enough points are taken away (for example, having enough negative points in a skill that boosts fire resistance will make you more vulnerable to fire-based attacks). Some decorations take up two or three slots, in exchange for providing a bigger boost than decorations that just need one slot.
** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterWorld'' revamps the game's skill system, and consequently how decorations work. Decorations drop randomly after high-rank missions, and only high-rank armors and weapons have decoration slots, with the "beta" versions of armor pieces having fewer built-in skills than the "alpha" versions, but more decoration slots.
* Many artifacts in the role-playing game ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' have slots for hearthstones, which can be used either to regain Essence (common trait for all hearthstones) or to utilize a power unique to the stone.
* ''VideoGame/CapellasPromise'' has orbs, which can be placed into equipment for bonus effects but can never be removed.
* ''VideoGame/ForeverHome'' has Shards, which work a lot like Materia from ''Final Fantasy VII'' in that they can be duplicated after they accumulate enough PP.
* In ''VideoGame/RavenswordShadowlands'', weapons and armor (some of them, at least) come with "Enhancement" slots, meaning that you can put gems into them that provide bonuses to either damage or your stats. However, there's also some other items like [[PoisonedWeapons Spider Venom]] that you have to put into such slot in order to make use of it.
* ''VideoGame/GrimDawn'' has components and augments that can be attached to items to grant stat bonuses, new skills, or proc effects. A piece of equipment can only have one of each type of item attached to it.
* In a rare non-RPG example, this is how card upgrades work in the deckbuilding roguelike ''VideoGame/MonsterTrain.'' Rather than cards having fixed stats for upgrades, they instead have two sockets that upgrade stones are applied to. A pair of Artifacts will add a third socket to every card of a certain type in your deck.
* ''TabletopGame/EdgeOfTheEmpire'': Every weapon has a limited number of hardpoints that can be used to install improvements (underbarrel flamethrower, scope, etc.), and some Technician careers allow you to add more of them to weapons.
* Present in the original ''VideoGame/DarkCloud'', each weapon has two to five slots for attachments. When a weapon is upgraded, it absorbs those attachments, adding them to the weapon's base power. Once it has been improved enough to cross certain thresholds, it may be [[EvolvingWeapon built up into a stronger weapon with higher maximum ability.]]
* In ''VideoGame/KingdomsOfAmalurReckoning'', some equipment has sockets for gems that can be added at a Sagecrafting altar. Putting points into the Sagecrafting skill allows a player to craft the best possible gems in the game. Investing points into the Blacksmithing skill allows a player to use gems as forging materials, negating the need to find equipment with sockets.
* ''VideoGame/LightFairytale'': The Orb system is similar to the Materia system of ''Final Fantasy VII''. However, weapons and armor automatically gain the affinity of elemental orbs equipped to them.
* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles'':
** ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'' includes socketed items that allow you to socket and unsocket gems without consequence to boost various attributes or give new ones entirely. Some items come pre-equipped with gems with the caveat that they cannot be removed. Certain gems can only be equipped in armor or only in weapons while some allow you to socket them in either one. Weapons can have up to three sockets while armor pieces can have only up to one and sometimes even the same weapon or armor piece can have more or less slots depending on the enemy that drops it.
** ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'' uses a similar system to its predecessor with slots for augments. This time around, while there are equipment with pre-equipped augments, they don't fill up any slots, and a RandomlyGeneratedLoot system allows for dropped equipment to have varying numbers of slots. After completing a mid-game sidequest, a shop that allows for adding additional augment slots is unlocked. However, there are some items that can't have any extra slots added.
* Alchemists in ''VideoGame/TalesOfMajEyal'' can insert gems into armor, granting the gem's special bonus to the armor. Each piece of armor can only take one gem, and adding a new gem removes the old one.
** The ''Embers of Rage'' expansion adds a system for crafting steampunk devices and attaching them to equipment to provide stat bonuses or a new ability.
* ''VideoGame/MapleStory'' allows players to use a device bought with mesos to add a socket to their each of their armor that they can put a Nebulite in to increase their stats. Nebulites can either be obtained through world bosses or you can get them through an [[BribingYourWayToVictory item Gachapon]].
* ''Sacred'' allowed socketing of up to four rings/amulets/runes or blacksmith abilities. You could recover only one of these, so if you found something useful early on most players socket that and fill the rest with the blacksmith powers. Dwarves could socket anywhere and and had specialist blacksmith powers.
* ''VideoGame/PathOfExile'':
** The game inverts ''Diablo II'''s system: the skill tree consists entirely of passive skills, while sockets are used for active skills. Almost every equipment comes with sockets, which determine what combat skills you can use and what skill-enhancing gems you can link to it, making skill management some odd cousin of the InventoryManagementPuzzle. The lack of equipment enhancement from socketing is compensated for by nearly everything being enchanted, and there being several ways to upgrade or add enchantments.
*** Also, gems very easily pop into and out of your equipment, and it's pretty much ''expected'' you shift your gems around into new spots if the gear you find has linked sockets that allow you to combine your gem-granted skills in new ways.
** Path of Exile also has a socketed ''skill tree''. Around the skill tree, there are slots to socket Jewels into, which basically serve as an enchantable passive node, which you can craft to optimize your character's stat bonuses. Unique jewels also interact with the skill tree, such as converting the stats of nearby passive skills to a different one, letting you allocate skills without directly connecting to them, and even upgrade active skills. More complex jewels can replace every passive skill within its radius with new ones, gain bonuses based on how it's connected to your skill tree, or add an entire passive skill cluster of your making, which can have ''its own'' jewel sockets.
* Most types of weapons and armor in ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' feature modification slots, which determine ''all'' of their stats (including how much damage weapons deal, how well armor protects, etc.). High-end gear contains more powerful mods, but all pieces of gear are just as effective when equipped with the same mods, and mods can be extracted from items for a nominal fee. Virtually all "special" items, including items sold through the in-game store, are empty modifiable gear, meaning players can use it with appropriate mods through the entire game.
* ''VideoGame/Dota2'' uniquely has this only for cosmetic effects. Fitting, as the items themselves are strictly cosmetic.
* In ''VideoGame/DigimonWorld4'', weapons and armor found in the field or available in the shop randomly generate with a number of mod slots. The player can add chips to raise stats, apply elemental properties, or produce other unique effects.
* ''VideoGame/ExaPico'':
** ''VideoGame/ArTonelicoMelodyOfElemia'': All equipment can be enhanced by placing Grathnode Crystals into them, each of which have different effects like adding elemental damage or increasing stats. Said crystals can also be applied to the Song Magic of the Reyvateils to make them hit more times or cost less MP.
** ''VideoGame/ArTonelicoQogaKnellOfArCiel'': The girls' Song Magic can be customized using fairies called Hyumas that aside of providing extra effects like buffs, elemental resistances and increase to the periodic healing in battle, also changes the battle music depending on how the battle goes.
* ''VideoGame/ArNosurge'' does away with equipment completely and instead the characters install parts called Plugins into their weapons and armor, which are predetermined. These include increasing Break for the enemies, causing them damage similar to poisoning, increasing the regen rate at the start of some turns, and such.
* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'' has the rather complicated mod system. Each piece of equipment gets eight slots (or ten, in the case of companions) that the player can use to equip mods. Need more health on your Warframe? Equip the Vitality mod. Want to add some [[KillItWithFire Heat damage]] to your sword? Try using Molten Impact. However, every mod equipped uses up a certain amount of points, and the number of points available is directly tied to the level of the equipment in question; there are ways to stretch your points further than normal, but they require rare items and some effort. Since Warframes only get minor stat boosts from leveling up and weapons don't get any stat increases at all, modding is the only way to make your gear strong enough to take on the game's hardest challenges. Unlike most examples of this trope, mods can be freely moved around or removed between missions, and the same copy of a mod can be equipped to two different items as long as those items aren't equipped at the same time (in practice, this means you only need duplicates for Sentinel weapons).
* The fishing gears in ''VideoGame/AceFishing'' has slots that can be loaded with pearls. The additional value of the pearls are randomised, though.
* The Orbments in all the games in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrails'' series have a set of slots for various Quartz. Which Quartz the player installs determine the stats and arts available to the character equipping the Orbment.
* In the ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' series, weapons, armor, and talismans each have zero to three slots that players can put decorations in to put points into a skill, which becomes active once enough points are added. Some of these decorations take away points from a different skill, which can activate a skill with a negative effect if enough points are taken away (for example, having enough negative points in a skill that boosts fire resistance will make you more vulnerable to fire-based attacks). Some decorations take up two or three slots, in exchange for providing a bigger boost than decorations that just need one slot.
** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterWorld'' revamps the game's skill system, and consequently how decorations work. Decorations drop randomly after high-rank missions, and only high-rank armors and weapons have decoration slots, with the "beta" versions of armor pieces having fewer built-in skills than the "alpha" versions, but more decoration slots.
* Many artifacts in the role-playing game ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' have slots for hearthstones, which can be used either to regain Essence (common trait for all hearthstones) or to utilize a power unique to the stone.
* ''VideoGame/CapellasPromise'' has orbs, which can be placed into equipment for bonus effects but can never be removed.
* ''VideoGame/ForeverHome'' has Shards, which work a lot like Materia from ''Final Fantasy VII'' in that they can be duplicated after they accumulate enough PP.
* In ''VideoGame/RavenswordShadowlands'', weapons and armor (some of them, at least) come with "Enhancement" slots, meaning that you can put gems into them that provide bonuses to either damage or your stats. However, there's also some other items like [[PoisonedWeapons Spider Venom]] that you have to put into such slot in order to make use of it.
* ''VideoGame/GrimDawn'' has components and augments that can be attached to items to grant stat bonuses, new skills, or proc effects. A piece of equipment can only have one of each type of item attached to it.
* In a rare non-RPG example, this is how card upgrades work in the deckbuilding roguelike ''VideoGame/MonsterTrain.'' Rather than cards having fixed stats for upgrades, they instead have two sockets that upgrade stones are applied to. A pair of Artifacts will add a third socket to every card of a certain type in your deck.
* ''TabletopGame/EdgeOfTheEmpire'': Every weapon has a limited number of hardpoints that can be used to install improvements (underbarrel flamethrower, scope, etc.), and some Technician careers allow you to add more of them to weapons.
* Present in the original ''VideoGame/DarkCloud'', each weapon has two to five slots for attachments. When a weapon is upgraded, it absorbs those attachments, adding them to the weapon's base power. Once it has been improved enough to cross certain thresholds, it may be [[EvolvingWeapon built up into a stronger weapon with higher maximum ability.]]
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* ''VideoGame/ArcRiseFantasia'' has an unusual version. Every single weapon in the game comes with a 4-by-4 grid, that houses two "Arm Forces" - gems, that come in several shapes. Each Arm Force provides a unique bonus, ranging from simple stat upgrade, to bonus damage to a certain enemy type, to automatic healing of debuffs. By [[MagikarpPower using the weapon long enough]], the player can unlock the grid, and remove one of these Arm Forces for use on any other weapon. The other gem is "native" and can't be removed. If the grid is filled completely, the weapon will unlock its Weapon Secret - a powerful Arm Force that doesn't take place on the grid, but can't be removed from the weapon. InfinityPlusOneSword of every character lacks the Native gem, allowing for broader customisation.
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* ''VideoGame/RatchetDeadlocked'' uses this. Each weapon has 10 slots for Alpha mods, which upgrade mundane things like firing rate, accuracy, and [[MoneyMultiplier money]], and one slot for an Omega mod, which adds an odd effect like napalm, electric shock, or {{Baleful Polymorph}}ism.
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* ''VideoGame/RatchetDeadlocked'' uses this. Each weapon has 10 slots for Alpha mods, which upgrade mundane things like firing rate, accuracy, and [[MoneyMultiplier money]], and one slot for an Omega mod, which adds an odd effect like napalm, electric shock, or {{Baleful Polymorph}}ism.[[ForcedTransformation morph]].
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* Present in the original ''VideoGame/DarkCloud'', each weapon has two to five slots for attachments. When a weapon is upgraded, it absorbs those attachments, adding them to the weapon's base power. Once it has been improved enough to cross certain thresholds, it may be [[EvolvingWeapon built up into a stronger weapon with higher maximum ability.]]
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->''"There exist five varieties of magic powder, each corresponding to one of five different elements; Fire, Water, Thunder, Earth, and Air. It is possible to augment items with these powders, if one is versed in the art of enchantment. Many offer this service for a price, as Powder Masters. Certain items have a higher magical capacity, and thusly are able to hold more powders within them. Some have many, some have few, others still have none."''
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->''"There exist five varieties of magic powder, each corresponding to one of five different elements; Fire, Water, Thunder, Earth, and Air. It is possible to augment items with these powders, if one is versed in the art of enchantment. Many offer this service for a price, as Powder Masters. [...] Certain items have a higher magical capacity, and thusly are able to hold more powders within them. Some have many, some have few, others still have none."''
