Legendary Gems

Legendary Gems are gems introduced in patch 2.1 of Diablo III. Each Legendary Gem has two unique powers. One is unlocked upon dropping, and can be strengthened by upgrading; the second is a fixed bonus that is unlocked when the gem is upgraded to Rank 25.

Except for two gems, they can only be socketed into Amulets and Rings (the Gem of Ease can only be socketed into a weapon, while the Red Soul Shard can only be socketed into a Helm). Like all gems, Legendary Gems are account bound; they are also unique equipped.

Legendary Gems only drop from Rift Guardians in Greater Rifts (except for Boon of the Hoarder and the Red Soul Shard, which drops only from Greed in the Treasure Realm, and killing the Dark Lord in the Darkening of Tristram event respectively). As a rule, a Rift Guardian will drop a randomly-selected gem if and only if a character does not already have access to all Legendary Gems, where access means that the gem is: (1) equipped by the character, (2) in the character's inventory (socketed or not), or (3) in the shared stash (socketed or not). Gems equipped by or in the inventory of another character do not count. Only gems for which the character does not have access can drop.

Gems always drop at Rank 0 and can be upgraded by speaking with Urshi.  As of patch 2.4.0, the Rank of a gem appears in inventory or any interface panel tied to them.

Gems will only drop at character level 70, but have no level requirement and can be used by any character on that account. Legendary Gems can be equipped by a follower, but have no effect.

Gem List

• Bane of the Powerful:
  • Gain 20% increased damage for 30 seconds after killing an elite pack.
  • Upgrading increases duration by 1 second.
  • Rank 25 bonus: Increases damage against elites by 15% and reduces damage taken from elites by 15%.

• Bane of the Stricken:
  • Each successful attack increases the damage its victim takes from the character's own skills by 0.8%.
  • Upgrading increases this bonus by 0.01%.
  • Rank 25 bonus: increases damage done against bosses (including Rift Guardians) by 25%.

• Bane of the Trapped:
  • Increases damage against enemies under the effect of control-impairing effects by 15%.
  • Upgrading increases damage bonus by 0.3%.
  • Rank 25 bonus: Gain an aura that slows enemies within 15 yards by 30%. This aura also (by design) triggers the primary effect.

• Boon of the Hoarder:
  • 25% chance on killing an enemy to cause an explosion of gold.
  • Upgrading increases chance by 1.5%. (Maximum rank is 50.)
  • Rank 25 bonus: Gain 30% increased movement speed for 3 seconds after picking up gold.

• Boyarsky's Chip:
  • Adds 16000 additional Thorns damage.
  • Upgrading increases bonus Thorns damage by 800.
  • Rank 25 bonus: Primary skills also Taunt the first enemy hit for 2 seconds.

• Enforcer:
  • Increase the damage of your pets by 15%.
  • Upgrading increases pet damage by 0.3%.
  • Rank 25 bonus: Your pets take 90% reduced damage.

• Esoteric Alteration:
  • Reduces non-Physical damage taken by 10%.
  • Upgrading increases damage reduction by 0.5%.
  • Rank 25 bonus: gain 75% additional non-Physical resistances when below 50% Life.

• Gem of Ease:
  • Monster kills grant 500 additional experience, multiplied by difficulty.
  • Upgrading increases bonus experience by 50.
  • Rank 25 bonus: both gem and item can be used at any character level instead of 70 only.

• Gem of Efficacious Toxin:
  • Poison all enemies hit for 2000% damage as Poison over 10 seconds.
  • Upgrading increases damage by 50%.
  • Rank 25 bonus: All enemies you poison take 10% increased damage from all sources and deal 10% less damage with all attacks.

• Gogok of Swiftness:
  • On each successful attack, increases your Attack Speed by 1% and Dodge chance by 0.50% for 4 seconds, stacking up to 15 times.
  • Upgrading increases Dodge chance gained per attack by 0.01%.
  • Rank 25 bonus: Also gain 1% Cooldown Reduction per stack.

• Iceblink:
  • All Cold skills always Chill enemies, slowing them by 60% for 1 second (unless already better), and slowdown potency of all Chill effects increases by 5% (up to 80%).
  • Upgrading increases speed reduction by 0.4%. (Maximum Rank is 50.)
  • Rank 25 bonus: gain additional 10% Critical Hit Chance against Chilled or Frozen enemies.

• Invigorating Gemstone:
  • Upon a successful hit, increases healing received from all sources by 1% for 5 seconds, stacking up to 10 times.
  • Upgrading increases healing bonus by 0.02%.
  • Rank 25 bonus: become immune to Crowd Control.

• Mirinae, Teardrop of the Starweaver:
  • 15% chance on hit to smite a nearby enemy for 3000% damage as Holy and heal the character for 3% of maximum Life.
  • Upgrading increases damage by 60%.
  • Rank 25 bonus: Smite a nearby enemy every 3 seconds.

• Molten Wildebeest's Gizzard:
  • Increases Life Regeneration by 10000 per second.
  • Upgrading increases Life per Second bonus by 1000 per second.
  • Rank 25 bonus: after not taking damaging hits in 4 seconds, creates an absorption shield for 200% of the current Life per Second.

• Moratorium:
  • 35% of all damage taken is instead staggered and dealt to you over 3.0 seconds.
  • Upgrading increases duration by 0.1 seconds.
  • Rank 25 bonus: 20% chance on kill to clear all staggered damage.

• Mutilation Guard:
  • Reduces melee damage taken (of any Elemental Damage type) by 10%.
  • Upgrading increases damage reduction by 0.5%.
  • Rank 25 bonus: while at 50% Life or lower, can move unhindered through enemies and Waller affix barriers.

• Pain Enhancer:
  • Critical hits cause the enemy to bleed for 2500% damage as Physical over 3 seconds.
  • Upgrading increases damage by 50%.
  • Rank 25 bonus: Gain Blood Frenzy, granting you 3% increased Attack Speed for each bleeding enemy within 20 yards.

• Red Soul Shard (Anniversary Dungeon only)
  • Periodically struggle for control, unleashing a ring of fire that deals 12500% damage as Fire to enemies it passes through.
  • Upgrading increases damage by 50%.
  • Rank 25 bonus: After gaining a Character Level or Paragon Level, the character has their resource costs and cooldowns of all skills reduced by 75% for 30 seconds.

• Simplicity's Strength:
  • Increases the damage of Primary skills by 25%.
  • Upgrading increases damage bonus by 0.5%.
  • Rank 25 bonus: Primary skills heal you for 4% of maximum Life if they hit an enemy.

• Taeguk:
  • Gain 2.00% increased damage for 1.5 seconds for each tick of a channeled skill. This effect stacks up to 10 times. Gaining a stack refreshes all existing stacks.
  • Upgrading increases damage bonus by 0.04% per stack.
  • Rank 25 bonus: Gain 2% increased armor for every stack.

• Wreath of Lightning:
  • 15% chance on hit to gain a mini-Conduit buff, dealing 1250% damage as Lightning every second to nearby enemies for 3 seconds.
  • Upgrading increases damage by 25%.
  • Rank 25 bonus: While under the effect of mini-Counduit, gain 25% increased movement speed.

• Zei's Stone of Vengeance:
  • Damage enemies suffer increases by 4% for every 10 yards between you and the enemy hit (max 20% at 50 yards).
  • Upgrading increases damage bonus by 0.08% (also increasing the maximum bonus by 0.4%).
  • Rank 25 bonus: 20% chance on hit to Stun the enemy for 1 second.

Unreleased Gems

• Shen's Delight:
  • Receiving excessive healing from Life Regeneration and Life per Hit is converted to Absorption shield, up to 10% of the character's maximum Life.
  • Upgrading increases the maximum shield potency by 5% of maximum Life.
  • Rank 25 bonus: Unknown.

Upgrading

Urshi will offer the chance to upgrade Legendary Gems if the Rift Guardian is defeated in time. The blue property on the gem is the only property that will be upgraded. After a successful Rift, Urshi will always offer three upgrade chances for free; as of patch 2.4.3, an additional chance is offered if the character did not die during the Rift (Hardcore characters will always get this extra attempt). Furthermore, one can pay gold to Empower the rift; an empowered rift, if cleared, grants one more chance, so the maximum number of upgrade chances is five.

The upgrade success rate is determined by taking the Greater Rift Tier and subtracting the Legendary Gem Rank. The difference determines the success rate as follows:

• +10 or higher: 100% chance

• +9: 90% chance

• +8: 80% chance

• +7: 70% chance

• 0 to +6: 60% chance

• –1: 30% chance

• –2: 15% chance

• –3: 8% chance

• –4: 4% chance

• –5: 2% chance

• –6: 1% chance

• –7 or lower: 0% chance

In other words, to have any chance of unlocking the rank 25 bonus, the player must clear a Rift of at least Tier 18.

A few gems have a limit; when that limit is reached, Urshi will stop offering the chance to upgrade that gem. The remaining gems have no stated cap, but it is difficult to level most gems much beyond Rank 100.

Caldesann's Despair

Main article: Kanai's Cube

The Caldesann's Despair recipe in Kanai's Cube consumes a Legendary Gem to imbue an Ancient or Primal Ancient Legendary item with an additional main attribute (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Vitality).