Diablo 3 Crafting and Plans Guide

This guide explains how to use jeweler designs and blacksmith plans to craft legendary/rare items in Diablo 3 by leveling artisans

Crafting is a relatively new addition to the world of Diablo. In this guide, we will go over the Diablo 3 crafting and plans in detail to explain the crafting system.

Diablo 3 Crafting and Plans

Though the Horadric’s Cube in Diablo II somewhat resembled the art of crafting, Diablo 3 takes it to an independent level.

This allows the player to attain some very powerful items via crafting, which is done by a Blacksmith or Jeweller. However, like everything else in the game, the art is not simple and absolute; progression in crafting is extremely important as is luck.

For more help on Diablo 3, read our Item Sets, Legendary Items and Builds Guide.

Artisans

There are two main Artisans in this game:

Blacksmith – The adept Blacksmith Haedrig Eamon is available early in the game and can craft anything that can be equipped, ranging from armor to shoes to weapons of all variety.

Jeweler – The strangely eccentric but wise Jeweler Covetous Shen excels at the knowledge of creating rare gems for inserting into socketed items. Additionally, he can remove gems from any socket the player desires.

The following items can be found with sockets for gem insertion:

  • Helms of all types
  • Chest Armors and Cloaks
  • Bracers
  • Weapons
  • Belts of all types
  • Amulets
  • Rings
  • Shields

Crafting

When you attain the Blacksmith early in the game, you will be briefly introduced to the methods of crafting. Though initially quite intuitive, crafting has a lot of luck, patience, and most importantly money involved in it.

There are 3 requirements for crafting an item:

  • The Blacksmith/Jeweller should know how to craft the item
  • Your character should meet the requirements of the item (character type, required level, etcetera)
  • You have the necessary crafting materials to craft the item

Once these requirements are met for a specific item, you will be able to craft that item.

Obtaining Materials
Artisans require certain set of materials to craft a given item. These materials can be obtained by salvaging material in your inventory that you do not require, or finding them through loot.

The type of material obtained directly depends on the nature of the item i.e. magical, rare, legendary etcetera.

Note that non-magical items cannot be salvaged.

Blacksmith Materials
The crafting materials for the different difficulties of the game are:
Normal:

  • Subtle Essence – Obtained by salvaging magic items
  • Fallen Tooth – Obtained by salvaging rare items

Nightmare:

  • Shimmering Essence – Obtained by salvaging magic items found in Nightmare
  • Lizard Eye – Obtained by salvaging rare items found in Nightmare

Hell:

  • Wishful Essence – Obtained by salvaging magic items found in Hell mode
  • Encrust Hoof – Obtained by salvaging rare items found in Hell mode

Inferno:

  • Exquisite Essence – Obtained by salvaging magic items found in Inferno mode
  • Iridescent Tear – Obtained by salvaging rare items found in Inferno mode
  • Fiery Brimstone – Obtained by salvaging Legendary Items

Jeweler Materials
For the Jeweler, many gems can be made by using flawed rocks (amethyst, topaz, ruby etc.) as materials to create more perfect rocks such as ‘Flawless Amethyst, Star Amethyst’ etc.

The job of the Jeweler is to make better gems from the flawed and chipped gems that you find as loot. Furthermore, the Jeweler can also remove gems from socketed items without destroying them.

There are four types of gems in this game. These are:

Amethyst: Helm: +% Life; Weapon: Each Hit Adds +X Life; Other: + X Vitality

Emerald: Helm: +% Extra Gold from Monsters; Weapon: +% Crit Damage; Other: + X Dexterity

Ruby: Helm: Increases Experience per Kill by X%; Weapon: +X-Y Damage; Other: + X Strength

Topaz: Helm: +% Better Chance of Finding Magic Items; Weapon: Melee Attackers Take X Damage on Hit; Other: + X Intelligence

Leveling Artisans For Crafting
Alongside yourself, it is essential that you level up the Artisans as well. The higher their level the better the equipment available for crafting will get. However, this obviously comes with a heavy price. Leveling the Blacksmith/Jeweler is perhaps one of the most expensive practices in the game.

However, it is also a very good investment if it can be made. Try to invest in leveling Artisans when you feel you have excess money.

There are ten levels that can be achieved:

  • Apprentice
  • Journeyman
  • Adept
  • Master
  • Grandmaster
  • Illustrious
  • Magnificent
  • Resplendent
  • Glorious
  • Exalted

BlackSmith Plans

Normal Plans:

  • Plan: Hellish Staff of Herding
  • Plan: Infernal Staff of Herding
  • Plan: Nightmarish Staff of Herding

Legendary Plans:

  • Plan: Born’s Aegis
  • Plan: Cain’s Honor
  • Plan: LaiYui’s Taiji
  • Plan: Longshot
  • Plan: Quick Draw Belt
  • Plan: Umbral Oath
  • Plan: Unending War
  • Plan: Wall of Bone
  • Plan: Bitterness
  • Plan: Captain Crimson’s Attire
  • Plan: The Magi
  • Plan: The Wedge
  • Plan: Aughild’s Treasured
  • Plan: Dead eye
  • Plan: Pendergrasps
  • Plan: Asheara’s Bindings
  • Plan: Cataclysm
  • Plan: Demon Hand
  • Plan: Harvest Moon
  • Plan: Singularity
  • Plan: Guardian’s Regalia
  • Plan: Lost Boys
  • Plan: Starspine
  • Plan: Black Bone Arrows
  • Plan: Blood-Magic Blade
  • Plan: Demon’s Carapace
  • Plan: Earthshatter
  • Plan: Fire Brand
  • Plan: Gehennas
  • Plan: Griswold’s Masterpiece
  • Plan: Hallowed Armaments
  • Plan: Robes of the Rydraelm
  • Plan: Rozpedin’s Staff
  • Plan: Ruinstoke
  • Plan: Sage’s Wisdom
  • Plan: Seven Sins
  • Plan: The Helm of Command
  • Plan: Venomhusk
  • Plan: Wondrous Deflectors

Rare Plans:

  • Plan: Exalted Conquest Sword
  • Plan: Exalted Crag Hammer
  • Plan: Exalted Doomcaster
  • Plan: Exalted Dread Shield
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Armplates
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Conquest Sword
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Crag Hammer
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Doomcaster
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Dread Shield
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Galraki
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Heaven Strand
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Impellor
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Mythical Staff
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Oni Blade
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Orbit Stones
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Pallium
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Phantom Bow
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Piercer
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Runic Quiver
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Sagaris
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Slag Hammer
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Sovereign Greaves
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Sovereign Helm
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Sovereign Mail
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Sovereign Tassets
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Sovereign Vambraces
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Strike Wand
  • Plan: Exalted Fine Unspeakable Thing
  • Plan: Exalted Galraki
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Armplates
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Conquest Sword
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Crag Hammer
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Doomcaster
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Dread Shield
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Galraki
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Heaven Strand
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Impellor
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Mythical Staff
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Oni Blade
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Orbit Stones
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Pallium
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Phantom Bow
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Piercer
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Runic Quiver
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Sagaris
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Slag Hammer
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Sovereign Greaves
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Sovereign Helm
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Sovereign Mail
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Sovereign Tassets
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Sovereign Vambraces
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Strike Wand
  • Plan: Exalted Grand Unspeakable Thing
  • Plan: Exalted Impellor
  • Plan: Exalted Mythical Staff
  • Plan: Exalted Oni Blade
  • Plan: Exalted Orbit Stones
  • Plan: Exalted Pallium
  • Plan: Exalted Phantom Bow
  • Plan: Exalted Piercer
  • Plan: Exalted Runic Quiver
  • Plan: Exalted Sagaris
  • Plan: Exalted Slag Hammer
  • Plan: Exalted Sovereign Helm
  • Plan: Exalted Sovereign Mail
  • Plan: Exalted Strike Wand
  • Plan: Exalted Unspeakable Thing

Jeweler’s Designs:

  • Flawless Star Amethyst
  • Flawless Star Emerald
  • Flawless Star Ruby
  • Flawless Star Topaz
  • Radiant Round Amethyst
  • Radiant Round Emerald
  • Radiant Round Ruby
  • Radiant Round Topaz
  • Radiant Star Amethyst
  • Radiant Star Emerald
  • Radiant Star Ruby
  • Radiant Star Topaz
  • Star Amethyst
  • Star Emerald
  • Star Ruby
  • Star Topaz

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Haider is a freelance contributor, who loves video games, playing guitar, and aviation. He is a competitive FPS player and also enjoys exotic RPG games like Diablo and Xenogears (his favorite game of all time) ...