I'm about halfway through Act 1, but I haven't found a single gem yet. This seems strange to me since in diablo 2 gems could drop from the very first monster you killed.
At what point do I start getting gems?
Bonus points if you can include why it was changed so monsters don't drop gems from the start :)
23 Answers
I found both my first socketed item and my first gem in Act II after I
killed Magdha.
However, both @Sterno and @OrigamiRobot found gems before the activity above - so far, it seems Act II is the only real concrete limitation so far.
However, both OrigamiRobot and @Resorath confirm a similar experience (a gem dropping off the activity above). It seems that a gem will always drop from said mob. It does not seem a socketed item drop is guaranteed, though.
It's a few more quests until you find the Jewelry Artisan, Covetous Shen, but it is shortly thereafter in the same Act. You can find gems before him, and before the activity above.
4You start getting gems in Act 2, around the time you meet up with the Jewelry Artisan. I got my first gems shortly before I met him.
It is likely that this is intentional, as a way of introducing you to the concept in a cohesive fashion (giving you both the gems, and the means of improving and reusing them at roughly the same time).
3I found a gear item with a socket late in act 1 I do believe if not it was right at the start of act 2... still no gems yet and I just made it to iron wolves camp whete theyre locked up.. idk of this helps as its my first time ever playing diablo series.
