Horadric Cube

The Horadric Cube is a fictional item found in the video game Diablo II. Its primary purpose is to convert several plot-based artifacts into tools that allow the player to progress in the game. The cube offers many additional benefits, since it can convert a selection of common and rare items into other, more powerful items. These conversions follow set formulas called recipes.

Overview

The Cube is alluded to shortly after the opening of the game's second act. Deckard Cain, a Horadrim mage, explains that the ancient Horadrim created the Cube, along with other artifacts, to combat the Prime Evils during a period called the Sin Wars. Following the defeat of the Prime Evils, the Cube and the other Horadric artifacts were scattered so that, should the need arise again, humanity would have the tools it would need to battle evil again.

The Horadric Cube is found during the game's second Act. The Halls Of The Dead, located under the Dry Hills is the resting place of the Cube and it is heavily guarded.

Usage

The intended use of the Horadric Cube is transmutation, enabling the player to transmute, or change, one group of objects into something else. In terms of the plot of Diablo II, the cube plays a vital role, providing the only means by which the player can overcome an obstacle. Four artifacts must be retrieved and transmuted by the Cube into a weapon that the player can use to break a barrier to the next area of the game.

The cube has a TARDIS-like quality in that its external size is smaller than its internal size. This allows you to place more items in the cube's internal slots than the external slots that the cube requires to be stored itself. Specifically, while the cube only takes up four inventory spaces, there are twelve spaces for placing items inside the cube. This curious manipulation of physics gives the Cube its second, unintended purpose: the player's suitcase. Many players use the Cube not only for its transmutative powers but as general carrying storage. Since the Cube does not automatically empty when its interface is closed, and will only transmute its contents on command from the player, it is a common strategy to carry around extra materials inside the Cube. The trade-off is a good deal for the player, giving portable access to twelve inventory spaces while only taking up four in the player's inventory.

Recipes
Below are some basic "recipes" used with the Horadric Cube. This is hardly an exhaustive list, but rather illustrates the transmutive properties of the cube.

Negative Output
Generally, cube transactions, such as they are, require more input than one can expect in the output. Examples of such "negative output" transactions would be:

Three magical amulets can be transmuted into a single magic ring.

Inversely, three magic rings can be transmuted into a single amulet.

Even Output
Other cube recipes yield approximately equal results to the materials required. These "trade off" recipes can be very useful in terms of gameplay, but are still rather inefficient uses of resources. As an illustration, placing three like gemstones (same type and quality) into the cube for transmutation yields a single stone of the next higher grade. Admittedly, this is the only reliable source for higher-quality stones, yield is still one third that of input.

Another example of recipes that are reasonably fair in their trades had been the one involving rejuvenation potions. Transmuting three each of health and mana potions yields a single partial rejuvenation potion. Three partial rejuvenation potions can be transmuted into a single full rejuvenation potion. Arguably, this transaction is relatively balanced in terms of input and output, since it involves the combination of smaller potions into more effective single doses. However, this recipe became a Negative Output recipe with the addition of the Diablo II expansion pack, Lord of Destruction. Now, in addition to the six potions, a valuable chipped gem is required, making the formerly even exchange a negative output transaction.

Positive Output
Finally, a few positive output transactions do exist. Such recipes include:

Six "perfect" quality gemstones, one of each type, and an amulet will add 16-25% resistance to all damage types to the amulet. While some other recipes replace the item with another (or rewrite its specifications)
Overall, the Horadric Cube is not a materials generator; one can never expect to gain more from the device than it is given, but it can be a very useful means for players to acquire rare or enhanced materials.

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See Also

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