Season 5 - Buff Low Level Melee Runewords

General Discussion
1

For Season 5, I urge the developers to consider buffing low-level runewords that are designed for melee characters for improved viability as follows:

Lionheart

Justification: Lionheart is pretty good, but think it could benefit from a bump in ED. Also, expanding to shields is a good option for stat boosting and resistance for mid-level characters.

Lionheart
Hel - Lum - Fal
Required Level: 41
Armor
+20% Enhanced Damage
Requirements -15%
+25 To Strength
+10 To Energy
+20 To Vitality
+15 To Dexterity
+50 To Life
All Resistances +30

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Can now be made in Shields
    • Change Enhanced Damage from 20% to 50%

Smoke

Justification: For Smoke, I think buffing minus light radius could be a fun addition. Also, buffing defense vs. missile fits the theme of arrows missing and hitting smoke.

Smoke
Nef - Lum
Required Level: 37
Armor
+75% Enhanced Defense
+280 Defense vs. Missiles
All Resistances +50
20% Faster Hit Recovery
Level 6 Weaken (18 Charges)
+10 To Energy
-1 To Light Radius

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Change Light Radius from -1 to -4
    • Change Defense vs. Missiles from +280 to +8-792 (+8 Per Clvl)

Black

Justification: This runeword is strong for how cheap it is, but should be expanded to all melee weapons. In addition, remove knockback and add max damage per character level.

Black
Thul Io Nef
Required Level: 35
Clubs, Hammers, Maces
+15% Increased Attack Speed
+120% Enhanced Damage
+200 to Attack Rating
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage for 3 seconds
40% Chance of Crushing Blow
Knockback
+10 to Vitality
Magic Damage Reduced by 2
Level 4 Corpse Explosion (12 charges)

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Can now be made in Melee Weapons
    • Add +1-99 Max Damage (+1 Per Clvl)
    • Remove Knockback (e.g. replace Nef rune with Eth rune for adding -25% Target Defense)

Honor

Justification: This runeword is almost good, but tends to fall short. The problem is by the time you find a 5 socket base, there are better options available. To be viable, honor needs increased attack speed, especially with slower two-handed weapons. Also, could use a bump in enhanced damage (comparable to insight).

Honor
Amn El Ith Tir Sol
Required Level: 27
Melee Weapons
+160% Enhanced Damage
+9 to Minimum Damage
+9 to Maximum Damage
+25% Deadly Strike
+250 to Attack Rating
+1 to All Skills
7% Life Stolen per Hit
+10 Replenish Life
+10 to Strength
+1 to Light Radius
+2 to Mana per Kill

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Add +20% Increased Attack Speed
    • Change Enhanced Damage from 160% to 200-240%

Insight

Justification: Insight should be allowed in spears since it is allowed in polearms. In addition, it should be expanded to shields as well. Being expanded to shields would prevent dual wielding, and would give access to an insight act 3 merc, and an alternative to spirit shield. The shield version will have enhanced defense in lieu of enhanced damage, fire resist replaces fire damage, poison resist replaces poison damage and attacker takes damage replaces min damage.

Insight
Ral Tir Tal Sol
Required Level: 27
Polearms, Staves, Bows, Crossbows
Level 12-17 Meditation Aura When Equipped
+35% Faster Cast Rate
+200-260% Enhanced Damage
+9 To Minimum Damage
180-250% Bonus to Attack Rating
Adds 5-30 Fire Damage
+75 Poison Damage Over 5 Seconds
+1-6 To Critical Strike
+5 To All Attributes
+2 To Mana After Each Kill
23% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Can now be made in Spears and Shields

Edge

Justification: In my opinion, everyone should make this runeword as it comes in handy with the vendor discount (e.g. cheaper prices, cheaper gambling, cheaper repairs, etc.) With that said, this runeword should be expanded to polearms and spears.

Edge
Tir Tal Amn
Required Level: 25
Bows, Crossbows
Level 15 Thorns Aura When Equipped
+35% Increased Attack Speed
+320-380% Damage To Demons
+280% Damage To Undead
+75 Poison Damage Over 5 Seconds
7% Life Stolen Per Hit
Prevent Monster Heal
+5-10 To All Attributes
+2 To Mana After Each Kill
Reduces All Vendor Prices 15%

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Can now be made in Polearms and Spears

King’s Grace

Justification: King’s Grace has decent damage, but could shine more by improving damage and attack rating against undead.

King’s Grace
Amn Ral Thul
Required Level: 25
Swords, Scepters
+100% Enhanced Damage
+100% Damage Against Demons
+50% Damage Against Undead
Adds 5-30 Fire Damage
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage for 3 seconds
+150 to Attack Rating
+100 to Attack Rating Against Demons
+100 to Attack Rating Against Undead
7% Life Stolen per hit

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Change Damage Against Undead from +50% to +150%
    • Change Attack Rating Against Undead from +100 to +150

Myth

Justification: Myth is arguably the worst runeword in the game. I recommend replacing chance to cast howl/taunt with bonus to mana per kill and small bonus to CB.

Myth
Hel - Amn - Nef
Required Level: 25
Armor
3% To Cast Level 1 Howl When Struck
10% To Cast Level 1 Taunt On Striking
+2 To Barbarian Skill Levels
+30 Defense Vs. Missile
Replenish Life +10
Attacker Takes Damage of 14
Requirements -15%

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Add +3-5 to Mana After Each Kill
    • Add +10% Chance of Crushing Blow
    • Remove 3% To Cast Level 1 Howl When Struck
    • Remove 10% To Cast Level 1 Taunt On Striking

Strength

Justification: The damage on this runeword is low, but does have a fair amount of crushing blow. It could benefit from enhanced maximum damage and strength both scaling with character level.

Strength
Amn Tir
Required Level: 25
Melee Weapons
+35% Enhanced Damage
+25% Chance Of Crushing Blow
7% Life Stolen Per Hit
+2 To Mana After Each Kill
+20 To Strength
+10 To Vitality

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Add +1-148% Enhanced Maximum Damage (+1.50 Per Clvl)
    • Remove +35% Enhanced Damage
    • Change Strength from +20 to +0-74 (+0.75 Per Clvl)

Malice

Justification: Malice is a good low-level option with open wounds, but could use life per kill to help offset negative aspect of drain life.

Malice
Ith El Eth
Required Level: 15
Melee Weapons
+33% Enhanced Damage
+9 To Maximum Damage
+100% Chance Of Open Wounds
-25% Target Defense
-100 To Monster Defense per Hit
Prevent Monster Heal
+50 To Attack Rating
Drain Life -5

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Add +1 To Life After Each Kill

Steel

Justification: Steel is a solid low-level runeword, but should be available for claws and daggers.

Steel
Tir El
Required Level: 13
Swords, Axes, Maces
20% Enhanced Damage
+3 To Minimum Damage
+3 To Maximum Damage
+50 To Attack Rating
+50% Chance Of Open Wounds
25% Increased Attack Speed
+2 To Mana After Each Kill
+1 To Light Radius

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Can now be made in Claws and Daggers
9 Likes
2

Insight in shields just makes pallies even more busted and does nothing for the already worst melee classes in shaper druids and barbs.

8 Likes
3

Respectfully disagree. Insight on a shield would open up many build possibilities, would make an insight act 3 merc possible, would benefit physical damage dealers who use a lot of mana, with a nice bonus to AR and ED to boot. Pallies will always be busted and should not be the measuring stick for melee.

4 Likes
4

Mostly agree with the issues, of course you get my opinions.

Black - The issue with this weapon is the Knockback. As long as that is on there it’s only a Smiter or Blade Fury weapon.

Honor - as you note finding a 5 OS weapon is the problem. I have wanted to make this a few time but I need to Twink the char to do so with the base for the runeword. By the time I am able to do so I can just get a Butcher Pupil and not bother with this weapon. It either needs 250% ED or drop to 3-4 sockets.

Edit:
I’m also going to push this every time I can. Melee does need changes: Double the AR gain for every point into Dex. Add base damage to weapons 5 in normal, 10 in Nightmare and 15 in Hell. Lastly add DR to medium and heavy armors so there is an incentive to use them.

11 Likes
5

Insight in shields is insane, people here complain about Spirit being OP and youre offering guaranteed 35FCR still with poison and fire res from the ral and tal AND med aura and mf???

Makes spirit look like a kids toy lol

100% agree with spears tho

2 Likes
6

I really like the idea of Insight in Shields, the only thing I’d add is that the Enhanced Damage should be changed to Enhanced Defense for the Shield version so it doesn’t become an Insight/Fort.

In terms of adding more compatible weapons for RWs generally, I think they really should be streamlined into logical groups. It’s currently just seems overly fiddly and arbitrary. Like, why are there different categories for clubs, hammers, and maces?

In addition to Melee, Ranged, and All Weapons, I’d say group the rest something like this:

  • Slashing Weapons: Swords/Axes/Daggers/Katars
  • Blunt Weapons: Clubs/Hammers/Maces/Scepters
  • Pole/Reach Weapons: Polearms/Spears
  • Caster Weapons: Staves/Wands/Orbs
3 Likes
7

Agreed. That is a fantastic idea and wil make the shield version great for defensive-oriented characters (looking at my Conc Barb).

8

Overall good list, although Insight in Shields IDK.

What level does an Act 3 merc need to be at before it can use a Monarch though? yeah you can boost STR with the chest/helm/sword maybe…AR bonus from Enchant Act 3 merc is kinda nice in normal, but most melee chars will likely rather have Might merc by Act 2 NM, and likely have mana leech sorted by the time they have 4OS Monarch and an Act 3 Merc that is high enough strength to use it. Plus Monarch is lvl 54 anyway, so IDK if you’d still want Act 3 merc by then?

9

With the proposed buff to Strength in OP scaling with character level may go along way to help act 3 merc equipping 4OS Monarch. At level 54, you’re looking at 40 STR (+0.75 Per Clvl). I agree might merc in act 2 NM would be better, but atleast its another option.

More importantly, this would give a solid option for an insight shield on a conc barb among other lackluster defensive oriented characters and would absolutely enjoy that massive AR bonus and meditation aura.

10

Dont forget the ED. So its like phoenix but better lol.

1 Like
11

Sorry dude you’re asking for them to make a better phoenix for a handful of low runes you can get in normal.

This would destroy LL duels. Paladins would be able to find a shield with like 50% ed and make a 300% ED shield, 6 critical strike (45% ds), 250% AR? A chargedin would just run around one shot everyone. It would effectively kill 2handers and dw for barbs. A throw barb wouldnt even use double throw and just throw single weapons with this shield, because you’d have like 75% crit strike at level 30.

At the endgame it just makes grief even better as a barb would effectively have 100% crit/ds with just a grief and insane AR.

The only cool thing is that it would make leap attack viable.

1 Like
12

Black, honor, and steel should have +damage, like +50 - +120 in addition to ed%.

13

Yes lets make sets, rares and uniques completely pointless. Runewords are already overused. Melee needs skill buffs not runeword buffs which eliminate item choice

5 Likes
14

Remove Knockback
Can now be made in Melee Weapons
Leave Enhanced Damage 120%
Add +1 Maximum Damage per Character Level

Not a good idea on the shield without some changes.
A Paladin could have one early, uses shields anyway (no sacrificing 2-h weapon or dual wield) and this would add an immense amount of damage and attack rating to a melee build basically becoming a budget Phoenix that can actually beat Phoenix.

Personally think this one should be in a Shield (though the Shield version should have the Demon/Undead damage replaced).
Feels better themed and could be interesting on act 3 merc (and the merc can actually wear it during a playthrough).

Wouldn’t mind seeing a weapon version for every weapon were the Reduces All Vendor Prices 15% is replaced for additional Gold or something similar and the Shield version keeping reduced vendor but having Damage to Demons and Undead replaced by something more appropriate (Health after Kill and some resistances maybe).

Like the Strength bonus change.
Change Enhanced Damage from 35% to 3% Increase Maximum Damage per character Level (similar style as Hellslayer and Messersmith).

Yes please, though I guess it would be nice to have it optional in just every weapon.

1 Like
15

Updated OP with the following…

Black
Thul Io Nef
Required Level: 35
Clubs, Hammers, Maces
+15% Increased Attack Speed
+120% Enhanced Damage
+200 to Attack Rating
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage for 3 seconds
40% Chance of Crushing Blow
Knockback
+10 to Vitality
Magic Damage Reduced by 2
Level 4 Corpse Explosion (12 charges)

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Can now be made in Melee Weapons
    • Add +1 Maximum Damage per Character Level
    • Remove Knockback (e.g. replace Nef rune with Eth rune for replacing it w/ -25% Target Defense)

Insight
Ral Tir Tal Sol
Required Level: 27
Polearms, Staves, Bows, Crossbows
Level 12-17 Meditation Aura When Equipped
+35% Faster Cast Rate
+200-260% Enhanced Damage
+9 To Minimum Damage
180-250% Bonus to Attack Rating
Adds 5-30 Fire Damage
+75 Poison Damage Over 5 Seconds
+1-6 To Critical Strike
+5 To All Attributes
+2 To Mana After Each Kill
23% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Can now be made in Spears and Shields (note shield version will have enhanced defense in lieu of enhanced damage, fire resist will replace fire damage, poison resist will replace poison damage and attacker takes damage will replace minimum damage)

Strength
Amn Tir
Required Level: 25
Melee Weapons
+35% Enhanced Damage
+25% Chance Of Crushing Blow
7% Life Stolen Per Hit
+2 To Mana After Each Kill
+20 To Strength
+10 To Vitality

  • Proposed Buffs:
    • Add +2-198% Enhanced Maximum Damage (+2.00 Per Character Level)
    • Remove +35% Enhanced Damage
    • Change Strength from +20 to +0-74 (+0.75 Per Character Level)
16

Just here to say these are all great ideas.

1 Like
17

Buff drop chance of Low level sets and uniq items , i dont want find it on high level for my secound chars … my twink chars only 1-2 hour low level

3 Likes
18

I generally agree that low level sets could use a buff to drop chance, but that doesn’t mean melee runewords should not be improved. I think melee should have an equivalent to Spirit, and Honor is a good candidate.

1 Like
19

I concur on buffing the drop chance of low level set and unique items and low level rune words . I usually do not get many low level set/uniques until I start running hell Andy, Meph, RoF and Baal. I found an Infernal Cranium in Hell WSK the other day which my young sin is using. My sin did find a Rixot’s Keen which she is currently using. Hell Meph and Andy are my go to sources for the Arctic and Berserker Sets. :wink:

2 Likes
20

Justification: Insight should be allowed in spears since it is allowed in polearms. In addition, it should be allowed in shields as well. Being allowed in shields would prevent dual wielding, and would give access to an insight act 3 merc, and a great alternative to spirit shield.

Im gonna write my own post as to how beneficial and why it should be the case that insight be provided on shields for the benefit of act 3 mercs, or in the least that act 3 mercs should be able to wield 2-handed staves to grant them access. It can’t be understated how the act 3 merc just needs more access to useable runewords that the others have access to.

1 Like