For Season 6, I would like to propose to the development team to consider expanding runeword bases further (as done in Patch 2.4) to promote more build possibilities, with more priority on lesser-used/weaker runewords:
It wouldn’t be that bad. Leaf adds +3 to Warmth, Fire Bolt and Inferno - none of which are the main skills. It basically means +6 to the main skill like Fireball or Meteor (+3 to Fire Skills from Leaf, +3 to individual skill as a staffmod) - that’s as much as possible on a magic orb (and staff): +3 to Fire Skills prefix, +3 staffmods. And such an orb can also roll a suffix like FCR, while the other bonuses on Leaf are not that usable.
The main problem is that such magic orbs are rare. Incredibly rare. On the other hand, Leaf would require a much more common normal orb with +3 to the desired skill staffmod - an endgame weapon for two low runes - worse than Spirit. That’d set a new record for OPness.
Enlightenment in Orbs: seems fine. One skill less than on a magic orb, with suffix on magic orb being replaced by 7 PDR and 30% fire res. Price-wise (Pul) it is more reasonable than Leaf. And 3 runes mean that finding a +3 staffmod orb would not be trivial (only Jared’s Stones and exceptional/elite).
Leaf in wands: +3 fire skills one-hander. Spirit offers one skill less (for a comparable price), but also FCR, FHR, life and mana (which IMO compensate skill bonus more than enough). Another alternative is HotO, with +3 skills too, but also FCR and resistances - for a much higher price (Vex).
Overall such a Leaf also seems to be balanced. Fire druids (and maybe trap assassins) would make use of it. The only flaw I see is an RW designed for fire builds in a base designed for necros - and those two are not compatible.
Sounds good, that seems to be the consensus. I updated OP with the following below:
Runeword
Expand Base To
Enlightenment
Orbs
Leaf
Wands
This would give another option for Fire druids using a Leaf wand, and this also adds more value to Enlightenment being made in Orbs (along w/ Splendor).
Have you considered expanding Leaf to sceptres as well? That’d allow +6 Holy Fire, which may look impressive, but still endgame Holy Fire paladins use dual Dragon + HoJ instead of own aura. Also, it’d mean the bases could be defined as just rods instead of wands/sceptres/staves separately.
It may be too OP for early and even midgame, though (huge +skill boost, base damage irrelevant, attack speed boosted by Zeal). What do you think?
Have you considered expanding bases of other 1.11 runewords (like Enlightenment); currently no one is using them (besides Treachery, and only because of IAS and Fade pre-buff)?
It’s good to have more options, but until Poison Dagger is revamped (which is out of scope of this thread), no one will use it. For the price of Mal (2×Um) you get +2 skills and a lot of mana, which is comparable with much cheaper Spirit (yes, this RW is so broken and kills all the diversity…); Bone’s only benefit is +30 res, while it lacks FCR and FHR.
Bone would be more useful if it could be made in wands (because of staffmods), as an alternative to White, but unfortunately there are no 3 sox wands. We could have an alternative “Sol Mal” though (also out of scope).
I also thought of expanding 1.11 RWs to helms, as alternatives to Harlequin Crest or rare circlets (+2 skills). Not all of them - not the cheap ones like Peace or Myth, so the existing options are not made obsolete. I’d also exclude Myth and Rain not to make Delirium (in primal helms and pelts - staffmods again) obsolete.
Speaking of shields, Spirit (again) has useful stats (FCR, FHR, res, mana, life), none of the 1.11 RWs compensate. But requires a heavy (str-wise) Monarch. 1.11 RWs in shields would give access to a light shield with +2 skills (not all skills, but class skills - won’t make Spirit obsolete for pre-buff). On the other hand, so much strength saved… I’m in two minds.
The only possible power creep I can think of is Bone in a voodoo head (staffmods). The currently possible RWs are Rhyme (a defensive one - res, block) and Splendor (offensive - +1 skill, FCR). Bone has both offensive (+2 skills) and defensive (res) stats, and would allow to make a +5 skill shield. Too few sockets, thanks for reminding.
For obvious reasons Treachery should not be expanded to any other slot.
This would make nightmare/early hell farming much more interesting. Devil’s advocate though… How about we get these changes, and then allow things like HOTO to be built in War Scepters, insight in 1h swords, and add a unique belt that can roll 1-2 sockets with an affixed rune and roll any runeword?
To be honest, that would be moving us in the wrong direction by making ubiquitous runewords (HOTO, Insight) even more prevalent. I’d rather see lesser-used/weaker RW’s (Rift, Stone) being used to add more diversity to the game.
hence devil’s advocate lol. The idea behind it though, was not just an increase in variability in weaker rune words that could have either better application through variance, or just downright need buffs… Rather, a global increase in variance. Honestly looking back at what I posted, I really like the idea of the rune belt. Imagine chasing an enigma belt, freeing up your chest piece slot for something like wealth or fort.
The issue’s you’re trying to address can still be addressed through other means. Having that top tier, absurdly OP item is rather iconic. The issue isn’t that they are to strong, it’s that using something else results in giving up too much functionality.
Additional systems could be put in place… For example, how about allowing multiple rune words onto a single item. Give rune’s a power tier, and limit gear pieces to a total power count. ETC ETC.
The above would obviously need to be balanced, so maybe make an additional difficulty, or add content like terror zones that are on scale with the changes made.
It’s an interesting idea, but I doubt the devs would introduce such a change. I think the better approach is for them to expand options for lackluster runewords at minimum, with potential buffs as you mentioned.
As Season 5 is coming to a close, I urge the devs to consider expanding options for runewords if nothing else is planned. This would promote more build possibilities.
