I am sure Ion will come in and start ranting about how easy the game is going to be with this and nonladder runewords.
I mean, this is a very casual-friendly change. I’m over it, but this game is definitely being designed to be a lot more casual friendly than D2.
How so, exactly?
It just means you dont have to have a mule to open cow portals anymore.
Nonladder runewords as in your post, not cow king. I’m glad cow king portal has changed.
Being able to farm Ber runes for infinity in nonladder is definitely casual friendly.
I guess. I just don’t see the point in keeping that stuff gated off. I’d rather see unused content be added as new ladder only stuff.
Now, if they’d just unnerf the EXP on the cows those of us that get sick of endless Baal runs could at least change it up if we wanted to (and it’d help solo players a lot).
This is fantastic news.
What? No! I want to be locked out and get my penalty! This is game breaking, I’ll ask for a refund! 
Of couse I’m joking. I love this change. Thank you for this!
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Ahahhaha made me laugh.
Holy… This is amazing 
Now the only thing from my wishlist missing is an possibility to see the ilvl of an item 
I think many of the wishes of the players will be realized in the release or after it. I am glad that they are listening and interacting with the community. Super!
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I am worried about this type of changes. This is changing a game mechanic.
D2 is meant to be unforgiving and that nothing is granted to a player. Feeling unsafe and being at each other’s mercy. Removing negative feeling is imo a modern trend that is a not necessarily a good thing. One need some negative feelings in order to have positive ones.
Yes it cow king restriction is tedious. But tedium serves a goal in video games and encourage ways to play and social interaction. It prevents to play in a bubble in which you don’t have to care about other’s action.
Experienced players won’t have to create bounds with new players to ask them to be careful. This removes social incentive from the game to help and rely on each other. Removing any risk from the cow level makes it a regular farming area. It’s less unique. Cow level was one of the best farming areas, at the cost of risk. Killing Cowking gave automatic chances for rare green and uniques.
Some people just want automatic rewards. What is the drawback now?
Cow level is becoming streamlined.
I think it does need some restrictions such as :
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making sure cow king’s loot table is becomes like any super elite monster after 1st kill.
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if a player kills cow king, this low level character must now finish the current difficulty level to be able to enter the level again (not whole party)
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or other similar light restrictions. If not It’s not just a local change and will affect the way the game is farmed and progressed.
Cow level is a special place and has to remain special. It’s like a guest being invited in the commanding room of a ship or the bios of a computer. And being surprised there is no safety nor fences.
It’s easy to identify what’s in our way, but very often the incentives it creates intricacies with other layers and mechanics of the game. I get why it’s been changed (especially because of consoles where you can’t write easily) ; but it’s a dangerous path.
moo 
So never again will a group of people be standing around a leg in act1 saying “I cant open” “who can open”?
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