Runewords are very possible within the new system

General Discussion
1

this ofc, requires to have more than 2 sockets in an item
i already mentioned it could improve item balance to give more sockets to lower tier items and normal items could like before be the base for runewords
if you balance the numbers its no problem to stack multiple effects or conditions in 1 item
since we are in a new age of games, players should be retained from messing up a runeword so i would suggest that any socket is forged at the blacksmith
this is also more realistic. i mean, why would some random warriors be able to forge runes into swords and armors? they are no frikking blacksmiths xD
so you would place the item in the smith menue, put the socket items in their slots and confirm, as it already shows you the effects, that will emerge
to let ppl know about runewords and also encourage them to interact with the lore, books and npcs, they could learn about combinations when talking to people or reading a book, etc.

an example:
dont judge the balance, its just to show you the idea

Guardian Angel

The legend tells of an angel, a servant of the high heavens. He felt in love with a human princess. Of course he didn’t show himself in the world of mortals but very well did he watch over her. Whenever she burnt herself at a torch, cut herself with a knife or got bitten by a venomous snake, he channeled his sacred powers to heal her wounds and save her precious life. One day however, she was struck by lightning and die immediately. He couldn’t do anything. His tears let the land of her father drown in rain for 7 days.

Body armor
4 sockets

  • 30% damage over time reduction

  • while suffering from a damage over time effect, heal for 5% max HP, every second

  • when being poisoned, activate the next socketed rune (nef)

  • when being burned, activate the next socketed rune (ral)

  • when bleeding, activate the next socketed rune (shael)

  • when active, heal for 20% max HP, over 5 seconds (hel)

if you like this idea, post your own runewords :smiley:
this thread is supposed to be creative and fun :slight_smile:

adding my other runewords here for a better overview

Thirst

I remember the day, i quit my service as a soldier. I was leading a small troup in the desert of Kehjistan. We were hunting down some lesser demons. Pushed them into a cave. Or did they lure us? What waited there for us can’t be described other than…thirst. This vile monster with all it’s long arms, legs and raser sharp claws, seemed to be drinking the life force right out of the air. Every single man who tried to engage it, fell to the ground before even reaching it. I knew we could not win. I droped my sword and ran. This was the last day of my life as a warrior. I feel no shame. There are things out there that simple men like me just can’t stand against.

Dagger, Sword, Bow, Axe, Spear
6 sockets

  • gain a permanent aura, that steals 1% of nearby enemies hp, mana and stamina, every second. (yea i fit that into MY resource systems idea, lol)
  • when hp falls beyond 50%, activate the next socketed rune.
  • when mana falls beyond 50%, activate the next socketed rune.
  • when stamina falls beyond 50%, activate the next socketed rune.
  • when active, gain 10% life steal per hit, for 5 seconds.
  • when active, gain 10% mana steal per hit, for 5 seconds.
  • when active, gain 10% stamina steal per hit, for 5 seconds.

i mean, you cant even make runes that are grounded on resources if every character has their own resource :confused: or its complicated to communicate

Bastion

This warrior. I have never seen a human, so powerful, so sacred, so full of faith. He wasn’t a berserker. More of an unbreakable wall between us and hordes of demons. This man was the reason, that i stand here now. That this whole village still exists. To our advantage, there was only a small breach in the wall, so he didn’t have to cover a large field. He didn’t move a feet. The demons just hitting on him like the sea on a huge cliff.

Paladin shield
4 sockets

  • every second, without moving, increases your block rate, physical resistance and CC resistance by 1%, up to 50%
  • every 3 seconds, without moving, activate the next socketed rune.
  • when active, gain 500 damage barrier.
  • when active, break free of any imparing effect.
  • when active, gain +10% block rate for 5 seconds.

Balance

It was a clear night, full of stars. I just went behind the house to take a piss, when i saw her. The woman that moved in to the tavern 2 days before. She stood close to the river and she was surrounded by…nature? Fire, ice, lightning. Everything circled around her as if she was the most skills firedancer of all time. The air was hot, cold, charged. She just remained peacefully, her eyes closed and the elements, enlightening her body in all possible colors. She didn’t wear her armor. She didn’t wear too much, at all. But it was this pure, raw energy that kept me hypnotized. I could not turn away. I could only stand and watch. She might would have killed me if she saw me. But it was like a spell. I had no control over myself. When she stopped, i could manage to sneak away, back to my house. When she saw me in the tavern at the next day, she smiled. Did she recognize me in that night? I will never know.

Magic staff
4 sockets

  • Whenever you attack with an element, the next attack with an other element will deal +10% damage.
  • When dealing fire damage, activate the next socketed attack rune
  • When dealing cold damage, activate the next socketed attack rune
  • When dealing lightning damage, activate the next socketed attack rune
  • When active, your next attack will deal +5% elemental damage

Shadow

I wouldn’t be still alive if it wasn’t for this…shadow. I was carrying wares to the village. A short route leads through the forest. I wish i could avoid this part. Those damn bandits saw me and started chasing. But i didn’t want to just give up all my stuff. So i ran. Of course i didn’t get far. They catched me soon and blocked my way. Drew their weapons. I was unarmed. But they probably didn’t want any witness. And then, one of them fell to the ground. With an arrow, right through his heart. I could only perceive a dark, hooded person, just for a second and then it vanished again. An other bandit fell to the ground. They split up to spot him. But one after an other got shot down while i could see the dark shadow, always just for a short moment until he disappeared. When the bandits were all dead i wanted to thank my savior, pay them for my life. But they were gone.

4 sockets
Leather armor

  • After not attacking for 5 seconds, become invisible to all enemies, for 5 seconds
  • After not attacking for 5 seconds, activate the next socketed rune
  • When active, increase evasion chance by 30%, for 5 seconds
  • When active, increase stamina regeneration by 30%, for 5 seconds
  • When active, increase movement speed by 30%, for 5 seconds
3 Likes
2

I do like it to some extent, but I think that item has a lot going for it without the need for runes, unless its meant to be late end game?

3

What exactly do you mean? Item?

4

Guardian Angel Body armor
It has good things on it

Or are you saying that to get each effect you need the right rune in the right socket?

5

Yes!
Its a runeword like in D2
The base is a white body armor without any affixes
The stats with the (x) are directly from the runes and the first 2 affixes are the special runeword effects

2 Likes
6

Nice post :smiley: im gonna think about som cool ideas, im making a list of posible Condition and Effect, so we have and idea about what to mix :smiley:

My only issue is that im afraid that Runewords like this will lose to Rares with stat boost every single time…

Like Gaurdian Armor.
You gain an advantage over DOTs but at the cost of, maybe 10% less life and 10% less Damage… if we compare it to rares with stats like D3 Vitaliti and Streng (barb)

Fix.
Make the Runeword be aplaid to Blue items were we all ready have the main stat boost or if we wanna go white or Grey add the +Def +Atk to the runeword.

something like

Guardian Angel
Body armor
4 sockets
(s) Add 40 Angelic power
(s) Increase armor defence 50%
(s) 30% damage over time reduction
(s) while suffering from a damage over time effect, heal for 5% max HP, every second

  • when being poisoned, activate the next socketed rune (nef)
  • when being burned, activate the next socketed rune (ral)
  • when bleeding, activate the next socketed rune (shael)
  • when active, heal for 20% max HP, over 5 seconds (hel)
7

Im glad you like the idea and even want to contain its place in the top tier of items :slight_smile:
I was actually worried, ppl would find it too op because of all the healing
I think it can easily be balanced to a point where it can compete and I think ppl should make trade offs between cool effects and stat boosters :slight_smile: having both in 1 item kinda takes away the decision :slight_smile:
That’s why I also suggest to reduce the amount of affixes for legendary items
But beides that, runewords can always also contain some more flat stats, just like in D2 :slight_smile:
However, it was a good idea, to include angelic power to this runeword :wink:

1 Like
8

hahah yaa angel armor :stuck_out_tongue: angelic was right on…
but yaa i see where your comming from like in D3 where you can have an item with a super cool effect thats fun to play with, but it lacks the main stat making it a “bad” choice…

Like Gaurdian Angel is a Def/survival focus word, dont you think that to attack orientet runewords would be used as glass canon builds and end up like the ONLY choice… oh well balancing balancing

And now fore som fun :stuck_out_tongue:

The Way (Runeword)
Body Armor

Tekst

It is said that when the martiel artist releases his mortal bindings he becomes one with his surroundings.

Abl.
(s) + 40 ancestral Power
(s) Add 15% dodge chance
(s) Reduce character Armor with 50%
(s) a succesful dodge deals (120% weapon damage + 25 * ancestrial power ) to nearby enemies

Runes

  • Gul (tier 2)Condition
    When you dodge 2 times in a row. Activate socketed effects

  • Ber (tier2) Effect
    Add 5% dodge chance for 5 seconds stacks 5 (Ber)

  • Jah (tier2) Effect
    Ignores taget defence for 5 sec

not balanced xD hahahh
still playing with the idea that higher Tier Con Runes to Activate High Tier Effect Runes

2 Likes
9

Smart implementation. It seems easily accessible imo @Lolli42
Plus I see no reason why this type of runewords could not work within the crafting system in my thread, wherein you make rares from lower tier items:

1 Like
10

Balance aside I really like the idea here, and it solves the main problem I had with runewords in Diablo 2: They were basically just uniques with extra steps.

This sets runeword items apart and makes them their own thing that is centered around what the runes in Diablo 4 will actually be. Runewords focus on the runes, as opposed to Diablo 2 where the runes could end up just being a means to an end when you were after another effect that came as a result of that combination(Like my Chaos Claw where I mainly just wanted that +1 to Whirlwind which has nothing to do with runes).

That said yeah, your example item seems pretty OP =P

2 Likes
11

ty :slight_smile:
well the numbers can always be tuned down, right :stuck_out_tongue:

heres an other one

I remember the day, i quit my service as a soldier. I was leading a small troup in the desert of Kehjistan. We were hunting down some lesser demons. Pushed them into a cave. Or did they lure us? What waited there, for us, can’t be described other than…thirst. This vile monster, with all it’s long arms, legs and raser sharp claws, seemed to be drinking the life force right out of the air. Every single man, who tried to engage it, fell to the ground, before even reaching it. I knew we could not win. I droped my sword and ran. This was the last day of my life as a warrior. I feel no shame. There are things out there, that simple men like me just can’t stand against.

Thirst
Dagger, Sword, Bow, Axe, Spear
6 sockets

  • gain a permanent aura, that steals 1% of nearby enemies hp, mana and stamina, every second. (yea i fit that into MY resource systems idea, lol)

  • when hp falls beyond 50%, activate the next socketed rune.

  • when mana falls beyond 50%, activate the next socketed rune.

  • when stamina falls beyond 50%, activate the next socketed rune.

  • when active, gain 10% life steal per hit, for 5 seconds.

  • when active, gain 10% mana steal per hit, for 5 seconds.

  • when active, gain 10% stamina steal per hit, for 5 seconds.

i mean, you cant even make runes that are grounded on resources, if every character has their own resource :confused: or its complicated to communicate

12

I really like the concept, but i already told you that there is an immersion problem with the ammount of sockets…
Like fitting 6 sockets into a small dagger seems like eh :face_with_raised_eyebrow: :thinking: :confused:
The problem i see is that 1 socket items seem completely redundant and there should be a minimum of 2 socket items for a runeword… unless you want runewords to be minimum 4 to max 6 sockets and just insert as many socket items into an item ignoring “tetris” and immersion.

2 Likes
13

I know the item size can be a problem but giving the fact that in real life you actually COULD fit 6 runes onto a daggers grip and blade, its only a question of displaying the sockets on the item
Maybe just some very small dots on the top of the item and since you need the blacksmith menue to forge them, you don’t need them to be big in the inventory
You could also just display them on the item card

1 Like
14

Unless all runes when forged combine into one big rune with a new design fitting for that runeword and displaying the runes used with the runeword name.
That way it would work :+1:

1 Like
15

I like the over all system, the way it’s letting you know what you can get from an item when you put the right rune in it’s place.

Themed gear will become possible, I have not played D2 in ages I expect you could just put the correct set of runes it to made the Runeword and or just try stuff so it would have been hard to balance.

Best of all the Devs have control of the affixes they want in items.

1 Like
16

Feel free to post your own ideas :slight_smile:
It might encourage them to think about it :smiley:

2 Likes
17

Are those actually in the game or just your invention/imagination ?

Here’s mine:

  • when killing a Demon with an ability from melee range, activate the next socketed rune (Gul)
  • Increase your Angelic Power by 15 for 5 seconds (Io)
  • Increase your Demonic Power by 15 for 5 seconds (Lum)
  • Increase your Ancestral Power by 15 for 5 seconds (Fal)

I’d guess could call it “Demonic strength” and would be exclusively (probably) on 2 hand weapons… Same with Undead in the condition slot and the combination would be named “Unholy strength” :slight_smile:

1 Like
18

Funny idea :stuck_out_tongue:
Well yea i made it up xD

ill make an other one :slight_smile:

This warrior. I have never seen a human, so powerful, so sacred, so full of faith. He wasn’t a berserker. More of an unbreakable wall between us and hordes of demons. This man was the reason, that i stand here now. That this whole village still exists. To our advantage, there was only a small breach in the wall, so he didn’t have to cover a large field. He didn’t move a feet. The demons just hitting on him, like the sea on a huge cliff.

Bastion
Paladin shield
4 sockets

  • every second, without moving, increases your block rate, physical resistance and CC resistance by 1%, up to 50%

  • every 3 seconds, without moving, activate the next socketed rune.

  • when active, gain 500 damage barrier.

  • when active, break free of any imparing effect.

  • when active, gain +10% block rate for 5 seconds.

an other runeword weeeeeeeeee :smiley:

It was a clear night, full of stars. I just went behind the house to take a piss, when i saw her. The woman that moved in to the tavern, 2 days before. She stood close to the river and she was surrounded by…nature? Fire, ice, lightning. Everything circled around her as if she was the most skills firedancer of all time. The air was hot, cold, charged. She just remained peacefully, her eyes closed and the elements, enlightening her body in all possible colors. She didn’t wear her armor. She didn’t wear too much, at all. But it was this pure, raw energy that kept me hypnotized. I could not turn away. I could only stand and watch. She might would have killed me if she saw me. But it was like a spell. I had no control over myself. When she stopped, i could manage to sneak away, back to my house. When she saw me in the tavern at the next day, she smiled. Did she recognize me in that night? I will never know.

Balance
Magic staff
4 sockets

  • Whenever you attack with an element, the next attack with an other element will deal +10% damage.
  • When dealing fire damage, activate the next socketed attack rune
  • When dealing cold damage, activate the next socketed attack rune
  • When dealing lightning damage, activate the next socketed attack rune
  • When active, your next attack will deal +5% elemental damage

This would need some balancing and seperating runes into different categories. Like runes that will only activate runes that trigger on attack and not buff you for a certain time or give you a strong effect like a damage shield. Or give the activator rune a timer? Suggestions welcome.

1 Like
19

Frostbourne
2 handed melee weapons
4 sockets

(S) your attacks now trigger a cone of frost in front of you dealing 120% weapon damage as frost
(S) freeze the ground you walk on chilling enemies that walk on it.

(C tier1) when Freezing an enemy trigger effect rune or runes
(C tier3) when melee chilling 5 targets within 10 sec trigger effect rune or runes
(E tier3) Your next attack freezes enemy 3 sec (works on elites)
(E tier1) next 5 sec enemies hitting you takes (30*demonic power) frost damage

20

Two issues this implementation of rune words doesn’t adress are, one; that the abillity to etch a legendary affix onto a rare are supposed to make rares viable late game vs legendarys and two; that the rune words kinda compete with sets.
Do you agree with these issues and do you have any ideas on how to solv them?

1 Like