If Blizz would leave as it is in D4, but with more combinations of runes, white items could even don’t exist.
I always bring this up when someone is talking about runewords… if there isn’t something distinguishing and unique about WHITE items, then runewords is really just a legendary item that got “crafted”.
That’s the first thing I need to see to consider runewords like D2. How is the item differentiated… are there stat requirements for heavier armor or slower movements. Shaftstop is always chainmail and has a certain defense value range and str requirement. A runeword could be put in a chainmail, or mage plate or ancient armor and that would completely depend on what else you were doing, if you are getting 230+ strength for a big two hand mace then maybe go with that ancient armor for max defense.
Seeing as there is no stat requirement or anything to look to differentiate item types in D4, then runewords in D2 way do not make sense.
well, if they are different enough to uniques/legendaries, it would just be an other kind of top tier items
runewords in D2 are too similar to uniques
the runewords that i wrote, evolving from the condition and effect runes, are very different
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i think whey have to be carefull with the New Runeword system… If they make to many sockeds in Rares or legendarys, with a 4 Rune type system could outbalance Gems or and Jewels… making Runes the only viable option as sockets… a more commen Item should have more room for Power/sockets 
IMHO would balance out power between different Items for better or worse xD
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There could be limitation f.e. Rares 3s max, Lege 2s max, but overall whole rw system should be more expanded than current max 2s version.
Tbh, if Blizz will not back to D2 RW system, removing white items from D4 is not a bad idea. I like D2 RW but they were very strong and in most builds they were must have items. So we would have to choose between RW and Rare/Lege item. If Blizz wants make Lege items most powerful as mentioned on Blizzcon, this new system gives opportunity for it.
i think, with the new legendary consumable system, they are trying to make all items viable, altough it is flawed. and david kim also mentioned, there will be a complex crafting system with materials that you can gather all over the world, so normal items will not be out of the run
also, if you make runewords, they dont have to be like in D2
they could be more special and doing only their own thing, like i tried to interpretate it: https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/d3/t/runewords-are-very-possible-within-the-new-system
As i see your suggestion is something between D2 and D4 RW system. I like it, but it forces to choose between Lege or RW (I don’t mind it to be clear).
Perfect system would be what you have mentioned + some gems AND jewels that could be inserted into Rares, Lege, Sets items (which means Runes would work ONLY with white items). If it will be only like D4 i still don’t see a sense of white items (maybe only as a crafting material).
How exactly does it “force”? I mean, Itemization should be balanced in a way that you can’t say “OK I go full legendary or full runeword or full set”, where you decide to pick a leg, a runeword, a rare, maybe a magic and a crafted…where all rarity types are capable of having a BiS position in your build. Right?
In my suggestion, you could put some runes in higher tier items but only in white items you can put enough, to make runewords.
David Kim talked about a crafting system that we don’t know much about, yet. It might utilize normals as a base, like RWs in D2
I am based on D2 experience - there were RW that were must have in specific slot/build. There were so powerfull that there was no alternative Uniq item to replace it in most of the cases.
Perfect solution would be as you mentioned above; i would add something from myself:
- magic/rares/sets/leges: max 2sockets, “only” trigger and effect;
- white: 2-4 sockets, creates runeword which gives 2-3 stats + trigger and effect and maybe any legendary affix?
Well i don’t know how they gonna balance items so I suggested, legendary/rare: 2 slots, magic: 3 slots, normal: 4-6 slots (for the sake of some runewords that I created lol)
And I actually think, rune words should change, compared to D2
rather just giving a special gimmik instead of stats and affixes
a passive aura that rlies to the runes used, a stronger effect for a certain condition, an effect that is very game changing and can compensate for the item, not having a lot of stats
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Well, I won’t like that system much. If the white “runewords” too powerful, we’ll comeback to D2. IF they’re too weak, nobody will use it because usually it takes much more effort to complete a runeword than getting a rare/legendary item (well, except some extreme rare ones like D2’s Tyrael Might).
Personally I like those socket choices:
- Runewords: No stat, only effects.
- Jewels: Several stats (3-5 ones) but with low values.
- Gems: Only one stat but with much greater value than jewels.
And you’re free to choose what to insert in your sockets, a 3-4-rune runeword that have a great effect, a 2-rune runeword with lesser effect and a jewel/gem or all jewel/gems for stats, whatever benefit you more. That’ll creat build diversities, customizations and much easier to ballance around.
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so with “runeword” you just mean the current system as it is?
i mean, balance is everything
the goal is, that you really cant tell, which item type is the best and it will change, depending on the situation
I don’t know if you’re talking to me or not, since you didn’t reply. If you’re, then the answer is yes and no. I mean the future D4 runeword system, which is not determined yet.
Well, ballance is the goals, but not just ballance between systems with the same function (in this case is runewords/gems/jewels), but also the power contribution among other systems. That’s why I’m opposed the idea of runewords provide stats, because it can overwhelm legends and sets in power and we’re back to D2 post-1.11 again.
yea i gess i understand
i mean, legendary items also have their legendary power + stats
i think it would just depend on, how much power do you give to those runewords?
i actually wrote all my fan fiction runewords without stats and just effects but i would also take in the possibility to give them 1 or 2 stats that are also fitting to their theme xD and that would still not make them far superior to legendaries or sets, as they probably have the same power (effects and stats)
it depends on how strong the effects are (you can tune the numbers down) and how many stats they will provide, additional to that
That’s why i suggested to not only create a runeword in white items but also give some space to upgrade legendaries with a trigger and effect runes or jewels as an alternative for everyone who doesn’t want RW.
We all agree that current 2 sockets are not enough at least. 
If you heard everything that they said about runewords they said that they plan on making a progression system for runes and runewords. They just didn’t have any information on the subject to talk about that system.
As far as runewords goes I would love to see some sort of improvement on the runeword system from D2. I just don’t know what it would be. But I do know copying and pasting just won’t cut it. I want D4 to stand on its own merits instead of being a copy and paste of D2.
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I like the idea of having runewords which in some builds and some cases provide the BIS option. Personally I love the puzzle building experience of combining runes in the cube, finding socketable high quality items, upgrading them to +20% quality, then socketing in each rune and rolling it. Sometimes the results were great, sometimes not.
Its a really fun experience and adds to the depth of itemization if done right. Ideally there is not one piece such as enigma which is best in slot but having crazy abilities and effects like that made the game a lot more fun.
Any other thoughts on this one?
i pretty much gave my output on making it both possible
but i actually think that the current idea of blizzard is cool as it is
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Yeah I like both, runes with effects and runewords with extra stuff. I like, creating a new unique with nice stats with a runeword like in D2. I think it was a bit strange, that they had similar stats as gems…
The only important thing about runes is IMO, that they do not modify the skills too much, like the examples for unique in D4 are just doing and they should not be as strong as in D2… they were way too strong.
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