Wisdom does look interesting, but not for a throw barb. Mana is really a non issue for a throw barb. I'll give you CBF, but Arreat's offers so much more with resists and +skills. Plus add a socket for even more of what you need.
Unbending will looks fascinating.
Taunt is awesome when used correctly, but even having no control over it would still be great for a Paladin.
For a barb you won't have to point points into taunt meaning more points to put elsewhere.
Plague
Cleansing and points PDR, possibly helpful for an abbot paladin build or adds even more life for a barbarian!
Hope Plague is offered on axes. I could see a barb duel weilding plague and famime just to be using them at the same time.
I'm hoping they're getting some normal/expected ish runewords out of the way with these early reveals (except flickering flame which is pretty interesting/hype) and we might get some more interesting things later on. I can't wait for this patch!! Watching for news every day.
I believe they mentioned somewhere that the new runewords are meant to fill the low and mid level gaps. And to bring more uses for cham and zod. These 2 goals dont exactly overlap since you wont find chams and zods at mid level...so probably theyre meant to be a mix of both.
As people mentioned in the 2.4 thoughts thread, auras from a2 mercs are just too strong to encourage non a2 mercs despite whatever auras the new runewords offer.
A few thoughts/ideas nonetheless:
Unbending will: 6 socket(!) runeword at mid-level (fal)...hmmm. yet over 300% dmg? This runeword seems to have an identity crisis. If it is swords only as screenshots suggest, the only realistic choices are executioner swords (too slow) and colossus blades (too high requirements) leading this to most likely be Oath's forgotten little brother... Bringing taunt into play is a great idea! But one or more of the following might make it better:
make it a 3-5 socket runeword
expand it to include more uncommonly used weapon types
A little more ias couldnt hurt (oath offers 50 ffs)
It needs to compete with oath somehow...
Plague: I always, always wanted a runeword that offers a cleansing aura, but:
is it worth the reduced experience shrine duration?
I guess claw for assassin and phase blade or big 2 hander for druid...an option for javazon would be nice to make poison javs viable? Maybe a shield version?
Ctc lower resist on striking would be even cooler for dream/dragon builds but im already really glad to see ctc lower resist as this is one of the few skills which was missing from runewords
Uses a shael but only has 20% ias compared to other runewords which also have 20% but dont even use a shael
Flickering flame: More runewords for helms is a definite plus! Also cool to see a runeword with resist fire aura. It almost garuntees successive patches will introduce one with resist cold and resist lightning.
-13 efr is too low, 3 facets will get you -15...
The rest of the mods on this are pretty weak...
Most effective fire builds rely on high fcr, why not add a little to this runeword 5-15%
Wisdom: looks ok with it becoming available late 40s with a Pul. But i wonder if its strong enough -
main attraction is 33% pierce, but by the time you can equip a wisdom, bow and throw builds will already have a lot of points in the skills which grant pierce (if throwing mastery is patched to add pierce)
Needs to compete with guillame's somehow...otherwise the pierce offered by razortail will be preferable
Why not add some ias?
The cannot be frozen seems nice on paper, but any bow/thrower will benefit greatly from ravenfrost which already has cbf and boosts dmg more than this
Mist: Nice to see another runeword which provides concentration...but maybe it would be a better idea to just redistribute all auras (including ones not yet provided by mercs such as concentration) to all mercs to balance it out. I dont see a reason to use this source of concentration instead of pride. Overall a nice attempt at finding uses for cham but,
doesnt look like it can replace faith or specifically the extra aura offered by a pride-weilding act 2 merc for bow builds
Again a runeword with shael but only 20% ias
100% pierce...frees up the belt slot but what are you gonna use there anyway which offers more damage? 1.08 deadly belt!
I like this runeword, maybe the community will find a use for it but i cant think of one of the top of my head
Pattern: this looks absolutely great. And i would love to see even more low level runewords. Maybe take it further by
Making a low level offensive runeword for each class (similar to the 1.11 armors)
Non-conventional stats like faster block rate provided by a weapon are absolutely great! This is exactly the spirit of runewords imo
Claws really needed some love and im glad their getting it
EDIT: new runeword 'obsession' spotted today in patch notes.
Obsession: a zod runeword for a staff...
Addresses the lack of uses for zod
Ctc weaken is very nice especially with the change to weaken (increases -enemy damage % per level)
Staff runeword also addresses the lack of runewords for staves
With 4 skills, massssive fhr and fcr, it seeks to address the benefits to using both a shield and a weapon. It needs a little more though. For example integer pdr would be nice 20-30?
30% mf and 75% gf are not enough considering the name 'obsession' and the 2 handed nature
Look at how many mods botd has...add some more!
Ctc slow missiles would be nice with the skill rework
Ctc cloak of shadows!
Ctc lower resist would also pair well with the end game meta that should be associated with a zod rune, but this would compete with the ctc weaken already in place
Give it an aura, cleansing? Vigor? Meditation?
Give it + to all stats instead of just vit/energy
+ increase maximum mana 100%
Edit: my most recent and controversial idea: give obsession
Obsession is... underwhelming. Well, it's their own fault to begin with aka 1.10 runewords. The price/performance still pales in comparison to hoto/spirit.
You has alot of excellent points in your post and I think I agree with all of them except this one.
You can simply weaponswap, take the shrine without cleansing, and swap back. Cleansing and fade only applies I they where active when you get cursed (or shrined). (From memory, but I am certain of this.)
You has alot of excellent points in your post and I think I agree with all of them except this one.
You can simply weaponswap, take the shrine without cleansing, and swap back. Cleansing and fade only applies I they where active when you get cursed (or shrined). (From memory, but I am certain of this.)
does the same apply for curses?
get cursed, switch to cleansing and it wont reduce the rest of the duration only if you were cursed while cleansing is active?
does the same apply for curses?
get cursed, switch to cleansing and it wont reduce the rest of the duration only if you were cursed while cleansing is active?
You has alot of excellent points in your post and I think I agree with all of them except this one.
You can simply weaponswap, take the shrine without cleansing, and swap back. Cleansing and fade only applies I they where active when you get cursed (or shrined). (From memory, but I am certain of this.)
This can't be right.. To me it's always felt like cleansing reduces the duration of curses when you turn it on, like on a paladin often times I'll swap to cleansing before killing diablo in CS while he's spawning to remove curses, they definitely have their duration reduced by it even when turning it on after the curse is applied.
You can simply weaponswap, take the shrine without cleansing, and swap back. Cleansing and fade only applies I they where active when you get cursed (or shrined). (From memory, but I am certain of this.)
This can't be right.. To me it's always felt like cleansing reduces the duration of curses when you turn it on, like on a paladin often times I'll swap to cleansing before killing diablo in CS while he's spawning to remove curses, they definitely have their duration reduced by it even when turning it on after the curse is applied.
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