I know it has been a while since my last article, but I have been hard working on my successful Kickstarter, Adventures of Combat & Quest!, to get it ready for a pdf release. So, what could drag me away for a bit from pounding the keyboard for that? The new Runewords in patch 2.6 of course!
Patch 2.6 Runewords Analysis
We started off this weekend with MacroBioBio’s spoiler of a multitude of Helms devoted to a single damage type:
Cure Helmet ‘ShaelIoTal’ Required Level: 35 +20% Faster Hit Recovery +75-100% Enhanced Defense +10 to Vitality Increase Maximum Life 5% Poison Resist +40-60% Poison Length Reduced By 75% Socketed (3) | Hearth Helmet ‘ShaelIoThul’ Required Level: 35 +20% Faster Hit Recovery +75-100% Enhanced Defense +10 to Vitality Increase Maximum Life 5% Cold Resist +40-60% Cold Absorb +10-15% Socketed (3)duced By 75% Socketed (3) | Ground Helmet ‘ShaelIoOrt’ Required Level: 35 +20% Faster Hit Recovery +75-100% Enhanced Defense +10 to Vitality Increase Maximum Life 5% Lightning Resist +40-60% Lightning Absorb +10-15% Socketed (3) |
Temper Helmet ‘ShaelIoRal’ Required Level: 35 +20% Faster Hit Recovery +75-100% Enhanced Defense +10 to Vitality Increase Maximum Life 5% Fire Resist +40-60% Fire Absorb +10-15% Socketed (3) | Bulwark Helmet ‘ShaelIoSol’ Required Level: 35 +20% Faster Hit Recovery 5% Life Stolen Per Hit +75-100% Enhanced Defense +10 to Vitality Increase Maximum Life 5% Replenish Life +30 Damage Reduced By 7 Physical Damage Received Reduced By 10-15% Socketed (3) |
The first thing to notice is, all these can be farmed quickly at Nightmare Countess for new toons. This is really great for someone who does untwinked. Bulwark stands out greatly because of the 10-15% reduction in physical damage, but the absorb on Grounded can be quite handy. If you intend to run NM Andariel, Cure will find some use during those quick runs!
Overall, a solid batch for untwinked players, and for starting out a season as it fills in the gap from 30-60 quiet easily. Released with the patch notes, we can confirm that single player is also getting these rune words. Joyous!
Metamorphosis
Spired Helmet
‘IoChamFal’
Required level: 67
Werewolf strikes grant Mark for 180 seconds
Mark of the wolf:
20% Bonus to Attack Rating
Increase Maximum Life 40%
Werebear strikes grant Mark for 180 seconds
Mark of the bear:
+25% Attack Speed
+25% chance of Crushing Blow
Physical Damage Received Reduced by 20%
+5 to Shape Shifting Skills (Druid Only)
69% Enhanced Defense
+10 to Strength
+10 to Vitality
All Resistances +10
Cannot be Frozen
Sockets (3)
This one is a big one by Dbrunski125. We got a Cham needed, and it looks like a winner here. He does a great job of speaking about its design, and I must concur, for any WW/WB this item is the new best in slot by far. We got some Druid love, and they gave some Assassin love below maybe.
Mosaic
Claws
‘MalGulThul’
Required level: 53
Required Dexterity: 46
Required Strength: 46
Claw Class: Very Fast Attack Speed
25% Chance for finishing moved to not consume charge
+2 to Martial Arts (Assassin Only)
+20% Increased Attack Speed
+236% Enhanced Damage
+20% Bonus to Attack Rating
+2 to Attack Rating
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage
Prevent Monster Heal
Increase maximum Durability 12%
Lucky Luciano got to reveal the above awesome claw. The 25% chance to not consume charges stacks! That is great, 50% of time you get another finishing move off, and can’t theoretically chain them for quite a few. I think that number should be 35% for a total of 70%. For someone who chucks a fair amount of dice, 50% is too low for it to be consistent enough of a boost. The only stats that really benefit a full-bore martial artist are the +2 skills, PMH, and the minor 20% ias and 20% Bonus attack rating, which only matters when gaining charges.
I think being only a Mal-Gul puts this item in a great spot. Easily obtainable, and easy enough to find for an untwinked build. I was rushing last year and almost took my magic items only assassin to Guardian, but alas I got stuck in Act 3 Hell and died due to rushing. The power of the item for a MA build is amazing. I’m excited for this item as I have a level 93 Assassin looking to find a new way of killing things.
Hustle Weapon ‘ShaelKoEld’ Required level: 39 Required Dexterity: 60 Required Strength: 85 Sword Class: Very Fast Attack Speed 5% Chance cast level 9 burst of speed on striking +30% Increased Attack Speed +132% Enhanced Damage +75% Damage to Undead +50 to Attack Rating Against Undead +10 to Dexterity Socketed (3) | Hustle Armor ‘ShaelKoEld’ Required level: 39 Required Strength: 85 50% Faster Run/Walk +20% Increased Attack Speed +20% Faster Hit Recovery +10 to Dexterity 50% Slower Stamina Drain Socketed (3) |
Kano got to spoil this rune word, and probably the worst of the bunch unless you’re using it on a specific build (elemental-zon maybe?), and is a buff item for a lot of other builds, which I feel is fine for the rune cost. I just wish it had a 10 or 20% to cast, so it just triggered. I think Hustle as a 3-socket armor is terrible. With an Eld makes it hard to add a good modifier. I don’t think the armor will see much play. It needs more. No resistance and a bit of run/walk aren’t enough for an item. If it were people early on would all be using 30% circlets and blue 40% boots. No, this armor is minimally useful even on the most trying of characters who want run-walk due to no other useful mod on the armor. It needs some spice.
Patch 2.6 as a whole
I’m going to catch flak maybe. This patch is the last one before Diablo 4 beta starts, and Diablo 4 launches. It needs to knock it out of the park. Let us be honest, if D4 is anything as good as people are saying, we are going to spend some time on it, and this will be the last hoorah many of us half for a while visiting D2:R. Make it special, make it great. Break the mold with it and improve the game we love for one last wild ride that many will take. Sure, players will continue to play, but unless D4 is a major blunder, I imagine 75-80% of those playing will dip to D4. So, I indeed look forward to whatever else you have cooked up based on your PTR notes released today.