New Ladder Rune Words

[ShadowHM]

I made an Edge bow (on a Shadow bow, because it was the only three socket one available).

It was not bad on Huckleberry's rogue mercenary, as it helped the Wolves out.

It was not terribly helpful to FaintHope (the Holy Fire/Holy Freeze Ranger) or to his companions.

I am thinking it would be of benefit to a Javazon or a Spearazon with a Rogue mercenary. Thorns on a high level Valkyrie might be nifty. I know someone who has one, so I will ask it he can test it.

[WarBlade]

Why do Blizzard employees feel the need to plant Paladin auras over the items these days?

From 1.00 through 1.06 the Paladin often found himself relegated to a sidekick who's main function was to supercharge everyone else while merely powering himself up to normal.

Vanilla 1.08 was a cruel joke. The Paladin was practically as underpriviledged as ever (aside of Holy Shock and Sanctuary upgrades) and copped the worst penalty for a crime in movement rates commited by other classes (who weren't really disadvantaged by the 'fix' either)

LoD 1.08 fixed up so much for the Pally with the simple addition of a class specific shield that for the first time allowed them to be as handy at shield useage as the bow-zon . . . Things were looking up!

LoD 1.09 fixed 1.08's movement stupidity and finally the Paladin could really step up to the lofty heights set by his peers. Things were looking even better!

LoD 1.10 comes along and suddenly everyone can replicate other classes' skills without needing to expend charges. This is all fine and good in theory and really I can't see a huge problem with Barbarians who suddenly gain a tendancy to howl at the moon and chase the postman, but in the case of conflicting auras this newfound 'improvement' can be a game killer for a Paladin player.

Horrible.

I have no problem with items granting Zeal or Vengeance, but Thorns and Meditation just looks like another 1.08 movement fix to me, this time focused on getting some use out of underused skills. Sanctuary is not so damaging, but as a slap in the face to the one class who has that ability to use physical force on physically immune creature, it tends to smart a little.

If Blizzard wants to get some use out of underused skills they should really get their heads back into the synergy system and finish what they started IMO. New runewords are better served by offering only comparable items to existing ones or possibly subtle fix options to glaring imbalance problems.

[Occhidiangela]

I tend to agree with your analysis. I also find that the bizarre combinations of runes and the balance between the power of the rune word and the difficulty of finding the rune curious.

Whoever called it Pinata busting has it right. Cyrene, I think.
(Hmmm, my character map is missing the tilde. Weird.)

Occhi

[Doc]

Aside from all the Paladin Aura whoring, if they were going to use skills, spread out a bit.

Instead of a bow with an aura, how about low to mid level rune word for a bow that would have allowed a special Amazon attack? Like, say, Shael, Sol, Amn. A nice bow with a bit of a damage boost, some life leach, and speed. And say, maybe, fires a level 3 multishot as a normal attack. Or some level of fire arrow or cold arrow, with say, immolation charges or ice arrow charges, allowing for a slight synergy boost in damage.

How about a rune word, two runes, that would have worked in daggers only? Something that would allow charges of find potion, find item, and grim ward? But make sure they are charges at meaningful levels, or, make them level 2 or 3 0skills that could be boosted by other means.

How about a rune word that works in shields that is actually realistic and practical... Something that takes three runes, mid level, that gives a lowish level Smite as an 0skill and charges of Holy Shield. This would be a S/S Barb's wet dream. Neither overpowered or game breaking, but senseful and practical. I think Javazons would most likely love it as well. Nothing is quite so nice as Smiting the living hell out of a Undead Stygian Doll and then safely running past it. Or think of a Smiting Werebear. No more AR problems. Actually, don't think about that. That is a frightning thought, when one factors in Werebear damage skills.

[WarBlade]

Aside from all the Paladin Aura whoring, if they were going to use skills, spread out a bit.

That's my feeling too. And when I say spread out I mean really spread out.

Imagine a rune word armour that granted:
+4 Pierce
+2 Throwing Mastery
Casts Level 3 Inner Sight on striking

Aside from the obvious attempt to address the no-runewords-for-throwing-weapons issue, you'd also be left an item that asists any missile character a little that helps to balance up the non-Amazon throwers against the archers. Barbarians and Amazons would pick up modest gains from eachother's talents while others like the Sorceress or Paladin might be really enjoying the opportunity to better try their hand at something they're not exactly gifted in.

I've fantasized about seeing those skills on a Paladin shield-only runeword too.

2 socket Dagger runewords? Yeah, there's a big one in the neglected stakes. Same goes for Polearms, Orbs, Claws and a generic caster runeword for wands or even clubs might have been nice.

How about a rune word that works in shields that is actually realistic and practical... Something that takes three runes, mid level, that gives a lowish level Smite as an 0skill and charges of Holy Shield. This would be a S/S Barb's wet dream. Neither overpowered or game breaking, but senseful and practical.

The trouble with specific character's wet dreams is that's pretty much the trap that many of the items have fallen into and the results aren't always pretty. With charges of Holy Shield you'd be creating a huge problem in over exaggerated defence levels for certain Barbarians, Werebears and Sorceresses. These three are already competitive with Defiants in defence and can throw further chaos into the mix with a certain mercenary. Holy Shield for the masses is a really bad idea.

[Doc]

Charges of low level holy shield aint so hot. And with out Defiance as a synergy, wouldn't be all that great.

But it would look cool, boost blocking, and help a bit with smite damage. For non pally clases, spiked shields and their exceptional and elite cousins would be needed for actual physical smite damage, but any real smiter knows that real damage is done via crushing blow.

There are to many pole arm rune words. Some of them are beastly. Not sure how you missed that.

For weapon specific words, daggers axes, and clubs got the shaft. There are lots of rune words for maces, but you would be suprised how many of them do not work in hammers or clubs for some reason. A good club specific rune word would include some caster ability, probably some druid skills, nutty foofoo IAS, and perhaps something like, say, oh, I don't know, barbarian mace mastery, 1 to 5 points random, as an 0skill. Would make clubs a worthwhile option.

[WarBlade]

Charges of low level holy shield aint so hot. And with out Defiance as a synergy, wouldn't be all that great.

It wouldn't need Defiance as a synergy to be one too many defence adders IMO. The part where it multiplies the sum total of a character's defensive equipment to add to anything else going which may already include Shout, Concentrate and Iron Skin in addition to a Defiance Mercenary is the part where it's getting a bit over the top.

But it would look cool, boost blocking, and help a bit with smite damage. For non pally clases, spiked shields and their exceptional and elite cousins would be needed for actual physical smite damage, but any real smiter knows that real damage is done via crushing blow.

I wouldn't want other classes to have access to smite to be honest. It would be like adding Leap Attack to a Sorceress . . . It doesn't really fit. The stun ability is a bit redundant on Werebears and Barbarians anyway.

There are to many pole arm rune words. Some of them are beastly. Not sure how you missed that.

Accessible ones that aren't ladder only or general melee weapon runewords useable in polearms? I count Cresent Moon and even that is open to more than just polearms.

*shrugs*

We must have differing standards then.