Runewords
A runeword is a set of runes in the exact order, placed in a Normal base with exactly the right number of sockets. When the last rune goes in, the item becomes a runeword item and gains the word's modifiers. The runes' own bonuses stop mattering; the word replaces them.
Wands. Caster wands and rods take the caster runewords (Spirit, Insight). Attack wands (Ember Switch and its siblings, Weapons) take none for now: they get sockets, but a full socket set never forms a word.
| Word | Runes | Sockets | For | Gist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steel | Tir El | 2 | Melee | More physical damage and attack speed |
| Stealth | Tal Eth | 2 | Body armour | Movement speed, mana regeneration |
| Malice | Ith El Eth | 3 | Melee, ranged | Leech, critical chance, flat damage |
| Strength | Amn Tir | 2 | Melee | Damage, leech |
| Lore | Ort Sol | 2 | Helmet | Increased Spell Damage, Lightning Resistance |
| Ancient's Pledge | Ral Ort Tal | 3 | Shield | Resistances, damage reduction |
| Rhyme | Shael Eth | 2 | Shield | Block, resistances |
| Spirit | Tal Thul Ort Amn | 4 | Caster weapon, shield | +1 rank to all spells, spell damage |
| Insight | Ral Tir Tal Sol | 4 | Caster weapon | Crit, regeneration, cheaper spells |
| Smoke | Nef Lum | 2 | Body armour | All elemental resistances |
| Wayfarer | Eld Shael | 2 | Boots | Movement speed, life, resists |
| Bulwark | Nef Ith Sol | 3 | Legs | Life, damage reduction |
Rules
- You may wear one word of each name at a time.
- A runeword item rejects Transmutation, Alteration, Augmentation, Regal, Alchemy, Chaos, Exalted and Scouring orbs. A Divine Orb rerolls the word's value ranges. A Vaal Orb may unravel it (Corruption and the Vaal Orb).
- Runewords are not bought by NPCs (Vendors).
- Uniques never form words. A word is a path of certainty: you pay in runes and Jeweller's Orbs.
Opportunity cost. A good rare beats a word on raw stats, but a word is guaranteed, defined and tradeable. Four-socket words are the priciest tier: Spirit needs the runes Tal, Thul, Ort and Amn.
Item requirements. Level requirement is the higher of the base's level and the highest rune's level.
Related: Sockets, Runes, Unique items.