The new skill rune system is a clever idea to improve the customization and depth of characters. This system seems independent of actual wearable equipment and resembles the old +skill grand charms from Diablo 2. Good idea...

However, I am at a loss when I try to comprehend the logic behind using this system to replace the runes from Diablo 2. Before the days of Zod runes dropping at 1-in-40 million odds, rune hunting was a completely integral and signature part of the game. When I think of Diablo, one of the things I think about is runes.

The new system seems completely unrelated to the old runes in any way- why remove the old ones? The rune words added significant depth to a game centered around intense item creation and acquisition. Removing the old runes would reduce depth and omit one of the aspects that has truly defined Diablo

That was exactly what I was asking. Thank you:)

I like the new rune skill thing, but I'll miss the old rune names. (El, Zod, etc...) For some reason, the minor power and names like that just don't excite me as much as a fantasy-ish rune name like in D2. But I'll live. XD

---

Q u o t e:
I think it's important not to mistake the word used for a system (in this case rune) for what the systems are actually accomplishing.

In Diablo II runes were used to augment weapons and essentially add more stats to them, runes in certain combinations would create runewords which were in essence more powerful than the sum of each individual rune. But remove the word rune, and you're looking at a system that simply upgrades items.

Similarly, runes in Diablo III, take away the word rune and we're looking at a system where skills and abilities can be altered to behave differently, simply increased in effectiveness, or some combination thereof.

Essentially what your question comes down to then is, where is the system in Diablo III that allows us to make base weapons more powerful? And that's a question that will have to be answered at a later time. ;)

---

omfg i want to know... NOW! O-O, this is EXACTLY the kind of info we are(I am) waiting for :P

what the hell, bashiok... torture us some more, will you ;)

my guess is on enchanting or something of the like via gold (which is said to be of use in d3). and way better than the crap charsi used to make, like choosing what kind of attribute you want on an item.

Bashiok brings up a good point that somewhat assuages my fears, I can't help but agree with Arch0n on this one. The rune system as it was in the previous Diablo titles functioned perfectly, and I personally believe that the idea still have monstrous untapped potential. Even if they had remained unchanged in Diablo III however, I still believe they would have been a winning addition to the game.

This is of course not to say that I think the new idea for runes is a bad one. I actually think its quite clever. I just don't see how having one system of runes precludes using the old one as well. I mean, I think the new system could function just as well if they called the ability-adjusting runes something else, like "glyphs" or something. Isn't this game big enough for two unique and interesting gameplay mechanics?

However, I am keeping an open mind about this new item-buffing system that Bashiok alluded to, however I still have some reservations about it replacing runes. Its not enough that the new system is different. If you're going to replace the old, you have to bring up something that fulfills the same role as runes but does it in a better way, or adds onto it in a meaningful fashion. If it doesn't fulfill both of those qualifications, then there is no reason for the new system to exist aside from protracted novelty.

I suppose we shall wait and see. Thanks for the info Bashiok. Good topic Arch0n.

-Dread_Reaper

chances are that blizzard will never make the same mistake twice, but its never too much to say one more time: dont create runewords (or whatever it may be called) that gives skills from any class to any character. this screwed d2 completely.

---

Q u o t e:
The rune system as it was in the previous Diablo titles functioned perfectly...

---

Except a few rune-words were way too overpowered and the drop rates for high runes were insane (they may as well have not existed in SP...).

---

Q u o t e:
I mean, I think the new system could function just as well if they called the ability-adjusting runes something else, like "glyphs" or something.

---

Or it could be the other way around... glyph-words anyone?
:P

Don't get hung up on the names... a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.

---

Q u o t e:

Or it could be the other way around... glyph-words anyone?
:P

Don't get hung up on the names... a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.

---

I agree with you, and I like your use of that quote there, it perfectly illustrates what you mean. I guess my counterpoint would be then that assuming "runes" as we know them from Diablo 2 are to remain unchanged and in Diablo 3, why would they change the name of "runes" to "glyphs" (or whatever) and bestow the already established name "rune" onto the new thing? It seems illogical to leave an established system in the game and randomly change its name for no purpose.

-Dread_Reaper

So... are runes in Diablo III going to be augments, similar to runes in Diablo II?

If not, are they going to be consumables? (maybe they last 15 min or some S like that)

I can't imagine being able to augment a weapon with 3 slots... multi-strike rune, power rune, lethality rune. So now your witch doctors Skull of Flame spell not only bounces, now it bounces, burns the ground, and blows up anything that was near or touches the burning ground.

A skill can only have one rune in it.

http://www.diablowiki.net/Rune

---

Q u o t e:
Essentially what your question comes down to then is, where is the system in Diablo III that allows us to make base weapons more powerful? And that's a question that will have to be answered at a later time. ;)

---

Seriously, give Bashiok a bonus. Who else can drive us crazy with anticipation :) Also, who comes up with a Jerry Springer episode involving the 3 prime evils. I mean seriously, how funny was that :)

Diablo: "Rawr"

KaRnAgE

---

Q u o t e:
I think it's important not to mistake the word used for a system (in this case rune) for what the systems are actually accomplishing.

In Diablo II runes were used to augment weapons and essentially add more stats to them, runes in certain combinations would create runewords which were in essence more powerful than the sum of each individual rune. But remove the word rune, and you're looking at a system that simply upgrades items.

Similarly, runes in Diablo III, take away the word rune and we're looking at a system where skills and abilities can be altered to behave differently, simply increased in effectiveness, or some combination thereof.

Essentially what your question comes down to then is, where is the system in Diablo III that allows us to make base weapons more powerful? And that's a question that will have to be answered at a later time. ;)

---

i think we will be paying for enchants an quality upgrades to items. thats where the gold sink will come in.

---

Q u o t e:
I think it's important not to mistake the word used for a system (in this case rune) for what the systems are actually accomplishing.

In Diablo II runes were used to augment weapons and essentially add more stats to them, runes in certain combinations would create runewords which were in essence more powerful than the sum of each individual rune. But remove the word rune, and you're looking at a system that simply upgrades items.

Similarly, runes in Diablo III, take away the word rune and we're looking at a system where skills and abilities can be altered to behave differently, simply increased in effectiveness, or some combination thereof.

Essentially what your question comes down to then is, where is the system in Diablo III that allows us to make base weapons more powerful? And that's a question that will have to be answered at a later time. ;)

---

now this post only made me wonder if its going to be "just" some item upgrade system (we all saw those gems dropping, so gems should be in the game to upgrade the items) or/and some sort of runewords to give extra buffs to the skills aswell (using the new rune system).

I think the runewords were pretty overpowered in Diablo 2 and really needed to be scaled down, but in general the concept was pretty ok. It's just that as a player of Diablo 1 and Diablo 2 classic i liked how i had to hunt for the uniques, or very useful rare/set items (in Diablo 2) and thats what kept me interested on the long run (together with making other characters with different specs to try out).

What do you guys think about a skill runeword system that adds extra effects to abilities aswell?

---

Q u o t e:

now this post only made me wonder if its going to be "just" some item upgrade system (we all saw those gems dropping, so gems should be in the game to upgrade the items) or/and some sort of runewords to give extra buffs to the skills aswell (using the new rune system).

I think the runewords were pretty overpowered in Diablo 2 and really needed to be scaled down, but in general the concept was pretty ok.

---

It seems that this is a pretty common opinion, one that I share with you. There were several rune words in D2 that were indeed unbalanced. However, as you stated, and as myself and many feel, the rune hunting system and mystery that surrounded it was an integral part of the game. It seemed like an original and deep addition to the game's item pool and economy. I am glad to hear that there will be a system for enhancing base items, hopefully it functions similarly to the old runes.

---

Q u o t e:
I

Essentially what your question comes down to then is, where is the system in Diablo III that allows us to make base weapons more powerful? And that's a question that will have to be answered at a later time. ;)

---

I think we are waiting for the excellent new-deep-crafting system!! :)

I love it. People all over are crying about runewords.. Runeword this runeword that. Well uniquie items were second to runewords.. meaning the next level of a good item "might" be a runeword... well think of no runewords and a new name LEGENDARY items. No sockets Yes it will be more powerful then uniquie items duh... Sure it can have skill stats on it too. And even teleport... or LIghting. but they can have that item only usable by mages. Any 1 handed hammer usable by pallys and 2 handed hammers only useable by Barbs.. and make 2 handed weapons with stats for barbs... they can do what ever they want and we will like it trust me but better yet trust blizzard. Im a long time gamer. I have made the 6 man 2 row of archers guarding every bridge to my village in Warcraft 1 baby! You are not making it past them! (ok bad example haha)

---

Q u o t e:


It seems that this is a pretty common opinion, one that I share with you. There were several rune words in D2 that were indeed unbalanced. However, as you stated, and as myself and many feel, the rune hunting system and mystery that surrounded it was an integral part of the game. It seemed like an original and deep addition to the game's item pool and economy. I am glad to hear that there will be a system for enhancing base items, hopefully it functions similarly to the old runes.

---

"the rune hunting system and mystery that surrounded it was an integral part of the game" Really? The only way you ever hunted high runes in d2 was through d2 jsp and spamming trade. Doing hell countess runs only gave you mid level runes and if you were super super lucky a high rune which is not fun for most people. Most people do not like to spend months killing the same boss trying to get 1 rune for a item they must have to do a certain thing because if they don't have it then they are considered noob and locked out. Now it was fun to hunt these runes down when the drop rate wasn't so horribly bad, reduce the drop rate and then perhaps the fun of it might be back.

---

Q u o t e:


"the rune hunting system and mystery that surrounded it was an integral part of the game" Really? The only way you ever hunted high runes in d2 was through d2 jsp and spamming trade. Now it was fun to hunt these runes down when the drop rate wasn't so horribly bad, reduce the drop rate and then perhaps the fun of it might be back.

---

As I said in the first item on my post, rune hunting was fun "before the days of a Zod rune dropping at 1-in-40 million" odds. Of course hunting for runes is impossible in the current patch. I was talking about when you could legitimately find a high rune every once in awhile. I think you and I are actually in agreement, no need to attack someone saying the same thing as you.