Runestones
From Diablo Wiki
Runestones are small items that can be applied - one each - to any skill, but not to passives or items. Diablo III's skill runes grant special bonuses to the skills with which they are used, altering their effects and generally enhancing them, although the changes that a rune makes to a skill may dramatically alter its utility.
- See all news related to runestones in Diablo III.
- Rune Archive -- Runes evolved greatly during the development of Diablo III. See the archive page for a history lesson.
Contents |
Rune Basics
The runes changed drastically after the Beta Patch 13, where players were first able to try them out for themselves[1].
Runes are a component of the skill system that allows a player to alter a skill, whether that alteration is major or minor. Some runes, such as the Bash rune Unleashed, won't change the basic functionality of the skill, and offer a bonus such as increased resource generation, or increased damage. However, other runes can drastically change the way a skill operates, such as the Witch Doctor's Rain of Toads rune for Plague of Toads, which instead of having a few frogs hop across the ground in an erratic pattern, the frogs then fall from the sky in a directed assault.
The five runes, currently, do not have individual names. This can make communication with other players somewhat confusing. However, each rune's effect on a skill is named. For example changing the Barbarian's skill Cleave into Broad Sweep, Gathering Storm, Scattering Blast, Reaping Swing or Rupture by activating the appropriate rune will apply additional bonuses.
Attaining Runes
Runes are automatically unlocked upon a pre-determined level. Each skill will list what levels each rune will unlock at, and after the level requirement is met, the skill can then be altered by activating the rune. Runes can be changed at any time, but changing a rune will trigger a 15-second cooldown, during which time the skill or spell will not be available for use.
D3 Runestones vs. D2 Runes
Diablo III's Runes are nothing like the 'runes' found in Diablo II. In D2 there are thirty-three kinds of runes, which are small items that have no use on their own, but can be placed in item sockets to add various bonuses to those items, and in certain combinations produce RuneWords, which add powerful, predetermined sets of bonuses, provided that the item has precisely the right number of sockets.
Diablo III's runes are "socketed" into skills, not items. See the Gems and Sockets articles for more details about item socketing in Diablo III.
Skill Rune Videos
In May 2011 Blizzard released a set of five videos, one for each of the classes, demonstrating various runestones in a single skill each.
Barbarian's Whirlwind
Demon Hunter's Cluster Arrow
Monk's Sweeping Wind
Witch Doctor's Acid Cloud
Wizard's Ray of Frost
Media
Various images of Runestones and Rune Effects.
References
- ↑ New Skill Interface and Rune System -Diablo.incgamers, 20/2/2012
| Classes of the Diablo games |
Skills - Active skills - Skill runes - Passives - Resource - Movement ability [e] Barbarian Demon Hunter Monk Witch Doctor Wizard Followers Other Classes Fan-made |
|---|
| The Barbarian | Fury - Barbarian Active Skills (Archive) | Barbarian Passive Skills (Archive) [e] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Primary Might |
Secondary Tactics |
Defensive Rage |
Pound of Flesh (10) |
Superstition (30) |
| (X) = the level at which the skill becomes unlocked. | |||||
| Barbarian skill categories: Primary Secondary Defensive Might Tactics Rage |
|---|
|
Bash - Rune effects |
Cleave - Rune effects |
Frenzy - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Hammer of the Ancients - Rune effects |
Rend - Rune effects |
Seismic Slam - Rune effects |
Whirlwind - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Ground Stomp - Rune effects |
Leap - Rune effects |
Sprint - Rune effects |
Ignore Pain - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Ancient Spear - Rune effects |
Revenge - Rune effects |
Furious Charge - Rune effects |
Overpower - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Weapon Throw - Rune effects |
Threatening Shout - Rune effects |
Battle Rage - Rune effects |
War Cry - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Earthquake - Rune effects |
Call of the Ancients - Rune effects |
Wrath of the Berserker - Rune effects |
[e] |
| Demon Hunter skill categories: Primary Secondary Defensive Hunting Devices Archery |
|---|
|
Hungering Arrow - Rune effects |
Entangling Shot - Rune effects |
Bola Shot - Rune effects |
Grenades - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Impale - Rune effects |
Rapid Fire - Rune effects |
Chakram - Rune effects |
Elemental Arrow - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Caltrops - Rune effects |
Smoke Screen - Rune effects |
Shadow Power - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Vault - Rune effects |
Preparation - Rune effects |
Companion - Rune effects |
Marked for Death - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Evasive Fire - Rune effects |
Fan of Knives - Rune effects |
Spike Trap - Rune effects |
Sentry - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Strafe - Rune effects |
Multishot - Rune effects |
Cluster Arrow - Rune effects |
Rain of Vengeance - Rune effects |
[e] |
| Monk skill categories: Primary Secondary Defensive Techniques Focus Mantras |
|---|
|
Fists of Thunder - Rune effects |
Deadly Reach - Rune effects |
Crippling Wave - Rune effects |
Way of the Hundred Fists - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Lashing Tail Kick - Rune effects |
Tempest Rush - Rune effects |
Wave of Light - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Blinding Flash - Rune effects |
Breath of Heaven - Rune effects |
Serenity - Rune effects |
Inner Sanctuary - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Dashing Strike - Rune effects |
Exploding Palm - Rune effects |
Sweeping Wind - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Cyclone Strike - Rune effects |
Seven Sided Strike - Rune effects |
Mystic Ally - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Mantra of Evasion - Rune effects |
Mantra of Retribution - Rune effects |
Mantra of Healing - Rune effects |
Mantra of Conviction - Rune effects |
[e] |
| Witch Doctor skill categories: Primary Secondary Defensive Terror Decay Voodoo |
|---|
|
Poison Dart - Rune effects |
Corpse Spiders - Rune effects |
Plague of Toads - Rune effects |
Firebomb - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Grasp of the Dead - Rune effects |
Firebats - Rune effects |
Haunt - Rune effects |
Locust Swarm - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Summon Zombie Dogs - Rune effects |
Horrify - Rune effects |
Spirit Walk - Rune effects |
Hex - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Soul Harvest - Rune effects |
Sacrifice - Rune effects |
Mass Confusion - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Zombie Charger - Rune effects |
Spirit Barrage - Rune effects |
Acid Cloud - Rune effects |
Wall of Zombies - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Gargantuan - Rune effects |
Big Bad Voodoo - Rune effects |
Fetish Army - Rune effects |
[e] |
| Wizard skill categories: Primary Secondary Defensive Force Conjuration Mastery |
|---|
|
Magic Missile - Rune effects |
Shock Pulse - Rune effects |
Spectral Blade - Rune effects |
Electrocute - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Ray of Frost - Rune effects |
Arcane Orb - Rune effects |
Arcane Torrent - Rune effects |
Disintegrate - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Frost Nova - Rune effects |
Diamond Skin - Rune effects |
Slow Time - Rune effects |
Teleport - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Wave of Force - Rune effects |
Energy Twister - Rune effects |
Hydra - Rune effects |
Meteor - Rune effects |
Blizzard - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Ice Armor - Rune effects |
Storm Armor - Rune effects |
Magic Weapon - Rune effects |
Familiar - Rune effects |
Energy Armor - Rune effects |
[e] |
|
Explosive Blast - Rune effects |
Mirror Image - Rune effects |
Archon - Rune effects |
[e] |
| Followers | Kormac the Templar | Lyndon the Scoundrel | Eirena the Enchantress [e] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Level 10: |
Level 5: Level 10: |
Level 15: |
Level 15: Level 20: |
Level 25: Level 30: | ||
| Diablo III Other Classes | Diablo II Classes | Diablo I Classes [e] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Archetypes: |
Archetype sub-types: |
Other classes: |
Diablo II: |
|||
| Fan-made Classes | Fan-made Skills [e] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
• Alchemist |
• Flagellant |
• Ranger |
Dragon Warrior Skills |
Untainted Skills |
Aurian Mage Skill |
| | |||||
| Items of Diablo III [e] Item Basics Normal Items Legendary Armor I Legendary Weapons I Item Sets |
|---|
| Item Basics | Item Modifiers | Inventory | Artisans | Merchants | Miscellaneous [e] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
• Armor |
• Prefixes |
• Paper Doll |
The Blacksmith The Jeweler |
The Economy |
| Armor - Class-Specific | Weapons - Class-Specific | Crafting Items | Other Items [e] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head • Helms Torso Waist |
Shoulders |
Jewelry Off-Hand Follower Special |
One-Handed Melee • Axes |
Two-Handed Melee • Axes |
• Blacksmith Plans • Jeweler Designs Crafting Materials |
• Potions |
| One-Handed Ranged • Hand Crossbows DH |
Two-Handed Ranged | |||||
| Item Sets [e] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
(52) Asheara's Bindings - Crafted |
(30) Captain's Crimson Attire |
(55) Guardian's Regalia - Crafted |
(60) Manajuma's Ritual WD |
