Welcome to our comprehensive guide on Rune Words in Diablo 4's Vessel of Hatred expansion. The Rune Word system is a brand-new mechanic that allows players to gain customizable conditional bonuses by socketing runes. This new system introduces powerful item enhancements, but it's only available to those who have purchased the expansion. Here's everything you need to know about unlocking, crafting, and using Rune Words effectively in your gameplay.
What Are Rune Words in Diablo 4
A Rune Word is a powerful combination of two different stypes Runes slotted into a piece of equipment. Together, they create unique effects that can significantly enhance your character's power and abilities. Runes are items that can be socketed into gear, similar to gems. However, unlike gems, runes come in two categories:
• Ritual Runes: Generate Offerings based on specific tasks, like evading, using a potion, or performing an ultimate skill.
• Rune of Invocation: Trigger powerful effects when enough Offering is accumulated, sometimes with bonuses if the Offering exceeds the required amount.
How to Unlock Rune Words in Diablo 4
To start using Rune Words, you must progress through the Vessel of Hatred campaign. Begin the main campaign and continue completing the quests provided. Eventually, you'll receive the quest titled "Foundation of Faith." After this campaign step:
1. You'll receive a cache containing your first set of runes.
2. Rune Words will be unlocked, allowing them to drop from any in-game activity.
3. You'll also unlock the Under City Side Quest, crucial for farming additional runes.
Best Ways to Farm Runes in Diablo 4
1. Under City Activity with Rune Tributes: The Under City Activity is the most efficient way to farm Runes. Using Rune-based Tributes, you can obtain one Rune per reward tier you reach, potentially netting multiple runes in just a few minutes. Completing the Under City Side Quest is vital to unlocking this activity.
2. World Bosses: World bosses are also great sources of Runes, usually dropping at least three Runes per kill. These bosses also have a higher chance of dropping Legendary Runes, the rarest and most powerful types.
3. Nightmare Dungeons: Nightmare Dungeons are another solid option for Rune farming. The bosses at the end typically drop at least one Rune, and Resplendent Chests and Elite Enemies within the dungeon also have a chance to drop Runes.
4. Treasure Goblins: Treasure Goblins occasionally drop Runes and offer another chance to farm them, especially during Helltide Events.
5. Seething Realm Events: In the Nantu Region, participating in the Seething Realm Event can reward you with the Opal of Socketables, a consumable item that increases Rune drops during its 30-minute duration.
Diablo 4 Runes Crafting: Upgrading and Trading
• Trade Three Runes for One: You can trade three Runes of the same rarity for a random Rune, with a chance of upgrading the rarity. For example, three Magic Runes can turn into one Rare Rune, and three Rare Runes can become a Legendary Rune.
• Mythic Unique Crafting: Runes are also used in crafting Mythic Uniques. The Blacksmith will craft a random Mythic Unique for two Resplendent Sparks and 50 million gold, while the Jeweler can craft a specific Mythic Unique if you provide six Magic, six Rare, and six Legendary Runes of the required type.
Best Rune Combinations and Rituals in Diablo 4
Here are some of the most effective Rune combinations and rituals to enhance your gameplay in Diablo 4:
1. Ritual Rune - Core Skill Spammer: Tam + Ohm
If your build revolves around spamming core skills, the Tam Rune is perfect for generating massive Offerings quickly. Ohm, as the Invocation Rune, significantly boosts your damage output, making this combination ideal for maximizing DPS.
2. Invocation Rune - War Cry: Ohm Rune
The O Rune allows you to cast the Barbarian’s War Cry, granting a 15% damage boost when activated. With the right setup, this bonus can be almost permanent, significantly increasing your damage output.
3. Invocation Rune - Earth Bulwark: Feo + Ner
Feo generates Offerings whenever you're injured or crowd controlled, which pairs perfectly with Ner. Ner invokes the Rogue's Countering Concealment, allowing you to dispel any crowd control effects applied to you, enhancing survivability.
4. Other Useful Runes:
• G Rune: Provides a stacking crit chance buff, great for builds that rely on critical strikes.
• Z Rune: Generates Offerings when you cast skills from other classes, making it versatile for multi-class builds.
• Necromancer’s Decrepify: Pairs well with the Theol Rune to generate additional Offerings, ideal for Necromancer builds.
Tips for Using Rune Words in Diablo 4
• Cross-Class Skills: Rune Words allow you to acquire skills from other classes through your gear. For example, using the War Cry Invocation Rune can give a Sorcerer a significant damage boost while maintaining ranged attacks.
• Multi-Layered Effects: Try combining two different Rune Words on separate pieces of gear to create multi-layered effects. For instance, one Ritual Rune can generate Offerings through core skill usage, while another setup focuses on boosting defenses.
Conclusion
With this guide, you should have a solid understanding of how to unlock, farm, and use Runes in Diablo 4's Vessel of Hatred. Whether you're looking to create the perfect Rune Word or just maximize your farming efficiency, these tips will help you get the most out of this powerful system. Keep experimenting with different combinations to find what works best for your build.
