Understanding Diablo 4 Runewords: Crafting, Effects, and More Details

When Diablo 4’s 2.0 Update goes live, players will need to understand the new Runewords mechanic.

The end of the PTR for Diablo 4’s 2.0 update has provided players with a solid preview of what to expect with the upcoming Vessel of Hatred expansion. While players couldn’t test the new Spiritborn class, there was still plenty of content to explore.

During this period, players uncovered new insights about the secret cow level, potential details regarding Season 6, and some especially powerful builds. Mastering Diablo 4’s new Runewords is key to crafting these builds.

What are Runewords in Diablo 4, how can players obtain them, and how many have been revealed? This guide will address these questions and assist you in preparing for the Vessel of Hatred and Season 6.

How do Runewords work in Diablo 4?

Runewords function by combining two elements: the Rune of Ritual and the Rune of Invocation. The Rune of Ritual specifies an action or condition that must be fulfilled to activate an effect determined by the Rune of Invocation.

Typically, Runes of Invocation provide access to a Skill associated with one of Diablo 4’s five classes. For instance, with the appropriate Runeword, players could have their Barbarian activate the Druid’s Petrify Ultimate.

The game introduces a wide array of Runewords that can be mixed and matched to optimize your build. Using a Rune of Invocation corresponding to your Class will cast that Skill, applying all its enhancements.

diablo 4 runewords — Blizzard Entertainment

Runeword Offering and Overflow explained

Completing the action prescribed by a Rune of Ritual generates a resource called Offering. This resource is required to activate various Runes of Ritual.

An early example provided by Blizzard illustrates how the Rune of Ritual Bac interacts with the Rune of Invocation Jah. Bac generates 50 Offering when your character moves five meters, while Jah costs 500 Offering to convert your next evade into the Sorcerer’s Teleport.

With both runes equipped, every time your character travels 50 meters, the next evade will be transformed into a Teleport. This is just one possible combination of Runewords in Diablo 4.

Diablo 4 Runewords Explained — Blizzard Entertainment

With two Runewords equipped, players can track their generated Offering through an icon above the buff bar. When this icon fills, the effect of the Rune of Invocation can be triggered.

Some Runewords in Diablo 4 feature an Overflow effect. If players wait to activate their Rune of Invocation and accumulate more Offering than required, the effect will gain additional benefits based on the Overflow.

For example, the Rune of Invocation Qax consumes all of your primary resource to provide a 100% damage increase to your next non-basic Skill. If players generate 450 Offering or more, this damage boost is enhanced further.

How to equip Runewords in Diablo 4

Runewords are slotted into the sockets of compatible gear. They replace Gems, so players will need to choose between the consistent buffs provided by Gems and the unique Skills that Runes offer.

Runewords can be equipped similarly to how one would slot Gems into gear. Important considerations when equipping Runewords include:

Only gear with two sockets can hold Runewords, applicable to Helms, Chests, Pants, and 2-Handed Weapons.
Runewords cannot share a slot with Gems on the same item.
Only two Runewords can be equipped at a time, limiting players to two pieces of gear containing Runes.
The same rune cannot be equipped multiple times across different pieces.

How to Acquire Runewords in Diablo 4

To access Runewords in Diablo 4, players must complete a specific quest during the Vessel of Hatred expansion’s campaign. Afterward, they will be rewarded through various endgame activities.

Runes exist in three rarities: Magic, Rare, and Legendary, mirroring the rarity system of gear in Diablo 4.

Additionally, players can trade Runes with others or craft them.

Diablo 4 Runewords Crafting — Blizzard Entertainment

Crafting Runes in Diablo 4

Players can craft new Runes at the Jeweller in Diablo 4 by offering three identical Runes to create a new one.

The newly crafted Rune will contain a different Runeword than the ones sacrificed. This provides a practical method for disposing of Runes that are of no use, and there’s a chance to craft a Legendary Rune when sacrificing Rare or Magic Runes.

All Runewords and their effects in Diablo 4

Runes of Ritual

Rune	Rarity	Offering Earned	Condition
Cem	Magic	50	Cast Evade.
Cir	Magic	25	Cast the same non-Channeled Skill 3 times in a row.
Money	Magic	10	Cast a Skill after moving. (Cooldown: 0.2 seconds).
Ur	Magic	10	Your Minion or Companion kills an enemy or dies.
Yes	Magic	100	Drink a Healing Potion.
I will	Magic	150	Cast an Ultimate Skill.
Sound	Rare	1,000	Become Injured or Crowd Controlled (Cooldown: 20 seconds).
From you	Rare	2	Lose 1% of your Maximum Life.
Neo	Rare	300	Deal damage after not taking any within 5 seconds. (Resets if Invulnerable.)
Night	Rare	5	Inflict a Crowd Control that isn’t Slow or Chill.
little	Rare	2	`Spend 5% of your Maximum Resource.`
Body	Legendary	10	`Up to a 100% chance against Injured enemies.`
Bac	Legendary	50	Travel 5 meters.
Lith	Legendary	25	Stand still for 0.3 seconds.
For that	Legendary	25	Cast a non-Channeled Core Skill.
Score	Legendary	150	Evoke power from another Class.
Yul	Legendary	50	Cast a Skill with a Cooldown.

Runes of Invocation

Rune	Rarity	Offering Required	Cooldown	Effect	Overflow
Ceh	Magic	100	1 Second	Summon a Spirit Wolf to attack enemies for 8 seconds.	Summon Multiple Wolves
Even	Magic	25	1 Second	Gain 2.5% Critical Strike Chance for 5 seconds, up to 25%.	Gain Multiple Stacks
Lum	Magic	5	1 Second	Restore 1 Primary Resource.	Increased Resource Restored
Of	Magic	100	1 Second	Leave the Necromancer’s Desecrated Ground for 3 seconds, dealing damage to enemies within.	Increased Duration
Ono	Magic	25	1 Second	Evoke the Druid’s Dancing Bolts, seeking and damaging enemies.	Increased Bolts Spawned
Of	Magic	100	1 Second	Evoke the Spiritborn‘s Pestilent Swarm, damaging enemies.	Increased Swarms Spawned
Answer	Magic	100	1 Second	Evoke the Necromancer‘s Abhorrent Iron Maiden, countering damage from enemies and Healing you upon their demise.	None
Tec	Magic	100	1 Second	Evoke the Barbarian’s Earthquake, dealing damage to enemies within.	Increased Size
Ton	Magic	25	1 Second	Evoke the Sorcerer’s Meteorites, damaging enemies.	Increased Meteorites Spawned
Again	Magic	100	1 Second	Evoke the Rogue’s Stun Grenades, stunning and damaging enemies.	Increased Grenades Spawned
Get	Rare	500	3 Seconds	Evoke the Spiritborn’s Vortex, dealing damage and pulling in enemies.	None
Lac	Rare	800	1 Second	Evoke the Barbarian’s Challenging Shout, reducing damage taken.	Increased Duration
Courage	Rare	150	1 Second	Gain a shadow from the Rogue’s Dark Shroud, decreasing damage taken per shadow.	Gain Multiple Shadows
Down	Rare	700	6 Seconds	Evoke the Rogue’s Countering Concealment, offering Dodge Chance and Stealth.	Increased Duration
Go	Rare	400	1 Second	Your next non-Basic Skill cast spends all Primary Resource for a damage boost.	Further Increased Damage
Via	Rare	400	1 Second	Restore an Evade charge and gain temporary Movement Speed.	Increased Duration
What	Rare	800	1 Second	Evoke the Druid’s Earthen Bulwark, granting yourself a Barrier.	Increased Duration
Thul	Rare	400	1 Second	Evoke the Sorcerer’s Mystical Frost Nova, inflicting Freeze and Vulnerable effects.	Increased Size
Tzic	Rare	250	1 Second	Evoke the Spiritborn’s Concussive Stomp, damaging and knocking down enemies.	None
What	Rare	100	1 Second	Evoke the Necromancer’s Horrid Decrepify, slowing enemies and enabling Executions.	None
Solution	Rare	200	1 Second	Gain Maximum Life for a short duration.	Increased Duration
Zec	Rare	200	2 Seconds	Reduce your active Ultimate Cooldown.	Further Reduced Cooldown
Eom	Legendary	100	1 Second	Cooldowns reduced.	Further Reduced Cooldown
Yes	Legendary	500	2 Seconds	Transform your next Evade into the Sorcerer’s Teleport, blinking further and dealing damage.	None
Ohm	Legendary	500	2 Seconds	Evoke the Barbarian’s Enhanced War Cry, boosting speed and damage.	Increased Duration
Vex	Legendary	400	1 Second	Enhance all Skills temporarily.	Increased Duration
Khan	Legendary	700	1 Second	Your next Skill cast will critically strike.	None
Yom	Legendary	500	5 Seconds	Evoke the Druid’s Petrify, stunning enemies and enhancing your Critical Strike Damage against them.	None

With this detailed information, you should be well-prepared to utilize Diablo 4’s new Runewords mechanic. The feature will officially launch with the Vessel of Hatred and Season 6 on October 8, 2024.

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