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These endgame equipment ensure that players retain their toughness against overwhelming evil. Besides, this is one of the sole reasons why one plays an ARPG—shiny, shimmering, splendid loot. Make them more spectacular with these runewords in Diablo 2: Resurrected.
Updated December 19, 2021, by Sid Natividad: Several months after the release of Diablo 2: Resurrected, a lot of players are probably geared up well already. That’s no excuse to be complacent. Evil still lurks in every corner, and who knows, a new ladder announcement might be lurking as well. That’s why it’s high time to familiarize oneself again with the Diablo 2 best armor runewords.
Because one never knows when a fresh new economy via ladder will begin. Besides, there’s more to the Diablo 2 armor endgame than Enigma or Chains of Honor. Some of the best armor runewords, after all, are dark horse ones that perform unexpectedly well. So take a look again at some of the best armor runewords Diablo 2, there’s more of them here.
15 Treachery (Shael + Thul + Lem)
5% Chance To Cast Level 15 Fade When Struck 25% Chance To Cast level 15 Venom On Striking +2 To Assassin Skills +45% Increased Attack Speed +20% Faster Hit Recovery Cold Resist +30% 50% Extra Gold From Monsters
Forget about Fortitude, Treachery is the best Mercenary armor in the game. At least that’s according to some of the math whizzes in the Diablo 2 community. It was made for an Assassin but its most valuable stat is the Attack Speed increase. On a Mercenary with a Life Leech weapon, it’s phenomenal and makes them borderline immortal.
The Fade is also astonishingly useful for the Mercenary. If not, then players can use it on their characters and enjoy the Fade procs or the rapid attack speed. For Assassins? Well, it’s best-in-slot until Enigma comes along. The best part is that it’s incredibly cheap.
14 Dragon (Sur + Lo + Sol)
20% Chance to Cast Level 18 Venom When Struck 12% Chance To Cast Level 15 Hydra On Striking Level 14 Holy Fire Aura When Equipped +360 Defense +230 Defense Vs. Missile +3-5 To All Attributes +0. 375-37. 125 To Strength (Based on Character Level) Increase Maximum Mana 5% (Armor Only) +5% To Maximum Lightning Resist Damage Reduced by 7
It’s expansive alright and not exactly ideal for those aiming for Enigma since Sur and Lo are quite close to Jah and Ber, but Dragon has its place niche Paladin builds. Auradins or Holy Fire Paladins will love this armor. Two of these (the other one in the shield) and the Holy Fire Aura comes in at Level 28.
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Couple that with the Conviction Aura and suddenly, low-level auras are viable in the endgame again. Everything else is just a bonus here but the Dragon runeword lives up to its name. That Hydra trigger when striking synergizes well with the Zeal skill too.
13 Gloom (Fal + Um + Pul)
15% Chance To Cast Level 3 Dim Vision When Struck +10% Faster Hit Recovery +200-260% Enhanced Defense +10 To Strength All Resistances +45 Half Freeze Duration 5% Damage Taken Goes To Mana -3 To Light Radius
A good defensive runeword with little to no drawbacks and comes in at a cheap price is Gloom. It doesn’t have anything flashy or overpowered compared to other runewords or even unique armor but it has a no-nonsense approach and every modifier here is useful—apart from the Light Radius deduction though that’s also somewhat beneficial for stealthiness.
In any case, that whopping +45 to all Resistances solves a lot of problems. The defense bonus is also great, making it a good candidate for usage among top armor types. Meanwhile, the Dim Vision trigger cast can be a lifesaver especially in areas like Worldstone Keep.
12 Enlightenment (Pul + Ral + Sol)
5% Chance To Cast Level 15 Blaze When Struck 5% Chance To Cast Level 15 Fire Ball On Striking +2 To Sorceress Skill Levels +1 To Warmth +30% Enhanced Defense Fire Resist +30% Damage Reduced By 7
Sometimes it’s puzzling why some runewords are so unpopular. Enlightenment is one of those and it’s actually good for the Sorceress. The +2 to skill levels is always a welcome bonus. Though apart from that, it doesn’t really give much, which is probably why some players prefer Skin of the Vipermagi.
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Still, the rune requirements are too cheap and it would be a shame to skip this one if an armor with a plus to skill levels isn’t present yet. Besides, Sorceresses are the most common class in the game due to Teleport and the opportunity to forego Enigma. That leaves them with an flexible armor slot and this one works well for Nightmare difficulty.
11 Stone (Shael + Um + Pul + Lum)
+60% Faster Hit Recovery +250-290% Enhanced Defense (varies) +300 Defense Vs. Missile +16 To Strength +16 To Vitality +10 To Energy All Resistances +15 Level 16 Molten Boulder (80 Charges) Level 16 Clay Golem (16 Charges)
Looking for a good armor for that Nightmare difficulty run in a solo self-found and untweaked character? Then Stone might be a good option, especially for melee characters. Its rune requirements are relatively cheap and the benefits are impressive on a defensive scale.
The Faster Hit Recovery bonus is the most valuable one here followed by the Resistances and the stat increase. The Clay Golem? Not too bad as it can slow down enemies and turn bosses into a joke when combined with Holy Freeze and Decrepify.
10 Lionheart (Hel + Lum + Fal)
+20% Enhanced Damage Requirements -15% +25 To Strength +10 To Energy +20 To Vitality +15 To Dexterity +50 To Life All Resistances +30
An armor’s purpose is protection, meaning using the item slot to boost damage is a little counterproductive and turns a character into a glass cannon. The Lionheart runeword wants none of that pitfall.
Its most attractive value is the flat bonus to all resistances. There are better options once players have reached high enough levels but the Lionheart remains an affordable alternative for players in Hell difficulty who are under-geared with poor resistances.
9 Bone (Sol + Um + Um)
15% Chance To Cast Level 10 Bone Armor When Struck 15% Chance To Cast Level 10 Bone Spear On Striking +2 To Necromancer Skill Levels +100-150 To Mana All Resistances +30 Damage Reduced By 7
For a safe and effortless endgame character, one can’t go wrong with any Necromancer build be it Summoner or Bonemancer. In that case, a fitting Bone runeword is mandatory. Players ought to be aiming for it in Nightmare difficulty.
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Out of all the class-specific armor runewords, Bone for the Necromancer is the most generous with its encompassing resistance bonus. The runeword’s defensive and stat focus also makes it a must-have for any Necromancer build. So, throw these necromancers a Bone. They deserve it.
8 Peace (Shael + Thul + Amn)
7 Duress (Shael + Um + Thul)
+40% Faster Hit Recovery +10-20% Enhanced Damage Adds 37-133 Cold Damage 2 sec. Duration (Normal) 15% Chance of Crushing Blow 33% Chance of Open Wounds +150-200% Enhanced Defense -20% Slower Stamina Drain Cold Resist +45% Lightning Resist +15% Fire Resist +15% Poison Resist +15%
Duress looks like it’s more focused on giving melee characters an edge and that’s about right. It sprinkles plenty of melee perks such as Crushing Blow and Open Wounds to ensure that builds such as Whirlwind/Frenzy Barbarians or Zealot Paladins remain functional.
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Defense-wise, it’s no slouch. The resistance add-ons are good but the real winner here is the Faster Hit Recovery which ensures one’s melee characters don’t remain stagger-locked. This is great for dealing with packs of enemies in melee range.
6 Smoke (Nef + Lum)
+75% Enhanced Defense +280 Defense Vs. Missile All Resistances +50 20% Faster Hit Recovery Level 6 Weaken (18 Charges) +10 To Energy -1 To Light Radius
When it comes to plugging some holes that Hell difficulty is sure to enlarge or further damage, the Smoke runeword armor is among the best in the affordable category. Nef and Lum are dirt cheap and players might even find others who just give them for free if they beg enough.
In any case, that jaw-dropping +50 to resistances ensures that players are always ready for Hell difficulty. Only a handful of other armor can grant that amount and they’re usually more expensive or rarer.
5 Fortitude (El + Sol + Dol + Lo)
20% Chance To Cast Level 15 Chilling Armor when Struck +25% Faster Cast Rate +300% Enhanced Damage +200% Enhanced Defense +15 Defense +X To Life (Based on Character Level) Replenish Life +7 +5% To Maximum Lightning Resist All Resistances +25-30 Damage Reduced By 7 12% Damage Taken Goes To Mana +1 To Light Radius
Speaking of another affordable armor that grants an all-star serving of defense stats, Fortitude is a runeword that lives up to its name. The resistance bonus is spot-on but the main attraction here is the Life increase.
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That one scales based on character level, making it the runeword Hell-proof. It also grants a little bit of everything and casters (usually top-tier DPS builds) will surely benefit from the Faster Cast Rate.
4 Bramble (Ral + Ohm + Sur + Eth)
Level 15-21 Thorns Aura When Equipped +50% Faster Hit Recovery +25-50% To Poison Skill Damage +300 Defense Increase Maximum Mana 5% Regenerate Mana 15% +5% To Maximum Cold Resist Fire Resist +30% Poison Resist +100% +13 Life After Each Kill Level 13 Spirit of Barbs (33 Charges)
Bramble doesn’t get much appreciation since Sur runes are a little expensive and players prioritize other runewords for it. However, it’s a great piece of equipment for players who are sick and tired of dying to poison stacks. Those are all too common in Hell.
The Poison Skill damage makes it a little niche and better-suited for Venomancers or Poison Assassin builds but it’s still viable for any other build of class. One can also build around the Thorns aura and frees up a lot of skill points for Auradin builds.
3 Chains of Honor (Dol + Um + Ber + Ist)
+2 To All Skills +200% Damage To Demons +100% Damage To Undead 8% Life Stolen Per Hit +70% Enhanced Defense +20 To Strength Replenish Life +7 All Resistances +65 Damage Reduced By 8% 25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Ber runes are some of the rarest and most elusive drops in the game but the gear they produce is more than worth it. Chains of Honor is no exception. It’s quite possibly the second-best piece of runeword armor in the game after a certain one that turns everyone into zippy teleporters.
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It has a universal skill level increase, making it welcome for any build. The resistance bonus is also even higher than that of the Smoke rune and rightfully so. Meanwhile, the damage increase against the two most prevalent enemy types in the game is nothing to scoff at. The only thing missing for it is a huge defense bonus but that’s a worthy compromise.
2 Stealth (Tal + Eth)
Magic Damage Reduced By 3 +6 To Dexterity +15 To Maximum Stamina Poison Resist +30% Regenerate Mana 15% 25% Faster Run/Walk 25% Faster Cast Rate 25% Faster Hit Recovery
What we have here is every low-level player’s favorite runeword. Stealth and its runewords will sneakily make their way into every player’s stash. More often than not, players probably have runes for several Stealth armors without their knowledge.
What makes such a ubiquitous runeword still top-tier? Well, apart from its low-level requirement (level 17), Stealth comes with the trifecta of Faster everything. Cast Rate makes it great for budget Hammerdins or other casters; Faster Run/Walk is always good; Faster Hit Recovery is a lovely defensive option. Overall, it’s a must-have armor for speedrunning until players are ready to graduate their builds.
1 Enigma (Jah + Ith + Ber)
+2 To All Skills +45% Faster Run/Walk +1 To Teleport +750-775 Defense + (0. 75 Per Character Level) +0-74 To Strength (Based On Character Level) Increase Maximum Life 5% Damage Reduced By 8% +14 Life After Each Kill 15% Damage Taken Goes To Mana + (1 Per Character Level) +1-99% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items (Based On Character Level)
Not much to see here. Enigma has always been at the top of the runeword tier list and has dominated build guides for nearly two decades now. Turns out giving all characters a free Teleport skill makes them too overpowered.
As it is, an Enigma armor remains one of the most expensive items in Diablo 2, meaning a majority of players won’t have it. Also, players can forget about farming it from scratch— getting killed again and again by the Uber Diablo brothers is preferable to thousands of map farming runs just to catch a glimpse of that Jah or Ber rune.
Diablo 2: Resurrected was released on September 23, 2021, and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
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