Diablo 2 Items are the most important tools that players need to power up their characters. They include Non Ladder runewords, Set items, Unique Weapons & Armors, Charms, and more.
While these items are all rare and very powerful, they are also extremely difficult to obtain. That is why you should always try your best to find a good and reputable source.
Runewords
Runewords are a unique and powerful crafting system in Diablo 2. They can be used to upgrade various types of armor and weapons, giving them a special boost. To create runewords, players must insert the correct runes into a particular type of item (usually a weapon or armor), in a specific order. If the order is not followed correctly, the item will not create a runeword and the player will lose any bonus that was earned by creating it.
There are 78 different runeword combinations, some of which are class-specific and others that can only be gained by participating in the Ladder season. We’ve put together a list of the most common runeword combinations, along with their level requirements and ladder requirements to assist players looking for the best options.
For starters, the Sorceress is a highly gear-dependent character and thus, the most common Sorceress runewords are all designed to be found on items that will support a Sorc’s core skills. The best Sorceress runewords are those that offer a large skill increase, a large attack speed bonus and a strong cold area of effect ability.
Another popular Sorceress build is one that focuses on a ranged weapon like the bow or the wand. The White runeword on a wand is an ideal starting and mid-weapon for this build. It’s not only a good weapon for Sorcs that focus on spell casting, but it can also be used in any other build that needs some extra damage and some bonus skill increases.
The Hammerdin is a common build in Diablo 2. This runeword, Heart of the Oak, is an excellent choice for this build thanks to its massive Faster Cast Rate boost and the fact that it’s able to add a high amount of resistance.
Fire Druids, Sorcs, Assassins, Paladins and even some Mercenaries will find that this runeword is useful in many builds. It offers a large damage and attack speed boost as well as a huge increase to fire resistance which can help your build become tanky on Hell difficulty.
Runes
In Diablo 2 runes are small stones inscribed with magical glyphs that can be inserted into socketed items to grant them certain magical properties. They can also be paired with other runes to create certain combinations called runewords, which when inserted in the proper order give the socketed item even more powerful abilities.
These runewords are one of the most interesting innovations in the game’s loot system, which was introduced by the Lord of Destruction expansion. They allow players to add an extra layer of depth and complexities to the already dizzying array of mechanics and layers that go into building a character’s equipment.
Runes must be inserted into an item with the correct number of sockets in order for them to work. This is done automatically; you simply place the first rune in the socket, then the next in the same order, and so on until you have filled up all the sockets.
Some runewords are very specific about what gear they will work on; for example, [Insight] requires a 4-socket polearm or stave as its base. Likewise, [Heart of the Oak] only works in maces and staves, not hammers.
Another runeword quirk is that the runes must be inscribed in the correct order; for example, Tir + El should not be placed in a three-socket weapon. This is due to the fact that the runes will fill up their sockets in numerical order, and placing the wrong runes in a socket can result in the item being completely useless.
Despite these limitations, there are ways to make the process of creating runewords easier and faster. For one, the runes can be upgraded together via the Horadric Cube; this allows players to upgrade the same rune to a higher level.
Second, runes can be regenerated when they are lost; this occurs when a player’s character dies or the character opens a chest. It is important to note, however, that this ability does not increase the chance of finding a rune when it is dropped.
Lastly, runes have a minimum character level (cLevel). If the character is below this cLevel when they use an item that contains that rune, the item cannot be used. This means that the most common runes can be used in low-level gear, but the same is not true of higher-level gear.
Sets
Set items in Diablo 2 are special secondary gear that grant powerful bonuses as long as you equip several of them at the same time. They are often a great way for players to gain a leg up in the game’s ladder.
Some sets are designed specifically for specific classes and fighting styles. Other sets are more general and are more suited for endgame use.
Regardless, all sets have unique stats that can be beneficial to different types of characters. These are called “set strengths” and include things like faster cast rate, mana regen, etc.
There are also sets with properties that favor Physical damage and Caster skills. These can be very useful for classes that rely on weapon-based damage, such as Archdruids and Amazons.
Another example of a set that is primarily geared towards casting classes are the ones crafted for Necromancers. Aiming mostly at a low-mid level Necromancer, these sets have +2 to all Necromancer skills, a wide range of cLevel, and provide huge resistances.
These sets are very rarely used and, even in their most powerful forms, are not that interesting or unique. They are simply combinations of some stats that can be very useful, but they lack the personality and power that sets can provide.
For this reason, they’re usually treated like uniques – the stats that they offer are not particularly exciting, but are still useful. The exception to this is the Angelic Raiment, a full set that provides survival effects and boosts Magic Find.
While these sets are not quite as rare as uniques, they still make up a significant portion of the secondary gear available in Diablo 2. Their levels are somewhat variable and, because there is no requirement that individual pieces within a set share a similar quality, it can be hard to predict which pieces will drop at certain levels.
Despite this, the Angelic Raiment is a very useful set for early-mid level characters looking to build up their survival stats. It can help them to stay alive in dungeons or to challenge bosses in the Challenge and Elder Rifts, while the bonus Life Steal makes it a good option for PvE farming. It can also be combined with other sets for extra Gold Find.
Unique
Unique items are the rarest and most desirable wearable items in Diablo 2. These green-colored weapons and small charms imbue base equipment with far more desireable stats than magic versions of the same piece of gear.
They aren’t easy to find, and it takes a lot of time and effort to scrounge up a few, but they can be quite useful on some of the strongest builds in the game. They also come with a variety of special properties that can’t be found on normal items, such as Crushing Blow and Deadly Strike.
One of the most powerful Uniques in Diablo 2 is Griffin’s Eye, a hero editor item that gives plus 1 to all skills and increases your maximum lightning skill damage. It’s also great for casters who aren’t using runewords or other high-end magic items, as it offers more Lightning resists and a chance to do deadly strike, which doubles your damage when the skill is cast.
Another high-end Unique for casters is Magefist, which offers an 8% increased attack speed and a 10% increased chance to get the Crushing Blow bonus when casting. It also has a 6% chance to proc Death’s Web, which allows you to deal extra damage when your attacks hit an enemy.
This is especially good for a caster with high Lightning damage, as it can give them a big boost to their overall damage output. It’s also a good choice for Frenzy Barbarians, as they can take advantage of the 20% additional Damage and Vitality it adds to their melee attacks.
Finally, a unique weapon that’s often sought after is the War Traveler, a very high-end magic item that gives you a 15% to 25% boost to damage and an increase in Strength and Vitality. This can help your character to take down more enemies and earn higher XP faster.
Unique items are a must-have for any melee or caster character, as they can make all the difference in a fight. Some even enable the top endgame builds in the game, and can even help players get a foothold on Uber Tristram, which is the true endgame in Diablo 2. This is especially the case with Smiter Paladins or Frenzy Barbarians who can take on those incredibly difficult Uber bosses.