Diablo II / Rune words
Diablo II: Legacy rune words, socket rules and starter gear
Make Stealth, Leaf, Lore and Ancient’s Pledge without wasting the base or runes.
Edition covered
Guides cover the original Diablo II: Lord of Destruction in its later legacy patch rules, including 1.13+ respecs and the legacy Cow King restriction. They do not cover Resurrected, its added content, new rune words or changed balance. Pictures are original Blizzard Arreat Summit media; the homepage image is seven-class reference artwork, not box art.
3 items · one picture per entry · open a picture for full size.
Rune words
More rune words
- Stealth — Tal → Eth · Body armor with exactly 2 sockets.
Quick notes
- Use an eligible socketed base in the exact order. Rune words require the correct item category, exactly the required number of sockets and the runes inserted in the listed order.
- Start with inexpensive legacy rune words. Stealth, Leaf, Lore and Ancient’s Pledge offer useful early goals without requiring rare high runes.
- Respect patch and realm restrictions. Some later Lord of Destruction rune words are ladder-only in the original rules.
- Treat socket cleanup as destruction of the contents. The Horadric Cube can clear a socketed item using a Hel rune and a Town Portal scroll, but the inserted runes, gems or jewels are destroyed.
Use an eligible socketed base in the exact order
| Requirement | Correct setup | Failure to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Item quality | Eligible normal socketed base | Magic, rare, set or unique socketed items. |
| Socket count | Exactly the listed number | Extra empty sockets still invalidate the recipe. |
| Item category | The specific allowed category | A spear is not automatically a polearm; an orb is not a staff. |
| Rune order | Insert in the listed sequence | The same runes in another order do not count. |
| Version and mode | Recipe available under your rules | Copying a Resurrected-only or restricted legacy recipe. |
Useful tip
Read the item’s quality and category before inserting the first rune.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| Blizzard: The Arreat Summit | classic.battle.net |
| Blizzard: character and death mechanics | classic.battle.net |
| Blizzard: original rune words | classic.battle.net |
| Blizzard: Horadric Cube recipes | classic.battle.net |
| Blizzard: legacy Secret Cow Level | classic.battle.net |