Diablo 2 Resurrected Runes are a type of item players will find when playing the game. You can use these by themselves to gain bonuses with socketed weapons and armor. However, the more effective way of using Runes is to combine them into a Runeword. This will grant the item powerful stats and magic effects. Some of these runewords are considered as the best gear in the game for specific Builds and Classes in D2 Resurrected. Below we include a Ranking of the Best Runes based on their value in-game, which relates to what Runewords they are used in.
Quickly navigate this All Guide using the links below.
Best Runes in D2R
- S TIERThe Best Runes in D2 and used as late-game currency.
- A TIERVery Strong runes, similar value to S-Tier Choices.
- B TIERGood runes and can be used in useful runewords with the right Class Build.
- C TIERAn Average choice, middle of the pack neither good nor bad.
- D TIERBelow Average, slightly on the weaker side of an average runes.
- E TIERWeak choice and common low level drop.
- F TIERWorst the lowest ranking options in this Diablo 2 Runes Tier List.
You can CLICK/TAP the Runes to view How To Get and what Runewords you can make with the rune.
How To Get Runes in Diablo 2
You can obtain Runes using four methods, first is they can randomly drop in-game in specific difficulty. Second, you can get a higher chance of rune drop rates from the Countess and Hell Forge. Lastly, you can craft runes using recipes in the Horadric Cube, but we do not recommend this method.
- Countess FarmingThe Countess is the objective of The Forgotten Tower (Quest) in Act I. You can repeatedly kill the Countess Boss for Runes, even after you finish the quest.
- Hell Forge RunsHell Forge is the second quest of Act IV. Started by talking to Deckard Cain. In order to complete the quest players need to bring Mephisto's Soulstone to the Hellforge, located within the River of Flame.
- Drop ChanceRandomly dropped by monsters.
- Horadric Cube RecipeUsing a recipe to craft a rune.
Rune | How To Get | What It Does | What You Can Make |
---|---|---|---|
F Tier ![]() El | Countess: Normal and above Hell Forge: Normal Drop Chance: Act 2 Horadric Cube Recipe: | Weapon: +50 attack rating, +1 light Armor: +15 defense, +1 light Shield: +15 defense, +1 light | |
F Tier ![]() Eld | Countess: Normal and above Hell Forge: Normal Drop Chance: Act 2 Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 El | Weapon: +75% damage to undead, +50 attack rating vs. undead Armor: 15% slower stamina drain Shield: +7% block chance | |
F Tier ![]() Tir | Countess: Normal and above Hell Forge: Normal Drop Chance: Act 2 Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Eld | Weapon: +2 mana per kill Armor: +2 mana per kill Shield: +2 mana per kill | |
F Tier ![]() Nef | Countess: Normal and above Hell Forge: Normal Drop Chance: Act 2 Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Tir | Weapon: knockback Armor: +30 defense vs. missiles Shield: +30 defense vs. missiles | |
F Tier ![]() Eth | Countess: Normal and above Hell Forge: Normal Drop Chance: Act 3 Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Nef | Weapon: -25% target defense Armor: +15% mana regeneration Shield: +15% mana regeneration | |
F Tier ![]() Ith | Countess: Normal and above Hell Forge: Normal Drop Chance: Act 3 Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Eth | Weapon: +9 maximum damage Armor: 15% damage to mana Shield: 15% damage to mana | |
E Tier ![]() Tal | Countess: Normal and above Hell Forge: Normal Drop Chance: Act 3 Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Ith | Weapon: +75 poison damage over 5s Armor: 30% poison resist Shield: 35% poison resist | |
E Tier ![]() Ral | Countess: Normal and above Hell Forge: Normal Drop Chance: Act 3 Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Tal | Weapon: +5-30 fire damage Armor: 30% fire resist Shield: 35% fire resist | |
E Tier ![]() Ort | Countess: Nightmare and above Hell Forge: Normal Drop Chance: Act 4 Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Ral | Weapon: +1-50 lightning damage Armor: 30% lightning resist Shield: 35% lightning resist | |
E Tier ![]() Thul | Countess: Nightmare and above Hell Forge: Normal Drop Chance: Act 4 Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Ort | Weapon: +3-14 cold damage, 3s chill Armor: 30% cold resist Shield: 35% cold resist | |
D Tier ![]() Amn | Countess: Nightmare and above Hell Forge: Normal Drop Chance: Act 4 Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Thul + 1 Chipped Topaz | Weapon: 7% life leech Armor: 14 damage returned Shield: 14 damage returned | |
D Tier ![]() Sol | Countess: Nightmare and above Hell Forge: Nightmare Drop Chance: Act 4 Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Amn + 1 Chipped Amethyst | Weapon: +9 minimum damage Armor: damage reduced by 7 Shield: damage reduced by 7 | |
C Tier ![]() Shael | Countess: Nightmare and above Hell Forge: Nightmare Drop Chance: Act 5 Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Sol + 1 Chipped Sapphire | Weapon: 20% increased attack speed Armor: 20% faster hit recovery Shield: 20% faster block rate | |
C Tier ![]() Dol | Countess: Nightmare and above Hell Forge: Nightmare Drop Chance: Act 5 Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Shael + 1 Chipped Ruby | Weapon: hit causes flee 25% Armor: replenish life +7 Shield: replenish life +7 | |
B Tier ![]() Hel | Countess: Nightmare and above Hell Forge: Nightmare and Hell Drop Chance: Act 1 (Nightmare) Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Dol + 1 Chipped Emerald (Ladder Only) | Weapon: requirements -20% Armor: requirements -15% Shield: requirements -15% | |
B Tier ![]() Io | Countess: Nightmare and above Hell Forge: Nightmare and Hell Drop Chance: Act 1 (Nightmare) Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Hel + 1 Chipped Diamond (Ladder Only) | Weapon: +10 vitality Armor: +10 vitality Shield: +10 vitality | |
B Tier ![]() Lum | Countess: Hell Hell Forge: Nightmare and Hell Drop Chance: Act 2 (Nightmare) Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Io + 1 Flawed Topaz (Ladder Only) | Weapon: +10 energy Armor: +10 energy Shield: +10 energy | |
B Tier ![]() Ko | Countess: Hell Hell Forge: Nightmare and Hell Drop Chance: Act 2 (Nightmare) Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Lum + 1 Flawed Amethyst (Ladder Only) | Weapon: +10 dexterity Armor: +10 dexterity Shield: +10 dexterity | |
B Tier ![]() Fal | Countess: Hell Hell Forge: Nightmare and Hell Drop Chance: Act 3 (Nightmare) Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Ko + 1 Flawed Sapphire (Ladder Only) | Weapon: +10 strength Armor: +10 strength Shield: +10 strength | |
A Tier ![]() Lem | Countess: Hell Hell Forge: Nightmare and Hell Drop Chance: Act 3 (Nightmare) Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Fal + 1 Flawed Ruby (Ladder Only) | Weapon: 75% extra gold Armor: 50% extra gold Shield: 50% extra gold | |
B Tier ![]() Pul | Countess: Hell Hell Forge: Nightmare and Hell Drop Chance: Act 4 (Nightmare) Horadric Cube Recipe: 3 Lem + 1 Flawed Emerald (Ladder Only) | Weapon: +75% damage to demons, +100 attack rating vs. demons Armor: +30% defense Shield: +30% defense | |
A Tier ![]() Um | Countess: Hell Hell Forge: Nightmare and Hell Drop Chance: Act 4 (Nightmare) Horadric Cube Recipe: 2 Pul + 1 Flawed Diamond (Ladder Only) | Weapon: 25% open wounds Armor: 15% all resists Shield: 22% all resists | |
A Tier ![]() Mal | Countess: Hell Hell Forge: Hell Drop Chance: Act 5 (Nightmare) Horadric Cube Recipe: 2 Um + 1 Topaz (Ladder Only) | Weapon: prevent monster heal Armor: magic damage reduced by 7 Shield: magic damage reduced by 7 | |
S Tier ![]() Ist | Countess: Hell Hell Forge: Hell Drop Chance: Act 5 (Nightmare) Horadric Cube Recipe: 2 Mal + 1n Amethyst (Ladder Only) | Weapon: 30% magic find Armor: 25% magic find Shield: 25% magic find | |
B Tier ![]() Gul | Countess: N/A Hell Forge: Hell Drop Chance: Act 1 (Hell) Horadric Cube Recipe: 2 Ist + 1 Sapphire (Ladder Only) | Weapon: +20% AR Armor: 5% maximum poison resist Shield: 5% maximum poison resist | |
S Tier ![]() Vex | Countess: N/A Hell Forge: N/A Drop Chance: Act 1 (Hell) Horadric Cube Recipe: 2 Gul + 1 Ruby (Ladder Only) | Weapon: 7% mana leech Armor: 5% maximum fire resist Shield: 5% maximum fire resist | |
S Tier ![]() Ohm | Countess: N/A Hell Forge: N/A Drop Chance: Act 2 (Hell) Horadric Cube Recipe: 2 Vex + 1 Emerald (Ladder Only) | Weapon: +50% enhanced damage Armor: 5% maximum cold resist Shield: 5% maximum cold resist | |
S Tier ![]() Lo | Countess: N/A Hell Forge: N/A Drop Chance: Act 2 (Hell) Horadric Cube Recipe: 2 Ohm + 1 Diamond (Ladder Only) | Weapon: 20% deadly strike Armor: 5% maximum lightning resist Shield: 5% maximum lightning resist | |
S Tier ![]() Sur | Countess: N/A Hell Forge: N/A Drop Chance: Act 3 (Hell) Horadric Cube Recipe: 2 Lo + 1 Flawless Topaz (Ladder Only) | Weapon: hit blinds target Armor: +5% mana Shield: +50 mana | |
S Tier ![]() Ber | Countess: N/A Hell Forge: N/A Drop Chance: Act 3 (Hell) Horadric Cube Recipe: 2 Sur + 1 Flawless Amethyst (Ladder Only) | Weapon: 20% crushing blow Armor: 8% physical resist Shield: 8% physical resist | |
S Tier ![]() Jah | Countess: N/A Hell Forge: N/A Drop Chance: Act 4 (Hell) Horadric Cube Recipe: 2 Ber + 1 Flawless Sapphire (Ladder Only) | Weapon: ignore target defense Armor: +5% life Shield: +50 life | |
S Tier ![]() Cham | Countess: N/A Hell Forge: N/A Drop Chance: Act 4 (Hell) Horadric Cube Recipe: 2 Jah + 1 Flawless Ruby (Ladder Only) | Weapon: freeze target +3 Armor: cannot be frozen Shield: cannot be frozen | |
S Tier ![]() Zod | Countess: N/A Hell Forge: N/A Drop Chance: Act 5 (Hell) Horadric Cube Recipe: 2 Cham + 1 Flawless Emerald (Ladder Only) | Weapon: indestructible Armor: indestructible Shield: indestructible |
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Click/Tap to view other Class Guides below.

Amazon

Assassin

Barbarian

Druid

Necromancer

Paladin

Sorceress
Click/Tap the other Runewords Guides below.



Ancient's Pledge





Beast



Black



Bone




Bramble






Breath Of The Dying





Call To Arms




Chains Of Honor



Chaos



Crescent Moon



Delirium





Doom



Duress



Enigma



Enlightenment





Eternity




Exile




Famine



Fury



Gloom




Hand Of Justice




Heart Of The Oak




Holy Thunder





Honor



King's Grace




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Leaf



Lionheart


Lore



Malice



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Nadir




Passion



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Radiance



Rain


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Stone



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White


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Zephyr




Brand





Death





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Dragon



Dream



Edge




Faith




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Grief




Harmony




Ice




Infinity




Insight






Last Wish



Lawbringer




Oath





Obedience




Phoenix




Pride




Rift




Voice Of Reason




Wrath



Principle




Spirit
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