Diablo III Enhances Customization via Runestones

Diablo III might not be ready for launch during this year, although a beta testing phase is sure to come in the next few months, but the developers working on the hack and slash game at Blizzard seem to be interested in keeping players updated with information on the game, now offering details on the runestone system.

The development team says that, as already seen in previous games in the series, players will have a lot of options when it comes to customizing their characters in Diablo III and that runestones are an integral part of the options on offer.

They are items that the player can collect when he travels through the game world and that can be used to customize how player skills work and how they look when used.

Blizzard implements five types of runes in the game: Crimson, Indigo, Obsidian, Golden and Alabaster.

Each color will have different effects on skills, even though the developers have not detailed all of them when presenting the feature, and the runestones will also have ranks, meaning that their effects are more powerful the rarer they are.

Each of the player's seven skills will be modable via runestones, but the Blizzard team has not said whether players can replace a runestone after it has been placed or if a decision made is in place for the entire game.

The feature presentation says, “For example, adding a Crimson Runestone to a skill may enhance its damage, while adding an Alabaster Runestone might add a stun effect.”

Other character customization can be done via armor and weapon choices, charms, some traits, enhancements, gems and dyes.

Diablo III has been expected for quite some time by fans of the series and Blizzard has repeatedly delayed the game, saying that it will only be launched when the quality is satisfactory as per company's high standards.