Runes and runewords return in Diablo II style
Sets are back too, and item size matters again.
Diablo V's itemisation is openly built on Diablo II. Three concrete confirmations came out of the panel recap:
- Runes and runewords in the style of Diablo II are planned.
- Equipment sets return.
- Items of different sizes occupy different numbers of inventory squares again.
A fourth point was framed as an experiment rather than a decision: attribute requirements for equipment. We file that as a developer statement.
What "in the style of" is doing
It is carrying a lot of weight. Diablo II runewords were defined as much by rune scarcity and socket rules as by the words themselves. None of that supporting structure has been described.
Full page: What the return of runewords means.
Verification
Sources
- Diablo V: Forging the Next Era Blizzard Entertainment · 13 Sep 2026 · Primary source https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/article/24297204/diablo-v-forging-the-next-era
