Larian Studios Forums Divinity: Original Sin 2 Divinity - Original Sin 2 - Suggestions and Feedback Runes are killing build diversity

Basically that.

Since giant flame runes reward you with a massive + 12% crit and rune frames ( physcal damage, which is by far the best one for a weapon) will always give you strength basically says

"2H WAR AND NOTHING ELSE" ( i won't talk about rangers with OP crossbows since it's a whole different problem, regarding how Warfare and Huntsman stack)

Why would i even try any other physical melle build when all runes converge into that, topping with an almost 100% crit ( making dual wield obsolete) and even more crit multiplier due to 2h perks ?

You could try a dodge build with water ( air when framed but that's a bug) runes, but dodge is wonky and certain skills always land ( also spells always land) making dodge a really awkward mechanic.

Yeh dagger skills are better but who cares about Tendons or CCs when you can just spam KD and instakill everything with ridicolous frontload crits ( without accounting u can still pick things like Cloak and Dagger and Clorophorm since they don't require daggers)

Same thing with mages, basically it says " go heavy aoe route with savage sortilege", why would u even try a buff mage ( unless you run a full phys build abusing 2h and xbows and you're a summoner yourself).

It's bad, it's really bad design.

Ofc this is all late game related, but designers really ruined an awesome game with clearly bad design decisions regarding runes and ability skills in general ( like the warfare thing, like wtf)

I really hope for a fix or at least some nice guy modding and rebalancing everything.

Sorry for the wall of text

You just take a Uncanny Evasion and / or Evasive Aura - hooray, you are dodging 90%
Since there is Glitter Dust stacking dodge otherwise having these 2 Aerotheurge skills is useless.

And don't forger about teleports into lava / deathfog barrels

Totally agree.
BTW, during the early access Warfare skill provided multiplier not for overall physical damage but only for "damage to physical armor". It maybe has less sense but the mechanic itself was great.
IMO before the official release fighting system was bit more balanced and interesting.

Are we sure this is a rune problem and not something correlated to the game mechanics/design?

Yes the bonuses from the schools could get some tweaks. I agree they used to provide more interesting bonuses in the EA, now Warfare adds % of physical damage that works as a bonus even if you are running a ranged or scoundrel.

You can still use runes to increase elemental resistances.. but i guess the game elemental damages (when on the receiving end) aren't punishing enough if players are not considering this route. Going for high fire res or 100%+ wouldn't be a bad idea since the battleground is often turned into a fire fest (mobs throwing oil or poison, a small fire surface is nearby, everything blows up and is turned into fire) and later on it is often turned into necrofire which is even more damaging. Or other elements depending on which fight you are gonna face.

On a side note, i havent finished the game yet so i don't know if you'll have access to it later on, but i wonder why there is no way to increase physical resistance? In GM mode you can add it to equipment so the stat is there.. but right now the only way is to increase your "physical" survivability is to and stack armor and as much health/con you can.

Another problem is you don't have enough control on the gear stats and have to hope you'll find something with the stats you are looking for. And you can't really carry different sets with resistances and stats around since they are gonna encumber the character, and for some reason we don't have a "pack mule" talent like there used to be in the first Divinity OS.

About rune diversity, a few ideas: you can opt for Physical Armor Rune on shield to increase its "shield throw" damage which scales with the shield armor. Or use these slots to increase elemental resistances.

Or get movement Rune if you like having a mobile character with The Pawn/Duck Duck Goose and scoundrel points to easily move around the field.

Opting for some accuracy rune wouldn't be a bad idea either, it often happens to miss somebody with the 95% default and the silent monks or other enemies have some dodge. Unless you are running on Clear My Mind 24/24.

Dodge isn't that great, game contain barrels and several enemies that enjoy oil spamming or surfaces which makes such investment easily disabled (if you are slowed, you lose dodge). Dodge also gets easily disabled by certain statuses like oil, knockdown or later on enemy archers that will use the "mark" skill which completely nullifies it.The block chance on shield is more reliable and works even when knocked down (even if, perhaps it is not intended).