There are more than twenty skills per class, and a player can choose to access up to seven of those skills at any one time. Skills primarily allow characters to perform special attacks and cast spells, but they can also activate defensive abilities, summon minions, set traps, or allow the player to navigate the battlefield through quick travel and escape mechanics. While these skills always present players with plenty of tactical options for defending Sanctuary against the coming demonic invasion, runestones allow you to customize skills by changing the way they look and how they function.
There are five runestone types: Crimson, Indigo, Obsidian, Golden, and Alabaster. Each runestone affects skills differently. For example, adding a Crimson Runestone to a skill may enhance its damage, while adding an Alabaster Runestone might add a stun effect.
In addition to their color, runestones also come in different ranks of power; the higher a runestone’s rank, the more dramatic its effect on the skill. Experiment, and discover which skill and runestone combination best suits your personal playstyle.
To see examples of how different runestones enhance your various skills in Diablo III, check out the skill videos below.
You’ll be able to place a runestone in each of your seven skills by opening the Skills screen. A rune’s specific effect on a skill is explained through a tooltip.