Grief Insight
A caster runeword, you’ll need a 4-socket staff or mace to serve as a base. Given the excellent boons provided by a Spirit shield, you’ll almost certainly use a one-handed weapon as a base for Heart of the Oak, and since the only one-handed weapon in the mace class is the Flail… Flails are the ideal base. Note the War Hammers do not count as maces, so save yourself some heartbreak and don’t try to create a Heart of the Oak in one. Also keep in mind that Flails require 35 Dexterity to wield, and given that most caster builds do not invest points into Dexterity (save the Hammerdin), you’ll want some Dexterity boosting gear handy - [Tal Rasha’s Fine-Spun Cloth] will serve Magic Find-oriented Sorceresses just fine.
Heart of the Oak is arguably the best caster weapon in the game, even edging out a Spirit sword. It boasts +3 Skills, +40 Cast Rate and +30% - 40% All Resistances, with the latter being the only variable modifier of any real interest. This makes it the best weapon for a Hammerdin, Wind Druid or most Sorceress builds (although a well-rolled Eschuta’s Temper may suffice for a Meteorb or [Lightning] Sorceress).
Alas, Heart of the Oak requires the runs Ko + Vex + Pul + Thul to be placed in an appropriate base item in order. Ko and Pul are both mid-runes which, while not being terribly rare, Vex is a high rune, and it’ll take some effort to get one.
An example of the Heart of the Oak runeword.
Heart of the Oak (KoVexPulThul)
Heart of the Oak Stats
| Damage | weapon base |
| Durability | weapon base |
| Required Strength | weapon base |
| Required Dexterity | weapon base |
| Required Level | 55 (or weapon base, if higher) |
- +3 To All Skills
- +40% Faster Cast Rate
- +75% Damage to Demons
- +100 to Attack Rating against Demons
- Adds 3-14 Cold Damage
- 7% Mana Stolen Per Hit
- +10 to Dexterity
- Replenish Life +20
- Increase Maximum Mana 15%
- All Resistances +30 - 40 (variable)
- Level 4 Oak Sage (25 Charges)
- Level 14 Raven (60 Charges)
Heart of the Oak is the rune word 'KoVexPulThul' for staves or maces in Diablo II: Lord of Destruction.
Usually abbreviated to HOTO, Heart of the Oak is a Druid-themed flail or staff rune word. Although a bit expensive, this is a very useful rune word for any caster class. The weapon's melee damage does not affect the result since it is a caster weapon that is mostly used by Hammerdins, Elemental Druids, Fire Sorceresses, Lightning Sorceresses, and sometimes Trap Assassins (Dual claws or Spirit Phase Blades are still more popular for this build). The most commonly used weapon for this rune word is a flail, because of the low requirements (note, not all mace-class weapons work; hammers do not work). Depending on their existing equipment, sorceresses may find staves better choices for making this rune word if they find one with enough desirable existing modifiers, though they sacrifice the ability to wield a shield while doing so.
Result:
+3 To All Skills
+40% Faster Cast Rate
+75%
Damage To Demons
+100 To Attack Rating Against Demons
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage, 3 sec. Duration (Normal)
7%
Mana Stolen Per Hit
+10 To Dexterity
Replenish Life +20
Increase Maximum Mana 15%
All Resistances +30-40
Level 4
Oak Sage (25 Charges)
Level 14 Raven (60 Charges)
Which item for Heart of the Oak? If I understood Arreat Summit correctly, flails are usable for this runeword. Is there any reason to put it in a scourge? It's not like any HotO-using characters are ever going to hit anyone, and need the extra damage. Isn't it just wasted stat points? (depending on the rest of the equipment) I just found a 4-socket flail from the
Countess (H), and now I just need 3 Ists, and I have the Vex.
(Ø=M)^42 said: If I understood Arreat Summit correctly, flails are usable for this runeword. Is there any reason to put it in a scourge? It's not like any HotO-using characters are ever going to hit anyone, and need the extra damage. Isn't it just wasted stat points? (depending on the rest of the equipment) I just found a 4-socket flail from the
Countess (H), and now I just need 3 Ists, and I have the Vex. You're right. Flails are perfect! Since HotO is a great caster weapon, you want the lowest STR/DEX requirements possible. Z_O
- #3
Yes, flail is the best option Sorc whacking Baal with HotO would be quite fun to see though :lol:
- #4
no no no! the best weapon for HotO is a 4-socket Collosus Sword! that way your sorc can really smack Baal around. ;-)
- #5
whomhead said: no no no! the best weapon for HotO is a 4-socket Collosus Sword! that way your sorc can really smack Baal around. ;-) :lol: Seriously, go with the flail... I would...
- #6
i found a 4 soc superior flail would the runeword still work on that ?
- #7
4-socketed ethereal flails are much better. Less requirements, no durability loss due to zero combat experience.
- #8
draw_De said: i found a 4 soc superior flail would the runeword still work on that ? Yeah superior would still work. But the superior ''mod'' would only boost the repair cost if you were to accidentally attack with it and it has no actual usefulness.
- #9
necrolemming said: But what if you accidentally hit something? Well, if it's ethereal, break out the runes and use the Cube to repair it. Can't remember the required rune, but somebody will.
- #10
Set the left mouse button to "Throw" No way you will manage to hit something. And if by some mysterious way you do, it doesn't matter. It has about 10-15 Durability, and the chance of it losing any with 1 swing is very unlikely.
- #12
If you ever want to use the Oak Sage (I use it for Hell Ancients), you cannot repair it if it is ethereal. Same goes for if you accidentally attack something. If it's Superior, it will cost more to repair the Oak Sage charges, and durability if any loss occurs. A 4-socket Flail is the best option.
- #13
Good job on bringing this thread back from page 56 or possibly even 58
- #14
Hah! I thought it was a new thread and therefore replied... that is funny. 56 page bump!
- #16
DriveC said: Good job on bringing this thread back from page 56 or possibly even 58 I say congratulations for searching for an applicable thread first rather than blindly creating a new one!
- #17
Just use a non-eth then Honestly, I wouldn't want to make a HotO in an ethereal item, or any other runeword that is destructible.......imagine it somehow losing all its durabilty. HotO gone, all gone....... :cheesy:
- #18
flail is the way to go. got mine all ready. now if i could just find that vex.....
- #19
TrenShadow said: I say congratulations for searching for an applicable thread first rather than blindly creating a new one! Here here! I feel that this shows admirable thoroughness to have found the relavent thread first. As for ethereal or not, a normal flail only requires 41 Str and 35 Dex. Surely that's not too many
stat points to sacrifice, even for a sorc. Chances are she'll need more that 41 Str for other equipment and +10 Dex will take care of that requirement. A Raven Frost will satisfy that if she is wearing one.
- #20
just one thing to say to the original poster, if he/she is still around... i wouldn't cube a Vex from Ists, Ists are SO useful as they are...