[Suggestion] Rune Rework

I feel like Runes do not hold a proper place in the game currently, they either feel too weak, completely unnecessary (AKA every non Superior Rune, and many Superior Runes even), or needed purely for their unique effects, which can often times be on Runes with stats that are unappealing or not helpful. The stats on the Rune imo should be removed entirely and instead, simply scale in their effectiveness depending on how many are equipped of the same kind (similar to how Mod Cards work in Warframe). They simply improve in effectiveness of its unique mechanic depending on how many you equip at once (like leveling a Mod/Rune from 0-6 essentially, depending on the amount equipped)

You could completely scrap the rarity system of the runes as well in favor of this system, and instead make the rarity of gear be the requirement of having Rune Slots (blue gear would just be stats, no rune slots on any piece / green would provide a slot on 2 pieces (ex.Chest/Legs), rare up to 4 (ex.Chest/Legs/Helm/Shoulders), and exotic+ all 6 would have a rune slot)

So for example, I will use Rune of the Eagle:

Deal (1%/2%/4%/6%/8%/10%) more damage to targets below 50% health. 1-6 equipped.

Equipping 1, gives 1% but still frees up 5 other slots for other runes and their unique effects, but spreading out into multiple runes reduces their effectiveness due to the scaling nature, but equipping 6 gives the full 10%.

Another example is Rune of Hoelbrak:

Reduces Incoming Condition Duration by (5%/10%/15%/20%/25%/30%).

So theoretically if you equipped 3 Hoelbrak and 3 Eagle, you would get 15% reduced Condi duration and 4% more damage to targets below 50% health.

A Third example will be Rune of Strength:

Increase Might Duration by (6%/12%/18%/25%/33%/40%)

Now 2 Eagle, 2 Hoelbrak, and 2 Strength would provide: 12% increased Might Duration, 10% Reduced Condition Duration, and 2% more damage to targets below 50% Health.

This would allow new unique mechanics to open up as well, perhaps linked directly to classes, weapon types, or even things such as chance to resist boon corruption, etc.

This is what we had before they made runes synergize with the same ones alot more so I dubt they will go back to that.

tl;dr someone on reddit suggested

• Separating stats from runes, just as stats were divorced from traits ages ago.
• Similarly, replace passive effects with more actively-engaging options.
• Reduce the number of different kinds

There's a similar Reddit conversation:

As we are right now the amount of usable runes for most content, specially PvE, is extremely limited and the BiS combos have little to no variation for most builds: think a big majority of DPS builds don't use anything other than Scholar's, Nightmare/trapper and Renegade runes.

I would love to see rebalance on runes that see little to no play or the introduction of new ones that actually compete with stablished choices -the way renegade did with berserker's for example- more often. I think it's also a smart way to give specific classes a boost without actually tampering with the class itself IE a rune of the reaper that grants a sizable DPS boost on chilled targets or a thief rune that further rewards power damage when flanking instead of giving condition damage.

And one of the more thoughtful responses is:

I don't know how to address this topic without making a massive post about game designs fundamentals - i.e., the reason for the lack of rune diversity is probably owed to most encounters in PvE being largely the same without a need for specialized roles.

That said, I'd a imagine a less-is-more approach would be a good, two-fold start:

1) Untie stats from runes. I don't know where these stats would go but right now they have the same problems as the old traits system did; even if there's an effect you want, there's a good chance it's tied to stats you don't. There are better ways to pad stats without making the player feel bad for taking something they don't want, and the system as it exists currently falls into that contradictory territory where it has both stats and effects. The effects you want should not determine your stats, and the stats you want should not determine your effects.

2) Drastically reduce the number of runes while simultaneously increasing the potency of their effects. Make it so runes have unique bonuses that aren't simple multiplies or effects that trigger once every 30 seconds, but rather impact the way you play the game. I'm talking BIG stuff here, like, reducing the cooldown of your elite skill by 50%, or letting you slot a 4th utility skill into your elite slot, or letting you have a third weapon swap option (implementation or feasibility is questionable here, but you get the idea). It has to really change how you play in a meaningful way, and be a conscious choice where you say "this is what my character does". Probably wouldn't prevent metas from forming around specific runes, but would hopefully allow people greater freedom to feel like they've made a choice into something that feels unique to them.

Passive effects are never the goal - you want players to engage with the game and feel like they've made choices that mattered. The trait rework was a step in the right direction with this philosophy, and runes could take those steps, too. While I admire what runes were once upon a time (usually just stat-padding of specific attributes), in modern design this kind of customization is better used to encourage choice and play patterns rather than min-maxing, IMO.

(Reminder: I'm not the author of either the suggestion nor the response.)

The post on Reddit is, indeed, an interesting read. Your inspiration, I wager?

In any case, looking at how fixated on offensive stats this game (or its community) tends to be, centralising their source while providing additional, somewhat independent avenues for build-crafting could, perhaps, lead to more diversity. It could also lead to yet another, albeit differently coloured way of crunching numbers, and in the end someone would still tell everyone else what's best.

Creating multiple meaningful choices is no easy task. Without such a result, however, things may as well stay the way they are.

The Reddit thread has many interesting ideas, I would like to know what devs think about current rune/sigil implementation too. Would be a good thing to deviate from the current best passive bonus rune kind of thing and add more active effects that synergize with class mechanics like swapping attunements, shattering or using toolbelt skills to give a few examples.