Unbending Will Rune Word Guide in Diablo II Resurrected

The Rune Word Unbending Will requires six runes, Fal Rune, Io Rune, Ith Rune, Eld Rune, El Rune,and Hel Rune placed in that order. Fal is the highest level rune required, making this Rune Word usable from Level 41.

The table below shows which area the required runes start dropping from normal monsters and containers, any quests, and the Countess Rune drop. The Countess is found on Level 5 of the Forgotten Tower in the Black Marsh.

• Fal - Act 3 Nightmare, Nightmare & Hell Hellforge, Countess (Hell);
• Io - Act 1 Nightmare, Nightmare & Hell Hellforge, Countess (Nightmare & Hell);
• Ith - Act 3 Normal, Normal Hellforge, Countess (All difficulties);
• Eld - Act 2 Normal, Normal Hellforge, Countess (All difficulties);
• El - Act 2 Normal, Normal Hellforge, Countess (All difficulties);
• Hel - Act 1 Nightmare, Nightmare & Hell Hellforge, Countess (Nightmare & Hell).

El, Eld and Ith runes can drop from the Hellforge quest in Normal, with a 1 in 11 chance of each. Io, Fal and Hel runes can drop from the Hellforge quest in both Nightmare and Hell. This makes the Hellforge quest a good source of the Runes for Unbending Will.

For more information about finding and farming Runes, you can refer to our Rune Finding guide using the link below.

We have a video created by MrLlamaSC discussing the new Rune Word Unbending Will.

Like all Rune Words, Unbending Will gives additional bonuses to the ones granted by the Runes used to make it. If a bonus has (varies), it is set at a value in the range given when the Rune Word is made. These are all the bonuses Unbending Will gives.

• 18% Chance to cast Level 18 Taunt on striking - Casts the Barbarian Skill Taunt at Level 18, reducing the damage and attack rating of the target by 39%;
• +3 to Combat Skills (Barbarian Only) - Very good increase to skills, but only for Barbarians or Act V Mercenaries;
• +20-30% Increased Attack Speed (varies) - Increases melee attack speed, very helpful bonus;
• +300-350% Enhanced Damage (varies) - Increases physical damage done, very high amount, so very useful;
• +9 To Maximum Damage - Small amount of additional physical damage;
• +50 To Attack Rating - Higher Attack rating means less chance of missing, always helpful;
• +75% Damage to Undead - Small amount of additional damage to Undead monsters;
• +50 Attack Rating Against Undead - Additional boost for hitting Undead monsters;
• 8-10% Life Stolen Per Hit (varies) - Returns Life based on Physical damage dealt. High amount, so very helpful for staying alive;
• Prevent Monster Heal - Stops monsters regenerating. Very helpful at higher difficulties when monsters have high regeneration rates. Does not work on Pandemonium Event Bosses;
• +10 to Strength - Useful boost to strength, which can help with requirements, and damage;
• +10 to Vitality - Gives extra Maximum Life and Stamina. Always useful;
• Damage Reduced by 8 - Defensive bonus reducing physical damage taken. This can be very effective if combined with other items with this bonus;
• +1 to Light Radius - Increases lit area around the player, but does not have any other effect.
• Requirements -20% - Reduces Stat requirements to equip the item. Helpful in this case, as some base items for this Rune Word have high Strength and Dexterity requirements.

The most important bonuses on this Rune Word are the very high Enhanced Damage and Increased Attack Speed, making this a strong Melee option. The Taunt, Life Steal and Damage Reduction mean taking less damage, and healing life back, increasing toughness. The boost to combat skills is very helpful for Barbarians.

Unbending Will can only be made in grey 6-socket Swords. The following Swords can have 6 sockets.

• Normal Swords - Crystal Sword, Great Sword;
• Exceptional Swords - Dimensional Blade, Executioner Sword;
• Elite Swords - Phase Blade, Colossus Blade.

These swords can only be found with 6 sockets if they drop in Hell Difficulty. Swords that drop in Nightmare Act 2 or later can have 6 sockets added to them using the reward from the Act V quest Siege on Harrogath. The Horadric Cube recipe Ral Rune + Amn Rune + Perfect Amethyst can also be used to add sockets but it only has a 1 in 6 chance of giving the 6 sockets required for Unbending Will.

The high Enhanced Damage bonus applies to the base weapon damage, so it is recommended to make this Rune Word in Elite weapons, or an Executioner Sword. The other 6 Socket Swords have too low base damage to be useful for this Rune Word.

Barbarians can use any of these Swords one handed, but other characters can only use the Phase Blade one handed. A Phase Blade would be a lower damage weapon than a Colossus Blade, but it would be very fast and indestructible.

Unbending Will is usable from Level 41 if made in an Executioner Sword. The Elite swords have higher Level requirements - Phase Blade at Level 54 and Colossus Blade at 63. If a good melee weapon has not been found yet, and the Runes are available, Unbending Will Executioner Sword could be a big damage boost at Level 41. Usually it would be recommended to wait for the Elite swords, but as the Runes needed are not very rare, making an Executioner Sword if one is available, then making an Elite version at later Levels is a good option.

Unbending Will can be used by any Melee based character, but is best for a Barbarian, due to the +3 to Combat Skills. Melee focussed builds like the Frenzy Barbarian Build will find it a good choice.

Unbending Will can also be a great choice for an Act V Mercenary. Patch 2.4 changes mean these Barbarians now get benefit from Barbarian only skills, including the +3 Combat Skills found on this Rune Word. The high damage, attack speed, Life Steal and Taunt will make a strong choice for both the original Bash/Stun and the new Frenzy based Mercenaries.