Bone

Bone is a Necromancer-specific runeword in Diablo 2 Resurrected created with Sol + Um + Um in any 3-socket body armor. Introduced in Patch 1.11, it offers +2 to Necromancer skill levels and defensive utility, positioning itself as a budget alternative to higher-tier armors.

Necromancer Synergy

Bone provides the valuable +2 to Necromancer skill levels, which benefits all Necromancer builds including Bone, Poison, and Summoner variants. The 15% chance to cast level 10 Bone Armor when struck automatically refreshes your defensive shield, though it can override a higher-level manually-cast Bone Armor. The 15% chance to cast level 10 Bone Spear on striking adds minor offensive utility for melee-focused Necromancers but sees limited practical use.

Defensive Stats

Beyond skills, Bone offers solid defensive bonuses: +100-150 to mana, all resistances +30, and damage reduced by 7. These stats help Necromancers survive in Hell difficulty, where resistances are crucial. The mana bonus is particularly useful for mana-hungry builds like Bone Necromancers who spam Bone Spear.

Why It's Outclassed

The primary issue with Bone is value proposition. Two Um runes are relatively expensive and have many other valuable uses. Skin of the Vipermagi is cheaper and provides +1 to all skills plus crucial faster cast rate. Chains of Honor offers +2 to all skills, massive resistances, and better overall stats, albeit being way more expensive. Even budget options like Stealth or Smoke provide better early-game value.

Best Uses

Bone works best as a transitional armor for Necromancers in early Hell difficulty when you've found the runes but can't yet afford Chains of Honor or Enigma. It's the cheapest way to get +2 Necromancer skills on armor, making it usable until superior options become available.