Silence

Silence is an expensive yet underutilized runeword in Diablo 2 Resurrected that offers impressive versatility but struggles to compete with more specialized alternatives. Created with Dol + Eld + Hel + Ist + Tir + Vex in 6-socket weapons, this runeword was among the most powerful when first introduced in patch 1.08 but has since been overshadowed by modern options.

Jack of All Trades, Master of None

Silence attempts to do everything: +2 to All Skills, 200% Enhanced Damage, 20% Increased Attack Speed, All Resistances +75, 11% Mana Stolen Per Hit, 20% Faster Hit Recovery, and 30% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items. The -20% Requirements helps with gear flexibility, while Hit Causes Monster to Flee 25% and Hit Blinds Target +33 add crowd control. On paper, this looks incredible—in practice, the stats spread too thin.

Where It Falls Short

The core problem: the Vex rune investment. That same Vex creates Heart of the Oak, the definitive caster weapon with +3 Skills and 40% FCR. For melee builds, Grief, Death, or Breath of the Dying (which also uses Vex) deliver vastly superior physical damage. The 200% ED on Silence pales compared to Grief's flat +damage or Death's crushing blow synergies.

Niche Applications

Bowazon Consideration

Historically popular for Bowazons due to +75 All Res and magic find, but Faith or Windforce handle damage better while Ice provides superior crowd control. The resistances become redundant once you acquire proper endgame gear.

Trapsin Alternative

Trap Assassins value the 20% IAS for faster trap placement (traps scale with attack speed, not FCR). Combined with +75 All Res, Silence offers defensive comfort for running Burst of Speed instead of Fade. However, Heart of the Oak provides better skill levels at fraction of the cost.

The Verdict

Silence suffers from opportunity cost. Six sockets require high-level bases (Colossus Blade, Diamond Bow, War Pike), and the Vex rune opens doors to superior alternatives. The 30% MF is nice for hybrid farming builds, but dedicated MF characters use other slots for gold find. Unless you're building something unconventional or have multiple Vex runes to spare, this runeword remains a curiosity rather than a competitive choice in D2R's current meta.