Stealth

Stealth is the single best early-game armor runeword in Diablo 2 Resurrected. Created with Tal and Eth runes in any 2-socket body armor, it's available at level 17 and provides an exceptional combination of speed, survivability, and utility that works for every class.

The Perfect Starter Armor

Stealth delivers three critical 25% bonuses: Faster Run/Walk, Faster Cast Rate, and Faster Hit Recovery. This trifecta makes you faster at moving, casting, and recovering from hits—essential for both casters and melee characters. The 15% Regenerate Mana is particularly valuable for spellcasters who burn through mana quickly, while +30% Poison Resist provides crucial protection against Andariel and other poison-heavy enemies in Act 1.

When to Make and Replace It

Make Stealth as soon as you hit level 17, ideally in Act 2 Normal. Both Tal and Eth drop from Normal Countess with high frequency—you'll typically get both runes within 3-5 runs. The runeword can easily carry you through all of Normal difficulty and into Nightmare. Most players replace it around level 30-40 with Smoke (Nef + Lum) for resistances, or keep it until they find unique armors like Duriel's Shell or Skin of the Vipermagi.

Shopping a Base

The best base for Stealth is simply any 2-socket body armor you can buy from Charsi in Act 1. Players typically shop her inventory until a 2-socket armor appears.