Steel

Steel is an early-game runeword in Diablo 2 Resurrected designed for melee characters starting their journey. Made with Tir and El runes in any 2-socket sword, axe, or mace, it's available at level 13 and provides a solid damage boost for Normal difficulty.

Open Wounds Power

The standout feature of Steel is its 50% Chance of Open Wounds, which causes enemies to bleed over time. This is particularly effective against bosses in Normal difficulty, as the bleeding damage scales with enemy health. Combined with +25% Increased Attack Speed, you'll apply Open Wounds quickly and consistently. The +2 to Mana After Each Kill helps sustain skills like Zeal, Double Swing, or Concentrate without chugging mana potions.

When to Use It

Steel shines for Barbarians, Paladins, and other melee characters from levels 13-25 in Normal difficulty. The +20% Enhanced Damage, +3 to Min/Max Damage, and +50 to Attack Rating provide noticeable improvements over white or magic weapons at this stage. However, it falls off quickly once you reach Nightmare difficulty or find better unique weapons like Bonesnap or The Battlebranch.

Best Bases and Rune Availability

Make Steel in a fast weapon like a Sabre or Flail to maximize attack speed. Crystal Swords work well for their low strength requirements. Both Tir and El runes are guaranteed drops from Normal Countess, making this runeword trivially easy to create. Plan to replace it with Malice, Strength runeword, or a unique weapon by the time you finish Normal difficulty.