Plague Bearer

Plague Bearer is an exceptional unique Rune Sword in Diablo 2 Resurrected designed specifically for poison-based Druid builds. This niche weapon is notable as the only unique item in the game that provides a bonus to the Rabies skill, making it highly specialized for Shape Shifting Druids.

Rabies Specialist

The sword's defining feature is its +5 to Rabies (Druid Only) bonus, dramatically increasing the skill's poison damage and spread. Combined with +300 poison damage over 8 seconds from the weapon itself, Plague Bearer delivers substantial poison damage for its level. The 5% chance to cast level 4 Poison Nova on striking adds area poison damage, while +45% poison resistance provides valuable protection against poison-based enemies. With +150% enhanced damage and 10-45 added damage, the weapon also delivers decent physical damage.

Rabies Druid Synergy

Plague Bearer shines in the hands of Rabies Druids during Nightmare difficulty, where the skill bonus significantly boosts clear speed. The Rune Sword's very fast attack speed helps spread Rabies infection quickly through monster packs. However, the weapon faces limitations: many Hell difficulty enemies are poison immune, and better weapons with +skills to all Druid skills provide more overall benefit than a single skill bonus.

Limited Viability

This weapon works best from levels 41-55 for Druids specifically building around Rabies. By Hell difficulty, most Rabies Druids transition to weapons offering broader skill bonuses or superior runewords. The high strength and dexterity requirements (103/79) make it stat-intensive for Druids who typically invest heavily in Vitality. While upgradeable to Cryptic Sword, few players pursue this given the wealth of better endgame options for Shape Shifters.