Looking for a "poor man's" guide to LoD.

[kandrathe]

Runes for Ancients Pledge, Holy Thunder, Honor, Kings Grace, Leaf, Lore, Malice, Nadir, Radiance, Rhyme, Smoke, Stealth, Steel, Strength, and Zephyr are all pretty easy to find the runes for.

Runes for Black, Lionheart, Memory, Melody, Wealth and White are moderately difficult, but still do-able. I've found enough of all the runes necessary to make any of these.

Fury, Silence, and Venom are a crap shoot. So far in the past two years, I've only found 2 Ohm's, 1 Ist, and 1 Lo in the Mal-Zod group.

Is it a useful weapon for a beginning or middle stages of the game and character's age?

Yes. But, I would say that unless you make "Black" out of an Exceptional or Elite item, that the unique "Bonesnap" maul would likely be better, and drops somewhat frequently (More frequently than Io). You can socket the Bonesnap, and add a Shael to make it a faster useful weapon. If "Black" had at least 200% Ed, it would be a much more useful Rune word.

By the time you want to use and Exceptional or Elite "Black" item, you may have found a better weapon, like Aldur's Rhythm, or an exceptional unique mace at mid levels, and for high level mace I prefer the Immortal King's stone crusher.

Edit: Spelling -- and lest I forget... There are also many great Magic and Rage Items that you might want to use.