A caster runeword, you’ll need a 4-socket staff or mace to serve as a base. Given the excellent boons provided by a Spirit shield, you’ll almost certainly use a one-handed weapon as a base for Heart of the Oak, and since the only one-handed weapon in the mace class is the Flail… Flails are the ideal base. Note the War Hammers do not count as maces, so save yourself some heartbreak and don’t try to create a Heart of the Oak in one. Also keep in mind that Flails require 35 Dexterity to wield, and given that most caster builds do not invest points into Dexterity (save the Hammerdin), you’ll want some Dexterity boosting gear handy - [Tal Rasha’s Fine-Spun Cloth] will serve Magic Find-oriented Sorceresses just fine.
Heart of the Oak is arguably the best caster weapon in the game, even edging out a Spirit sword. It boasts +3 Skills, +40 Cast Rate and +30% - 40% All Resistances, with the latter being the only variable modifier of any real interest. This makes it the best weapon for a Hammerdin, Wind Druid or most Sorceress builds (although a well-rolled Eschuta’s Temper may suffice for a Meteorb or [Lightning] Sorceress).
Alas, Heart of the Oak requires the runs Ko + Vex + Pul + Thul to be placed in an appropriate base item in order. Ko and Pul are both mid-runes which, while not being terribly rare, Vex is a high rune, and it’ll take some effort to get one.
An example of the “Heart of the Oak” runeword.
Heart of the Oak (KoVexPulThul)¶
Heart of the Oak Stats
| 4-Socket Staves or Maces | |
|---|---|
| Damage | weapon base |
| Durability | weapon base |
| Required Strength | weapon base |
| Required Dexterity | weapon base |
| Required Level | 55 (or weapon base, if higher) |
- +3 To All Skills
- +40% Faster Cast Rate
- +75% Damage to Demons
- +100 to Attack Rating against Demons
- Adds 3-14 Cold Damage
- 7% Mana Stolen Per Hit
- +10 to Dexterity
- Replenish Life +20
- Increase Maximum Mana 15%
- All Resistances +30 - 40 (variable)
- Level 4 Oak Sage (25 Charges)
- Level 14 Raven (60 Charges)
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