D&D 5E D&D 5e -Runes idea?

[animal chubs]

I was thinking of adding runes to my sessions "Kinda like in diablo 2" to my items. I was trying to think of ideas but all mine seem OP so if anybody wants to help me out with some ideas that would be great!So far: each non-magical Armors/weapons/focus each have 3 slots. I'm either gonna do 3 different rune types or just have you cram any old rune into any slot. A rune will have different effect for what its plugged into. Thats all i got! I'm trying to come up with other ideas but I need somebody to help me brain storm.

 

[Lackhand]

How "permanent" is your game, as in, if next session you decided to wipe out the runes and start over, would your players be okay with that? The more accepting of mistakes your players are, the more you can play around with this stuff.

How fungible are runes? Once slotted, can they be pried out and reused?

How high-magic do you want to get? Decide on a gp equivalent value for the runes and start with that; I might use something like:

• 10gp might be enough to do something cosmetic (point north, never need sharpening from mundane use, shine slick with nonflammable oil, slowly yet constantly drip seawater, float in water, appear golden)
• 100gp: something game effecting but minor (shed light as torch, mundane wolves, hounds and dogs must pass a DC 10 Wisdom (fear) save when drawn or be frightened, can cut wood or rock faster than normal, counts as silvered, vibrates when touched to fey, spare the dying by touch 1/day, advantage on saves against disease from animal bites, +1 radiant damage against undead). I said damage as silver, but I don't actually remember how much that costs -- if I broke the economy, you know what I mean
• 1000gp: Real effects in many scenes, competitive with uncommon items (+1 elemental damage, throwable as a spear, +1d6 against a semispecific target (like fire elementals, harpies & birds, hillgiants & ogres, etc), force all living creatures of <CR 1 to Wisdom (fear) save when drawn or be frightened, knockback on a charge, +1d6 damage when set against charges, magically deposit caltrops ina square after each attack thst last for 1 round, 1/day heal 5hp by touch, fey hit lose their reactions, 1/day a 2-handed weapon transforms into a giant constrictor snake already in a grapple with the target on a hit, 1/day blindsense 10' for 1 min)
• 10000gp: Serious magic mojo, competitive with rare magic items. Look around the rare items and loot those. There's lots of interesting examples at this level.

I only thought a very little about the list. Just a starting point, you understand. Tweak the powers and prices as appropriate.

I don't know that I'd bother with each weapon having multiple sockets myself, so much as just say items have only one slot each. You might then introduce magic items with more slots if you wanted.

 

[Mistwell]

Make runes costly to produce and single use, and I don't think it will be an issue of being overpowerful. Here are some ideas:

Rune grants advantage on an attack or skill check as a bonus action;
Rune let's you give your foe disadvantage as a reaction;
Rune grants proficiency with a weapon or tool for an hour;
Rune let's you cast a spell as an action;
Rune grants the use of a maneuver for a minute;
Rune grants the use of a feat for a minute;
etc..

Provided these are all single use, and you can't just create runes for free or cheaply, I think it will be a good addition to a game.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

Anyone can chisel or carve a rune. But to make a Rune, with a capital R, requires magic. Much like a scroll, they're more than words on parchment, the letters themselves are imbued with magical power.
Runes are Old Magic. Really, for flavour, Elemental magic. There are Runes for Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Light, and Darkness.
Any Rune should have an effect that follows its Element.
As it is rare magic, it should be difficult to acquire a Rune, and those capable of making them would seek more than monetary payment (adventure hooks!).
They can be combined so if an item has, say, Air and Light Runes that item could either do an Air thang and a Light thang, or perhaps instead a combined effect - in this example, cast Lightning Bolt for example. Earth and Darkness could imprison the target by sucking them down into the mud. And so on.
Just a thought.