Rune Rework Suggestion: Introducing the Rune Table

Right now, the rune mechanics feel a bit clunky and unclear, especially with the distinction between regular runes and Soul Cores. A couple of big issues stand out:

1. Bricking Items: Since runes (or Soul Cores) can’t be unsocketed once placed, players can easily brick an item if they didn’t fully understand the system or chose the wrong rune.

2. Rune Junk: A lot of runes just pile up in your stash, unused, and the current mechanic of reforging 3 into 1 random rune doesn’t really fix that.

Here’s my proposal: the Rune Table.

How the Rune Table Works:

Crafting Runes:
Monsters drop Rune Shards (these could drop at the same or even slightly lower rate than current runes).
10 Rune Shards = 1 Blank Rune.
Players can use the Rune Table to craft a Blank Rune into any rune of their choice by selecting a rune sign.
Socketing and Unsocketing Runes:
Players can freely socket crafted runes into their items.
To unsocket a rune, you must replace it with another rune. Alternatively, you could use a rare drop item (e.g., Cleansing Orb) to remove all runes from the item without replacing them.
Why This Change?

1. Clarity: The current system doesn’t clearly differentiate between runes and Soul Cores, leading to confusion. The Rune Table makes the system more intuitive and aligns with the shard-based mechanics players are already familiar with.

2. Avoiding FOMO: Right now, socketing the wrong rune feels punishing, especially since there’s no way to undo it. With this rework, players get more flexibility and a chance to fix mistakes without bricking their items.

3. More Player Choice: Instead of relying on RNG for specific rune drops, players can craft exactly what they need. This makes rune crafting more engaging and reduces stash clutter from unused runes.

4. Better Progression: Using Rune Shards instead of full runes creates a more meaningful progression curve for players, as they work toward crafting their desired runes.