Breath of the Dying Great Poleaxe Ethereal Breath of the Dying

What is Breath of the Dying?

Breath of the Dying (BotD) is one of the most powerful weapon runewords in D2R, requiring Vex + Hel + El + Eld + Zod + Eth runes in 6-socket weapon. The Zod rune requirement makes it extremely expensive - Zod is the rarest rune in the game. Ethereal Great Poleaxe is one of the best bases due to high damage and range.

BotD Runeword Stats Breakdown

Core Stats:

• 50% Chance to cast Level 20 Poison Nova on killing

• Indestructible (Zod rune effect - critical for ethereal bases)

• +60% Increased Attack Speed

• +350-400% Enhanced Damage

• -25% Target Defense

• +50 to Attack Rating

Why These Matter: The IAS and ED combine for enormous DPS. -25% target defense acts like Ignore Target Defense against most enemies. Indestructible makes ethereal bases viable (50% more damage than non-eth).

Hidden Value: Level 20 Poison Nova deals 448-464 poison damage over 2 seconds. Not huge DPS, but creates corpse explosions and crowd control when clearing mob packs.

Why Ethereal Great Poleaxe?

Ethereal Bonus: Ethereal weapons have 50% higher base damage but break when durability reaches 0. Zod rune's Indestructible makes ethereal weapons permanent, combining best of both worlds.

Great Poleaxe Specifics:

• Base damage: 46-127 (eth: 69-191)

• Range: 5 (longest melee range)

• Speed: [0] Fast weapon speed

• Req Level: 63

• Req Str: 179, Req Dex: 99

Comparison to Other Bases: Colossus Blade has higher damage ceiling but shorter range. Great Poleaxe balances damage, range, and requirements. Thunder Maul hits harder but swings slower (inferior for WW builds).

Best Builds Using BotD

Whirlwind Barbarian: BotD Great Poleaxe is considered the best weapon for WW Barb endgame. The IAS helps reach the 4-frame Whirlwind breakpoint with Highlord's and other gear. Range makes hitbox coverage enormous.

Zealot Paladin (Alternative): BotD works for Zeal Paladins who want Cannot Be Frozen without Raven Frost. Less common than Grief but viable. Range lets you hit enemies before they hit back.

Mercenary Weapon: Act 2 mercs can use BotD polearms effectively. However, Insight and Infinity provide more utility (meditation aura, conviction aura). BotD is pure damage option.

Rune Requirement Breakdown

Zod Rune (Rarest): Drop rate: 1 in 45,000 from Hell Baal. Most players never self-find Zod. Trading value: 3-5 Ber runes depending on ladder economy.

Vex Rune: Mid-tier high rune. Drops from Hell Act 4-5 bosses. Still rare (1 in 5,000 from Baal) but obtainable through extended farming.

Lower Runes: Hel, El, Eld are common and easy to find. Total cost of BotD is essentially Zod + Vex = roughly 4-6 Ber rune equivalent.

Making BotD: Base Selection

Socket Requirements: Great Poleaxe needs exactly 6 sockets. Use Larzuk's socket quest on white (non-magic) Great Poleaxe for guaranteed 6 sockets. Superior (enhanced defense/damage) bases preferred.

Ethereal Hunting: Eth Great Poleaxe drops anywhere in Hell difficulty. Farm Chaos Sanctuary, Worldstone Keep, or Travincal for white/superior drops. Expect 20-40 hours farming for perfect superior eth base.

Superior Stats to Look For:

• +15% Enhanced Damage (maximum possible)

• +3 Attack Rating (maximum possible)

• Both together is jackpot (trades for Ist-Gul rune even before socketing)

Why Purchase BotD Great Poleaxe

Zod Rune Impossibility: Self-finding Zod requires an estimated 22,500 hours of Hell Baal farming statistically. That's 10 years of playing 6 hours daily. Nobody self-finds Zod legitimately.

Base Farming Time: Perfect superior ethereal Great Poleaxe with 15% ED takes 40-80 hours of dedicated base hunting. Then you still need to make the runeword.

Ladder Start Advantage: Having BotD within first week of ladder lets you clear content 30% faster than Grief users. This accelerates wealth accumulation dramatically, often paying for the purchase within 2 weeks.

Opportunity Cost: Farming the runes to trade for BotD takes 200-400 hours. That's 200-400 hours NOT spent actually using BotD to farm efficiently. Purchasing saves time and lets you enjoy the weapon immediately.

FAQ

Can I make Breath of the Dying in a non-ethereal base?

Yes, but it is strongly discouraged. You lose the 50% bonus damage that ethereal weapons provide. A non-ethereal BotD is significantly weaker and generally considered a waste of a Zod rune.

What happens if I make BotD with 5 sockets instead of 6?

The runeword will not activate. You’ll end up with a normal weapon containing five runes with no special bonuses. Always double-check the socket count before inserting any runes.

Can BotD break if I use it without Zod?

No, because BotD cannot be created without a Zod rune. Zod is a required part of the runeword. If all six runes aren’t inserted in the correct order, the runeword simply won’t form.

Is BotD better for Barbarians or Paladins?

BotD is primarily a Barbarian weapon, especially for Whirlwind builds. Paladins generally prefer Grief for Zeal builds or Grief for Smite since those builds rely on one-handed weapons.

Can I remove runes from BotD after making it?

No. Once a runeword is created, the runes are permanently socketed. The only way to recover the runes is by using the Horadric Cube recipe, which destroys the item but returns the runes.

What's the best alternative if I can't afford BotD?

Grief in a Phase Blade costs significantly less and delivers comparable or better performance. For a budget two-handed option, the Oath runeword (Shael + Pul + Mal + Lum) is a solid choice.

Does BotD work for Frenzy Barbarians?

Technically yes, but it’s impractical. Frenzy requires two one-handed weapons, while BotD is a two-handed weapon, making it incompatible with standard Frenzy builds.

Can mercenaries use BotD effectively?

Yes, Act II mercenaries can use BotD. However, runewords like Infinity or Insight usually provide more overall party value through auras. BotD is pure damage and works best when aura support is already covered elsewhere.