There is some pretty mind-blowing stuff that has happened after the Diablo 2 Resurrected patch 2.4 version 2 update. You can now roll D2R runewords like infinity in spears and amazon spears specifically which that change alone has opened up some pretty crazy builds like a charge strike spearszon on slash lightning strike. So stuff that you could actually run before but it's just a lot more viable now. From literally just shifting a single possible runeword base. In this spear base guide, we focus on runeword base changes in D2R patch 2.4. 

D2R Patch 2.4 Spear & Runeword Base Guide - Amazon Spears, Mancatcher Stygian Pike & More

The fact that we can now roll obedience, pride, and infinity in spears. With that being said there are definitely some new builds that have emerged from literally just transposing different faces onto existing runewords. Thought of using different runewords and other bases to open up other viable options, so think about the beast in a sword, you could rock a very high-end act 5 mercenary with the new frenzy setup. He wouldn't do tons of damage if you had it in phase blades, but it would provide you with fanaticism and a light aura. So it's kind of an alternative to the act 2 fight aura mercenary and then using pride or insight in swords. You could then have a meditation aura with a teleporting, say actor mercenary casting static if you're a teslan and you already have a very high conviction order. So you'd have a good static field etc. There are a lot of different possibilities, so that's what they've actually unlocked with like infinity in some of these spheres. Literally charge strike spears on is something that you could roll before but now that you can roll infinity in an amazon spear. It just opens up more opportunities for new builds.

Amazon Spears

Lightning strike and charge strike are now super viable using these spears, because you get the additional negative lightning res that's on infinity. If you haven't fit on your mercenary, you only get the negative res from the conviction. With this setup, you get the level 12 conviction arm, but then also that negative 45 to negative 55 lightning res. So that makes a huge difference for charge strike lightning strike. It makes a very powerful build, it gives it a different spin and plays style. You could argue it might be a little bit slower, but it did crush chaos sanctuary, you could just run in a lightning strike and then charge strike everything else. It was a very fun build open up from infinity in amazon spears specifically.

Mancatcher

This can roll up to a maximum of 5 open sockets, the key advantage is this is the fastest two-handed weapon that you can equip on an active mercenary now. It has a negative 20 weapon speed base compared to the negative 10 on a thresher or a giant thresher. So you can actually achieve specific breakpoints a little bit easier with this setup. Because it's 5 open sockets, you could roll guaranteed obedience if you drop an f1 or as a kit, you'll get 5 open sockets. The cool thing about mancatcher is it's just super fast and allows you to achieve. Another is breakpoints that you wouldn't normally be able to get.

Stygian Pike

If you drop an ethereal stygian pike, this gives you a guaranteed 4 open sockets. The key difference between a stygian pike an ethereal cv is that the strength requirement is a lot lower. You can make an infinity base very easily in this weapon base compared to a cv. It has a lower strength requirement and you're not forced to use specific helmets. So the mercenary has enough strength to level that mercenary up to level 94, just so he can flip it.

Ghost Spear

Ghost sphere is a solid weapon choice, it's not as slow as a warp pike it's faster has good average damage though.

War Pike

Obedience in a war pike, this is a ton of damage, 230 to 1254, Hel, Ko, Thul, Eth, Fal. FHR, crushing blow, negative fire rest, strength, dex, all res and chant when you kill an enemy. If you were lucky enough to get 5 open sockets on war pike, this is a super solid runeword to roll and a ton of damage. Then again there are the amazon bases, matriarchal spears faster, the matriarchal pike is slower.

Plague Claws

You can now roll plague and claws. The very cool thing about plagues is that give you plus 1 to all skills plus the cleansing aura. If you find a base that has plus 3 to lighting sentry claws. It's a very easy way to get additional plus skills. So you roll plague, this base will give you plus 4 to lightning sentry. If you're lucky, you could get like plus lightning sentry. But you dual wield these two claws for two chaperons, you can get plus 4 to your lightning sentry. It is difficult to get some of the rarest and best possible magic claws that have the highest possible number plus skills. This is an easier way to exceed the damage from hodo and spirit. Then on top of that, you can rock builds that have like claw block, and then you have the chance to cast low resistance when you're stuck.