Non-Ladder characters

Hello there,
This is not an issue but the way how non-ladder works in this game, there are quite some differences between ladder and non-ladder and one of them are related to runes and runewords. First of all keep in mind that downgrading runes is a feature we added to this game as you normally are able to only upgrade them and only up to a point in non-ladder for example.
Below you can find some differences between ladder and non-ladder taken from one of the fan websites with the mention that listed recipes are a bit simplified in our realm.

Differences Between Ladder And Non-ladder

Guide to Ladder and Non-Ladder

What is the difference? What can I do on one that I can't do on the other?

Ladder
There are certain privileges that a player gets on ladder that a non-ladder player does not. There is a list of ladder only runewords, items, and upgrades only accessible to ladder players.

• Runewords
  For more information about the runewords, check here http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/runewords-110.shtml
  Brand
  Death
  Destruction
  Dragon
  Dream
  Edge
  Faith
  Fortitude
  Grief
  Harmony
  Ice
  Infinity
  Insight
  Last Wish
  Lawbringer
  Oath
  Obedience
  Phoenix
  Pride
  Rift
  Spirit
  Voice of Reason
  Wrath

• Items (All are Unique)
  For more information about the uniques, check here http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/uniques.shtml
  Andariel's Visage
  Azurewrath
  Cerebus Bite
  Darkforce Spawn
  Death Cleaver
  Death Fathom
  Demonhorn's Edge
  Djinn Slayer
  Executioner's Justice
  Gheed's Fortune
  Griffon's Eye
  Heaven's Light
  Kira's Guardian
  Leviathan
  Mang Song's Lesson
  Metalgrid
  Nature's Peace
  Rune Master
  Seraph's Hymn
  Shadow Dancer
  Shadow Killer
  Stoneraven
  The Reaper's Toll
  Thunderstroke
  Tomb Reaver
  Tyrael's Might
  Warshrike
  Widowmaker
  Wraith Flight

• Upgrades
  3 Dol Runes + 1 Chipped Emerald -> Hel Rune
  3 Hel Runes + 1 Chipped Diamond -> Io Rune
  3 Io Runes + 1 Flawed Topaz -> Lum Rune
  3 Lum Runes + 1 Flawed Amethyst -> Ko Rune
  3 Ko Runes + 1 Flawed Sapphire -> Fal Rune
  3 Fal Runes + 1 Flawed Ruby -> Lem Rune
  3 Lem Runes + 1 Flawed Emerald -> Pul Rune
  2 Pul Runes + 1 Flawed Diamond -> Um Rune
  2 Um Runes + 1 Topaz -> Mal Rune
  2 Mal Runes + 1 Amethyst -> Ist Rune
  2 Ist Runes + 1 Sapphire -> Gul Rune
  2 Gul Runes + 1 Ruby -> Vex Rune
  2 Vex Runes + 1 Emerald -> Ohm Rune
  2 Ohm Runes + 1 Diamond -> Lo Rune
  2 Lo Runes + 1 Flawless Topaz -> Sur Rune
  2 Sur Runes + 1 Flawless Amethyst -> Ber Rune
  2 Ber Runes + 1 Flawless Sapphire -> Jah Rune
  2 Jah Runes + 1 Flawless Ruby -> Cham Rune
  2 Cham Runes + 1 Flawless Emerald -> Zod Rune
  
  1 Lum Rune + 1 Pul Rune + 1 Perfect Emerald + Exceptional Unique Weapon -> Elite Version of Weapon
  1 Ko Rune + 1 Lem Rune + 1 Perfect Diamond + Exceptional Unique Armor -> Elite Version of Armor

Non-Ladder

• 1) Non-Ladder never resets, characters and items will always stay on non-ladder.
  
  2) One special thing about non-ladder is that old, pre-patch, or items that do not drop any more still exist on non-ladder in very low quantities, unlike ladder.

The nex thing you need to understand is that ladders here last around 2 years and this is a lot of time considering most realms including the official one resets their ladder every 3 to 6 months besides, in our realm you can literally gear a decent character within couple days due to increased rates.
Non-ladder is pretty much solo playing with online features because almost everyone plays ladder more, there are more people as well as some extra features that make them come back and play this 21 years old game. We were considering at one point to make ladder features be available on non-ladder as well but as you can see it's not a popular suggestion and ladder has to keep it's advatages after all otherwise there would be no point into a ladder reset and this means less people would even come back and play the game.