Thoughts and feedback on Runes

Hey all, I have around 6k hours in PoE1 and a few hundred hours in PoE2 since it released. First and foremost, I understand SO, SO many QoL features and crafting improvements will be added to the game with time, so this is just me airing out my thoughts on what I think would be a really cool system to utilize Runes and would basically replace the need for any kind of Crafting Bench system as many players have expressed desire in having, including myself. I also understand Soul-Cores are intended to be for late-game itemization and to replace Runes in their current implementation.

Rune Tiers/Rune Upgrading

-Put simply, Runes drop in different tiers, increasing their effects with higher tiers.
-Placing 3 of the same tier/type of rune in the reforging bench would increase the rune to the next tier, up to max tier.
-The way I envision this is Runes can be upgraded up to tier-5, which are intended to be used throughout the campaign. Runes take on a different use in the endgame (explained next).


Rune-Crafting System (Expedition Mechanic)

I know the team has speculated on wanting to do more with Expedition, and they're not happy with its current implementation, and they're not rushing it. What I'm proposing is one thing Expedition could allow is "Runeforging", or crafting of custom Runes which could draw from a very large affix pool similar to that of Jewels, but limited to 2 affixes.

-Runeforging: upon reaching the endgame, the Salvage Bench gets upgraded allowing you do break down your tier-5 Runes into Rune Fragments.
-One of the Expedition vendors, let's say Tujen, becomes the Rune Master.
-Tujen now sells "Rune Shells" (can't think of a better term for them) that cost X# of Rune Fragments.
-Rune Shells are comprised of 4 different base types: Attack, Defence, Spell, Utility, which govern what affixes can roll on them.
-Rune Shells can be crafted by Tujen using his custom currency, these runes can draw from a very large affix pool and can roll up to 2 affixes.
-An Attack Rune might roll something like "Adds 14-22 Fire Damage to Attacks" + "5% increased Attack Speed".
-A Utility Rune could have "4% increased Movement Speed" + "15% increased Totem Placement Speed".

I think a system like this would add a huge amount of agency over itemization, and endgame itemization would come down to choosing between Soul-cores and crafted Runes.