Update 2.3 Rune Guide

Note: Runes will first launch in Beta on Server 1 only! Like Guild War, Runes are a big, complex feature. We want to make sure the experience is really fun and well tuned before we roll it out across all servers.

# Overview

Runes are the ultimate way to customize your Heroes in DragonSoul. Only available to players Team Level 61 and higher, Runes take combat strategy to a whole new level!

Head over to the **Rune Temple** to get started. Each hero can equip up to six different Runes. Each Rune belongs to a specific set and has a rarity, star rating and upgrade level. Pick sets that fit your Hero and then max out all six of their Runes for epic power!

Take for example a maxed out Dragon Lady (Level 90, Orange+1, all gear equipped and enchanted). Here are her stats without Runes:

<img alt="Dragon Lady (Level 90, Orange+1, all gear equipped and enchanted) stats without Runes" src="dragonsoul-update-2.3-rune-guide-01-dragon-lady-lvl-90-o+1-maxed-no-runes.png">

Here is the same Dragon Lady with six Runes equipped:

<img alt="Dragon Lady (Level 90, Orange+1, all gear equipped and enchanted) stats with Runes" src="dragonsoul-update-2.3-rune-guide-02-dragon-lady-lvl-90-o+1-maxed-with-runes.png">

Not only does she have an extra 1,000 Power, she has a 25% skill power bonus from her Ocean Rune Set, +200 Life Steal from her Blood Rune Set and a ton of new stat bonuses.

# Where to Find Runes

Runes can be only be found once you reach Team Level 61. After that, they drop in the Campaign, from Chapter 8 onward. Check the Combat Summary screens to see which Runes drop where:

<img src="dragonsoul-update-2.3-rune-guide-03-combat-summary-showing-rune-drops.png" alt="Combat summary showing rune drops">

# The Rune Temple

The Rune Temple is where you can manage, equip and upgrade your Runes:

<img src="dragonsoul-update-2.3-rune-guide-04-rune-temple.png" alt="The Rune Temple">

Your Hero Selector is on the left: use it to choose which Hero to attach Runes to. Each Hero has Six Rune Slots, shown at upper right. Tap an attached Rune to see information on it. Tap an empty slot to filter your Collection by Runes that fit that slot.

Your Rune Collection is at lower right. It shows all of your Runes by default. Tap one of the tabs to see just the Runes from a certain set. Tap a Rune to see info on it:

<img src="dragonsoul-update-2.3-rune-guide-05-tap-a-rune-to-see-info-on-it.png" alt="Tap a rune to see info on it">

Tap Attach to Equip a Rune to your currently selected Hero. Tap Sell to sell Runes for Runicite, a new currency used to upgrade Runes. Tap Empower to upgrade a Rune. This is explained below. Rune stats are also explained below.

# Anatomy of a Rune

<img src="dragonsoul-update-2.3-rune-guide-05-anatomy-of-a-rune.png" alt="Anatomy of a Rune">

## Type

Rune type is indicated by its shape, which limits the slots into which it can fit. There are 3 Rune types and 6 Rune shapes. The types are Keystone, Major and Minor. Each of these three types has different bonuses available to it. For more info on Rune Type and Bonuses, see the Rune Bonuses section below.

## Star Rating

Runes have from 1 to 5 stars. The more stars, the stronger the Primary Bonus is. Unlike Heroes, Runes' stars can't be increased.

## Rarity

Each Rune can be White, Green, Blue, Purple or Orange. Initial rarity determines how many tertiary bonuses a Rune starts with. Rarity increases as a Rune is Empowered. See the Rune Bonuses section below for more info.

## Empower Level

The Empower Level of a Rune is how upgraded it is. All Runes start at +0 and can be empowered up to +15. The more Empowered a rune is, the stronger the Primary Bonus is. Empowering a Rune also increases the Rarity of the Rune. When a Rune reaches +3/6/9/12, it becomes green/blue/purple/orange (unless it was already a higher rarity).

# Rune Bonuses

<img src="dragonsoul-update-2.3-rune-guide-06-rune-bonuses.png" alt="Rune Bonuses">

## Primary Bonuses

The first bonus listed on a Rune is its Primary Bonus. The Primary Bonus is stronger the more stars the Rune has. Empowering a Rune also increases the Primary Bonus.

## Secondary Bonuses

Some Runes, randomly, have a special Secondary Bonus listed right under the Primary bonus. The name of these Runes also have a suffix that describes the Secondary Bonus. The Secondary Bonus on a Rune never changes.

## Tertiary Bonuses

Runes can have up to four Tertiary Bonuses. How many a Rune starts with depends on the Rune's Rarity. When a Rune reaches Empower Level +3/6/9/12 the Rune either gains a new random bonus or upgrades one existing Tertiary Bonus. The bonus that is upgraded is chosen at random.

# Upgrading Runes

<img src="dragonsoul-update-2.3-rune-guide-07-empowering-runes.png" alt="Empowering Runes">

Once you find a Rune you like, you can Empower it to make it stronger. Each time you Empower a rune its Primary Bonus gets stronger. When a Rune is Empowered to +3/6/9/12 its Tertiary Bonuses also get stronger (See Tertiary Bonuses above for more information). A Rune's Secondary Bonus never increases or changes.

Empowering a Rune costs Runicite, a new resource you can obtain (once you reach team level 61) in Campaign Chapter 8+ or by selling Runes. A Rune can be Empowered up to +15. Empowering a Rune past +3 has a chance to fail, consuming the Runicite but leaving the Rune intact.

# Keystone Runes

<img src="dragonsoul-update-2.3-rune-guide-08-keystone-runes.png" alt="Keystone Runes">

Keystones are special, uber-powerful Runes. You will find Blank Keystones as you play DragonSoul. Blank Keystones need to be imbued with Soulstones to unlock their potential. Once imbued, the Keystone rune will get three Primary Bonuses. These bonuses come from a short list picked specifically for the hero whose Soulstones you imbued into the blank.

Keystone Runes range from 1 to 5 stars like normal runes. However, all Keystone Runes are Orange rarity by default. And, because a Keystone has three Primary Bonuses, they do not have any Secondary or Tertiary Bonuses.

# Rune Sets & Set Bonuses

<img src="dragonsoul-update-2.3-rune-guide-09-rune-types.png" alt="Rune Types">

Each Rune belongs to a different set. When a hero has enough Runes from the same Set attached, that hero gets the Bonus for that set. (A hero can't get the same set bonus twice.)

The strength of the Set Bonus does not depend on the Stars, Empower Level or Rarity or the Runes attached. You can tell what set a Rune is by the name and the icon on the Rune. You can also filter your Rune Collection by tapping the different Set Icons (pictured above).

# Stats Bonuses Found on Runes

Different stat bonuses are available on different Rune types and as different bonus types (primary, secondary, tertiary). This shows all possible stat bonuses for Major and Minor Runes. (Keystone Rune bonuses are specific to the Hero whose soulstones are imbued into the Keystone.)

<tbody> </tbody>

# Stat Bonus Definitions

## Growth Bonuses

Certain Bonuses on runes are listed as “Growth Bonuses”. Growth Bonuses scale with level. If a level 60 hero has +1.2 Attack Damage Growth, that hero gets 1.2 x 60 = 72 Attack Damage. If that hero is leveled up to Level 90, that Rune would then be giving 1.2 x 90 = 108 Attack Damage.

## Other Stat Definitions

Definitions for all other stats can be found in the Hero Stats info popup in game. Navigate to any Hero, tap the Stats button and then tap the “i” button.