Guild Wars Runes Guide - Part 1
Guild Wars Runes
In Guild Wars, runes are armor upgrades. One rune per piece of armor is able to be used. Runes for the most part are non-stacking. This means that if you have on one piece of armor with a specific rune, it will only be effective once, even if you have that same rune on another piece of armor.
There are profession specific runes and also general runes that can be used by all professions. Runes can be used by playable characters and heroes.
Runes can be purchased from the Rune Trader or traded with other players. You can also find runes on salvageable armor that drops from foes. To salvage a rune, you’ll need to use the expert or superior salvage kit.
General Runes
The general runes are able to be used by all profession types. Unless otherwise noted, they are non-stacking.
- Vigor – The minor rune will give you +30 to your health when it’s equipped on your armor set. The major rune gives a +41 to health after equipping, and the superior rune will give the maximum +50 to health buff.
- Minor Vitae – This rune will give +10 to health. This rune can be used more than once per armor set.
- Minor Attunement – Gives a +2 to energy when in armor. This rune can be used more than once per armor set.
- Clarity – This will reduce Blind and Weakness conditions.
- Purity – Reduces Disease and Poison conditions.
- Recovery – Gives reduction on Dazed and Deep Wound conditions.
- Restoration – Rune will give a reduction to Bleeding and Crippled conditions.
Assassin Runes
The runes that are specifically used by Assassins are used quite often by this profession. Depending on what type of an Assassin the player wants to be, the superior version is used on the headpiece.
- Critical Strikes – The minor rune gives a +1 to critical strikes. The major gives a +2 to critical strikes and -35 to health. The superior gives a +3 to critical strikes and -75 to health.
- Dagger Mastery – A minor rune will give +1 to dagger mastery. A major rune will give +2 to dagger mastery and -35 to health. The superior rune will give +3 to dagger mastery and -75 to health.
- Deadly Arts – The minor rune will give +1 to deadly arts. The major will give +2 to deadly arts and -35 to health and the superior rune will give +3 deadly arts and -75 to health.
- Shadow Arts – The minor rune grants +1 to shadow arts. Major runes grant +2 to shadow arts and -35 to health. The superior rune grants +3 to shadow arts and -75 to health.
Elementalist Runes
The Guild Wars Elementalist is a master of the elements. Depending on which type of element they are using, the Superior version of one of these runes should be used on the headpiece of their armor. Doing this will give an extra bump to the skill, so be sure to use it on that piece of armor.
- Air Magic – The minor rune will give a +1 to air magic. The major rune gives +2 to air magic and -35 health. The superior rune will give a +3 to air magic and -75 health.
- Earth Magic – The minor rune will give +1 to earth magic. The major rune will give +2 to earth magic and -35 to health. The superior rune will give +3 to earth magic and -75 to health.
- Energy Storage – The minor rune grants +1 to energy storage. The major rune grants +2 to energy storage and -35 health. The superior rune grants +3 to energy storage and -75 to health.
- Fire Magic – The minor rune has +1 to fire magic, the major rune has +2 to fire magic and -35 health, and the superior rune has +3 to fire magic and -75 to health.
- Water Magic – The minor rune has +1 to water magic, the major rune has +2 to water magic with -35 health, and the superior rune has +3 to water magic with -74 health.
Check the rest of this series of guides to discover the rest of the runes in Guild Wars. There are many more classes in the game as well that will be covered in other articles.
References
- Screenshots and references from Guild Wars.
This post is part of the series: Guide to Runes in Guild Wars
This three-part series will give players a great in-depth guide that will tell about all of the different runes, their stat buffs, special abilities, and more that each rune offers players in the game.
