Rune System — Lineage II Guide

Master Lineage II's Rune System to significantly boost character stats and grant unique passive effects.

The Rune System in Lineage II offers a powerful way to enhance your character's abilities beyond standard equipment enchantments. By imbuing your gear with Runes, you can gain significant boosts to stats, resistances, and even unique passive effects. Mastering this system is crucial for optimizing your character for both PvE and PvP content.

Understanding Runes

Runes come in various grades and types, each offering different benefits. The higher the grade of the Rune, the more potent its effect. Common Rune types include:

• Stat Runes: Increase core stats like STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIT, MEN.
• Attribute Runes: Enhance elemental attack or defense (Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Holy, Dark).
• Skill Runes: Provide passive bonuses to specific skills or skill categories.
• Special Runes: Offer unique effects such as increased critical rate, attack speed, casting speed, or HP/MP regeneration.

Each piece of equipment (weapon, armor, accessories) has a limited number of Rune slots, which can be expanded through specific methods detailed below.

Acquiring Runes

Runes are not easily come by, and their acquisition often involves dedicated farming or participation in specific game content. Here are the primary methods:

• Monster Drops: Many high-level monsters in zones like the Imperial Tomb or Forge of the Gods have a chance to drop various Rune fragments or even complete Runes. Focus on raid bosses and epic monsters for higher-grade drops.
• Instance Dungeons: Completing challenging instance dungeons such as Kamaloka or Pailaka can reward you with Rune Boxes or Rune materials.
• Events: Keep an eye on in-game events. NCSoft frequently introduces events that offer Runes as rewards for participation or completion of specific tasks.
• Crafting: Some higher-grade Runes can be crafted by specific NPCs using Rune fragments and other rare materials. Consult the Blacksmith of Mammon or Maestro Ishuma in Aden for crafting options.
• Grand Boss Drops: Defeating Grand Bosses like Antharas or Valakas has a very rare chance to drop the most powerful and sought-after Runes.

Imbuing and Managing Runes

Once you have acquired Runes, the next step is to imbue them into your equipment. This process is handled by specific NPCs and requires certain materials.

Imbuing Runes

1. Locate a Rune Master: These specialized NPCs can be found in major cities such as Aden, Giran, and Rune Township. Look for NPCs with the title "Rune Master" or "Enchanter."
2. Select Equipment: Open the Rune Master's dialogue and select the "Imbue Rune" option. Place the desired piece of equipment into the designated slot.
3. Choose Rune: Select the Rune you wish to imbue from your inventory. Ensure the Rune is compatible with the equipment type (e.g., weapon Runes for weapons, armor Runes for armor).
4. Confirm Imbuement: The Rune Master will display the success chance and the required Adena or other materials (e.g., Rune Essences). Confirm the imbuement.
5. Success/Failure: If successful, the Rune will be permanently affixed to your equipment, granting its effects. If it fails, the Rune will be destroyed, and in some cases, the equipment may also be damaged or lose existing enchantments. Always check the success rate!

Expanding Rune Slots

Most equipment starts with a limited number of Rune slots. To maximize your Rune potential, you'll need to expand these slots. This is typically done through:

• Rune Slot Expansion Scrolls: These rare scrolls can be obtained from high-level monster drops, instance dungeon rewards, or special events. Each scroll expands one slot.
• Special Crafting: Certain high-grade equipment can have its Rune slots expanded through a specialized crafting process at the Blacksmith of Mammon, often requiring rare materials like Giant's Codex.

Removing and Replacing Runes

Sometimes you'll want to change the Runes on your equipment, either to upgrade them or to adapt to different combat situations.

• Rune Removal: To remove an existing Rune, visit a Rune Master and select the "Remove Rune" option. This process usually costs Adena and has a chance to fail, destroying the Rune. There are also rare Rune Removal Scrolls that guarantee safe removal.
• Overwriting Runes: You can directly imbue a new Rune into a slot that already contains one. The new Rune will replace the old one, but the old Rune will be destroyed in the process. This method is generally less recommended unless you have no desire to preserve the old Rune.

Strategic Rune Placement

Effective Rune placement is key to maximizing your character's power. Consider your class, playstyle, and the content you're focusing on.

• Damage Dealers (DDs): Prioritize Runes that boost your primary attack stat (STR for melee, INT for mages), critical rate, critical damage, and attack/casting speed. Attribute Runes matching your main damage type are also crucial.
• Tanks: Focus on Runes that increase HP, P. Def, M. Def, and elemental resistances. Runes that reduce incoming critical damage or increase aggro generation can also be highly beneficial.
• Healers/Support: Look for Runes that enhance MP regeneration, casting speed, CON (for survivability), and potentially WIT (for faster cast times). Runes that boost healing power or reduce skill cooldowns are also excellent choices.
• PvP vs. PvE: For PvP, consider Runes that provide resistance to debuffs, stun resistance, or increased movement speed. For PvE, focus purely on maximizing your role's effectiveness in damage, tanking, or healing.

Experiment with different Rune combinations and always keep an eye on your character's stats to see the impact of your choices. The Rune System offers deep customization, so take your time to understand its nuances and tailor it to your specific needs.