Glyphs

Runes are special attachment stones which provide bonuses to the stats of Monsters. Runes are found in special sets of either two or four, with the completion of a set giving a special bonus, in addition to the individual bonuses of runes. Up to a maximum of six runes may be equipped to a monster, although they must be bound to a monster in order to take effect, and cannot be removed unless Mana Stones are spent. Like monsters, runes possess different grades of rarity and star ratings, and may be powered up to increase their effectiveness.

Runes may be obtained through a variety of different ways, such as through Dungeons like Giant's Keep, Necropolis, and Dragon's Lair, as well as through Scenario areas such as Mt. Siz and Vrofagus Ruins.

A total of 700 runes and 500 grindstones can be held at any one time, not counting those equipped or engraved on monsters respectively. Once you have reached the maximum amount of runes, if the chest at the end of dungeons contains a rune, the chest will not appear at all.

Effects
Each rune possesses one main effect or property. The type of bonus provided by the main property is determined by the slot number which it occupies. When powered up, the bonus provided by the main property increases, with the amount increased with each power up dependent on the star rating or grade of the Rune. Effect types either take the form of Stat + X or Stat +% (e.g. ATK + 7 or ATK +5%). Usually, percentage based effects provide a greater boost to monster stats, as they scale to a monster's strength (e.g. attack of 1000 + 20% attack rune = 1200 total attack), whereas flat effects do not.

In addition, Runes also possess several secondary effects or properties, called sub-stats, which also take the form of Stat + X or Stat +%. Each secondary property provides another bonus to monster stats, although the bonus is smaller than the main effect. The amount of secondary effects is determined by the rarity of the Rune. Secondary effects cannot be the same as the main effect of the Rune, and Runes cannot have more than one of the same secondary on the same Rune.

It should be noted that Rune effects only apply to the base stats of monsters, which means that bonuses are additive rather than multiplicative.

In addition, stat increases that do not result in a whole number are rounded up (e.g. +99.01 becomes a full +100)

Sets
The following table shows the list of runes, their respective set effects and the drop location.

1. Read here for more information about accuracy and resistance.

2. If multiple monsters have shield runes equipped, the created shield total amount will be additive of the wearer's base HP (e.g. a Lv40 Leo (11850 * 15% = 1777.5) and a Lv40 Emma (10215 * 15% = 1532.25) with one set of Shield on each will give each party member a shield of 3310 HP).

3. Revenge runes cannot counterattack a counterattack.

4. Multi-hit skills which randomly attack different enemies have a chance of activating despair stun on subsequent hits if the first hit on that monster activates despair (source). The same applies to skills which hit the same enemy multiple times (source).

Prefix Stats
In addition to main and sub-stats, Runes will on occasion come with a prefix stat. These stats are the same kinds found in main and sub-stats, and can not have the same effect as the main and sub-stats. Additionally, prefix stats cannot be upgraded through the power up process.

Runes with prefix stats usually come with a special title. The following are the titles available for each prefix stat.

Power-up
At the cost of mana stones, Runes can be powered up, increasing the strength of their effect. How much of an increase depends on the grade of a Rune, with higher grades generally offering more of an increase.

Runes can be powered up a maximum of fifteen times. When powering up Runes, the chance of a successful power-up will depend on the Rune level. Powering up a rune from +1 to +3 has a 100% success rate which will go down successively with each level.

Cost
Runes can be strengthened by powering-up using mana. The cost of powering-up does not depend on the rarity or type of rune - it only depends on the grade and level of the rune. For example, the cost of powering-up a 1-Star Normal Guard Rune is the same as powering-up a 1-Star Legendary Energy Rune. The mana is spent regardless of the success or failure of the rune power-up attempt. Failing to power-up a rune will not downgrade or destroy the rune.

The following table lists the cost of attempting to power-up a rune.

Rarity
Like monsters, Runes also come in different grades of rarity. There are five different grades:


 * Normal - White (0)
 * Magic - Green (3)
 * Rare - Blue (6)
 * Hero - Purple (9)
 * Legendary - Orange (12)

The higher the rarity, the more secondary effects the Rune will start with. For instance, a normal Rune has no extra effects, magic has one, a rare has two, and so on.

The following table illustrates the number of secondary effects possible for each rarity.

Runes can be found at any of the above rarities, although they can still be powered up at a cost of Mana Stones in order to reach the next grade. In general, Runes change rarities every three levels, or at intervals of 3/6/9/12. However, if a rune is found at higher rarity than Normal (white Runes), switching to the next rarity will not take place until the specific level associated with that rarity is reached. So a level 0 Magic rune, when powered-up to level 3, will not upgrade rarity until level 6.

If a rune with a higher rarity than normal for its level is powered up, then at +3, +6 etc. it will upgrade preexisting secondary effects. If more than one is present, which effect is upgraded is chosen randomly. This occurs until the rune is at the correct rarity for its level, at which point it will begin to receive new secondary effects up to a maximum of four. E.g. a Magic Rune with a secondary effect of +4 speed will always upgrade the preexisting secondary effect (speed) at a powerup level of +3, whereas a Normal Rune with no secondary effects will create a new secondary effect every three powerups up to and including +12, and will never upgrade an existing one. In the same way, a Legendary Rune (already with four secondary effects) will spend every third powerup upgrading existing secondary effects, and will never create a new one.

The following table illustrates the number of total upgrades to secondary effects possible for each rarity.

i.e. A +9 Magic rune would have had a total of 1 upgrade to its secondary effects, whereas a +9 Legendary rune would have had a total of 3 upgrades to its secondary effects. Note that +15 never adds an upgrade for secondary stats. Instead, it gives a big bonus to the primary.

Grade
Similar to monsters, Runes also come in different grades, which are based on star ratings. Each Rune is available in star ratings from 1-6, although unlike monsters, Runes cannot evolve or move past their initial star rating.

The star rating of a Rune impacts the magnitude of both its main effects and secondary effects, as well as the rate of increase for these effects. In general, the higher the star rating, the greater the magnitude of its effects. It should be noted that at level 15, Runes receive an extra bonus to their main properties. For example, at +15, stats are increased by 20% instead of the regular rate.

The following table illustrates the effect of Rune grade, as well as primary stat changes from level to level. The first number corresponds to starting bonus, the second corresponds to rate of increase, and the third corresponds to maximum bonus (e.g. 40 / 45 / 804 = Starting bonus of 40/ increases by 45 each level, maximum bonus of 804).

Sub-stats
The below table reflects the maximum sub-stat values possible for a single stat on an individual runes.

This table below illustrates the effect of Rune grade on sub-stat changes from level to level.

The following table illustrates the maximum possible sub-stat value achievable for a single rune when powered up fully. Maximum values including grindstone effects have been included.

Slots
When equipping Runes, each monster has a maximum of six slots which can be used. This allows room for one 4-set and one 2-set Rune set. Each individual Rune has a number from one to six in parenthesis beside its name, which corresponds to a slot number on a monster. Each Rune type has a Rune available for all six slots.

The slot number of a specific Rune determines what kind of effects are available for that specific Rune as a main property. The following table illustrates this:

With regard to secondary effects, every effect type can be found on all Runes as a secondary property, with the exception of slot 3, where ATK (%) and ATK (+) cannot be found as a secondary effect, and slot 1 where DEF (%) and DEF (+) cannot be found.

Additionally, because Runes can be found as drops in Scenario areas, the slot number of a Rune corresponds to the stage number in which it was found, regardless of which area. The following illustrates this:
 * Stage 1 = Rune 1
 * Stage 2 = Rune 2
 * Stage 3 = Rune 3
 * Stage 4 = Rune 4
 * Stage 5 = Rune 5
 * Stage 6 = Rune 6

For example, a slot 1 Energy Rune can be found in Garen Forest Outskirts, also known as Stage 1. A slot 6 Energy Rune can be retrieved at Garen Forest Plateau, or Stage 6.

For boss stages, Runes from all six slots can be found.

Removing Runes
Although Runes must be bound to monsters before they can be used, they can still be removed at a cost of Mana Stones. Once removed, the rune will go back into the player's inventory and can be equipped again on a monster. Starting 6th June 2015, rune removals on the first Saturday of every month is free. (As of 22nd of March 2016 should the first Saturday of the month be the first day of the month it is postponed to the 8th)

Like the power-up cost, the cost of removing a rune only depends on the grade of the rune. The following table shows the costs of removing a Rune from a monster.

Obtaining
Runes can be obtained in a variety of ways:
 * 1) Runes of all qualities can be found in the Magic Shop. The higher the player level, the more likely a rarer Rune appears.
 * 2) Reward from the Temple of Wishes.
 * 3) Runes drops from each Scenario area in the Battle Map. The rarity of Runes depends on difficulty level, with Normal Mode dropping 1-Star to 3-Star Runes, Hard Mode dropping 2-Star to 4-Star Runes, and Hell Mode dropping 3-Star to 5-Star Runes.
 * 4) Giant's Keep, Dragon's Lair and Necropolis also drop Runes, with higher stages dropping 5-Star and 6-Star Runes.
 * 5) Using Craft Materials obtained from Giant's Keep, Dragon's Lair, Necropolis, and Rift of Worlds then creating a rune at the Craft Building. This method has the added bonus of providing choice with what rune type is selected and the grade/quality it could potentially craft into.

Grindstones
Grindstones are special items that are only found in the Rift of Worlds as a reward drop from defeating a Raid boss. They can be used to enhance one of the sub-stats on any given rune to a higher number, depending on the grade of the grindstone. Grindstones may be used an unlimited number of times on a rune, although the increase will always be based on the substat's base number before enhancing. As well, only the main stats (attack, defense, HP, speed) can be enhanced with a grindstone.

Enchanted Gems
Enchanted Gems are special items found only in the Rift of Worlds as a reward drop from defeating a Raid boss. They can be used to change one sub-stat into another one. The new sub-stat is based on the Enchanted Gem itself, with each designating which sub-stat will be the new one. Only runes powered up to +12 can have a sub-stat replaced.

Reappraisal Stones
Reappraisal Stones are special items which can only be obtained by crating through the Craft Building. When used, they will randomly reset all the sub-stats on a rune. Any sub-stats that were added in through Enchanted Gems or amplified through Grindstones will automatically disappear. Sub-stat increases obtained through power-ups will automatically be reflected in the new sub-stats, with the distribution of power-ups between the new stats being random. Reappraisal Stones can only be used on a rune that has been powered up to +12.

Power-Up Stones
Power-Up Stones are special event only items which raise the chances of a rune successfully being powered up. One stone is used up for each power-up attempt, regardless of whether it was successful or not.

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