Runes

Runes are small, weightless stones that allow users to cast spells using the magic skill. Some of these spells can be used for combat while others can be used to benefit the player casting them.

Runes can either be bought from the various Rune shops found across RuneScape, created from rune essence through the Runecrafting skill, procured from drops by killing monsters, or picked up from spawns on the ground. It should also be noted that four runes-earth, air, fire, and water-can be substituted for when wielding the staff of earth, the staff of air, the staff of fire, and the staff of water respectively. The only time an elemental staff cannot be used to substitute for runes is when setting up a portal in the Portal Chamber of a Player-Owned House (POH). Keep in mind that creating a Player-Owned house is a member-only feature of the game.

Free-to-play runes
All players can use the runes listed below, though free players can only craft runes up to body runes (using the Runecrafting skill), and the two magic stores (in Varrock and Port Sarim) only sell the basic elemental runes, chaos runes, and death runes.

Members Runes
The Wizards' Guild located in Yanille has the cheapest rune shop available to members. Located on its upper floors, it sells every available rune in the game, excluding astral, cosmic, and combination runes.

Only members can use the runes listed below.

Combination Runes
These runes are members only, and act as one of each of their composite runes. To make them take the talisman to the altar you are going too. For example, if you wanted to make dust runes you'd bring air runes, and earth runes, and the earth and air talismans to either the air altar or earth altar. Note that crafting combination runes uses one of your talismans, so only craft combination runes of the talismans you have the most of.

Monster drops
Many monsters drop runes in RuneScape, but some more than others. These are some of the most notable and easy.
 * Level 7 and 20 Dark Wizards south of Varrock and south of Taverley
 * Wizards in the Wizards' Tower south of Draynor Village
 * Infernal Mages in the Slayer Tower
 * Elemental Mages south of Falador
 * Dark wizards in Draynor Village
 * Chaos Druids in Taverley Dungeon
 * Flesh Crawlers in 2nd floor of the Stronghold of Security

Runecrafting
Runecrafting is the skill of crafting runes from rune essence. Through this skill, players can create their own runes for use in Magic.

Rogue Trader
Runes can be obtained by completing Ali Morrisane's Rogue Trader minigame, which players may complete after finishing The Feud quest.

After completing the minigame, players are able to obtain runes for a cheaper price. Unlike most shops, prices here stay the same while you are buying or selling runes.

Respawn locations
Here is a short list of respawn locations of runes throughout RuneScape.

Shops
There are several shops around RuneScape that sell runes. These are identified with the Magic shop icon on the map.

Barrows
The Barrows minigame provides large amounts of combat runes (Mind, Chaos, Death and Blood) from the chest, though very high combat skills are required in order to be successful at the Barrows.