Runes are small, weightless, magical stones with icons on them representing various elements. Players need the right combinations of runes to cast spells using the Magic skill.
Runes can either be bought from the various Magic shops found throughout Old School RuneScape, created from rune essence through the Runecrafting skill, procured from drops by killing monsters, or picked up from various spawns on the ground.
Elemental staves (the staff of earth, the staff of air, the staff of fire, and the staff of water) provide an unlimited amount of runes of their stated type to cast spells while wielding them.
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). The two free-to-play Magic stores (in Varrock and Port Sarim) only sell the basic elemental runes, chaos runes, and death runes.
Rune | Use | Runecrafting | Level | GE price | |
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Air rune | Used to cast air missiles and one of the four basic elemental runes. | Free | 1 | 5 |
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Mind rune | Used to cast basic missile spells (Wind, Water, Earth and Fire Strike). | Free | 1 | 3 |
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Water rune | Used to cast water missiles and one of the four basic elemental runes. | Free | 5 | 4 |
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Earth rune | Used to cast earth missiles and one of the four basic elemental runes. | Free | 9 | 4 |
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Fire rune | Used to cast fire missiles and one of the four basic elemental runes. | Free | 14 | 5 |
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Body rune | Used to cast low level curse spells. | Free | 20 | 5 |
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Cosmic rune | Used for item enchanting spells (jewellery, crossbow bolts, and orbs). | Members | 27 | 143 |
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Chaos rune | Used to cast low level missile spells (Wind, Water, Earth and Fire Bolt) as well as Crumble Undead. | Members | 35 | 89 |
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Nature rune | Used for transmutation spells such as Low and High Level Alchemy and Superheat Item, as well as Binding. | Members | 44 | 217 |
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Law rune | Used to cast teleportation spells. | Members | 54 | 166 |
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Death rune | Used to cast medium level missile spells (Wind, Water, Earth and Fire Blast). | Members | 65 | 203 |
Members runes[]
The Wizards' Guild located in Yanille has the cheapest Magic shops available to members. Located on its upper floors, it sells every rune except astral, cosmic, wrath, and combination runes.
Only members can use the runes listed below.
Rune | Use | Level | GE price | |
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Astral rune | Used to cast Lunar spells. Lunar Diplomacy is required to craft and use these runes. | 40 | 159 |
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Blood rune | Used to cast high level missile spells (Wind, Water, Earth and Fire Wave). | 77 | 367 |
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Soul rune | Used to cast high level curse spells and in teleother spells. | 90 | 146 |
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Wrath rune | Used to cast high level missile spells (Wind, Water, Earth and Fire Surge). | 95 | 416 |
Combination runes[]
- members only, and act as one of each of their composite runes. These runes are
Rune | Combination | Level | GE price |
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6 | 162 |
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10 | 4 |
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13 | 243 |
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15 | 71 |
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19 | 68 |
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23 | 4 |
Obtaining runes[]
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, south of Taverley, and in Draynor Village
- 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 and Edgeville Dungeon
- Flesh Crawlers in 2nd floor of the Stronghold of Security
- Zombie (common) 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.
Rune | Price sold at | |
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Air rune | 4 coins |
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Mind rune | 3 coins |
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Water rune | 4 coins |
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Earth rune | 4 coins |
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Fire rune | 4 coins |
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Body rune | 3 coins |
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Cosmic rune | 62 coins |
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Chaos rune | 150 coins |
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Nature rune | 320 coins |
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Law rune | 300 coins |
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Death rune | 225 coins |
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Blood rune | 500 coins |
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Soul rune | 300 coins |
Respawn locations[]
Here is a short list of respawn locations of runes throughout RuneScape.
Rune | Location |
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West Of Lumbridge and behind Luthas' house on Karamja Island, Dark Warriors Fortress. |
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Southern stairway in the Lumbridge Castle, Varrock Sewers, Wilderness, Dark Warriors Fortress. |
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Chasm Mines in Al Kharid, Dark Warriors Fortress. |
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North of Varrock, in Varrock Sewers, and Dark Warriors Fortress. |
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Chasm Mines in Al Kharid, inside Karamja Volcano, in Camelot Castle, and the Dark Warriors Fortress. |
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Varrock Palace grounds, Varrock Sewers, in the Zeke's Superior Scimitars, scattered in Level 6 - 8 Wilderness, Dark Warriors Fortress and Lava Maze. |
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Ice Plateau in Level 48 Wilderness. |
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Levels 36-40 Wilderness, Trollweiss Mountain and Dark Warriors' Fortress. |
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Level 45 Wilderness, 2 treasure chests in East Ardougne and an island north of Rellekka (can be pick-locked with 28 Thieving) |
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South-west of Yanille in the Feldip Hills. |
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Treasure chest in the Chaos Druid Tower (can be pick-locked with 59 Thieving) and the Demonic Ruins in the Wilderness |
Rune shops[]
There are several Magic shops around RuneScape that sell runes. These are identified with the flame icon on the map. Shop names in italics are members-only.
Shop | Location | Runes Sold | Notes |
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Aubury | South-east Varrock | Air, Water, Earth, Fire, Mind, Chaos, Death | Often frequented by players and bots, so its stock is frequently low. |
Betty | Port Sarim | Air, Water, Earth, Fire, Mind, Chaos, Death | |
Ali Morrisane | Al Kharid | All except Astral | Requires completion of The Feud and Rogue Trader |
Magic Guild | Yanille | All except Astral and Cosmic | 66 Magic required to enter the Magic Guild (can be boosted) |
Baba Yaga | Lunar Isle | All except Cosmic | Must have started the Lunar Diplomacy quest. Currently the only shop to sell Astral runes. |
Mage Training Arena | North of Duel Arena | All except Astral | Uses Pizazz points instead of coins as currency. |
Mage Arena | Level 50-55 Wilderness | All except Astral and Soul | Located in the mage bank, a non-wilderness area. |
Mage of Zamorak | Level 5 Wilderness, north of Edgeville | All except Astral and Cosmic and Nature | |
Ape Atoll | Ape Atoll | Air, Water, Earth, Fire, Law | Requires completion of Monkey madness II or a Greegree to access. |
Pest Control | Void Knights' Outpost | Air, Water, Earth, Fire, Mind, Chaos, Death |
Barrows[]
The Barrows minigame provides large amounts of catalytic runes (Mind, Chaos, Death and Blood) from the chest, though very high combat skills are required in order to be successful at the Barrows.
Runes | |||||
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Elemental runes |
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Catalytic runes |
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