WoW: Season of Discovery – Unveiling the Power of Mage Runes
orld of Warcraft continues to captivate players, especially with the exciting additions in the Season of Discovery (SoD) expansion. One of the most dynamic updates is the introduction of Runes, which bring new layers of character customization and power. In this guide, we’ll explore Mage Runes, their mechanics, how to find them, and the effects they offer to your spells and gear.
With Phase 7 approaching, it’s crucial for Mages to prepare and optimize their builds. So, let’s dive into everything you need to know about Mage Runes in WoW: SoD.
Where to Find Mage Runes
In the earlier phases of Season of Discovery, acquiring Mage Runes required a bit more effort, with quests and faction-based requirements. However, Blizzard made significant improvements in Phase 6 by simplifying the process. Rune Brokers were introduced across major cities, allowing players to purchase runes for as little as 1 copper.
These Rune Brokers are easy to spot, as they have a distinct purple appearance with glowing eyes. You can find them in the following locations:
- Stormwind City – The Dwarven District (57.6, 27.0)
- Orgrimmar – The Cleft of Shadow (49.5, 46.0)
- Ironforge – The Forlorn Cavern (53.9, 14.0)
- Undercity – The Magic Quarter (79.1, 20.0)
- Teldrassil – Shadowglen (58.9, 43.7)
- Darnassus – Temple Gardens (28.5, 38.4)
Mage Runes can be purchased starting from Level 1, so feel free to start collecting them as you progress through the game.
All Mage Runes in WoW: SoD (As of Phase 6)
Here’s a complete list of the Mage Runes available as of Phase 6 in WoW: SoD, along with which gear slots they can be applied to.
Head Runes
- Advanced Warding – Increases Mana Shield, Frost Ward, and Fire Ward by 100%, and reduces Mana drained by 50%.
- Deep Freeze – Stuns the target for 5 seconds; only works on frozen targets.
- Hot Streak – Pyroblast spells cost 100% less mana after two successful crits with similar spells.
- Temporal Anomaly – Launches a temporal orb that grants allies a shield every 2 seconds.
Back Runes
- Arcane Barrage – Launches missiles at a target for Arcane damage; 25% chance to trigger Missile Barrage.
- Overheat – Fire Blast always crits and can be cast simultaneously with other spells.
- Frozen Orb – Launches an ice orb that does Frost Damage and applies Chill to targets for 16 seconds.
Chest Runes
- Burnout – Increases spell crit chance by 15%, but adds a 1% base mana cost.
- Enlightenment – Deal 10% more damage while Mana is above 70%.
- Fingers of Frost – Chill has a 25% chance to grant Fingers of Frost, treating the next two spell targets as frozen.
- Regeneration – Heals target and applies Temporal Beacon for 30 seconds.
Wrist Runes
- Balefire Bolt – Deals Chimeric Damage with a magic attack.
- Displacement – Teleports you back to the last cast of Blink; resets Blink cooldown.
- Molten Armor – Causes Fire damage and increases spell crit chance by 5%.
- Rewind Time – Heals all damage taken in the last 5 seconds when Temporal Beacon is active.
Hand Runes
- Arcane Blast – Increases damage and healing effects of Arcane spells by 15%.
- Ice Lance – Deals Frost damage to target and causes 400% damage to frozen targets.
- Living Bomb – Deals Fire damage over 12 seconds and explodes when the duration ends.
Leg Runes
- Arcane Surge – Unleashes all remaining mana at the target for up to 300% more Arcane damage.
- Icy Veins – Increases spellcasting speed by 20% and eliminates pushback from damaging attacks for 20 seconds.
- Living Flame – Summons a spellfire flame that leaves a trail of spellfire for 10 seconds.
- Mass Regeneration – Heals all allies and applies Temporal Beacon for 15 seconds.
How to Use Mage Runes
Once you’ve acquired your Mage Runes, you can apply them to specific gear slots using the Rune Engraving interface. Each gear slot can only have one rune equipped at a time. For example:
- Head Runes are exclusively applied to helmets.
- Back Runes can only go on capes.
- Chest Runes can only go on chest armor, and so on.
With a total of 9 slots (one for each of the chest, hands, feet, waist, head, back, legs, and two rings), players can experiment and optimize their character’s abilities. However, ring runes will not stack with each other.
Mage Rune Strategy for Optimal Build
To maximize the effectiveness of Mage Runes, here are a few tips:
- Synergy with Talents: Combining Mage Runes with your Talent Tree can drastically improve your build. For example, pairing the Hot Streak rune with a talent that boosts your Pyroblast will make your fire spells much more devastating.
- Endgame Optimization: As you progress into endgame content, focus on runes that enhance your spellcasting power, defense, and mana efficiency. Certain runes may significantly improve your role in raids and PvP.
- Experiment with Different Combinations: Use different combinations of Head, Chest, Back, and Leg Runes to adapt to the demands of each encounter.
Final Thoughts
Mage Runes in WoW: SoD provide an exciting new way to enhance your character’s abilities and create a truly personalized playstyle. Whether you’re looking to increase your damage output, defense, or utility, the Mage Runes offer a variety of options that can make a huge difference in both PvP and PvE environments.
Make sure to head over to the Rune Brokers in the major cities to grab your runes and start crafting your ideal build today. With Phase 7 on the horizon, there’s no better time to prepare and fine-tune your character’s strengths.
For more guides on WoW Classic content, including gear, talent builds, and more, check out our other in-depth guides and get ready for your next adventure in Azeroth!