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For rune references in other Dragon Age titles, see Runes.

Weapon runes can be enchanted into some weapons to provide bonuses to the effects of those weapons.

Runes can be applied to (or removed from) equipment by Bodahn Feddic's son, Sandal, at the party camp in Dragon Age: Origins or Ambassador Cera at the Vigil's Keep in Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening. Adding and removing runes is free, and runes can be reused after removal. This makes it easy to customize equipment.

In Origins the warden can donate weapon runes of any grade except grandmaster to the Circle of Magi or templar factions. Doing so strengthens these factions for The Final Battle. To donate runes place them in the Allied Supply Crates in the party camp.

Some weapons have one or more rune slots. The number depends on the material they're made of. For example, iron weapons have no slots while most dragonbone items have three.

There are nine types of Weapon Runes. Most grant offensive bonuses, like fire damage or slowing or paralysis enemies; though some grant bonuses to physical or spell resistances.

Some runes paralyze their target and others slow them. While the effect of one of this runes is active, the same kind of effect (slowing or paralyzing) cannot be triggered again in the target, and the duration of the effect is not extended.

When a weapon that deals magic damage is enchanted with a rune that grants a bonus to the same type of magic damage the effects add up. For example, if a magical sword that deals 3 fire damage is enchanted with a rune that gives a +2 fire damage bonus, the enchanted sword deals 5 fire damage. This includes damage against a type of creatures, like undead or darkspawn.

List[]

Cold Iron[]

Novice Cold Iron Rune
Novice Cold Iron Rune
Effects:
+2 damage vs. undead


This forms the Tevinter symbol for the Fade.

Journeyman Cold Iron Rune
Journeyman Cold Iron Rune
Effects:
+4 Damage vs. Undead


This forms the Tevinter symbol for the Fade.

Expert Cold Iron Rune
Expert Cold Iron Rune
Effects:
+6 Damage vs. Undead


This forms the Tevinter symbol for the Fade.

Master Cold Iron Rune
Master Cold Iron Rune
Effects:
+8 Damage vs. Undead


This forms the Tevinter symbol for the Fade.

Grandmaster Cold Iron Rune
Grandmaster Cold Iron Rune
Effects:
+10 Damage vs. Undead


This forms the Tevinter symbol for the Fade.

Masterpiece Cold Iron Rune
Masterpiece Cold Iron Rune
Effects:
+12 damage vs undead


This forms the Tevinter symbol for the Fade.

Paragon Cold Iron Rune
Paragon Cold Iron Rune
Effects:
+14 damage vs. undead


This forms the Tevinter symbol for the Fade.

Dweomer[]

Novice Dweomer Rune
Novice Dweomer Rune
Effects:
+2% spell resistance


Dweomer runes get their name from the ancient Tevinter name for dwarves.

Journeyman Dweomer Rune
Journeyman Dweomer Rune
Effects:
+4% Spell Resistance


Dweomer runes get their name from the ancient Tevinter name for dwarves.

Expert Dweomer Rune
Expert Dweomer Rune
Effects:
+6% Spell Resistance


Dweomer runes get their name from the ancient Tevinter name for dwarves.

Master Dweomer Rune
Master Dweomer Rune
Effects:
+8% Spell Resistance


Dweomer runes get their name from the ancient Tevinter name for dwarves.

Grandmaster Dweomer Rune
Grandmaster Dweomer Rune
Effects:
+10% Spell Resistance


Dweomer runes get their name from the ancient Tevinter name for dwarves.

Masterpiece Dweomer Rune
Masterpiece Dweomer Rune
Effects:
+12% spell resistance


Dweomer runes get their name from the ancient Tevinter name for dwarves.

Paragon Dweomer Rune
Paragon Dweomer Rune
Effects:
+14% spell resistance


Dweomer runes get their name from the ancient Tevinter name for dwarves.

Flame[]

Novice Flame Rune
Novice Flame Rune
Effects:
+1 Fire Damage


This lyrium rune is the ancient Tevinter symbol for Toth, god of fire.

Journeyman Flame Rune
Journeyman Flame Rune
Effects:
+2 fire damage


This lyrium rune is the ancient Tevinter symbol for Toth, god of fire.

Expert Flame Rune
Expert Flame Rune
Effects:
+3 Fire Damage


This lyrium rune is the ancient Tevinter symbol for Toth, god of fire.

Master Flame Rune
Master Flame Rune
Effects:
+4 Fire Damage


This lyrium rune is the ancient Tevinter symbol for Toth, god of fire.

Grandmaster Flame Rune
Grandmaster Flame Rune
Effects:
+5 Fire Damage


This lyrium rune is the ancient Tevinter symbol for Toth, god of fire.

Masterpiece Flame Rune
Masterpiece Flame Rune
Effects:
+6 Fire Damage


This lyrium rune is the ancient Tevinter symbol for Toth, god of fire.

Paragon Flame Rune
Paragon Flame Rune
Effects:
+7 Fire Damage


This lyrium rune is the ancient Tevinter symbol for Toth, god of fire.

Frost[]

Novice Frost Rune
Novice Frost Rune
Effects:
+1 Frost Damage


This is the Tevinter rune for winter.

Journeyman Frost Rune
Journeyman Frost Rune
Effects:
+2 Frost Damage


This is the Tevinter rune for winter.

Expert Frost Rune
Expert Frost Rune
Effects:
+3 Frost Damage


This is the Tevinter rune for winter.

Master Frost Rune
Master Frost Rune
Effects:
+4 Frost Damage


This is the Tevinter rune for winter.

Grandmaster Frost Rune
Grandmaster Frost Rune
Effects:
+5 Frost Damage


This is the Tevinter rune for winter.

Masterpiece Frost Rune
Masterpiece Frost Rune
Effects:
+6 Frost Damage


This is the Tevinter rune for winter.

Paragon Frost Rune
Paragon Frost Rune
Effects:
+7 Frost Damage


This is the Tevinter rune for winter.

Hale[]

Novice Hale Rune
Novice Hale Rune
Effects:
+5% Physical Resistance


This is an old Tevinter symbol for endurance.

Journeyman Hale Rune
Journeyman Hale Rune
Effects:
+10% Physical Resistance


This is an old Tevinter symbol for endurance.

Expert Hale Rune
Expert Hale Rune
Effects:
+15% Physical Resistance


This is an old Tevinter symbol for endurance.

Master Hale Rune
Master Hale Rune
Effects:
+20% physical resistance


This is an old Tevinter symbol for endurance.

Grandmaster Hale Rune
Grandmaster Hale Rune
Effects:
+25 Physical Resistance


This is an old Tevinter symbol for endurance.

Masterpiece Hale Rune
Masterpiece Hale Rune
Effects:
+30 Physical Resistance


This is an old Tevinter symbol for endurance.

Paragon Hale Rune
Paragon Hale Rune
Effects:
+35 Physical Resistance


This is an old Tevinter symbol for endurance.

Lightning[]

Novice Lightning Rune
Novice Lightning Rune
Effects:
+1 Electrical Damage


This symbol is the old Tevinter rune for tempest.

Journeyman Lightning Rune
Journeyman Lightning Rune
Effects:
+2 Electrical Damage


This symbol is the old Tevinter rune for tempest.

Expert Lightning Rune
Expert Lightning Rune
Effects:
+3 Electrical Damage


This symbol is the old Tevinter rune for tempest.

Master Lightning Rune
Master Lightning Rune
Effects:
+4 Electrical Damage


This symbol is the old Tevinter rune for tempest.

Grandmaster Lightning Rune
Grandmaster Lightning Rune
Effects:
+5 Electrical Damage


This symbol is the old Tevinter rune for tempest.

Masterpiece Lightning Rune
Masterpiece Lightning Rune
Effects:
+6 Electricity Damage


This symbol is the old Tevinter rune for tempest.

Paragon Lightning Rune
Paragon Lightning Rune
Effects:
+7 electricity damage


This symbol is the old Tevinter rune for tempest.

Paralyze[]

Novice Paralyze Rune
Novice Paralyze Rune
Effects:
5% chance of paralysis for 4s


Lyrium has been formed into the shape of the Tevinter rune for stillness.

Journeyman Paralyze Rune
Journeyman Paralyze Rune
Effects:
5% chance of paralysis for 5s


Lyrium has been formed into the shape of the Tevinter rune for stillness.

Expert Paralyze Rune
Expert Paralyze Rune
Effects:
5% chance of paralysis for 6s


Lyrium has been formed into the shape of the Tevinter rune for stillness.

Master Paralyze Rune
Master Paralyze Rune
Effects:
5% chance of paralysis for 7s


Lyrium has been formed into the shape of the Tevinter rune for stillness.

Grandmaster Paralyze Rune
Grandmaster Paralyze Rune
Effects:
5% chance of paralysis for 8s


Lyrium has been formed into the shape of the Tevinter rune for stillness.

Masterpiece Paralyze Rune
Masterpiece Paralyze Rune
Effects:
5% chance of paralysis for 9s


Lyrium has been formed into the shape of the Tevinter rune for stillness.

Paragon Paralyze Rune
Paragon Paralyze Rune
Effects:
5% chance of paralysis for 10s


Lyrium has been formed into the shape of the Tevinter rune for stillness.

Slow[]

Novice Slow Rune
Novice Slow Rune
Effects:
Low chance to reduce movement speed


The ancient Tevinter symbol for sloth.

Journeyman Slow Rune
Journeyman Slow Rune
Effects:
Low chance to reduce movement speed


The ancient Tevinter symbol for sloth.

Expert Slow Rune
Expert Slow Rune
Effects:
Moderate chance to reduce movement speed


The ancient Tevinter symbol for sloth.

Master Slow Rune
Master Slow Rune
Effects:
High chance to reduce movement speed


The ancient Tevinter symbol for sloth.

Grandmaster Slow Rune
Grandmaster Slow Rune
Effects:
Highest chance to reduce movement speed


The ancient Tevinter symbol for sloth.

Masterpiece Slow Rune
Masterpiece Slow Rune
Effects:
Chance to reduce movement speed.


The ancient Tevinter symbol for sloth..

Paragon Slow Rune
Paragon Slow Rune
Effects:
Chance to reduce movement speed.


The ancient Tevinter symbol for sloth.

Silverite[]

Novice Silverite Rune
Novice Silverite Rune
Effects:
+2 damage vs. darkspawn


The emblem of Dumat, the first archdemon, symbol of betrayal and the First Blight.

Journeyman Silverite Rune
Journeyman Silverite Rune
Effects:
+4 Damage vs. Darkspawn


The emblem of Dumat, the first archdemon, symbol of betrayal and the First Blight.

Expert Silverite Rune
Expert Silverite Rune
Effects:
+6 Damage vs. Darkspawn


The emblem of Dumat, the first archdemon, symbol of betrayal and the First Blight.

Master Silverite Rune
Master Silverite Rune
Effects:
+8 Damage vs. Darkspawn


The emblem of Dumat, the first archdemon, symbol of betrayal and the First Blight.

Grandmaster Silverite Rune
Grandmaster Silverite Rune
Effects:
+10 Damage vs. Darkspawn


The emblem of Dumat, the first archdemon, symbol of betrayal and the First Blight.

Masterpiece Silverite Rune
Masterpiece Silverite Rune
Effects:
+12 damage vs. darkspawn


The emblem of Dumat, the first archdemon, symbol of betrayal and the First Blight.

Paragon Silverite Rune
Paragon Silverite Rune
Effects:
+14 damage vs. darkspawn


The emblem of Dumat, the first archdemon, symbol of betrayal and the First Blight.

Hybrid[]

Elemental Rune
Elemental Rune
Effects:
+2 damage from each element


The old Tevinter rune for the world itself.

Intensifying Rune
Intensifying Rune
Effects:
5% ranged critical chance
5% melee critical chance
20% critical/backstab damage


No word precisely captures the meaning of this rune, but it is something like "bigger".

Menacing Rune
Menacing Rune
Effects:
Increases Hostility


The Tevinters used this rune to mean anger.

Momentum Rune
Momentum Rune
Effects:
Increases Attack Speed


The Tevinter rune for speed.

Bugs[]

  • There is a bug with runes vs. creature type (Cold Iron, Silverite) and passive resistance (Dweomer, Hale) Masterpiece and Paragon tier weapon runes. They are erroneously flagged as Armor Runes in Dragon Age: Awakening. Cold Iron and Silverite do not trigger either with melee or ranged weapons when inserted into armor slots. However, both Dweomer and Hale grant the resistance bonuses normally.
    • This has been resolved with PC patch 1.04. Also resolved in the Ultimate Edition of the game.
    • Hale, Dweomer, & Cold Iron still flagged as armor runes in Ultimate Edition patch 1.05.}}

See also[]

External Link[]

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