Rune

A rune is a kind of upgrade item that is applied to a character's armor.

Availability
Runes can be obtained by using an Expert Salvage Kit on Salvage Items such as Ettin's Pauldrons or Seeker's Armors. Only a non-white salvage item can have a rune. A blue salvage item will always have a minor rune. A purple salvage item will always have either a minor rune or a major rune. A gold salvage item will always have either a major rune or a superior rune. If you salvage the salvage item before identifying it, you will receive an unidentified rune.

Runes are also available for purchase from rune traders in cities. Since you are not identifying the rune if you buy it from a trader, you do not unlock the rune for PvP.

You can also unlock runes at a Priest of Balthazar. This only unlocks the rune for PvP and does not put one into your inventory.

Types
Runes come in three classes:
 * Attribute runes provide a bonus to a single attribute such as Fire Magic or Strength. You can only use attribute runes for attributes of your primary profession.
 * Absorption runes provide damage reduction for physical damage. Only primary Warriors may use these.
 * Vigor runes provide a bonus to Health. They are not linked to any profession and thus can be equipped by everyone.

For each type, there are three degrees of potency (Minor, Major and Superior). They affect each type as follows:
 * Attribute runes:
 * Minor provide +1 to an attribute.
 * Major provide +2 to an attribute and -50 health.
 * Superior provide +3 to an attribute and -75 health.
 * Absorption runes:
 * Minor provide -1 damage reduction.
 * Major provide -2 damage reduction.
 * Superior provide -3 damage reduction.
 * Vigor runes:
 * Minor provide +30 health.
 * Major provide +41 health.
 * Superior provide +50 health.

A rune's icon is a piece of parchment with a symbol on it. Runes linked to the same profession have the same symbol and vigor runes have their own symbol. The shape of the parchment varies with the potency of the rune. Linked runes have their profession noted in their name, even if not identified. For example, an identified "Mesmer Major Rune of Fast Casting" or unidentified "Necromancer Rune." So, if a rune is not identified, you can still tell which profession it is for (or if it is a vigor rune) and its potency.

Use
To use a rune, double-click it and then click on the piece of armor you want to apply it to. Only one rune can be placed on a single piece of armor at a time. If you apply a rune to a piece of armor that already has one, it will replace the old rune (after asking you to confirm the replacement). You can only use runes linked to your primary profession (or the generic runes of Vigor). For example, a Monk/Ranger could not use a rune of Minor Marksmanship, while a Ranger/Monk could.

Stacking
Runes affecting the same attribute, absorption runes, and vigor runes do not stack within their own type. You can only receive the benefit of the highest potency rune from each. However, the health penalties from all attached runes will stack.

Example: A Rune of Minor Vigor adds +30 Health. If you attach one to your chest armor and another to your head armor, you will only gain a bonus of +30 health. If you then attach a Major Rune of Vigor to your hand armor, you will only gain a bonus of +41 health; the two minor runes will effectively be overridden by the higher-potency rune.

Headgear that provide +1 to an attribute do stack with runes. For example, a Wicked Scar Pattern (+1 Curses) with a Superior Rune of Curses applied to it would add a total of +4 to your Curses attribute. Also of note is that an absorption rune will stack with the effects of a piece of Knight's Armor or Ascalon Armor.

Recovery
You can use an Expert Salvage Kit on armor that you have attached a rune to in order to try to recover the rune. This will destroy the armor and possibly recover the rune.