Runes are one of the most influential systems in The Forge, shaping everything from mining efficiency to combat performance. A weapon or pickaxe with the right rune setup can hit harder, farm faster, or survive longer than raw stats alone ever could.
What makes runes so interesting is how customizable they are. You’re not just improving numbers — you’re creating a build that feels uniquely yours. Whether you want explosive AOE, lifesteal sustain, or pure mining luck, the rune system gives you room to experiment and push your playstyle in a direction that feels rewarding.
Below is a complete list of every rune currently known, along with their abilities, rarity, and use-cases. I’ve also added practical notes so you understand why a rune matters, not just what it does.
The Forge Rune Guide – Full List, Effects & Secondary Traits
Miner Shard
Ability:
- Luck: Boosts overall mining luck.
- Yield: Gives a chance to obtain an extra ore from each mining action.
- Mine Speed: Increases mining speed depending on the shard variant.
- Mine Power: Boosts pickaxe damage against rocks.
Rarity: Rare
Obtainment: Mining drops, rune crates, select events
Personal Note:
This is the backbone of any mining build. Every serious miner uses Miner Shards because the bonuses scale extremely well as your pickaxe improves.
Frost Speck
Ability:
- Ice: Freezes enemies briefly. Activates on a low chance with a short cooldown.
Rarity: Rare
Obtainment: Combat rune sources
Personal Note:
Freezing is deceptively strong — especially against fast enemies that rely on rapid movement or combos. Great for solo players who want extra safety.
Flame Spark
Ability:
- Burn: Deals a percentage of weapon damage as fire damage over time for several seconds. Chance to apply on hit.
Rarity: Rare
Personal Note:
Burn is consistent and stacks well with fast weapons like daggers or katanas. Excellent for builds that rely on shredding enemies over time.
Venom Crumb
Ability:
- Poison: Deals a percentage of weapon damage as poison over time. Chance to apply on hit.
Rarity: Rare
Personal Note:
Similar to Burn, but poison tends to work better in prolonged fights. Works beautifully with tanky races like Golem or Orc due to sustained uptime.
Chill Dust
Ability:
- Snow: Slows enemy movement and attack speed for a few seconds. Chance on hit.
Rarity: Rare
Personal Note:
A staple for defensive builds. Slowing attack speed is one of the safest ways to control chaotic enemy encounters.
Blast Chip
Ability:
- Explosion: Creates an AOE blast at the enemy’s position that deals a percentage of your weapon damage. Has a chance to trigger on hit.
Rarity: Rare
Personal Note:
If you enjoy clearing multiple enemies at once, this rune feels amazing. Extremely strong when paired with heavy weapons like Great Swords or Axes.
Drain Edge
Ability:
- Heal: Restores a percentage of the physical damage you deal on hit.
Rarity: Rare
Personal Note:
This is the lifesteal rune, and it’s one of the strongest defensive tools in the game. It makes solo play dramatically easier and keeps heavy builds alive.
Briar Notch
Ability:
- Thorns: Reflects a percentage of physical damage taken. Reflection is capped based on max HP, with a cooldown.
Rarity: Rare
Personal Note:
Fun for tank builds, but works best when stacked with HP-boosting armor or races. A niche rune that shines in group play when you’re the designated tank.
Rage Mark
Ability:
- Berserk: +Physical Damage and +Movement Speed for several seconds. Activates when health falls below 35%, with a cooldown.
Rarity: Rare
Personal Note:
A great risk-reward rune. When used with heavy-hitting weapons or aggressive races like Demon, you can snowball entire fights.
Ward Patch
Ability:
- Shield: Reduces incoming damage by a percentage. Has a chance to activate per hit.
Rarity: Rare
Personal Note:
This one is straightforward but reliable. Reducing burst damage is always valuable, especially during boss-tier fights.
Rot Stitch
Ability:
- Toxic Veins: Emits poison damage around you while your health is below 35%. Has a cooldown.
Rarity: Rare
Personal Note:
Very strong when combined with Rage Mark for a low-HP berserker playstyle. Or extremely fun for chaotic AOE builds.
Secondary Traits
Below is a simple collection-style overview of secondary traits runes can influence indirectly depending on the build they belong to:
- Movement-based triggers (dash bonuses, berserk states, low-HP effects)
- On-hit elemental procs (fire, ice, poison, slow)
- Resource generation (yield, luck, extra drops)
- Survivability tools (shields, lifesteal, thorns)
- AOE options (explosions, aura effects)
Secondary traits aren’t listed officially in-game, but understanding how rune effects interact with your weapon and build is what pushes your character into high-performance territory.