You do not purchase each rune with RP or Blue Essence.
Pre-match bonuses, without the mystery
Runes shape how your champion starts the match
Runes add effects or small stat changes before play begins. You choose them as one complete rune page. They are not items, they are not bought during the match, and choosing a different page does not unlock a different champion.
Extra permanent page slots are convenience, not stronger runes.
The selected page is fixed when the match starts.
What a rune actually does
A rune rewards a condition; it does not play the champion for you
Read each rune as a small promise: when this condition happens, this effect becomes available. You still choose the target, timing, movement and whether the fight is worth taking.
Some runes reward repeated attacks, one damaging ability or a particular combat sequence.
Others grant a shield, healing, resistance or recovery after taking damage.
Some effects grow later, recharge between uses or only work after leaving combat.
Supportive runes may react when you heal, shield, protect or control a target for an ally.
Read one page in four steps
The large choice comes first; the smaller choices support it
You do not need to memorise every rune before playing. Start by recognising the keystone and what the page is trying to help your champion do.
- Step 1
Choose the primary path
This path supplies the keystone and three minor runes. It is the main identity of the page.
- Step 2
Choose one keystone
The keystone is the prominent effect at the top. It may reward repeated attacks, one burst, protection, durability or another play pattern.
- Step 3
Add a different secondary path
Choose two minor runes from another path. A secondary path cannot be the same as the primary path.
- Step 4
Finish with three stat shards
These are smaller stat choices. Read their current client tooltips because available shard options can change between patches.
Start with a question, not a tier list
Which kind of help matches the champion's plan?
These are broad identities, not fixed role assignments. A champion can use more than one path when the matchup or intended pattern changes.
DominationDo I want one target to feel my first clean opening?Burst, access and rewards after aggressive takedown patterns.
InspirationDo I want tools that change the normal rules?Flexible utility, timing advantages and unusual problem-solving.
PrecisionDo I want stronger repeated attacks or longer fights?Basic attacks, sustained damage and combat that builds over time.
ResolveDo I need to survive, protect or stay in the fight?Durability, recovery and protection for committed contact.
SorceryDo I want my spells, mana or movement to carry the plan?Ability pressure, resources and effects that strengthen casting.
Reference patch · 16.19.1
Five paths
Open a path to see its current keystones and minor runes from Riot's static data.
Rune pathDominationBurst, target access and aggressive takedown patterns
3 keystones
Choose one keystone
Electrocute
Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities within 3s deals bonus adaptive damage. Damage: 70 - 240 (+0.1 bonus AD, +0.05 AP) damage. Cooldown: 20s 'We called them the Thunderlords, for to speak of their lightning was to invite disaster.'
Dark Harvest
Damaging a Champion below 50% health deals adaptive damage and harvests their soul, permanently increasing Dark Harvest's damage by 11. Dark Harvest damage: 30 (+11 damage per soul) (+0.1 bonus AD) (+0.05 AP) Cooldown: 35s (resets to 1.0s on takedown)
Hail of Blades
Gain 90% (60% for ranged champions) Attack Speed and bonus true damage when you attack an enemy champion for up to 3 attacks. No more than 3s can elapse between attacks or this effect will end. Cooldown: 10s. On-Hit Damage: 2 - 20 (+0.12 bonus AD, +0.1 AP) damage. Attack resets increase the attack limit by 1. Allows you to temporarily exceed the Attack Speed limit.
Minor rune rows
Row 1
Cheap Shot
Damaging champions with impaired movement or actions deals 10 - 45 bonus true damage (based on level). Cooldown: 4s Activates on damage occurring after the impairment.
Taste of Blood
Heal when you damage an enemy champion. Healing: 16-40 (+0.1 bonus AD, +0.05 AP) health (based on level) Cooldown: 20s
Sudden Impact
Damaging basic attacks and abilities deal a bonus 20 - 80 True Damage based on level to enemy champions after using a dash, leap, blink, teleport, or when leaving stealth for 4s. Cooldown: 10s
Row 2
Sixth Sense
Automatically sense a nearby untracked and unseen ward, tracking it for the team. Level 11: Also reveal the ward for 10s. This effect has a 250 second Cooldown.
Grisly Mementos
Collect 1 memento on champion takedowns, up to 18 total. Gain 6 Trinket Haste for each collected. In game modes where vision Trinkets do not exist, instead gain 3 Summoner Spell Haste.
Deep Ward
Your wards in the enemy jungle are Deep. Deep wards gain +1 extra Health and +[30 - 45]s increased duration (+[45 - 150]s for Trinket stealth wards). Level 9: Wards in the river are also Deep.
Row 3
Treasure Hunter
Gain an additional 50 gold the next time you collect a Bounty Hunter stack. Increase the gold gained by 20 gold for each Bounty Hunter stack, up to 130 gold. Bounty Hunter stacks are earned the first time you get a takedown on each enemy champion.
Relentless Hunter
Gain 8 Move Speed out of combat per Bounty Hunter stack. Bounty Hunter stacks are earned the first time you get a takedown on each enemy champion.
Ultimate Hunter
Your ultimate gains 6 Ability Haste, plus an additional 5 Ability Haste per Bounty Hunter stack. Bounty Hunter stacks are earned the first time you get a takedown on each enemy champion.
Rune pathInspirationFlexible tools and rules that change normal patterns
3 keystones
Choose one keystone
Glacial Augment
Immobilizing an enemy champion will cause 3 glacial rays to emanate from them towards you and other nearby champions, creating frozen zones for 3 (+ the immobilizing effect's duration) seconds that slow enemies for 20% (+90% per 100% Heal and Shield Power) (+6% per 100 Ability Power) (+7% per 100 bonus Attack Damage) and reduce their damage by 15% against your allies (not including yourself). Cooldown: 25s
Unsealed Spellbook
Swap one of your equipped Summoner Spells to a new, single use Summoner Spell. Each unique Summoner Spell you swap to permanently decreases your swap cooldown by 25s (initial swap cooldown is @f3@ seconds). Your first swap becomes available at 6 mins. Summoner Spells can only be swapped while out of combat. After using a swapped Summoner Spell you must swap 3 more times before the first can be selected again. Smite damage increases after two Summoner Spell swaps.
First Strike
Attacks or abilities against an enemy champion within 0.25s of entering champion combat grant 10 gold and First Strike for 3 seconds, causing you to deal 7% extra damage against champions, and granting 50% (35% for ranged champions) of bonus damage dealt as gold. Cooldown: 25 - 15s
Minor rune rows
Row 1
Hextech Flashtraption
While Flash is on cooldown it is replaced by Hexflash. Hexflash: Channel for 2s to blink to a new location. Cooldown: 20s. Goes on a 10s cooldown when you enter champion combat.
Magical Footwear
You get free Slightly Magical Footwear at 12 min, but you cannot buy boots before then. For each takedown you acquire the boots 45s sooner. Slightly Magical Footwear grants you an additional 10 Move Speed.
Cash Back
Get 7.5% Gold back when you purchase Legendary Items.
Row 2
Triple Tonic
Upon reaching level 3, gain an Elixir of Avarice. Upon reaching level 6, gain an Elixir of Force. Upon reaching level 9, gain an Elixir of Skill.
Time Warp Tonic
Consuming a potion grants 40% of its health restoration immediately.
Biscuit Delivery
Biscuit Delivery: Gain a Total Biscuit of Everlasting Will every 2 mins, until 6 min. Biscuits restore 20 + 2% of your maximum health, increased by up to 100% based on missing Health. Consuming or selling a Biscuit permanently increases your max health by 30.
Row 3
Cosmic Insight
+18 Summoner Spell Haste +10 Item Haste
Approach Velocity
Gain 7.5% Move Speed towards nearby enemy champions that are movement impaired. This bonus is increased to 15% Move Speed for any enemy champion that you impair. Activation Range for CC from allies: 1000
Jack Of All Trades
For each different stat gained from items, gain one Jack stack. Each stack grants you 1 Ability Haste. Gain 8 or 20 bonus Adaptive Force at 5 and 10 stacks, respectively.
Rune pathPrecisionRepeated attacks and sustained combat
4 keystones
Choose one keystone
Press the Attack
Hitting an enemy champion with 3 consecutive basic attacks deals 40 - 160 bonus adaptive damage (based on level) and amplifies your damage dealt by 8% until you leave combat with champions.
Lethal Tempo
Attacking an enemy champion grants you [6% Melee || 4% Ranged] Attack Speed for 6 seconds, up to 6. At max stacks, deal [9 - 30 Melee || 6 - 24 Ranged] bonus adaptive damage On-Attack, increased by 1% per 1% Bonus Attack Speed.
Fleet Footwork
Attacking and moving builds Energy stacks. At 100 stacks, your next attack is Energized Energized attacks heal you for 15 - 160 (+0.1 Bonus AD, +0.05 AP) and grant 20% Move Speed for 1s. For Ranged Champions, Healing is 60% effective and Move Speed is 75% effective. All healing is 15% effective against Minions.
Conqueror
Basic attacks or spells that deal damage to an enemy champion grant 2 stacks of Conqueror for 5s, gaining 1.8-4 Adaptive Force per stack. Stacks up to 12 times. Ranged champions gain only 1 stack per basic attack. When fully stacked, heal for 8% of the damage you deal to champions (5% for ranged champions).
Minor rune rows
Row 1
Absorb Life
Killing a target heals you for @HealAmount@.
Triumph
Takedowns restore 5% of your missing health, 2.5% of your max health, and grant an additional 20 gold. 'The most dangerous game brings the greatest glory.' —Noxian Reckoner
Presence of Mind
Damaging an enemy champion restores 6-50 (80% for ranged) mana or 6 energy. Takedowns restore 15% of your maximum mana or energy. Cooldown for damage restoration: 8s
Row 2
Legend: Alacrity
Gain 3% attack speed plus an additional 1.5% for every Legend stack (max 10 stacks). Earn progress toward Legend stacks for every champion takedown, epic monster takedown, large monster kill, and minion kill.
Legend: Haste
Gain 1.5 basic ability haste for every Legend stack (max 10 stacks). Earn progress toward Legend stacks for every champion takedown, epic monster takedown, large monster kill, and minion kill.
Legend: Bloodline
Gain 0.45% Life Steal for every Legend stack (max 15 stacks). At maximum Legend stacks, gain 85 max health. Earn progress toward Legend stacks for every champion takedown, epic monster takedown, large monster kill, and minion kill.
Row 3
Coup de Grace
Deal 8% more damage to champions who have less than 40% health.
Cut Down
Deal 8% more damage to champions who have more than 60% health.
Last Stand
Deal 5% - 11% increased damage to champions while you are below 60% health. Max damage gained at 30% health.
Rune pathResolveDurability, protection and surviving committed fights
3 keystones
Choose one keystone
Grasp of the Undying
Every 4s in combat, your next basic attack on a champion will:Deal bonus magic damage equal to 3.5% of your max healthHeal you for 1.3% of your max healthPermanently increase your health by 5 Ranged Champions: Damage, healing, and permanent health gained are 40% effective.
Aftershock
After immobilizing an enemy champion, increase your Armor and Magic Resist by 45 + 75% of your Bonus Resists for 2.5s. Then explode, dealing magic damage to nearby enemies. Damage: 25 - 120 (+8% of your bonus health) Cooldown: 20s Resistance bonus from Aftershock capped at: 80-150 (based on level)
Guardian
Guard allies within 350 units of you, and allies you target with spells for 2.5s. While Guarding, if you or the ally take more than a small amount of damage over the duration of the Guard, both of you gain a shield for 1.5s. Cooldown: 75 - 40 seconds Shield: 40 - 150 + 20% of your ability power + 6% of your bonus health Proc Threshold: 50 - 165 postmitigation damage
Minor rune rows
Row 1
Demolish
Your third attack against towers deals [85 (+28% max Health) Melee || 50 (+20% max Health) Ranged] bonus physical damage. Cooldown: 30s
Font of Life
Impairing the movement of an enemy champion restores @BaseHeal@ Health to you and the lowest health nearby allied champion. 70% effect for Ranged Users. Cooldown: 20s
Shield Bash
Whenever you gain a new shield, your next basic attack against a champion deals 5 - 30 (+2.5% Bonus Health) (+15.0% New Shield Amount) bonus adaptive damage. You have up to 2s after the shield expires to use this effect.
Row 2
Conditioning
After 12 min gain +8 Armor and +8 Magic Resist and increase your Armor and Magic Resist by 3%.
Second Wind
After taking damage from an enemy champion, heal for 4% of your missing health over 10s.
Bone Plating
After taking damage from an enemy champion, the next 3 spells or attacks you receive from them deal 30-60 (based on level) less damage. Duration: 1.5s Cooldown: 55s
Row 3
Overgrowth
Absorb life essence from monsters or enemy minions that die near you, permanently gaining 3 maximum health for every 8. When you've absorbed 120 monsters or enemy minions, gain an additional 3.5% maximum health.
Revitalize
Gain 5% Heal and Shield Power. Heals and shields you cast or receive are 10% stronger on targets below 40% health.
Unflinching
Gain 10 Armor and Magic Resist when crowd controlled and for 2 seconds after.
Rune pathSorceryEmpowered abilities, resources and spell pressure
4 keystones
Choose one keystone
Summon Aery
Damaging enemy champions with basic attacks or abilities sends Aery to them, dealing 10 - 50 based on level (+0.05 AP) (+0.1 bonus AD). Empowering or protecting allies with abilities sends Aery to them, shielding them for 20 - 100 based on level (+0.05 AP) (+0.1 bonus AD). Aery cannot be sent out again until she returns to you.
Arcane Comet
Damaging a champion with an ability hurls a comet at their location, dealing increased damage based on distance. Adaptive Damage: 15 - 100 based on level (+0.05 AP and +0.1 bonus AD) Cooldown: 20 - 8s Damage amplification scales up to 100% at 750 range.
Stormraider's Surge
Dealing 25% of a champion's maximum health within 3s grants 48% Move Speed and 50% Slow Resistance for 4s. Move Speed is 75% effective for ranged champions. Cooldown: 20s - 10s
Deathfire Touch
Damaging a champion with an ability burns them for 3 - 12 based on level (+2.5% AP) (+7% bonus AD) magic damage per second. After burning for 3 seconds, the damage of the burn increases by 75% while they remain on fire. Duration: Single Target: 4s Area of Effect: 2s Damage over Time: 1s
Minor rune rows
Row 1
Axiom Arcanist
Your Ultimate has 12% increased damage, healing, and shielding. (AoE damage is reduced to a 8% increase) Scoring a takedown on an enemy champion reduces your Ultimate's current cooldown by 7%.
Manaflow Band
Hitting an enemy champion with an ability permanently increases your maximum mana by 25, up to 250 mana. After reaching 250 bonus mana, restore 1% of your missing mana every 5 seconds. Cooldown: 15 seconds
Nimbus Cloak
After casting a Summoner Spell, gain a Move Speed increase that lasts for 2s and allows you to pass through units. Increase: 15% - 45% Move Speed based on the Summoner Spell's cooldown. (Higher cooldown Summoner Spells grant more Move Speed).
Row 2
Transcendence
Gain bonuses upon reaching the following levels: Level 5: +5 Ability Haste Level 8: +5 Ability Haste Level 11: On Champion takedown, reduce the remaining cooldown of basic abilities by 20%.
Celerity
All movement bonuses are 7% more effective on you and gain 1% Move Speed.
Absolute Focus
While above 70% health, gain an adaptive bonus of up to 18 Attack Damage or 30 Ability Power (based on level). Grants 1.8 Attack Damage or 3 Ability Power at level 1.
Row 3
Scorch
Your next damaging ability hit sets champions on fire dealing 20 - 40 bonus magic damage based on level after 1s. Cooldown: 10s
Waterwalking
Gain 10 Move Speed and 13 - 30 Adaptive Force (based on level) when in the river. May you be as swift as the rushing river and agile as a startled Rift Scuttler.
Gathering Storm
Every 10 min gain AP or AD, adaptive. 10 min: + 8 AP or 5 AD 20 min: + 24 AP or 14 AD 30 min: + 48 AP or 29 AD 40 min: + 80 AP or 48 AD 50 min: + 120 AP or 72 AD 60 min: + 168 AP or 101 AD etc...
Where to get and select them
Use champion select; there is no rune shopping trip
After hovering or locking a champion, open Riot's recommended-runes control or the rune-page editor. Riot can offer up to several champion-and-position-aware setups. Select one, inspect its keystone, and confirm the page before the countdown ends.
- 1Enter champion select
Choose or hover the champion you intend to play.
- 2Open recommended runes
Riot's own suggestions are the safest beginner starting point and are updated by Riot.
- 3Compare the page's purpose
Look at the keystone first, then decide whether the page suits your lane and intended play pattern.
- 4Confirm before the timer ends
Once active play begins, that match's rune page cannot be edited.
Recommended or custom?
Both are real rune pages; the difference is who assembled the choices
Start with Riot's recommendation while learning. Move to a custom page when you can explain what you are changing and why it fits this champion, role and matchup.
Riot recommended page
- Appears during champion select.
- Uses the selected champion and position.
- Creates a complete temporary page.
- Good when the timer is short or the runes are unfamiliar.
Check: read the keystone so you know what behavior the page rewards.
Custom rune page
- You choose every path, rune and shard.
- It can be saved and reused.
- It is useful for matchup-specific adjustments.
- A saved page can become outdated after a patch.
Check: confirm the role, queue and current in-client tooltip before play.
There is rarely one permanent answer
The champion, role, queue and opponent can all change the page
Champion
A basic-attack carry and a protection-focused Support normally value different effects.
Role
The same champion may need sustain in a solo lane and ally protection as Support.
Queue
ARAM, Swiftplay and standard Rift rules can change resources, summoner spells and fight frequency.
Opponent
Repeated poke, one hard engage or a long scaling lane may justify a different defensive or offensive choice.
Feature parity, with the boundary visible
Yes, established desktop apps advertise rune setup before play; that scope does not transfer automatically
VRC.LOL can provide the same understandable workflow: preview several pages, choose one, confirm it, then apply before the match. The current invited build remains read-only because that is how the product under Riot review is described. Enabling client-writing behavior first would make that description inaccurate.
- Now: the website and champion guides explain and preview rune choices; the Companion does not write them.
- Proposed after disclosure: a Companion preview, an opt-in setting and a visible Apply rune page button during champion select.
- Never: silently changing the page after play begins or choosing from changing live-match conditions.
Rune language, translated into normal language
Six terms remove most of the confusion
- Path
- One themed family of runes, such as Precision or Resolve.
- Keystone
- The largest defining rune from the primary path. Choose exactly one.
- Minor rune
- A smaller supporting effect selected from a row inside a path.
- Stat shard
- One of three small stat choices at the bottom of the page.
- Rune page
- The complete saved loadout: primary path, secondary path and shards together.
- Recommended page
- A complete temporary page assembled by Riot for the champion and position.
Quick answers
What beginners usually need to know
Do runes cost RP or Blue Essence?
Individual current-system runes are free. Additional permanent rune-page slots are a convenience for saving more layouts; they do not contain stronger versions of runes.
What happens if I forget?
Riot provides a temporary recommended page in champion select. An invalid or unfinished custom layout should not mean entering without a complete rune setup.
Are runes the same as summoner spells?
No. Runes are passive pre-match effects. Summoner spells are separate player-activated abilities such as Flash, Heal, Ignite or Smite.
Should I always choose the highest win-rate page?
No. A statistic needs the same patch, queue, role and a meaningful sample. Riot's recommendations are a sensible starting point; understanding the keystone helps you know whether the page fits your plan.
Primary references
Riot's client remains authoritative
Rune names, icons and descriptions use Riot Data Dragon 16.19.1, checked 3 October 2026. Open an individual rune to read its effect. Static descriptions do not verify every champion interaction, exact queue or recommended page; stat shards are separate.