And have you ever wondered how a Mage is able to heal an entire party of players or how a Rogue can tank a dungeon boss in World of Warcraft Classic? If you’ve dipped your toe in Season of Discovery (SoD) you’ve probably heard rumblings of the Rune Engraving system — a game-changing mechanic that upended the classic WoW meta. First shown off in late 2023, this character customization element enables players to inscribe powerful abilities onto their gear, opening playstyles as unfathomable as they once were in the vanilla days. Whether you are a veteran or a new adventurer, the key to your success in this evolving world of Season of Discovery is knowledge of Rune Engraving.
What is Rune Engraving in Season of Discovery?
Unlike traditional WoW mechanics like Enchanting or Talent trees, this system allows you to inscribe powerful abilities directly onto your gear—abilities that can drastically transform the playstyle of your class. Debuted in Phase 1 of SoD, Rune Engraving offers players a tantalizing layer of nostalgia combined with revolutionary customization — it seamlessly combines the simplicity of Classic with the creative flair that accompanies modern MMOs.
Rune Engraving allows players to apply runes (unique items found throughout the game world) to gear slots: Chest, Legs and Hands (with more unlocking in later phases). Each rune provides you with a different ability or enhancement, independent of your talent choices. A Warrior might use Devastate to imprint their Gloves, adding a heavy-hitting attack to their repertoire, or a Priest might opt to rip Circle of Healing into their Chest piece, making them a group-healing dynamo. It’s an apparatus that encourages exploration, experimentation and out-of-the-box thinking.
What makes Rune Engraving so exciting is its phase-based rollout. In Phase 1 (level cap 25), you only have three slots, but Blizzard has said in the past it would like to expand the number of slots in future updates — think Boots, Belts, or Weapons. This progression helps to prevent stagnation in the system, prompting you to revisit your builds as SoD progresses. It’s not only about power; it’s about discovery, perfectly fitting the adventurous theme of the season.
How Rune Engraving Works: A Step-by-Step Guide
Rune Engraving is easy to jump into in Season of Discovery, but the nuances of it are what really separate the dabbler from the expert. Here’s how all of it works, so you can hit the ground running.
Step 1: Unlocking Rune Engraving
The good news is you don’t have to grind just to unlock this system. Rune Engraving is unlocked at level 1 for all characters in SoD and can start using runes as early as level 2. No specific quests or NPCs needed — just go in the world and start hunting.
Step 2: Finding Runes
First, it’s not like runes are delivered to you on a silver platter. They’re strewn around Azeroth, in chests, dropped by mobs, or earned via quests and puzzles. Some are tied to class-specific quests, like the Shaman’s Lava Lash rune you’ll earn through a mission in Durotar; others require you to venture to the less-seen corners of the map, like Ice Lance for Mages. It’s this scavenger-hunt quality that makes Rune Engraving so rewarding—every find feels hard-fought.
Step 3: Learning Runes
Once you have a rune in your inventory, you need to claim it. Just right click the rune to “learn” it, and place it in your collection. This is much like unlocking a spell in your spellbook — it’s permanent, and you do not need to retain the item after you’ve taught yourself to cast it. Please note: The following features are technically data-mined and not fully verified until the launch of the future expansions; however, for example a Chaos Bolt learned by a Warlock will no longer require a physical spell to Mana Stone conversion in bag space.
Step 4: Equipping Runes
Open your Character menu (press “C”) and find the Rune Engraving tab. Here, you will see your open slots for that gear—Chest, Legs, and Hands in Phase 1. In other words, all you need to do is drag the rune from your learned collection to the corresponding slot and, boom, your gear glows with its power. Want to swap it out? None—just unequip and re-engrave outside of combat for free.
For example, if you’re a Mage who just acquired the Ice Lance rune. You carve it into your Gloves, and just like that, you now have a frost-powered ranged attack to stack with the Fireball cannonade. It’s that simple — and that world-changing.
The Secrets of Finding Runes in SoD
Rune Engraving is all about the hunt, and that’s where the real magic lies. Runes aren’t indicated on your minimap or fed through a linear questline—they’re secrets to discover. Here’s what you need to hunt them down and make your character a rune-etched legend.
First, embrace exploration. Runes are secreted around Azeroth’s zones, from the Barrens to Westfall. Some are drops from certain mobs —e.g., the Scorpid Worker in Durotar for Hunters looking for Chimera Shot— while others are hidden in crevices. Druids (for example) can loot Savage Roar from behind a furbolg camp in Teldrassil, rewarding players who go the road less travelled. Don’t only track quest markers; explore caves, scale hills and look behind trees.
Second, rely on class-specific breadcrumbs. Many runes specifically reference early quests from your class trainer. Rogues, for one, have to complete a sneaky little quest chain in their starting zones to obtain Shadowstrike. Notice these clues; they’re your first step to runecarving!
Third, team up. Certain ones come from dungeon bosses in Blackfathom Deeps or Ragefire Chasm and need a group to obtain. For example; A Paladin farming Divine Storm might a group to kill elites in Redridge Mountains.
At last, think like an adventurer. SoD has puzzles about: Blizz loves puzzles. The Mage’s Living Flame rune, for instance, apparently has players jumping on some tricky spots in Loch Modan. Watch out, and don’t hesitate to try things.”
Top Rune Recommendations by Class
Runes can change your class entirely, but with so many options, what’s the first step? Here are the noteworthy runes for each class in SoD Phase 1, as well as stat and slot information and what makes them unique. These picks offer a balance of versatility, power, and fun — great for leveling or dabbling in different roles.
Druid: Savage Roar (Chest) – In Cat Form, further enhances your routine finishing moves of chopping your enemies to bits. Tip: Combine with a bleed-heavy build for endless DPS.
Hunter: Chimera Shot (Chest) – A multi-shot attack that benefits from your pet’s damage. Tip: Play it with a tanky pet to control mobs while leveling.
Mage: Arcane Blast (Chest) — Sets you up for burst potential through stacking arcane damage. Note: Pair with mana-efficient talents for god tier early PvE.
Paladin: Divine Storm (Chest) – A whirlwind-style AoE heal-and-damage combo. Tip: For dungeon runs with a group, engrave it early.
Priest: Circle of Healing (Chest) – Instantly heals a radius around target, hitting multiple allies. Tip: Usefull for PvP or assisting leveling parties.
Rogue: Shadowstrike (Gloves) — Teleport behind enemies for a sneaky opener It can ambush while in world PVP.
Shaman: Lava Lash (Gloves) — Infuses me with fire damage on my melee swings. Tip: Bundle with weapon buffs for tanky hybrid build.
Warlock: Chaos Bolt (Chest) – A fire nuke penetrating. Tip: Work well with DoTs for absolute destruction in PvE rotations.
Warrior: Devastate (Gloves) – Increases Sunder Armor, pairs with added damage. Charge Your Skills: Core for tanking or solo grinding.
These runes are a great example of the creativity of SoD — Shamans tanking, Priests are healing parties, Rogues blink around. Try different things for what fits your playstyle best, and switch as you level without fear.
Rune Engraving Tips and Tricks for Success
Well, Rune Engraving isn’t just about finding runes, it’s about using them wisely. Below are a few pro tips for maximizing this system’s potential.
- Swap Freely: Outside of combat, you are free to swap runes at no cost. Experiment with different combos—like a Hunter transitioning between Chimera Shot and Serpent Spread—until you hit your stride.
- Match Your Playstyle: PvE Grinder? Take DPS runes such as Savage Roar for sustained DPS. PvP fiend? Shadowstrike or Ice Lance can jar foes off-guard.
- Tap the Community: There’s a frenzy of rune location knowledge in the forums and on Discord servers. .
- Learn as You Go: Short on bag space? Learn and trash your runes as you loot them by right-clicking them.
Little habits like this make a good rune setup a great rune setup.
Common Mistakes to Avoid with Rune Engraving
Rune Engraving can trip up even seasoned players. Avoid these mistakes to save time and aggravation.
- Training Quests are Optional: Your class trainer frequently points you toward your first rune. To ignore them is to overlook an easily achievable power boost.
- Slot Confusion: Runes are slot specific—don’t just try to jam a Chest rune onto your Legs. Check the tooltip!
- Otherwise Keep to the Main Road: A lot of runes hide in obscure spots. Rush through zones and you miss the good stuff.
Avoid these mistakes, and you’ll be engraving like a pro in no time.
Conclusion
It’s important to note that Rune Engraving in Season of Discovery isn’t simply a mechanic. From tracking down runes scattered across Azeroth’s wilds to inscribing game-altering abilities on your gear, it’s a system that rewards creativity and exploration. Whether you play a Druid rending your enemies asunder with Savage Roar or a Mage casting fireballs of Arcane fury, these runes can help you to re-define your experience in WoW Classic.
So, now pick up your gear and go across the world, and start engraving. What’s your favorite rune so far? Hit me up in the comments—I am interested to hear what you learn as we explore the mysteries of SoD together!
