Note: This article was updated with all runes in The Forge on January 15th, 2026.
Runes are power-up items in The Forge that make your weapons and armor way stronger. Some runes help you mine faster, while others make you deal more damage in combat. Here is the complete list of all Runes with their traits in The Forge and how to get them.
Table of Contents
What Are Runes in The Forge?
In The Forge, Runes give your equipment special abilities and stat boosts. You can attach them to your pickaxe, weapons, and armor to unlock new effects. Each rune does something different, so choosing the right one depends on your playstyle.
To get Runes, you need to defeat specific enemies, and the drop rates are pretty low. That means you’ll need to farm the same enemies multiple times to get the rune you want.
All Runes in The Forge and How to Get Them
There are 11 different runes in The Forge right now. Here’s what each one does and how you can find it:
| Rune Name | Icon | Main Effects | How to Get It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miner Shard |  | • Increases Luck • 5% chance for extra ore • Faster mining speed • Higher pickaxe damage | • Delver Zombie • Bomber |
| Frost Speck |  | Freezes enemies briefly | – Crystal Spider – Diamond Spider – Prismarine Spider |
| Flame Spark |  | Fire damage over time, based on your weapon damage | • Deathaxe Skeleton • Elite Deathaxe Skeleton • Reaper • Blazing Slime |
| Venom Crumb |  | Poison damage over time based on weapon damage | Blight Pyromancer |
| Chill Dust |  | Slows enemy movement and attack speed | Unobtainable |
| Blast Chip |  | Creates an explosion that deals AoE damage | Bomber |
| Drain Edge |  | • Restores 12% of physical damage as health • +15% physical damage | Reaper |
| Briar Notch |  | Reflects physical damage back at enemies | • Deathaxe Skeleton • Elite Deathaxe Skeleton |
| Rage Mark |  | Boosts physical damage and attack speed when health drops below 35% | Elite Rogue Skeleton |
| Ward Patch |  | • 13% damage reduction chance • +11% dash distance | Tutorial only |
| Rot Stitch |  | • Deals 9% poison AoE for 8 seconds below 35% HP • +11% dash distance | Unobtainable |
| Developer Sigil |  | TBA | TBA |
If you want to farm specific runes, you need to know where the enemies spawn. Here are the main locations:
- Stonewake’s Cross Cave
- Forgotten Kingdom Ruined Cave
- Volcanic Depths
Note: We will update this section with more information on how to get the runes in The Forge when we find them.
How to Equip Runes in The Forge to Your Gear
Once you get a rune, you can’t just use it right away. You need to visit the Runemaker NPC in Stonewake’s Cross Village. Here’s how the process works:
- Your pickaxe already has rune slots unlocked by default, so you can add runes to it immediately. But weapons and armor need to be upgraded to +3 before they can hold runes. You’ll need to enhance your gear first.
- When you talk to the Runemaker, select the equipment you want to upgrade.
- Pick the rune from your inventory and pay the coin cost.
The rune will be attached to your gear, and you’ll get the benefits right away. If you change your mind later, you can remove runes from your equipment. You can also sell unwanted runes to Greedy Cey in the Cave if you need extra coins.
Understanding Secondary Traits of Runes in The Forge
Sometimes when you attach a rune to your equipment, you might get lucky and unlock a secondary trait. These are bonus effects that stack with the rune’s main ability. Here are all the secondary traits you can get:
| Secondary Trait | Equipment Type | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Attack Speed | Weapon | Makes you attack faster |
| Lethality | Weapon | Increases your weapon damage |
| Critical Chance | Weapon | Higher chance to land critical hits |
| Critical Damage | Weapon | Critical hits deal more damage |
| Fracture | Weapon | Deals extra stun damage |
| Endurance | Armor | Gives you more stamina |
| Surge | Armor | Reduces dash cooldown |
| Vitality | Armor | Increases your maximum health |
| Phase | Armor | Longer invincibility window when dashing |
Getting all the runes in The Forge takes time, but they’re worth the effort. Each one makes you noticeably stronger, and finding the right combination for your playstyle is part of the fun. Good luck finding those runes in The Forge!
