Runes were the favored writing system among the Vikings, and they used them to record noteworthy events as well as for decoration. Inscribing a rune upon a weapon was believed to enhance its abilities. Sometimes Vikings also tattooed runes upon themselves, as was the case with Valdis.[2]
List of runes
Round runes
Armor runes
Image
Name
Stat Boosted
Value
Minor
Standard
Greater
Aegis Rune
Elite Resistance
1.4
1.8
2.3
Antidote Rune
Poison Damage Resistance
1.0
1.5
2.0
Assassin Rune
Assassination Damage
2.0
2.7
3.3
Bulwark Rune
Heavy Resistance
2.0
2.7
3.3
Evasion Rune
Evasion
1.0
1.5
2.0
Evasion and Feather Rune
Evasion
Weight
1.5
-1.0
Feather Rune
Weight
-1.0
-1.3
-1.5
Hunter Rune
Ranged Damage
1.4
??
??
Remedy Rune
Poison Buildup Resistance
1.0
1.5
2.0
Rune of Life
Health
11.0
14.9
18.9
Life and Shell Rune
Health
Armor
??
11.0
4.0
??
Rune of Protection
Light Resistance
2.0
2.7
3.3
Rune of Rain
Fire Damage Resistance
1.0
1.5
2.0
Safeguard Rune
Range Resistance
1.5
2.0
2.5
Shadow Rune
Stealth Damage
1.4
??
2.3
Shell Rune
Armor
3.0
4.0
5.0
Shield Rune
Melee Resistance
2.1
2.8
3.5
Warrior Rune
Melee Damage
1.0
1.5
2.0
Warrior and Safeguard Rune
Melee Damage
Range resistance
??
1.5
1.5
??
Water Rune
Fire Buildup Resistance
1.0
1.5
2.0
Weapon runes
Image
Name
Stat Boosted
Value
Minor
Standard
Greater
Assassin Rune
Assassination Damage
2.0
2.7
3.3
Blunt Rune
Stun
3.0
4.0
5.0
Burst Rune
Fire Buildup
2.0
2.7
3.3
Combustion Rune
Fire Damage
2.0
2.7
3.3
Drengiligr Rune
Elite Damage
3.0
4.0
5.0
Flanking Rune
Back Damage
6.0
8.0
10.0
Headhunter Rune
Headshot Damage
1.4
1.9
2.3
Light Rune
Weight
-1.0
-1.3
-1.5
Rune of Agility
Light Damage
3.0
4.0
5.0
Rune of Finesse
Critical Chance
6.0
??
10.0
Rune of Force
Heavy Damage
3.0
4.0
5.0
Rune of Haste
Speed
1.0
1.3
1.7
Rune of Haste and Finesse
Speed
Critical Chance
??
1.3
6.0
??
Rune of Perfection
Critical Damage
4.9
6.5
8.0
Rune of Rage
Attack
2.4
3.2
4.0
Rune of Reinforcement
Block
3.0
4.0
5.0
Rune of Tactics
Ability Damage
5.0
6.0
7.0
Shadow Rune
Stealth
5.0
6.0
7.0
Shadow and Assassin Rune
Stealth
Assassination Damage
??
5.6
2.0
??
Toxin Rune
Poison Buildup
2.0
2.7
3.3
Venom Rune
Poison Damage
2.0
2.7
3.3
Diamond runes
Armor runes
Image
Name
Perk
Bellatores Rune
Killing a target causes witnesses to back away in terror
Brigandine Rune
Increase Speed when surrounded by more than 2 enemies.
Hidden One Rune
Increase Back Damage when crouched and undetected for 10s
Huntsman Rune
Increase Range Resistance when hitting enemies further than 20m away
Magister Rune
Increase Evasion at night
Mentor Rune
Increase Evasion after each hit
Raven Rune
Increase Ranged Damage the lower your Health is
Reaper Rune
Restore some health after a successful assassination
Thegn Rune
Increase to Speed after parrying
Thor's Rune
Increase Armor when stunning an enemy
Vinland Rune
Increase Assassination Damage when close to Full Health
Weapon runes
Image
Name
Perk
Block Fury Rune
Increase Attack after a Shield Block
Blunt Joint Rune
Increase Stun when hitting Weak Points
Chain Finisher Fury Rune
Increase Attack after a combo finisher (up to 5 times)
Chained Blunt Rune
Increase Stun after each hit (up to 10 times)
Chained Deft Rune
Increase Critical Chance after each hit (up to 10 times)
Chained Fury Rune
Increase Attack after each hit (up to 10 times)
Chained Perfection Rune
Increase Critical Damage after each hit (up to 10 times)
Chained Swiftness Rune
Increase Speed after each hit (up to 10 times)
Critical Knockdown Rune
Heavy Critical Hits knock enemies on the ground
Critical Spark Rune
Ignite your weapon after critical hits
Curative Block Rune
Restore some Health after blocking 5 times
Curative Guard Rune
Restore some Health on parry
Curative Joint Rune
Weak Point hits restore some Health
Curative Perfection Rune
Restore a low amount of Health for each Critical Hit
Dash Fury Rune
Increase Melee Damage after a Dodge
Damaged Fury Rune
Increase Attack after taking a hit
Death Smoke Rune
Deploy a Smoke Bomb on Kill when outnumbered
Deft Dash Rune
Increase Critical Chance when dodging
Deft Joint Rune
Increase Critical Chance when hitting Weak Points
Desperate Deft Rune
Increase Critical Chance when low Health
Desperate Perfection Rune
Increase Critical Damage when low Health
Desperate Swiftness Rune
Increase Speed when low Health
Desperate Tactics Rune
Increase Ability Damage when low Health
Emergency Smoke Rune
Throw a Smoke Bomb after a Close Range Shot
Expert Range Rune
Increase Attack the further you are from your enemy
Fire Execution Rune
Heavy hits set fallen enemies on fire
Fire Guard Rune
Parrying has a chance to create a small fire around you
Flanking Dash Rune
Increase Back Damage when dodging
Forceful Block Rune
Increase Heavy Damage when blocking
Forceful Dash Rune
Increase Heavy Damage when dodging
Heavy Fury Rune
Increase Ranged Damage the heavier you are
Light Deft Rune
Increase Critical Chance the lighter you are
Light Momentum Rune
Increase Light Damage after a Heavy Finisher
Melee Block Rune
Increase Melee Damage when blocking
Momentum Rune
Increase Heavy Damage after each light hit (up to 6 times)
Momentum Fury Rune
Increase Attack after a Heavy Finisher
Overwhelmed Deft Rune
Increase Critical Chance when surrounded by more than 3 enemies
Overwhelmed Fury Rune
Increase Attack when surrounded by more than 3 enemies
Overwhelmed Perfection Rune
Increase Critical Damage when surrounded by more than 3 enemies
Poison Execution Rune
Heavy Hits on fallen enemies poison them
Poison Guard Rune
Chance of Poison Cloud on parry
Ranged Block Rune
Increase Ranged Damage when blocking a ranged attack
Sleep Block Rune
Detonate a Sleep Bomb after blocking 5 times
Spark Guard Rune
Chance to ignite your weapon on parry
Stalwart Deft Rune
Increase Critical Chance when at 85% Health or higher
Stalwart Flanking Rune
Increase Ranged Damage when close to full Health
Stalwart Fury Rune
Increase Attack when close to full Health
Stalwart Perfection Rune
Increase Critical Damage when close to full Health
Stalwart Swiftness Rune
Increase Speed when close to full Health
Stealth Sleep Rune
Stealth Headshot creates a Sleep Cloud around the body
Strong Chain Finisher Rune
Increase Heavy Damage after a Heavy Finisher (up to 5 times)
Strong Guard Rune
Increase Heavy Damage when parrying
Swift Block Rune
Increase Speed when blocking (up to 5 times)
Swift Dash Rune
Increase Speed when dodging
Swift Joint Rune
Increase Speed when hitting Weak Points
Tactical Block Rune
Increase Heavy Damage based on how long you maintain the block stance
Trap Shot Rune
Stealth Headshot Kill automatically spawn a trap
Venom Guard Rune
Chance to poison your enemy on parry
Venom Momentum Rune
Heavy Combo Finisher Hits have a chance to drop a Poison Cloud