This is a small thing I've wrote on runes. Vets will reconise the main points and thoughts on runes, but new player will hopefully see what's the better choices.

(Note - I'm not a new player to FB but more a new gamer, so most the stuff here is heresay from others or just by looking at the runes and their abilities.)


Runes

The Basics

Amazingly many people get the rules for runes wrong, despite them being in the dwarf book. Shocking I know. ;) But here's a quick guide of all you need to know -

Each Master Rune maybe be used once per army
Each item may bear a single Master Rune – but this is per item not per character
Each item may have up to three runes
You may not use the same combo in the same army (ie two weapons with a single RoCleaving)

And now a few more thing's you'll need to know -

Adding a rune to a weapon nulls all previous properties eg A Great Weapon looses the +2S but also no longer strikes last or is counted as being double handed. Effectively it's a hand weapon.
Master Rune's of the banner variety may only be placed on the Battle Standard.
Adding runes makes items magical. So a runic axe/armour/or cannon are have magical attacks

So now you know the basics to making a runic item, onto the next section.

To Rune Or Not To Rune

Sounds an odd question does it not? For why would you not want a magic item? Well one simple reason is cost. It costs more to get a rune weapon/armour than the mundane version; look at it this way. It saves points on heros, making it less of a dint if they die and also makes them cheaper leaving more to spend on other stuff. But also the mundane version is cheaper – take a Great Weapon for example. For six or so points a lord can be strength six; and yes the drawbacks are that he strikes last and it's two handed. But compare this to making it a rune weapon; two runes of Cleaving costs forty points. You strike in initiative order yes, but with initiative four your lord will be striking last most the time anyway. So you've basically paid forty points to strike in I order and use a shield. Is that really a bargain?

Always ask yourself that question before splashing out on runes, do you really need that many? Is it worth the points for the item(s)? Would a mundane version suffice?
The Good, The Bad and the Meh

So now you've decided that you want a runic item or two, but what runes? These are my thoughts and best use of said rune(s),


Weapon Runes

The Good

Master Rune of Swiftness
Rune Of Cleaving
Rune of Fury
Master Rune Of Alaric The Mad

All very useful, extra strength and attacks come in handy often. Ignoring saves is for the can-openers versus heavy armour (Brets) and who doesn't like to strike first?

The Bad

Grudge Rune
Rune of Speed

Both quite pointless, the GR bearing character will easily be avoided and extra I? Why? A lord need two or three runes for it to even make a difference.

The Meh

Master Rune of Skalf Blackhammer
Master Rune of Snorri Spangelhelm
Master Rune of Flight
Master Rune of Breaking
Rune of Striking
Rune of Fire

All have uses, but limited.

Armour Runes

The Good

Master Rune Of Gromril
Rune of Resistance
Rune of Stone

Increase of save or increase the chances of a successful save; never pass that up.

The Bad

Master Rune of Steel
Master Rune of Adamant
Rune of Fortitude

Too costly for what they do, if cheaper then maybe they'd be taken.

The Meh

Rune Of Shielding
Rune Of Iron

Useful at times, a lone roaming lord with a 2+ ward vs missiles? Or a 5+ ward on a thane? Not bad.

Runic Standards

The Good

Master Rune Of Stromni Redbeard
Rune Of Courage
Rune Of Slowness
Rune of Battle

Helpful in combat, allowing a charge and making a solid unit (RoCourage works very well with Ironbreakers). In all these runes are the first to be considered.

The Bad

Rune Of Kadrin
Master Rune of Taunting

IMO both are very useless, re-rolloing ones. Best in a Missile unit, which would be a bit of a waste for a BSB. And force your opponent to charge you, once per game. Why? Pointless.

The Meh

Master Rune of Valaya
Master Rune of Fear
Master Rune of Groth One-Eye
Rune of Sanctuary

Most are here because they're expensive, so must be placed on a BSB – but makes him a very large target. But they're the less used runes and are better saved for larger games.

Engineering Runes

The Good

Master Rune Of Skewering
Rune of Forging
Rune of Accuracy
Rune of Penetrating
Rune of Burning

Well most have different uses for different Wms, but the reasoning behind them are the same – improves the WM. Need that vital chariot killer shot? Hit on a 2+. Want to chance a better shot with the ST? Re-roll the scatter dice then. Need the extra range? Artillery dice re-rolled here. Or the cheap magic shot.

The Bad

Master Rune Of Disguise
Master Rune of Immolation
Master Rune of Defence
Valiant Rune
Stalwart Rune

IMO these just are plain useless, most are to make it better in combat. 3 unbreakable models with a 6+ save? Bah! They're uses are very limited and I've never seen anything good about them.

The Meh

Rune of Reloading
Rune of Fortune
Flakkson's Rune of Seeking

Useful at times, but not first on the shopping list. Maybe if you have the spare points they maybe worth it, otherwise forget them.

Runic Talismans

The Good

Master Rune of Balance
Master Rune of Spite
Master Rune of Kingship
Spelleater Rune
Rune of Spellbreaking

All extremely worth it. Magic defence is strongly needed with a dwarf army, the more runes to suppress it the better – also destroying the odd spell is worth the look on your opponents face. The others – the token 4+ ward or having two stubborn units (only with two lords, but do able).

The Bad

Rune of the Furnace
Master Rune of Dismay
Rune of Fate

Not much use for these, either too limited or just not worth it.

The Meh

Master Rune of Spellbinding
Rune of Luck
Rune of Warding

As most other 'meh' runes, useful to a degree. +1 Dispel can be very useful if combined with MroValaya and the RoWarding would be a surprise (basically MR). The luck is handy for those vital rolls, works well with the spelleater rune.

Combo's of Note

Ok so those are the runes, and to help here's a couple of the most common rune combos about -

Lord/Thane of Pain

Gromril Armour, Shield, HW.
MroSwiftness, RoCleaving, RoFury* **
RoStone
MRoSpite**

*Optional – could have two RoCleaving instead
** Lord option only

Iron Guard

Gromril Armour, GW
MroGromril, RoResistance

Cheap and simple

Gromril Armour, Shield, HW (Possible GW)
RoStone

** So, ok I don't really know many combos. But those are probably the most common**

Ol' Reliable

Stone thrower
RoAccuracy, RoPenetrating

or

Cannon
RoForging
RoReloading


Ok I'm done... there are plenty more but most are common sense and others are trial and error. You'll find the ones that suit you the best, all I can say is play and test each rune.



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That's this over folks, I hope you enjoyed it.

KU

Very useful Ulric. I myself was not totally clear on the rules of runes and that explained it wonderfully (<---seems to be my catchphrase lately).

You have done a very good job King Ulric.The same R weapon i use for my lord.But for me the best runic Tlisman is just the M.R of Spite.
I belive that the best magic items belongs to dwarfs because yopu can make diferent combination analog with the enemy you are going to face.

my freind used the unbreakable rune on a connon crew and held a unit of grave guard for a turn, cause i was overconfident and rolled a shoka. he then flanked the grave guard and beat em down so dont say it aint done nothing :P

runes are cool!
i am your Father!
thanks for the bad rune combo!

Runes hurt if used writely and chhers ulric i now knwo how to mkae sure my only dwarvne opponent aint cheating when it comes to runes.