Runes

For the runes that come with cosmetic items, see Inscribed Gem.

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Runes are special boosters that spawn on the game map. They come in two categories. Bounty Runes can be picked up for extra gold, while Power-up Runes grant heroes a variety of buffs and effects for a short period of time.

General Information

Rune spawn locations
Yellow circles: Bounty Runes
Red circles: Power-up Runes

Spawning

• Bounty Rune
  • Initially at the 0:00 minute mark, all rune spots spawn Bounty Runes, including the rune spots in the river.
  • After this, Bounty Runes spawn every 3rd minute mark (3:00, 6:00, 9:00, etc.) at the dedicated rune spots within the jungles of each team.
  • Bounty Runes never despawn. If they are not picked up before the next ones spawn, the new runes spawn next to the old ones.
  • A Trusty Shovel may dig up a Bounty Rune as one of its rewards.
• Water Rune
  • Water runes spawn at the 2:00 and the 4:00 minute mark at both rune spots in the river. They do not spawn after this anymore.
  • If Water Runes are not picked up before the next runes spawn, they disappear.
• Other runes
  • All other powerup runes start spawning at the 6:00 minute mark, and then every 2 minutes (8:00, 10:00, 12:00, etc.)
  • They spawn at one of the rune spots within the river, which is randomly chosen.
  • If a Power Rune is not picked up before the next one spawns, it disappears.
  • The same Power-up Rune cannot spawn twice in a row.

Bottling

• Runes can be stored inside a Bottle.
• Heroes with a Bottle in their inventory automatically store the rune inside the Bottle when they pick it up.
• A stored rune can be used later by activating the Bottle.
• Using a stored rune refills the Bottle to 2 charges if it was a Bounty Rune or Water Rune, or to 3 charges (to full) if it was another rune.
• Runes can be stored in the Bottle for up to 2 minutes, after which they are automatically activated.
  • Stored runes persist through death, but the automatic activation timer does not pause.
  • If the owner is dead when the timer runs out, the rune is destroyed and grants no bonuses.
• When the Bottle is filled with a rune, picking up a second rune consumes/activates the new rune right away. It does not replace the existing rune in the Bottle.
• Bottles containing runes cannot be dropped or shared.

Other

• Power-up Runes are only visible when they are in vision. All runes are visible in spectator mode.
  • When runes spawn in the fog of war, their icons appear on the minimap. These icons will remain until the rune spot is confirmed to be empty.
• Runes can be destroyed by normal attacks, using a forced attack command.
  • Since runes do not count as units, destroying one does not count as a last hit (or deny).
• Runes do not interact with abilities, with the exception Meat Hook, which can pull runes, and Toss, which can toss units towards targeted runes.
• Runes have selection boxes with higher priority over units, meaning that if a unit is standing over a rune, the mouse cursor highlights and selects the rune first.
  • This only applies to actions that can target runes, such as moving or attacking. Actions that cannot target runes still target the unit first.
• To collect a rune, the hero must be within 150 range of it, but they do not need to be facing the rune to activate it.

List

Click on a rune's name to view more detailed information.

Bounty Rune

Bounty		Grants bonus Gold.
Icon / Emoticon		Initial Spawn Team Gold: 40 Following Spawn Base Team Gold: 36	Notes: The initial runes spawning at the 0:00 minute mark give a fixed amount of 40 gold to each player. Following Bounty Runes grant a base amount of 36, plus 9 extra gold for every 5 minutes past. When bottling a Bounty Rune, it grants gold based on the time at which it is activated, not bottled. Grants reliable gold to each player of the team that picks it up. An over-head text shows how much gold was given exactly. This number is not visible to enemies. When gaining gold from a Bounty Rune, a small golden particle effect briefly bursts from the player, visible to everyone. In Turbo Mode, the gold given by Bounty Runes is doubled. (despite the notification message showing standard values)
Model
Bottle
▶️ Activation Sound

Powerup Runes

Arcane

Arcane		Reduces cooldowns and mana costs by 30%.
Icon / Emoticon		Cooldown Reduction: 30% Mana Loss Reduction: 30% Duration: 50	Notes: Stacks multiplicatively with other sources cooldown reduction. Stacks additively with other sources of mana loss reduction. The buff is applied to invulnerable and hidden units. The buff of multiple Arcane Runes does not stack, but refreshes the duration instead.
Model
Bottle
▶️ Activation Sound

Double Damage

Double Damage		Increases base damage by 100%.
Icon / Emoticon		Attack Damage Bonus: 100% Duration: 45	Notes: Only increases base damage and that given by the primary attribute of the affected hero. Raw bonus damage is not increased. The hero's current main damage is checked periodically, and the bonuses adapted instantly. The buff is applied to invulnerable and hidden units. The buff of multiple Double Damage Runes does not stack, but refreshes the duration instead.
Model
Bottle
▶️ Activation Sound

Haste

Haste		Increases movement speed to maximum.
Icon / Emoticon		Haste Speed: 550 Duration: 22	Notes: Applies a haste on the target, meaning it cannot be slowed below the set value. The buff is applied to invulnerable and hidden units. The buff of multiple Haste Runes does not stack, but refreshes the duration instead.
Model
Bottle
▶️ Activation Sound

Illusion

Illusion		Conjures 2 illusions of your hero which deal 35% damage. Melee illusions take 200% damage. Ranged illusions take 300% damage. Illusions last 75 seconds.
Icon / Emoticon		Split Time: 0.1 Number of Illusions: 2 Illusion Damage Dealt: 35% Illusion Damage Taken (Melee): 200% Illusion Damage Taken (Ranged): 300% Illusion Duration: 75	Notes: The user is invulnerable, hidden and spell immune during the split time. Applies a basic dispel on the owner upon cast. Resets all current attack and spell targeting orders from other units on the owner. After the split time, the caster reappears with their illusions. The reappear locations are based on the caster's position upon cast, with one appearing at the cast location, and the others north, east, south or west from that point. The distance in between each is 108 range if the hero has a collision size of 24, and 72 if the collision size is 8. Though the formation is always the same, the caster and their illusions take a random position in the formation and have all the same facing angle. Orders the user to stop after the split time, canceling all queued orders, and orders given during the split time. Activating a new Illusion Rune while already having illusions from a previous Illusion Rune does not replace them.
Model
Bottle
▶️ Activation Sound

Invisibility

Invisibility		Becomes invisible for 45 seconds. This invisibility is broken by attacking or by using an ability or item.
Icon / Emoticon		Fade Time: 2 Duration: 45	Notes: During the fade time, the hero can cast spells, use items and perform attacks without breaking the invisibility. Invisibility is broken upon reaching the cast point of spells or items, or upon successfully landing an attack. The invisible hero can pick up or drop items without breaking the invisibility. However, attacking them breaks it. Invisibility from the Invisibility Rune does not turn the hero phased, so it still can block unit pathing. The buff is applied to invulnerable and hidden units. The buff of multiple Invisibility Runes does not stack, but refreshes the duration instead.
Model
Bottle
▶️ Activation Sound

Regeneration

Regeneration		Regenerates health and mana to maximum.
Icon / Emoticon		Max Health as Health Regen per Second: 6% Max Mana as Mana Regen per Second: 6% Duration: 30	Notes: Can regenerate up to 180% of a unit's max health and max mana over its full duration. Can fully regenerate a unit's health and mana within 16.67 seconds. The buff disappears once the hero is at full health and mana. Damage greater than 0 from any player (including allies and self) or Roshan dispels the effect. Does not get dispelled by damage flagged as HP Removal. The buff is applied to invulnerable and hidden units. The buff of multiple Regeneration Runes does not stack, but refreshes the duration instead.
Model
Bottle
▶️ Activation Sound

Water

Water		Instantly restores 100 Health and 80 Mana.
Icon / Emoticon		Health Restored: 100 Mana Restored: 80	Notes: Spawns at both Power Rune locations only at minute 2 and 4. Starting at 6 minutes, Power Runes spawn as usual on one side.
Model
Bottle
▶️ Activation Sound

Gallery

• 

  Arcane Rune
• 

  Bounty Rune
• 

  Double Damage Rune
• 

  Haste Rune
• 

  Illusion Rune
• 

  Invisibility Rune
• 

  Regeneration Rune
• 

  Water Rune

• 

  Top river Power rune spawn point
• 

  Bottom river Power rune spawn point
• 

  Radiant secondary jungle Bounty rune spawn point
• 

  Dire secondary jungle Bounty rune spawn point

• 

  Old single-player Bounty Rune

Mechanics Stats Armor Attributes (Strength / Agility / Intelligence) Collision size Health (Health regeneration) Magic resistance Mana (Mana regeneration) Movement speed Status resistance Turn rate Vision Attack Attack animation Attack damage Attack modifier (Bash / Cleave & Splash / Critical strike / Lifesteal / Mana break) Attack range Attack speed Cast animation Cast range Damage types Motion buffer range Projectile speed Spell damage Spell lifesteal Abilities Abilities Aura Channeling Cooldown Damage block Damage manipulation Damage over time Evasion Talents Teleport Status effects Attack immunity Break Cyclone Disable Disarm Ethereal Fear Forced movement Hex Hide Hypnosis Invisibility Invulnerability Leash Phased Root Silence Sleep Slow Spell immunity Stun Taunt World Experience Gold Glyph of Fortification Map (Minimap) River Scan Runes Time of day Trees Gameplay Creep control techniques Denying Disjoint Dispel Ganking Harassment Hero complexity Initiating Item passive stacking Item sharing Jungling Lane Pushing Random distribution Roles Trap Units Ancient creeps Buildings Couriers Creep-heroes Heroes Illusions Lane creeps Neutral creeps Roshan Summons & Wards