- Runes are the heart of UNDECEMBER. Rune Hunters use Runes to wield many powerful Skills.

- There are two types of Runes: Skill Runes (Active) and Link Runes (Passive).

┗ Skill Runes and Link Runes are divided into Red, Green, and Blue Runes.

┗ Skill Runes can be equipped in a Skill Slot to be used by your character.

┗ Link Runes can be linked to Skill Runes to grant additional effects. Up to 6 Link Runes can be linked to a Skill Rune at a time.

- Runes come with Grades and Levels. Players can grow Runes to increase their level and Enchant them to upgrade them to Legendary grade.

  * Increasing a Rune’s level raises its stats. Increasing a Rune’s grade grants additional effects.

- You must register a Rune to the Rune Cast, then register it to a Skill Slot in order to use a Rune.

  * The Rune Cast and Skill Slots can be opened using the [K key], or by clicking the [Skill] button from the Top Menu (☰).

- The most basic requirement of equipping a Skill Rune is the Rune Hunter’s Level. Certain amounts of Strength/Dexterity/Intelligence may be required as well.

  * The required level and stats grow higher as the Skill Rune level increases.

- Skill Runes can only be used while wielding an appropriate weapon. Certain Skills can be used with all weapons.

- Red Skill Runes generally tend to be Melee Physical Skills, Green is for Ranged Projectile Skills, and Blue is for Spell Element Skills.

- Attack Skill Runes are largely categorized using the [Attack tag] and the [Spell tag]. It is important to select the Skill you will use as your main weapon.

  * You should also pay close attention to the Damaging Element (Physical/Element) of your chosen skills.

  This is because it’s better to plan your Link Runes, Zodiacs, and Gear around the Element of your main skill.

- Your Main Skill should be a Skill that [Triggers Immediately] and doesn’t have a cooldown. These skills can be used repeatedly.

- You are free to equip as many attack Skills as you wish, but we recommend focusing on one or two Skill Runes as your main weapon.

  * It can also be useful to have a Skill specifically for dealing with multiple monsters at once, or for facing a powerful enemy like a Boss Monster.

- Movement Skill Runes allow you to move through stages faster, and provide additional mobility during combat.

  * Movement Skill Runes can be divided into normal Movement Skills and Attack Movement Skills.

     : If your weapon is appropriate for the Skill Runes, you can use both Movement and Attack Movement Skills at the same time.

     : Movement Skills share cooldowns with other Movement Skills, and Attack Movement Skills share cooldowns with other Attack Movement Skills.

- Attack/Defense Enhance Skill Runes can deal Powerful Damage in a short amount of time, or increase Survivability in danger to avoid dying.

     : Attack Enhance Skills share cooldowns with other Attack Enhance Skills, and Defense Enhance Skills share cooldowns with other Defense Enhance Skills.

- Attack/Defense Seal Skill Runes can apply a constant Attack or Defense Buff Effect on your character.

  * 1 Attack Seal Rune and 1 Defense Seal Rune can be applied at once, for a total of 2 Seals at once.

  * Be advised that activating a Seal Skill Rune amplifies the Mana Cost of used Skills.

- The most basic requirement of equipping a Link Rune is the Rune Hunter’s Level.

  * The required level grows higher as the Link Rune level increases.

- Link Runes can be linked to the Link Slot of a Skill Rune. The Color of the Link Slot and the Link Rune must match.

  * The number of Link Slots on a Skill Rune can be expanded by chance using a [Rune Birth Essence].

     : The Rune Birth Mileage System offers a guaranteed chance to imbue the max number of Link Slots to a Skill Rune.

     : A Hexa Rune Essence can be used to imbue the max number of Link Slots (6) to a Skill Rune without fail.

  * The color of the Link Slots can be changed to Red, Green, or Blue by chance using a [Rune Color Essence].

     : Certain Essences can enhance a Link Slot to turn it into a White Slot that can be linked with Link Runes of all colors. [ Go to Rune Slot Upgrade Guide ]

- Even if the colors match, certain Link Runes cannot be linked with a Skill Rune depending on their Tags or the Cannot Link conditions.

  A Skill Rune’s tags determine which Link Runes it can be linked with.

    Example 1) Firebomb Shot (Tags: Attack, Area of Effect, Strike, Fire, Projectile, Bowgun, Overheat, Cannot Multishot, Cannot use Parallel Shot, Cannot Split, Cannot Chain)

     : Can be linked with = Element DMG Amplification (Fire), Fire Penetration (Fire), Harmony (Attack), Concentrated Area DMG (Area of Effect), Find Weakness (Strike), Strike (Strike)

    Example 2) Whirlwind (Tags: Attack, Melee, Weapon Range, Channel, Strike, Physical)

     : Can be linked with = Quick Attack (Attack), Hunger (Melee, Attack, Strike), Savagery (Weapon Range), Channeling Enhancement (Channel),

     Knockback (Melee, Attack), Additional Physical DMG (Physical)

- When using an Attack Skill Rune as your main skill, it is recommended to use Link Runes that increase Attack/Spell DMG and Attack/Cast Speed.

  * Link Runes that affect damage come with DMG Increase options and DMG Amplification options. Of the two, Amplification is the more effective option,

     so it is better to plan your builds around Amplification.

- Area of Effect / Weapon Range Skills can be linked with Link Runes with the Increase Area of Effect and Increase Weapon Range options to increase the range of the linked Skill, allowing you to face even more enemies at once.

- For Projectile Skills, linking the Multishot, Parallel Multishot Link Runes and the Piercing, Chain Link Runes can make it easier when dealing with groups of monsters.

     : Please be advised that Projectile Skills with the Cannot Multishot, Cannot Pierce, and Cannot Chain tags cannot be linked with the Link Runes above.

- Movement Skill Runes can be equipped with Link Runes that decrease Cooldowns or increase Use Count.

  * Being able to use Movement Skill Runes more often at a lower Cooldown can lead to an easier time in combat.

- Attack/Defense Enhance Skill Runes can be linked with Cooldown Decrease Runes, as well as Link Runes that increase Effect and Duration.

  * If you have leftover slots on the Rune Cast, it can also be useful to equip Link Runes that offer specific effects such as Versatility and Regeneration when an Attack/Defense Enhance Skill is used.

- Seal Skill Runes can be linked with Link Runes that decrease Mana Cost.

- Trigger Runes are Special Link Runes that can automatically activate an equipped Skill when a Skill Rune is used, or in certain situations.

  * In other words, using a Trigger Rune allows you to use two Skills simultaneously with one action.

- Trigger Runes can be used to create your own unique Skill build by reinforcing your main Skill’s weakness or adding an extra effect.

- Using a valid [Attack, Strike Tag Skill Rune] that is linked to a Spell Activation on Hit Trigger Rune will automatically use the target [Spell Tag Skill Rune].

  * Trigger Runes of this category include [Spell Activation on Attack Hit], [Spell Activation on Spell Hit], [Spell Activation upon Enemy Kill] and [Spell Activation on Hit].

     : Some Spell Tag Skills with certain Tags cannot be linked as a Target Skill.

- Using a valid [Channel Tag Skill Rune] that is linked to a Spell Activation while Channeling Trigger Rune will automatically use the target [Spell Tag Skill Rune].

  * Trigger Runes of this category include [Spell Activation while Channeling].

     : Some Spell Tag Skills with certain Tags cannot be linked as a Target Skill.

- Using a Valid [Skill Rune] that is linked to a Skill Activation upon using Skill Trigger Rune will automatically use the target [Shout, Enhance, Totem Skill Rune].

  * Trigger Runes of this category include [Buff Activation upon using Movement Skill] and [Totem Activation upon using Enhance Skill].

     : Some Skills with certain Tags cannot be linked as a Target Skill.

-  Skill Activation upon Certain Situations Trigger Runes automatically use the target [Shout, Enhance Skill Rune] in certain situations during combat such as being hit or Status Effects.

  * Trigger Runes of this category include [Buff Activation when Hit], [Buff Activation upon Crowd Control].

     : Some Skills with certain Tags cannot be linked as a Target Skill.

- Convert DMG Runes are special Link Runes that change the DMG Element of Physical DMG skill Runes to the Fire, Poison, Cold, Lightning Element types.

  * Convert DMG Runes include [Convert Fire DMG], [Convert Poison DMG], [Convert Cold DMG], [Convert Lightning DMG].

- A Physical DMG Skill that is affected by a Convert DMG Rune will display a new Skill effect according to its new Element type when used.

- A Physical DMG Skill Rune that is converted to Element DMG is affected less by options related to Physical DMG, while being affected by options related to Element DMG.

  * As the level of the Convert DMG Rune grows and increases the Main Element being converted, the influence of the Element DMG options increase as well.

- Skill Runes that are converted to Element DMG can be linked with Link Runes that affect Element DMG, even though they were not able to be linked before.

- The biggest joy of UNDECEMBER is creating your own Skill build so that you can progress one step at a time.

- The following list introduces some of the popular Skill Builds used by Rune Hunters in UNDECEMBER.

①    Channel Trigger Builds that use the [Spell Activation while Channeling] Trigger Rune with the [Whirlwind], [Whirlwind Barrage] Channel Tag Skill Runes.

②    Bow, Bowgun Builds that use Bow, Bowgun Tag Skill Runes such as [Spread Shot], [Rapid Shot], [Piercing Arrow], [Cross Lightning Arrow], [Firebomb Shot] exclusively or with Trigger Runes.

③     DoT Builds that use DoT tag Skill Runes such as [Wheel Slash], [Toxic Flame].

④    Trap Builds that use Trap Tag Skill Runes such as [Fire Orb Trap], [Shockwave Trap], [Frost Trap], [Fire Fissure Trap], [Chill Area Trap] exclusively or with Trigger Runes.

⑤    Summoner Builds that use Minion Tag Skill Runes such as [Lightning Arrow Abyssling], [Twisted Abyssling], [Lightning Rune Knight], [Wrathful Rune Knight].

⑥    Sentry Builds that use Sentry Tag Skill Runes such as [Fan Blade Sentry], [Frost Sentry], [Electric Sentry], [Piercing Sentry], [Shockwave Sentry].

 

- You are free to follow an already established build, but we encourage you to study different skills to create your own build.