In Legends, nearly all matches begin with players having runes. With few exceptions, matches begin with each player having a rune that corresponds to 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 health, with each rune being 'broken' each time a health threshold is reached. Runes take the form of a glyph from the Elder Alphabet, and they are blue in appearance.[verification needed — Maybe add a picture?] When a rune is broken, a card is drawn, and thus will generate card advantage for the defending player. When the drawn card has Prophecy, it will be highlighted and can be summoned for free. This punishes players that attack the opponent's health without consideration of the runes.
While runes generally cannot be restored even if a player's health rises back over its threshold, they can be restored by specific cards. If a player does not have any runes left while another rune is forced to be broken, for example with Lyris Titanborn, they will lose all their health instead and lose the game. Additionally, Nords have a theme of benefiting from broken runes and Werewolves usually activate their Beast Form upon breaking a one.
Cards associated with RunesEdit
Cards with Rune break effectsEdit
| Name | Type (Subtype) | Attribute/Class |  |
 |
 |
 |
Text | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Dawnstar Healer | Creature (Nord) |  Willpower |
3 | 3 | 3 |  Epic |
After an enemy rune is destroyed, you gain 3 health. |
 |
Eastmarch Crusader | Creature (Nord) | Willpower |
3 | 4 | 2 |  Rare |
Summon: Draw a card if an enemy rune has been destroyed this game. |
 |
Haafingar Marauder | Creature (Nord) | Willpower |
5 | 5 | 3 |  Legendary |
When a friendly creature destroys an enemy rune, equip it with a random item. |
 |
Morthal Executioner | Creature (Nord) | Willpower |
3 | 2 | 4 | Rare |
When an enemy rune is destroyed, Morthal Executioner gains +2/+0. |
 |
Relentless Raider | Creature (Nord) |  Strength |
1 | 2 | 1 | Legendary |
When an enemy rune is destroyed, deal 1 damage to your opponent. |
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Riften Pillager | Creature (Nord) | Strength |
3 | 2 | 3 |  Common |
Summon: +1/+1 for each destroyed enemy rune. |
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Ulfric's Housecarl | Creature (Nord) | Crusader |
4 | 3 | 3 | Epic |
When an enemy rune is destroyed, draw a card. |
Cards that restore RunesEdit
| Name | Type (Subtype) | Attribute/Class | |
|
|
|
Text | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Morokei, the Deathless | Creature (Skeleton) |  Neutral |
5 | 5 | 5 | Legendary |
Summon: If you started the game with no duplicate cards in your deck, you gain 5 health and restore a rune. |
 |
The Mechanical Heart | Support | Willpower |
6 | – | – | Legendary |
Ongoing
When you have 0 or less health, sacrifice The Mechanical Heart, set your health to 10, and restore a rune. |