The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Weapon Runes in Lords of the Fallen

To excel in the later stages of Lords of the Fallen, players must focus on more than just increasing their weapons' levels. The significance of scaling ranks cannot be underestimated, as they determine the relevance of weapons even against the final boss and beyond. Lords of the Fallen takes a unique approach in comparison to other Soulslike games when it comes to weapon scaling with character stats – through the use of weapon runes. This system allows for significantly enhanced flexibility in customizing all weapons in the game, eliminating the need for rare, one-time-use pickups to optimize builds. However, unlocking these weapon runes can be time-consuming, and players risk missing out on this feature if they are unaware of its existence.

How to Find and Use Weapon Runes in Lords of the Fallen

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Players must first free Gerlinde from her cell in Pligrim's Perch. Once she settles in Skyrest Bridge, they will need to bring her a Rune Tablet. There are three Rune Tablets scattered throughout Axiom, with the Cracked Rune Tablet being the first one located in Fitzroy's Gorge.

After reaching Fitzroy's Gorge, follow the main path until you reach a fork in the road. Take the right path and enter the large cave located by the cliff side. Once inside, transition to the Umbral and cross the spine bridge. Instead of continuing straight ahead, ascend the large opening to the right. The Cracked Rune Tablet can be found at the end of the path below.

Bring the Cracked Rune Tablet to Gerlinde in order to unlock the rune socketting feature. Additionally, she offers a selection of runes that can be inserted into weapons that have been upgraded a few times. Once players provide her with the two remaining Rune Tablets discovered in the Upper Calrath Mining District and the Tower of Penance, Gerlinde will expand her inventory to include more runes.

There are various types of runes with different effects. Some runes can enhance a weapon's scaling for specific stats, while others can be embedded in shields to enhance a player's stats.

When upgrading a weapon to its maximum level, it can have up to three rune slots. Players can choose any runes to insert into these slots, as long as the rune's shape matches the socket shape of the weapon. For instance, the weapon Bloody Glory has two diamond-shaped sockets at +7, meaning it can only accommodate two diamond-shaped runes. Similar runes can be stacked, but it is generally recommended to use a diverse set of runes to address weapon weaknesses or suit a specific playstyle.

Lords of the Fallen is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.