Ok So im scoured the Forum Search and really havent seen any threads regarding Runes other then a brief explaination in the The One Thread. But with how Important Runes are and how little attention they have recieved Ive decided to bring this system to light so people really understand the perks to investigating these upgrade components.
What are Runes, Well Runes are upgrade components you apply to your gear and have diffirent bonus depending on how far into a specific runes tree you go.
Think of Runes as Tier Bonus in WoW, except instead of having to farm a specific 4 Piece set of armour to get that [10% Chance to Summon Fire Imp on Crit] you actaully get to apply this "Tier Bonus" to any piece of gear you wish.
Runes are almost as important as your Trait Line, Runes allow you to further custimize your Charectors and really create a Deep Build.
Ill Use some Examples with my Warrior Build. In My Trait Line and Weapon Set Ive Choosen a Specific setup that Gives me the most 'Tank" Like Build that Guildwars 2 Offers so when designing this Build I also Picked Runes that Best suit the Build im looking to Obtain for a "Tanky" Build.
Superior Rune of the Forge
Tier 1 (1 Set bonus) +25 toughness
Tier 2 (2 Set Bonus)+15% burning duration
Tier 3 (3 Set Bonus) +50 toughness
Tier 4 (4 Set Bonus) +20% protection duration
Tier 5 (5 Set Bonus) +90 toughness
Tier 6 (6 Set Bonus) At 50% health you gain protection for 10s and burn all nearby foes. (cooldown: 60s)
So as you can see by Using 6 Superior Runes of the Forge it allows me to create a much Deeper Tank Like Build Making Survivability a Key Aspect of my Build. Now Bare inmind you can Mix and Match Runes but you wont get that Powerful Tier 6 Set Bonus Unless you specialize into a Specific Rune Tree.
Mix and Matching will play a more conventional part if say your not building a specific deep build you and you just wanna grab a mix of stat bonus.
[EDIT] Someone made a good point that I should also Meantion Sigils I wont go into detail but needless to say a Sigil is a Weapon Upgrade Component that also allows you to design a more Deep Build with your Charector into a specialized role. Thx for point that out Glytch
Heres a List of the Superior Versions of Runes.
Rune of the Balefire
Superior
+25 power
+15% burning duration
+50 power
5% chance to gain vigor for 10s when hit. (cooldown: 30s)
+90 power
5% chance to cause a fire nova when hit. (cooldown: 30s)
Rune of Balthazar
Superior
+25 power
+15% burning duration
+50 power
You gain haste for 5s when you're hit below 20% health. (cooldown: 90s)
+90 power
When you use a healing skill nearby foes are burned for 3 seconds. (cooldown: 10s)
Rune of the Centaur
Superior
+25 power
+15% bleeding duration
+50 power
+20% swiftness duration
+90 power
When you use a heal skill you and all nearby allies gain swiftness for 10 seconds. (cooldown: 10s)
Rune of the Citadel
Superior
+25 power
+15% fury duration
+50 power
5% chance to gain fury for 30s when hit. (cooldown: 60s)
+90 power
5% chance to summon a bomb on hit. (cooldown: 10s)
Rune of the Elementalist
Superior
+25 power
+17 condition damage
+50 power
+40 condition damage
+90 power
Burning and frozen last 20% longer.
Rune of the Fighter
Superior
+25 power
+15 toughness
+50 power
+35 toughness
+90 power
When you use a healing skill you gain might for 20 seconds. (cooldown 10s)
Rune of the Fire
Superior
+25 power
+20% might duration
+50 power
5% chance to gain might for 20s when hit. (cooldown: 5s)
+90 power
You gain a fire aura for 5s when you're hit below 20% health. (cooldown: 90s)
Rune of Flame Legion
Superior
+25 power
+15% burning duration
+50 power
5% chance to cause burning for 1s when hit. (cooldown: 5s)
+90 power
+100 power while health is above 90%.
Rune of Hoelbrak
Superior
+25 power
+20% might duration
+50 power
5% chance to gain might for 20s when hit. (cooldown: 5s)
+90 power
-20% condition duration applied to you.
Rune of the Mesmer
Superior
+25 power
+15 precision
+50 power
+35 precision
+90 power
+33% stun duration
Rune of the Ogre
Superior
+25 power
+3% critical damage
+50 power
5% chance to summon a Rock Dog when hit (cooldown: 60s)
+90 power
+5% damage while you have a companion.
Rune of the Pack
Superior
+25 power
5% chance to gain swiftness for 30s when hit. (cooldown: 60s)
+50 power
5% chance to buff nearby allies on your attack, when hit, with might, fury and swiftness. (cooldown: 10s)
+90 power
5% chance to summon a wolf when hit. (cooldown: ?s)
Rune of the Scholar
Superior
+25 power
+3% critical damage
+50 power
+5% critical damage
+90 power
+10% damage while health is above 90%.
Rune of Strength
Superior
+25 power
+20% might duration
+50 power
3% chance to gain might for 20s when hit. (cooldown: 5s)
+90 power
+5% damage while under the effects of might.
Rune of Vampirism
Superior
+25 power
5% to cause your next attack to steal life when hit. (cooldown: 15s)
+50 power
Your next attack after using your heal skill steals life. (Not in)
+90 power
You become mist when below 10% health. (cooldown: 60s)
Rune of the Eagle
Superior
+25 precision
+3% crit damage
+50 precision
+5% crit damage
+90 precision
+5% vs targets with less then 50% health.
Rune of Lyssa
Superior
+25 precision
+10% condition duration
+50 precision
When you use a healing skill you gain a random boon for 10 seconds. (cooldown: 10s)
+90 precision
When you use an elite skill lose all conditions and gain all buffs for 5 seconds.
Rune of the Ranger
Superior
+25 precision
+3% critical damage
+50 precision
+5% critical damage
+90 precision
+5% damage power while you have a companion.
Rune of Rata Sum
Superior
+25 precision
+15% poison duration
+50 precision
+20% weakness duration
+90 precision
5% chance to summon a radiation field on hit. (cooldown: 60s)
Rune of the Thief
Superior
+25 precision
+17 condition damage
+50 precision
+40 condition damage
+90 precision
+10% damage behind or beside your foe.
Rune of the Dolyak
Superior
+25 toughness
+15 vitality
+50 toughness
+35 vitality
+90 toughness
You regenerate health
Rune of the Earth
Superior
+25 toughness
+20% protection duration
+50 toughness
5% chance to gain protection for 10s when hit. (cooldown: 30s)
+90 toughness
You gain Magnetic Aura for 5s when you're hit below 20% health. (cooldown: 90s)
Rune of the Engineer
Superior
+25 toughness
+17 condition damage
+50 toughness
+40 condition damage
+90 toughness
+5% damage while holding a bundle.
Rune of the Forge
Superior
+25 toughness
+15% burning duration
+50 toughness
+20% protection duration
+90 toughness
At 50% health you gain protection for 10s and burn all nearby foes. (cooldown: 60s)
Rune of the Guardian
Superior
+25 toughness
+15 compassion
+50 toughness
+35 compassion
+90 toughness
You inflict a 1s burning on block.
Rune of Melandru
Superior
+25 toughness
-15% condition duration
+50 toughness
-33% stun duration
+90 toughness
-30% condition duration
Rune of Mercy
Superior
+25 toughness
You take less damage while reviving.
+35 toughness
You resurrect allies with 20% more health.
+90 toughness
You revive twice as fast.
Rune of Svanir
Superior
+25 toughness
+20% frozen duration
+50 toughness
-50% frozen duration
+90 toughness
You become a block of ice for 5s when you are hit below 20% health.
Rune of the Ice
Superior
+25 vitality
+20% frozen duration
+50 vitality
5% chance to freeze all nearby foes when hit. (cooldown: 30s)
+90 vitality
+5% damage against frozen foes.
Rune of the Lich
Superior
+25 vitality
+4% condition duration
+50 vitality
+6% condition duration
+90 vitality
5% chance to summon a minion on hit. (cooldown: 60s)
Rune of Sanctuary
Superior
+25 vitality
+20% frozen duration
+50 vitality
5% chance to gain retaliation for 10s when hit. (cooldown: 30s)
+90 vitality
You gain stability for 5s when you're hit below 20% health. (cooldown: 90s)
Rune of the Soldier
Superior
+25 vitality
+15 toughness
+50 vitality
+35 toughness
+90 vitality
Shouts remove conditions.
Rune of Speed
Superior
+25 vitality
+20% swiftness duration
+50 vitality
5% chance to gain swiftness for 30s when hit. (cooldown: 60s)
+90 vitality
+7% move speed while using swiftness.
Rune of the Warrior
Superior
+25 vitality
+15 power
+50 vitality
+35 power
+90 vitality
-1 second on weapon swap.
Rune of the Wurm
Superior
+25 vitality
+2% critical damage
+50 vitality
+4% critical damage
+90 vitality
+3% damage
Rune of the Adventurer
Superior
+28 condition damage
+15 power
+55 condition damage
+35 power
+100 condition damage
When you use a healing skill you gain 100% endurance. (cooldown: 10s)
Rune of the Afflicted
Superior
+28 condition damage
+15% bleed duration
+55 condition damage
+15% poison duration
+100 condition damage
You create a death nova when you go down. (cooldown: 30 sec.)
Rune of Grenth
Superior
+28 condition damage
+20% frozen duration
+55 condition damage
5% chance to cause chill for 3s when hit. (cooldown: 30s)
+100 condition damage
When you use a healing skill nearby foes are chilled for 3 seconds. (cooldown: 10s)
Rune of the Krait
Superior
+28 condition damage
+15% bleeding duration
+55 condition damage
5% chance to cause bleeding for 10s when hit. (cooldown: 5s)
+100 condition damage
+100 power while underwater.
Rune of the Necromancer
Superior
+28 condition damage
+15 vitality
+55 condition damage
+35 vitality
+100 condition damage
+20% fear duration.
Rune of the Nightmare
Superior
+28 condition damage
+4% condition duration
+55 condition damage
+6% condition duration
+100 condition damage
5% chance to cause fear when hit. (cooldown: 90s)
Rune of Orrian
Superior
+28 condition damage
+15% poison duration
+55 condition damage
5% chance to cause poison for 10s when hit. (cooldown: 10s)
+100 condition damage
You gain haste for 5s when you're hit below 20% health. (cooldown: 90s)
Rune of the Undead
Superior
+28 condition damage
+200 toughness while down.
+55 condition damage
+10% damage while down.
+100 condition damage
You gain regeneration and cause a poison nova on rally.
Rune of the Air
Superior
+2% critical damage
+20% swiftness duration
+3% critical damage
When you use a heal skill you gain swiftness for 5s. (cooldown: 10s)
+5% critical damage
5% chance to gain Lightning Strike when hit. (cooldown: 10s)
Rune of the Golemancer
Superior
+2% critical damage
+15 precision
+3% critical damage
+35 precision
+5% critical damage
5% chance to summon a golem. (cooldown: 90s)
Rune of Rage
Superior
+2% critical damage
+20% fury duration
+3% critical damage
5% chance to gain fury for 30s when hit. (cooldown: 60s)
+5% critical damage
+5% critical while under the effects of fury.
Rune of Dwayna
Superior
+25 healing
+20% regeneration duration
+50 healing
5% chance to gain regeneration for 10s when hit. (cooldown: 30s)
+90 healing
When you use a heal skill you and all nearby allies gain regeneration for 10 seconds. (cooldown: 10s)
Rune of the Flock
Superior
+25 healing
5% chance to summon a bird on your attack when hit. (cooldown: 10s)
+50 healing
Attack bird causes blindness for 5s.
+90 healing
When you use a healing skill you and nearby allies are healed a small amount. (cooldown: 10s)
Rune of the Grove
Superior
+25 healing
+15% protection duration
+50 healing
5% chance to gain protection for 10s when hit. (cooldown 30s)
+90 healing
5% chance to root your target on hit. (cooldown: 60s)
Rune of the Monk
Superior
+25 healing
+15% boon duration
+50 healing
5% chance to gain health when hit. (cooldown: 10s)
+90 healing
When you use an elite skill you and all nearby allies gain aegis for 30 seconds.
Rune of the Water
Superior
+25 healing
+15% boon duration
+50 healing
5% chance to remove a condition when hit. (cooldown: 30s)
+90 healing
When you use a healing skill you and nearby allies are healed for a small amount. (cooldown: 10s)
Rune of Divinity
Superior
+10 to all stats
+10 to all stats
+10 to all stats
+10 to all stats
+10 to all stats
+10 to all stats
Rune of Infiltration
Superior
+2% damage vs. foes below 50% health
+15 precision
+3% damage vs. foes below 50% health
+35 precision
+5% damage vs. foes below 50% health
You cloak when you're hit below 10% health. (cooldown: 90s)
Rune of the Noble
Superior
+10% magic find
+15 power
+15% magic find
+35 power
+25% magic find
+5% chance to summon a Drakehound
Rune of the Pirate
Superior
+10% magic find
+20% might duration
+15% magic find
5% chance to shout Yarr and grant might to nearby allies when hit. (cooldown: 10s)
+25% magic find
+5% chance to summon a Parrot. (cooldown: 90s)
Not a Complete List of the Runes but I hope you Enjoyed None the Less...