What are the best 13 Runes in Bloodborne?
There are more than 70 Caryll Runes in Bloodborne, all of which provide you with a variety of buffs. With so many, and since you can only equip a few at a time, we thought we’d put together a guide on the best 13 runes in Bloodborne.
Update March 7th, 2023
Blood Rapture
The Blood Rapture runes restore HP with visceral attacks, up to a maximum of +300 health with the highest tier rune. These runes are incredibly handy if you’re skilled at parrying and can pull visceral attacks off without issue, helping you to save on Blood Vials.
The first Blood Rapture rune can be found by killing the Shadow Of Yharnam boss within the Forbidden Woods, while the second is obtained within the Cursed and Defiled Root Chalice dungeons, and the third by killing the Bloody Crow of Cainhurst and completing Eileen The Crow’s quest line.
Guidance
The Guidance runes allow you to recover up to +20% of your health by immediately attacking an enemy after taking damage. Like with the Blood Rapture runes, the Guidance runes will help you recover health without having to use Blood Vials, making them incredibly handy.
The lowest-tier Guidance rune can be found by killing the Carrion Crow at the top of the Research Hall, while the second can be obtained after defeating Ludwig, The Holy Blade.
Clockwise Metamorphosis
The Clockwise Metamorphosis runes boost your maximum HP by up to 15% with the highest tier rune. Most are easily accessible, although they can only be found toward late game. We see the Clockwise Metamorphosis runes as essential for the majority of the game because who doesn’t want more health?
The first Clockwise Metamorphosis can be found within the Forbidden Woods, behind a locked gate before the Shadow Of Yharnam boss. The second can be found in the Nightmare Frontier in a cave across a bridge near the Patches encounter, and the last is found in the Pthumeru Ihyll Root Chalice.
Clawmark
Like the Blood Rapture runes, the Clawmark runes are incredibly useful for anyone that can pull off visceral attacks without a problem. While the Blood Rapture runes increase the health gained from these attacks, Clawmark runes increase your overall visceral attack power by up to 30%, allowing you to deal more damage to your enemies.
Most of the Clawmark runes can also be acquired easily throughout the late game. The first can be found after killing one of the Hunters at the Hypogean Gaol lamp in Yahar’gul The Unseen Village after defeating Rom The Vacuous Spider. The second can be found after killing Gilbert in Central Yharnam after defeating Rom, and the third can be found in the Lower Ailing Root Chalice.
Communion
If you don’t want to boost your maximum HP, the Communion runes are a great alternative as they boost the maximum number of Blood Vials you can carry at any given time by up to five more. These runes are always going to be useful and most can be found throughout early to mid-game through basic exploration.
The first can be found in a chest above Cathedral Ward after defeating the Blood-Starved Beast, by going through the unlocked door in Oedon Chapel and taking the elevator. The second rune can be found in the Lecture Hall, the third in Iosefka’s Clinic, the fourth is obtained after killing the Celestial Emissary at Upper Cathedral Ward, and the final can be found in the Pthumeru Ihyll Root Chalice.
Eye
The Eye runes increase your Item Discovery stat by up to +100, allowing you to obtain more items from fallen enemies, such as Blood Vials. While these runes shouldn’t be used all the time, we think they’re great if you find yourself having to farm for Blood Vials, giving you a better chance of obtaining them or other items from enemies. Just note that you’ll only find these toward late game.
The first Eye run can be found on a corpse near the Mergo’s Loft: Base Lamp in the Nightmare Of Mensis, the second can be obtained by killing Master Willem at Byrgenwerth, and the third can be found in the Isz Root Chalice.
Formless Oedon
The Formless Oedon runes increase the maximum number of Quicksilver Bullets you can hold at any time, up to a maximum of five. These runes are useful for anyone that uses the game’s firearms or hunter tools, like the Holy Moonlight Sword or Kos Parasite. However, the majority of these runes aren’t easily accessible.
For example, the first Formless Oedon rune can be obtained by sending Gascoigne’s daughter to Iosefka’s Clinic, while the second can be found in the Lower Pthumeru Root Chalice, the third is obtained by defeating the Oedon Chapel Dweller, the fourth can be found in a chest through a secret passage above Oedon Chapel via the elevator toward the Healing Church Workshop, and the final rune can be found in the Lower Hintertomb Root Chalice.
Heir
The Heir runes boost the number of Blood Echoes you gain from visceral attacks up to +60%. Similarly to the other visceral attack-based runes, these runes will help boost your Blood Echoes if you use the attacks on a regular basis. Although they’re not essential, some extra Blood Echoes always help.
The first Heir rune is obtained by killing Henryk at the Tomb Of Oedon as part of Eileen The Crow’s quest line. The second can be found in Yahar’gul The Unseen Village in a room with a bell ringer that summons a wheelchair enemy and werewolf and is near a troll. The third can be found in the Pthumeru Ihyll Root Chalice.
Great Lake
The Great Lake runes reduce the damage you receive by a maximum of 5%. This can be incredibly useful as it essentially increases your defence, helping you to save on health either against enemies and bosses or while exploring Yharnam and its surrounding areas.
The Great Lake rune can be found in the Lower Hintertomb Root Chalice, the second can be found in Upper Cathedral Ward at the top of the stairs beside the Lamp, and the third can be found in the Isz Root Chalice dungeon.
Deep Sea
The Deep Sea runes increases your Frenzy resistance by up to _300 at the highest tiers, making the runes useful in later levels of the game when you’re fighting Frenzy-inducing enemies like the Winter Lanterns.
There are three Deep Sea runes; the first can be found in the Lower Hintertomb Root Chalice, the second in the Forbidden Woods by two viper pits, and the third can be found in the Isz Root Chalice.
Moon Rune
Moon Runes increase the number of Blood Echoes you receive from fallen enemies by up to 30%. Most of these runes are easily found, and they are incredibly useful for when you’re playing normally (Excellent when it comes to defeating bosses) or for when you find yourself having to farm to purchase certain items or a new level.
The first Moon rune can be found in Yahar’gul the Unseen Village down the stairs from the Hypogean Gaol lamp, the second can be found in the Nightmare Of Mensis during the Micolash boss fight at the bottom of a set of spiral stairs, and the final rune can be found in the Nightmare Of Mensis, obtained by performing the Make Contact gesture in front of the Brain Of Mensis.
Radiance Oath Rune
The Radiance Oath Rune is one of the most useful covenant runes as it increases the amount of HP restored from Blood Vials, which means you can get away with using fewer vials. However, equipping the rune may force you to fight other players.
The Radiance Oath Rune can be found on Alfred’s corpse after completing his quest line. If not killed before the end of his quest line, you’ll find Alfred’s corpse in Cathedral Ward where you first met him.
Hunter Oath Rune
The Hunter Oath Rune is another handy covenant rune as it increases your overall stamina recovery speed but may force you to fight co-op partners. Increasing your stamina recovery speed means you’ll be able to perform more attacks and get back at enemies and bosses giving you trouble.
The Radiance Oath Rune can be found obtained by completing Eileen The Crow’s quest line by defeating the Bloody Crow Of Cainhurst after defeating Rom The Vacuous Spider.
It’s also important to highlight that there are many runes that can be useful in certain situations, such as boosting your Poison and Frenzy resistance or increasing your defence against Arcane, Fire, and Bolt damage. However, you’re going to need advanced knowledge of the areas you’re exploring or the enemies and Bloodborne bosses you’re about to take on.
