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Mages have always been a very useful and strong class inWorld of Warcraft, but it’s always been relegated to DPS roles.In the Season of DiscoveryMage Runes add a fourth “spec” to the class: the Chronomancer, which manipulates time to undo damage and serve as a healer. Players who don’t want to play the support role, though, have some of the strongest DPS Runes in SoD to play with.
In Phase One, there were a total 12 SoD Mage Runes, available for the Chest, Legs, and Gloves slots. In Phase Two, six more Mage Runes were added for the Boots and Belt slots, making for a total of eighteen across all five. This guide details both the effects and locations of all Mage SoD Runes added in Phase One and Phase Two.
Updated July 06, 2025 by Erik Petrovich: As players prepare to enter the third phase, and pick up new Runes, Phase 1 SoD Mage Runes and Phase 2 SoD Mage Runes aren’t going anywhere. Though we don’t yet know if there will be an easier way to get the first two phases' Runes in P3, the original methods to get Mage Runes from SoD hase One and Two should still work. What hasn’t remained the same. throughout the numerous WoW SoD patches. are the specific effects of the P1 and P2 SoD Mage Runes. This guide has been updated to specifically list all Runes available in the first two SoD Phases for Mages, and will no longer be updated to include later phases' runes. Additionally, the effects of these Runes have been updated to match their current in-game effects accurately, as of the publish date.
To preserve the sense of mystery intended for the Season of Discovery, each P1/P2 SoD Mage Rune location is hidden by default. Open the “Click to Reveal” box to show details on how to get all Phase One and Phase Two Mage Runes in SoD.
Burnout, Enlightenment, Fingers of Frost, & Regeneration
Enlightenment Rune
Alliancecharacters must cast Polymorph on critter NPCs in Elwynn Forest that have the “Wild Polymorph” debuff, six times.
Hordecharacters must head to the Solliden Farmstead in Tirisfal Glades and cast Polymorph on six Pumpkins, then loot Sorcerer’s Notes.
Burnout Rune
Humancharacters must use Fire Spells to defeat the Frozen Murloc in Elwynn Forest
Gnomecharacters must use Fire Spells to defeat the Frozen Trogg in Dun Morogh
Trollcharacters must use Fire Spells to defeat the Frozen Makrura in Durotar
Undeadcharacters must use Fire Spells to defeat the Frozen Murloc in Tirisfal Glades
Regeneration Rune
Humancharacters must defeat Defias Pillagers to loot the Rune
Gnomecharacters must look on top of a pile of books in a hut on an island in southern Loch Modan
Hordecharacters can loot the Rune from Kolkar’s Booty Chests, only available throughout the Barrens, or defeat Dalaran Apprentices in Silverpine Forest.
Humancharacters must defeat Hogger
Gnomecharacters must defeat Timber, a unique elite Wolf, or Vagash
Trollcharacters must defeat Zalazane
Undeadcharacters must defeat Gillgar, a unique enemy in northern Tirisfal Glades
Arcane Surge, Icy Veins, Living Flame, & Mass Regeneration
Arcane Surge Rune
Purchased from Waylaid Supply vendors after reaching Honored with the new faction, the Azeroth Commerce Authority/Durotar Supply and Logistics.
Mass Regeneration Rune
All characters must go to the crypt in Raven Hill, and pick up the Decrepit Phylactery. Leave the crypt and enter another one to the west to find a unique NPC called Slumbering Bones. Use the Phylactery on the NPC to summon an elite enemy that drops the Rune on defeat.
Gnomecharacters must defeat Frostmane Shadowcasters or Frostmane Seers
Icy Veins Rune
All characters must collect ten books from several locations in Azeroth.
Alliancecharacters can find books in the Tower of Azora, the Westfall Inn, and Ironforge’s Hall of Explorers
Hordecharacters can find books in the Brill Alchemy Shop, the Sepulcher in Silverpine Forest, and the Valley of Spirits
Both factionscan find other books in the Barrens' Sludge Fen, just outside the entrance to the Deadmines, the portal to the Wailing Caverns, the Stonetalon Mountains, Amber Mill in Silverpine Forest, near the excavation site in the Wetlands, the northwestern elite Ogre area in Loch Modan, in Ratchet’s engineering hub, and in the ruins found in central Darkshore
Arcane Blast, Ice Lance, Living Bomb, & Rewind Time
Arcane Blast Rune
All characters just acquire the Naga Manuscript by killing Wrathtail Naga in Ashenvale, near the entrance to Blackfathom Deeps. Find three crystals, described in the Manuscript, and use Arcane Explosion near each one.
Rewind Time Rune
Purchased from Grizzby in the Ratchet Inn after completing a series of quests requiring several items – 24 Fish Oil, 20 Dark Iron Ordinance, and 16 Shredder Turbochargers. Players have at least 5 Gold to interact with Grizzby.
Ice Lance Rune
All characters must simply complete the Level 2 quest that introduces the Rune system to earn Ice Lance. Humans take on the Defias, Gnomes take on Troggs, Trolls take on the Burning Blade, and Undead take on the Scarlet Crusade in their starting zones.
Living Bomb Rune
Alliancecharacters must defeat Stonesplinter Seers until they drop the Rune, found in southwestern Loch Modan
Hordecharacters must head to Silverpine Isle and kill Rot Hide zombies to get the Talking Head. Use this item to start a three-part quest line that leads to the Rune.
Hot Streak, Spellfrost Bolt, Missile Barrage, & Frostfire Bolt
Hot Streak Rune
The easiest, but most random, way to get the Hot Streak Rune is to kill Burning Exiles in the Arathi Highlands. There’s a very small chance for these enemies to outright drop the Rune on death.
The guaranteed way to get this Rune is to head to the Alterac Mountains, and kill Syndicate Wizards just off the road leading to the Western Plaguelands. Follow the road until it twists through the mountains as it heads east, and kill Syndicate Wizards until one drops a Singed Note.
Then, get to the Blacksmith Forge in Stahndbrad (further down the road leading east to the Western Plaguelands) and look for two bellows on the building’s exterior. Use any Fire-based spell on both of them to heat them, which should spawn a level 35 Ancient Fire Elemental. Kill this enemy to get the Rune.
Spellfrost Bolt Rune
To get the Spellfrost Bolt Rune,you must get Spell Notes: PELFRB STOLLOTS from Skullsplitter Mystics in Stranglethorn Vale. The best place to find this enemy is just outside of Zul’Gurub, though other Skullsplitter Mystics throughout the zone also have a chance to drop the item.
Missile Barrage Rune
Spell Notes: Missile Barrage (and the Missile Barrage Rune) unlocks via the Phase Two Dark Rider questline. To begin, head to Ariden’s Camp in Deadwind Pass at around (52, 34.5) in the zone. Talk to the Dalaran Agent at the camp to get Ariden’s Sigil. He will ask you to recover seven Dalaran Relics from Dark Riders throughout Azeroth. Each of the Dark Riders is about as difficult as a Dungeon boss at 40, but because all classes have one Rune tied to the SoD Dark Rider, it’s not too hard to get a five to ten-man group together.
The Dark Riders can be found in Duskwood, Deadwind Pass, Swamp of Sorrows, Badlands, The Barrens, Desolace, and the Arathi Highlands. After killing each one, head back to the Dalaran Agent and give him the recovered Dalaran Relics. After completing each quest (which reward about 1.5g at Level 40), the Agent will give you a bag containing the Rune.
Frostfire Bolt Rune
Similarly to the Spellfrost Rune, to get the Frostfire Bolt Rune, you must get Spell Notes: TROFF IRESTBOL from Skullsplitter Mystics in Stranglethorn Vale. The best place to find this enemy is just outside of Zul’Gurub, though other Skullsplitter Mystics throughout the zone also have a chance to drop the item.
Brain Freeze, Spell Power, & Chronostatic Preservation
Brain Freeze Rune
To get Spell Notes: Brain Freeze (and thus the Brain Freeze Rune), both factions must first head to the Swamp of Sorrows. On the road that forks south from the western entrance from Deadwind Pass, Mages will find a new NPC named Amaryllis Webb. Buy her Entomology Starter Kit for 50 silver, which contains a Guide and a Net, then head to three zones to capture three different creatures.
In theArathi Highlands, go to Northfold Manor at (31, 28) and look for the Hay Weevil in any of the Stables in the nearby area. Use the net on the Weevil to catch it. It should look like a small purple spider.
InDesolace, go to the Kodo Graveyard around (52, 58) and look around all of the bone piles for a Flesh Picker. It should look like a small black and red scorpion, which stands out against the sand and bones.
InStranglethorn Vale, head to Lake Nazferiti and look for a stump at (45, 19). Use the Net on the Arbor Tarantula on the stump. It should look like a small orange spider.
Spell Power Rune
The Spell Power Rune will take some time to get, as it requires players toread 20 out of the total 24 books in WoW SoD. Pick up the quest Greater Friend of the Library either in Stormwind or Undercity, and get reading. In addition to the base game’s books, eight new books have been added to several Phase Two Zones, including Desolace, Dustwallow, Thousand Needles, Alterac, Arathi, Badlands, Stranglethorn, and Swamp of Sorrows. Consider downloading an addon to track your progress with this questline.
This total includes the books that you would have already read for the Icy Veins Rune, which helps cut down on time a fair bit.
Chronostatic Preservation Rune
To get the Chronostatic Preservation Rune, and the associated Spell Notes, you will need to combine three Partial Spell Notes found on burning enemies throughout Thousand Needles. You will need a group to complete this quest, as each burning enemy requires several Frost-type spells to be cast on it in a short amount of time.
TheSinged Highperch Consortlocation is in the Harpy area in the sectioned-off western area of Thousand Needles.
TheSeared Needles Cougarlocation is just to the west of the Great Lift at the cliffs' base.
TheScorched Roguefeather Harpylocation is in the south of the zone at the base of the southern cliffs, directly south of the Great Lift as the crow flies.
