RuneBags
RuneBags Rules
Everything the game enforces, in order. New to RuneBags? The beginner's guide is a gentler start.
1. Goal
Win the majority of the points still in play by forming winning lines of 4 or more runes. A game starts with 10 points in play, so 6 win it; each drawn round takes one point out of play, and the majority shrinks with it: 5 of 9, 5 of 8, 4 of 7…
2. Round Flow
- Shop Phase
- Round Phase
3. Shop Phase
A simultaneous phase in which each player reveals 5 runes from their personal shop supply and can perform the following actions in any order:
- Add up to 2 of the offered runes to their bag
- Remove 1 rune from their bag: basic and symbol runes are removed permanently, except Inguz and Jera which return to that player's shop supply; neutral runes return to the supply.
- Combine 2 matching level 1 runes into one level 2 rune (except non-combinable runes)
4. Round Phase
Each player draws a hand of 2 runes. If the number of points remaining in the supply is even, White starts. If it's odd, Black starts.
On their turn, the active player must:
- Play a rune from their hand into one of the board's 7 columns (a column can never hold more than 6 runes)
- Apply the played rune's effect if it has one, then draw runes from their bag to refill their hand
If a player has no legally playable rune, they must pass.
If both players cannot play, the round is a draw.
If both players form a winning line from the resolution of the same action, the round is a draw.
If a round is a draw, 1 point is removed from the supply instead of being awarded: it leaves play, which can lower the majority needed to win.
The round phase ends as soon as a player forms a winning line of at least 4 runes. That player takes 1 point from the supply.
5. End of Game
A player wins the game as soon as they hold the majority of the points still in play: more than half of the points not removed by drawn rounds. If the supply reaches 0, the highest score wins. If scores are tied, fewer runes in bag wins.
6. Neutral Runes
Neutral runes are gray blockers. They belong to neither Black nor White.
They do not score points on their own, never return to player bags, and go back to the neutral supply when removed or at the end of a round.
7. Cursed Runes
Adds 1 neutral rune to the owner's bag when it is added to the bag during the shop phase.
8. Corrupted Runes
Adds 1 neutral rune to the owner's bag every time it is played.
9. Ethereal Runes
They return to the shop supply instead of the bag at the end of a round.
10. Rune Effects
Each rune in detail, with its level-2 effect, is on the runes page.
Algiz: inserts from the bottom of the column and pushes upward; cursed and corrupted.
Ansuz: returns the rune directly beneath it to its owner's bag (not neutral runes).
Berkana: if inside its owner's winning line, grants +1 bonus point once for that round.
Dagaz: copies the effect of the rune directly beneath it; corrupted.
Ehwaz: raises its owner's maximum hand size to 3 while on the board. Maximum hand size becomes 4 at level 2.
Eihwaz: if removed or discarded for the round, its owner gains 1 point without ending the round.
Fehu: returns 1 discarded rune to your bag, 2 runes at level 2. Recovered runes can include opponent runes.
Gebo: removes the rune directly beneath it for the round, chooses an adjacent target at level 2; cursed.
Hagalz: an adjacent neutral rune can count toward your winning line.
Inguz: center column only; returns to the shop when removed.
Isa: stays on the board from one round to the next.
Jera: edge columns only; returns to the shop when removed.
Kenaz: a single Kenaz does nothing. When your second Kenaz enters play, it permanently destroys 1 rune on the board.
Laguz: cannot be moved or removed.
Mannaz: adds 1 neutral rune to the opponent's bag, 2 neutral runes at level 2.
Nauthiz: can float and be placed on any free cell; ethereal and cursed.
Odal: if played on the top row, its owner gains 1 point without ending the round.
Perth: constrains the opponent's next turn to adjacent columns; the forced adjacent column is chosen at level 2.
Raido: grants an extra turn; ethereal only at level 1; cursed.
Sowelu: discards 1 random rune from the opponent's bag for the round, 2 runes at level 2.
Teiwaz: moves the top rune of any column to an adjacent column at level 1, or to any column at level 2; cursed.
Thurisa: places 1 neutral rune on the board, 2 neutral runes at level 2.
Uruz: the opponent's hand cannot be hidden while Uruz is on the board.
Wunjo: if no allied rune is adjacent at the end of the round, its owner gets +1 add and +1 remove at the next shop phase.