Runes

Discover all five Runes in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: Remote Bomb, Magnesis, Stasis, Cryonis, and Camera. Learn their uses in puzzles and combat, and how to upgrade them.

Runes are a new addition to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and they give you certain abilities that have uses both in solving puzzles and in combat situations. There are five Runes in total and Link will be given them quite early on in the game. In addition to their base forms, Runes can be upgraded at tech labs found in the world to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of their effects.

These Runes include the following, listed below in order of appearance:

Remote Bomb Rune

The Remote Bomb Rune can be used in the same way as bombs can be used in previous Legend of Zelda games – primarily as a resource to blow up obstacles or destroy sections of weak walls (often indicated by fairly obvious cracks). Link can generate infinite number of Remote Bombs using the Rune, but after using one there will be a brief cooldown period during which another cannot be created. The bombs that are created by this Rune in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are remote bombs, which means that once you plant/throw them, you'll need to hit a specific button command to detonate them. It's a good idea to move Link out of the explosion range when you do.

Unlike previous games in the series, there are two types of remote bombs in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – spherical bombs and cubic bombs. Spherical bombs can roll down slopes, chutes and structures whereas the cubic bombs will stay put and fit specific sockets. In this way, they can be used to solve a number of puzzles.

Remote bombs can also be used in combat to damage (or even kill some weaker) enemies, unlock blocked entrances to caves/shrines and kill wildlife or explode mineral deposits in order to quickly gather resources.

Magnesis

The Magnesis Rune allows Link to identify and manipulate pieces of metal in the environment. These pieces of metal can be used to remove blockages or obstacles from areas, open doors, create bridges and create ledges/platforms that can be used to cross gaps or hop to out of reach locations. With the Rune active, any metal that can be manipulated using the Rune will appear highlighted in a purple color and whilst targeted by Link a piece of metal, it will change to yellow.

Magnesis can be used in combat, although perhaps not as effectively as Remote Bombs. Magnesis can be used to pick up metal objects and drop them on enemies, push enemies off ledges or to usefully create a section of moving cover which can be used to defend Link against incoming projectiles and lasers.

In the environment, the Magnesis Rune can be used to create bridges across gaps/rivers or to pull half-buried metal treasure Treasure Chests out of the ground so that Link can loot them.

Stasis

The Stasis Rune can be used to freeze a specific object in time for a short period. This can be used as many times as you like but each time after using it, there will be a brief cooldown period during which it is temporarily unable to be used. This can be used to slow moving objects/hazards/obstacles to move past them safely, pause and navigate moving platforms or to freeze and manipulate objects in the environment. Certain objects can be frozen and then hit with attacks a few times to store up energy which will be spent once the Stasis period ends, sending it flying in the direction indicated.

Stasis can be used in the wider world to propel boulders and other manipulable heavy objects into crowds of enemies and when upgraded, can be used on enemies themselves to either hold them out of combat when fighting a group or to allow Link to pummel them silly whilst they remain immobile.

Cryonis

The Cryonis Rune allows Link to summon up to three blocks of ice. Only three blocks of ice can be generated at a time and if you attempt to create a further one, the first of the three blocks before hand will be dismissed. These icy blocks are useful in that they can be used in rivers to create icy platforms that we can cross (useful in cold areas where the water will freeze you) or in waterfalls to create platforms that can be used to climb to the top. It is possible, to generate a block below certain items, such as gates to lift them upwards.

Camera

The Camera Rune is the last of the Runes that you'll acquire in the game and it allows Link to take screenshots of the environment. This can be useful in some dungeons for taking a screenshot of a particular section of puzzle so that you can look back at it as you travel elsewhere as required.