This article is about the spellcasting enemies often associated with the Protector. For the spellcasting enemies associated with Akron, see Rune Claw.
Runes are an enemy class present in Epic Battle Fantasy 3 and 4.
Appearance
Runes appear as small two-part constructs (a spherical upper body and a brazier-like lower body) vaguely resembling stone torches or pillars floating in the air. Most have small crystals on the top and bottom.
Runes typically appear in the remains of ancient civilizations, such as the Temple of Godcat and the Kitten Kingdom Ruins. They also commonly appear as helpers for the Protector, with most variants appearing to be a sort of animate warhead for the ancient war machine.
Overview
Runes act very much like Bits; weak foes prone to self-destructing at low HP. However, Runes have more expansive movepools than Bits, being functional support foes that can usually buff the stats of allies or cast some magic. They can also poke players for low physical damage, particularly when their magic is sealed by Syphon or Berserk.
Generally speaking, Runes are not much of a threat and their suicidal tendencies can help speed up the fight. However, many variants are fought alongside the Protector, where their support abilities can greatly hamper the party's efforts. Moreover, the Protector will periodically attempt to reinforce its side by firing new Runes out of its cannon; if it is unable to summon a Rune due to its intended slot being occupied, it will instead hit the party with a strong multi-target Bomb attack. This allows Runes to indirectly improve the Protector's damage output, making it a greater priority to take them out unless the party has high Bomb resistance.
Most Runes are weak to Bomb, Wind and Water. They all share an immunity to Poison. They also tend to absorb the element that they are based off of.
Species
Epic Battle Fantasy 3
Epic Battle Fantasy 4
Trivia
- Although the Protector returned in the v2 update of Epic Battle Fantasy 5, Runes did not. Instead, the boss is supported by Clays.