TL;DR: VvW's enchanting system has three layers: Enchantment Stones (direct stat boosts applied to gear), Rune Stones (socketed into gear slots for passive effects), and Rune Words (combinations of specific rune stones that trigger powerful set-like bonuses). This guide catalogs all 9 enchantment stones (items 502–510), all 10 rune stones (items 511–520), all 10 Rune Word Scrolls (items 681–690), explains the socket system, and provides the optimal enchanting order for every level bracket with full cost analysis.
"Power is not forged in battle alone — it is etched into steel, woven into cloth, and bound by ancient runes."
Enchantment Stones (Items 502–510)
Enchantment Stones are consumable items that permanently apply a stat bonus to a single piece of equipment. Each stone can only be used once per item, and each item can hold one enchantment at a time. Applying a new enchantment overwrites the previous one — the old enchantment is lost, not refunded. Choose carefully.
| Item ID | Stone Name | Stat Bonus | AH Price | Best Slot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 502 | Stone of Might | +8 Strength | 600–900g | Chest, Legs |
| 503 | Stone of Agility | +8 Dexterity | 600–900g | Gloves, Boots |
| 504 | Stone of Wisdom | +8 Intelligence | 600–900g | Helm, Shoulders |
| 505 | Stone of Fortitude | +12 Stamina | 800–1,200g | Chest, Legs |
| 506 | Stone of Fury | +5 Attack Power | 1,000–1,500g | Weapon |
| 507 | Stone of Warding | +10 Defense | 900–1,300g | Shield, Chest |
| 508 | Stone of Precision | +3% Critical Hit | 1,500–2,200g | Weapon, Gloves |
| 509 | Stone of Swiftness | +5% Attack Speed | 1,800–2,500g | Weapon |
| 510 | Stone of Vampirism | +2% Life Steal | 2,000–3,000g | Weapon |
Enchantment Priority by Build
Not all enchantments are equal for every build. Here is the priority order for each archetype:
- Melee DPS: Stone of Fury (weapon) > Stone of Precision (gloves) > Stone of Swiftness (offhand) > Stone of Might (chest) > Stone of Fortitude (legs)
- Ranged DPS: Stone of Precision (weapon) > Stone of Agility (gloves) > Stone of Fury (chest) > Stone of Swiftness (boots) > Stone of Wisdom (helm)
- Tank: Stone of Warding (shield) > Stone of Fortitude (chest) > Stone of Fortitude (legs) > Stone of Might (helm) > Stone of Vampirism (weapon)
- Healer/Caster: Stone of Wisdom (weapon) > Stone of Wisdom (helm) > Stone of Fortitude (chest) > Stone of Warding (shoulders) > Stone of Swiftness (boots)
Rune Stones (Items 511–520)
Rune Stones are socketable items that fit into gear sockets. Unlike Enchantment Stones, Rune Stones can be removed and reused — removing a rune costs 200g at any Enchanter NPC but preserves the rune for re-socketing. Each piece of equipment has a base socket count determined by quality: Common (0), Uncommon (1), Rare (2), Epic (3), Legendary (4). Additional sockets can be added using Socket Expansion Gems (see below).
| Item ID | Rune Name | Socket Effect | AH Price | Rune Word Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 511 | Rune of Strength | +5 STR per socket | 50–120g | Ferocity, Titan |
| 512 | Rune of Dexterity | +5 DEX per socket | 50–120g | Shadow, Wind |
| 513 | Rune of Intellect | +5 INT per socket | 50–120g | Arcane, Frost |
| 514 | Rune of Vitality | +8 HP per socket | 60–140g | Titan, Resilience |
| 515 | Rune of Fire | +3 Fire Damage | 100–200g | Ferocity, Inferno |
| 516 | Rune of Ice | +3 Ice Damage | 100–200g | Frost, Glacier |
| 517 | Rune of Shadow | +3 Shadow Damage | 120–250g | Shadow, Dread |
| 518 | Rune of Light | +3 Holy Damage | 120–250g | Radiance, Wind |
| 519 | Rune of Blood | +1% Life Steal | 200–400g | Dread, Inferno |
| 520 | Rune of Earth | +6 Defense | 80–180g | Resilience, Glacier |
The Socket System
Sockets are the slots within equipment where Rune Stones are placed. Understanding socket mechanics is critical to efficient enchanting.
Base Socket Count by Quality
Socket Expansion Gems
Socket Expansion Gems add one additional socket to any piece of equipment, up to a maximum of +2 extra sockets per item. This means a Legendary item can reach 6 total sockets. Socket Expansion Gems are consumed on use and cannot be recovered.
- Lesser Socket Gem: Adds 1 socket. Works on Uncommon+ gear. Cost: 2,000–3,500g on AH. Drops from dungeon bosses (levels 40–60).
- Greater Socket Gem: Adds 1 socket (second expansion). Works on Rare+ gear only. Cost: 5,000–8,000g on AH. Drops from dungeon bosses (levels 60–80) and world bosses.
The total cost of fully expanding sockets on a single Legendary item is 7,000–11,500g for the gems alone, plus the rune stones to fill those sockets. This is a significant investment — only expand sockets on gear you plan to use for 20+ levels.
Rune Word Scrolls (Items 681–690)
Rune Words are the most powerful enchanting mechanic in VvW. When specific rune stones are socketed in a specific order within the same item, they trigger a Rune Word bonus — a powerful additional effect on top of each individual rune's passive. Rune Words must be learned from Rune Word Scrolls before they can be activated. Once learned, the recipe is permanent.
| Scroll ID | Rune Word | Rune Recipe | Bonus Effect | Scroll Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 681 | Ferocity | Strength + Fire | +8% melee damage | 3,000g |
| 682 | Shadow | Dexterity + Shadow | +10% crit damage | 3,500g |
| 683 | Arcane | Intellect + Light | +12% spell power | 3,500g |
| 684 | Titan | Strength + Vitality + Earth | +15% max HP | 5,000g |
| 685 | Resilience | Vitality + Earth | +10% damage reduction | 4,000g |
| 686 | Frost | Intellect + Ice | +8% slow on hit, +5 Ice DMG | 4,000g |
| 687 | Inferno | Fire + Blood | +6% DoT damage, +3% life steal | 5,500g |
| 688 | Wind | Dexterity + Light | +8% attack speed, +3% dodge | 5,000g |
| 689 | Dread | Shadow + Blood | +10% Shadow DMG, +2% life steal | 6,000g |
| 690 | Glacier | Ice + Earth | +12% Defense, +5% slow on hit | 4,500g |
Rune Word Priority by Build
- Melee DPS: Ferocity (weapon) > Inferno (chest) > Wind (boots). Total scroll cost: 13,500g. Total rune cost: ~1,200g. Combined effect: +8% melee damage, +6% DoT, +3% life steal, +8% attack speed.
- Ranged DPS: Shadow (weapon) > Wind (gloves) > Frost (chest). Total scroll cost: 12,500g. Total rune cost: ~1,400g. Combined effect: +10% crit damage, +8% attack speed, +3% dodge, +8% slow on hit.
- Tank: Titan (chest) > Resilience (shield) > Glacier (legs). Total scroll cost: 13,500g. Total rune cost: ~1,000g. Combined effect: +15% max HP, +10% damage reduction, +12% Defense, +5% slow.
- Healer/Caster: Arcane (weapon) > Frost (helm) > Resilience (chest). Total scroll cost: 11,500g. Total rune cost: ~1,100g. Combined effect: +12% spell power, +8% slow on hit, +10% damage reduction.
Optimal Enchanting Order by Level
Enchanting too early wastes gold on gear you will replace. Enchanting too late means missing power gains that accelerate your leveling. Here is the optimal schedule.
Gear turnover is too fast. You replace equipment every 3–5 levels. Save all gold and runes for later. The only exception: if you find a Rare weapon that will last 10+ levels, socket a single Rune of Strength or Dexterity (50–120g) for a meaningful damage boost at minimal cost.
At level 30, gear starts lasting longer (8–12 levels per piece). Apply Stone of Fury or Stone of Precision to your weapon — this single enchantment provides the biggest power spike per gold spent. Socket 1–2 runes into Rare weapons if available. Total recommended spending: 1,500–3,000g.
This is when enchanting becomes cost-effective. Learn your first 2 Rune Word Scrolls (build-appropriate). Apply enchantment stones to weapon + chest piece. Socket rune words into Rare/Epic weapons. Use a Lesser Socket Gem on your weapon if it is Epic quality. Total recommended spending: 8,000–15,000g.
Learn remaining Rune Word Scrolls for your build. Enchant all 6 gear slots (weapon, chest, helm, gloves, legs, boots). Socket rune words into chest and weapon. Apply Socket Expansion Gems to Epic/Legendary gear. Total recommended spending: 20,000–35,000g.
At endgame, gear is permanent. Every piece should have: max enchantment stone, max sockets (expanded), complete rune word, plus bonus runes in remaining sockets. Full endgame enchanting across all slots costs 50,000–80,000g. This is the single largest power investment in the game and differentiates casual players from competitive ones by 25–40% effective power.
Cost Analysis: Full Enchanting Budget
| Category | Items Needed | Cost Range | Power Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enchantment Stones (6 slots) | 6 stones | 5,400–12,000g | +48–60 stat points |
| Rune Stones (all sockets) | 15–24 runes | 1,500–5,000g | +75–120 mixed stats |
| Rune Word Scrolls | 3–4 scrolls | 10,000–20,000g | +25–40% build-specific |
| Socket Expansion Gems | 4–8 gems | 12,000–44,000g | +4–8 extra rune slots |
| Total Endgame Enchanting | 28,900–81,000g | +25–40% total power | |
Common Enchanting Mistakes
- Enchanting Common or Uncommon gear: Common gear has 0 sockets and will be replaced within hours. Uncommon gear has 1 socket and lasts slightly longer but not long enough to justify enchantment stone costs. Wait for Rare quality minimum before investing enchantment stones.
- Overwriting expensive enchantments: Applying a new enchantment stone destroys the previous one. Players who enchant with Stone of Precision (+3% Crit, 1,500g) then accidentally overwrite it with Stone of Might (+8 STR, 600g) lose 1,500g instantly. Always double-check before enchanting.
- Socketing rune words in wrong order: Rune words require runes to be socketed in the exact order listed in the recipe. Socketing Fire + Strength instead of Strength + Fire does NOT trigger the Ferocity rune word. You get individual rune stats but miss the powerful bonus effect.
- Expanding sockets on gear you will replace: Socket Expansion Gems cost 2,000–8,000g each and are consumed permanently. Using them on gear you will replace in 10 levels wastes thousands of gold. Only expand sockets on Epic or Legendary gear at level 60+.
- Ignoring rune removal costs: Removing runes costs 200g each at any Enchanter NPC. Players who frequently swap rune configurations spend 1,000–2,000g per swap. Plan your rune setup before socketing, and only swap for major build changes or new gear.
Enchanting for Profit
Enchanting is not just a power system — it is a profit system. Pre-enchanted gear sells for significant premiums on the AH because many players lack the knowledge or patience to enchant optimally. A Rare weapon with a Ferocity rune word and Stone of Fury enchantment sells for 3,000–6,000g more than the same weapon unenchanted. The enchanting cost is roughly 1,800–2,500g (runes + stone). That is a consistent 1,000–3,500g profit per item.
The most profitable enchanting service: buy cheap Rare/Epic weapons on the AH, apply optimal enchantments and rune words, relist at premium. This combines well with the Rune Arbitrage strategy from our Auction House guide. Volume is king — enchant and flip 10–15 items per week for reliable income.