Rules Ruling · Resources
Rune Payment: Exhaust vs Recycle, and Channeling Two Runes per Turn
Exhausting a rune and recycling a rune are two different payments that new players often mix up: one taps it for generic Energy, the other consumes it back into the deck for colored power. Add “channel two per turn” and “the rune pool drains on schedule,” and you have the whole resource system. Based on the official 2026-07-16 Core Rules.
Citations: CR 2026-07-16 §162–168（Runes 與 Rune Pools）、§315.3（Channel Phase）、§316.3（Main Phase 清空）、§416.1.b（Recycle 返牌組底）、§429.3（Add 反應）、§430（Channel）、§486.7（後手額外導引）
Channeling two runes per turn (CR §315.3, §430)
Channel Phase: the turn player channels 2 runes from the top of their Rune Deck (CR 315.3.b, 430.4.a); if fewer than 2 remain, they channel as many as possible (CR 315.3.b.1, 430.3).
Channeling moves runes from the deck top onto the board (CR 430.1); channeled runes enter readied by default (CR 430.2.a), though effects can stipulate they enter exhausted (CR 430.2). Channeling is a Limited Action and needs no priority (CR 430.4).
Route one: exhaust for 1 Energy
Each of the six Basic Runes (Fury/Calm/Mind/Body/Chaos/Order, CR 164.1) has two built-in reaction abilities; the first is “[E]: [Reaction] — Add [1].” Exhausting a ready rune adds 1 Energy to your rune pool (CR 164.2.a).
Energy has no domain and no type (CR 163.1.a–b) and pays numeric costs (CR 163.1). Because the ability has the Reaction tag, you can activate it any time resources must be paid — even on an opponent’s turn or mid-payment (CR 429.3, 429.3.a).
Route two: recycle fully for colored power
The second built-in reaction ability is “Recycle this: [Reaction] — Add [C]” (CR 164.2.b) — recycle the rune for one power of that rune’s domain. Power has a domain, usually matching the rune that produced it (CR 163.2.a); here it matches the rune being recycled (CR 164.2.b.1).
Recycle puts the card on the bottom of the corresponding deck — runes go to the bottom of the Rune Deck (CR 416.1.b). So recycling fully consumes the rune: it leaves the board, but you may draw it again later.
Some power is Universal and can pay costs of any domain (CR 163.2.b); [A] is the shorthand for “power of any domain” (CR 135.2.e.5).
The rune pool drains on schedule (CR §165–168, §316.3)
The Rune Pool is a conceptual collection of your available Energy and Power (CR 166); adding resources puts them in the pool (CR 166.1, 168).
Every player’s rune pool empties at the start of each of their Main Phases and at the end of each of their turns — unspent Energy and Power are lost (CR 167, 316.3). Floating resources never carry over, so spend them during your Main Phase.
FAQ
How many runes do I channel each turn?
Two, from the top of your Rune Deck (CR 315.3.b, 430.4.a); if fewer remain, channel what’s left (CR 315.3.b.1, 430.3).
Do unspent Energy and Power carry over?
No. Your rune pool empties at the start of each of your Main Phases and at the end of your turns — unspent resources are lost (CR 167, 316.3).
Is recycling a rune like banishing it?
No — it goes on the bottom of your Rune Deck (CR 416.1.b), so you can draw it again later.
Can I activate “[E]: Add [1]” on my opponent’s turn?
Yes. Both built-in basic rune abilities carry the Reaction tag (CR 164.2.a, 164.2.b) and can be activated any time resources must be paid (CR 429.3).
Does the player going second get compensation?
Yes, depending on the mode — e.g. in 1v1 match play, the second player channels an extra rune in their first Channel Phase (CR 486.7).
Still unsure?
Ask RiftJudge: rulings grounded in the official CR/TR corpus, with rule citations. (Sign-in required, daily limit applies.)
Open RiftJudge →Updated 2026-10-07. Unofficial community page, not affiliated with Riot Games.