The Runepriest: Dwarf Master of Runic Mending

The Runepriest in Warhammer Online: Return of Reckoning serves as the quintessential healing class, a master of Runic Magic and the intricate art of crafting Runestones. Operating on an Action Point system, this Dwarf healer is a versatile and robust support career, equipped with a comprehensive arsenal of both single-target and Area-of-Effect (AoE) healing spells. Their unique blend of mending and destruction Runes provides them with not only powerful healing capabilities but also surprising offensive magic and strong defenses, making them an indispensable asset in Realm vs. Realm (RVR) combat.

RVR Strengths: The Unyielding Wellspring

• Comprehensive Healing Versatility: The Runepriest stands out as the “good overall healer” due to its balanced kit. It possesses strong single-target healing for burst damage on key allies and effective AoE healing spells for sustained group recovery during large-scale engagements. This makes them adaptable to any RVR situation, from small skirmishes to massive warband clashes, ensuring health bars are topped up across the board.
• Strategic Rune System: The Runepriest’s defining mechanic revolves around Runestones. A single Runestone can be given to each group member, and each has a different positive effect on the bearer. This pre-battle preparation and ongoing management of buffs (which persist even if the Runepriest is defeated) allows the Runepriest to significantly enhance their group’s survivability and offensive capabilities. This foresight and strategic application of Runestones are crucial for maximizing their RVR impact.
• Exceptional Mobility and Survivability: Despite being a dedicated healer, the Runepriest boasts very good mobility for a support class. This allows them to effectively position themselves out of harm’s way, kite incoming threats, and quickly reposition to support different parts of the frontline. Furthermore, their strong defenses and ability to defend themselves against 1-2 enemies (often utilizing a blend of mending and destruction Runes) make them surprisingly resilient and difficult targets to quickly dispatch, buying crucial time for their allies or themselves.
• Ubiquitous RVR Presence: The Runepriest is a highly desired class across all facets of RVR:
  • 6-Man Small Roaming Groups & Scenarios: Their versatile healing, mobility, and single-target focus make them an excellent choice for keeping small, aggressive groups alive through focused enemy fire.
  • Warbands of All Forms and Formations: Their strong AoE healing and the widespread buffs provided by their Runestones make them essential for sustaining a 24-man warband through the chaotic, damage-intensive melees that characterize large-scale RVR. They are a welcome addition to any warband composition.

RVR Responsibilities: The Core of Support

• Health Maintenance: As a healer, the primary expectation is to keep the health bars of your allies topped up at all times. This requires constant awareness of incoming damage, effective prioritization of targets, and efficient Action Point management.
• Resurrection and Recovery: The ability to resurrect fallen allies is a critical RVR function, allowing groups to recover from losses and maintain pressure or defense. Knowing when and where to safely resurrect is a key skill.
• Positioning and Self-Preservation: Mastering positioning out of harm’s way is paramount. A dead healer heals no one. While capable of self-defense, relying on good positioning and awareness to avoid being targeted or overwhelmed by enemy assault is always the preferred strategy.

Core Mechanics in RVR: Healing Crits and AP Efficiency

• Healing Criticals and Procs: The Runepriest’s mechanics are uniquely tied to healing criticals and procs based on critical heals. This incentivizes building for critical chance and rewards consistent healing with additional bursts of healing or utility, adding an element of dynamic power to their throughput.
• Willpower Independence: A significant advantage of the Runepriest is that it’s the only healer that does not need a lot of willpower to heal. This allows for greater flexibility in gearing choices, enabling them to potentially prioritize other stats like survivability or even offensive capabilities without compromising their core healing effectiveness.

The Hybrid Playstyle: Spell Casting DPS (Niche)

• As a DPS, the Runepriest is a spell-casting ranged class with decent DPS, though nowhere near a pure spell-casting DPS class. This build, while offering a “fun” alternative, is generally not considered viable for serious RVR due to the opportunity cost of sacrificing dedicated healing potential for moderate damage. While some players might “have a go at it for fun,” a Runepriest’s true strength and RVR impact lie firmly in their exceptional healing and support capabilities.

In essence, the Runepriest is the bedrock of Order’s RVR survival. Their comprehensive healing, strategic Rune application, surprising resilience, and excellent mobility make them a universally valuable and highly sought-after class. A skilled Runepriest isn’t just reacting to damage; they are proactively empowering their allies, dictating the tempo of the fight, and ensuring the continued advance of the Dwarf legions.