Reading pattern diagrams

Every rune page shows its pattern as a grid of tiles, with a legend underneath. This page explains each tile and how to turn a diagram into blocks in the world.

The tiles

Tile	Name	What goes there
T	Tier block	The rune's main material. Every T in a pattern is the same block, and that block's Tier sets the rune's strength.
↑	Signature block	One arm of the signature. The arrow shows which compass direction the arm names. Use any block of Tier 1 or more other than the Tier block, or leave the arm empty.
A	Key block	A particular block, named in the legend under the grid. The tile's colour hints at the block.
≠	Any block except the Tier block	Anything at all, air included, as long as it differs from the T blocks.
?	Optional cell	Anything or nothing. The rune wakes either way.
	Empty cell	Air, or a Tier 0 block such as grass, dirt, sand, or stone.

Tiles carry extra marks too:

Mark	Meaning
T	Golden glow: the activation block. Right-click this block, the heart, to wake the rune. The block just beneath it works too.
T	Corner mark: spent. This block is used up when the rune wakes.
A	Star: Tier key. Any block of Tier 1 or more fits here, and its Tier often sets a size or range. A Tier 0 block reads as empty.
A	Dashed outline: optional key. Place the key or leave the cell empty.

Gaps in a grid belong to no cell. Whatever stands there, the rune ignores it.

Hover over any tile on a rune page to see its name and role.

Turning a diagram into blocks

North is at the top of every grid, east to the right. Stand on the south side of where you want the rune, face north, and the grid matches what you see in front of you.

You can build most runes facing any compass direction. Rotate the whole grid as one piece and the rune still wakes. Signatures are the one thing that care about the compass: an arm always names the direction it sits on in the world. See Orientation.

Here is a small rune with most of the tiles above. A Personal Teleport is a Tier block heart, four signature arms, and four lit redstone torches on the corners:

3 × 3, one layer. Drawn flat on the ground, facing any compass direction.

NWES

A↑A←T→A↓A

• T
  Tier block × 1

  Every T is the same block, and that block’s Tier sets the rune’s strength.
• ↑
  Signature block × 4

  Each arm holds a Tier 1+ block other than the Tier block, or stays empty (air or Tier 0). Read by compass direction, the arms spell the rune’s signature.
• Activation block

  The glowing cell is the one to click.
• Spent

  Cells with a corner mark are used up when the rune wakes.

Keys

• A
  Redstone Torch × 4

  must be lit · spent when the rune wakes

The legend lists each key with its count and its rules. Must be lit means a torch, lamp, or similar block has to be burning. Some keys accept a whole family, such as any wool or any log; open Takes any of N blocks to see the full list. When a block only exists on newer Minecraft versions, the legend names the blocks that stand in on older servers.

Layers

Some runes are three-dimensional. Their diagrams show one grid per layer, from the bottom layer up. Build the bottom layer first, then stack each layer directly on top of the one before.

Faith has two layers. The bottom layer has gold blocks on the corners and in the centre, with Tier blocks between them. The top layer holds one optional key above the centre gold, and that key is the heart. With the key left out, you right-click the gold block beneath the empty heart:

3 × 3, 2 layers high. Drawn flat on the ground, facing any compass direction.

NWES

Layer 1 (bottom)

ATATATATA

Layer 2 (top)

B

• T
  Tier block × 4

  Every T is the same block, and that block’s Tier sets the rune’s strength.
• Air or a Tier 0 block × 8

  Leave these as air, or fill them with Tier 0 blocks such as dirt or stone.
• Activation block

  The glowing cell is the one to click.
• Spent

  Cells with a corner mark are used up when the rune wakes.

Keys

• A
  Gold Block × 5

  spent when the rune wakes
• B
  Any block, or none × 1

  optional: an empty cell works too · spent when the rune wakes

  Takes any of 1193 blocks

  /runic build places Acacia Log.

Upright runes

A few runes stand up like a wall or a doorway. Their diagrams show the front view instead, with the top row at the top. Build them as a single wall of blocks facing any direction.

Viatorem's Arch is an upright gate, and it comes in two layouts:

Gold feet

5 wide × 6 high, one block deep. Stands upright as a single wall of blocks, facing any compass direction. Gold feet with an iron keystone open onto the Waypoint that shares the signature.

▲up

Front view, top row first

TTTTTTC↑CTT→TT←TT↓TATBTA

• T
  Tier block × 15

  Every T is the same block, and that block’s Tier sets the rune’s strength.
• ↑
  Signature block × 4

  Each arm holds a Tier 1+ block other than the Tier block, or stays empty (air or Tier 0). Read by compass direction, the arms spell the rune’s signature.
• Air or a Tier 0 block × 6

  Leave these as air, or fill them with Tier 0 blocks such as dirt or stone.
• Activation block

  The glowing cell is the one to click.

Keys

• A
  Gold Block × 2

  stays after use
• B
  Iron Block × 1

  stays after use
• C
  Any Stairs × 2

  stays after use

  Takes any of 64 blocks in 3 families

  • Any Cut Copper Stairs: Cut Copper Stairs, Exposed Cut Copper Stairs, Oxidized Cut Copper Stairs, Waxed Cut Copper Stairs, Waxed Exposed Cut Copper Stairs, Waxed Oxidized Cut Copper Stairs, Waxed Weathered Cut Copper Stairs, Weathered Cut Copper Stairs
  • Any Wooden Stairs: Acacia Stairs, Bamboo Stairs, Birch Stairs, Cherry Stairs, Crimson Stairs, Dark Oak Stairs, Jungle Stairs, Mangrove Stairs, Oak Stairs, Pale Oak Stairs, Spruce Stairs, Warped Stairs
  • Also: Andesite Stairs, Bamboo Mosaic Stairs, Blackstone Stairs, Brick Stairs, Cinnabar Brick Stairs, Cinnabar Stairs, Cobbled Deepslate Stairs, Cobblestone Stairs, Dark Prismarine Stairs, Deepslate Brick Stairs, Deepslate Tile Stairs, Diorite Stairs, End Stone Brick Stairs, Granite Stairs, Mossy Cobblestone Stairs, Mossy Stone Brick Stairs, Mud Brick Stairs, Nether Brick Stairs, Polished Andesite Stairs, Polished Blackstone Brick Stairs, Polished Blackstone Stairs, Polished Cinnabar Stairs, Polished Deepslate Stairs, Polished Diorite Stairs, Polished Granite Stairs, Polished Sulfur Stairs, Polished Tuff Stairs, Prismarine Brick Stairs, Prismarine Stairs, Purpur Stairs, Quartz Stairs, Red Nether Brick Stairs, Red Sandstone Stairs, Resin Brick Stairs, Sandstone Stairs, Smooth Quartz Stairs, Smooth Red Sandstone Stairs, Smooth Sandstone Stairs, Stone Brick Stairs, Stone Stairs, Sulfur Brick Stairs, Sulfur Stairs, Tuff Brick Stairs, Tuff Stairs

  /runic build places Cobblestone Stairs.

Iron feet

5 wide × 6 high, one block deep. Stands upright as a single wall of blocks, facing any compass direction. Iron feet with a gold keystone open onto the other arch that shares the signature.

▲up

Front view, top row first

TTTTTTC↑CTT→TT←TT↓TBTATB

• T
  Tier block × 15

  Every T is the same block, and that block’s Tier sets the rune’s strength.
• ↑
  Signature block × 4

  Each arm holds a Tier 1+ block other than the Tier block, or stays empty (air or Tier 0). Read by compass direction, the arms spell the rune’s signature.
• Air or a Tier 0 block × 6

  Leave these as air, or fill them with Tier 0 blocks such as dirt or stone.
• Activation block

  The glowing cell is the one to click.

Keys

• A
  Gold Block × 1

  stays after use
• B
  Iron Block × 2

  stays after use
• C
  Any Stairs × 2

  stays after use

  Takes any of 64 blocks in 3 families

  • Any Cut Copper Stairs: Cut Copper Stairs, Exposed Cut Copper Stairs, Oxidized Cut Copper Stairs, Waxed Cut Copper Stairs, Waxed Exposed Cut Copper Stairs, Waxed Oxidized Cut Copper Stairs, Waxed Weathered Cut Copper Stairs, Weathered Cut Copper Stairs
  • Any Wooden Stairs: Acacia Stairs, Bamboo Stairs, Birch Stairs, Cherry Stairs, Crimson Stairs, Dark Oak Stairs, Jungle Stairs, Mangrove Stairs, Oak Stairs, Pale Oak Stairs, Spruce Stairs, Warped Stairs
  • Also: Andesite Stairs, Bamboo Mosaic Stairs, Blackstone Stairs, Brick Stairs, Cinnabar Brick Stairs, Cinnabar Stairs, Cobbled Deepslate Stairs, Cobblestone Stairs, Dark Prismarine Stairs, Deepslate Brick Stairs, Deepslate Tile Stairs, Diorite Stairs, End Stone Brick Stairs, Granite Stairs, Mossy Cobblestone Stairs, Mossy Stone Brick Stairs, Mud Brick Stairs, Nether Brick Stairs, Polished Andesite Stairs, Polished Blackstone Brick Stairs, Polished Blackstone Stairs, Polished Cinnabar Stairs, Polished Deepslate Stairs, Polished Diorite Stairs, Polished Granite Stairs, Polished Sulfur Stairs, Polished Tuff Stairs, Prismarine Brick Stairs, Prismarine Stairs, Purpur Stairs, Quartz Stairs, Red Nether Brick Stairs, Red Sandstone Stairs, Resin Brick Stairs, Sandstone Stairs, Smooth Quartz Stairs, Smooth Red Sandstone Stairs, Smooth Sandstone Stairs, Stone Brick Stairs, Stone Stairs, Sulfur Brick Stairs, Sulfur Stairs, Tuff Brick Stairs, Tuff Stairs

  /runic build places Cobblestone Stairs.

Alternate layouts

When a rune can be drawn more than one way, its diagram has tabs, one per layout. Every layout wakes the same rune, though some behave a little differently, and the rune's notes explain how. The Warp has six.

Building a rune for you

Server staff can place any pattern instantly with /runic build <rune>. The legend says which block the command uses for each key. See Commands.