Warhammer Dwarf Runes
Best Combinations for The Old World
Want to know the best loadouts for your Dwarf commanders in Warhammer: The Old World?
The Old World Dwarf army book is packed with incredibly powerful runes; for dwarf runes warhammer offers unmatched depth.
But there are so many of them that making the right choice becomes complicated. Each character has a fixed rune point limit, which multiplies the number of possible combinations⊠and the confusion.
So, to save you time and mistakes, hereâs the cream of the rune arsenal for your The Old World Dwarf list.
Dwarf King: pure resilience and controlled punch
The Dwarf King, although not a rune himself, should always be taken with a shieldbearer. For 60 points, he gets three extra wounds. Thatâs 20 points per wound, which is less than what a wound would cost through runes. And the best part? Those 60 points donât count toward the rune point limit.
Taking him on shieldbearers is a huge advantage.
Optimal combination for the Dwarf King
If you’re fielding a Dwarf King with a lot of rune points, the best setup is one that maximizes his resilience and allows him to face big threats through attrition.
- Great weapon
- Rune of Preservation
- Master Rune of Smiting
- Two Rune of Stone (not necessary, but at 5 points theyâre sometimes worth it)
- Rune of Striking
With this, you get a Dwarf who is:
- Immune to Killing Blow and Multiple Wounds (a steal for just 25 points!)
- Weapon Skill 8, which means he hits top enemy characters (WS7: Elves, Chaos…) on 3+
- Deals D6 wounds per unsaved wound
- Rerolls 1s on armour saves (As any good Dwarf would: if something fails, you reroll until it behaves)
This setup combines perfectly with the next character: the Thane.
Thanes: pure versatility
Thanes can take a lot of rune points and adapt to whatever your army needs. Here are two powerful builds.
Cheap Battle Standard Thane
Very obvious, but extremely effective: Battle Standard Bearer with the Rune of Grungni. Pairs beautifully with the Dwarf King above because it gives him a 5+ ward he doesnât naturally have, freeing up rune points for more offensive or defensive utility.
Make sure the BSB is in the same unit as the Dwarf King.
Thane to win combat against enemy dragons
Updated with the 1.5 rules overhaul: this guy is no longer necessary and Iâd stop including him â Iâd stick with the one just above instead, BUT heâs not bad either.
The reason heâs no longer needed is that the bonuses have changed: the dragon isnât going to deal as many wounds through Overkill in the challenge, it doesnât get +1 from close order anymore, and you get an extra +1 from unit strength â so if it charges you from the front, itâs going to lose even without this guy. Thatâs 50 points saved!
This was a Thane with the +1 combat resolution rune in addition to the Rune of Grungni, combined with the same rune on the unitâs banner.
With the old rules, this combo guaranteed victory even against a dragon.
A dragon could get at most +7 (by killing the champion, having close order, and scoring +5 Overkill).
But you could match that 7 with the following:
- Close Order
- Unit Standard
- Your Battle Standard
- Battle Rune on your BSB
- Battle Rune on the unit standard
- Two ranks bonus
And a musician, so you win by 1 â because enemy dragons donât carry tambourines or goblin drummers.
But like I said, in 1.5 this guy just isnât necessary.
Shooting Thane: surgical precision
This Thane, for just 138 points, is one of the best shooters in your army â right up there with the Irondrakes.
Heâs equipped with:
- Handgun
- Master Rune of Bursting Flame
- Rune of Accuracy
- Rune of Rapid Fire
He shoots twice with no modifiers: hits on 3+ even against skirmishers or units in cover. Each hit deals 2D3 hits, so this guy can potentially unload 12 handgun shots in a single turn. A true Dwarfen machine gun.
Note: Is it more interesting than a unit of Thunderers NOW with the June 2025 rules? Probably not â simply because, even though it does shoot better, it doesnât score.
Whether itâs viable or not depends on whether youâve already included enough scoring units in your list.
Anti-magic combinations in Warhammer TOW
This is a big enough topic that it deserved its own post, so Iâve written one just for that. Youâll find the link at the end.
Daemon Slayer: destiny, blood, and glory
The crown jewel. I love this guy with the following rune combo â absolute destruction. Any other setup?
Nope.
None other:
- Rune of the Dishonoured
- Rune of Fury
- Rune of Hatred
- Rune of Striking
The result: for just 300 points, youâve got a guy who hits like a drunken ogre on a bad day. And when he dies, your opponent doesnât get the points. Heâs effective against cavalry, monsters, and heavy infantry. Basically, anything that costs over 200 points and gives most players nightmares.
- Hits top characters on 3+
- rerolls to hit rolls thanks to Hatred
- Loads of attacks that wound on 4+ or better
- Ignores armour saves
The risk? Getting bogged down by light infantry (like goblins or similar) and spending the entire game slaughtering them without dying, while the enemy uses that time to pull everything else out of his reach. Since that type of unit is going to be more common now, it might seem worse â BUT elite cavalry and infantry, which are this guyâs main snack, are also going to see more play. So I still think heâs a very solid pick in 1.5.
With these rune combinations, youâre not just running a solid Dwarf list â youâve got one that makes opponents sweat during deployment. Now you know how to get the absolute most out of every Dwarf character in Warhammer The Old World. Whatâs next? Try it on the table and watch your opponent check the time by turn two.
And if you want a full faction tierlist, here you have it warhammer the old world tier list it’s in the first Answer/question đ can’t link it directly.
đșSlayers Breakdown. Which ones are playable?
đș Dwarf Anti-Magic Options: Which Ones Actually Work?
If you think thereâs an error in the post, feel free to reach out at theoldwarrior@theoldwarrior.com, and Iâll review it. Hope you enjoy ToW!