Dungeonbound runes and potions changed significantly in the 3 November 2026 demo update. Runes now take up a 2×2 area on the inventory grid, while potions no longer break after use and refill between battles.
Both changes make you think harder about the board. A rune only powers the item that covers most of its square, and potions now take up permanent space instead of vanishing after one use. You can also fuse a potion into equipment, which opens up a few interesting ways to free up room.
How Dungeonbound runes and potions changed in v0.1.50
In the 3 November v0.1.50 demo update, runes became 2×2 squares. A rune powers whichever item covers most of that square, so you’ll need to pay attention to how the pieces overlap. The patch also added 36 new runes and separate Runes and Gems entries in the Codex. You don’t need to combine four items to make one of these runes; the 2×2 measurement refers to the space it covers. If the rune is pointing at the wrong item, check what overlaps its area before changing the rest of your build.
How do reusable potions work?
Before the update, players could lose a potion after using it. The 3 November change says potions never break and refill every battle. That makes one potion a recurring part of the build rather than an item you must assume disappears forever. Bigger and rarer potions take up more room, so the trade-off is between the space they occupy and their stronger advertised effect. Rare potions are 1×3, Epic potions 2×2, and Legendary potions and Alchemist-only potions 2×3. Those are grid footprints, not quantities of bottles or instructions to combine two or three ingredients. The room each piece takes up is just as important as the effect it brings.
Can you fuse a potion into equipment?
Yes. Put a potion into the forge with another item and the resulting gear keeps its original behaviour while gaining the potion’s effect. Its potion ammunition then refills each battle. The Gambler’s forge was updated to accept potions too. In the 8 November v0.1.51 patch, the developer also confirmed potions can be upgraded, gemmed and forged like other equipment. That makes Dungeonbound runes and potions especially interesting together: you can strengthen an item’s behaviour through fusion, then arrange the grid so the right rune powers it.
What changed for the Alchemist?
The 3 November update also changed the Alchemist. Her cauldron appears when she is holding at least two actual potions, and she now throws her flask. If the cauldron isn’t showing up, check that you really have two potions equipped, not just two similarly shaped items. That’s a clearer place to start than hunting for an imaginary recipe. For more options, the 8 November patch made potions upgradeable and compatible with gems in the same way as other gear.
Runes, gems and potions are not interchangeable
Runes are positioned to power nearby equipment according to coverage. Gems have their own Codex section, and the developer says campaign gems no longer have a limit in v0.1.50. Potions are pieces you can use and refill each battle, and they can also be forged onto other gear. The upgrade’s useful effect still depends on the rest of the build, so a neatly packed board can perform better than one overloaded with badly placed objects. The Item Workshop, which lets players design and share gear, is another feature and should not be confused with normal rune placement. Dungeonbound runes and potions are components of the larger equipment system, not a single crafting menu.
Does this apply to the full release?
These are the rules laid out in the November demo patches, before the planned 15 November release. For now, the biggest changes to Dungeonbound runes and potions are easy to remember: runes cover a 2×2 area, potions refill after each battle, and potions can be forged into other items. The more precise details of a particular build still depend on the pieces you’re using. Check newer patch notes if a later update changes those interactions.
Official source: Dungeonbound on Steam (louidev).
