Status
SteamPeaks
ChartsSalesUpcomingPatchesNewsCalculator
New on SteamEvery app, DLC and depot the minute Steam creates itAppsEvery app on Steam, newest change firstPackagesSubs and bundles, and what each containsDepotsDepots, manifests and install sizesTagsSteam's user tags and the games under themDevelopers & publishersCompanies and their cataloguesTechnologiesEngines, SDKs and anti-cheat found in the filesChange historyEvery PICS changelist as it lands
SignalsNineteen readings of the whole catalogueCompareAny games side by sideRecordsAll-time peaks and the days they were setReportsWeekly and monthly write-upsAlerts & newsroomWatch a game, get told when it movesSteam statusIs Steam up, right nowWeb API explorerTry the endpoints in the browser
NewsSteam's own announcements and the sales calendarCalculatorWhat a Steam account is worth, and its pile of shame
/
Sign in
/
SteamPeaks
The ultimate resource for Steam data.
ExploreChartsSalesSales and festsUpcomingPatchesNewsRecordsTrendingSignals
DatabaseAppsPackagesDepotsTagsDevelopersTechnologiesChange history
ToolsCalculatorCompareSearchAlertsSteam statusAPI
SiteMethodologyFAQDiscordSupportSign in via Steam
Not affiliated with Valve or Steam. Game names and artwork belong to their owners. All times UTC.
PrivacyCookiesFair useStatus
Rune KnightsNewsRune Knights Winter Update: Astaroth Rework & Steam Winter Sale
In-game event

Rune Knights Winter Update: Astaroth Rework & Steam Winter Sale

Rune Knights · published 18 Dec 2025, 18:35 UTC · build 21261332

All newsPlayers around this dateRead on Steam

The Winter Update is live! Featuring a total Astaroth rework, new Skill Cores, and major minion buffs. Save big during the Steam Winter Sale!

NEW

New Item: Skill Core - Grants 1 skill of your choice for free. Exclusively available as a quest rewards for all quests.

SKILLS

New Skill: Umbral Coil Trap


Requires a Staff or Focus equipped
Tags: Spell, Trap, Area Effect, Shadow
Spawn an Umbral Coil Trap. On activation, creates Desecrated Ground, deals 100% Spell Damage to nearby targets, inflicts 3 stacks of Wicked Resonance, and pulls in Normal enemies. Enemies within the coil take 25% Spell Damage and 2 stacks of Wicked Resonance each second. Max 1 Umbral Coil Trap. Trap becomes armed after 2 seconds. Hold Skill Modifier (default: Left Alt) while casting to dismiss.
Mana Cost: 150
Cooldown: 5sRadiant Arsenal
Number of projectiles: 4 -> 5
Projectiles now auto-fireSmite
Damage: 125% -> 175%
Massively increased charge speed
Now generates 1 Divine Fury per target hitStorm Cyclone
Damage per second: 40% -> 45%
Duration: 5s -> 6s
Massively increased target detection range
Fixed multiplayer weirdness

MINIONS

  • Improved minion AI and target acquisition

  • Minions now generate a small amount of threat on nearby targets when spawned (keeps newly spawned enemies from running right past your minions to you).

  • Summon Spider: Damage increased 15%.

  • Summon Zombie: Damage increased 15%.

  • Summon Zombie Warrior: Fixed Shockwave not dealing damage.

  • Summon Tormentor

  • -Fixed this guy doing significantly more damage than intended.

  • -Can now retarget a new creature when their current target dies.

ENEMIES

Health scaling in multiplayer increased

Reduced the damage and health of the elemental quadruped enemies by 20%

Boss HP increased by 10%-30%

CHANGED

  • Out of Combat Cooldowns are now a one-and-done thing. Skills that are on cooldown at the end of combat will cooldown quickly (once) and then return to normal cooldown (in or out of combat).

  • Training Dummy Resilience now resets.

TALENTS

ASTAROTH REWORK


Unified Front removed.
Steelbound removed.
Armor Plating removed.
Guardian Core removed.
Quick Construction removed and made baseline for Constructs.Improved Flask: Added 'Gain the "Diffusive Flask" Flask Effect.'
Forgekin: All offensive Minion stats also apply to you at 50% -> 75% effectiveness.


NEW T1 TALENT - Abdication: Lose 50% of your offensive stats. Minions gain 100% of your remaining offensive stats.

Dev Note: This is for early game summoners who don't want to spend Spheres of Influence on getting Minion stats.

NEW T1 TALENT - Deathless: Minions always have Undying. Undying is a Boon that reduces damage taken by 10%.

NEW T2 TALENT - Conduit: Your Minions gain your on-hit effects.

Dev Note: This one works with everything. Talents, legendary items, skills that grant on-hit effects. Go crazy.

NEW T2 TALENT - Critical Mass: Gain Minion Critical Strike Chance equal to your Boon Intensity. While you are affected by any Boon, Minions gain a random Boon for 4 seconds every second.

NEW T2 TALENT - Inexorable: Minions gain 20% Damage Resistance and become immune to Crowd Control.

CERRIDWEN

Horde - Chance for a third minion: 30% -> 25%

Volatile Summoning - Damage: 35% -> 25%

EHTIRAS

Spellblade: 15% -> 25% of spell damage stored.

ITEMS


Swarmcaller - New Effect: If Horde is allocated, guarantees a third spawn. Magefiend Grasp: 25% -> 50% of your spell damage is stored Spellarch: 25% -> 50% of your spell damage is stored

MISC

  • Added networking feedback to the main menu

  • Flame Nova SFX made louder

  • Frostblink's VFX now more accurately matches the size of the effect

  • Destructibles are back! And they have a chance to drop gold (Still a few levels that are missing destructibles, this is in the works)

  • Reduced VFX intensity on various Desecrated Ground effects for much improved visibility.

  • Improved lighting on Act 3 Icewastes (shit was dark yo)

  • Improved character lighting at main menu

  • Changed Offhand Equip to Shift+Right Click (from Ctrl+Right Click)

  • Improved crosshair menu

FIXED

  • Many networking problems solved (some odd things still with main menu lobbies, but this is much improved)

  • Achievements Fixed!

  • Fixed aberrant boss behavior on River Valtorin in multiplayer

  • Fixed Weather and UI sound not being subject to Master Volume

  • Restored Runestones as a guaranteed reward for each encounter

  • Fixed broken shield materials and missing parry VFX

  • Fixed Earthquake VFX

  • Fixed your mouse becoming hidden when a new player joined

  • LOTS of UI bugs

  • LOTS of multiplayer fixes

More from Rune Knights

Other announcements

All news
Game update11 Jan 2026A Weekend Full of Updates - Companion Improvements, Sporebollt Buff, more fixesYo fam, I've been playing a Support playthrough with the Companions and coming across LOTS of things I want to fix and improve. This update includes a significant update to the way Companions move while out of combat that makes everything a lot smoother, more like Pact Minions. Pings will now prioritize enemies so you can more reliably mark targets in combat, and Companions will aggro immediate…Game update10 Jan 2026The Rare Double Update Weekend - Companion Fixes, New Zabaoth Talent, QoLNEW · Added quick access to Penance and Absolution in the talent menu · Crusades now display the number of spawns remaining · Curses and Desecrated Ground added to the Compendium · Added an Unstuck button to the pause menu (usable out of combat or after some time in combat) SKILLS Death Aura Rework · Cost: 100 Health/second · Drains the life of you and enemies around you. Deal 200% combined wea…In-game event10 Jan 2026Massive Skill Balance Overhaul Continued, Strongboxes, Companion Controls!NEW · Strongboxes! 4 different kinds of Strongboxes can now spawn in Crusades. Interacting with a Strongbox will spawn a large horde of enemies. After defeating all enemies, the strongbox will open and deliver a valuable reward. · Added options to control Companion combat positions relative to the player: Front, Beside, and Behind. Right-click on Companion's party portrait to access. · Added a…