Can Pudge Hook Runes?
Updated: (today) · 4 min read · Facts checked Oct 6, 2026 on patch 7.41
Yes, Pudge can hook a rune. 
Meat Hook can latch onto a rune and drag it back toward Pudge, so you can take it from a distance. Players report that the hook's mana cost is refunded when it pulls a rune in. This is where the old "hook at the start of the game" trick comes from: Pudge throws at a bounty rune the moment it appears and steals it from across the river.
ADVICE
This page answers whether you can hook a rune and how it works. If you want to ambush the heroes who walk to runes, read the rune ambush guide instead.
Can Meat Hook grab a rune?
Yes. A rune pull was added to Meat Hook in an older patch, and sources report it still works. A rune on the hook's path gets caught and pulled back to you, much like a creep or a hero would be.
The same rule about the first thing on the line still applies. The hook stops at the first unit it meets. If a creep or a hero is between you and the rune, the hook takes them and the rune stays where it was. So a rune pull needs a clear line, just like any other hook.
Does a rune hook refund mana?
Sources report that a successful rune pull gives back the hook's mana cost. Sources also mention a later fix so the refund matches the real cost you paid. That makes the rune pull cheap. You still spend the cooldown, though. The hook will not be ready for a target hero right after.
Check the current mana cost and cooldown on the abilities page. These values change between patches, and the cooldown is the real price of a rune pull.
What is the hook trick at the start of the game?
The thread title "Pudge Hook" with zeros on the clock points to the opening bounty runes. At the start, both teams send heroes to the river. Pudge can stand back and throw at the rune as it appears. If the line is clear, the rune comes to him instead of the enemy who walked up to take it.
Players in that thread also report an odd case. Sometimes the mana comes back but no rune arrives. The likely reason, they say, is that an enemy picked the rune up while it was on the way. We could not confirm the details, so treat that as a player report, not a rule.
Whether the trick is worth it depends on the start of the game. Using the hook here means it is on cooldown for the first fight near the rune. If the enemy has a hero close to you, they may punish you while you wait for it.
When is a rune hook a good idea?
A rune pull shines when walking to the rune is unsafe. Good moments:
- An enemy waits near the rune. You take it from the trees without showing yourself in the open.
- You are on the wrong side of the river. A long walk across costs time and lane presence.
- The enemy mid is racing you. A hook can win the race if the line is clear.
It is a poor idea when a hero hook is close. If an enemy is about to walk into a clean line, save the hook for them. A kill is worth far more than a rune.
What is still unconfirmed?
We only state what sources support. These points are not confirmed, so we do not treat them as rules:
- Whether every kind of rune can be pulled the same way.
- Exactly what happens to the rune when it reaches Pudge.
- How the hook decides between a rune and a unit that touch the line at the same time.
If you test any of these in a lobby, test them on the current patch. The patch history page lists changes to Pudge over time.
FAQ
Can Pudge hook a rune?
Yes. Meat Hook can grab a rune on its path and pull it back toward Pudge.
Do you get mana back for hooking a rune?
Sources report that the mana cost is refunded on a successful rune pull. The cooldown is still spent.
Can a creep block a rune hook?
Yes. The hook stops at the first unit it meets, so a creep or hero in the way takes the hook instead.
Is hooking the first bounty rune worth it?
Sometimes. It can steal the rune, but your hook is then on cooldown for the first fight near the river.
Checklist
- Make sure no unit stands between you and the rune.
- Remember the cooldown is the real cost of a rune pull.
- Save the hook when an enemy hero is about to step into a clear line.
- Pull runes when walking to them would expose you.
- Test rune pulls in a lobby on the current patch.
Read next: Meat Hook micro-mechanics
- Big guide · Pudge Hook Hitbox ExplainedHow the Meat Hook hitbox works: hook width, which unit it grabs first, edge hits, travel and return, and why a hook that should have hit missed.
- Pudge Hook Cast Time ExplainedMeat Hook has a short cast animation before it flies. Why it gives enemies a reaction window, how to hide it in fog or behind creeps, and how to fake it.
- Pudge Turn Rate and HooksPudge must face the throw direction before Meat Hook is cast. How turn rate adds delay, how to pre-face your hook and why fast hooks start from facing.
- Pudge Hook Range: Long vs Short HooksLong hooks pull further but give the enemy more time to dodge. When Pudge should take a max range hook, when to wait for a short one, and what to aim at.
More Pudge guides
- Pudge Hooks Around Rune SpotsWhy enemies walk to rune spots and how Pudge uses that: where to stand near a rune, how to contest runes in the mid lane and what to do if you are late.
- How to Predict Pudge HooksLearn to read enemy movement for Pudge hooks: last hits, retreats, chases, disables and terrain, plus how to beat players who juke every time.
- How to Hook Through a Creep Wave as PudgeWhy creeps block Pudge's Meat Hook, how to find side angles past the wave, and when enemy heroes step out of their creeps so you can land the hook.