A guide to runes:
* Stars: Each rune has 1 - 5 stars. The higher the better. A higher star-level means you can upgrade runes more often with money.
* Level: You can upgrade the level of a rune with money. 5-star runes can be upgraded to level 13
* Dots in corners: Each rune has 0 - 3 white dots in the corners. The more, the better.
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See also: https://support.wartide.game/hc/en-us/community/posts/115001127012-Runes-Analysis-A-Beginner-s-Guide-to-Runes
Keep it up, you'll beat him.