PoE 2 Depleted Mana Rune: How To Get and Charge It
The Depleted Mana Rune is a PoE 2 secret quest item connected to Uhtred, the Stardrinker and Runeseeker’s Call. To use it, get the Depleted Mana Rune from Uhtred, reach 10,000 mana, right-click the rune to charge it into an Infused Mana Rune, then take it to Dannig in Act 4.
The bad news is that the Depleted Mana Rune does not seem to be a guaranteed drop. Some players get it quickly, while others report dozens or even hundreds of Uhtred kills without seeing it. That makes this one of the most exciting secret quests in Runes of Aldur, and also one of the easiest ways to start questioning every life choice that led to Expedition farming.
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Why The Depleted Mana Rune Matters
The Depleted Mana Rune matters because it is the secret quest item that leads to Runeseeker’s Call, one of the strangest and most powerful rune-focused weapons in PoE 2.
This is not a normal rune that goes into a socket. It starts as a quest item. The item itself gives the clue: the rune is empty and wants mana. The solution is to right-click it while the character has enough mana to charge it.
The reason everyone cares is the reward. Runeseeker’s Call is a unique Runic Fork with 5 hidden Augment Sockets, only accepts Runes, and gives 200% increased effect of socketed Runes. That is a ridiculous amount of socket pressure on one weapon. It is not a normal wand with a few cute lines. It is a build project wearing a weapon slot.
I like secret quests like this a lot more than plain loot tables, but this one has a nasty edge. The discovery is cool. The drop grind can be miserable. There is a big difference between “community mystery” and “I killed Uhtred until the Expedition logbook started looking back at me.”
How To Get The Depleted Mana Rune
The Depleted Mana Rune drops from Uhtred, the Stardrinker, the Expedition boss tied to the Runeseeker’s Call secret quest.
Uhtred is found through Expedition endgame content. Players commonly refer to farming him through Grand Expedition or Uhtred-related Expedition encounters. The rune is a quest item, but it should not be treated as a guaranteed drop from every kill.
The basic path is:
- Run Expedition content until Uhtred, the Stardrinker is available.
- Kill Uhtred.
- Look for the Depleted Mana Rune quest item.
- If it does not drop, keep farming Uhtred encounters.
The drop is the painful part. Some players report getting it within the first few Uhtred kills. Others are far deeper into the grind with nothing to show for it. I would go into this farm expecting variance, not expecting the item to appear because a friend got spooned on attempt one and called it guaranteed.
Is The Depleted Mana Rune Drop Bugged?
There is no clean public confirmation that the Depleted Mana Rune is bugged, but the player reports around the drop feel rough enough that the concern is understandable.
Players have reported long dry streaks, including 40, 100, or more Uhtred kills without a rune. Other players still report recent drops. That combination usually points to one of three things: a very low drop rate, a hidden condition players have not fully pinned down, or a bug affecting some runs or characters.
I would not write the guide as “confirmed bugged” unless GGG says it. That is how bad information spreads. But I also would not dismiss the complaints as people failing to understand RNG. When many players are reporting huge dry streaks after a patch while the item’s trade value spikes, it is at least worth treating the farm as unstable or extremely streaky.
The practical answer is this: yes, it can still drop, based on player reports, but no, it should not be farmed with the mindset that it will show up quickly. This is a league-goal grind, not a casual “knock it out before dinner” errand.
How To Charge The Depleted Mana Rune
To charge the Depleted Mana Rune, right-click it while the character has 10,000 mana.
Once charged, the Depleted Mana Rune becomes an Infused Mana Rune. That is the real secret step. Talking to Farrow gives flavor about the rune needing great power, but the actual solution is mana. A lot of players were trying maps, benches, bosses, and other theories before the 10,000 mana answer became clear.
The key detail is that the item checks the mana requirement when used. If the character does not have enough mana, it will not charge. The rune’s out-of-mana sound is not random flavor. It is the hint.
I would not try to solve this through random map interactions anymore. The community already wasted enough time throwing this thing at every suspicious stone circle in Wraeclast. Get the mana, right-click the rune, then move to the Dannig step.
How To Reach 10,000 Mana
The easiest way to reach 10,000 mana is usually to make a temporary mana-stacking setup instead of trying to turn a normal build into a real 10,000-mana character permanently.
That distinction matters. The rune only needs to be charged. The character does not need to be a beautiful functional build that clears maps with 10,000 mana forever. A temporary pile of Intelligence, maximum mana, Energy Shield conversion, Eldritch Battery, mana gear, and mana-scaling jewels can be enough if it gets the number over the line.
Common ideas players use or discuss include:
- Stacking Intelligence and maximum mana on gear.
- Using Energy Shield gear with Eldritch Battery.
- Using mana-focused jewels or Time-Lost Jewel setups.
- Borrowing or buying temporary mana gear just for the activation.
- Using mana overflow tools if the setup can make them count toward the check.
This is where I would be practical instead of proud. If the character cannot naturally reach 10,000 mana, do not rebuild the whole league character unless that is already the plan. Borrow gear, respec temporarily, use a mana-stacking friend, or build a dedicated charger if the rune is worth enough to justify the effort.
The annoying part is that getting the drop and charging it are two separate walls. Dropping the rune does not mean the reward is instantly usable. It means the game has handed you a locked door and politely asked for a swimming pool full of mana.
What Happens After Charging It
After charging the Depleted Mana Rune into an Infused Mana Rune, take it to Dannig in Act 4.
This step connects the charged quest item to Runeseeker’s Call. The important thing is not to leave the Infused Mana Rune sitting around because the hard part felt finished. The quest is not done until the charged rune is turned in properly.
The Depleted Mana Rune starts as an empty quest item. The 10,000 mana activation turns it into the charged version. Dannig is the hand-in point after that.
I would keep the rune somewhere safe while working on the mana setup. Some players mention quest items and stash handling through bench storage, but I would not get cute with an item this rare unless the game clearly allows it. If it took 100 Uhtred kills to get the thing, treat it like it is made of glass and spite.
What Runeseeker’s Call Does
Runeseeker’s Call is a unique Runic Fork that grants The Stars Answer, has 5 hidden Augment Sockets, only allows Runes to be socketed, and gives 200% increased effect of socketed Runes.
The weapon is powerful because the rune sockets are the item. A normal wand is usually judged by spell levels, cast speed, damage, crit, mana, or other direct modifiers. Runeseeker’s Call shifts the whole question to which Runes can be stacked into it and how strong those Runes become when tripled by the weapon’s local effect.
That means Runeseeker’s Call is not automatically good for every caster. It is incredible when the socketed Runes create a stronger package than a normal high-end wand. It is much less exciting if the build cannot use the rune scaling properly.
This is the kind of item I would plan around before buying or farming too hard. The ceiling is obviously high, but the weapon itself is not a normal stat stick. If the rune setup is weak, the whole weapon starts looking like an expensive secret quest souvenir.
Should You Farm It Yourself?
You should farm the Depleted Mana Rune yourself only if Uhtred farming is already part of the plan, or if Runeseeker’s Call is a real league goal for the build.
If the build does not need Runeseeker’s Call, I would not force this grind. The drop variance looks brutal, and the 10,000 mana requirement adds another layer of annoyance after the item finally drops. There are easier ways to improve most characters.
If the build does want Runeseeker’s Call, then the farm makes more sense. Just be honest about what the project is. It is not “get one item.” It is farm Uhtred until the rune drops, solve the 10,000 mana check, turn in the charged rune, then build around a very unusual weapon.
For players who hate dry streaks, buying the reward or buying access may be more reasonable if the economy allows it. Self-farming is satisfying, but 200 kills with nothing is not character building. It is content turning into a hostage situation.
What To Know Before Starting The Grind
Before farming the Depleted Mana Rune, make sure the reward is actually worth the time, the mana setup, and the Expedition grind.
The rune can drop from Uhtred, but the rate is the problem. Players are reporting wildly different outcomes, and that makes the farm hard to recommend casually. A lucky player may see it in a few kills. An unlucky player may spend days feeling like the item was removed from the game.
Have a charging plan before the rune drops. The worst version of this farm is getting the Depleted Mana Rune, realizing the character has nowhere near 10,000 mana, then starting a second expensive project just to use the item. If Runeseeker’s Call is the goal, plan the mana setup early.
I would also decide in advance whether the project is for fun, profit, or an actual build. If it is for fun, the secret quest is genuinely cool. If it is for profit, track the market carefully because the price can move fast. If it is for a build, make sure Runeseeker’s Call’s rune scaling actually beats the weapon the build would otherwise use.
The clean path is simple, even if the grind is not: farm Uhtred for Depleted Mana Rune, reach 10,000 mana, right-click the rune to make Infused Mana Rune, take it to Dannig, and claim Runeseeker’s Call. The secret is solved. The pain is getting the drop before the Expedition ocean makes you start hearing the out-of-mana sound in real life.
