Runeweaving
Arranging Runes of Power: A runeweaver still has spell slots, just like other members of
his class, but he uses them differently. Each spell slot holds a
rune or allows a runeweaver to arrange a number of runes
of power into one. The level of the runeweaver’s rune is
determined by the arrangement of runes. Each rune of power
has a level associated with it and, in some cases, restrictions
on what other runes can be arranged in a rune with it.
The level of a rune is also the minimum level of the spell slot
that can be used to arrange that rune into a rune.
A runeweaver spontaneously casts
spells and he can arrange his runes
as he casts them. Each rune is made up of an arrangement of two or
more runes of power, including one target rune, one or
more effect runes, and possibly a number of meta runes.
Target Rune: This rune determines the range of a
rune, how the rune manifests, and what it
can affect. If the rune has an area, it affects every
creature in the area defined by the target rune. If it has
targets, it affects the specific targets described by its
rune. A rune can have only one target rune.
Effect Rune: Effect runes determine what effect a
rune has when cast. They also determine the schools
of the rune and its duration, saving throw, and spell
resistance, if any. A rune can have more than one
effect rune, even ones from different schools of magic.
In this case, the spell counts as both schools of magic.
Effect runes are split into groups of similar runes. A
rune typically cannot have more than one effect rune
from the same group, but there are exceptions. A rune
can have more than one effect rune from the Detection
group, but cannot have a rune with an effect rune
from the Detection group and an effect rune from any
other group.
Meta Rune: This rune modifies the rune in some
way, often by increasing either its duration, range, or components. It can also boost certain target or effect
runes, changing the rune’s overall effect. Unlike
with other runes, a runeweaver can only use meta runes
a number of times per day equal to half his caster level in
his runecasting class (minimum 1). A rune does not
need to contain a meta rune.
A rune can have multiple meta runes arranged
within it so long as each target rune and each effect rune
are modified by only one meta rune apiece. For example,
a rune arranged with two effect runes could have up
to three meta runes, so long as each meta rune modifies
a different target and effect rune.
Casting runes: Casting a rune is similar to casting a standard spell.
Each rune is assumed to have a somatic, and
verbal component. Runes take one standard action to cast and provoke
attacks of opportunity as normal unless the caster casts
the rune defensively. The DC for casting a rune
defensively is the same as it is for a spell of the same level.
The DC for any saving throw called for by the rune
is calculated the same way as for any other spell of that
level. A runeweaver uses her Int to determine
the rune DC.
Casting a rune is almost exactly the same as
casting an ordinary spell. A rune can be dispelled
and disrupted, and casting one provokes attacks of
opportunity, just like any other spell, unless the runeweaver
casts the rune on the defensive, which also requires a
concentration check as normal. There are two major differences to casting a rune:
counterspelling and schools.
Counterspelling runes: If a runeweaver is attempting
to counter another rune, she can make a Spellcraft skill
check as normal to identify the rune as it is being cast
and then cast an identical rune to counter it. This means
that the opposing runeweaver must know all of the effect
runes of the rune and either have an identical rune
prepared or have an available spell slot of an equal or higher
level. If the rune contains multiple effect runes, but the
opposing caster only knows one of the runes (or only has a
rune with one of the effect runes prepared), that caster
can still attempt to counter the rune, but this functions
as if using dispel magic and does not come with the guarantee
of success. The opposing caster must make a dispel check
to counter the rune. She must still expend a spell of
the same or higher level containing at least one rune of the
rune to be countered.
If a runeweaver is attempting to counter the spell of a
normal spellcaster, she must make a Spellcraft skill check
to identify the school of the spell being cast. She can then
counter that spell using any rune so long as it is of
an equal or higher level than the spell being cast and
contains at least one effect rune of the same school as the
spell. This works like a dispel magic counterspell attempt,
and the runeweaver must make a dispel check to counter
the spell with a -2 DC. If a spellcaster attempts to counter a rune,
she must use a spell of an equal or higher level that is of
the same school as one or more of the effect runes in the
rune being cast. This too works like a dispel magic
counterspell attempt, and the spellcaster must make a
dispel check at +2 DC to counter the rune.
Rune Schools: If a rune has more than
one effect rune, it can belong to more than one school,
although it never benefits from effects based on school (such as Spell Focus) more than once. It can take penalties
based on school more than once; for example, if a target
has a bonus on saving throws against necromancy and
illusion spells, that character would add both bonuses on
the saving throw if the rune is of both schools.
Rune Saving Throws: The type of saving throw for
a rune is determined by the highest-level effect rune
used that allows a saving throw. If the save is successful, it
applies to both effect runes, but the result for each rune
can vary based on the individual rune. If the save fails, the
target takes the full effect of both effect runes. The save DC
is equal to 10 + the rune’s level (not the effect rune’s
level) + the runeweaver’s Intelligence modifier.
For example, if a 5th-level rune contains a 2nd-level
effect rune that allows a Ref lex save for half and a 4th-level
effect rune that allows a Will save to negate, targets of the
rune make a Will save with a DC of 15 + the caster’s
Int modifier. If the save is successful, the target
takes half the normal effect from the 2nd-level rune and
negates the 4th-level rune. If the save fails, the target takes
the full effect of both effect runes.
Runes and Spell Resistance: If the rune uses
more than one effect rune, and any of those runes allow
spell resistance, the resistance applies to all of the effect
runes of the rune. A rune only ignores spell
resistance if all effect runes ignore spell resistance.
Multiple Effect Runes and Damage: If more than one
effect rune causes the rune to deal damage, the total
number of dice of damage the rune can deal can be
no greater than the rune’s caster level. The caster
can decide which dice belong to which effect rune, in any
combination, so long as the total number does not exceed
his runeweaver level and the number of dice allocated to a
specific effect rune does not exceed its maximum.
Multiple Effect Runes and Duration: If a rune has
more than one effect rune, the shortest of all the effect
runes’ durations is used for all of the effect runes.
Magic Item Creation:
It is possible to create magic items using the runes of
power system, but since the caster meets none of the
spell prerequisites, this process is more difficult than the
standard method of magic item creation. This process is covered under the Runecrafting ability.
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