Runecasting
First a Rune must be concentrated upon and drawn (this is referred to as shaping), the time of this process varying depending on the rune cast. This action is much like casting a spell, and provokes an attack of opportunity, and anything that would force a caster to make a Concentration Check to cast a spell will force a Runecaster to make one to continue shaping a rune. At this stage runes effectively have a Somatic component as you are required to be able to draw them. Once successfully shaped the rune is considered 'active'. A Runecaster may have a number of 'active' runes equal to his Runecaster Level. Once active a Runecaster may access a runes power at any time he wishes as long as it is within 60 ft. The exact type of Action varies from rune to rune, but it involves a Verbal component as the Runecaster must speak to access a rune. Once a runes power has been accessed it has a limited time before it runs out of power and must be reshaped to be used again. For runes that mimic spells, your caster Level is the same as your Runecaster Level (i.e. your shaper level). Runes use the following format:
Rune Name
Level The Level of the rune, similar to the level of a spell.
Focus The object a rune must be carved on to work properly.
Shaping Time How long it takes to shape a rune.
Access Time The type of Action necessary to access a rune.
Description of the runes effects
Most runes duplicate a spell of some sort so the school of magic, descriptors, range, target/area, duration, saving throw, and spell resistance are identical to the spell in questions unless the texts description mentions differently.
Inscribe Rune Feats
Runic Defenses
Prerequisites Runecaster Level 1
Benefits Runic Defenses allows you to shape runes upon armor and shields, temporarily transforming them into magic items when they are accessed. Please note that like all items created by the Inscribe Rune Feats, these items can be used by anyone but must be accessed by their shaper.
Runic Wards
Prerequisites Runecaster Level 1
Benefits Runic Wards allow for a variety of effects. They can be shaped upon other beings as warnings, curses, or occasionally even beneficial effects. They can be shaped upon traps or objects as magical traps. And they can be shaped on any surface as a trap or defensive fortification.
Runic Weaponry
Prerequisites Runecaster Level 1
Benefits Runic Weaponry allows you to shape runes upon weapons, temporarily making them magic items.
Runic Wonders
Prerequisites Runecaster Level 1
Benefits Runic Wonders are everyday items made magical via the inscription of a rune.
Metarune Feats
Appalling Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits A target damaged by this Rune (or by the weapon this Rune is shaped on) is also Frightened for 3 rounds. Shaping or Activating an Appalling Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another 2 rounds.
Chain Rune
Prerequisites Runic Wards
Benefits Any Runic Ward that mimics a spell that specifies a single target and has a range greater than touch can be chained so as to affect that primary target normally, then arc to a number of secondary targets equal to your caster level (maximum 20). Each arc affects one secondary target chosen by you, all of which must be within 30 feet of the primary target, and none of which can be affected more than once. You can choose to affect fewer secondary targets than the maximum. If the chained rune deals damage, the secondary targets each take half as much damage as the primary target (rounded down) and can attempt Reflex saving throws for half damage (whether the spell allows the original target a save or not). For spells that don't deal damage, the save DCs against arcing effects are reduced by 4. Shaping or Activating a Chain Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another 3 rounds.
Clangorous Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits A target damaged by this Rune (or by the weapon this Rune is shaped on) is also Deafened for 3 rounds. Shaping or Activating a Clangorous Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Coercive Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits An opponent damaged by this rune (or by the weapon this Rune is shaped on) takes a -2 Penalty on Will Saves for 3 rounds. Shaping or Activating a Coercive Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another 2 rounds.
Consecrate Rune
Prerequisites Any Good Alignment, and Inscribe Rune Feat.
Benefits Any Rune you modify via this Feat gains the Good Descriptor. If it does damage, half of that damage is Sacred damage (and is unaffected by DR or Energy Resistance/Immunity. Shaping or Activating a Consecrated Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Corrupt Rune
Prerequisites Any Evil Alignment, and Inscribe Rune Feat.
Benefits Any Rune you modify via this Feat gains the Evil Descriptor. If it does damage, half of that damage is Profane damage (and is unaffected by DR or Energy Resistance/Immunity. Shaping or Activating a Corrupt Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Disruptive Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat, any Metarune Feat
Benefits The Save DC of any Spells, Spell-Like Abilities or Supernatural Abilities of an opponent damaged by this Rune (or by the weapon this Rune is shaped on) are reduced by -2 for 3 rounds. Shaping or Activating a Disruptive Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another 2 rounds.
Empower Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits All variable, numeric effects of an empowered rune are increased by one-half. An empowered rune deals half again as much damage as normal, cures half again as many hit points, affects half again as many targets, and so forth, as appropriate. Shaping or Activating an Empowered Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another 2 rounds.
Extend Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits An extended rune lasts twice as long as normal. A rune with a duration of concentration, instantaneous, or permanent is not affected by this feat. Shaping or Activating a Extended Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Far Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits You can alter a rune with a range of close, medium, or long to increase its range by 100%. Shaping or Activating a Far Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Fire Rune
Prerequisites Runic Weaponry or Runic Wards
Benefits When a Muspelheim Rune is accessed it does 2 additional points of fire damage per Rune Level. In the case of Runic Weaponry it provides this damage on the next successful strike. Shaping or Activating a Fire Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another 2 rounds. Shaping or Activating a Fire Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Forceful Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits When this rune takes effect, opponents who are affected by it are pushed back to a minimum of 20 ft. away from the rune, taking 1d6 damage per 10 ft. traveled if they strike a solid object. In the case of Runic Weapons this is when they next successfully damage an opponent. In the case of Runic Wards this is when they take affect by being read (or whatever circumstance is required). For Runic Defenses and Wonders this is when they are accessed. Shaping or Activating a Forceful Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another 2 rounds.
Hide Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feats
Benefits Any rune modified by this Feat is invisible until accessed, and if Detect Magic or a similar effect is used to view the area containing the rune an Opposed Level Check to see any magical auras. For Runic Wards requiring that opponents see them to be effective, they don't turn invisible, but still don't emanate a magical aura. Shaping or Activating a Hidden Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Hindering Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits A target damaged by this Rune (or by the weapon this Rune is shaped on) is also entangled for 3 rounds. Shaping or Activating an Entangled Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Heightened Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits You learn an improved version of a rune you already know, allowing you to shape it as a Rune of a higher Level. This must be applied to a rune you know, and you must be able to shape Runes of the new Level. For example Seir is a 1st Level Rune. Let's say Heightened Seir is a 4th Level rune. You must be able to shape 4th Level runes to take this Feat and apply it to Seir. This Feat may be taken multiple times, and applies to a different school of runes (Defenses, Wards, etc.) each time. See the Rune list for the effects of Heightened runes.
Ice Rune
Prerequisites Runic Weaponry or Runic Wards
Benefits When a Nifleheim Rune is accessed it does 2 additional points of cold damage per Rune Level. In the case of Runic Weaponry it provides this damage on the next successful strike. Shaping or Activating an Ice Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Maximize Rune
Prerequisites any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits All variable, numeric effects of a Rune modified by this feat are maximized. A Maximized Rune deals maximum damage, cures the maximum number of hit points, affects the maximum number of targets, etc., as appropriate. Saving throws and opposed rolls (such as the one you make when you cast dispel magic) are not affected, nor are Runes without random variables. Shaping or Activating a Maximized Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another 3 rounds.
Persistent Rune
Prerequisites Extend Rune
Benefits You can increase the duration of any rune whose duration isn't instantaneous to last 24 hours. Shaping or Activating a Persistent Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another 6 rounds.
Quicken Rune
Prerequisites any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits You reduce the Shaping and Access Time of Runes. Times are reduced as follows: A Swift Action becomes an Immediate Action. A Standard Action becomes a Swift Action. A Full Round Action becomes a Standard Action. A Minute is reduced to a Full Round Action. An Hour is reduced to a Minute. Shaping or Activating a Quickened Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another 4 rounds.
Sculpted Rune
Prerequisites Any Metarune Feat
Benefits You can modify an area effect rune by changing the area's shape to either a cylinder (10-foot radius, 30 feet high), a 40-foot cone, four 10-foot cubes, a ball (20-foot-radius spread), or a 120-foot line. The Sculpted Rune works normally in all respects except for its shape. Shaping or Activating a Sculpted Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Selective Rune
Prerequisites Any Metarune Feat
Benefits This rune does not affect anyone you designate as an Ally when Shaping it. Those you wish to be immune must be present when it is shaped. Shaping or Activating a Selective Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Silence
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat, Runecaster Level 6th
Benefits Accessing runes no longer has a verbal component. Shaping or Activating a Silent Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Spirit Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits A Spirit Rune has its full normal effect on incorporeal creatures, creatures on the Ethereal Plane or the Plane of Shadow, and creatures within an extradimensional space in the spell's area. Such creatures include ethereal creatures, creatures that are blinking or shadow walking, manifested ghosts, and creatures within the extradimensional space of a rope trick, portable hole, or familiar pocket (see page 106). You must be able to perceive a creature to target it with a Spirit Rune, but you do not need to perceive a creature to catch it in the area of a burst, cone, emanation, or spread. Shaping or Activating a Spirit Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Stillness
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat, Runecaster Level 6th
Benefits Shaping a rune no longer has a somatic component, as you inscribe the rune via pure force of will. Shaping or Activating a Still Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Trap Rune
Prerequisites Runic Wards
Benefits This rune only modifies Wards that take effect when someone other than the Runecaster who inscribed them looks at them. Instead they now take effect when a set or circumstances defined by the Runecaster during shaping take place. For example it could be "when anyone touches this rune", "when anyone speaks within 10 ft of this rune", "when undead are adjacent to this rune" etc. Shaping or Activating a Trap Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another round.
Weakening Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits Targets damaged by this Rune (or by the weapon this Rune is shaped on) take a -4 Penalty to Str for 3 rounds. Shaping or Activating a Weakening Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another 2 rounds.
Widened Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat
Benefits Any rune modified by this Feat that has an area of effect has it's area of effect doubled (i.e. if it's a 10'x10' area it's now 20' x 20'. Shaping or Activating a Widened Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another 3 rounds.
Wight Rune
Prerequisites Any Inscribe Rune Feat, Dod
Benefits Any target killed by this rune (or by the weapon this Rune is shaped on) rises as a Wight within 1d4 days. This Wight is not immediately under your control, but there are runes that can change that. Shaping or Activating a Wight Rune means you cannot Shape or Activate other Metarunes for another 2 rounds.
Rune Feats
Accessible
Prerequisites Runecaster Level 3
Benefits Runes may now be accessed by the Ally holding the item they are inscribed on as opposed to requiring the Runecaster who shaped them. The Action required to access them remains the same, and still requires a Verbal component.
Attunement
Prerequisites Runecaster Level 5
Benefits After spending 24 hours with an un-accessed rune you gain some benefits with it once you finally do access it. In the case of Runic Weapons you gain +1 on attack and damage rolls with the weapon the rune is inscribed on. In the case of Runic Defenses the Armor or Shield Bonus of the Armor or Shield the Rune is inscribed on increases by +2. In the case of Runic Wards or Wonders the Save DC of their effect increases by +2. This effect has the same duration as the spell the rune mimics (i.e. if the effect is instantaneous you get the bonus that round, but if the effect lasts multiple rounds you get the bonus for that time). This Feat may be taken multiple times, and you may attune an additional rune per day each time it is taken.
Erasure
Prerequisites Runemaster
Benefits As a Full Round Action you may attempt to erase a rune written by another Runecaster by succeeding in an opposed Level Check. If you succeed the rune is deactivated, has no effect, and no longer counts towards the limit of active runes it's shaper may have at one time. You may also use this to erase magical writing such as glyphs, symbols, etc.
Expanded Learning: Defenses
Prerequisites Runemaster
Benefits You may now attempt to learn Armor/Shield Properties and covert them to runes from the Defenses school. This requires a Spellcraft Check (DC 15 plus the Properties effective Spell Level). If the Check fails, the Runecaster must wait for the next day to try again. If it succeeds the Runecaster may now shape the Property as a rune of the same level. Shaping Time is a Swift Action for 1st and 2nd Level runes. a Standard Action for 3rd and 4th Level runes, a Full Round Action for 5th and 6th Level runes, a Minute for 7th and 8th Level runes, and an Hour for 9th Level runes. Access Time is a Free Action for 1st and 2nd Level runes, a Swift Action for 3rd and 4th Level runes, a Standard Action for 5th and 6th Level runes, a Full Round Action for 7th and 8th Level runes, and a Minute for 9th Level runes. The rune may be inscribed on any weapon, and when accessed it duplicates the effects of a specific Armor/Shield Property for the duration of the Encounter. Caster Level is equal to your Runecaster Level, and you may not learn a Property whose Level is higher than the highest Level rune you can shape. You may learn the following Properties as Defenses (Effective Spell Level is in parentheses): Anchoring (3rd), Animated (6th), Arrow Deflection (3rd), Bashing (4th), Buoyant (3rd), Commander (3rd), Deepdweller (5th), Freedom (4th), Ghost Touch (8th), Ghost Ward (3rd), Greater Stamina (8th), Improved Stamina (5th), Magic-Eating (8th), Masking (5th), Mobility (3rd), Quickness (3rd), Reflecting (7th), Retaliation (5th), Roaring (7th), Stamina (3rd), and Styptic (4th).
Expanded Learning: Runeseer
Prerequisites Runemaster
Benefits You may now attempt to learn Arcane or Divine spells and covert them to runes from the Wonder school. This requires a Spellcraft Check (DC 15 plus the Spells Level). If the Check fails, the Runecaster must wait for the next day to try again. If it succeeds the Runecaster may now shape the spell as a rune of the same level. Shaping Time is a Swift Action for 1st and 2nd Level runes. a Standard Action for 3rd and 4th Level runes, a Full Round Action for 5th and 6th Level runes, a Minute for 7th and 8th Level runes, and an Hour for 9th Level runes. Access Time is a Free Action for 1st and 2nd Level runes, a Swift Action for 3rd and 4th Level runes, a Standard Action for 5th and 6th Level runes, a Full Round Action for 7th and 8th Level runes, and a Minute for 9th Level runes. The rune may be inscribed on any unattended object or surface, and when accessed it duplicates the effects of a specific spell. Caster Level is equal to your Runecaster Level, and you may not learn a spell whose Level is higher than the highest Level rune you can shape. You may learn the following spells as Wonders: Augury, Choose Destiny, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Commune, Commune with Earth, Commune with Nature, Divination, Divine Insight, Find the Path, Greater Scrying, Hindsight, Legend Lore, Locate Creature, Locate Object, Locate Water, Lore of the Gods, Omen of Peril, Scry Location, Scrying, Stone Tell, Vision, Visions of the Future, Weather Eye.
Expanded Learning: Wards
Prerequisites Runemaster
Benefits You may now attempt to learn Arcane or Divine spells and covert them to runes from the Ward school. This requires a Spellcraft Check (DC 15 plus the Spells Level). If the Check fails, the Runecaster must wait for the next day to try again. If it succeeds the Runecaster may now shape the spell as a rune of the same level. Shaping Time is a Swift Action for 1st and 2nd Level runes. a Standard Action for 3rd and 4th Level runes, a Full Round Action for 5th and 6th Level runes, a Minute for 7th and 8th Level runes, and an Hour for 9th Level runes. Access Time is a Free Action for 1st and 2nd Level runes, a Swift Action for 3rd and 4th Level runes, a Standard Action for 5th and 6th Level runes, a Full Round Action for 7th and 8th Level runes, and a Minute for 9th Level runes. The rune may be inscribed on any unattended object or surface, and when accessed it duplicates the effects of a specific spell. Caster Level is equal to your Runecaster Level, and you may not learn a spell whose Level is higher than the highest Level rune you can shape. You may learn the following spells as Wards: Arcane Mark (may be shaped at will), Arrow of Bone (item only), Create Magic Tattoo (shaped on a creature not an object), Dimensional Lock, Dragoneye Rune, Elder Glyph of Warding, Evacuation Rune, Explosive Rune Field, Fang Trap, Fireward, Forbiddance, Ghost Trap, Ghoul Glyph, Greater Sign of Sealing, Guards and Wards, Invoke the Cerulean Sign, Mark of Doom (shaped on a creature not an object), Mark of the Outcast (shaped on a creature not an object), Mark of Sin (shaped on a creature not an object), Secret Page, Sepia Snake Sigil, Sign of Sealing, Stormrunner's Ward, Symbol, Symbol of Death, Symbol of Insanity, Symbol of Pain, Symbol of Persuasion, Symbol of Spell Loss, Symbol of Stunning, Symbol of Thirst, Symbol of Weakness, Watchware.
Expanded Learning: Weaponry
Prerequisites Runemaster
Benefits You may now attempt to learn Weapon Properties and covert them to runes from the Weaponry school. This requires a Spellcraft Check (DC 15 plus the Properties effective Spell Level). If the Check fails, the Runecaster must wait for the next day to try again. If it succeeds the Runecaster may now shape the Property as a rune of the same level. Shaping Time is a Swift Action for 1st and 2nd Level runes. a Standard Action for 3rd and 4th Level runes, a Full Round Action for 5th and 6th Level runes, a Minute for 7th and 8th Level runes, and an Hour for 9th Level runes. Access Time is a Free Action for 1st and 2nd Level runes, a Swift Action for 3rd and 4th Level runes, a Standard Action for 5th and 6th Level runes, a Full Round Action for 7th and 8th Level runes, and a Minute for 9th Level runes. The rune may be inscribed on any weapon, and when accessed it duplicates the effects of a specific Weapon Property for the duration of the Encounter. Caster Level is equal to your Runecaster Level, and you may not learn a Property whose Level is higher than the highest Level rune you can shape. You may learn the following Properties as Weaponry (Effective Spell Level is in parentheses): Bane (4th), Berserker (4th), Brash (3rd), Charging (4th), Collision (3rd), Disarming (3rd), Distance (3rd), Dragondoom (4th), Dragonhunter (5th), Eager (5th), Fiercebane (6th), Ghost Strike (6th), Icy Burst (5th), Impact (5th), Implacable (5th), Incorporeal Binding (5th), Keen (5th), Maiming (3rd), Mighty Cleaving (4th), Parrying (8th), Precise (3rd), Quick-Loading (5th), Resounding (3rd), Seeking (6th), Speed (4th), Sundering (3rd), Sweeping (3rd), Unholy (5th), Vampiric (5th), Vorpal (9th), Warning (7th), and Wounding (5th).
Extended Access
Prerequisites Runecaster Level 3
Benefits The distance at which you may access runes you have shaped increases by +30 ft. This may be taken multiple times.
Greater Rune Focus
Prerequisites Rune Focus
Benefits Any rune you shape of the appropriate type (you may choose from Defenses, Wards, Weaponry and Wonders) increases it's Save DC by an additional +1. This may be taken up to 4 times to cover all 4 types of runes.
Greater Strengthened Rune
Prerequisites Strengthened Rune
Benefits Gain a additional +2 Bonus on Checks for defeating an opponents Spell Resistance.
Master Shaper
Prerequisites Runecaster Level 3
Benefits You may have 1 additional active rune. This Feat may be taken multiple times.
Runic Abjurement
Prerequisites Runecaster Level 6
Benefits You gain a +2 Bonus on Saving throws against Runes. This also applies to magical writing such as glyphs, wards, sigils, rune spells and Symbols.
Rune Focus
Prerequisites -
Benefits Any rune you shape of the appropriate type (you may choose from Defenses, wards, Weaponry and Wonders) increases it's Save DC by +1. This may be taken up to 4 times to cover all 4 types of runes.
Runemaster
Prerequisites Runecaster Level 6
Benefits You may now handle, touch, read, or otherwise interact with runes shaped by Rune casters whose Shaper Level is at least 4 lower than yours without affect. This also applies to magical writing such as glyphs, wards, sigils, rune spells and Symbols.
Strengthened Rune
Prerequisites -
Benefits Gain a +2 Bonus on Checks for defeating an opponents Spell Resistance.
Transport Rune
Prerequisites Erasure
Benefits As a Standard Action you may attempt to temporarily deactivate a rune written by another Runecaster by succeeding in an opposed Level Check for purposes of moving it. If the Check fails and the rune is one that has been accessed you suffer any potential ill effects as though you had triggered it. If you succeed the rune is deactivated and you may 'hold' it for 10 Minutes per Shaper Level. You may then place the rune on another appropriate focus for it's type as a Standard Action. If you haven't done so before your holding time is up you take the full effects of the rune as if you had triggered it. This also works on magical writing such as glyphs, wards, sigils, rune spells and Symbols.