Runecaster

A skill originally developed by dwarves and giants, the ability to create runes of power has spread beyond the hills and mountains. Those that choose to master this ability are runecasters, creating incredibly potent symbols that last for multiple uses and can trigger without being touched. An established runecaster's goods are usually adorned with many runes, making his equipment very impressive looking and a true threat to thieves.

Most runecasters are clerics or adepts because a majority of the practitioners of this ability are dwarves and giants. Some rangers and paladins have chosen to become runecasters, particularly since the Thundering has resulted in many young dwarves leaving home to explore the wilderness. A few rare druids have chosen the path of the runecaster as well although generally in areas where druids are so scarce, they have to rely on runes to protect a large area. Runecasting clerics and paladins use their abilities to protect their temples and holy items whole ranger runecasters use them to guard trails, lairs of threatened animals, and natural refuges.

Role: Spell Utility

Characteristics: Rune based casters using them to protect what they cherish and harm foes.

Source: Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting

Game Rule Information

The Runecaster has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Wisdom for casting, Intelligence for your craft rune skill, and Constitution for being able to protect others

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d8

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Runecaster's class skills are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Scry (Int), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Spot (Wis)

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Runecaster.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Runecaster is proficient with whatever they were already proficient with prior to taking levels in this class.

Spells per Day: A runcaster's training focuses on divine spells. Thus, when a new runcaster level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in whatever divine spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead, metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). This essentially means that he adds the level of runecaster to the level of whatever other divine spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day accordingly.

If a character had more than one divine spellcasting class before he became a runecaster, he must decide to which class he adds each level of runecaster for purposes of determining spells per day and caster level.

Rune Craft: Add this bonus to the runecaster's Craft checks made to inscribe runes.

Improved Runecasting: As a runecaster rises in level, he can create runes that function more than once and have different means of being triggered. The extra features increase the cost of the rune, however as shown on the table below.

Works When Read or Passed: Any attempt to study, identify, or fathom a rune's meaning counts as "reading" the rune. Passing through a portal that bears a rune counts as "passing" the tune. A rune must have an unbroken line of effect to a target to affect that target, and the target must be within 30 feet.

A rune that is triggered when passed can be set to almost any special conditions the runecaster specifies. Runes can be set according to physical characteristics (such as height or weight) or creature type, subtype, or species (such as "drow" or "aberration"). Runes can also be set with respect to good, evil, law, or chaos, or patron deity. They cannot be set according to class, Hit Dice, or level. Runes respond to invisible creatures normally but are not triggered by those who travel past them ethereally. When placing a rune with a "pass" trigger, a rune caster can specify a password or phrase that protects a creature using it from triggering the rune.

Rune Power: For runes created by the runecaster, add this value to the DC of all saves and attempts to erase, dispel, or disable the rune, and to caster level checks to overcome the spell resistance of a target.

Maximize Rune: The runecaster can create runes that are maximized, as if under the effects of a Maximize Spell feat, without altering the level of the spell being used to create the rune. Maximizing the rune adds +5 to the DC of the Craft check required to inscribe it.

Rune Chant: Whenever the runecaster casts a divine spell, he may trace a rune in the air as an extra somatic component for the spell. This allows the runecaster to gain the benefit of his rune power ability for the spell. For spells with a casting time of 1 action, this increases the casting time to 1 full round. All other spells have their casting time increased by 1 round. This ability cannot be used on stilled spells and does not function with the maximize rune ability.

Table 1-1: Runecaster Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells Per Day
1st	+0	+2	+0	+2	Rune craft +1	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+3	+0	+3	Rune power +1	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
3rd	+2	+3	+1	+3	Improved runecasting	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
4th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Rune craft +2	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
5th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Rune power +2	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
6th	+4	+5	+2	+5	Maximize rune	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
7th	+5	+5	+2	+5	Rune craft +3	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
8th	+6/+1	+6	+2	+6	Improved runecasting	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
9th	+6/+1	+6	+3	+6	Rune power +3	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
10th	+7/+2	+7	+3	+6	Rune chant	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

Table 1-2: Runecasting Table

Number of Uses/Trigger	Runecaster Cost to Create	Level 2
One	Spell level 1 X caster level X 50gp	—
Charges 3	Spell level 1 X caster level X charges X 50gp	3
Charges per day 3	Spell level 1 X caster level X charges x 400gp	8
Permanent (until dispelled) 4	Spell level 1 X caster level X 2000gp	8
Works when touched	Base cost	—
Works when read or passed	Base cost x 2	3

¹ A 0-level spell counts as 1/2 level.

² The minimum runecaster level to inscribe a rune of this type. "—" indicates the default ability granted by the Inscribe Rune feat.

³ If the spell has a component or XP cost, add that cost times the number of charges to the base price of the rune.

⁴ If the spell has a component or XP cost, add 100 times that cost to the base price of the rune.