Needs review
Source: Races of Stone

Description: You can create rune circles, stationary magic items that hold a variety of spells and effects.

Prerequisites: 5th Level Caster

You can create a rune circle whose prerequisites you meet. Creating a rune circle takes one day for each 1,000 gp in its price. To create a rune circle, you must spend 1/25 of the item's price in XP and use up raw materials costing one-half of this price.

You can also mend a broken rune circle if it is one that you could make. Doing so costs half the XP, half the raw materials, and half the time it would take to craft that item in the first place. Some rune circles incur extra costs in material components or XP, as noted in their descriptions. These costs are in addition to those derived from the item's base price.

Table 1-1: Variant Rune Circle Size

Size	Price Adjustment
5 ft square	Reduce price by 50%
5 ft radius	Reduce price by 25%
10 ft radius	—
15 ft radius	Increase price by 50%
20 ft radius	Increase price by 100%

Using a Rune Circle

A rune circle covers an area determined at the time of its creation. Any eligible creature standing within this area gains the benefi t of the rune circle’s magic, with no activation or other action required on the part of the creature to be affected. Rune circles can (and often do) affect more than one creature at a time.

Characters who are not eligible to benefit from a rune circle can use the Use Magic Device skill to attempt to gain the benefit of a rune circle (by emulating a race, for instance) just as they can for any other magic item.

Identifying a Rune Circle

Rune circles are not traps, and they cannot be found with the Search skill in the same way that traps can, nor can they be disarmed with Disable Device checks. Normally, rune circles are plainly visible on the fl oor or ground where they are made. However, a rune circle covered by brush or similarly hidden can be found with the Search skill, just like any other object. This means, for example, that should a circle be hidden so well that the DC to find it is higher than 20, nonrogues can still find it provided that they beat the required DC.

The magic of rune circles is imbedded in mystical symbols, and a skilled character can decipher at least some of the meaning of those symbols if given time to study them. When using read magic, you can identify the effects of a rune circle. The base DC is 10 + the caster level of the rune circle. You must first know that a magic rune circle is present, usually through the use of the detect magic spell. If the check is successful, you know the powers of the circle and how to activate it. Deciphering the runes on a rune circle takes 1 minute (ten consecutive full-round actions). If you have 5 or more ranks in Decipher Script, you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify the effects of a rune circle.

Sample Rune Circles

The rune circles described here feature a variety of effects, and most are particularly relevant to dwarves, gnomes, and goliaths.

Deep Hollow Circle

Bound to the Elemental Plane of Earth, a deep hollow circle strengthens the power of summoning magic used within its boundaries. This powerful bond allows spellcasters to summon more creatures than they otherwise could. Whenever a creature with in this 20-foot-radius circle uses a summon monster or summon nature’s ally spell to summon a creature with the earth sub type, she summons an additional creature. This creature is identical to the one summoned normally and is treated as a creature summoned by the original spell cast. This means, for example, that the second creature can be dismissed, it vanishes if it goes beyond the range of the spell, and so on. Only one additional creature is summoned with each casting, regardless of the number of creatures that the spell itself summons. After being summoned, the creatures have no special link to one another. They function just like multiple monsters summoned by the same summoning spell. If a dwarf or gnome spellcaster uses a deep hollow circle, the creatures summoned are also improved as if the spell caster had the Augment Summoning feat.

Strong conjuration; CL 18th; Craft Rune Circle, Earth Sense, summon monster or summon nature’s ally (any level); Price 50,000 gp.

Dwarfheim Circle

This powerful rune circle magnifies the spellcasting power of all dwarf spellcasters within its bounds. Any dwarf who stands within this 20-foot radius circle can use spells as if they had been improved by the Quicken Spell metamagic feat. Already quickened spells are unaffected, as are spells from magic items. Spells so quickened are still prepared and cast at their unmodified levels, and even spontaneous casters gain the benefit of the circle. As with the Quicken Spell feat, only one quickened spell can be cast per round. In addition, any dwarf standing within the circle can activate one spell-like ability per round as a free action. Using the circle in this manner counts against the limit of casting one quickened spell per round.

Strong transmutation; CL 18th; Craft Rune Circle, Quicken Spell, creator must be a dwarf; Price 50,000 gp.

Dwarven Holdfast Ring

Dwarf cities are built to be defensible, with numerous fallback positions designed to let a few stout dwarf warriors hold off large numbers of enemy forces. A key part of these plans involves strategically placed rune circles that increase the defender’s martial abilities and help them resist magical attacks. Any dwarf who stands within this 10-foot-radius circle gains a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls. Dwarves within the circle also gain a +2 deflection bonus to Armor Class against attacks made by evil creatures and a +2 resistance bonus on saves against effects created by evil creatures. Furthermore, the circle protects dwarves within from mental control just like the protection from evil spell. These bonuses activate instantly as soon as a dwarf steps into the circle, and they are lost immediately upon leaving.

Moderate enchantment and moderate abjuration; CL 11th; Craft Rune Circle, Heroism, Magic Circle, creator must be a dwarf; Price 20,000 gp.

Gnome Chanting Circle

Many gnome villages include a chanting circle. The circle is infused with the spirit and liveliness of the gnome race, allowing gnome bards to share their songs and stories with more passion and skill, and infusing the music of gnome bards with the power of the earth.

Any creature standing in a gnome chanting circle gains a +5 bonus on Perform checks. In addition, illusion spells cast by a spellcaster standing within the circle are harder to resist than normal. Increase the DC needed to resist illusion spells cast by spellcasters (of any type) standing within the circle by 1. Any gnome who stands within this 20-foot-radius circle can concentrate on one bardic music ability each round as a free action.

Strong conjuration; CL 18th; Craft Rune Circle, Spell Focus (illusion), Greater Harmonize; Price 15,000 gp.

Gnome Charming Circle

Gnome communities blend into the countryside, since gnomes prefer to live without walls or other defenses separating them from the natural world. This lifestyle leads to tranquil communities and a peaceful environment, but occasionally monsters take advantage of this lack of defenses to attack a community. At other times, dangerous animals simply wander through a gnome settlement.

One gnome bard standing within a charming circle can usually resolve these and even more sin ister incursions peacefully. Any gnome who stands within this 20-foot-radius circle can use one of his daily uses of bardic music to cast charm monster as the spell with a caster level equal to his bard level (or the level of the class that grants him the bardic music ability).

Strong enchantment; CL 12th; Craft Rune Circle, bardic music ability, Charm Monster, creator must be a gnome; Price 15,000 gp.

Goliath Speaking Circle

Goliath shamans work diligently to keep their far-flung and relatively primitive race together. In times of trouble, they must be able to communicate quickly over rough mountain terrain. Through generations of careful work, the shamans have built a simple network of rune circles that allow such communication. The expense of these rune circles means that only a few exist, and those near the largest and most prosperous goliath villages. Even such sporadic communication has allowed the villages to support one another by sending warriors quickly should one of the villages need aid.

Any creature standing within this 5-foot radius circle can use sending, as the spell, as a full-round action. This special version of sending can only be used to contact individuals within the bounds of another (different) goliath speaking circle, but the caster need not know the creature contacted— he need only attempt to contact creatures within the bounds of a specific goliath speaking circle.

Moderate evocation; CL 10th; Craft Rune Circle, Sending; Price 20,000 gp.

Goliath Rage Ring

The barbarian warriors of the goliath tribes fight with a nearly unmatched ferocity, but this rage fatigues the warriors, making them less effective in prolonged battles. To ensure that these warriors can defend their villages and homes with the peak of their abilities, goliath spellcasters create rune circles that support the rage of their warrior allies with the endurance of the earth itself.

Any round during which a creature remains completely inside the boundary of a goliath rage ring does not count against the duration of the creature’s rage ability. If the creature leaves the 40-foot-radius circle at any point during a battle, that round counts against the duration of the creature’s rage ability as normal.

Moderate enchantment; CL 10th; Craft Rune Circle, rage; Price 10,000 gp.

Healing Circle

The energy of life flows through this rune circle and into any spellcaster using healing magic within its boundaries. Many powerful churches use this powerful rune circle to improve their healing spells. Rune circles built in this manner are often made to blend seamlessly with the rest of the temple’s decor.

Any creature standing within this 10-foot-radius circle casts all conjuration (healing) spells as if they were improved by the Maximize Spell metamagic feat. Already maximized spells and spell-like abilities are unaffected, as are spells from magic items. Spells so maximized are still prepared and cast at their unmodified level.

Strong conjuration; CL 18th; Craft Rune Circle, Maximize Spell, Mass Cure Light Wounds; Price 50,000 gp

Including Rune Circles in a Campaign

An active rune circle can change the mechanics of a combat encounter or the feel of a roleplaying encounter. Heroes might fight their way through an abandoned dwarf citadel filled with monsters to gain access to an ancient and powerful rune circle, or they might quest for rare components needed to build a rune circle in their new fortress. In a war-torn campaign setting, the loss of another gnome village becomes a more telling blow against the side of good because of the powerful chanting circle in the village’s center. In a decadent city, cultists cover a rune circle of terrible evil with the stalls and trappings of a market place, slowly warping the minds and bodies of all who frequent the bazaar. However you decide to use them, rune cir cles have the potential to affect campaigns in a way that few other magic items can. Because rune circles are stationary, the creatures in your campaign world must move around or to them, unlike with other magic items.

Rune circles can be used for many purposes. They can be part of a character’s fortress, a flavorful addition to a dwarf stronghold or a goliath village, the goal of a quest, a nearly invisible tool, or merely an interesting addition to an encounter. Knowing what part a rune circle is going to play in the campaign can make working it into an adventure much easier. Regardless of whether the circle is part of a passing encounter or a permanent fixture in one of the central locations of the campaign, there are some concerns involving the placement and use of rune circles that every Dungeon Master should keep in mind.

Rune Circles as Treasure

Deciding whether or not rune circles count as party treasure can be tricky. On one hand, if the PCs clear the monsters out of a stronghold that contains a rune circle and set up a permanent base of operations, they undoubtedly gain some benefit from the circle’s presence, and they should pay an appropriate amount for that benefit. On the other hand, if the PCs simply pass through an area that contains a rune circle, use its powers once, and then note its existence for later use, it’s probably not worth it to them to “buy” the rune circle or fair for the DM to count its value against the treasure gained from the adventure. The simplest way to adjudicate this is to pay attention to the price of a rune circle only when a character wants to include one in a permanent base; otherwise, ignore the rune circle’s value when calculating treasure.

Flavor

Because rune circles are tied to the location where they are created, they can be tremendous tools for changing the flavor and atmosphere of a special location. As the Dungeon Master, you should play this up by placing flavor-based restrictions or boons on the use of the circle. For example, restricting a rune circle to members of a single race limits the power of the rune circle, but makes it a more integral and flavorful part of the community that created it. Unless the circle in question is in a location crucial to the campaign, it’s unlikely that such a restriction significantly alters the PCs’ ability to make use of its powers.

One alternate approach is to limit the creation of rune circles to a specific race. If goliath shamans are the only spellcasters capable of creating rune circles, both the circles and the spellcasters themselves seem a little more mysterious. This level of exclusion is not right for every campaign, but it is one way that a DM can make the magic of one race feel significantly different from that of another.

Rune Circles and Crafting Items

Making other magic items inside rune circles is interesting from a flavor standpoint, but DMs should be careful of allowing players to manufacture items for less than the normal cost for game balance reasons. For example, a character creating a wand of fireballs inside a rune circle that increases his caster level would get the increased level. This use of the circle is fine, as long as the wand’s price is calculated using the adjusted caster level. If the wizard in the above example is 5th level and creates the wand in a rune circle that adds three to his caster level, he must pay the XP and raw materials cost for making an 8th-level wand.

This rule is consistent with the flavor of the rune circle: A spellcaster is capable of casting more potent versions of his spells and can imbue that potency into items that he creates. However, imbuing an item with the more powerful version of the spell still requires the character to put more of his essence (XP) into the creation process.

Damaging Rune Circles

Rune circles are not objects themselves. Rather, they are symbols magically etched on the floor. Rune circles have hardness and hit points equal to a 3-inch-thick piece of the material on which they are inscribed. As magic items, they can be suppressed by dispel magic and similar effects but not destroyed by them.

Multiple Rune Circles

You cannot create a rune circle in any location where another already exists.

Rune Circles and Encounter Level

Rune circles with the right powers can affect the difficulty of an encounter. For example, overcoming a group of trolls fighting within the confines of a rune circle that grants them immunity to fire is a tougher challenge than fighting the trolls under normal conditions. If you design an encounter that includes a rune circle, conditional modifiers such as location and terrain can make encounters more or less difficult. Beyond that, it’s only in extreme cases when the monster clearly benefits (the trolls in the above example lose one of their two vulnerabilities) from the rune circle and the PCs have no chance to benefit (none of the trolls attack with fire) that the DM needs to adjust the CR of the foes because of a rune circle’s presence.