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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sepulchrave II" data-source="post: 3187384" data-attributes="member: 4303">[Rune]Rune is one of my favorite words - it means 'hidden knowledge' or 'secret wisdom' in OE and related languages, as well as an inscribed symbol which conveys meaning. Symbol is a great word too, of course. Its all esoteric.I'm been trying to find a way to bring all of the various symbols together in a single permanent esoteric seed, called [Rune].I think that the school of [Rune] should be Universal, with various subsidiary effects marked out as [Death] or [Mind-Affecting] or whatever. I'm not looking for a symbol kernel, per se - because I'm going to factor the permanency in: I'm assuming a flat integrated 5000XP for all permanent symbol manifestations of [Rune] on the basis that they're 10th-level spells. All symbols are now (D), as well. A single, 1-use glyph with an otherwise permanent duraton (from glyph of warding and explosive runes) is also available - they are modified to bring their areas, robustness and trigger conditions into line with symbol. The explosive runes variant also incorporates a [blast] secondary seed with the [force] descriptor, although it is invisible in the final seed.Springboard FeatI'd like the springboard feat to open up the [Rune] seed and offer the equivalent of 12 points of mitigation, and I'd like the seed to be flexible (choose your rune upon scribing) - this means that someone with the feat could scribe a 1-action, permanent symbol of fear effect with no components as a base SP 24 spell. Lower-power symbols are  beefed up accordingly, to bring them up to 68 (Kernelese) or so.The clerical Rune domain is an obvious candidate for this feat, and it otherwise seems (to me) more wizardly than sorcerous. I think Scribe Scroll (which is the granted domain power of the Rune domain) makes an excellent prereq; Scribe Epic Scroll is a very heavy prereq, and the feat's power reflects this. It's primary function was inspired by your treatment of blasphemy as a verbal component in a spell, and I've attempted to retain some symmetry with that.I'd like to also include some sizeable benefit in the feat relating to the transmission of epic spells - something we haven't really touched on. We need some kind of mechanism for this, though, and it will probably involve an XP cost and a GP cost to do it. I figured this feat would also work well in conjunction with Ignore Material Components - symbols are expensive. I think it would work for a 'mixed' (both jacobean and metamagic) style caster. Maybe Thomas would like it.Perfect Intaglio [Epic]Your ability to transmit esoteric knowledge through writing and inscription is unmatched; you can fortify your written spells with symbols, and you can imbue your most powerful symbols with extraordinary power.Prerequisites: Epic Spellcasting, Scribe Epic Scroll, Scribe Scroll, Knowledge (arcana or religion) 30 ranks, Spellcraft 30 ranks.Benefit: All scribing costs in gold and experience for nonepic spells, and all equivalent engraving costs for epic spells are halved. When you scribe a scroll with a nonepic spell of any level, you may incorporate the power of a symbol into a spell it holds: your caster level when you cast the spell from the scroll increases by a number equal to the level of the symbol with which you have fortified it. The spell augmented by the symbol must belong to the same school as the symbol. You are considered to cast the symbol during the scroll creation process, and must meet any relevant costs normally associated with it. Only you or another with this feat may benefit from the increased power of a scroll so inscribed.Example: a wizard with this feat incorporates the power of a symbol of death (an 8th-level spell) into a scroll of horrid wilting which he scribes. When he reads the scroll to cast the spell, the horrid wilting is treated as a spell with a caster level 8 levels higher for all purposes.Special: If you possess this feat, you may develop spells using the esoteric [Rune] seed.*[Rune] (Esoteric)UniversalRoot Spell: Explosive runes, greater glyph of warding, various symbolsPreferred Mitigation: Extended casting time, power components, XP burnComponents: V, SCasting Time: 1 standard actionRange: 0 ft. Effect: One magical runeDuration: Permanent (D)Saving Throw: See textSpell Resistance: YesThis seed allows you to scribe a potent rune of power upon a surface. When triggered, a spell devised with a [rune] affects one or more creatures within 60 feet. You may choose one of two applications of this seed: the first is a magical glyph which is permanent until it discharges its energy, the second is a symbol which continues to radiate its effect indefinitely after activation. All nonepic spells which might otherwise negate or bypass a nonepic glyph or rune (such as erase, nondetection and dispel magic) are ineffective against it: a wish or miracle, or an epic spell incorporating the [dispel] seed may dispel an epic [rune] if it succeeds at a caster level check.When you inscribe a spell with the [rune] seed you may default to any of its functions for which you have adequately increased the Spellcraft Prerequisite; to set the specific kind of [rune] during spell development, reduce the Spellcraft Prerequisite by 4. All level-dependent features of a [rune] effect are based on your caster level at the time of its scribing.Once triggered, the [rune] becomes active and glows; a glyph effect immediately discharges its stored potential, a symbol effect remains active. Any creature that enters the area while a symbol is active is subject to its effect, whether or not that creature was in the area when it was triggered. A creature need save against the symbol only once as long as it remains within the area, though if it leaves the area and returns while the symbol is still active, it must save again.To be effective, a [rune] must always be placed in plain sight and in a prominent location. Covering or hiding the rune renders it ineffective, unless a creature removes the covering, in which case the it works normally.As a default, a spell devised with the [rune] seed is triggered whenever a creature does one or more of the following, as you select: looks at the rune; reads the rune; touches the rune; passes over the rune; or passes through a portal bearing the rune. Regardless of the trigger method or methods chosen, a creature more than 60 feet from the rune can’t trigger it (even if it meets one or more of the triggering conditions, such as reading the rune). Once the spell is cast, a rune’s triggering conditions cannot be changed.In this case, “reading” the rune means any attempt to study it, identify it, or fathom its meaning. Throwing a cover over rune to render it inoperative triggers it if il reacts to touch. You can’t use a rune offensively; for instance, a touch-triggered death rune remains untriggered if an item bearing the rune is used to touch a creature. Likewise, a rune cannot be placed on a weapon and set to activate when the weapon strikes a foe.You can also set special triggering limitations of your own. These can be as simple or elaborate as you desire. Special conditions for triggering a rune can be based on a creature’s name, identity, or alignment, but otherwise must be based on observable actions or qualities. Intangibles such as level, class, Hit Dice, and hit points don’t qualify.When scribing a rune, you can specify a password or phrase that prevents a creature using it from triggering the effect. Anyone using the password remains immune to that particular rune’s effects so long as the creature remains within 60 feet of the rune. If the creature leaves the radius and returns later, it must use the password again.You also can attune any number of creatures to a rune, but doing this can extend the casting time. Attuning one or two creatures takes negligible time, and attuning a small group (as many as ten creatures) extends the casting time to 1 hour. Attuning a large group (as many as twenty-five creatures) takes 24 hours. Attuning larger groups takes proportionately longer. Any creature attuned to a rune cannot trigger it and is immune to its effects, even if within its radius when triggered. You are automatically considered attuned to your own runes, and thus always ignore the effects and cannot inadvertently trigger them.Read magic allows you to identify a rune devised with this seed with a DC 25 Spellcraft check. Of course, if the rune is set to be triggered by reading it, this will trigger it. Destruction of the surface where a rune is inscribed destroys it but also triggers it.Note: Magic traps such as this are hard to detect and disable. A rogue (only) can use the Search skill to find a rune use and Disable Device to thwart it. The DC is 25 + spell level, or 35 in the case fo spells devised with this seed. A glyph or symbol devised with the [rune] seed which is disabled becomes active again 10 minutes later.Glyph EffectThis effect is permanent until discharged. You may choose one of two effects:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Blast Glyph: When its trigger condition is met, this glyph explodes in a radius of 60 feet for 36d6 points of [force] damage. For each additional 10 dice of stored potential damage in the glyph, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +2. Creatures caught within the blast are entitled to a Reflex saving throw to reduce the damage by half. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spell Storing Glyph: You may scribe a glyph which contains a single harmful spell of up to 9th-level. If the spell has target, it targets the creature who activated the glyph. If the stored spell has an area or an amorphous effect (such as a cloud), the effect is centered on the creature who activated the glyph. If the spell summons creatures, they appear as close as possible to the activating creature and attack. Saving throws and SR operate as normal, but the effect is considered 10th-level for these purposes. You may store metamgicked spells above 9th-level with a spell-storing glyph: for each additional level of incorporated metamagic, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +4.</li> </ul>Symbol EffectA variety of permanent symbol effects are available.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sleep: All creatures of 15HD or less within 60-ft. fall into a catatonic slumber for 3d6 x 10 minutes. To increase the HD limit on creatures susceptible to this rune, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +1 for each additional Hit Die. This is a [mind-affecting] effect. A Will saving throw negates it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pain: All creatures within the radius suffer wracking pains which impose a -6 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks and ability checks. These effects last for 1 hour after a creature moves more than 60 feet from the rune. To increase the penalty assessed in each category by -1, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +2: this factor stacks. This effect has the [evil] descriptor: a successful Fortitude saving throw negates it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Persuasion: Creatures within the radius are charmed as a charm monster spell for 20 hours. This is a [mind-affecting] effect. A Will saving throw negates it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fear: Creatures within 60 feet of the rune become panicked for 20 rounds unless they make a successful Will save. This is a [mind-affecting] [fear] effect.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Stunning: Increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +2. Creatures within 60 feet are stunned for 1d6 rounds unless they make a successful Will save. This is a [mind-affecting] effect.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Weakness: Increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +2. All creatures within 60-ft suffer crippling weakness and take 3d6 points of Strength damage when the rune is active. For each additional d6 of Strength damage inflicted, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +4. A Fortitude saving throw negates it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Insanity: Increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +6. Creatures within the radius of the spell become permanently insane (as the insanity spell). This is a [mind-affecting] effect. A Will saving throw negates it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Death: Increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +10. This manifestation of [rune] slays up to 200 hit points worth of creatures. It affects the closest creatures first, skipping creatures with too many hit points to affect. One it has affected its maximum number of hit points, the symbol becomes inactive for 10 minutes. For each additional 100 hit points affected, increase the Spellcraft Prerequisite by +6. This is a [death] effect, and a Fortitude saving throw negates it.</li> </ul>Applying FactorsThe effects caused by the various manifestations of [rune] are subject to modification by factors, and these are costed as though they were modifications to the seed itself: by applying the relevant duration factor to the sleep manifestation of [rune], the duration of the symbol's effects could be doubled; by applying the relevant area factor to any [rune], the area of effect of the rune can be increased from a 60-ft radius to a 120-ft. radius etc.Universal Duration Mitigating FactorAny application of the [rune] seed may have its permanent duration reduced to 200 minutes. In this case, the death manifestation of [rune] does not renew itself after 10 minutes. If this factor is applied, reduce the Spellcraft Prerequisite by 20 points.</blockquote>

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