New Core Class: The Rune Adept
- Thread starter Witness
- Start date
LeifVignirsson
First Post
Well, it is a good idea but you may want to consult AEG's Mercenaries book, they have a Tattoo Mage core class. However, I know that they don't have a "Spells Known", it is all based on tattoos that are on his body. Anyway, you might want to take a look at that before you go on.
Witness
First Post
I'm really not surprised that somewhere out there a similar published class exists, but I don't think that because of that, my Rune Adept class is obsolete. What other class abilities does that class have? How do you think it compares to mine? What do you think it accomplishes better? Plese elaborate. With the huge amount of D20 material out there, its almost impossible to come up with an original, never-seen-before idea. Plese elaborate with more comments/suggests.
Witness
First Post
For those of you who don't want to download the attachment...
The Rune Adept
There are many ways to manipulate arcane magic. One such way is Rune magic, an archaic mode of spellcasting. Though Rune Adepts cast spells just as wizards or sorcerers do, their true power lies in their Rune Tattoos, which grant the Rune Adept unique magical abilities.
Adventures: Rune Adepts have a deep desire to acquire greater knowledge of all things arcane. They love nothing more than discovering some lost magical device, pondering an ancient text on the nature of magic, or discovering some new Rune Tattoo to add to their repertoire.
Characteristics: Rune Adepts cast arcane spells. They know and cast fewer spells than wizards and sorcerers, but have a broader range of skills. They also gain powerful innate abilities called Rune Tattoos. While a Rune Adept’s tattoos may appear as simple symbols or ordinary tattoos, they represent powerful magic forces entwined in his very being.
Alignment: Rune Adepts may be of any alignment. Most tend towards lawful, as a steady and well-ordered mind is more likely to be drawn to the path of the Rune Adept.
Religion: As arcane spellcasters, Rune Adepts often worship gods of magic, however not all are so inclined and may worship some other deity, or none at all.
Background: Like wizards, most Rune Adepts receive formal instruction. Since most centers of arcane knowledge and learning are in cities, Rune casters tend to come from urban regions where the practice of magic is readily accepted. They rarely have schools of their own, but many wizard colleges offer training in Rune Magic.
Races: Most Rune Adepts are humans. Human Rune Adepts are found in urban centers of higher learning and arcane education. Due to their innate lawfulness dwarves as well are frequently drawn to the path of Rune Magic. With their natural inclination towards the arcane, elves are also commonly Rune Adepts. Among halflings, gnomes, and half-orcs, there are very few Rune Adepts.
Among savage races, Rune Adepts are all but unheard of, though the drow have a strong and deadly Rune Magic tradition.
Other Classes: Often seeing one another as rivals in their use of magic, Rune Adepts usually don’t get along well with Wizards and Sorcerers. Rune Adepts have no specific like or dislike for any of the other classes.
GAME RULE INFORMATION-----------------
Rune Adepts have the following game statistics
Abilities: Intelligence determines how many spells a Rune Adept may cast. To cast a spell, a Rune Adept must have an Intelligence score of 10 + the spell’s level. A Rune Adept knows and casts bonus spells based on Intelligence. As they are more competent with weapons than a Wizard, the Rune Adept may also benefit from a high Strength or Dexterity score.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d6
Class Skills
Str:--
Dex:--
Con: Concentration
Int: Alchemy, Craft, Decipher Script (exclusive), Knowledge (arcana), Scry, Spellcraft
Wis: Profession
Cha: Use Magic Device (exclusive)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) X 4.
Skill Points at Each additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Features-------------------
Base Attack Bonus: As Cleric/Rogue
Good saves: Fortitude and Will
Bad Saves: Reflex
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Rune Adepts are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any armor or shields as they interfere with the somatic components of spells and may cause spell failure. Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to certain skills, and Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armor, equipment or loot carried.
Spells: A Rune Adept casts arcane spells. He is limited to a certain number of spells of each spell level per day, according to his class level. A Rune Adept prepares his spells ahead of time by getting a good night sleep and spending 1 hour meditating. While meditating, the Rune Adept decides which spells he will prepare. The Rune Adept’s Intelligence affects both the number of spells he may cast and the number of spells he. To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, a Rune Adept must have an Intelligence score of 10 + the spell’s level. The Difficulty Class for saving throws against Rune Adept spells is 10 + the spells level + the Rune Adept’s Intelligence modifier.
Rune Tattoos: A 1st level Rune Adept begins play with a single Rune Tattoo. At 2nd level and every two levels thereafter, he gains another Rune Tattoo. Rune Tattoos are magical and grant the Rune Adept supernatural abilities. Unless otherwise noted in its description, activating a Rune Tattoo that requires activation and has a set duration is a standard action that does provoke an attack of opportunity. In an anti magic field, Rune Tattoos cease to function and the Rune Adept loses any bonuses they provide.
As the Rune Adept grows in power, he gains access to more powerful Rune Tattoos. The Rune Adept’s level determines how powerful a Rune Tattoo he can acquire, though he need not always choose the most powerful. The Rune Adept’s ability to acquire additional Rune Tattoos is tied to his level so as he grows stronger, he automatically acquires additional Rune Tattoos; he cannot expend experience or material wealth to acquire additional Rune Tattoos. Acquiring a Rune Tattoo requires a day of uninterrupted concentration.
The Rune Adept’s Tattoos are an inseparable aspect of his being; if the part of his body where a Rune Tattoo appears is disfigured or removed, the Tattoo will reappear elsewhere on his body. The Rune Adept retains his Rune Tattoos when ethereal, and when affected by spells that cause only minor changes to his form (Alter Self, Enlarge, Reduce, etc.), but cannot use his Rune Tattoos when affected by spells that drastically change his shape (Gaseous Form, Iron Body, Polymorph spells, Shapechange, etc.).
Detection & Dispelling: Because of their Rune Tattoos, Rune Adepts project a magical aura that can be detected with Detect Magic (See spell description). A first level Rune Adept has a Dim magical aura. From 2nd to 5th level, his aura is Faint. From 6th to 13th it is Moderate and level 14 and over it is Strong. Additionally, after casting Detect Magic, a Rune Adept may make a Spellcraft check (DC 20) to determine one random Rune Tattoo of another Rune Adept. Every round he continues to study that Rune Adept, he may make another Spellcraft check to determine another Rune Tattoo.
Rune Tattoos, like magic items, may be temporarily suppressed by spells such as Dispel Magic (see spell description). The Rune Adept is just like a magic item for the purposes of dispel checks; his Rune Adept level is the ‘items’ caster level. If the Rune Adept fails the dispel check, all his Rune Tattoos are suppressed, though only for a round. Additionally the Rune Adept must succeed at Fortitude save against the normal spell DC or be stunned for 1 round.
Level----------Special
1---------Rune Tattoo (Lesser)
2---------Rune Tattoo (Lesser)
3
4---------Rune Tattoo (Lesser)
5
6---------Rune Tattoo (Greater)
7
8---------Rune Tattoo (Greater)
9
10--------Rune Tattoo (Greater)
11
12--------Rune Tattoo (Greater)
13
14--------Rune Tattoo (Master)
15
16--------Rune Tattoo (Master)
17
18--------Rune Tattoo (Master)
19
20--------Rune Tattoo (Master)
Spells Per Day
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
2 - - - - - -
2 0 - - - - -
2 1 - - - - -
3 2 0 - - - -
3 2 1 - - - -
3 3 1 - - - -
3 3 2 0 - - -
3 3 2 1 - - -
3 3 3 1 - - -
3 3 3 2 0 - -
4 3 3 2 1 - -
4 3 3 3 1 - -
4 3 3 3 2 0 -
4 4 3 3 2 1 -
4 4 3 3 3 1 -
4 4 3 3 3 2 0
4 4 4 3 3 2 1
4 4 4 3 3 3 1
4 4 4 4 3 3 2
4 4 4 4 3 3 3
Spells Known
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
4 - - - - - -
4 2 - - - - -
5 2 - - - - -
5 2 1 - - - -
5 3 1 - - - -
5 3 2 - - - -
6 3 2 1 - - -
6 3 3 1 - - -
6 3 3 2 - - -
6 3 3 3 1 - -
6 4 3 3 1 - -
7 4 3 3 2 - -
7 4 3 3 2 1 -
7 4 4 3 3 1 -
7 4 4 4 3 2 -
7 5 4 4 3 3 1
8 5 4 4 4 3 1
8 5 5 4 4 3 2
8 5 5 5 4 4 3
8 6 5 5 5 4 4
The Rune Adept
There are many ways to manipulate arcane magic. One such way is Rune magic, an archaic mode of spellcasting. Though Rune Adepts cast spells just as wizards or sorcerers do, their true power lies in their Rune Tattoos, which grant the Rune Adept unique magical abilities.
Adventures: Rune Adepts have a deep desire to acquire greater knowledge of all things arcane. They love nothing more than discovering some lost magical device, pondering an ancient text on the nature of magic, or discovering some new Rune Tattoo to add to their repertoire.
Characteristics: Rune Adepts cast arcane spells. They know and cast fewer spells than wizards and sorcerers, but have a broader range of skills. They also gain powerful innate abilities called Rune Tattoos. While a Rune Adept’s tattoos may appear as simple symbols or ordinary tattoos, they represent powerful magic forces entwined in his very being.
Alignment: Rune Adepts may be of any alignment. Most tend towards lawful, as a steady and well-ordered mind is more likely to be drawn to the path of the Rune Adept.
Religion: As arcane spellcasters, Rune Adepts often worship gods of magic, however not all are so inclined and may worship some other deity, or none at all.
Background: Like wizards, most Rune Adepts receive formal instruction. Since most centers of arcane knowledge and learning are in cities, Rune casters tend to come from urban regions where the practice of magic is readily accepted. They rarely have schools of their own, but many wizard colleges offer training in Rune Magic.
Races: Most Rune Adepts are humans. Human Rune Adepts are found in urban centers of higher learning and arcane education. Due to their innate lawfulness dwarves as well are frequently drawn to the path of Rune Magic. With their natural inclination towards the arcane, elves are also commonly Rune Adepts. Among halflings, gnomes, and half-orcs, there are very few Rune Adepts.
Among savage races, Rune Adepts are all but unheard of, though the drow have a strong and deadly Rune Magic tradition.
Other Classes: Often seeing one another as rivals in their use of magic, Rune Adepts usually don’t get along well with Wizards and Sorcerers. Rune Adepts have no specific like or dislike for any of the other classes.
GAME RULE INFORMATION-----------------
Rune Adepts have the following game statistics
Abilities: Intelligence determines how many spells a Rune Adept may cast. To cast a spell, a Rune Adept must have an Intelligence score of 10 + the spell’s level. A Rune Adept knows and casts bonus spells based on Intelligence. As they are more competent with weapons than a Wizard, the Rune Adept may also benefit from a high Strength or Dexterity score.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d6
Class Skills
Str:--
Dex:--
Con: Concentration
Int: Alchemy, Craft, Decipher Script (exclusive), Knowledge (arcana), Scry, Spellcraft
Wis: Profession
Cha: Use Magic Device (exclusive)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) X 4.
Skill Points at Each additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Features-------------------
Base Attack Bonus: As Cleric/Rogue
Good saves: Fortitude and Will
Bad Saves: Reflex
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Rune Adepts are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any armor or shields as they interfere with the somatic components of spells and may cause spell failure. Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to certain skills, and Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armor, equipment or loot carried.
Spells: A Rune Adept casts arcane spells. He is limited to a certain number of spells of each spell level per day, according to his class level. A Rune Adept prepares his spells ahead of time by getting a good night sleep and spending 1 hour meditating. While meditating, the Rune Adept decides which spells he will prepare. The Rune Adept’s Intelligence affects both the number of spells he may cast and the number of spells he. To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, a Rune Adept must have an Intelligence score of 10 + the spell’s level. The Difficulty Class for saving throws against Rune Adept spells is 10 + the spells level + the Rune Adept’s Intelligence modifier.
Rune Tattoos: A 1st level Rune Adept begins play with a single Rune Tattoo. At 2nd level and every two levels thereafter, he gains another Rune Tattoo. Rune Tattoos are magical and grant the Rune Adept supernatural abilities. Unless otherwise noted in its description, activating a Rune Tattoo that requires activation and has a set duration is a standard action that does provoke an attack of opportunity. In an anti magic field, Rune Tattoos cease to function and the Rune Adept loses any bonuses they provide.
As the Rune Adept grows in power, he gains access to more powerful Rune Tattoos. The Rune Adept’s level determines how powerful a Rune Tattoo he can acquire, though he need not always choose the most powerful. The Rune Adept’s ability to acquire additional Rune Tattoos is tied to his level so as he grows stronger, he automatically acquires additional Rune Tattoos; he cannot expend experience or material wealth to acquire additional Rune Tattoos. Acquiring a Rune Tattoo requires a day of uninterrupted concentration.
The Rune Adept’s Tattoos are an inseparable aspect of his being; if the part of his body where a Rune Tattoo appears is disfigured or removed, the Tattoo will reappear elsewhere on his body. The Rune Adept retains his Rune Tattoos when ethereal, and when affected by spells that cause only minor changes to his form (Alter Self, Enlarge, Reduce, etc.), but cannot use his Rune Tattoos when affected by spells that drastically change his shape (Gaseous Form, Iron Body, Polymorph spells, Shapechange, etc.).
Detection & Dispelling: Because of their Rune Tattoos, Rune Adepts project a magical aura that can be detected with Detect Magic (See spell description). A first level Rune Adept has a Dim magical aura. From 2nd to 5th level, his aura is Faint. From 6th to 13th it is Moderate and level 14 and over it is Strong. Additionally, after casting Detect Magic, a Rune Adept may make a Spellcraft check (DC 20) to determine one random Rune Tattoo of another Rune Adept. Every round he continues to study that Rune Adept, he may make another Spellcraft check to determine another Rune Tattoo.
Rune Tattoos, like magic items, may be temporarily suppressed by spells such as Dispel Magic (see spell description). The Rune Adept is just like a magic item for the purposes of dispel checks; his Rune Adept level is the ‘items’ caster level. If the Rune Adept fails the dispel check, all his Rune Tattoos are suppressed, though only for a round. Additionally the Rune Adept must succeed at Fortitude save against the normal spell DC or be stunned for 1 round.
Level----------Special
1---------Rune Tattoo (Lesser)
2---------Rune Tattoo (Lesser)
3
4---------Rune Tattoo (Lesser)
5
6---------Rune Tattoo (Greater)
7
8---------Rune Tattoo (Greater)
9
10--------Rune Tattoo (Greater)
11
12--------Rune Tattoo (Greater)
13
14--------Rune Tattoo (Master)
15
16--------Rune Tattoo (Master)
17
18--------Rune Tattoo (Master)
19
20--------Rune Tattoo (Master)
Spells Per Day
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
2 - - - - - -
2 0 - - - - -
2 1 - - - - -
3 2 0 - - - -
3 2 1 - - - -
3 3 1 - - - -
3 3 2 0 - - -
3 3 2 1 - - -
3 3 3 1 - - -
3 3 3 2 0 - -
4 3 3 2 1 - -
4 3 3 3 1 - -
4 3 3 3 2 0 -
4 4 3 3 2 1 -
4 4 3 3 3 1 -
4 4 3 3 3 2 0
4 4 4 3 3 2 1
4 4 4 3 3 3 1
4 4 4 4 3 3 2
4 4 4 4 3 3 3
Spells Known
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
4 - - - - - -
4 2 - - - - -
5 2 - - - - -
5 2 1 - - - -
5 3 1 - - - -
5 3 2 - - - -
6 3 2 1 - - -
6 3 3 1 - - -
6 3 3 2 - - -
6 3 3 3 1 - -
6 4 3 3 1 - -
7 4 3 3 2 - -
7 4 3 3 2 1 -
7 4 4 3 3 1 -
7 4 4 4 3 2 -
7 5 4 4 3 3 1
8 5 4 4 4 3 1
8 5 5 4 4 3 2
8 5 5 5 4 4 3
8 6 5 5 5 4 4
Witness
First Post
RUNE ADEPT SPELL LIST
Cantrips
Arcane Mark, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Disrupt Undead, Flare, Know Direction, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Open/ Close, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Read Magic, Resistance
1st
Alarm, Burning Hands, Charm Person, Change Self, Chill Touch, Color Spray, Comprehend Languages, Detect Secret Doors, Detect Undead, Endure Elements, Enlarge, Erase, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Hold Portal, Hypnotism, Identify, Jump, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Magic Weapon, Message, Mount, Nystul’s Magical Aura, Obscuring Mist, Reduce, Shield, Silent Image, Shocking Grasp, Spider Climb, Tenser’s Floating Disk, Unseen Servant, Ventriloquism
2nd
Alter Self, Arcane Lock, Blindness/Deafness, Blur, Bull’s Strength, Chill Metal, Cat’s Grace, Continual Flame, Darkness, Darkvision, Daylight, Detect Thoughts, Drawmij’s Instant Summons, Endurance, Flaming Sphere, Ghoul Touch, Glitterdust, Glyph of Warding, Heat Metal, Hold Person, Invisibility, Knock, Leomund’s Trap, Levitate, Locate Object, Magic Mouth, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Minor Image, Mirror Image, Nondetection, Obscure Object, Protection from Arrows, See Invisibility, Shatter, Silence, Spectral Hand, Tongues, Undetectable Alignment, Web
3rd
Bestow Curse, Blink, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic, Explosive Runes, Displacement, Fire Trap, Flame Arrow, Fly, Gaseous Form, Greater Magic Weapon, Haste, Illusory Script, Imbue with Spell Ability, Keen Edge, Leomund’s Tiny Hut, Lightning Bolt, Magic Circle Against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Minor Creation, Phantom Steed, Protection from Elements, Remove Curse, Scrying, Secret Page, Sepia Snake Sigil, Shrink Item, Slow, Vampiric Touch, Water Breathing, Wind Wall
4th
Arcane Eye, Break Enchantment, Detect Scrying, Dimension Door, Dismissal, Enervation, Evard’s Black Tentacles, Fire Shield, Hold Monster, Improved Invisibility, Leomund’s Secure Structure, Locate Creature, Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere, Phantasmal Killer, Polymorph Self, Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer, Rary’s Telepathic Bond, Shout, Stoneskin, Telekinesis
5th
Analyze Dweomer, Bigby’s Interposing Hand, Contact Other Plane, Cone of Cold, Contingency, Control Water, Eyebite, Fabricate, Greater Dispelling, Globe of Invulnerability, Guards and Wards, Leomund’s Secret Chest, Lesser Planar Binding, Magic Jar, Mislead, Mordekainen’s Faithful Hound, Passwall, Permanency, Persistent Image, Prying Eyes, Statue, Stone Shape, Teleport without Error, Tensor’s Transformation, True Seeing
6th
Antimagic Field, Antipathy, Banishment, Bigby’s Forceful Hand, Binding, Chain Lightning, Disintegrate, Ethereal Jaunt, Finger of Death, Flesh to Stone, Greater Scrying, Iron Body, Mind Blank, Mordekainen’s Sword, Otiluke’s Telekinetic Sphere, Planar Binding, Plane Shift, Power Word: Stun, Prismatic Spray, Programmed Image, Project Image, Repulsion, Reverse Gravity, Stone to Flesh, Symbol, Sympathy
RUNE TATTOOS
Rune Tattoos are magical and grant the Rune Adept supernatural abilities. Activating a Rune Tattoo that requires activation and has a set duration is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. In an anti magic field, Rune Tattoos cease to function and the Rune Adept loses any bonuses they provide.
Unless otherwise noted, the bonuses and abilities provided by Rune Tattoos are enhancement bonuses; they stack with bonuses from feats but not with similar bonuses from spells or magic items.
Runes with "*" may be acquired multiple times; their effects stack.
Runes with "**" may be acquired multiple times, each time for a different save, ability, spell, etc. as appropriate for the particular Rune tattoo.
Runes with "~" may be acquired no more than 5 times; their effects stack.
LESSER RUNES (LEVEL 1-5)
Rune of Fleetness*: Receive a +5 bonus to base speed.
Moon Rune: Gain Low-light Vision.
Mule Rune~: Apply Int rather than Str for determining carrying capacity.
Rune of Reaction~: Receive a +2 bonus to initiative.
Rune of Salvation**: Receive a +2 bonus to one type of saving throw (Fortitude, Reflex or Will).
Shield Rune~: Receive a +1 enhancement bonus to Armor Class.
Lesser Skill Rune**: Choose a number of skills equal to the Rune Adept’s Int mod. The Rune Adept receives a +1 bonus to all skill checks with those skills.
Lesser Spell Rune**: Choose one Rune Adept spell and cast it as a spell-like ability once per day. The Rune Adept may only directly affect himself with this spell. It cannot be of higher level than he can cast, or modified by metamagic feats.
Rune of Spell Resistance**: Receive a +1 to all saving throws against spells from a specific spell school.
Rune of Tongues*: Gain 2 additional languages.
GREATER RUNES (LEVEL 6-13)
Cantrip Rune*: Choose one cantrip (0-level spell). The Rune Adept may cast that cantrip as a spell-like ability once per Rune Adept level per day. The cantrip need not be one he knows but must be on the Rune Adept spell list.
Change Rune**: Choose 1 alternate form the Rune Adept can assume through a known spell, or spell-like ability (Alter Self, Polymorph Self, etc.). Once per 4 levels per day, the Rune Adept can assume that alternate form as a supernatural ability. Alternatively, the Rune Adept can choose his default form and gain the ability to revert back to his normal self when affected by spells that change his shape (he retains this ability when affected by spells that drastically alter his form).
Rune of Damage: The Rune Adept can deliver touch attacks that injure opponents. The total damage per day the Rune Adept can inflict with these attacks is 1d6 per Rune Adept level; the maximum damage per attack is 5d6. The Rune Adept declares before the attack how much damage he intends to deliver; the damage is wasted on a miss. Activation of this ability is a free action, and it can be used in conjunction with touch-attack spells, unarmed attacks or attacks with natural weapons. The damage dealt is force damage, like that from the spell Magic Missile.
Rune of Detection**: At will, detect one of the following as per the appropriate detection spell: animals, chaos, evil, good, law, magic, plants, poison, snares & pits, or undead.
Rune of Element Resistance**: Gain limited protection from one of the 5 energy types: acid, cold, fire, electricity, or sonic. Each round, the Rune Adept can absorb damage from that energy type equal to 5 + ½ his level.
Night Rune: Gain Darkvision 60 ft. This Rune may be acquired multiple times, though subsequently it provides a +30 range bonus. This Rune does not stack with normal Darkvision nor can it grant Darkvision with range beyond 120 ft.
Rune of Recovery~: During every hour of non-strenuous activity, recover +1 hit point. This healing is in addition to normal hit point recovery. It does not allow the Rune Adept to gain hit points beyond his normal hit point total or recover hit points lost to permanent ability damage, starvation, thirst, or similar affects.
Rune of Silver Pen: The Rune Adept can read and write all of the following languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Aurun, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Giant, Gnoll, Halfling, Ignan, Infernal, Orc, Sylvan, Terran, and Undercommon. This Rune does not grant the Rune Adept the ability to speak or understand any languages.
Rune of Silver Tongue: The Rune Adept can speak and understand all of the following languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Aurun, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Giant, Gnoll, Halfling, Ignan, Infernal, Orc, Sylvan, Terran, and Undercommon. This Rune does not grant the Rune Adept the ability to read or write any languages.
Greater Skill Rune**: Choose a number of skills equal to 3 + the Rune Adept’s Int mod. Apply the Rune Adept’s Intelligence modifier in place of the standard ability modifier to these skills.
Greater Spell Rune**: Choose one Rune Adept spell and cast it as a spell-like ability once per day. This spell may not be of higher level than the Rune Adept can cast.
Rune of Survival**: Gain a +4 bonus to saves against one of the following: disease, enchantment, fear, illusion, petrifaction, poison.
Rune of Turning**: Choose one of the following creature types: animals, elementals, outsiders (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful), plants, or undead. The Rune Adept may turn or destroy this type of creature as a cleric of his level turns undead. He may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.
MASTER RUNES (LEVEL 14-20)
Rune of Ability: Receive a +1 bonus to an ability score. This affects all traits derived from ability scores including attacks, damage, hit points, saves, armor class, spell DC, skill checks, and skill points. It may be acquired multiple times, either for the same or different abilities; its effects stack.
Rune of Immunity**: Gain complete immunity to one of the following: poison, disease, petrifaction, magical sleep, fear effects, or magical aging.
Metamagic Rune**: Acquire 1 metamagic feat. The Rune Adept must still meet all prerequisites to acquire this feat. These are virtual feats and allow the Rune Adept to acquire other feats normally for which the Rune feat is a prerequisite.
Rune of Preservation*: Choose a number of previously acquired Rune Tattoos equal to 3 + Rune Adept’s Constitution modifier. In a Dead Magic zone, the Rune Adept retains use of and benefit from these Rune Tattoos. Additionally, these Runes are unaffected by Dispel Magic and similar spells.
Rune of Retention: Retain full use of, and benefit from all Rune tattoos in an alternate form such as through use of Polymorph spells or similar effects.
Rune of Righteousness: Attempt to smite an opponent once per 4 levels per day, gaining the supernatural ability to make a single melee attack with a +4 attack bonus and a damage bonus equal to the Rune Adept’s level. The smite attempt must be declared before the attack.
Master Spell Rune**: Choose one Rune Adept spell and cast it spontaneously, expending a memorized spell of the same level. The Rune Adept must be able to cast spells of that level, and have spells of that level memorized. This Rune may be acquired only once for each spell level.
Rune of Spell Resistance: For 2 minutes per level per day, gain Spell Resistance equal to 10 + the Rune Adept’s level. In order to affect the Rune Adept with a spell, a caster must roll the Rune Adept’s spell resistance or higher on 1d20 + the caster’s level. Activation of this ability is a free action and its use can be spread out over the course of the day
Cantrips
Arcane Mark, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Disrupt Undead, Flare, Know Direction, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Open/ Close, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Read Magic, Resistance
1st
Alarm, Burning Hands, Charm Person, Change Self, Chill Touch, Color Spray, Comprehend Languages, Detect Secret Doors, Detect Undead, Endure Elements, Enlarge, Erase, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Hold Portal, Hypnotism, Identify, Jump, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Magic Weapon, Message, Mount, Nystul’s Magical Aura, Obscuring Mist, Reduce, Shield, Silent Image, Shocking Grasp, Spider Climb, Tenser’s Floating Disk, Unseen Servant, Ventriloquism
2nd
Alter Self, Arcane Lock, Blindness/Deafness, Blur, Bull’s Strength, Chill Metal, Cat’s Grace, Continual Flame, Darkness, Darkvision, Daylight, Detect Thoughts, Drawmij’s Instant Summons, Endurance, Flaming Sphere, Ghoul Touch, Glitterdust, Glyph of Warding, Heat Metal, Hold Person, Invisibility, Knock, Leomund’s Trap, Levitate, Locate Object, Magic Mouth, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Minor Image, Mirror Image, Nondetection, Obscure Object, Protection from Arrows, See Invisibility, Shatter, Silence, Spectral Hand, Tongues, Undetectable Alignment, Web
3rd
Bestow Curse, Blink, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic, Explosive Runes, Displacement, Fire Trap, Flame Arrow, Fly, Gaseous Form, Greater Magic Weapon, Haste, Illusory Script, Imbue with Spell Ability, Keen Edge, Leomund’s Tiny Hut, Lightning Bolt, Magic Circle Against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Minor Creation, Phantom Steed, Protection from Elements, Remove Curse, Scrying, Secret Page, Sepia Snake Sigil, Shrink Item, Slow, Vampiric Touch, Water Breathing, Wind Wall
4th
Arcane Eye, Break Enchantment, Detect Scrying, Dimension Door, Dismissal, Enervation, Evard’s Black Tentacles, Fire Shield, Hold Monster, Improved Invisibility, Leomund’s Secure Structure, Locate Creature, Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere, Phantasmal Killer, Polymorph Self, Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer, Rary’s Telepathic Bond, Shout, Stoneskin, Telekinesis
5th
Analyze Dweomer, Bigby’s Interposing Hand, Contact Other Plane, Cone of Cold, Contingency, Control Water, Eyebite, Fabricate, Greater Dispelling, Globe of Invulnerability, Guards and Wards, Leomund’s Secret Chest, Lesser Planar Binding, Magic Jar, Mislead, Mordekainen’s Faithful Hound, Passwall, Permanency, Persistent Image, Prying Eyes, Statue, Stone Shape, Teleport without Error, Tensor’s Transformation, True Seeing
6th
Antimagic Field, Antipathy, Banishment, Bigby’s Forceful Hand, Binding, Chain Lightning, Disintegrate, Ethereal Jaunt, Finger of Death, Flesh to Stone, Greater Scrying, Iron Body, Mind Blank, Mordekainen’s Sword, Otiluke’s Telekinetic Sphere, Planar Binding, Plane Shift, Power Word: Stun, Prismatic Spray, Programmed Image, Project Image, Repulsion, Reverse Gravity, Stone to Flesh, Symbol, Sympathy
RUNE TATTOOS
Rune Tattoos are magical and grant the Rune Adept supernatural abilities. Activating a Rune Tattoo that requires activation and has a set duration is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. In an anti magic field, Rune Tattoos cease to function and the Rune Adept loses any bonuses they provide.
Unless otherwise noted, the bonuses and abilities provided by Rune Tattoos are enhancement bonuses; they stack with bonuses from feats but not with similar bonuses from spells or magic items.
Runes with "*" may be acquired multiple times; their effects stack.
Runes with "**" may be acquired multiple times, each time for a different save, ability, spell, etc. as appropriate for the particular Rune tattoo.
Runes with "~" may be acquired no more than 5 times; their effects stack.
LESSER RUNES (LEVEL 1-5)
Rune of Fleetness*: Receive a +5 bonus to base speed.
Moon Rune: Gain Low-light Vision.
Mule Rune~: Apply Int rather than Str for determining carrying capacity.
Rune of Reaction~: Receive a +2 bonus to initiative.
Rune of Salvation**: Receive a +2 bonus to one type of saving throw (Fortitude, Reflex or Will).
Shield Rune~: Receive a +1 enhancement bonus to Armor Class.
Lesser Skill Rune**: Choose a number of skills equal to the Rune Adept’s Int mod. The Rune Adept receives a +1 bonus to all skill checks with those skills.
Lesser Spell Rune**: Choose one Rune Adept spell and cast it as a spell-like ability once per day. The Rune Adept may only directly affect himself with this spell. It cannot be of higher level than he can cast, or modified by metamagic feats.
Rune of Spell Resistance**: Receive a +1 to all saving throws against spells from a specific spell school.
Rune of Tongues*: Gain 2 additional languages.
GREATER RUNES (LEVEL 6-13)
Cantrip Rune*: Choose one cantrip (0-level spell). The Rune Adept may cast that cantrip as a spell-like ability once per Rune Adept level per day. The cantrip need not be one he knows but must be on the Rune Adept spell list.
Change Rune**: Choose 1 alternate form the Rune Adept can assume through a known spell, or spell-like ability (Alter Self, Polymorph Self, etc.). Once per 4 levels per day, the Rune Adept can assume that alternate form as a supernatural ability. Alternatively, the Rune Adept can choose his default form and gain the ability to revert back to his normal self when affected by spells that change his shape (he retains this ability when affected by spells that drastically alter his form).
Rune of Damage: The Rune Adept can deliver touch attacks that injure opponents. The total damage per day the Rune Adept can inflict with these attacks is 1d6 per Rune Adept level; the maximum damage per attack is 5d6. The Rune Adept declares before the attack how much damage he intends to deliver; the damage is wasted on a miss. Activation of this ability is a free action, and it can be used in conjunction with touch-attack spells, unarmed attacks or attacks with natural weapons. The damage dealt is force damage, like that from the spell Magic Missile.
Rune of Detection**: At will, detect one of the following as per the appropriate detection spell: animals, chaos, evil, good, law, magic, plants, poison, snares & pits, or undead.
Rune of Element Resistance**: Gain limited protection from one of the 5 energy types: acid, cold, fire, electricity, or sonic. Each round, the Rune Adept can absorb damage from that energy type equal to 5 + ½ his level.
Night Rune: Gain Darkvision 60 ft. This Rune may be acquired multiple times, though subsequently it provides a +30 range bonus. This Rune does not stack with normal Darkvision nor can it grant Darkvision with range beyond 120 ft.
Rune of Recovery~: During every hour of non-strenuous activity, recover +1 hit point. This healing is in addition to normal hit point recovery. It does not allow the Rune Adept to gain hit points beyond his normal hit point total or recover hit points lost to permanent ability damage, starvation, thirst, or similar affects.
Rune of Silver Pen: The Rune Adept can read and write all of the following languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Aurun, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Giant, Gnoll, Halfling, Ignan, Infernal, Orc, Sylvan, Terran, and Undercommon. This Rune does not grant the Rune Adept the ability to speak or understand any languages.
Rune of Silver Tongue: The Rune Adept can speak and understand all of the following languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Aurun, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Giant, Gnoll, Halfling, Ignan, Infernal, Orc, Sylvan, Terran, and Undercommon. This Rune does not grant the Rune Adept the ability to read or write any languages.
Greater Skill Rune**: Choose a number of skills equal to 3 + the Rune Adept’s Int mod. Apply the Rune Adept’s Intelligence modifier in place of the standard ability modifier to these skills.
Greater Spell Rune**: Choose one Rune Adept spell and cast it as a spell-like ability once per day. This spell may not be of higher level than the Rune Adept can cast.
Rune of Survival**: Gain a +4 bonus to saves against one of the following: disease, enchantment, fear, illusion, petrifaction, poison.
Rune of Turning**: Choose one of the following creature types: animals, elementals, outsiders (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful), plants, or undead. The Rune Adept may turn or destroy this type of creature as a cleric of his level turns undead. He may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.
MASTER RUNES (LEVEL 14-20)
Rune of Ability: Receive a +1 bonus to an ability score. This affects all traits derived from ability scores including attacks, damage, hit points, saves, armor class, spell DC, skill checks, and skill points. It may be acquired multiple times, either for the same or different abilities; its effects stack.
Rune of Immunity**: Gain complete immunity to one of the following: poison, disease, petrifaction, magical sleep, fear effects, or magical aging.
Metamagic Rune**: Acquire 1 metamagic feat. The Rune Adept must still meet all prerequisites to acquire this feat. These are virtual feats and allow the Rune Adept to acquire other feats normally for which the Rune feat is a prerequisite.
Rune of Preservation*: Choose a number of previously acquired Rune Tattoos equal to 3 + Rune Adept’s Constitution modifier. In a Dead Magic zone, the Rune Adept retains use of and benefit from these Rune Tattoos. Additionally, these Runes are unaffected by Dispel Magic and similar spells.
Rune of Retention: Retain full use of, and benefit from all Rune tattoos in an alternate form such as through use of Polymorph spells or similar effects.
Rune of Righteousness: Attempt to smite an opponent once per 4 levels per day, gaining the supernatural ability to make a single melee attack with a +4 attack bonus and a damage bonus equal to the Rune Adept’s level. The smite attempt must be declared before the attack.
Master Spell Rune**: Choose one Rune Adept spell and cast it spontaneously, expending a memorized spell of the same level. The Rune Adept must be able to cast spells of that level, and have spells of that level memorized. This Rune may be acquired only once for each spell level.
Rune of Spell Resistance: For 2 minutes per level per day, gain Spell Resistance equal to 10 + the Rune Adept’s level. In order to affect the Rune Adept with a spell, a caster must roll the Rune Adept’s spell resistance or higher on 1d20 + the caster’s level. Activation of this ability is a free action and its use can be spread out over the course of the day
LeifVignirsson
First Post
Hey, sorry about not posting sooner, my stupid comp loves freezing on me.
The Tattoo Mage is solely based on magic that is stored in one tattoo. Say my tattoo mage knows Stoneskin, so he places a tattoo on top of his head that will cast Stoneskin ALONE for the duration, effects, etc. There were also a smattering of healing spells that the tattoo mage can cast on themselves. The amount of spells that a tattoo mage can cast is per tattoo. The spell cannot be cast if it is covered by an article of clothing or the like. That was why I got a bit twitchy when you gave them spells known because that never comes into play, it is only by the tattoos that one has on his body.
Here is the kicker. The tattoo mage cannot cast spells to benefit anyone else until he reaches the 10th level (Don't have my books, I am at work) when the ability comes into play. Heck, you can't teach anyone the fine art of tattoo magic until you reach 20th level (this is all off of the top of my head, of course).
Anyway, it is a good idea, I am never one to say "Never do it" and I know that there are A LOT of products out there, but there is no law saying you couldn't combine the two together and have a house rules tattoo mage or Rune Adept.
By the by: You may want to change the name of your Adept. As a Norseman, I thought you were talking about the witches that casted runes to divine.
The Tattoo Mage is solely based on magic that is stored in one tattoo. Say my tattoo mage knows Stoneskin, so he places a tattoo on top of his head that will cast Stoneskin ALONE for the duration, effects, etc. There were also a smattering of healing spells that the tattoo mage can cast on themselves. The amount of spells that a tattoo mage can cast is per tattoo. The spell cannot be cast if it is covered by an article of clothing or the like. That was why I got a bit twitchy when you gave them spells known because that never comes into play, it is only by the tattoos that one has on his body.
Here is the kicker. The tattoo mage cannot cast spells to benefit anyone else until he reaches the 10th level (Don't have my books, I am at work) when the ability comes into play. Heck, you can't teach anyone the fine art of tattoo magic until you reach 20th level (this is all off of the top of my head, of course).
Anyway, it is a good idea, I am never one to say "Never do it" and I know that there are A LOT of products out there, but there is no law saying you couldn't combine the two together and have a house rules tattoo mage or Rune Adept.
By the by: You may want to change the name of your Adept. As a Norseman, I thought you were talking about the witches that casted runes to divine.
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