Runecaster PrC

[Dash Dannigan]

I was looking at this PrC and was pondering creating a dwarven runecaster but I''m wondering about the utility of the rune item creation. Are there any runecasters out there that could offer a bit of advice? Perhaps some pointers on which craft skills to select. It seems you need an awful large space to craft a rune onto. I'm guessing a large metal shield and a piece of armor are relatively medium size and can hold one rune each. But what else? A mount's barding could perhaps hold two runes. Doesn't seem like you can adventure with much else though, unless one has a cart full of rune items and switches them out as they are used/needed.

What do you guys think?

 

[Koldrag]

I'm currently playing a runecaster (Clr 6/Rnc 10) and i don't use the runes very often (at least not as often as i thought).

One of the reasons i don't to use runes is because it's really expansive to create high level ones. Usually i carry one word of recall rune and several maximized lesser restoration runes.

I only inscribe runes on small metall plates or stone blocks (meaning really small, the size of a d6). My armor is covered in runes but only non magical ones, mainly because i'm not really sure which rune to use. Harm is a good one if you don't want to be grappled but there is always the danger of your alies touching you.

PC1: Hey buddy, how are you (patting me one the back). .......Gah i'm feeling "really" weak.
ME: Yeah great, you just wasted 3300 pieces of "my" Gold (not to mention the XP). (sigh) Need some healing?
PC1: Um.. yes.

The "space limitation" (one rune on medium size object) isn't really an issue because you can easily strap small metall plates on your arms (with the help of some leather straps).
Additionally most armor consists of more than one piece, so you can write 20+ runes onto your fullplate.

On the topic of permanent runes i have to say that i personnaly haven't created much of them (detect magic and detect evil). You better stay away from perm. (maximized) cure runes (unless you want to feel the wrath of your DM). Although you could write 160 scrolls for the same cost (it's only more time consuming) most DM don't like those permannet runes.

 

[Wormwood]

The one good thing about Runecastig is that it's the only item creation feat that you can perform in the middle of an adventure.

Since Runes are essentially 'potions', I usually focussed on inscribing 'emergency only' runes for your party, like:

Remove Blindness
Sanctuary
Break Enchantment
Heal, etc.

I usually inscribed on armor, weapons, shields, helmets, anything held in hand. Note that inscribed Runes don't officially appear to take up a 'chakra', as indicated by Jarlsdottr the Frost Giant Runecaster in the FRCS (she's wearing a necklace with multiple inscribed stones). My new DM allows inscribing on burned out Ioun Stones, but I think that's too much of a stretch.

At higher level you can inscribe Runes as ad hoc Glyphs of Warding, which is pretty fun.

Overall, you should generally use Brew Potion/Scribe Scroll for most of your Item Creation needs, and keep the Runecasting as a backup for when you absolutely *must* have a specific magic item in a big hurry.