Hit Die:d6

Requirements:

Race: Dwarf
Abilities: Wis 11+
Base Attack Bonus: +2
Skills: Knowledge (Runes) 5 ranks

Class Skills: Alchemy (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Any), Profession (Wis), Scry (Int), Spellcraft (Int).

Skill points at each level: 4+Int modifier.

Class Features:

All of the following are class features of the Runecaster core class:

Weapon and Armor: Runecasters are proficient in simple weapons.  Additionally, they are proficient in one of the following weapons: Battleaxe, Heavy Pick, Warhammer.  Runecasters are proficient in all light and medium armor and with shields. Unlike traditional arcane spellcasters, a runecaster can cast runes while wearing armor or using a shield, suffering no chance of rune failure if the total armor check penalty affecting him is 3 or less. Otherwise, he suffers arcane rune failure as normal.

Runes: A runecaster casts arcane runes according to the tables here. Runes are similar to spells, divided into three types: Minor, Major and Greater Runes. They all have verbal and somatic components, but no material ones.

Minor Runes are quick invocations that can be cast as move-equivalent actions. That means a runecaster can perform a standard action in the same round as he casts a Minor Rune. He could, for example, cast a Minor Rune and then make a single attack, move up to his speed, or even cast another rune.

Major Runes are more complex invocations of the power of runes. These are cast as standard actions. 

Greater Runes are the most complex and take a full round to cast.

A runecaster can only learn Major Runes for which he knows the corresponding Minor Rune.  Likewise, a runecaster can only learn Greater Runes for which he knows the corresponding Major Rune.  

Except where noted, always treat runes as spells for such purposes as dispel magic, detect magic, spell resistance, and so on. If a spell-level equivalent is needed, treat Minor Runes as 1st level, Major Runes as 3rd level, and Greater Runes as 5th level. Metamagic feats do not affect runes, but eldritch feats do.

Similar to the way sorcerers cast spells, a runecaster need not prepare runes beforehand or keep a spellbook. Runecasters receive bonus runes for high Wisdom, as shown in the table below, and to cast a rune a runecaster must have a Wisdom score of at least 11 for Minor Runes, 13 for Major Runes, and 15 for Greater Runes. The DC for a saving throw against a runecaster's rune is 11 plus Wisdom modifier for Minor Runes, 13 plus Wisdom modifier for Major Runes, and 15 plus Wisdom modifier for Greater Runes.

Minor Runes can be combined into Major Runes, and Major Runes can be combined to make Greater Runes. A runecaster can expend five Minor Rune slots for the day to create a Major Rune, or three Major Rune slots to create a Greater Rune. Likewise, a single Major Rune slot can power five Minor Runes, and using one Greater Rune slot, a runecaster can cast three Major Runes (or 15 Minor Runes).

Runes can be used to make spell-completion and other magic items, including scrolls, potions, wands, and so on, assuming the runecaster has the correct item creation feats. For costs, treat Minor Runes as 1st-level spells, Major Runes as 3rd-level spells, and Greater Runes as 5th-level spells.

Etch Runes: A runecaster of 1st level or higher can create a small object (usually a stone, but can be any mundane item, including a scroll) that contains the power of any minor rune he knows.  The cost in time, materials and XP is identical to creating a scroll. 

Read Magic: A runecaster of 2nd level or higher can Read Magic, as per the spell by sacrificing one of his Minor Rune slots.

Wardstone: A runecaster of at least 4th level can imbue a location with the power of a rune by etching that rune into a central arcane focal point.  Warding a location takes 1 day per 1,000 T. in the wardstone's base price.  To etch a wardstone, the runecaster must expend 1/25 of the wardstone's price in XP and use up raw materials costing half of this price.  The market value of creating a runestone is equal to its base price.  Click here to see more information on Wardstones and common wards.

Fortify Minor Rune: A runecaster of at least 5th level can expend two Minor Rune slots to cast a single Minor Rune with one of the following three enhancements (selected prior to casting):
1. A 50 percent increase in duration and range
2. A +2 bonus to saving throw DC 
3. A 50 percent increase in damage

Fortify Major Rune: A runecaster of at least 12th level can expend two Minor Rune slots to cast a single Minor Rune with one of the following three enhancements (selected prior to casting):
1. A 50 percent increase in duration and range
2. A +2 bonus to saving throw DC 
3. A 50 percent increase in damage

Fortify Greater Rune: A runecaster of at least 20th level can expend two Minor Rune slots to cast a single Minor Rune with one of the following three enhancements (selected prior to casting):
1. A 50 percent increase in duration and range
2. A +2 bonus to saving throw DC 
3. A 50 percent increase in damage

The Runes

Click Here to see the Runes.

A note of appreciation to Monte Cook for his Book of Eldritch Might II, which contains the variant bard class that provided the framework for the Runecaster.