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.
The Minor Runes –
Minor Rune of Armor
Abjuration
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 round/level or until discharged
Saving Throw: Reflex Negates (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes
The person or creature on whom you place this rune gains a +10 deflection bonus to armor class the next time they are attacked.
Minor Rune of Axes
Transmutation
Range: Touch
Target: One Weapon
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
The weapon you touch gains a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls.
Minor Rune of Change
Illusion (Glamer)
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You make yourself—including clothing, armor, weapons, and equipment—look different. You can seem 1 foot shorter or taller, thin, fat, or in between. You cannot change your body type.
The rune does not provide the abilities or mannerisms of the chosen form. It does not alter the perceived tactile (touch) or audible (sound) properties of the character or the character’s equipment. A battleaxe made to look like a dagger still functions as a battleaxe.
If you use this rune to create a disguise, you get a +10 bonus on the Disguise check.
Note: Creatures get Will saves to recognize the glamer as an illusion if they interact with it (such as by touching the character and having that not match what they see, in this case of this rune).
Minor Rune of the Clan
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Range: Touch
Target: One Person
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
When the subject of this rune is adjacent to an ally who also is the subject of this rune or who has the Back-to-Back feat, he may not be flanked.
Minor Rune of Confoundment
Illusion
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/2 levels (max. 5 rounds)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This rune renders you and your gear invisible for a short time. You become visible immediately if you attack any other creature.
Minor Rune of Constructs
Transmutation
Range: 50 feet
Target: One Small or Tiny object
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
The object you designate is imbued with mobility and a semblance of life. Animated objects always have an initiative of “1”. Its hardness, mobility and special qualities depend on its size and composition.
The animated object is unintelligent and cannot accept commands other than to come to your side or to attack those whom you designate as a foe.
Minor Rune of Creation
Conjuration (Creation)
Range: 20 feet
Target: up to two gallons of water
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Creates up to two gallons of fresh water anywhere within range.
Minor Rune of Earth
Transmutation (Earth)
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature or Object
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Creates a stony sheath around the subject. The next time that subject is touched, the subject gains a damage resistance of +1/10 for that attack only.
Minor Rune of Eyes
Abjuration
Range: 30 feet
Target: 30-foot emanation around rune.
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This rune creates an audible or mental alarm when any creature of Tiny size or larger enters the area.
Minor Rune of Fire
Evocation (Fire)
Range: 50 feet
Target: One Creature or Object
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
This Rune creates a fiery missile that flies forth at a target you designate. To hit the target, you must make a ranged touch attack. A success inflicts 1d6 points of damage per three caster levels (to a maximum of 5d6).
Minor Rune of Fortitude
Transmutation
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
The creature you touch gains a +2 fortitude bonus to Constitution for a short while.
Minor Rune of Gates
Abjuration
Range: Touch
Target: One Portal, up to 20 sq. ft/level
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
When cast upon a door, chest, or portal, this rune magically locks it. You can freely pass your own lock without affecting it; otherwise, a door or object secured with a Minor Rune of Gates can be opened only by breaking in or by a successful dispel magic or knock spell. Add +10 to the normal DC to break open a door or portal affected by this spell. Note that a knock spell does not remove a Minor Rune of Gates. It only suppresses it for 10 minutes.
Minor Rune of Ice
Evocation (Cold)
Range: 50 feet
Target: One Creature or Object
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
This Rune creates a frozen missile that flies forth at a target you designate. To hit the target, you must make a ranged touch attack. A success inflicts 1d6 points of damage per three caster levels (to a maximum of 5d6).
Minor Rune of Law
Enchantment (Law)
Range: 50 feet
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates (DC 11+ Wis bonus)
Spell Resistance: Yes
You stun a chaotic creature for 1d4 rounds with this Rune.
Minor Rune of Magic
Divination
Range: 60 feet
Target: Quarter circle emanating from you
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
All magical effects, objects or creatures are limned in a colored aura. Stronger auras may hide or confuse weaker ones. The runecaster may make a Spellcraft check (DC 15+spell level) to determine the school of magic of each aura he can see.
Minor Rune of the Moon
Transmutation
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
This rune grants the subject a +2 bonus on all Will saves for a short while.
Minor Rune of Protection
Abjuration
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
The creature you touch gains a +1 deflection bonus to Armor Class at 1st through 5th level, +2 at 6th through 10th, +3 at 11th through 15th, and +4 at 16th level and higher.
Minor Rune of Runes
Transmutation
Range: 30 feet
Target: One rune or scroll or two pages
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: No
A Minor Rune of Runes removes writings of either magical or mundane nature from a scroll or from up to two pages of paper, parchment, or similar surfaces. It removes explosive runes, glyphs of warding, sepia snake sigils, and arcane marks, but it does not remove illusory script or symbols. Nonmagical writings are automatically erased if the character touches them and no one else is holding them. Otherwise, the chance is 90%. Magic writings must be touched, and the character must roll 15+ on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) to succeed. (A natural 1 or 2 is always a miss on this roll.) If the character fails to erase runes, a glyph of warding, or a sepia snake sigil, the character accidentally activates the runes, glyph, or sigil instead.
Minor Rune of The Sun
Conjuration (Healing)
Range: Touch
Target: 1 Creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will Half (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
This rune calls forth enough positive energy to heal a creature 1d6 hit points. This rune deals damage to undead rather than healing them.
Minor Rune of War
Enchantment (Charm)[Mind-affecting]
Range: 30 feet
Target: All allies within range
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round/2 levels
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
Affected allies receive a +2 morale bonus to saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 moral bonus to attack and weapon damage rolls.
The Major Runes –
Major Rune of Armor
Transmutation
Range: Touch
Target: One suit of armor or shield
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: Will Negates (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes
This rune imbues a suit of armor or a shield with an enhancement bonus of +1 per three caster levels (maximum +5 at 15th level). An outfit of regular clothing counts as a suit of armor that grants no AC bonus for purposes of this rune.
Note: An enhancement bonus increases armor’s or a shield’s benefit to the wearer’s AC. A suit of armor cannot have more than +5 in total bonuses (even if some of its bonus is from other than enhancement).
Major Rune of Axes
Transmutation
Range: Touch
Target: One weapon or fifty projectiles, all of which must be in contact with each other at the time of casting
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This rune makes a weapon magically keen, improving its ability to deal telling blows. This transmutation doubles the threat range of the weapon. A normal threat range becomes 19–20. A threat range of 19–20 becomes 17–20. A threat range of 18–20 becomes 15–20. The rune can be cast only on piercing or slashing weapons (and it does not stack with itself). If cast on arrows or crossbow bolts, the keen edge on a particular projectile ends after one use, whether or not the missile strikes its intended target.
Major Rune of Change
Transmutation
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
With this powerful rune you enhance the body of one creature. The rune grants the subject an enhancement bonus (1d4 + 1 points) to Constitution, Strength, or Dexterity, as you choose.
Major Rune of the Clan
Transmutation
Range: Touch
Target: One runestone
Duration: Until used
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
You imbue a runestone of tiny size (or smaller) with a special communication magic. Anyone possessing this token can contact you telepathically and send you a message up to 25 words long; you are aware of the sender’s identity. This spell does not give you the power to respond, nor does the possessor of the runestone know your location or any detail about you (even whether you are alive to receive the message). Once used, the runestone retains no special abilities.
Major Rune of Confoundment
Illusion
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This odd rune causes the subject appears to be about 2 feet away from his true location. He benefits from a 50% miss chance as if he had full concealment. However, unlike actual full concealment, the Major Rune of Confoundment does not prevent enemies from targeting him normally. True seeing reveals his true location.
Major Rune of Constructs
Transmutation
Range: 30 feet
Target: A single construct or material undead creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude Half
Spell Resistance: Yes
This rune causes a weird, purplish blast of energies that is absolutely harmless to living things, but does terrible damage to constructs and material undead creatures. Those creatures suffer 1d4 points of damage per caster level.
Major Rune of Creation
Conjuration (Creation)
Range: Touch
Target: One object, no more than 10 lbs.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
The Rune brings into being an ordinary object. The object must be 10 lbs. or less, shorter than 5 feet in every dimension, with a value of no more than 20 T. You must make a Craft check to create items requiring a high degree of craftsmanship (jewelry, swords, glass, etc.)
Minor Rune of Earth
Transmutation (Earth)
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This rune allows you to move through the earth easily. You gain a burrow speed of 10 feet and can tunnel through dirt but not through rock. You cannot use the run action while burrowing.
Minor Rune of Eyes
Abjuration
Range: 30 feet
Target: 30-foot emanation around rune.
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
This rune creates a zone in which Invisibility simply does not work.
Major Rune of Fire
Abjuration (Fire)
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature or Object
Duration: 1 minute/level or until discharged
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
The subject of this rune gains temporary invulnerability to fire and heat damage. When the rune absorbs 12 points per caster level of fire or heat damage, it is discharged.
Note: Major Rune of Fire overlaps (and does not stack with) the spells resist elements, endure elements and protection from elements.
Major Rune of Fortitude
Abjuration
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature or Object
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
The warded creature gains partial protection from undead creatures who use negative energy and certain weapons and spells that drain energy levels. The Major Rune of Fortitude uses positive energy, which can offset the effects of a negative energy attack. Each time the warded creature is struck by a negative energy attack that drains levels or ability scores, it rolls 1d20 + caster level against a DC of 11 + the attacker’s HD.
If the warded creature succeeds, the energies cancel with a bright flash of light and a thunderclap. The warded creature takes only hit point damage from the attack and does not suffer any drain of experience levels or ability scores, regardless of the number of levels or ability score points the attack would have drained. An attacking undead creature takes 2d6 points of damage from the positive energy. An attacking caster or weapon receives no damage.
If the warded creature does not succeed, the negative energy attack deals its normal damage. An attacking undead creature in such a situation does not take any positive energy damage.
Major Rune of Gates
Abjuration
Range: Touch
Target: One Portal, up to 20 sq. ft/level
Duration: 1 hour / level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
When cast upon a door, chest, or portal, this rune magically locks it. You can freely pass your own lock without affecting it; otherwise, a door or object secured with a Major Rune of Gates can be opened only by breaking in or by a successful dispel magic or Great Knock spell. In addition, the rune adds 2 to the object hardness of the door, adds a 50% bonus to the door’s hit points and adds +15 to the normal DC to break open a door or portal affected by this spell. Note that a Knock spell does not affect a Major Rune of Gates. A Great Knock does not destroy the door or the rune; it only suppresses the rune for 10 minutes.
Major Rune of Ice
Abjuration (Cold)
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature or Object
Duration: 1 minute/level or until discharged
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
The subject of this rune gains temporary invulnerability to cold damage. When the rune absorbs 12 points per caster level of cold damage, it is discharged.
Note: Major Rune of Ice overlaps (and does not stack with) the spells resist elements, endure elements and protection from elements.
Major Rune of Law
Evocation (Law)
Range: Touch
Target: One book or written work
Duration: Permanent or until discharged; until released or 1d4 days +1 day/level (see text)
Saving Throw: Reflex Negates
Spell Resistance: No
When you inscribe the Major Rune of Law, a small symbol appears in the text of one written work such as a book, scroll, or map. When this symbol is read, the rune springs into being and strikes at the nearest living creature (but does not attack the character). The target is entitled to a save to evade the rune’s strike. If it succeeds, the rune dissipates in a flash of light accompanied by a puff of smoke and a loud noise. If the target fails its save, it is engulfed in a shimmering field of force energy and immobilized until released, either at the character’s command or when 1d4 days +1 day per caster level have elapsed.
While trapped in the field of force, the subject does not age, breathe, grow hungry, sleep, or regain spells. He is preserved in a state of suspended animation, unaware of his surroundings. He can be damaged by outside forces (and perhaps even killed), since the field provides him with no protection against physical injury. However, if he is reduced to negative hit points, he does not lose further hit points or stabilize until the spell ends.
The hidden rune cannot be detected by normal observation, and detect magic or a Minor Rune of Eyes reveals only that the entire text is magical. A dispel magic or Major Rune of Magic can remove the rune. An erase spell or Minor Rune of Runes destroys the entire page of text.
Major Rune of Magic
Abjuration
Range: 100 feet
Target: A 30 foot burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This powerful rune interrupts the flow of magic in the area of effect. For each creature in the area that is the target of one or more spells, you make a runic check against the spell with the highest caster level. A runic check is 1d20 plus your Knowledge (Runes) skill (maximum +20) with a DC of 11 plus the spell’s caster level. If that fails, you make runic checks against progressively weaker spells until you disrupt one spell (which discharges the Major Rune of Magic on that target) or fail all your checks. The creature’s magic items are not affected.
For each object with one or more active spells, make runic checks as with creatures. Magic items are not affected.
For objects or creatures subject to the effect of an ongoing spell-such as a monster summoned by monster summoning-in the area, make a runic check to end the spell that conjured the object or creature (returning them whence they came), in addition to attempting to disrupt spells targeting the creature or object.
Major Rune of the Moon
Transmutation
Range: 50 feet
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will Negates (DC:13 + Wis bonus)
Spell Resistance: Yes
With this rune, you disrupt the thought processes of a single creature. Affected victims can take no action other than to defend themselves throughout the duration.
Major Rune of Protection
Divination
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute / level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Your battle senses sharpen, granting a +2 insight bonus to your AC and Reflex saves for the duration of the battle.
Major Rune of Runes
Transmutation
Range: Touch
Target: One touched object
Duration: Until discharged
Saving Throw: Will Negates (See text)
Spell Resistance: Yes
You write instructions or other information on parchment, paper, or any suitable writing material. The runes appears to be some form of foreign or magic writing. Only the person (or people) designated by you at the time of the casting are able to read the writing; it’s completely unintelligible to any other character.
Any unauthorized creature attempting to read the script triggers a potent illusory effect and must make a saving throw. A successful saving throw means the creature can look away with only a mild sense of disorientation. Failure means the creature is subject to a suggestion implanted in the script by you at the time the Major Rune of Runes was cast. The suggestion lasts only 30 minutes. Typical suggestions include “Close the book and leave,” “Forget the existence of the book,” and so forth. If successfully dispelled by dispel magic or a Major Rune of Magic, the Major Rune of Runes and its secret message disappear. The hidden message can be read by a combination of the true seeing spell with the read magic or comprehend languages spell.
Unlike other runes, the casting time of the Major Rune of Runes depends on how long a message you wish to write, but it is always at least 1 minute.
Major Rune of The Sun
Conjuration (Healing)
Range: Touch
Target: 1 Creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will Half (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
This rune calls forth enough positive energy to heal a creature 2d6 hit points. This rune deals damage to undead rather than healing them.
Major Rune of War
Transmutation
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Your Basic Attack Bonus is replaced by that of a fighter one level lower than your Runecaster level and you gain 1 hp per level.
The Greater Runes –
Greater Rune of Armor
Transmutation
Range: Touch
Target: One Person
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Reflex Negates (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes
This rune infuses the armor of one person with force energy. While this rune is active, the subject has his full armor bonus against touch attacks.
If an attacking creature has SR, check for resistance the first time it strikes the Greater Rune armor. Successfully resisting the rune dispels it. If not, the rune retains its normal full effect for its duration.
Greater Rune of Axes
Transmutation
Range: Touch
Target: One Weapon
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None or Fortitude Partial (DC 15 + Wis bonus)
Spell Resistance: No
This Rune creates a gleaming black rune-covered weapon of any type you are proficient with. The sword acts as a +3 weapon. It ignores deflection bonuses to armor class. If you choose to use a full attack action to make only one attack with this weapon, any foe it strikes that round must make a Fortitude saving throw or be stunned for 1 round.
If an attacked creature has SR, check for resistance the first time the Greater Rune weapon strikes it. Successfully resisting the weapon dispels the rune. If not, the weapon retains its normal full effect for the rune’s duration.
Greater Rune of Change
Transmutation
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This rune causes you to double your height, and your gear grows proportionally. This increase has the following effects:
* you gain a +4 enlargement bonus to Strength.
* your size becomes one step larger.
* Mass increases by a factor of eight.
* Weapons increase in size one step, increasing their damage as shown below.
| Old Damage | New Damage |
| 1d2 | 1d3 |
| 1d3 | 1d4 |
| 1d4 | 1d6 |
| 1d6 | 1d8 |
| 1d8 | 2d6 |
| 1d10 | 2d6 |
| 1d12 | 2d8 |
Magical properties of magic items that get bigger do not change.
Greater Rune of the Clan
Conjuration
Range: Touch
Target: One object per level
Duration: 3 days per level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This rune teleports the character back to your clan’s stronghold when the rune is uttered. You can be transported any distance within a plane but cannot travel between planes. You can transport, in addition to yourself, objects and creatures weighing up to 50 pounds per caster level. Thus, a 15th-level runecaster could transport his person and objects or creatures weighing an additional 750 pounds. Exceeding this limit causes the rune to fail.
An unwilling creature can’t be teleported by the Greater Rune of the Clan. Likewise, a creature’s Will save (or SR) prevents items in its possession from being teleported. Unattended, nonmagical objects receive no saving throw.
Greater Rune of Confoundment
Illusion
Range: 30 feet
Target: One illusionary wall of no more than 10′ x 10′
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with)
Spell Resistance: No
This rune creates the illusion of a wall, floor, ceiling, or similar surface. It appears absolutely real when viewed, but physical objects can pass through it without difficulty. When the spell is used to hide pits, traps, or normal doors, any detection abilities that do not require sight work normally. Touch or probing searches reveal the true nature of the surface, though they do not cause the illusion to disappear.
Greater Rune of Constructs
Transmutation
Range: 50 feet
Target: One object size Large or smaller
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
The object you designate is imbued with mobility and a semblance of life. Animated objects always have an initiative of “1”. Its hardness, mobility and special qualities depend on its size and composition.
The animated object is unintelligent and cannot accept commands other than to come to your side or to attack those whom you designate as a foe.
Greater Rune of Creation
Conjuration (Creation)
Range: Touch
Target: One or more objects, up to 10 cu. ft./level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
The Rune brings into being between one and twenty ordinary objects, with a total volume of not more than 10 cubic feet per runecaster level. Thus, twenty greataxes could be created, or a single bridge. You must make a Craft check to create items requiring a high degree of craftsmanship (jewelry, swords, glass, bridges, etc.)
Greater Rune of Earth
Conjuration
Range: See Text
Target: One stone shelter
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Reflex Negates (See Text)
Spell Resistance: No
This rune creates an immobile, thick stone shelter around you and up to two adjacent Medium-sized creatures. The sanctuary offers complete cover from outside creatures; there are no openings of any kind. It resembles a peaked boulder approximately 10 feet in height. It is possible to block narrow passages and caverns with the Greater Rune of the Clan. The stone is 3 inches thick, with a hardness of 8, 90 hit points and break DC 50.
The hollow boulder encloses three 5-foot squares and houses up to three Medium-size creatures, including yourself. Creatures in the area who do not wish to be encloses in the shelter may make a Reflex Saving throw (DC15 + Wis bonus). On a successful save, the creature remains outside, provided that it immediately moves out of the spell’s area. You must be standing on the ground or stone flooring to cast this rune.
Greater Rune of Eyes
Divination
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This rune confers the ability to see all things as they actually are. You see through normal and magical darkness, notice secret doors hidden by magic, see the exact locations of creatures or objects under blur or displacement effects, see invisible creatures or objects normally, see through illusions, and see the true form of polymorphed, changed, or transmuted things. Further, you can focus your vision to see into the Ethereal Plane. The range of sight conferred is 120 feet.
The Greater Rune of Eyes, however, does not penetrate solid objects. It in no way confers X-ray vision or its equivalent. It does not cancel concealment, including that caused by fog and the like. The Greater Rune of Eyes does not help the viewer see through mundane disguises, spot creatures who are simply hiding, or notice secret doors hidden by mundane means. In addition, the rune effects cannot be further enhanced with known magic, so one cannot use The Greater Rune of Eyes through a crystal ball or in conjunction with clairaudience/clairvoyance.
Greater Rune of Fire
Evocation (Fire)
Range: 50 feet
Target: Opaque sheet of flame up to 20 ft. long/caster level or a ring of fire with a radius of up to 5 ft./two caster levels; either form 20 ft. high
Duration: Concentration + 1 round/level
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes
An immobile, blazing curtain of shimmering violet fire springs into existence. One side of the wall, selected by you, sends forth waves of heat, dealing 2d4 points of fire damage to creatures within 10 feet and 1d4 points of fire damage to those past 10 feet but within 20 feet. The wall deals this damage when it appears and each round that a creature enters or remains in the area. In addition, the wall deals 2d6 points of fire damage +1 point of fire damage per caster level (maximum +20) to any creature passing through it. The wall deals double damage to undead creatures.
If you evoke the wall so that it appears where creatures are, each creature takes damage as if passing through the wall. Each such creature can avoid the wall by making a successful Reflex save. (If the creature ends up on the hot side of the wall, it takes 2d4 points of damage, as normal.)
If any 5-foot length of wall takes 20 points of cold damage or more in 1 round, that length goes out. (Do not divide cold damage by 4, as normal for objects.)
Greater Rune of Fortitude
Transmutation
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will Negates (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
Any time the subject of this rune is called upon to make a Reflex or Will save, it can make a Fortitude check instead, applying all the usual modifiers and use that result instead.
Greater Rune of Gates
Abjuration
Range: Touch
Target: One portal and the wall around it for up to one10-foot square per level.
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This rune makes a portal and the wall around it impenetrable and immune to damage of all kinds and to most magic. The spells disintegrate and Mordenkainen’s Disjunction, or the touch of a sphere of annihilation or a rod of cancellation will destroy the protection instantly. The Greater Rune of Gates will not stop a teleport spell. It will stop ethereal creatures, but they can usually easily go around the warded area.
Greater Rune of Ice
Evocation (Cold)
Range: 50 feet
Target: One creature of Medium size or smaller
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Reflex (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes
This rune causes a thick sheath of ice to encapsulate the target creature. A Reflex save (DC 15+ Wis bonus) will allow the creature to avoid encapsulation, however, it will only be able to take a partial action on its next round. If encapsulated, the subject freezes in place, standing helpless. It is aware of its surroundings, but need not breathe while held. Furthermore, it suffers 1d6 points of damage +1 per caster level.
Creatures of elemental ice are not affected. Creatures with the Fire subtype are released in half the time, but suffer double damage and are stunned for an additional 1d4 rounds once released. Constructs and Undead creatures suffer no cold damage and may attempt to break out of the ice capsule before the duration runs (DC 20 plus caster level).
Others may attempt to break the trapped creature out of the ice capsule. It has a hardness of 3, 40 hit points and a break DC of 15 plus caster level.
Greater Rune of Law
Transmutation (Law)
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature
Duration: Permanent (see text)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
When moral suasion fails to win a criminal over to right conduct, you can use the Greater Rune of Law to encourage the criminal to walk the straight and narrow path.
You draw an indelible mark on the subject and state some behavior on the part of the subject that will activate the rune. When activated, the rune curses the subject. Typically, you designate some sort of criminal behavior that activates the rune, but you can pick any act you please.
You choose one of the three following effects for the Greater Rune of Law:
- -6 effective decrease to an ability score (minimum 1).
- -4 enhancement penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and skill checks.
- Each turn, the target has a 50% chance to act normally; otherwise, he takes no action.
You may also invent your own curse, but it should be no more powerful than those listed above, and the DM has final say on the curse’s effect.
Since this spell takes 10 minutes to cast and involves writing on the target, you can cast only it on someone who is willing or restrained.
The Greater Rune of Law cannot be dispelled, but it can be removed with a break enchantment, limited wish, miracle, remove curse, or wish spell or a Greater Rune of the Moon. Remove curse, however, works only if the caster is at least as high level as you. These restrictions apply regardless of whether the rune has activated.
Greater Rune of Magic
Abjuration
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 minute / level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
The creature touched gains SR equal to 12 + caster level.
Greater Rune of the Moon
Abjuration
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: No
This rune a creature from enchantments, alterations, curses, and petrification (as well as other magical transformations). You can reverse even an instantaneous effect, such as flesh to stone. For each such effect, you make a check of 1d20 plus your Knowledge (Runes) skill (maximum +20) with a DC of 11 + the effect’s caster level. Success means that the creature is free of the spell, curse, or effect. For cursed magic items, the DC becomes 25.
Some spells have a special property that makes them impervious to dispel magic; Greater Rune of the Moon will work, but only on spells of 5th level or lower. For instance, bestow curse cannot be dispelled by dispel magic, but the Greater Rune of the Moon can get rid of it.
If the effect comes from some permanent magic item, such as a cursed sword, this rune does not remove the curse from the item but merely frees the victim from the item’s effects, leaving the item still cursed. For example, a cursed sword of berserking not only causes the wielder to become berserk but always returns to the wielder’s hand if discarded. The Greater Rune of the Moon allows the victim to be rid of the sword (and the berserking effect), but the sword’s curse remains intact and affects the next person to pick it up again (even if it’s the Greater Rune of the Moon recipient).
Greater Rune of Protection
Abjuration
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature
Duration: 10 minutes / level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
The warded creature is immune to the effects of one specified spell or Rune for every four Runecaster levels you have . The spells must be of 4th level or lower. Runes must be Minor or Major. The warded creature effectively has unbeatable SR regarding the specified spells or runes. Naturally, that immunity doesn’t protect a creature from spells or runes for which SR doesn’t apply. The Major Rune of Protection protects against spells, runes, spell-like effects of magic items, and innate spell-like abilities of creatures. It does not protect against supernatural or extraordinary abilities, such as breath weapons or gaze attacks. Only a particular spell can be protected against, not a certain domain or school of spells or a group of spells that are similar in effect.
A creature can have only one Greater Rune of Protection in effect on it at a time.
Greater Rune of Runes
Transmutation
Range: Touch
Target: The reader and all within 10 feet of the rune
Duration: Until discharged
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes
You may place this Rune upon a book, map, scroll, or similar object bearing written information. The rune detonates when read, dealing 1d6 points of damage per 2 caster levels. Anyone next to the runes (close enough to read them) takes this damage with no saving throw. Others within 10 feet of the runes take half damage if they succeed at Reflex saving throws. The object in which the rune was written also takes the damage (no saving throw).
As the runecaster, you and any characters you specifically instruct can read the protected writing without triggering the rune. Likewise, you can remove the rune whenever desired. Others can remove it with a successful dispel magic, erase spell or Minor Rune of Runes. However, attempting to dispel or erase the runes and failing to do so triggers the explosion.
Greater Rune of the Sun
Transmutation
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
The creature touched gains Fast Healing 3 for a short duration.
Greater Rune of War
Conjuration
Range: 30 feet
Target: All allies within range
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will Negates (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes
When this mighty rune is cast, all allies within 30 feet gain a +2 morale bonus to saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls. Whether a creature is an ally depends on the perceptions of the runecaster.