Alternative Spellcasting: Rune Casting [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alternative Spellcasting: Rune Casting [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Elkas Saralonde
12-23-05, 05:01 PM I was thinking of building a sort of alternative spellcasting system, based on crafting runes. For those who know it, it would resemble the kind of magic the online game RuneScape uses, although adapted to Dungeons & Dragons and to be balanced in comparison to the normal type of spellcasting. I'm planning on making it a magic system on its own, although any class with full spellcasting abilities (eg. cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard), and I'll give you a list of pro's and cons so far. Also, a couple of flavor thoughts.

Advantages:
- As long as you keep on crafting runes, you have a limitless supply of runes, and therefore a limitless supply of spells to cast
- All spells can be used as normal, or there are simply a multitude of runes (to which the players can make their own additions) to create unique effects (unsure of which, although I'm for the second option)
- Spells can be augmented (optional, tell me what you think about this)

Disadvantages:
- Crafting the runes costs time and money (a small amount, but it still costs money) and a Craft check appropriate for the runes
- Using the runes requires a Use Magic Device, Spellcraft, or caster level check (unsure of which, I need some thoughts on this too)
- You need to have the (proper) runes with you at all times to be able to cast spells
- The runes are items, so they can be (easily) destroyed, they have a weight (I'm thinking about the same weight as coinage, so 50 runes take up 1 pound)
- Every spell requires a material component, so characters always need at least one free hand to manipulate the components
- If you put them all into one sack, you'd need a Search check to find the proper runes

Flavor:
- A character can choose the design and material of his or her runes (although the runes cost the same regardless of these two factors)
- The runes have extremely minor flavor abilities (like a light rune giving off shadowy illumination in one square)
- The runes are written in languages representing the character's way of magic (like a druid with Druidic ideograms on his runes, or a good cleric with Celestial ideograms on his runes)
- I think it'd strike a commoner as odd if he sees an unknown person strolling through his village with tiny pouches of runes all around his waist, each containing only a few 'stones'

So please, tell me what you guys think of this magic system? Should I do it? And if so, could you add your thoughts to it? Thanks for reading through this whole text. If people like it, I'll begin making tiny bits of pieces, beginning with the start of the manufacturing: the Craft (runes) skill. Of course, others are free to post their stuff too.
Iabes_Q_c_a_Mahorella
12-23-05, 07:13 PM thay have that - it's called scrolls. technicly... scrolls can be scribed on any material that will accept idiograms - weather they be ink or inscribed.

Although... what you're describing is pretty neat.
Elkas Saralonde
12-24-05, 05:36 AM Hmmm, you could compare it to scrolls if you take it that way, but runes cost no experience points to create. Now that I think of it, perhaps you do have to imbue your runes before you can actually use them, perhaps on the same day. Something like one full-round action for a single rune, up to a 100 runes in a single hour. I'd need some thoughts on this too. Also, I'll try to make the Craft (runes) skill a little bit more obvious, by actually displaying it. Opinions are appreciated.

Once I get some more ideas, I'll continue, describing the various types of runes that can be used. Yes, I've made my mind on whether one creates runes to imitate spells or make effects by combining runes. For those who thought this'd be similar to scrolls, this is where the difference will become very apparent. As a little example, you could have the armor rune, which grants an armor bonus to Armor Class appropriate for your caster level. If you combine it with, for example, a fire rune, the rune casted armor deals a small amount of fire damage against adjacent opponents, but the character loses his armor bonus against attacks with the [cold] descriptor. This is just an example, and heavily subject to changes, tho'.

Without further ado, here's the Craft (runes) skill.

Craft (Runes) (Intelligence)

You can use the Craft (runes) skill to make runes, small stones used to store magical energies by magical spellcasters. 10 runes which have not been imbued are worth 1 gold piece. The standard rune weighs about the third of an ounce (fifty to the pound). Making 10 runes requires a DC 10 Craft check.

Creating Masterwork Runes: You can make masterwork runes - runes which convey a bonus through their exceptional craftsmanship. To create masterwork runes, you create the masterwork component as if it were a separate item in addition to the standard runes. The masterwork component has its own price (10 gold pieces) and a Craft DC of 20. Masterwork runes require a DC of 1 less than normal to be handled.

Repairing Runes: You cannot repair runes.

Action: Does not apply. Craft checks are made by the day or week. See the Craft skill for more details.

Try Again: Yes, but each time you miss by 5 or more, you ruin half the raw materials and have to pay half the original raw material cost again.

Special: To make runes with the Craft (runes) skill, a character need not be a spellcaster. To imbue and cast spells from runes, a character must be a spellcaster capable of handling runes.
Elkas Saralonde
12-24-05, 11:43 AM I've made the description for rune spellcasting, as you can see below. I've made it so that any character with a spell level progression of up to 4th, 6th, or 9th spell level can choose to be able to cast rune spells instead of arcane or divine spells. This description has had a lot of care, although if it is still lacking, if anything in this ickle thread is lacking, just tell me, so I can improve.

The next stop will probably be rune categories and rune descriptions, so players can start pumping out their own runes, if they wish. I'm glad to see that the whole project is advancing so rapidly, and I definitely hope that others will join the fun, creating their own runes, and hopefully this system will go official. Once its finished, I'll put everything of importance up in the first post, so you won't have to scroll through several pages of text before they will have found what they want to know.

Rune Spells: Any character with the ability to cast arcane or divine spells can choose to be able to cast rune spells instead. Every rune spell has a material component (the runes used to cast the spell). A rune spellcaster can choose to use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as his spellcasting ability score.

To handle runes, a character must make a caster level check against the Difficulty Class of the base rune + the Difficulty Class of the enhancement runes (if any). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a rune spell is 10 + the effective spell level + the character’s spellcasting ability modifier.

A character can handle runes with a spell level equal to the character’s caster level -1 divided by 2 (rounded down). (If a character can normally cast spells of up to 6th or 4th level, divide by 3 or 4, respectively.) An imbued rune is considered a magic item with a caster level equal to the character’s caster level and a spell level as noted in the rune’s entry.

Unlike other spellcasters, a rune spellcaster can cast any number of spells per day, provided he has enough runes to cast his spells.

The rune spellcaster’s selection of rune spells is limited only by the amount of runes he knows to handle. To learn how to handle a certain rune, a rune spellcaster must make a Spellcraft check against the rune’s Difficulty Class. If he fails, he cannot attempt to learn how to handle that type of rune until he gains at least one rank in Spellcraft. A rune spellcaster may only know how to handle an amount of runes equal to his ranks in Spellcraft.

Note: Masterwork runes have a Difficulty Class of 1 less than normal to be handled. See the Craft (runes) skill for more details.

A rune spellcaster need not prepare his spells in advance. However, a rune spellcaster must spend a full-round action to imbue a rune. An imbued rune must be used within 24 hours or crumble to dust, becoming worthless. Only the rune spellcaster who has imbued a certain rune can use that rune to cast spells.
Elkas Saralonde
12-25-05, 09:23 AM What we have here, are the descriptions of the 'essences' and the notational entry template of the rune. These are used to create the runes that will be used to cast spells with. Perhaps I will create a runecaster base class to further deepen the rune concept.

Rune Essences

Runes are divided into base runes and shape runes. Both base runes and shape runes are then divided into several essences. Essences are runes that work in similar ways. You may add your own essences.

Base Runes: A base rune is a rune needed to create the base of a rune spell. In other words, you cannot cast a rune spell without a base rune.

Shape Runes: A shape rune can enhance the base of a rune spell. Adding a shape rune to a rune spell makes it harder to cast.

Right now, I have no essences to create runes with. Everyone is free to create essences, and once we have at least a general list of essences. These essences will be used to create a small list of runes for the actual rune spellcasters. I hope everyone likes to add their stuff.

Rune Descriptions

Each rune gets an overall description of its effect, followed by a specific description of the rune’s category, aura, caster level, and Difficulty Class.

Essence: This entry describes the essence of this kind of runes. This information will be given at the beginning of the notational entry.

Aura: The next item in a notational entry describes the school of magic associated with this kind of rune, if any. The strength of the aura depends on the caster level of the creator. See the detect magic spell for more details.

Spell Level: A character must be able to handle runes of the given spell level to handle a rune of this kind.

Difficulty Class: A character must make a caster level check against the given Difficulty Class to handle a rune of this kind.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Elkas Saralonde 12-23-05, 05:01 PM	I was thinking of building a sort of alternative spellcasting system, based on crafting runes. For those who know it, it would resemble the kind of magic the online game RuneScape uses, although adapted to Dungeons & Dragons and to be balanced in comparison to the normal type of spellcasting. I'm planning on making it a magic system on its own, although any class with full spellcasting abilities (eg. cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard), and I'll give you a list of pro's and cons so far. Also, a couple of flavor thoughts. Advantages: - As long as you keep on crafting runes, you have a limitless supply of runes, and therefore a limitless supply of spells to cast - All spells can be used as normal, or there are simply a multitude of runes (to which the players can make their own additions) to create unique effects (unsure of which, although I'm for the second option) - Spells can be augmented (optional, tell me what you think about this) Disadvantages: - Crafting the runes costs time and money (a small amount, but it still costs money) and a Craft check appropriate for the runes - Using the runes requires a Use Magic Device, Spellcraft, or caster level check (unsure of which, I need some thoughts on this too) - You need to have the (proper) runes with you at all times to be able to cast spells - The runes are items, so they can be (easily) destroyed, they have a weight (I'm thinking about the same weight as coinage, so 50 runes take up 1 pound) - Every spell requires a material component, so characters always need at least one free hand to manipulate the components - If you put them all into one sack, you'd need a Search check to find the proper runes Flavor: - A character can choose the design and material of his or her runes (although the runes cost the same regardless of these two factors) - The runes have extremely minor flavor abilities (like a light rune giving off shadowy illumination in one square) - The runes are written in languages representing the character's way of magic (like a druid with Druidic ideograms on his runes, or a good cleric with Celestial ideograms on his runes) - I think it'd strike a commoner as odd if he sees an unknown person strolling through his village with tiny pouches of runes all around his waist, each containing only a few 'stones' So please, tell me what you guys think of this magic system? Should I do it? And if so, could you add your thoughts to it? Thanks for reading through this whole text. If people like it, I'll begin making tiny bits of pieces, beginning with the start of the manufacturing: the Craft (runes) skill. Of course, others are free to post their stuff too.
Iabes_Q_c_a_Mahorella 12-23-05, 07:13 PM	thay have that - it's called scrolls. technicly... scrolls can be scribed on any material that will accept idiograms - weather they be ink or inscribed. Although... what you're describing is pretty neat.
Elkas Saralonde 12-24-05, 05:36 AM	Hmmm, you could compare it to scrolls if you take it that way, but runes cost no experience points to create. Now that I think of it, perhaps you do have to imbue your runes before you can actually use them, perhaps on the same day. Something like one full-round action for a single rune, up to a 100 runes in a single hour. I'd need some thoughts on this too. Also, I'll try to make the Craft (runes) skill a little bit more obvious, by actually displaying it. Opinions are appreciated. Once I get some more ideas, I'll continue, describing the various types of runes that can be used. Yes, I've made my mind on whether one creates runes to imitate spells or make effects by combining runes. For those who thought this'd be similar to scrolls, this is where the difference will become very apparent. As a little example, you could have the armor rune, which grants an armor bonus to Armor Class appropriate for your caster level. If you combine it with, for example, a fire rune, the rune casted armor deals a small amount of fire damage against adjacent opponents, but the character loses his armor bonus against attacks with the [cold] descriptor. This is just an example, and heavily subject to changes, tho'. Without further ado, here's the Craft (runes) skill. Craft (Runes) (Intelligence) You can use the Craft (runes) skill to make runes, small stones used to store magical energies by magical spellcasters. 10 runes which have not been imbued are worth 1 gold piece. The standard rune weighs about the third of an ounce (fifty to the pound). Making 10 runes requires a DC 10 Craft check. Creating Masterwork Runes: You can make masterwork runes - runes which convey a bonus through their exceptional craftsmanship. To create masterwork runes, you create the masterwork component as if it were a separate item in addition to the standard runes. The masterwork component has its own price (10 gold pieces) and a Craft DC of 20. Masterwork runes require a DC of 1 less than normal to be handled. Repairing Runes: You cannot repair runes. Action: Does not apply. Craft checks are made by the day or week. See the Craft skill for more details. Try Again: Yes, but each time you miss by 5 or more, you ruin half the raw materials and have to pay half the original raw material cost again. Special: To make runes with the Craft (runes) skill, a character need not be a spellcaster. To imbue and cast spells from runes, a character must be a spellcaster capable of handling runes.
Elkas Saralonde 12-24-05, 11:43 AM	I've made the description for rune spellcasting, as you can see below. I've made it so that any character with a spell level progression of up to 4th, 6th, or 9th spell level can choose to be able to cast rune spells instead of arcane or divine spells. This description has had a lot of care, although if it is still lacking, if anything in this ickle thread is lacking, just tell me, so I can improve. The next stop will probably be rune categories and rune descriptions, so players can start pumping out their own runes, if they wish. I'm glad to see that the whole project is advancing so rapidly, and I definitely hope that others will join the fun, creating their own runes, and hopefully this system will go official. Once its finished, I'll put everything of importance up in the first post, so you won't have to scroll through several pages of text before they will have found what they want to know. Rune Spells: Any character with the ability to cast arcane or divine spells can choose to be able to cast rune spells instead. Every rune spell has a material component (the runes used to cast the spell). A rune spellcaster can choose to use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as his spellcasting ability score. To handle runes, a character must make a caster level check against the Difficulty Class of the base rune + the Difficulty Class of the enhancement runes (if any). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a rune spell is 10 + the effective spell level + the character’s spellcasting ability modifier. A character can handle runes with a spell level equal to the character’s caster level -1 divided by 2 (rounded down). (If a character can normally cast spells of up to 6th or 4th level, divide by 3 or 4, respectively.) An imbued rune is considered a magic item with a caster level equal to the character’s caster level and a spell level as noted in the rune’s entry. Unlike other spellcasters, a rune spellcaster can cast any number of spells per day, provided he has enough runes to cast his spells. The rune spellcaster’s selection of rune spells is limited only by the amount of runes he knows to handle. To learn how to handle a certain rune, a rune spellcaster must make a Spellcraft check against the rune’s Difficulty Class. If he fails, he cannot attempt to learn how to handle that type of rune until he gains at least one rank in Spellcraft. A rune spellcaster may only know how to handle an amount of runes equal to his ranks in Spellcraft. Note: Masterwork runes have a Difficulty Class of 1 less than normal to be handled. See the Craft (runes) skill for more details. A rune spellcaster need not prepare his spells in advance. However, a rune spellcaster must spend a full-round action to imbue a rune. An imbued rune must be used within 24 hours or crumble to dust, becoming worthless. Only the rune spellcaster who has imbued a certain rune can use that rune to cast spells.
Elkas Saralonde 12-25-05, 09:23 AM	What we have here, are the descriptions of the 'essences' and the notational entry template of the rune. These are used to create the runes that will be used to cast spells with. Perhaps I will create a runecaster base class to further deepen the rune concept. Rune Essences Runes are divided into base runes and shape runes. Both base runes and shape runes are then divided into several essences. Essences are runes that work in similar ways. You may add your own essences. Base Runes: A base rune is a rune needed to create the base of a rune spell. In other words, you cannot cast a rune spell without a base rune. Shape Runes: A shape rune can enhance the base of a rune spell. Adding a shape rune to a rune spell makes it harder to cast. Right now, I have no essences to create runes with. Everyone is free to create essences, and once we have at least a general list of essences. These essences will be used to create a small list of runes for the actual rune spellcasters. I hope everyone likes to add their stuff. Rune Descriptions Each rune gets an overall description of its effect, followed by a specific description of the rune’s category, aura, caster level, and Difficulty Class. Essence: This entry describes the essence of this kind of runes. This information will be given at the beginning of the notational entry. Aura: The next item in a notational entry describes the school of magic associated with this kind of rune, if any. The strength of the aura depends on the caster level of the creator. See the detect magic spell for more details. Spell Level: A character must be able to handle runes of the given spell level to handle a rune of this kind. Difficulty Class: A character must make a caster level check against the given Difficulty Class to handle a rune of this kind.