Runesmith

movement from another class, such as barbarian or monk, the bonuses to speed stack.

Inexhaustible Stamina (Ex): At 9th level and higher, a peregrine runner is a paragon of fitness, able to run and climb ceaselessly. He has immunity to all fatigue and exhaustion effects.

SAMPLE PEREGRINE RUNNER

Kelaamae Swiftstrider Oamothaalomaki the Peregrine Runner: Male goliath barbarian 3/fi ghter 3/peregrine runner 4; CR 11; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 3d12+9 plus 3d10+9 plus 4d8+12; hp 89; Init +2; Spd 40 ft., climb 20 ft.; AC 20, touch 13, fl at-footed 20; Base Atk +9; Grp +18; Atk +15 melee (2d6+8/×3, Large +1 spear) or +12 ranged (2d6+5/×3, Large +1 composite longbow); Full Atk +15/+10 melee (2d6+8/×3, Large +1 spear) or +12/+7 ranged (2d6+5/×3, Large +1 composite longbow); SA rage 1/day, skirmish +1/+1d6; SQ fast movement, goliath traits, great stamina, link with companion, mountain stride, peregrine companion, share spells, slow fall 20 ft., trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; AL CG; SV Fort +14, Ref +9, Will +4; Str 20, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8.

Skills and Feats: Climb +23, Diplomacy +3, Handle Animal +3, Hide +10, Jump +28, Listen +6, Move Silently +10, Sense Motive +2, Spot +5, Survival +3, Tumble +10; DodgeB, Endurance, MobilityB, Point Blank Shot, Run, Spring Attack.

Rage (Ex): Once per day, Kelaamae can enter a state of fi erce rage that lasts for 8 rounds. The following changes are in effect as long as he rages: hp 109; AC 18, touch 11, fl at-footed 18; Grp +20; Atk +17 melee (2d6+11/×3, Large +1 spear); Full Atk +17/ +12 melee (2d6+11/×3, Large +1 spear); SV Fort +16, Will +6; Str 24, Con 20; Climb +25, Jump +30. At the end of his rage, Kelaamae is fatigued for the duration of the encounter.

Skirmish (Ex): Kelaamae gains a +1 competence bonus to Armor Class and deals an extra 1d6 points of damage during any round in which he moves at least 10 feet. Creatures that do not have a discernible anatomy or that are immune to extra damage from critical hits are immune to skirmish attacks.

Goliath Traits (Ex): Kelaamae’s physical stature lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger, including using weapons designed for a creature one size larger. Kelaamae can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps. He can engage in accelerated climbing without taking the –5 penalty on the Climb check. Kelaamae is automatically acclimated to life at high altitudes and does not take the penalties for altitude described on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

Great Stamina (Ex): Kelaamae suffers none of the effects of fatigue—except that when he is exhausted, he becomes fatigued.

Link with Companion (Ex): Kelaamae can handle his animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, with a +4 bonus on wild empathy checks made while dealing with that animal.

Mountain Stride (Ex): Kelaamae can move through scree and dense rubble at his normal speed. He can also move up steep slopes and stairs at his normal speed.

Peregrine Companion (Ex): Kelaamae has a peregrine falcon as an animal companion. This creature is a loyal companion that accompanies the peregrine runner on adventures as appropriate for its kind. Its abilities and characteristics are summarized below. Summitwatcher: Peregrine falcon animal companion; CR —; Tiny magical beast; HD 3d8; hp 13; Init +4;

Spd 10 ft., fl y 60 ft. (average); AC 20, touch 16, fl at-footed 16; Base Atk +0; Grp –10; Atk +7 melee (1d4–2, talons); Full

Atk +7 melee (1d4–2, talons); Space/Reach 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.; SA —; SQ bonus tricks, evasion, low-light vision; SV Fort +3,

Ref +7, Will +3; Str 7, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6. Skills and Feats: Listen +2, Spot +14; Weapon Finesse. Bonus Tricks: Summitwatcher is capable of learning two tricks in addition to any that Kelaamae might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill, page 74 of the

Player’s Handbook). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the creature. Kelaamae selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed. Evasion (Ex): If Summitwatcher is exposed to any effect that normally allows it to attempt a Refl ex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage with a successful saving throw.

Share Spells (Ex): Kelaamae may have any spell he casts on himself also affect his animal companion if the latter is within 5 feet at the time. He may also cast a spell with a target of “You” on his animal companion.

Slow Fall (Ex): A peregrine runner within arm’s reach of a wall can use it to slow his descent while falling. Kelaamae takes damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is.

Trap Sense: Against attacks by traps, Kelaamae gets a +1 bonus on Refl ex saves and a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Kelaamae can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class even when caught fl at-footed. Possessions: +3 studded leather, Large +1 spear, Large +1 composite longbow (+4 Str bonus), 40 Large arrows, gloves of Dexterity +2, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, ring of jumping, ring of protection +1, 2 potions of bull’s strength, 2 potions of cure moderate wounds.

RUNESMITH

While nearly any member of dwarf society can learn a little bit of arcane magic, becoming a runesmith requires a whole different level of dedication. Runesmiths are respected members of dwarf society, always in high demand before any sort of athletic competition, expedition, or battle. A runesmith has learned to harness the power of runes and can fl ing fi reballs and other staple arcane spells even while encased in full plate armor. As his power increases, he can inscribe runes that even nonspellcasters can use. At the height of his powers, he can use himself as the surface for a powerful, permanent rune.

While becoming a runesmith is diffi cult, many wizards and sorcerers fl ock to the class to broaden their understanding of magic—and get the chance to cast spells in armor without an arcane spell failure chance. Most dwarves take a single level in fi ghter to get the necessary armor profi ciencies, but others take the Armor Profi ciency (heavy) feat because they’re unwilling to give up even one level of spellcasting. While the practice is primarily dwarven in origin, gnomes and goliaths both have enough familiarity with runes—and good enough relations with the dwarves—to fi nd teachers for the art. While many runesmiths are accomplished artisans and stonecarvers, NPC runesmiths are often found with battleaxes in hand, not stone chisels. Because they can wear heavy armor—often armor they’ve made themselves—runesmiths make valuable additions to a unit of dwarf warriors, using their offensive spells like artillery to soften up the enemy before the dwarves advance.

Adaptation: The runesmith class offers a benefi t compelling to wizards and sorcerers—the chance to wear heavy armor— but uses the Armor Profi ciency (heavy) requirement as a balancing factor. The fl avor of the class is strongly dwarven, and the ability to wear heavy armor combines well with the special dwarf movement rules. If you create a non dwarven version of this class, make the entry requirements some what tougher and develop a strong story to support these rune-carving arcanists.

Hit Die: d6.

Requirements

To qualify to become a runesmith, a character must fulfi ll all the following criteria. Race: Dwarf.

Skills: Concentration 5 ranks, Craft (stoneworking) 8 ranks.

Feats: Armor Profi ciency (heavy), Scribe Scroll.

Spells: Able to cast 1st-level arcane spells. Class Skills

The runesmith’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher

Script (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), and Spellcraft (Int).

See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifi er.

Class Features All of the following are features of the runesmith prestige class. Weapon and Armor Profi ciency: Runesmiths gain no profi ciency with any weapon or armor. Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each level, a runesmith gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level. He does not, however, gain any other benefi t a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of turning or destroying undead, metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). If he had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a runesmith, he must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known. Rune Magic (Ex): A runesmith learns to prepare his arcane spells as runes inscribed on solid objects (usually small tablets of stone, but other objects are possible). He prepares spells as normal, except that instead of readying the spells in his mind, he readies them in the form of runes. Preparing daily spells takes the same amount of time as normal preparation and requires the same amount of rest beforehand. A runesmith can leave spell slots unprepared to scribe runes at a later time, just as a wizard can leave spell slots unprepared and fi ll them later. A runesmith who casts a spell prepared in rune form can cast it with out any somatic component. However, all spells cast from rune form automatically have a material component (the rune itself). In casting the spell, the rune is erased from the tablet, just as a spell cast normally by a wizard is erased from his mind. A runesmith cannot get around the runic material component by means of an ability or feat such as Eschew Materials, although he can use such Bazrid Harkenth, feats and abilities to waive any otha runesmith er material components for a spell he prepares in rune form, subject to the limitations of the ability. In all other ways, spells prepared in rune form are treated identically to spells prepared in the normal method. A runesmith can still prepare and cast his spells in the regular fashion if he so desires, subject to the normal arcane spell failure chances for any armor worn. Stonecraft Expertise (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, a runesmith gains a bonus equal to his class level on Appraise and Craft checks related to objects made of stone. Share Runes (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a runesmith can prepare a limited number of rune-form arcane spells such that they can be activated (cast) by any character. The spell’s

Illus. by F. Vohwinkel