Interjection Games |
Rune magic is something that's more or less been around since the advent of tabletop roleplaying, but, somehow, it very rarely gets a rules system that does it justice. It's just one of those things.
For example!
Runesmith: "Here's a rune!"
Spellcaster: "What's it do?"
Runesmith: "It casts cure light wounds!"
Spellcaster: "You, sir, are boring and derivative."
Interjection Games is proud to present Ultimate Runesmithing, a new take on rune magic that gives it a distinct identity while also grounding it in recognizable arcane traditions. Runesmiths built using Ultimate Runesmithing prepare runes from two different categories, projection and equipment. Each individual rune has multiple variants. Some variants are simply more powerful versions of the same rune, while others are entirely different abilities entirely, thus making the "weaker" runes more useful in the right situation.
Projection runes throw their influence upon a surface and are universally conical or radial area effects. These generally behave like spells, but few have a direct analog in extant first-party spell lists. Their closest analog is the Codex of Far-Flung Spheres from my truenamer, but the list of abilities is significantly larger.
Equipment runes are just that, runes that transform non-magical items into temporary magic items. This type of rune is what gives the runesmith his unique identity. While others may be masters at locking magic down permanently, the runesmith is the undisputed king of temporary magical... stuff. One day, the party has a bunch of donkey kicking boots. The next, loss of equipment has him using giant palm leaves as de facto capes to grant the party access to food, cooking supplies, backpacks, mundane weaponry, and maybe even low-level scrolls if he has the right archetype. All temporary, of course.
Is it arcane? Yes. Is it based on classic rune tropes? You betcha. Is it boring and derivative? You tell me after you've played with the sigil of the stubborn ass and the insignia of the persuasive lunatic for awhile.