I'm currently GM for a party that has just finished chapter 3 and are currently making their way back to Sandpoint.
A couple months ago, one of my players picked up Mythic Adventures book, so his obvious question was "Is there any way I can use mythic rules for my character?". My straight up answer was no at the time. The party already runs with a 20pt buy, and I have upped the loot found just a smidgen. They would just tear the AP up, and I really don't want to invest the time to adjust CRs or make mythic additions for an entire AP.
Well, it just so happens that while I was prepping for chapter 4 and 5, I was reading through several messageboards and more than a few GMs expressed that the runforged weapons were "so what" and not that crucial to their BBEG fight at the end of the AP. I wanted to make there be more of a pay off for going through runeforge other than XP.
I came up with the following.
A runforged weapon carried grants the following:
- The runeforged weapon can draw upon a wellspring of power to accomplish amazing deeds and cheat fate. Each day, the weapon can be drawn upon to expend up to 3 rune power.
- Hard to kill - Whenever you're below 0 hit points, you automatically stabilize without needing to attempt a Constitution check. If you have an ability that allows you to act while below 0 hit points, you still lose hit points for taking actions, as specified by that ability. Bleed damage still causes you to lose hit points when below 0 hit points. In addition, you don't die until your total number of negative hit points is equal to or greater than double your Constitution score.
- Surge - You can call upon your rune power to overcome difficult challenges. You can expend one use of mythic power to increase any d20 roll you just made by rolling 1dX (X determined by rune enhancement) and adding it to the result. Using this ability is an immediate action taken after the result of the original roll is revealed.
- A thassiloninan rune is etched, inscribed, or permanently depicted in some way on the weapon that grants a rune enhancement chosen from the options below. When the weapon is forged an ability listed for that rune must be chosen to be granted the listed increase. This choice may not be altered by any means.
- When forged, the weapon becomes attuned to the creator and does not provide any bonus or powers to any other character who tries to wield the weapon. Only one runeforged weapon may be attuned to any one character. Should the character drop, lose, or otherwise be separated from from the runeforged weapon, all powers and bonuses are lost and the character suffers a -4 penalty to attacks, skill checks, caster level checks, and saves until the item has been returned and held for one full round or 24 hours (whichever comes sooner).
Arcana
- +2 to INT or CON
- As a swift action, you can expend one use of rune power to cast any one arcane spell without expending a prepared spell or spell slot. If you prepare spells, this spell must be one you prepared today
(even if you have already cast it); if you're a spontaneous caster, this spell must be one of your spells known. You can't add a metamagic feat to a spell you cast using this ability.
Arms
- +2 to STR or DEX
- As a swift action, you can expend one use of rune power to make a melee attack at your highest attack bonus. This is in addition to any other attacks you make this round. When making a sudden
attack, you roll twice and take the better result.
Shield
- +2 to CON or INT
- As an immediate action, you can expend one use of rune power to hinder a melee attack
made against you or an adjacent ally. Add 2 to your AC or the ally's AC against this attack. Once the attack is resolved, you or your ally (your choice) can make one melee attack against the creature.
Divinity
- +2 to WIS or CHA
- As a standard action, you can expend one use of rune power to cast any one divine spell without expending a prepared spell or spell slot. If you prepare spells, this spell must be one you prepared today; if you're a spontaneous caster, this spell must be one of your spells known. You can't apply metamagic feats to this spell. If the spell heals damage or requires you to attempt a caster level check to cure an affliction or remove a condition, roll twice and take the higher result.
Leader
- +2 to CHA or WIS
- As a swift action, you can expend one use of rune power to rally your allies. This gives you and each of your allies within 30 feet the option to reroll any one d20 roll after the roll is made. The character must decide whether to make a reroll before the result of the original roll is revealed. The granted reroll must be used before the beginning of your next turn, and the creature must take the result of the reroll, even if it is lower.
Guile
- +2 to DEX or STR
- As a swift action, you can expend one use of rune power to make a melee attack or ranged attack against a target within 30 feet, in addition to any other attacks you make this round. When you make this attack, it is resolved against the targets touch AC.
Experience
- +3 to any ability score
- You can expend one use of rune power to take 10 or take 20 on any class skill, even if threatened or in a hazardous situation. Taking 10 while threatened is a swift action, and taking 20 while threatened is a move action. You can use this ability with skill checks that don't normally allow you to take 10 or take 20.
With this, I intend to mythic up chapter 6 appropriately as well as the previously mentioned BBEG. That way, I can cater to my players, use some creativity, and minimize the time investment. Hopefully, it won't blow up in my face.
I would be interested to know if anyone has any thoughts that could polish this enough to make it game ready for the end of chapter 5.