Runic Weaponry

Just as a blacksmith forges metal, an artificer forges the very runic soul.

— Oren Marius, Master Artificer, College of Arcana

Runic Weapons are weaponry made using the latest runic tech discoveries. Runic weapons are weapons that channel ylem and elemental energy as their source of power rather than physical force alone. They draw upon the wielder's Soul to make their blade or power their attack, making them extensions of the user's magical self as much as they are physical tools. An Artificer who masters runic weaponry becomes a force unlike any other on the battlefield, capable of delivering raw elemental destruction at range, storing spells within weapons for instant deployment, and crafting weapons tailored to specific elemental identities.

Runic weapons are built from components, just like conventional weapons. The choice of components determines what kind of weapon is produced, and enhancements can be added to customize it further. No two runic weapons need be exactly alike.

About Soul Cost

All runic weapons draw from the wielder's Soul to empower them. The Soul cost per runic weapon is determined by the weapon's core. This cost is paid when the weapon is empowered as part of the attack action. A wielder who cannot pay the Soul cost cannot fire the weapon.

With the Elemental Creations ability, all runic weapons you create are increased by your Runic Power. With the Runic Item Empowerment ability, their effects are further increased by your Arcana.

How to Build a Runic Weapon

To build a runic weapon you will need:

• The appropriate Runic Crafting skill for the components being used
• The Runic Crafting Tools found in The Blacksmith's Crafting Tools section, and intro to the Arcane Forge
• 3 components described below
• Any optional enhancements you wish to add

The total build time and cost is the sum of all components used. The crafting check is determined by the highest-tier component in the weapon.

Rune Staff Components

These are components used to create the rune staff.

Staff Components

Staff Enhancements

Crystal Core Elemental Effects

Using the crystal core for runic staffs develops the traditional runic staff as seen in weapon shops. It provides different effects depending upon the wielder's runic element. 

Each ability must be activated by the user and costs the user 1 Soul per hit or block with the staff with the ability activated. 

• Earth: Solidity Ability =  Normal Arcana -2 check increases staff attack value and block value by 1d4, Critical on check doubles increase
• Air: Knock Back Ability = Normal Arcana -2 check to knock the target back 1 space and increases attack value by +1, Critical on check knocks target out 1 round
• Water: Frozen Bash Ability = Normal Arcana -2 check does an extra 1d6 ice damage,  Critical on check freezes the target for 1 round 
• Fire: Burning Bash Ability = Normal Arcana -2 check does an extra 1d6 fire damage, Critical on check causes  1d4 non-stackable burn damage per round
• Life: Electric Bash Ability = Normal Arcana -2 check does an extra 1d6 shock damage, Critical on check stuns the target for 1 round 
• Death: Vampire's Poison Ability = Normal Arcana -2 check inflicts 1d4 non-stacking poison damage, Critical on check returns 1⁄2 of the damage to the user
• Time: Slow Bash Ability = Normal Arcana -2 check reduces the target's move by 1d6 for 1 round, Critical on check reduces target's move to 1 for 1 round
• Space: Fear Strike Ability = Normal Arcana -2 check dazes target for 1d4 rounds, Critical on check causes target to flee battle

Runic Sword Components

These are components used to create Runic Swords.

Hilts

Blade Projectors

Runic Sword Enhancements

Crystal Core Elemental Effects

Using the crystal core for runic swords provides different effects depending upon the wielder's runic element. 

Each ability must be activated by the user and costs the user 1 Soul per hit or block with the sword and make a Critical hit to activate.

Runic Sword Elemental Effects:

• Earth: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 earth damage, critical knocks target prone
• Air: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 air damage, critical knocks target back 1 space
• Water: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 ice damage, critical freezes target 1 round
• Fire: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 fire damage, critical causes 1d4 burn per round
• Life: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 shock damage, critical stuns target 1 round
• Death: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 death damage, critical poisons target 1d4 per round
• Time: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 time damage, critical reduces movement by 1d6
• Space: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 space damage, critical dazes target 1d4 rounds

 

Runic Gauntlet Components

These are components to make Runic Gauntlets.

Gauntlet Frames

Strike Configurations

Runic Gauntlet Enhancements

Crystal Core Elemental Effects

Using the crystal core for runic gauntlets develops the traditional runic runic gauntlet as seen in weapon shops. It provides different effects depending upon the wielder's runic element. 

Each ability must be activated by the user and costs the user 1 Soul per hit or block with the gauntlet and make a Critical hit to activate.

Runic Gauntlet Elemental Effects:

• Earth: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 earth damage, critical knocks target prone
• Air: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 air damage, critical knocks target back 1 space
• Water: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 ice damage, critical freezes target 1 round
• Fire: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 fire damage, critical causes 1d4 burn per round
• Life: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 shock damage, critical stuns target 1 round
• Death: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 death damage, critical poisons target 1d4 per round
• Time: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 time damage, critical reduces movement by 1d6
• Space: Normal Arcana -2, +1d6 space damage, critical dazes target 1d4 rounds

Rune Cores

These are cores used to power rune staffs, runic swords, and runic gauntlets.

Crystal & Precious Stone Cores

Natural elemental materials that draw on their inherent magical resonance. These cores draw Soul directly from the wielder each attack. They do not need recharging but cannot store Soul independently.

The magic bonus die of a precious stone core carries all the elemental properties of that stone's magic, including any special effects against specific targets (e.g. Onyx dealing bonus damage to living targets, Pearl to undead).

Ylem Cores

Processed ylem shaped into a power core. Uninscribed ylem cores fire raw elemental force at the wielder's element. Inscribed ylem cores (rune stones shaped as cores) fire the stored spell's effect instead, using the spell's own Soul cost rather than the listed core cost.

Inscribed Ylem Cores: A ylem core can be inscribed with a spell using the Rune Stone Theory ability, just like a standard rune stone. When inscribed, the weapon discharges the stored spell effect instead of raw elemental force, as long as the spell is an offensive spell. The spell's normal Soul cost applies instead of the core's listed cost. The spell tier that can be inscribed is limited by the ylem purity. Only a mage of the matching element can recharge a depleted inscribed core.

Rune Shards

Rune Shards are small rune stone shards crafted in a way that they will explode on impact, letting lose the store magical energy. The explosion area of effect is a 2 space area (2x2 spaces) around the target. These are best used as arrow heads or thrown projectiles. The Arcane Forge warns that these should not be attached to melee weaponry due to the potential of harm to the wielder.