CIDE
2013-03-21, 10:16 PM
From the D20 Modern/Future supplement (WoTC material that can be used with 3.X, DM pending of course) Cyberscape we have a section about Bone Runes.
Bone Runes
Bone runes are a different kind of magic
cybernetic device. The energy of a magic
item is transferred from the magic item
to the bone rune, which is graven on the
recipient’s bone. The recipient uses the
magic ability by activating the bone runes,
which can hold nearly any power, magic,
or psionic ability that an FX item contains.
Once the power, magic, or psionic ability is
transferred to the bone rune, the FX item it
came from is destroyed.
Benefits and
Drawbacks
A character can have only one set of
bone runes at an implant location and that
location cannot have other cybernetic devices
as well (the bone runes won’t work if mixed
with technology or other magic in the
same implant location). Generally,
items with a limited number of
charges (such as a staff of fire) are
placed in bone runes on an arm, while permanent
items (such as a ring of jumping or leather jacket of
damage reduction) are embedded in bone runes found
on the head, torso, or legs. In addition to taking up an
implant slot, a bone rune counts as a magic item in a
related location, chosen at the time the runes are scribed.
For example, a leather jacket of damage reduction can be
placed in a torso implant slot and counts as wearing a magic
shirt or vest.
A bone rune item that was a command word or FX
completion item becomes a special kind of command
word item. The recipient must take an attack action to
activate the power of the bone rune, but does not provoke
attacks of opportunity nor actually use a spoken command.
Because the power of the bone rune is directly linked to the
recipient, nonspellcasters can gain the use of FX completion
items in this way.
A use-activated item becomes a use-activated bone
rune. However, all effects apply only to the recipient, not
his equipment. For example, a +1 enhancement from a
magic sword can be stored in a bone rune in the recipient’s
arm. Unarmed attacks made with the arm gain the +1
enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls, but
weapons held in the hand do not.
A character with bone runes who fails a save against
massive damage must make a roll on Table 1–2: Side Effects
(page 8). Bone runes are considered FX items and are
vulnerable to the effects of a dispel magic spell or similar
ability.
A bone rune is graven into the bones of the recipient to
act as a receptacle for magic. Once the rune is complete, it
is empowered with magical or psionic energy taken from a
magic item. While it’s generally beyond the power of modern
spellcasters to make such items from scratch, with bone runes
they can transfer such power to a new (living) location.
A bone rune can have any purchase DC desired; however,
the purchase DC of any magic item used to empower a rune
cannot exceed the bone rune’s purchase DC.
Etching a bone rune in a given location takes the same
amount of time as implanting a cybernetic device, although
the surgeon needs 10 ranks of Knowledge (arcane lore) and
Treat Injury as well as the Surgery feat. Empowering a bone
rune requires the Empower Bone Rune feat, described below.
Empower Bone Rune
You can transfer magic or psionic energy from an item into
a bone rune.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcane lore) 10 ranks,
Knowledge (life sciences) 5 ranks.
Benefit: You can transfer the energy of any magic item
into a bone rune with the same or higher purchase DC. You
must make a Knowledge (arcane lore) check to perform
a ritual that takes 24 hours; the check DC is equal to the
purchase DC of the magic item providing the power. On
a successful check, the bone rune gains the power of the
magic item, turning the magic item to dust. On a failed
check, nothing happens.
A bone rune can contain the power of only one magic
item at a time. Imbuing a new item’s power in a bone rune
causes any previously imbued power to be lost. The bone
rune itself remains as long as its recipient survives. Even if
the power imbued in it is lost (for example, if all the charges
of a charged power are used), a bone rune can be imbued
with the power from another magic item.
Since the rune has no value on its own and it becomes a part of the body would it be possible for a VoP character to use it?
Bone Runes
Bone runes are a different kind of magic
cybernetic device. The energy of a magic
item is transferred from the magic item
to the bone rune, which is graven on the
recipient’s bone. The recipient uses the
magic ability by activating the bone runes,
which can hold nearly any power, magic,
or psionic ability that an FX item contains.
Once the power, magic, or psionic ability is
transferred to the bone rune, the FX item it
came from is destroyed.
Benefits and
Drawbacks
A character can have only one set of
bone runes at an implant location and that
location cannot have other cybernetic devices
as well (the bone runes won’t work if mixed
with technology or other magic in the
same implant location). Generally,
items with a limited number of
charges (such as a staff of fire) are
placed in bone runes on an arm, while permanent
items (such as a ring of jumping or leather jacket of
damage reduction) are embedded in bone runes found
on the head, torso, or legs. In addition to taking up an
implant slot, a bone rune counts as a magic item in a
related location, chosen at the time the runes are scribed.
For example, a leather jacket of damage reduction can be
placed in a torso implant slot and counts as wearing a magic
shirt or vest.
A bone rune item that was a command word or FX
completion item becomes a special kind of command
word item. The recipient must take an attack action to
activate the power of the bone rune, but does not provoke
attacks of opportunity nor actually use a spoken command.
Because the power of the bone rune is directly linked to the
recipient, nonspellcasters can gain the use of FX completion
items in this way.
A use-activated item becomes a use-activated bone
rune. However, all effects apply only to the recipient, not
his equipment. For example, a +1 enhancement from a
magic sword can be stored in a bone rune in the recipient’s
arm. Unarmed attacks made with the arm gain the +1
enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls, but
weapons held in the hand do not.
A character with bone runes who fails a save against
massive damage must make a roll on Table 1–2: Side Effects
(page 8). Bone runes are considered FX items and are
vulnerable to the effects of a dispel magic spell or similar
ability.
A bone rune is graven into the bones of the recipient to
act as a receptacle for magic. Once the rune is complete, it
is empowered with magical or psionic energy taken from a
magic item. While it’s generally beyond the power of modern
spellcasters to make such items from scratch, with bone runes
they can transfer such power to a new (living) location.
A bone rune can have any purchase DC desired; however,
the purchase DC of any magic item used to empower a rune
cannot exceed the bone rune’s purchase DC.
Etching a bone rune in a given location takes the same
amount of time as implanting a cybernetic device, although
the surgeon needs 10 ranks of Knowledge (arcane lore) and
Treat Injury as well as the Surgery feat. Empowering a bone
rune requires the Empower Bone Rune feat, described below.
Empower Bone Rune
You can transfer magic or psionic energy from an item into
a bone rune.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcane lore) 10 ranks,
Knowledge (life sciences) 5 ranks.
Benefit: You can transfer the energy of any magic item
into a bone rune with the same or higher purchase DC. You
must make a Knowledge (arcane lore) check to perform
a ritual that takes 24 hours; the check DC is equal to the
purchase DC of the magic item providing the power. On
a successful check, the bone rune gains the power of the
magic item, turning the magic item to dust. On a failed
check, nothing happens.
A bone rune can contain the power of only one magic
item at a time. Imbuing a new item’s power in a bone rune
causes any previously imbued power to be lost. The bone
rune itself remains as long as its recipient survives. Even if
the power imbued in it is lost (for example, if all the charges
of a charged power are used), a bone rune can be imbued
with the power from another magic item.
Since the rune has no value on its own and it becomes a part of the body would it be possible for a VoP character to use it?