Spell Runes: Bear with me, I was tired when I came up with them

[Collin152]

Okay, like the title says, Iwas tired when I came up with them, and they need help with the pricing guides.

Feat: Inscribe Runes
Prerequisites Caster Level 5
You can craft spell runes. A spell rune is an inscription, clearly visible, on a solid object. The Inscription is a permanent etching, and is lost if the surface it is on is destroyed. Generally speaking, a Rune requires at least 3 feet square of flat surface for placement.You may create Spell runes by spending 1000gold x the level of the spell (half a level for 0th level spells) x the caster level to be used + 1/25 of the gold cost as XP.

Spell Rune
A spell rune is a special inscription of magical power that allows a caster to maintain effects long term. A rune is a specialized way of casting a spell while using the Create Rune feat. When a rune is placed, it has a maximum capacity of units of magical energy (referred to as counters) equal to twice the creator’s caster level. It starts with none. Every day, a rune gathers one counter from the ambient magic. When you activate a rune by touching it (a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity), the spell created with it activates. If the spell affects the caster, the object the rune is inscribed on is considered the caster and the target. When the spell does not affect the caster, the rune is considered the caster, and either the object it is inscribed on or the one activating the rune is the target.If it targets the actvatorm the duration last only as long as you maintain contact. Deactivating a rune is a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. When a rune is activated, it consumes a number of counters equal to it’s level (consider a 0th level spell as half a level), plus the same number every round on your turn. If the spell has a duration, it lasts as long as the rune has sufficient counters. The rune continues to accrue counters every turn. If the spell is instantaneous, then it costs twice its spell level in counters, and lasts one round. If there is insufficient counter’s to maintain the spell, all remaining are consumed and the rune deactivates. If the spell requires action on the part of the caster to control (As in Telekinesis, Teleport, or Fly), then you must use the rune as though you were activating it and control it from there. Maintaining control is a free action (though you may take actions as part of the spell), but you must remain in contact with the rune. A Spell Rune may be identified by a Decipher Script check (DC 10+ Half Caster level+Spell Level)

Bit of a text wall, but I was tired when I wrote it. It could be a bit overpowered, I suppose, so perhaps more restricted?

[Jack_Simth]

Technical:
It gains one counter per day, but continues "to accrue counters every round" - huh?
You probably want to include something on spells with expensive components - e.g., Stoneskin
You probably want to include a limit on the number of counters.
Putting durations on Instantaneous spells doesn't make much sense in most cases - I'd suggest having the spell work as normal and then the rune stop, for normal charge costs.

Balance:
For the most part, a fairly underpowered feat. 1,000 gp * caster level * spell level + some XP for ... a spell effect that's hard to move, can be used once per day (usually less!), requires continuous contact with the rune, and basically cuts spell durations down to a round/level regardless. In most cases, you'll be better off with Scribe Scroll.

If it, say, regenerated a single charge per day, ran exactly like the spell (e.g., you tap it and fly off for five minutes if you put a caster level 5 Fly in there), had a maximum of five charges stored at any given time, and was limited to spells with a range of Touch or greater, it could make a fairly worthwhile feat without dominating too much.

It might cause a shortage on Tower Shields, though.

[Collin152]

Technical:
It gains one counter per day, but continues "to accrue counters every round" - huh?
You probably want to include something on spells with expensive components - e.g., Stoneskin
You probably want to include a limit on the number of counters.
Putting durations on Instantaneous spells doesn't make much sense in most cases - I'd suggest having the spell work as normal and then the rune stop, for normal charge costs.

Balance:
For the most part, a fairly underpowered feat. 1,000 gp * caster level * spell level + some XP for ... a spell effect that's hard to move, can be used once per day (usually less!), requires continuous contact with the rune, and basically cuts spell durations down to a round/level regardless. In most cases, you'll be better off with Scribe Scroll.

If it, say, regenerated a single charge per day, ran exactly like the spell (e.g., you tap it and fly off for five minutes if you put a caster level 5 Fly in there), had a maximum of five charges stored at any given time, and was limited to spells with a range of Touch or greater, it could make a fairly worthwhile feat without dominating too much.

It might cause a shortage on Tower Shields, though.

First is a typo. It gains them daily, even while active, though Imay change that.
I'lltake not of the second, hm...
The limit is twice the casterlevel used for the Rune.
it might not be clear, but Instantaneous spells remain so, and cost twice as much to activate.
You don't need contact, If it affect's its surface. For example, a Rune of Levitate could be affixed to something, you direct it, leave it up, and go away. The object stays up until either someone manages to touch it, or it runs out of counters.
Though your end Idea was intriguing, it does not quite convey what I tried to explain here. It made so much sense last night... you know how these things work. But still, Imagine If say, you made a Rune of Teleport that target's it's user. You touch it, it takes you wherever would be in range. Course, it's one way and not quite unlimited use, but it remains indefinatley.

[Jack_Simth]

First is a typo. It gains them daily, even while active, though Imay change that.
I'lltake not of the second, hm...
The limit is twice the casterlevel used for the Rune.

Okay, so - using your example below - a caster level 10 rune of Teleport can hold 20 tokens; got it.

it might not be clear, but Instantaneous spells remain so, and cost twice as much to activate.
Ah, so the fifth level spell, Teleport, costs 10 tokens. Gotcha.


You don't need contact, If it affect's its surface. For example, a Rune of Levitate could be affixed to something, you direct it, leave it up, and go away. The object stays up until either someone manages to touch it, or it runs out of counters.
Though your end Idea was intriguing, it does not quite convey what I tried to explain here. It made so much sense last night... you know how these things work. But still, Imagine If say, you made a Rune of Teleport that target's it's user. You touch it, it takes you wherever would be in range. Course, it's one way and not quite unlimited use, but it remains indefinatley.
So you make a caster level 10 rune of Teleport (caster level 10 just to make the math simpler).
It costs spell level * caster level * 1,000 gp and spell level * caster level * 1,000 / 25 xp to make: 50,000 gp materials, 2,000 xp. It can hold up to 20 tokens (twice the caster level) and costs 10 tokens to activate. It regenerates one token per day. It can't be used more than twice in a row, and needs to sit for ten days after that to be used again at all.

Boots of Teleportation (core Wondrous item, caster level 9) have a market price of 49,000 gp. That's 25,500 gp and 1,960 xp to craft. For the cost to *craft* a rune, you can *purchase* a set of Boots. And they function three times per day. And they come with you to bring you back. Magic Item Creation Guidelines (broken as they are) suggest that a 3/day approprietly slotted item of Teleport at caster level 10 would cost: 5 * 10 * 1,800 * (3/5) = 54,000 market value (27,000 gp, 2,160 xp to craft). 1/day, that's 5 * 10 * 1,800 * (1/5) = 18,000 gp market value (9,000 gp, 720 xp to Craft). Your Rune is simultaneously less useful (can't take it with you easily, can't use it as often) and more expensive than a core item that does the exact same thing.

The feat is too weak.

[Collin152]

Okay, so - using your example below - a caster level 10 rune of Teleport can hold 20 tokens; got it.

Ah, so the fifth level spell, Teleport, costs 10 tokens. Gotcha.

So you make a caster level 10 rune of Teleport (caster level 10 just to make the math simpler).
It costs spell level * caster level * 1,000 gp and spell level * caster level * 1,000 / 25 xp to make: 50,000 gp materials, 2,000 xp. It can hold up to 20 tokens (twice the caster level) and costs 10 tokens to activate. It regenerates one token per day. It can't be used more than twice in a row, and needs to sit for ten days after that to be used again at all.

Boots of Teleportation (core Wondrous item, caster level 9) have a market price of 49,000 gp. That's 25,500 gp and 1,960 xp to craft. For the cost to *craft* a rune, you can *purchase* a set of Boots. And they function three times per day. And they come with you to bring you back. Magic Item Creation Guidelines (broken as they are) suggest that a 3/day approprietly slotted item of Teleport at caster level 10 would cost: 5 * 10 * 1,800 * (3/5) = 54,000 market value (27,000 gp, 2,160 xp to craft). 1/day, that's 5 * 10 * 1,800 * (1/5) = 18,000 gp market value (9,000 gp, 720 xp to Craft). Your Rune is simultaneously less useful (can't take it with you easily, can't use it as often) and more expensive than a core item that does the exact same thing.

The feat is too weak.

Alright, granted. Help me improve it, then.

[Jack_Simth]

Well, basically, you need to up how often it's used and reduce the price so that the annoyance aspect of not being able to move the thing balances out a reduced cost.

Your basic Command-Word spell costs:
(Spell Level * Caster Level * 1800 gp + 50 * material component cost + 5 * 50 * xp cost) * uses/day modifier * annoyance factor.

Well, if you switch things around to a fixed 1 casting per day, and give it a slight annoyance factor for being on large objects...

Scribe Rune:
You can make potent runes of power on large surfaces cheaply.

On a solid, nonmagical object with a flat surface where you can fit a seven-foot diameter circle, you can inscribe any non-personal spell into a rune of power. This rune functions once per day. It has a market price of 300 gp * spell level * caster level, plus eight times any material component cost required for the spell, plus 5 * 8 * any xp component to the spell, and a crafting price of 150 gp * spell level * caster level + 8 * any expensive material component cost, and an XP cost of 12 * spell level * caster level + 8 * any xp component to the spell. The Rune itself is considered the caster, the person who activates the rune is considered the target. The one who Crafts the rune selects any spell options at the time of crafting (thus, a Rune of Teleport will always *try* to send you to the same location, a Rune of Protection from Energy will always give you the same element, a Rune of Summon Monster III will always summon the same type of monster, the exact wording of a Wish, and so forth). Once the Rune is Scribed, the object qualifies as a magical item. If put on a building, cliff face, or other very large object, only the portion of the object within ten feet of the Rune qualifies as part of a magical item.


Editor's notes:
I morphed the 1/day factor (1/5) and the "annoyance factor") into a merged 1/6 factor from a Command-Word item, and rounded things down a bit. It's more expensive than a potion, but less expensive than a Wand. With a little work, you *can* carry it with you.... but you can't put it in a Portable Hole, it'll be obvious, and so on.