Glyphs, Runes, Wards and Squiggly Lines of All Sorts: 3.5 core class and magic system

[katarl]

This has been a project close to my heart for some time, but i've never been happy with the results. After much work, and by using some very old material, i've developed a system of magic very much based on preparation and trap-laying, with a core class still in the works. Give your honest feedback, and hopefully we will be able to refine this system, as it may be somewhat clunky at the moment.

The names and effects of most of the trigger glyphs are taken from two issues of dragon, while the enhancement glyphs are entirely invented.


Trigger Glyph

Trigger glyphs activate once and then disappear. Glyphs can be any size from an inch square upwards, but must be scribed onto a flat surface. Trigger glyphs are activated when destroyed or touched by a creature, though the scribe may choose whether or not he activates his own glyph when touching it. Scribing a glyph takes 2 full round actions, 1 to scribe the character into the material, and 1 to empower the glyph. A glyph user can scribe as many glyphs as he has the material for, but empowerment takes its essence from the scriber.

A glyph user can only empower (thus activating) a number of glyphs equal to twice his level plus his intelligence bonus per day, keeping up to his level plus half his intelligence bonus active at any one time. A creature can only be affected by one instance of a trigger glyph at any one moment, if triggers overlap, only one takes effect. Thus, a creature that runs into a stone containing three akme triggers and a bora trigger, only one (the scribe chooses) will affect it.

There is no limit to the number of glyphs a scribe can learn, however, once learned the glyph cannot be forgotten, it is almost as an instinct for the scribe. It takes a week to learn a new glyph, and requires a teacher or other method of learning about it. Glyphcraft is a very carefully guarded secret, scribes are even more paranoid about their glyphs being stolen than wizards are about their spells. Examining a glyph once scribed is not enough to learn it, the power underpinning must also be examined, which can only be done with considerable research and effort.

DCs are intelligence based. DCs are calculated at 10+1/2 caster (scribe) level+ intelligence modifier.

Akme
Deals 1d6 fire/2 caster levels with a reflex save for half in a 5ft radius blast. Half of this is considered sacred damage

Azedul
Paralyses one target for 1 round, fort negates.

Beel
Deals 1d6 electric/ 2 caster levels reflex save for half in a 10ft radius blast

Bora
Deals 2 untyped damage/caster level to one target and causes a special kind of amnesia for 1 min/level, where the target cannot use any spells or skills req. lvl 6

Cand
A special ward versus evil outsiders, preventing passage through a connected line, lasts 10mins/lvl and allows a will save to ignore the ward. This is a mind affecting effect.

Cino
Deals d6 strength drain, fort negates, lasts 10mins/caster level

Dage
Deals 1d6 fire/2 caster levels with a reflex save for half in a 5ft radius blast. Half of this is considered profane damage.

Dam
Deals 1d6 fire/2 caster levels with a reflex save for half in a 5ft radius blast. This glyph only affects evil creatures.

Ejo
Deals1d6 damage/2 caster levels with a reflex save for half in a 5ft radius blast. This glyph only affects non neutral creatures.

Ez
This glyph drains 1 charge/level from all charged magical items. Permanent magical items become non-functional for 1 round/level. Allows a will save to negate the effects req. lvl 6

Fola
Forces target to fall prone, drop all held items and makes him staggered for 1 round/level. Allows a will save to negate the effects.

Ginmore
Deals 1d6 electrical/2 caster levels with a reflex save for half in a 5ft radius blast. This glyph only affects chaotic creatures.

Glyl
Causes confusion to one target for 1 round/2 caster levels. Allows a will save to negate effects.

Han
Causes blindness to all with a 10ft radius blast for 1 round/2 caster levels. Allows a fortitude save to negate the effects.

Inda
As heat metal spell

Ik
Causes baleful polymorph on one target for 1 round/level. Allows a fortitude save to negate the effects req. lvl 12

Jend
Deals 1d6 fire/ 2 caster levels with a reflex save for half in a 5ft radius blast. This glyph only affects good creatures.

Kuan
Withers targets limb, either causing his speed to halve, and causes a -4 penalty to all reflex and balance checks or not use arm. Allows a fortitude save to negate the effects.

Lenden
As the reduce monster spell. Allows a fortitude save to negate the effects.

Luamat
As the chill metal spell.

Mot
All ink on the target’s person disappears for 1 hour/level, including scrolls

Myb
Deals d6 dex drain, fort negates, for 10mins/cl.

Nolon
Causes insanity in target for 1 round/level and allows a will save to negate
the effects.

Ors
Inflicts a negative level/4 caster levels for 1 round/level allows a will to negate the effects.

Ozha
Deals 1d6 acid/2 caster level with a reflex save for half in a 5ft radius. This glyph affects armour, ignoring hardness.

Pel
Strikes target deaf and blind for 1 round/level with a fortitude save to negate the effects.

Pogen
Target thrown upwards 10ft/2cl, dealing d6/2 level if they hit the ceiling. Both effects allow a reflex save for half req. lvl 6

Qin
Deals 1d6 fire/2 caster levels with a reflex save for half in a 10ft radius blast.

Quolat
Poisons target, dealing d4 pri/sec to any ability score. Allows a fortitude save to negate the effects as normal poison.

Rimesh
Deals d6/3 caster levels untyped damage with a reflex save for half in a 5ft radius burst, to evil creatures only. This glyph deals d6/cl to undead.

Sovin
Diseases target as contagion with a fortitude save to negate the effects.

Syat
Target falls asleep, allows a will save to negate the effects.

Tarrat
Deals d6 int drain to target. Allows a fortitude save to negate the effects and lasts 10mins/lvl.

Unkin
Opens the targets wounds, forcing them to bleed 2rounds/lvl, dealing 2damage/round. Allows a fortitude save for half. Wounds up to 6 hours old count, even if subsequently healed.

Uvas
As web spell

Vana
As cand, except if the fiend’s hit dice is lower than cl, they automatically fail the saving throw, with no spell resistance check req. lvl 12

Vyg
Deals 1d6 electrical/2 caster levels with a reflex save for half in a 5ft radius blast. This glyph only harms lawful creatures.

Weirkan
Petrifies target for 1 round/2 lvls with a fortitude save to negate the effects.

Wod
Stuns those within 20ft radius blast for 3 rounds. Allows a fortitude save to only daze opponents for 1 round. This is a sound based ability.

Xaj
Deals 1d6 cold/2 lvls with a fortitude save for half in a 10ft radius blast.

Xorsan
All nonmagical jewelry on person teleports 100ft to a designated spot. Allows a will save to negate the effects.

Yagsha
As dimension door spell. Allows a will save to negate the effects req. lvl 6

Ylmis
As spell touch of idiocy except it lasts 10mins/lvl.

Zannit
As cleric ability death touch req. lvl 6

Zic
Deals d6 electric/2 lvl and dazes opponent for 1 round/3lvls. Allows a fortitude save for half and no stun. Affects a 5ft radius blast.

Enhancement Glyph

Enhancement glyphs are different from trigger glyphs in that they are continuously active and last until the surface they are scribed on is destroyed, or their duration expires. Scribing an enhancement glyph requires more time and effort than a trigger, as the components are far more exacting, and the empowerment far more costly. It takes 5 rounds to scribe an enhancement glyph and a further 5 to empower it, and cost twice as much to empower and make permanent. A creature can only benefit from one enhancement glyph scribed directly onto his skin at a time. Enhancement glyphs with the ‘personal’ descriptor can only be inscribed directly onto the skin of a creature.

Njya
1+1/4 level to ac enhancement bonus 1hr/lvl

Knya
flaming quality 10mins req. lvl 4

Ghna
frost quality 10mins req. lvl 4

Gya
thundering quality 10mins req. lvl 4

Chya
shock quality 10mins req. lvl 4

Jnya
caustic quality 10mins req. lvl 4

Agata
holy quality 10mins req. lvl 8

Bhimma
unholy quality 10mins req. lvl 8

Chara
axiomatic quality 10mins req. lvl 8

Janma
anarchic quality 10mins req. lvl 8

Janaka
As spell animate object except it lasts 1min/lvl req. lvl 8

Gha
Grants DR 1+1/5 level lasts 10mins/lvl (personal) req. lvl 4

Pau
Grants 1+1/4 level resistance bonus to saving throws lasts 1hr/lvl (personal)

Cattur
Grants resistance 5/4 caster levels to two forms of energy (personal)

Sunya
Regenerates 1 hp per minute, lasts 10 mins/lvl (personal) req. lvl 4

Saptan
Makes object invisible, lasts 1 minute/level

Dasan
Doubles objects hp and hardness and increases break dc by 10

Nksa
Locks a door or portal, as per the spell arcane lock

Jjha
Obscures an object against scrying. Can obscure a creature at caster level 10.

[katarl]

Saved for class and feats.


Glyph Master
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|

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+x

|Class Ability

2nd|

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+x

|Class Ability

3rd|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

4th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

5th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

6th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

7th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

8th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

9th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

10th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

11th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

12th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

13th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

14th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

15th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

16th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

17th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

18th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

19th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability

20th|

+x

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+x

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+x

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+x

|Class Ability[/table]

[Mindflayer]

bump for a good thread

[Zeta Kai]

I'll reserve judgment & analysis until I see more of this, but so far, I'm very intrigued by what I see. I love alternative magic systems, & I love conlangs even more, so this right up my alley. I'll be keeping any eye on this one.

[katarl]

This is a project very close to my heart, and will hopefully be appearing in a new thread soon. It won't be based on this material though.

[Zeta Kai]

This is a project very close to my heart, and will hopefully be appearing in a new thread soon. It won't be based on this material though.

Well, darn. I was hoping to see more of this. Will the new version be similar, or will the only commonality be the basic concept?

[arguskos]

I actually wanted to stop in and mention that the Trigger Glyphs appear in Dragon Compendium, and are a realllly cool damn system. I applaud that someone is going to be making the glyphs there into something more fleshed out.

[Zeta Kai]

I actually wanted to stop in and mention that the Trigger Glyphs appear in Dragon Compendium, and are a realllly cool damn system. I applaud that someone is going to be making the glyphs there into something more fleshed out.

I must rush home & find my copy of Dracomp post haste, for I am quite intrigued.

[katarl]

The problem i found is that the runes don't level too well. I'll probably use the same names to describe the different glyphs, but use a 'spell level' type way of improving the glyphs, as well as caster level.

I've got some ideas at the moment, but nothing complete or set in stone.

[Zeta Kai]

The problem i found is that the runes don't level too well. I'll probably use the same names to describe the different glyphs, but use a 'spell level' type way of improving the glyphs, as well as caster level.

I've got some ideas at the moment, but nothing complete or set in stone.

Hop to it! You've raised my interest & are honor bound to deliver! Onward, 'brewing soldiers!

[arguskos]

I must rush home & find my copy of Dracomp post haste, for I am quite intrigued.

It's in the back, in the "Classics" chapter.

Really though, katarl, this is a great project. I really approve and hope to see your work sooner than later.

[Antariuk]

This looks quite intriguing. Funny that I am working right now wth AEG's d20 supplement Magic to introduce more magic variety in my homebrew, but this is something I've never seen before. I am looking forward to updates from you, katarl ;)

[Zeta Kai]

This concept is getting more traffic as a dead end than it did as a work-in-progress.

[arguskos]

This concept is getting more traffic as a dead end than it did as a work-in-progress.

I never even noticed it as a WIP, but see, when you post Zeta, I pay attention, so I guess that helped?

[Dragon Elite]

This is awesome, and you deserve an internet.

I think that getting a selection to choose from each level would be better.