Runes

Through meticulous study, you have carved the knowledge of secret runes into your mind and body. You can apply special runesmith runes onto objects and creatures, which grant the bearer magical effects. You must know a rune to use it, and you learn runes via the runic repertoire class feature.

Applying Runes

All runes can be applied in one of two ways: a rune can be etched on or merely traced. An etched rune is carved, inked, or branded in; this application doesn't damage the creature or item. Etching or tracing runes requires an artisan's toolkit. Your magic can sustain up to two etched runes at a time, and this maximum increases as you go up in level. You can etch any number of runes up to your maximum during your daily preparations or by spending 10 minutes in exploration mode. Your etched runes remain indefinitely until they are expended or removed or until you etch more runes than your maximum, which causes your oldest rune to fade.

A traced rune is drawn lightly in dust, light, or a similar fleeting medium. You can trace a rune with the Trace Rune action.

Invoking Runes

Magic on your lips, you can pronounce the true name of a rune you have applied, calling it to power using invocation actions. You gain the Invoke Rune action.

Runic Magic

Runes are magical effects. Some runes have a specific tradition trait; for instance, the elemental ranshu, rune of thunder is a primal rune. If a rune has the magical trait, you can choose to replace the magical trait with a specific tradition trait, provided you're trained in the skill matching that tradition. For instance, you could create an arcane pluuna, rune of illumination if you were trained in Arcana.

Though runes aren't spells, some things that affect spells also affect runes. Abilities that restrict you from casting spells (such as being polymorphed into a battle form) or protect against spells (such as a spell that protects against other spells or a creature's bonus to saves against spells) also apply to tracing or invoking runes, though you can continue to benefit from the effects of a rune that's already applied.

Any runes that require a saving throw use your runesmith class DC. Rune you etch or trace have the same level as you, even if this would increase the rune's initial level. For instance, if you're 5th level, your runes would be 5th level (and their counteract rank would be 3rd rank), even if you gained the rune at 1st level. Similar to spells, many runes get more powerful as you increase in level. In these cases, the rune ends with one or more Level entries. This either lists the levels the rune gets an upgrade or has an entry with a plus sign that describes a benefit that increases on a regular basis. For instance, a 1st-level rune with a "Level (+4)" entry would get stronger at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels.