Rune Fencer

Rune Fencer
The rune fencer imbues their weapons and the weapon of their allies with elemental power and can bend the elements to their will in all aspects of combat.

Role : A rune fencer is a melee support class, their low hit points make them fragile in combat, but by use of their ward abilities they could be very powerful.

Hit Die : d8

Starting Wealth: 4d4 x 10GP

Class Skills
The rune fencer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows: Acrobatics (dex), Climb (str), Disguise (Cha), Craft (int), knowledge (arcana) (int), knowledge (dungeoneering) (int), knowledge (nobility) (int), linguistics (int), perform (cha), profession (wis), spellcraft (int) and use magic device (cha).

Skill Ranks at Each Level : 4 + Int modifier. 

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The rune fencer is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and light and medium armor, but not shields.

Read Rune (Su)
At will a rune fencer can activate divination that acts as detect magic, and ''read magic. ''This is a concentration effect, and while it is active, no other concentration effects can be active.

Ward (Su)
Starting at 2nd level and once again at levels 8, 13, and 18, the rune fencer gains access to one of the following ward abilities. Only one ward can be active at a time but is a constant effect.

Battute:  As long as the battute ward is active, monsters who hit the rune fencer, but only by 1 point per four rune fencer levels (min. 1), enable the rune fencer to take an attack of opportunity. For example if the rune fencer has 10 ac and is level 2 and has this ward, a creature who has an attack result of 11 against the fencer would provoke and attack of opportunity by the fencer, but this does not negate the attack made by the attacking creature.

Farn: As long as the Farn ward is active, the rune fencer gains DR 1/- per rune fencer level. But takes additional damage from all energy types equal to 1/2 of his total DR granted by this ward.

Gastcht: As long as the Gastcht ward is active, the rune fencer gains a circumstance bonus to all saving throws equal to his intelligence modifier.

Mars: The rune fencer must be at least 8th level to take this ward. As long as this ward is active the rune fencer gains affinity for the element of his currently active battle rune. If he has the Ignus battle rune active, for example, fire damage instead heals him instead of harms him. But he becomes vulnerable to the opposing element, taking one and a half times the normal damage from it.

Pflack:  The rune fencer must be at least 8th level to take this ward. As long as the Pflack ward is active, the fencer gains resistance to the element of his battle rune and any neighboring elements equal to his rune fencer level to a maximum of 20 at level 20.

Sharla: As long as the Sharla ward is active, the rune fencer gains the evasion ability. At 10th level this instead grants improved evasion. At 15th level it also grants uncanny dodge.

Valatis:  The rune fencer must be at least 8th level to take this ward. Like Pflack except that elemental resistance is granted to all allies within 15 feet of the rune fencer as well. Though this resistance is only equal to 1 per two rune fencer levels to a maximum of 10 at level 20.

Vallian: The rune fencer must be at least 8th level to take this ward. As long as this ward is active the rune fencer gains immunity for the element of his currently active battle rune. If he has the Ignus battle rune active, for example, he becomes immune to fire damage.

Runes (Su)
Starting at 3rd level and once again every three levels (6, 9, 12, 15,18) once again at levels 9 and 15, the rune fencer may choose a rune ability, they can either be a battle rune or a support rune. Battle runes can be applied to any touched weapon as a swift action and last a number of rounds equal to the rune fencer's class level. Only one battle rune can be active on a weapon at any given time. The rune fencer may apply runes to weapons a 3 times per day plus an additional amount of times per day equal to his Intelligence modifier. At 12th level he may do so a base of 6 times per day, and at 18th he may do so a base of 12 times per day.

If a support rune is taken, it can be used as a standard action against a touched creature rather than a touched weapon. These runes can be activated once per day at 6th level, twice per day at 12th level, and four times per day at 18th level, plus an additional number of times per day equal to the rune fencer's Intelligence modifier.

Battle Runes:

Flabra: The Flabra rune is the rune of wind, it grants the wielder of the imbued weapon a +1 bonus to CMB checks per two rune fencer levels (min. 1). Opposing Element: Tellus; Ward Energy Type: sonic; Opposing Energy Type: acid; Neighboring Elements: Lux (holy) & Gelus (cold).

Gelus: The Gelus rune is the rune of ice, it grants the wielder of the imbued weapon +1d4 cold damage per four rune fencer levels (min 1d4). Opposing Element: Ignis; Ward Energy Type: cold; Opposing Energy Type: fire; Neighboring Elements: Flabra (sonic) & Unda (force).

Hecate: The Hecate rune is the rune of blades, it grants the wielder of the imbued weapon +1 bleed damage per two rune fencer levels (min. 1). Opposing Element: Vorn; Ward Damage Type: slashing;  Opposing Damage Type: bludgeoning; Pflack/Valatis Effect: +4 to saves against Fear, and 1/2 damage from Bleeding.

Ignis: The Ignis rune is the rune of fire, it grants the wielder of the imbued weapon +1d6 fire damage per five rune fencer levels (min. 1d6). Opposing Element: Gellus; Ward Energy Type: fire; Opposing Energy Type: cold; Neighboring Elements: Sulpor (electricity) & Tellus (acid).

Lux: The Lux rune is the rune of holy power, it grant the wielder of the imbued weapon the holy property. After 10th level criticals dealt by a weapon imbued with the lux rune automatically confirm against undead and evil outsiders. Opposing Element: Tenebrae; Ward Energy Type: holy(divine) energy; Opposing Energy Type: negative energy; Neighboring Elements: Tellus (acid) & Unda (force).

Sulpor: The Sulpor rune is the rune of lightning, it grants the wielder of the imbued weapon a +1d12 points of electricity plus 1d12 points of electricity damage per ten rune fencer levels. Opposing Element: Unda; Ward Energy Type: electricity Opposing Energy Type: force; Neighboring Elements: Lux (divine) & Ignis (fire).

Tellus: The Tellus rune is the rune of earth, it grants the wielder +2 acid damage plus 1 per two rune fencer levels (max. 22) Opposing Element: Flabra; Ward Energy Type: acid; Opposing Energy Type: sonic; Neighboring Elements: Ignis (fire) & Tenebrae (negative).

Tenebrae: The Tenebrae rune is the rune of darkness, it grants the wielder of the imbued weapon the Unholy property. After 10th level, criticals dealt by the weapon imbued with the tenebrae rune automatically confirm against humanoids and good outsiders. Opposing Element: Lux; Ward Energy Type: negative; Opposing Energy Type: holy(divine) energy. Neighboring Elements: Sulpor (electricity) & Flabra (sonic).

Vorn: The Vorn rune is the rune of crushing, it grants the wielder of the imbued weapon a chance to stun on each strike. The DC for this stun is equal to 10 + 1/2 of the rune fencer's class level + the rune fencer's intelligence modifier. This stun lasts for 1 round, and if a creature saves against this stun they are immune to the vorn rune's stun effect for 24 hours. Failed saves decrease the DC of the save by 1 for each concurrent stun from the same imbued weapon in a 24 hour period. Opposing Element: Hecate; Ward Damage Type: Bludgeoning; Opposing Damage Type: Slashing; Pflack/Valatis Effect: +4 to saves against stun and dazing effects.

Unda: The Unda rune is the rune of water, it grants the imbued weapon the ability to drench the target incuring a -1 penalty to CMD for each successful hit. This reduction lasts for 1 round per rune fencer level, after 10th level this drench effect causes the imbued weapon to deal double damage against fire creatures and makes affected targets vulnerable to electricity at 20th level. Opposing Element: Sulpor; Ward Energy Type: force; Opposing Energy Type: electricity; Neighboring Elements: Gelus (cold) & Tenebrae (negative energy).

Support Runes:

Rune of Admonishment: The touched creature is purged of one curse, disease or poison effect, and cannot have another effect of the same type (curse, disease or poison) for 1 hour. Armor Rune Effect: Protection as per protection from evil.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Rune of Excellence: The touched creature gains a bonus equal to 1/2 of the rune fencer's class level on critical confirmation rolls for 1 hour. Armor Rune Effect: Ward effects are treated as if the rune fencer's level is increased by an amount equal to his Intelligence modifier.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Rune of Immunity: The touched creature is immune to sicken, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, ability damage, and death effects for 1 hour. Any of these that are already sustained are not removed however, but additional effects listed above cannot affect the creature for the duration. Armor Rune Effect: The rune fencer gains Spell Resistance equal to 8 + his rune fencer level.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Rune of Mercy: For 1 hour, if the touched creature would be reduced to below 1 hit point by any attack or effect they are instead reduced to 1 hit point, however if they are already at 1 hit point they can take additional damage. Armor Rune Effect: 1/2 of all slashing, bludgeoning and piercing damage dealt to the rune fencer is dealt as non-lethal damage instead.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Rune of Solitude: The touched creature is immune to mind-affecting effects except for geas/quest for 1 hour. Any effects already sustained that fall into the Charm or Compulsion category are immediately removed except for ''geas/quest. ''Armor Rune Effect: The DCs of the rune fencer's spells are increased by 1 per four rune fencer levels.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Rune of Wandering: The touched creature gains swim and fly speeds equal to their base land speed for 1 hour. Armor Rune Effect: Effects created by the rune fencer's spells have an increased DC to dispel equal to 10 + the rune fencer's Intelligence modifier.

Bonus Feats
At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level the rune fencer may take a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be either a combat feat, a tech feat, a spellcasting feat or a meta-magic feat.

Spells
Beginning at 4th level, a rune fencer gains the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells, which are drawn from the rune fencer spell list. A rune fencer must choose and prepare his spells in advance. To prepare or cast a spell, a rune fencer must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a rune fencer's spell is 10 + the spell level + the rune fencer's Intelligence modifier. Like other spellcasters, a rune fencer can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Rune Fencer Progression. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells). When Table: Rune Fencer Progression indicates that the rune fencer gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Intelligence score for that spell level. A rune fencer must spend 1 hour per day in quiet meditation to regain his daily allotment of spells. A rune fencer may prepare and cast any spell on the rune fencer spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation. Through 3rd level, a rune fencer has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level is equal to his rune fencer level – 3.

War Caster (Ex)
Starting at 5th level, the rune fencer ignores arcane spellcasting failure from light and medium armor.

Weapon Rune (Ex)
At 7th level and beyond, when attuning a weapon the rune fencer can permanently add a battle rune that they know to the weapon as well as the attunement. This rune cannot be changed without re-attuning the weapon. Weapons granted a rune by attunement cannot have a second rune imbued via the battle rune ability.

Rune Strike (Ex)
At 10th level, when a rune-imbued weapon strikes a critical hit against a creature, the rune fencer may apply the effects of a spell they know that shares the element of the rune they are currently imbuing their weapon with. Even if the spell is not prepared. The DC for the spell is the same as if the spell had been cast normally.

Armor Rune (Su)
At 14th level and beyond, when attuning armor or clothing, the rune fencer may apply the armor rune effects of a support rune they know to the armor in addition to the attunement. This rune cannot be changed without re-attuning the armor.

Instant Rune (Ex)
At 19th level, activation of the rune fencer's support runes become swift actions and activation of battle runes become free actions.

Grand Rune
At 20th level the rune fencer can master one of the following rune abilities.

Divine Rune:  The rune fencer adds all paladin and anti-paladin spells to their list of known spells, and gains an additional spell per day for each spell level.

Dual Rune: The rune fencer can apply two runes to a weapon they are wielding. If it has been attuned with a rune, it can have an additional rune placed on it by the battle rune ability, but it cannot be attuned to two runes at once via the weapon rune ability.

Neutral Rune: The negative effects of the Mars and Farn runes are not applied, Mars grants immunity to neighboring elements and the Pflack and Valatis runes grant resistance equal to 1/2 of the rune fencer's class level to all normally unaffected elements.

Rune of Efficiacy: All spells cast by the rune fencer are treated as if they were intensified by the intensify spell meta-magic feat but their level does not increase.

Rune of Warfare: Granting a battle rune to an ally's weapon grants them an attack bonus of +5. And attacks missing by 5 or less glance the opponent dealing 1/2 normal damage.

Spellsipper Rune: On a critical hit, allies who are affected by a rune fencer's battle rune, including himself, include a spellcrash effect like the 6th level sorcerer/wizard spell. A will save with a DC of 10 + 1/2 of the rune fencer's class level + the rune fencer's Intelligence modifier can be made to negate this effect.