The art of inscribing runes on one’s self has been lost in the ages. These swordsmen embrace this art. Through training their constitution, they are able to inscribe runes on themselves to give them an elemental edge in battle. This allows strikes to hit with various elements and allows them to shrug off outside attacks from the elements.
The rune fencer is an archetype of the fencer class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The rune fencer mainly focuses on DEX for martial combat and DEX, CON, and CHA for his class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Limit Break (Hummingstrike), 2nd – Evasion, Deflect Arrows, Lunge Technique. 4th – Lunge Technique. 6th – Lunge Technique. 8th – Lunge Technique. 10th – Lunge Technique. 12th – Lunge Technique. 14th – Lunge Technique. 16th – Lunge Technique. 18th – Lunge Technique. 20th – Lunge Technique.
Limit Breaks (Su)
At 1st level, the rune fencer receives the Limit Break (Elemental Sforzo).
Elemental Sforzo (Su): This Limit Break allows the rune fencer to become immune to one type of elemental damage of their choice for a duration of 1 round plus 1 round for every four fencer levels after 1st. This limit break requires only a swift action.
This ability replaces the Limit Break (Hummingstrike).
Stamina Pool (Ex)
At 2nd level, the rune fencer gains a reservoir of stamina that he can draw upon to fuel his talents that he gains below. This stamina pool has a number of points equal to half his fencer level + his Constitution modifier (minimum 1). The pool refreshes once per day when the rune fencer rests for a full 8 hours. Sustained modes take up a static amount of stamina points from the rune fencer’s current and maximum stamina pool and most sustained modes stack.
Some talents are activated as a sustained mode. When activated, these talents both consume stamina and reduce the user’s maximum stamina by the listed amount. While active, they provide their listed bonuses until the user deactivates them as a free action, falls unconscious, or dies, at which point the reduction to the user’s maximum stamina is removed. Multiple sustained mode talents may be used at the same time as long as the user has enough stamina, though some talents may specify others that they cannot be used with.
By spending 1 stamina point as a swift action, the rune fencer can do one of the following:
- Increase his speed by 10 feet for 1 round, or
- Delay and suppress his fatigue or exhaustion for 1 round, or
- Increase one saving throw by +1 for 1 round.
This ability replaces deflect arrows.
Martial Training (Ex)
At 2nd level, a rune fencer counts his total rune fencer levels as fighter levels for the purpose of qualifying for feats. If he has levels in warrior, these levels stack.
This ability replaces evasion.
Talent Trees (Su)
The rune fencer gets access to the rune fencer specialization talent tree from below. At 2nd level and every two levels thereafter, the rune fencer chooses to learn one talent from the talent tree below or a lunge technique. The rune fencer may pick up Extra Lunge Technique feats to select these talents. Weapon Requirement: Any manufactured light one-handed (or finesseable) melee weapons.
Rune Fencer Specialization Talent Tree
- Rune Enchantment: As a swift action, this talent can be activated as a sustained mode. The rune fencer activates an inscribed rune on their arm enchanting his attacks with a single element of choice (earth, fire, ice, lightning, water, or wind). All melee attacks made by the rune fencer deal an additional 1d6 of damage corresponding to the element chosen. This talent uses up 2 stamina points of the rune fencer’s current and maximum stamina pool.
- Double Rune: The rune fencer can now select two elements when using his rune enchantment talent, causing his attacks to deal 1d6 additional damage for each element chosen when the talent is activated. He may also choose to double up the same element. Prerequisite: Rune Enchantment
- Triple Rune: The rune fencer can now select three elements when using his rune enchantment talent. He may split up or combine the elements as he wishes. (Such as 2 Fire and 1 Water, or 1 Fire, 1 Water, and 1 Lightning). Prerequisites: Rune Enchantment, Double Rune
- Rune Burst: The rune fencer’s rune enchantment bursts on critical hits, causing his attacks to deal an additional 1d10 points of elemental damage of each rune. Prerequisite: Rune Enchantment
- Swipe: At the cost of 2 stamina points, as a standard action, while the rune fencer has rune enchantment talent activated, he can end the sustained mode to blast his rune’s power upon his next blow. He makes a single melee attack and, if successful, he doubles the damage of all his rune enchantment damage. Enemies adjacent to the target also take half damage unless they make a successful Reflex save (DC 10 + half of the fencer’s level + his Charisma modifier) for half damage. The rune fencer cannot use this talent unless the rune fencer has the rune enchantment talent activated and the talent ends after swipe is used. Prerequisite: Rune Enchantment
- Lunge: At the cost of 2 stamina points, as a standard action, while the rune fencer has rune enchantment talent activated, he can end the sustained mode to blast his rune’s power upon a single concentrated strike. He lunges forward sending the blast outward making a melee attack against all in a 30-ft.-line, if successful; they take normal damage as well as all rune enchantment damage. The rune fencer cannot use this talent unless the rune fencer has the rune enchantment talent activated and the talent ends after lunge is used. Prerequisites: Rune Enchantment, Swipe
- Rayke: At the cost of 3 stamina points, as a standard action, while the rune fencer has rune enchantment talent activated, he can end the sustained mode to weaken his foe’s elemental resistance. He makes a single melee attack at his highest base attack bonus and, if successful, he deals normal damage as well as all rune enchantment damage and the enemy becomes weakened to other elemental attacks. The target takes 50% more elemental damage for each separate active rune from any attacks made against it for 1 round. Having more than 1 rune active of the same element does not increase the extra damage taken. The rune fencer cannot use this talent unless the rune fencer has the rune enchantment talent activated and the talent ends after rayke is used. Prerequisites: Rune Enchantment, Swipe, Lunge
- Vallation: As a swift action, the talent can be activated as a sustained mode. While his offhand is empty, the rune fencer can form a barrier as the right moment and absorb elemental attacks at him. He chooses a single element (earth, fire, ice, lightning, water, or wind) when activating this talent; he then gains Elemental Resistance 5 against that element plus an additional 5 resistance for every four fencer levels after 1st. This talent uses up 2 stamina points of the rune fencer’s current and maximum stamina pool.
- Valiance: Vallation now grants the rune fencer’s chosen resistance to all allies within 15 feet of the rune fencer. Prerequisite: Vallation
- Liement: At the cost of 2 stamina points, as a move action, the rune fencer can choose to absorb the chosen element for 1 round when under Vallation. This effect also extends to allies within 15 feet of him. Prerequisites: Vallation, Valiance
These abilities may replace lunge techniques.
