Author Topic: Why no love for the Runecaster?  (Read 21799 times)

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Arturick

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Re: Why no love for the Runecaster?
« Reply #40 on: October 28, 2011, 06:26:41 PM »
I rolled up a Gold Dwarf Cleric/Runecaster for an online game that sadly fell apart.  I was going for Divine Power/Righteous Might with a x/day Rune of Cause Serious Wounds inscribed on the face of a warhammer.

When I read about the PAO ring on the end of a crossbow, the first thing that popped into my mind was "Pirahna Gun!  Oooooh yeah!"

SorO_Lost

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Re: Why no love for the Runecaster?
« Reply #41 on: October 28, 2011, 07:05:30 PM »
I don't think "toon" was used in UO. At least, not when I was playing on Baja in '98-'99.
Never heard it in UO either, I heard it in CoH too, especially in the US servers where it was the "standard" way to call a character (EU server not so much). I heard someone using in Ragnarok Online too but it was the exception.
I believe I heard it first on Everquest.
WoW for me. As I mentioned before, I just blamed the artwork for it.

Speaking of fan names. I got hung up on "Harry" in DDO. I was expecting a "hairy" monster or something. Instead I got this

Arraetrikos
The voice over pronounces his name like "Air-rah-tree-kos". So I refer to him as Arra, and guess what? People try to correct me. >.>
Tiers explained in 8 sentences. With examples!
[spoiler]Tiers break down into who has spellcasting more than anything else due to spells being better than anything else in the game.
6: Skill based. Commoner, Expert, Samurai.
5: Mundane warrior. Barbarian, Fighter, Monk.
4: Partial casters. Adapt, Hexblade, Paladin, Ranger, Spelltheif.
3: Focused casters. Bard, Beguiler, Dread Necromancer, Martial Adapts, Warmage.
2: Full casters. Favored Soul, Psion, Sorcerer, Wu Jen.
1: Elitists. Artificer, Cleric, Druid, Wizard.
0: Gods. StP Erudite, Illthid Savant, Pun-Pun, Rocks fall & you die.
[/spoiler]

Bard

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Re: Why no love for the Runecaster?
« Reply #42 on: October 28, 2011, 09:42:18 PM »
The latter is technically true. An Ur-Priest's minimum CL is equal to the spell level. Whether a given DM will let you get away with that is of course another thing entirely... but I've been in two separate games where they actually did. If they'll let you play an ur-priest in the first place, in my experience odds are pretty good at getting away with it...
Well, I've always been sorta struggling between my hate of houserules and homebrew and the complete lack of any freely usable and tradable "consumable" items that can make a mundane class do useful stuff (both in and out of combat) without affecting WBL and XP too much. Artificier partly solves the issue and I like it for that but it's not quite enough (also I don't like some of the concept and the mechanics of the artificier even if I appreciate the original idea and its power). The Urunesmith another step in that direction I suppose... And while I wish there was something better, I'd allow it in my games for sure (maybe with the ur-priest adaptation using some forgotten/invented dwarven god of runecrafting)
[Spoiler]
His old DM was on crack. He could take levels in freaking Dread Necromancer if he wanted to and no rule in the universe would keep him from doing so.
Rule 0?
Which, I guess, would be 'no rule,' since none = 0.
What's funny is he always brings up Rule 0. I actually had to ask him what that was, and without blinking an eye he gave me the most detailed explanation I'd ever heard for a rule. It was like he was in a trance when he spoke. Looking it up, it just said "The unspoken DM gets final say/veto anything he wants rule."
You're such a kind man, for taking in abused unfortunates and rehabilitating them.
[/spoiler]

Widow

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Re: Why no love for the Runecaster?
« Reply #43 on: October 29, 2011, 12:38:38 PM »
Like PhaedrusXY said, if the Ur-Priest is allowed you can probably get away with lower caster crafting levels on items.  And why not, if the DM bars you from making lower caster level items then he should wave the caster level requirements on craft staff and such.  The Ur-priest is certainly a hard road to take in Faruen though, you will end up in the living wall or serving in that city for sure.  Following the dead deity technique probably wont get you out of it, but it might allow 5x/Ur-priest 2/Runecaster 8/Heirophant 5

The same can be said for the Sublime chord.  It is quite possible to build a bard 1/Wizard 9/Sublime chord and pick bard as you arcane class to add to your caster level.  That means you can make level 4 and 5 spells with a caster level of 2.  And if you allow stuff like southern magician to produce arcane spells, you could go divine bard 10 dropping those sublime chord caster levels to 1.  Knowing this any sublime chord should be able to cast level 4 and 5 spells with a caster level of 1 or 2.

The only problem you run into is acid test rules.  You can make items that give bonuses cheaper than the DMG guideline prices such as the continous use True Strike example.  Continous level 2 +4 ability score spells would cost 2x2x2000=8,000gp, half the price of a standard +4 item and slotless to boot.  Of course you can argue that the rune is also much more vulnerable than a standard item.  So you might want to stear clear of any standard type bonuses that are too cheap if your DM will care.

So is there much of a reason to take levels 9 and 10 in the class?  Level 9's +1 against dispeling is not bad, but level 10 +1 caster level does not seem like a must have.  Only seems really useful if you are going with epic progression on the class, and probably not then either.  I am partial to Savage Bard 4/1x/Ur-Priest 2/Runecaster 8/ heirophant 5 if you can get over heirophant and ur-priests wording working together.  I would think two levels of spell power would work better if you really want those bonuses.  Practiced spell caster could also help that along with a bead of karma to boost your caster level when you make runes.  They just so happen to both last 10 minutes.  Magic Artisian is a given.

I wonder if you got a spellblade for erase and all the dispel spells, would it work on your equipment?  Targeting your equipment probably does not count as targeting you, but it would be funny if the spellblade weapon enchantment made all your runes safe baring disjunction.

I also wonder how runemaster would work with Craft rune circle.  You can make a small rune circle that has the same effects as any magic item at 1/8 the cost.  One hell of a cheap trap.

Costs:
1) Ur-priest caster level can half cost if you are not worried about spell level.
2) Persistent Rune does not have the standard spell duration multiplier the DMG states for custom items (rounds/level 4x cost)
3) Rune circle costs magic item's price times 1/4.
4) Small 5 foot square cuts costs 1/2

So you figure 1/8th the price for a 5 foot squre trap, not including the price mode if it is persistent and with a short duration.  Then you factor in 1/2 cost to craft and possibly master artisian, you end up with a really cheap trap.