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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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PFS StandardLiving Rune

The most famous living runes are those of the ancient Runelords of Thassilon, resurging as Thassilon rebuilds in the modern era. Other living runes can be found, however, each with its own particular abilities. Living runes can also be crafted to deal different types of energy damage with their Strikes.

Divine: Divine living runes are crafted by various churches and sects and typically bear the symbol of a deity, archdevil, or other divine force. Divine living runes replace Arcana with Religion and have the following innate spells.
Divine Innate Spells DC 35, attack +27; 7th divine decree (×2); 6th blade barrier, glyph of warding (at will), repulsion, spirit blast; 5th divine wrath (×2), flame strike

Occult: These runes are crafted by unknown hands and often left in out-of-the-way places. Occult living runes replace Arcana with Occultism and have the following innate spells.
Occult Innate Spells DC 35, attack +27; 7th visions of danger (×2); 6th feeblemind, glyph of warding (at will), phantasmal calamity, vibrant pattern; 5th crushing despair (×2), synesthesia (×2); Cantrips (7th) detect magic; Constant (6th) true seeing

Primal: Primal living runes usually resemble animate carvings rather than lines of power or paint, and are often found on menhirs or sacred trees. Primal living runes replace Arcana with Nature and have the following innate spells.
Primal Innate Spells DC 35, attack +27; 7th volcanic eruption (×2); 6th baleful polymorph, flesh to stone, glyph of warding (at will), tangling creepers; 5th cone of cold (×2), wall of fire (×2); 1st detect alignment (at will); Constant (6th) true seeing

Recall Knowledge - Construct (Arcana, Crafting): DC 36
Unspecific Lore: DC 34
Specific Lore: DC 31

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Changes from being Weak are marked in red below.
NOTE: The -2 damage penalty to non-strike offensive abilities (-4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.

Weak Arcane Living RuneCreature 12

Legacy Content

Rare LN Small Construct 
Source Bestiary 3 pg. 163
Perception +25; darkvision, true seeing
Languages truescript
Skills Arcana +25, Deception +22, Stealth +23 (+29 to Hide or Sneak among inscriptions)
Str +1, Dex +6, Con +1, Int +8, Wis +8, Cha +5
Truescript A living rune can't speak, but it can sculpt its form into complicated scripts and pictographs that can be understood by any creature with the ability to read written language. A living rune can also understand any written or spoken language.
AC 32; Fort +18, Ref +21, Will +25
HP 225; Immunities death effects, diseased, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, necromancy, nonlethal, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconsciousness
Backdrop When a creature attempts to Strike a living rune and critically misses, the attacker hits the surface (a canvas, wall, or so on) behind the living rune. This might damage the surface or the attacker's weapon, at the GM's discretion.Surface-Bound A living rune can move only along flat surfaces. If the surface it's on is destroyed (such as a portrait hit by a fireball spell or a wall being smashed), the rune takes 7d6 damage and is shunted to the nearest flat surface. If there is no flat surface within 5 feet, the rune is destroyed
Speed 25 feet
Ranged [one-action] electrical blast +23 [+18/+13] (electricity, evocation, range increment 60 feet), Damage 4d12-2 electricityArcane Innate Spells DC 33, attack +25 (-4 dmg); 7th prismatic spray (×2); 6th chain lightning, disintegrate, glyph of warding (at will), wall of force; 5th black tentacles (×2), cloudkill (×2); Cantrips (7th) detect magic; Constant (6th) true seeing

Sidebar - Additional Lore Camouflage

Living runes are aware of the value of surprise attacks. They often hide themselves amongst other inscriptions or glyphs, observing foes for a time before striking, though clever adventurers who Investigate the inscriptions might notice the presence of the living rune. Living runes are also fond of setting up glyphs of warding as decoys and dummies.

All Monsters in "Living Symbol"

NameLevel
Living Rune13
Living Graffiti3

Living Symbol

Source Bestiary 3 pg. 162
Magic is a complex thing to begin with, and at a certain level of sophistication, the differences between a spell and an autonomous creature become increasingly blurry. Living symbols are constructed creatures of reified and reinforced magic, held together by glyphs, runes, and eldritch formulae.