DWARVEN LOREMASTER

[The Hive Mind]

Loremasters are key members of any dwarven communi- ty, lending magical strength to clanhold defenses, keeping the clan’s history, and offering advice on new construction. Those that become loremasters take a sacred vow to record the clan’s history so that every clan member always knows what went before. Once, dwarven loremasters were common, but with the casualties of the constant struggle, few remain.

Hit Die: d6.



Requirements

Race: Dwarf.
Feats: Magecraft, Touched by Magic, one item creation feat, one spellcasting feat.
Special: Must be trained by another dwarven loremaster.

Class Level / Base  Attack Bonus /Fort Save / Ref Save / Will Save /Special
1st -----------------+0 ------------+0 --------+0 --------+2 -----Improved spellcasting, literacy, lorebook
2nd -----------------+1 ------------+0 --------+0 --------+3 -----Recharge nexus, rune magic (1st level)
3rd -----------------+1 ------------+1 --------+1 --------+3 -----Bonus feat, rune magic (2nd level)
4th -----------------+2 ------------+1 --------+1 --------+4 -----Rune magic (3rd level)
5th -----------------+2 ------------+1 --------+1 --------+4 -----Rune magic (4th level)
6th -----------------+3 ------------+2 --------+2 --------+5 -----Recharge nexus (improved), rune magic (5th level)
7th -----------------+3 ------------+2 --------+2 --------+5 -----Bonus feat, rune magic (6th level)
8th -----------------+4 ------------+2 --------+2 --------+6 -----Rune magic (7th level)
9th -----------------+4 ------------+3 --------+3 --------+6 -----Rune magic (8th level)
10th ----------------+5 ------------+3 --------+3 --------+7 -----Bonus feat, rune magic (9th level)

Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Climb (Str), Concetration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomancy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Speak Language (n/a), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Dwarven loremasters gain no weapon or armor proficiencies.

Improved Spellcasting: Dwarven loremaster levels grant similiar abilities as channeler levels with regards to the art of magic, bonus spells, and bonus spell energy. This means that dwarven loremaster levels stack with channeler levels for the purpose of determining the highest-level spells the character can cast. A character with more dwarven loremaster and channeler levels than levels in other classes adds +1 to her character level to determine the highest-level spells she can cast. Additionally, each time the character receives a new dwarven loremaster level, she gains one new spell of any level and school she can cast (according to her new level). A dwarven loremaster can learn additional spells according to the normal rules for learning spells. Finally, the character's maximum spell energy increases by one point for every level of dwarven loremaster she gains.

Literacy: At 1st level, the dwarven loremaster gains literacy in both Old Dwarven and in her clan dialect.

Lorebook (Su): At 1st level, the dwarven loremaster gains the lorebook class ability of a hermetic channeler. If the dwarven loremaster already has this class ability, she may take an additional lorebook power. The dwarven loremaster adds her class level to her hermetic channeler class level when making lorebook checks.

Recharge Nexus (Su): At 2nd level, the dwarven loremaster has learned a great deal about the power nexuses found at the center of many clanholds. The dwarven loremaster gains the ability to recharge a power nexus by channeling spell energy. The dwarven loremaster must stand in the exact center of the power nexus for 10 minutes to activate this ability. Fore every three points of spell energy expended by the dwarven loremaster, the power nexus regenerates one point of spell energy. At 6th level, the dwarven loremaster's ability to form a connection to a power nexus improves: she must expend only two points of spell energy per one point recharged.

Rune Magic (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, the dwarven loremaster may carve runes that store spells onto stationary objects such as walls or large rocks. Such runes do not detect as magic until triggered, though they are large enough that they tend to be visible and legible at a distance of 60 feet. To be effective, a rune must always be placed in plain sight and in a prominent location. As a default, the spell stored in the rune is triggered whenever a creature does one or more of the following, as the dwarven loremaster selects: looks at the rune, reads the rune, touches the rune, passes over the rune, or passes through a portal bearing the rune. Regardless of the trigger method or methods chosen, a creature more than 60 feet from a rune can't trigger it. Once the rune is inscribed, its triggering condition cannot be changed. The dwarven loremaster can also set a special triggering limitation which can be as simple or elaborate as she desires. Special conditions for triggering a rune can be based on a creature's name, race, or alignment, but otherwise must be based on observable actions or qualities. Intangibles such as level, class, Hit Dice, and hit points don't qualify. Any variables, such as targets of the spell, must be chosen at the time the rune is inscribed. When inscribing a rune, she can specify a password or phrase that prevents a creature from triggering the effect. Any creature using the password does not trigger it so long as it remains within 60 feet of the rune. If the creature leaves the radius and returns later, it must use the password again. A rune otherwise acts as a scroll for purposes of reading or dispelling its effect.

She can create a rune of any spell that she knows, up to a maximum spell level equal to her dwarven loremaster level -1. Spells with area effects originate at the cenrter of the rune, while those that require touch or ranged attacks can only target creatures that touch, pass over, or pass through a portal bearing the rune. All other spells, such as those that target a number of creatures in an area, start with creatures closest to the center of the rune and work their way outward towards its edges. Spells inscribed in a rune default at the lowest caster level required to inscribe the rune, though they may be inscribed at a higher level if the loremaster wishes.

Inscribing a rune takes one day for each 1,000vp in its base price. The base price of a rune is its spell level x its caster level x 25 vp. To inscribe a rune, the loremaster must spend 1/25 of its base price in XP; she need not expend any vp to create this magic item, so long as she has the base materials on hand (in this case a chisel, hammer, and appropriate surface). Any runes that store a spell with costly material components or an XP cost also carries a commensurate cost, and the loremaster must expend the material component or pay XP when scribing the rune.

Bonus Feat: At 3rd, 7th, and 10th level the dwarven loremaster gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, the dwarven loremaster may choose a metamagic feat or an item creation feat.