Deadly barbarians who bear magical runes carved into their flesh. Some become chieftains of berserker lodges, while others simply exist as wandering defenders of the land. They carry a sense of authority about them that carries great weight among the people they protect.
Hit Die: d10
Requirements
To qualify to become a Runescarred Berseker, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
- Base Attack Bonus: +7
- Skills: Craft(scarring) 5 ranks, Intimidate 5 ranks, Sense Motive 2 ranks
- Feats: Iron Will, Reckless Rage
- Special: The character must be able to rage at least once per day, as the barbarian class ability.
Class Skills
The Runescarred Berserker's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb(Str), Craft(Int), Handle Animal(Cha), Intimidate(Cha), Jump(Str), Listen(Wis), Ride(Dex), Sense Motive(Wis), Survival(Wis), and Swim(Str).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4+Int modifier
| Class Level | Base Attack | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Scribe runescar | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Extra rage | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Ritual scarring +1 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Damage reduction 1/- | 3 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Extra rage | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Ritual scarring +2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | - |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Damage reduction 2/- | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Greater rage | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Extra rage, ritual scarring +3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Damage reduction 3/- | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Class Features
All the following are Class Features of the runescarred berserker prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Runescarred berserkers gain no proficiency in any weapon or armor.
Runescars Known / Runeslots:
A Runescarred Berserker knows a number of runescars equal to the amount shown on the table above. This number also doubles as a limit of 'rune slots' which are a measure of the berserkers capacity to store magic within his own body.
Example: A Runescarred Berserker of fifth level would know three first, two second and one third level Runescar. This also means that the Berserker can carve three first, two second and one third level Runescar into its body at any one time functioning similar to spell slots.
Scribe runescar: At 1st level, a runescarred berserker learns how to carve a runescar into her own skin. A runescar is a means of storing a spell, much like a scroll. The berserker knows only a limited number of spells with which to imbue runescars, selected from the runescarred berserker spell list below. To learn a runescar spell, the berserker must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the spell level. A runescar berserker can only cast spells by crafting them as runescars; she has no other spellcasting capability and cannot use spell completion or spell trigger magic items based on spells from this list.
Scribing a runescar takes half an hour per Runescar. The character may set the caster level of the runescar at anywhere from the minimum class level necessary for her to know the rune up to her own Runescarred Berserker class level. She may scribe a runescar only on her own body. The act of scribing a runescar is painful and deals 1d6 points of damage per runescar at the end of the scribing time. (The berserker is free to heal this damage by any normal means afterwards-the runescar remains until activated.) Runescars are dormant until activated and cannot be dispelled(although they can be suppressed).
Runescars are considered divine spells, although a berserker does not actively prepare or cast them. The save DC, if necessary, is 10 + spell level + the berserker's Wisdom score. To activate a runescar, the character must take a standard action and touch the rune. All runescar spells target only the runescarred berserker or an item in her possession, even if the spell scribed could normally be bestowed on another subject.
After activation, the runescar's magic is discharged, and the rune fades to nothing but a faint outline. Typically, a berserker's skin is crisscrossed with dozens of old, discharged runescars.
Extra Rage(Ex): A runescarred berserker gains additional uses of the barbarian rage ability. At 2nd level, she gains one additional rage per day; at 5th level, she gains a second additional rage; and at 9th level, she gains a third additional rage. For example, a barbarian 8/runescarred berserker 5 can rage three times per day from her barbarian levels, plus two more times from her runescarred berserker levels, for a total of five rages per day.
Ritual Scarring(Ex): Through frequent disfiguration of her own skin, a runescarred berserker gains a +1 natural armor bonus to AC at 3rd level. This increases to +2 at 6th level, and +3 at 9th level.
Damage Reduction(EX): Starting at 4th level, a runescarred berserker gains the ability to shrug off some amount of injury from each blow or attack. Subtract 1 from the damage the berserker takes each time she is dealt damage from a weapon or natural attack. At 7th level and 10th level, this damage reduction increases to 2 and then 3 points. This overlaps (does not stack with) damage reduction from any other class features.
Greater Rage: Starting at 8th level, a runescarred berserker's rage bonuses become +6 Strength, +6 Constitution, and a +3 morale bonus on Will saves. Her AC penalty remains -2.
Runescarred Berserker Spell List
Runescarred berserkers must select their spells known from the following list:
1st level- cure moderate wounds, divine favor, protection from chaos, protection from evil, protection from good, protection from law, endure elements, see invisibility, true strike.
2nd level- bull's strength, cure serious wounds, darkvision, bear's endurance, invisibility, keen edge, protection from energy.
3rd level- air walk, cure critical wounds, death ward, divine power, freedom of movement, magic weapon, greater, haste.
4th level- invisibility Greater, neutralize poison, restoration, righteous might, spell immunity, stoneskin.
5th level- antimagic field, dimension door, heal, polymorph self only, spell resistance.
