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Living Rune (Occult)Creature 13


RareLNSmallConstruct
Source Pathfinder Bestiary 3
Perception +25 (darkvision, true seeing)
Languages Truescript
Skills Deception +24, Occultism +0, Stealth +25
Str +1, Dex +6, Con +1, Int +8, Wis +8, Cha +5

AC 34; Fort +20; Reflex +23; Will +27;
HP 245
Speed 25 feet
Immunities death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious

Electrical Blast One Action +25 (+20, +15) to hit (electricity, evocation, range increment 60) 4d12 Electricity

Darkvision

A monster with darkvision can see perfectly well in areas of darkness and dim light, though such vision is in black and white only. Some forms of magical darkness, such as a 4th-level Darkness spell, block normal darkvision. A monster with Greater Darkvision, however, can see through even these forms of magical darkness.

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.

At-Will Spells

The monster can cast its at-will spells any number of times without using up spell slots.

Constant Spells

A constant spell affects the monster without the monster needing to cast it, and its duration is unlimited. If a constant spell gets counteracted, the monster can reactivate it by spending the normal spellcasting actions the spell requires.

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.


Occult Innate Spells (DC 35, +27 to hit)

Cantrips (7th Level): Detect Magic
3rd Level: Glyph of Warding (At Will)
5th Level: Crushing Despair, Synesthesia
6th Level: Feeblemind, Phantasmal Calamity, True Seeing (Constant), Vibrant Pattern
7th Level: Visions of Danger


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.

These runes are crafted by unknown hands and often left in out-of-the-way places.


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.


Traits

Rare

This rarity indicates that a rules element is very difficult to find in the game world. A rare feat, spell, item or the like is available to players only if the GM decides to include it in the game, typically through discovery during play. Creatures with this trait are rare. They typically can't be summoned. The DC of Recall Knowledge checks related to these creatures is increased by 5.

Construct

A construct is an artificial creature empowered by a force other than necromancy. Constructs are often mindless; they are immune to bleed damage, death effects, disease, healing, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, poison, and the doomed, drained, fatigued, paralyzed, sickened, and unconscious conditions; and they may have Hardness based on the materials used to construct their bodies. Constructs are not living creatures, nor are they undead. When reduced to 0 Hit Points, a construct creature is destroyed.