Runes

Most magic weapons and armor gain their enhancements from potent eldritch runes etched into them. These runes allow for in-depth customization of items.

Runes must be physically engraved on items through a special process to convey their effects. They take two forms: fundamental runes and property runes. Fundamental runes offer the most basic and essential benefits: a weapon potency rune adds a bonus to skill checks made with a weapon, and a striking rune adds extra weapon damage dice. An armor or talisman's potency rune increases that item's bonus to its appropriate Defence.

Property runes, by contrast, grant more varied effects—typically powers that are constant while the armor or talisman is worn or that take effect each time the weapon is used, such as a rune that grants energy resistance or one that adds fire damage to a weapon's attacks.

The number of property runes a weapon or armor can have is determined by the value of its potency rune. Since the striking runes are fundamental runes, they don't count against this limit.

An item with runes is typically referred to by the value of its potency rune, followed by any other fundamental runes, then the names of any property runes, and ends with the name of the base item. For example, you might have a +1 Light SMG or +2 fire-resistant chain mail.

Rune-etched armor and weapons have the same Bulk and general characteristics as the non-magical version unless noted otherwise.

Each rune can be etched into a specific type of armor, talisman  orweapon, as indicated in the Usage entry of the rune's stat block. Clothing can have armor runes etched on it even though it's not armor. 

Upgrading a Rune

If you are increasing a rune from one level to the next, decrease the purchase DC by 5. 

Fundamental Runes

Armor Potency

Magic wards deflect attacks. Increase the item bonus to Armor defence by 1. The armour can be etched with one property rune.

Armor Potency +1 

Purchase DC: 16

Armor Potency +2 

Purchase DC: 21

Armor Potency +3

Increase the number of Property runes the armor can have to two.

Purchase DC: 26

Armor Potency +4

Purchase DC: 31

Armor Potency +5

Increase the number of Property runes the armor can have to three.

Purchase DC: 36

Talisman Potency

Magic runes improve the protective powers of your talismans. The talisman grants its Talisman Potency as an item bonus to the appropriate saving throw. All talismans start with at least a +1 Talisman potency. The talisman also gains a minor gift of the rune-inscriber's choice.

Talisman Potency +1 

Purchase DC: 17

Talisman Potency +2 

Purchase DC: 22

Talisman Potency +3

Increase the talisman's gift to major.

Purchase DC: 27

Talisman Potency +4

Purchase DC: 32

Talisman Potency +5

Increase the number of talisman's gift to greater.

Purchase DC: 37

Weapon Potency

Magical enhancements make this weapon strike true. Skill checks made with this weapon gain a +1 item bonus, including all attack rolls, and the weapon can be etched with one property rune. 

Weapon Potency +1 

Purchase DC: 20

Weapon Potency +2 

Purchase DC: 25

Weapon Potency +3

Increase the number of Property runes the weapon can have to two.

Purchase DC: 30

Weapon Potency +4

Purchase DC: 35

Weapon Potency +5

Increase the number of Property runes the weapon can have to three.

Purchase DC: 40

Weapon Striking

A striking rune stores destructive magic in the weapon, increasing the weapon damage dice it deals by two steps, and also increasing its critical damage by two steps. For instance, a +1 striking knife would deal 1d8 damage instead of 1d4 damage. 

Striking  

Purchase DC: 21

Greater Striking

Increase the weapon's damage by four steps

Purchase DC: 31

Legendary Striking

Increase the weapon's damage by six steps

Purchase DC: 41

Armor Property Runes

Glamered

You can use Glamer as a single action to disguise your armor

Glamer: You change the shape and appearance of this armor to appear as ordinary or fine clothes of your imagining. The armor’s statistics do not change. Only a creature that is benefiting from true seeing or a similar effect can attempt to disbelieve this illusion, with a DC of 25. 

Purchase DC: 17

Quenching

This rune counters burning and corrosive agents. Armor with this rune reduces the DC of the flat check to end persistent acid or fire damage affecting you from 15 to 12 (7 with particularly effective assistance).

Purchase DC: 19

Greater Shadow

The DC of the flat check is reduced from 15 to 10 (5 with particularly effective assistance).

Purchase DC: 24

Major Shadow

The DC of the flat check is reduced from 15 to 8 (3 with particularly effective assistance).

Purchase DC: 29

Shadow

Armor with this rune becomes hazy black and blurs the wearer whenever you try to hide. You gain a +2 item bonus to Stealth checks while wearing the armor.

Purchase DC: 17

Greater Shadow

The item bonus is +4.

Purchase DC: 22

Major Shadow

The item bonus is +6.

Purchase DC: 27

Slick

This property makes armor slippery, as though it were coated with a thin film of oil. You gain a +2 item bonus to Acrobatics checks to Escape and Squeeze.

Purchase DC: 17

Greater Slick

The item bonus is +4.

Purchase DC: 22

Major Slick

The item bonus is +6.

Purchase DC: 27