Your focus on the harnessing and wielding of arcane energy has allowed you to master a faster form of spellcasting.
Runic Focus
At 1st level, you build an item called a Runic Focus, which stores charged energy and allows you to more quickly cast your artificer spells. This usually takes the form of a bracer or special amulet, but it can fit into any body slot of your choice when you first gain it. If your runic focus is lost of destroyed, you may build a new one at a cost of 100 gp per artificer level.
As long as you wear your runic focus, you know the zap cantrip and may cast this spell without referring to your spellbook. You can cast zap at will as a standard action, but it does not consume any slots and may be used again. You do not gain the ability to learn or cast any other cantrips from this ability.
Charged Casting (Su)
At 1st level, your runic focus gives you the ability to reduce the casting time of a number of artificer spells from 1 round to 1 standard action. In addition, adding metamagic effects to the spells does not increase casting time, and you may apply the Quicken Spell feat to these spells. You must use your runic focus as a spell focus component when casting these spells. Only spells listed as part of Charged Casting benefit from this ability.
At the specified artificer level, you gain the listed spell as a bonus spell known and may cast this spell without referring to your spellbook. The spell gains all the benefits of the Charged Casting ability.
- 1st – static discharge
- 4th – shocking jolt
- 7th – lightning bolt
- 10th – charged particles
- 13th – lightning arc
- 16th – chain lightning
Stored Charge (Su)
Beginning at 4th level, you upgrade your runic focus to gather and store arcane power. As long as you remain stationary, your runic focus slowly builds up energy, gaining one charge for every two rounds you do not move, to a maximum of 1 charge per 4 artificer levels you possess. For example, a 15th level artificer could charge her runic focus with up to 3 charges over a period of 6 rounds, so long as she doesn’t move from her current space.
If you move after building up a charge, your runic focus loses one charge for every 5 feet you move.
You may expend the charges stored in your runic focus as if it were a spell-trigger item. You can cast any charged casting spell you know using these charges rather than an artificer spell slot. This costs one charge per level of the spell cast, including any spell level modifications from metamagic.
At 6th level, the charge becomes more stable. Your runic focus loses one charge for every 10 feet you move, rounded down. This means that as long as you move no more than 5 feet in a round, you do not lose any charges, but you do not gain any either. At 12th level, you lose one charge for every 15 feet moved, and at 16th level, you only lose a charge every 20 feet.
Runic Efficiency (Su)
At 10th level, you improve your Rune Focus to more effectively channel arcane powers, granting you a +1 to the save DC of any spell you cast with the Electricity descriptor. This stacks with other effects which increase save DC, such as the Spell Focus feat.
When you reach 18th level, you gain an additional +1 to the save DC of any spell you cast with the Electricity descriptor. This bonus stacks.
Runic Mastery (Su)
At 20th level, your runic focus gains one charge every round you remain stationary, and your runic focus only loses a charge every 30 feet moved per round.