A reinforcing rune in the Pathfinder Second Edition (PF2e) role-playing game is a type of magic enhancement that can be applied to weapons and armor. This rune is used to strengthen the item and provide additional bonuses or effects to the character who wields it. To apply a reinforcing rune, the item must have the magical property rune slot available. The character needs to spend time and money to perform the ritual of applying the rune, following the rules outlined in the PF2e core rulebook. The type and power of the reinforcing rune depend on its level. Reinforcing runes for weapons can grant bonuses to attack rolls, damage rolls, or both.

Shields in the Remaster

Do we know if there's an intermediate material between steel and adamantine in the Remaster? Or if adamantine got some sort of change? Or are lesser, greater, and major shields just getting a small nerf?

Right now I'm looking at the old sturdy shields and comparing to reinforcing runes, and I am vaguely concerned (reinforcing rune data sourced from Rules Lawyer here )

Minor sturdy shield had hardness 8 and 64 hp for a cost of 80 gp. A minor reinforcing rune + steel shield has hardness 8 and 64 hp for 77 gp

Lesser sturdy shield had hardness 10 and 80 hp for 360 gp. Lesser reinforcing rune + steel shield has hardness 8 and 62 hp for 302 gp. Hardness and hp are both lower.

Moderate sturdy shield was hardness 13 and 104 hp for 1,000 gp. Moderate reinforcing rune + standard grade adamantine shield is hardness 13 and 104 hp for 1,340 gp.

Greater sturdy shield was hardness 15 and 120 hp for 3,000 gp. Greater reinforcing rune + standard grade adamantine is hardness 13 and 120 hp for 2,940 gp. Given that greater reinforcing rune maxes out at hardness 15 there has to be some sort of weird intermediate I'm not thinking of.

Major sturdy shield was hardness 17 and hp 136 for 10,000 gp. Standard grade adamantine major reinforcing shield gets hardness 15 and 124 hp for 8,440 gp.

High grade adamantine supreme reinforcing rune shield gets up to hardness 20 and 160 hp, exactly the same as supreme sturdy shield used to, both cost 40,000 gp.

Sounds like in some parts, the scale is out of whack, because it makes no sense for something to be higher level and cost more, but have an identical or even reduced benefit (i.e. lower HP) compared to one of a previous level. I'm going to call typo on those; otherwise, if something at the same level at Premaster is of a different scale of what is given to us from the Remaster, then I'll chalk that up to an intentionally different scaling, which isn't necessarily bad, since it could be a fine-tuning sort of thing.

Otherwise, tying the Sturdy Shield mechanics to runes is a complete downgrade by comparison, because 1. You are competing with other potential runes that might be potent enough to warrant purchasing/acquiring, and since there is no Potency runes for Shields, you're restricted to one rune type, period, and 2. You aren't able to apply these runes to Specific Shields, meaning unless a lot of the new Specific Shields come equipped with (a) Reinforcing Rune(s), this means you can't take Specific Shields and turn them into something that you can reliably block with; granted, this isn't anything new on that front, but the factor that it's being strictly tied to a rune (even if we don't consider the scale is reduced at all) makes it all the worse for shield users everywhere.

I also don't like how they're basically forcing players who want to utilize shields to block attacks to do some mumbo-jumbo combination effort to reach previously-acquired levels of defense; now, I have to look at special materials and correspond that with the rune type I want, and determine its base hardness from a table.

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Reinforcing runes for weapons can grant bonuses to attack rolls, damage rolls, or both. There are also specific types of runes tailored to different weapon categories, such as slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning weapons. These runes can provide additional damage against certain creature types or have special effects on critical hits.

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[Remaster] Reinforcing runes not able to be applied to shields #11482

[Remaster] Reinforcing runes not able to be applied to shields #11482

For armor, reinforcing runes typically provide bonuses to the character's Armor Class (AC) or other defensive attributes. Some runes may grant resistance to specific damage types, enhance saving throws, or improve the character's mobility and stealth. It is important to note that a character can only benefit from a certain number of runes at a time, depending on their proficiency rank in the associated rune. Higher proficiency allows for more potent runes to be applied, but characters are limited by their level and the number of rune slots available on their items. Players are encouraged to strategize and choose reinforcing runes that complement their character's playstyle and class abilities. For example, a frontline fighter might prefer runes that enhance their attack and damage, while a spellcaster might opt for runes that provide defensive bonuses or spellcasting enhancements. Overall, reinforcing runes in PF2e add another layer of customization and power progression to the game. They allow characters to personalize their equipment and improve their capabilities in combat and other challenges they may face in the world of Pathfinder Second Edition..

Reviews for "How the Pf2e Reinforcing Rune Can Improve Your Character's Defense"

1. John - 1/5 - The Pf2e reinforcing rune was a huge disappointment for me. I was expecting a significant boost in my weapon's damage, but this rune did not deliver. It felt more like a minor improvement rather than a substantial upgrade. Additionally, the rune's effects seemed inconsistent, with some attacks showing a slight increase in damage while others showed no improvement at all. Overall, I think there are much better options available for enhancing weapon damage in the game.

2. Sarah - 2/5 - I had high hopes for the Pf2e reinforcing rune, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. While it did provide a slight increase in damage, it lacked the versatility and effectiveness I was looking for in a weapon enhancement. The cost of the rune also seemed disproportionate to the benefits it offered. I would recommend exploring other options before settling for this rune.

3. Michael - 2/5 - As an avid player of the game, I was excited to try out the Pf2e reinforcing rune. However, I was left underwhelmed by its performance. The rune did provide a small boost in damage, but it did not significantly impact the overall effectiveness of my weapon. I found that there were other runes available that offered more interesting and useful effects. Overall, I was disappointed with the Pf2e reinforcing rune and would not choose to use it again in the future.

4. Emily - 3/5 - The Pf2e reinforcing rune was decent, but it didn't live up to my expectations. While it did provide a marginal increase in weapon damage, I felt that there were better options available for enhancing my character's combat abilities. The rune's effects felt lackluster, and I found myself underwhelmed by its overall impact on my gameplay experience. While it may be suitable for some players, I personally would not recommend the Pf2e reinforcing rune as a top choice for weapon enhancement.

Strategies for Using the Pf2e Reinforcing Rune to Dominate in Combat