Runemaster

Runemasters (ルーンマスター, Rūnmasutā) primary purpose in battle is to deal elemental damage, but they can also defend themselves and allies against elemental damage. Their elemental damage output is a force to be reckoned with, but are sorely lacking in physical defense and attack. This weakness is not often a big issue, however, as their affinity for elemental damage is fairly unique among EO4 classes, and back-row placement helps them avoid physical damage.

Overview[]

Runemasters take up the attacks of their Alchemist cousins from the first and second games and diversify the skill set by adding several defensive skills. Their basic Rune skills resemble the Troubadours' Fantasia skills in shifting the elemental alignment in favour of the party, reducing damage taken from an element but also managing to create an elemental weakness if applicable to synergize with their own or other members' skills. Their Runic Shield skill is unique, allowing them to randomly block elemental attacks on themselves or adjacent members, slightly improving their chances of survival and allowing a player to shift them forward whenever the situations call for it.

Strengths: Impressive magic offense and TP, great at manipulating elemental affinities.
Weaknesses: Physically frail, smallest HP pool.

Stat Progression[]

Main article: Runemaster/Stats#EO4

Level	HP	TP	STR	TEC	VIT	AGI	LUC
1	31	42	4	11	4	5	6
35	150	175	19	41	19	24	27
70	273	311	34	70	35	44	49
99	366	398	44	85	49	60	67

Skill Tree[]

Skill	Description	Type	Prerequisites	Extra
NOVICE
Proficiency	Increases elemental attack and defense for allies in your line.	Class	None
Fire Rune	Increases the party's fire resistance and lowers the enemy's.	Rune	None	Converts neutral hits into weaknesses.
Ice Rune	Increases the party's ice resistance and lowers the enemy's.
Volt Rune	Increases the party's volt resistance and lowers the enemy's.
Fireball Rune	Ranged fire attack with a splash effect.	Rune	Fire Rune Lv1
Ice Lance Rune	Ranged ice attack that pierces across the enemy lines to hit two enemies.	Rune	Ice Rune Lv1
Lightning Rune	Melee volt attack to an entire line of enemies.	Rune	Volt Rune Lv1
Runic Gleam	Increases the power of your elemental attack skills for 3 turns.	Support	None
TP Boost	Increases your maximum TP.	Passive	None
Herbology	Greater chance of finding extra plants when gathering.	Passive	None
VETERAN
Expertise	Increases elemental attack and defense for allies in your line.	Class	Proficiency
Flame Rune	Ranged fire attack to all enemies.	Rune	Fireball Rune Lv3
Glacier Rune	Ranged ice attack to random enemies.	Rune	Ice Lance Rune Lv3	Level to also increase number of hits.
Storm Rune	Ranged volt attack to 1 enemy.	Rune	Lightning Rune Lv3
Runic Shield	Chance of nullifying an elemental attack to an ally in your line.	Passive	Runic Gleam Lv2
Runic Guidance	Increases damage when striking an enemy's weakness.	Passive	Runic Shield Lv2	Also affects physical weaknesses.
Free Energy	Chance of not expending TP when using a skill.	Passive	None
Runic Flare	Increases elemental and untyped attack power.	Passive	None
Wise Chef	Increases TEC gain from cooked food.	Sky	None
MASTER
Enlightenment	Further increases elemental attack and defense for allies in your line.	Class	Expertise
Inferno Rune	Ranged fire attack to 1 enemy.	Rune	Flame Rune Lv2
Blizzard Rune	Ranged ice attack to all enemies.	Rune	Glacier Rune Lv2
Galvanic Rune	Ranged volt attack to random enemies.	Rune	Storm Rune Lv2	Level to also increase number of hits.
Rune Mastery	Increases attack power of rune skills.	Passive	Runic Guidance Lv2
Origin Rune	Ranged untyped attack to all enemies.	Rune	Rune Mastery Lv2

Subclassing[]

Subclasses for Runemaster[]

Due to Runemasters' stat growth favouring Technique (TEC), they have difficulty using the skills of other physically oriented classes. That, combined with their rather steep skill point investment in their own skill tree, makes it difficult to effectively use both their main and sub skills without being forced to give up investment in either.

Medic: They make for decent healers in case your party happens to lack one, they won't be incredible in the healing department but their high TP and Tec their skills will allow a Runemaster to be a decent one, and you can't deny any form of Full Heal or (Auto-)Revive which are the main reasons for using a Medic.
Arcanist: Decent alternative if your party needs some form of offensive support, some Arcanist skills will synergize with a few Runemaster skills and their safety when trying to land ailments/binds can prove to be useful if your party lacks them. Otherwise, you should opt for an Arcanist itself.
Bushi: While most of the Bushi's skills affect only physical attacks, Blood Surge offers a universal damage boost, sharply increasing the Runemaster's damage output if combined with Runic Gleam and Runic Flare. Avoid excessive investments in that, though, as Runemasters have the smallest HP pool and can burn out quickly with Blood Surge. Endure gives them an extra life and Deep Breath offers a quick and easy means of recovery.
Imperial: Most recommended option due to their passive skill synergy. Hawkeye reduces enemy elemental defense, making Runes hit harder, and Element Boost stacks with the Runemaster's passives. Absorber also allows TP regeneration when hitting elemental weaknesses to increase the Runemaster's fighting stamina, especially when a Rune has turned an otherwise neutral hit into a weakness.

Runemaster as Subclass[]

The Runemaster attack skills all scale off Technique, making Runemasters, at first glance, a good subclass for members with good TEC growth. However, their passives and support skills also show that Strength-oriented characters can still make good use of their passives.

Medics and Arcanists have good TEC that allows them to make the best of the attack Runes. Free Energy is also desirable due to the general high cost of their skills, allowing them to last longer in protracted battles or dungeon trips.
Link-based Landsknechts and Imperials use Runic Flare and Runic Guidance to increase their elemental damage, especially when hitting enemies' elemental weaknesses. TP Boost and Free Energy also contribute to allowing them to fight for longer periods of time, offsetting their small TP pools.

Overview[]

Equipment when registered: Wand, Tweed.

Availability: Complete the tutorial by exploring the Mysterious Labyrinth.

Stat Progression[]

Main article: Runemaster/Stats#EMD

Level	HP	TP	STR	TEC	VIT	AGI	LUC	EXP to next level	Total EXP
1	30	60	1	10	4	3	6	80	0
30	146	290	30	100	19	70	75	30,000	244,000
50	169	310	50	140	29	91	96	30,000	844,000
70	189	330	70	180	39	111	116	30,000	1,444,000
99	218	359	99	238	53	140	145	-	2,314,000

Skills[]

Skill	Description	Type	Prerequisites	Lv Max	Extra
Origin Rune	Unleash a powerful untyped attack on all enemies in the room.	Blast Skill	Report the quest The legendary Origin Rune	1	Cost 3 Blast Gauge
NOVICE (LV1)
Proficiency	Increases all types of attack and defense for allies within the room.	Passive	None	1
Fireball Rune	Launch a fireball with a 10-space range, dealing damage to a single target.	Active / Head Skill	None	5	TP Cost 5 - 9
Ice Lance Rune	Launch an ice spear with a 10-space range, dealing damage to the target and any enemy directly behind it.	Active / Head Skill	None	5	TP Cost 6 - 10
Lightning Rune	Launch a bolt of lightning with a 10-space range, dealing damage to the target and Paralyzing it.	Active / Head Skill	None	5	TP Cost 8 - 12
Runic Gleam	Increase fire, ice, volt, and untyped damage for 5 turns.	Active / Head Skill / Can Act After Using	None	3	TP Cost 8 - 10
TP Boost	Increases your maximum TP.	Passive	None	5	Add +20/+5/+5/+5/+10 TP
Herbology	May find extra materials when gathering at a taking point.	Passive	None	10
VETERAN (LV10)
Expertise	Increases all types of attack and defense for allies within the room.	Passive	Proficiency Lv1	1
Flame Rune	Launch a fireball with a 10-space range, which explodes on impact to damage enemies in a 1-space radius.	Active / Head Skill	Fireball Rune Lv3	5	TP Cost 10 - 14
Glacier Rune	Launch 3 icicles with a 10-space range, dealing damage to the targets and any enemy directly behind them.	Active / Head Skill	Ice Lance Rune Lv3	5	TP Cost 13 - 17
Storm Rune	Launch a bolt of lightning with a 10-space range. Damages its target and Paralyzes the target and adjacent enemies.	Active / Head Skill	Lightning Rune Lv3	5	TP Cost 17 - 21
Runic Shield	When an ally within a 1-space radius takes elemental damage, the damage may be nullified.	Passive	Runic Gleam Lv3	5	Becomes a 2-space radius at Lv4
Free Energy	Chance of expending 0 TP when using skills.	Passive	None	3
Runic Guidance	Increase damage dealt by elemental attacks that strike a target's weakness.	Passive	Runic Shield Lv3	5
Runic Flare	Increases fire, ice, volt, and untyped damage.	Passive	None	5
MASTER (LV20)
Enlightenment	Increases all types of attack and defense for allies within the room.	Passive	Expertise Lv1	1
Inferno Rune	Launch a stream of fire with a 10-space range. On impact, generates a blast that damages enemies in a 2-space radius.	Active / Head Skill	Flame Rune Lv3	8	TP Cost 20 - 27
Blizzard Rune	Summons a blizzard to damage enemies within the room.	Active / Head Skill	Glacier Rune Lv3	8	TP Cost 23 - 30
Galvanic Rune	Call down random lightning in the room, damaging and Paralyzing enemies. The current also Paralyzes enemies nearby.	Active / Head Skill	Storm Rune Lv3	8	TP Cost 27 - 34. Increase number of hits at Lv3/Lv5/Lv7
Rune Mastery	Increases the attack power of rune skills.	Passive	Runic Guidance Lv3	8