Attunement & Skills

A Rune-keeper's skills revolve around his attunement to Battle (or Dagor in the Cirth runes often used for such skills) or Healing (or Nestad in Tengwar, the runes used for these skills). During the course of a battle, each use of a skill raises attunement away from Steady (Thalas) and in the direction of that skills attunement. For example, if the character favors Nestad attuned skills, he progresses faster in the Healing attunement and gains access to more powerful curative skills. Conversely, if the character uses skills equally from both Dagor and Nestad, his attunement remains Steady.

A Rune-keeper also has access to skills that pull his attunement toward the Thalas state. These involve supporting members of a fellowship with protections and enhancements, pacifying and distracting foes during the heat of battle, and restoring power to a comrade. There are benefits to each attunement, and the dynamic play of this system allows a player to mix styles based on the foes encountered, the makeup of a fellowship, and personal play style.

A Dwarf Rune-keeper using Fiery Ridicule against his racial foe.

For example: Thorri the Rune-keeper comes face-to-face with a Goblin deep within the Mines of Moria. Within the first few moments of combat he is able to invoke Chilling Rhetoric, Fiery Ridicule, and Scribe’s Spark. These skills do not require any levels of attunement, so they can be called upon immediately (following any Cooldown prerequisites). After this, the Rune-keeper's attunement level is now high enough—in this case 3 Dagor—that he can employ Writ of Fire to deal the Goblin a severe blow. If Thorri continues his assault against the foul Goblin, he will be able to invoke more powerful skills from the Dagor attunement. However, should the Dwarf pause to heal himself by using Prelude to Hope (a Healing skill), his Attunement would be pulled one step words Nestad, leaving him at 2 Attunement, and no longer able to use Writ of Fire!

This is the Attunement meter. The red on the left is Dagor Attunement, which this Rune-keeper has a full 9 points in.

There are six different categories of Rune-keeper skills, each following a specific attunement: Chill of Winter, Fury of the Storm, Wrath of Flame, The Middle Path, Visions and Foretelling, and Words of Grace.