An artificer who specializes as a Glyphwarden creates and makes use of runic inscriptions upon the surface of their shield to protect allies and hinder enemies in equal measure, through the power of glyphs fueled by the language of the arcane, the Glyphwarden stands at the frontier of the battlefield, ready to shield their allies with wards and body both.

Tools of the Trade

3rd-level Glyphwarden feature

You gain proficiency with heavy armor. You also gain proficiency with  smith’s tools. If you already have this tool proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.

Glyphwarden Spells

3rd-level Glyphwarden feature

You always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Glyphwarden Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.

Glyphwarden Spells

Artificer Level	Spell
3rd	shield, faerie fire
5th	scorching ray, flame blade
9th	glyph of warding, beacon of hope
13th	fire shield, resilient sphere
17th	flame strike, arcane hand

Arcane Shield

3rd-level Glyphwarden feature

Your metallurgical pursuits have led to you making shields a conduit for your magic. You may create an arcane shield over the course of a long rest by using smith’s tools to inscribe arcane runes upon any metallic shield. 

As a bonus action, you can lob an arcane shield that you are holding to up to 30 feet, transforming it into a readied glyph. You lose any benefits from the shield in the process.

You may recall the shield at any point as a free action on your turn, disabling the effects of any readied glyph. If a creature is standing on your shield when it is recalled, they must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target slips and falls prone.

Runic Inscriptions

3rd-level Glyphwarden feature

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn runic inscriptions that you can inscribe upon an arcane shield or other metal object.

Inscriptions. You learn three inscriptions of your choice, which are used to activate and direct your glyphs. These inscriptions are detailed below. Inscriptions are channeled through your arcane shield, and often debilitate enemies in some way.

A readied glyph can only channel one inscription at a time. After the inscription’s effect ends, the glyph cannot channel inscriptions until you use a bonus action to reinfuse it with runic energy while holding it.

You learn one additional inscription of your choice at 7th, 9th, and 15th level. Each time you learn new inscriptions, you can also replace an inscription you know with a different one.

You may use your inscriptions a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and all expended uses are restored when you finish a short or long rest.

Wards. Any temporary hit points applied by your inscriptions can stack up to an amount equal to three times your Artificer level + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1), but cannot exceed this amount. If a creature is already benefiting from temporary hit points from another feature or spell, they can choose to keep the temporary hitpoints they have or gain the temporary hitpoints from the ward. Wards may have additional effects, depending on the inscription that applied them.

Bastion

While holding your shield, you gain the ability to use Bastion as a reaction to another creature within 30ft of you getting hit, after activating the ward, create a link between you and the target creature within reach, granting it resistance to all damage, and each time it takes damage, you take the same amount, additionally, roll a 2d4 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1), and reduce your damage taken from this link by that total once per round. This inscription lasts for one round.

Bubble (Ward)

When used on a readied glyph, you may grant a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d4 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1) to creatures of your choice within 20ft of the glyph, additionally, when the temporary hit points granted by your wards are destroyed while affected by this inscription, the ward will pop, pushing away any adjacent creatures 5ft away on a failed Strength saving throw against your spell save DC.

Defensive Orb (Ward)

When used on a readied glyph, target one creature within 20ft of the glyph and grant them temporary hit points equal to 2d8 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1), additionally, roll a 1d6 and add that roll to the target's AC for one round.

Flame Carpet

When used on a readied glyph, it will create a 15-foot radius sphere of flames around it and any creature entering or standing in this area for the first time during their turn must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or take fire damage equal to 2d6 + your spellcasting ability modifier or half if successful. This inscription lasts for two rounds.

This inscription’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (3d6), 9th level (4d6), and 15th level (5d6).

Flowing Currents

When used on a readied glyph, each creature in a 15-foot cross centered on the glyph must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or be dragged 10ft closer to the glyph and if any creature is directly standing inside of the glyph as a result of this effect that creature takes cold damage equal to 2d4 + your spellcasting modifier and its speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of your next turn.

This inscription’s damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (3d4), 11th level (4d4), and 17th level (5d4).

Force of Will

When used on a readied glyph, choose up to three creatures within 30ft of the glyph, each must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be pushed 15ft away from the glyph, if any of the target creatures collide with either a wall, object, or another creature they take bludgeoning damage equal to 1d8 + your spellcasting modifier and becomes knocked prone.

This inscription’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 9th level (3d8), and 15th level (4d8).

Gravity Field (Ward)

When used on a readied glyph, creatures within a 30ft radius sphere are indiscriminately pulled to the ground causing any movement within this 30ft sphere to be treated as if within difficult terrain.
Additionally, any creature that takes damage from you while within this gravity field has disadvantage on any attack roll that isn’t against you and if they damage a creature friendly to you that creature gains temporary hit points equal to half of the damage taken until the end of your next turn. This inscription lasts for two rounds.

Meteorite

When used on a readied glyph, target one creature within 20ft of the glyph and grant them advantage on their attack rolls, additionally, whenever that creature hits an attack while under the effect of this inscription, their target takes an extra 1d6 + your spellcasting ability modifier as fire damage. This inscription lasts for two rounds.

Rampart (Ward)

When used on a readied glyph, target one creature within 20ft of the glyph and grant them temporary hit points equal to 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1) per hostile creature within 5ft of it, additionally, at the start of the target's next turn the ward implodes, and each creature within 5ft them must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or take fire damage equal to 1d6 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1) times the initial amount of adjacent hostile creatures at the time of application, or half if successful.

Reprisal

When a creature within 5 feet of you would hit with an attack while you are holding your arcane shield, you can use a reaction to activate this inscription. For its duration, whenever a creature within 5 feet of you deals damage to you, they take an amount of damage equal to the damage they dealt as force damage, and are pushed 5 feet away from you. This inscription lasts for one round.

Sharp Roots

While you have a readied glyph, you can use your action to create a 10-foot cube of entangling roots around it. Any creature standing in or entering this area for the first time must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature takes 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier slashing damage, and their speed is reduced to 0 until the end of their turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage, and their speed isn’t reduced.

This inscription’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 9th level (3d8), and 15th level (4d8).

Shimmering Ward

While you have a readied glyph, you can use your action to create a 5-foot cube of protective waters centered on the glyph. Any creature standing within the water takes a reduced amount of damage from any source equal to 1d4 + your proficiency bonus. If a creature that hasn’t taken damage since the end of their last turn starts their turn inside of the water, they gain an amount of temporary hit points equal to 2d4 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).

Temporal Distortion

While you have a readied glyph, you can use your action to target one creature within 20 feet of the glyph. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw against your spell save DC or be teleported to the glyph’s space. Willing creatures can choose to fail the save.

Weave Armor (Ward)

When used on a readied glyph, target one willing creature with temporary hit points within 60ft of the glyph, choosing one of the effects from the table below:

Choose	Effect
Transfer Armor	The target loses all temporary hit points and is granted resistance to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage until the end of their next turn. Another creature within 60 feet of the ward gains the amount of hit points lost.
Expel Ward	The ward on the target explodes violently. The target loses all temporary hit points. Any creature standing within 10 feet of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. A creature takes damage equal to double the amount of temporary hit points lost as force damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Overloaded Runes

5th-level Glyphwarden feature

You've learned how to push your magical formulae to their limits, enhancing their power. When activating an inscription, you may overload it with one of the following effects:

• Power: Roll double the amount of dice and double secondary effects such as speed, amount of damage taken from Reprisal Ward, etc.
• Reach: Double the range and size of any inscriptions.
• Longevity: Double the duration of any inscriptions or if the first effect was not applicable, activate the inscription again targeting a new area or creature.

As a result of being infused with far more magical power than it could safely contain, any inscription affected by this feature cannot be used again until you finish a short or long rest. You may use this ability three times per long rest.

Improved Wards

9th-level Glyphwarden feature

You’ve learned how to make your wards more efficient and therefore more durable.
Temporary hit points applied by your inscriptions can stack up to an amount equal to four times your Artificer level + twice your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +2).

Additionally, due to your recent research you’ve learned how to inscribe a glyph upon any surface using the weave as your paint.
As a bonus action, you can select an inscription that you know, and create a readied glyph bearing that inscription on a target surface within 60 feet of you that you can see. This glyph lasts for one minute and may only channel the chosen inscription. The inscription can be activated as normal.

Peace Armor

15th-level Glyphwarden feature

You've attained the ability to create magical armor on a whim, using only your will, to protect and serve anyone in need. Once per long rest, you may don Peace Armor for one minute, gaining the following effects:

• You have resistance to all damage.
• You become unable to grant temporary hit points to other creatures through features and spells that requires you to choose a target., however you gain double the number of temporary hit points from your inscriptions, and the maximum amount of temporary hit points you can stack is increased to an amount equal to five times your Artificer level + twice your Intelligence modifier (minimum of + 2) while this feature is active.
  
• You can now as an action place two glyphs at once.
• You may activate any inscriptions that require an action using a bonus action.