Runecraft (HB)

Runes are essential to a wizard's toolkit. They are the written language of spells, used to record and translate magic into literary form for thousands of years. Those who study runecraft have learned to perfect the art of imbuing magic directly into runes. This takes incredible skill, and preparing the runes takes time and forethought. But if a wizard takes that time to plan and prepare, they will find themselves at a greater advantage when compared to other spellcasters, able to maximise their arcane output.

Runecraft wizards are rare; few colleges have the resources or professors to proficiently teach such a technical skill. Additionally, the practice of runecraft requires the runes to be inscribed directly upon an individual's body. Such a delicate art boasts incredible risks to the rune-wearer if the rune is not properly drawn. Thus, groups that have a skilled runecrafter as a member often find themselves well-versed to tackle any and all difficulties thrown their way.

Delicate Design

2nd-level Runecraft feature

Runic inscription requires a gentle and controlled hand. You gain proficiency in the sleight of hand skill if you don't have it already, and you gain proficiency with calligrapher's supplies.

Inscribe Rune

2nd-level Runecraft feature

You have learned to inscribe arcane runes upon your body and upon the bodies of your allies. You learn three runes of your choice, from among the runes described below, and each time you gain a level in this class, you can replace one rune you know with a different one from this feature. When you reach certain levels in this class, you learn additional runes, as shown in the Runes Known table.

Runes Known

Whenever you finish a long rest, you can inscribe a number of runes upon your body or upon the body of a friendly creature who rested with you. The number of runes you can inscribe is equal to your proficiency bonus. Each rune must be a different rune that you know, but you can inscribe multiple runes on multiple bodies at a time as long as the total number of runes does not exceed your proficiency bonus. Your runes remain active on a creature until you finish a long rest or until otherwise specified by the rune.

The following runes are available to you when you learn a rune. If a rune has a level requirement, you must be at least that level in this class to learn the rune. If a rune requires a saving throw, it uses your spell save DC.

Aer (🜁)

Prerequisite: 5th level

This rune represents the element of air. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a +10 bonus to your movement speed.

Flare. When this rune is flared, fly is cast upon you. The spell lasts for the next minute (no concentration required), after which the spell and this rune ends.

Amor (🜠)

This rune represents love. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a +1 bonus to all Charisma skill checks.

Flare. When this rune is flared, it ends and, once within the next minute, you can cast one of charm person or animal friendship without expending a spell slot. The spells do not require concentration and use the runecraft wizard's spell save DC. Additionally, the target of these spells has disadvantage on the saving throw made as part of the spell.

Aqua (🜄)

This rune represents the element of water. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a swim speed equal to your walking speed and you can breathe underwater.

Flare. When this rune is flared, you immediately end any and all of the following conditions upon yourself and the rune ends: grappled, restrained.

Cantare (🜾)

Prerequisite: 11th level

This rune represents enchantment. While this rune is inscribed upon you, whenever you are the sole target of a spell, you gain a +2 bonus to any saving throws made as part of that spell.

Flare. When this rune is flared, it ends and the next time you cast an enchantment spell of 1st level or higher within the next minute that targets exactly one creature, you can have it target a second creature.

Corpus (🜔)

Prerequisite: 8th level

This rune represents the body. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you have resistance to poison damage.

Flare. When this rune is flared, you are immune to being poisoned and you have advantage on any Constitution saving throws for the next minute, after which the rune ends. If you are poisoned when this rune is flared, the condition immediately ends. 

Divinus (🜖)

Prerequisite: 5th level

This rune represents divination. When this rune is inscribed upon you, you immediately roll a d20 and record the number rolled. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you can replace one attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you with the number rolled. You must choose to do so before the roll and, once you have used the dice to replace a roll, it cannot be used again. You lose the roll whenever the rune ends.

Flare. When this rune is flared, you gain a +3 bonus to attack rolls for the next minute, after which the rune ends.

Divitiae (♄)

This rune represents greed. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a +3 bonus to Charisma ability checks made to barter.

Flare. When this rune is flared, it ends and, once within the next minute, you can cast one of detect magic or identify without expending a spell slot or using spell components. These spells do not require concentration.

Donum (🜶)

Prerequisite: 8th level

This rune represents charity. While this rune is inscribed upon you, whenever you cast a spell that targets at least one friendly creature, you make your next ability check or saving throw with advantage.

Flare. When this rune is flared, you immediately make an arcane connection with a friendly creature you choose within 30 feet. That creature has resistance to all damage, but you take force damage equal to any damage they take. This effect lasts for 1 minute, after which the rune ends.

Dux (♃)

Prerequisite: 5th level

This rune represents courage. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you are immune to becoming frightened.

Flare. When this rune is flared, you have advantage on Wisdom saving throws for the next minute, after which this rune ends.

Gaudi (♏︎)

This rune represents joy. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you have advantage on Charisma (performance) checks.

Flare. When this rune is flared, it ends and twice within the next minute, when you roll a 9 or lower on an attack roll, ability check or saving throw, you can treat the roll as a 10.

Ignis (🜂)

This rune represents the element of fire. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a +1 bonus to all attack rolls.

Flare. When this rune is flared, you are surrounded in flame for the next minute, after which this rune ends. While surrounded in flame, whenever a creature starts its turn within 5 feet of you, it takes fire damage equal to the runecraft wizard's proficiency bonus.

Illusio (♐︎)

Prerequisite: 5th level

This rune represents illusion. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a +2 bonus to Wisdom (insight) checks as well as Intelligence (investigation) checks made to determine whether something is an illusion.

Flare. When this rune is flared, two illusory duplicates of yourself appear in your space. The duplicates move with you and mimic your actions, shifting position so it's impossible to track which image is real. The duplicates vanish and this rune ends after one minute. Each time a creature targets you with an attack during the spell's duration, roll a d20 to determine whether the attack instead targets one of your duplicates. If you have two duplicates, you must roll an 8 or higher to change the attack's target to a duplicate. With one duplicate, you must roll an 11 or higher. A duplicate's AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier. If an attack hits a duplicate, the duplicate is destroyed. A duplicate can be destroyed only by an attack that hits it. It ignores all other damage and effects. This rune also ends when both duplicates are destroyed. A creature is unaffected by this spell if it can't see, if it relies on senses other than sight, such as blindsight, or if it can perceive illusions as false, as with truesight.

Lux (☉)

This rune represents light. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain darkvision out to 30 feet.

Flare. When this rune is flared, it ends and you immediately release a burst of light. All creatures within 30 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become blinded until the end of their next turn.

Mense (☿)

This rune represents the mind. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a +1 bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws.

Flare. When this rune is flared, choose one friendly creature within 30 feet. You immediately establish a telepathic link with that creature for one hour, after which this rune ends. The chosen creature can speak telepathically with you, and you can speak telepathically with it. To send or receive a message (no action required), you and the other creature must be within 1 mile of each other. A creature can’t use this telepathy if it can’t speak any languages, and a creature can end the telepathic connection at any time (no action required). You and the creature don’t need to speak a common language to understand each other.

Metus (♓︎)

This rune represents fear. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you have advantage on Intelligence (investigation) checks made to locate traps.

Flare. When this rune is flared, you project terrifying images into the mind of a creature of your choosing within 30 feet that you can see and this rune ends. That creature must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or become frightened of you for the next minute. If the creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn't have line of sight to you, the creature can make a Intelligence saving throw. On a successful save, this effect ends.

Mortem (🜛)

Prerequisite: 8th level

This rune represents death. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you have resistance to necrotic damage.

Flare. When this rune is flared, it ends and, if you are at 0 hit points, you immediately regain hit points equal to 5 + the class level of the runecraft wizard.

Obtestor (♒︎)

Prerequisite: 14th level

This rune represents conjuration. When this rune is inscribed upon you, you immediately gain a familiar as if you had cast find familiar. The familiar lasts until this rune ends, whereupon it vanishes.

Flare. When this rune is flared, it ends and, once within the next minute, you can cast one of summon celestial or summon draconic spirit as a 5th level spell without expending a spell slot. The spell does not require concentration but only lasts for 1 minute.

Odium (🝠)

This rune represents hate. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a +2 bonus to Charisma (deception) checks.

Flare. When this rune is flared, it ends and, once within the next minute, you can cast compelled duel without expending a spell slot. The spell does not require concentration.

Pax (♉︎)

Prerequisite: 5th level

This rune represents peace. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a +3 bonus to Charisma (persuasion) checks.

Flare. When this rune is flared, it ends and, once within the next minute, you can cast calm emotions without expending a spell slot. This spell does not require concentration.

Perditio (♌︎)

Prerequisite: 11th level

This rune represents evocation. While this rune is inscribed upon you, whenever you cast a spell of 1st level or higher that deals damage, you can reroll one of the damage dice.

Flare. When this rune is flared, for the next minute, whenever you deal damage with an evocation spell of 1st level or higher, you deal 2d6 additional force damage. After the minute ends, this rune ends.

Pondus (♈︎)

This rune represents gravity. While this rune is inscribed upon you, whenever you take damage from falling, reduce that damage by 15.

Flare. When this rune is flared, it ends and, once within the next minute, you can use an action and choose one creature within 30 feet that you can see. That creature must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is pulled up to 30 feet towards you.

Proelium (🜝)

Prerequisite: 8th level

This rune represents anger. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a +3 bonus to Charisma (intimidation) checks.

Flare. When this rune is flared, for the next minute, whenever you deal damage with a melee weapon, you deal 3 additional damage. The type of damage is the same type as that of the weapon. After the minute ends, this rune ends.

Protego (♍︎)

Prerequisite: 8th level

This rune represents abjuration. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a +2 bonus to your AC, up to a maximum AC of 20.

Flare. When this rune is flared, you gain temporary hit points equal 10 + the class level of the runecraft wizard for the next minute, after which this rune ends.

Res (♊︎)

This rune represents history. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a +3 bonus to Intelligence (history) checks. Additionally, once before this rune ends, you can cast comprehend languages without expending a spell slot. It does not require concentration, but it only lasts for 1 minute.

Flare. When this rune is flared, borrowed knowledge is cast upon you. You choose which skill to gain proficiency in as part of the spell. When this spell ends, this rune ends.

Tempus (♑︎)

Prerequisite: 14th level

This rune represents time. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you have advantage on initiative rolls.

Flare. When this rune is flared, you gain two motes of change for the next minute, after which the motes fade and this rune ends. During that time, when you fail a saving throw or miss an attack, you can use your reaction to expend one mote and succeed instead.

Terra (🜃)

Prerequisite: 11th level

This rune represents the element of earth. While this rune is inscribed upon you,  you gain a +3 bonus to Strength ability checks and saving throws.

Flare. When this rune is flared, you gain resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage for the next minute, after which this rune ends.

Tristis (♎︎)

This rune represents sadness. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you are immune to becoming charmed.

Flare. When this rune is flared, for the next minute, whenever a creature hits you with an attack, it has disadvantage on all attack rolls against you until the end of its next turn. After the minute ends, this rune ends.

Umbra (🜍)

This rune represents shadow. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a +2 bonus to Dexterity (stealth) checks.

Flare. When this rune is flared, you gain a +2 bonus to your AC while you are in dim light or in darkness for the next minute, after which this rune ends.

Verto (🝀)

Prerequisite: 5th level

This rune represents transmutation. While this rune is inscribed upon you, you gain a +2 bonus to all saving throws made to resist being petrified or against effects that alter your form against your will, such as polymorph.

Flare. When this rune is flared, you become resistant to a damage type of your choice for the next minute, after which this spell ends.

Vita (🜚)

Prerequisite: 11th level

This rune represents life. While this rune is inscribed upon you, whenever you receive healing from any source (except this effect), you regain 2d6 additional hit points.

Flare. When this rune is flared, your current and maximum hit points increases by 10 + half of the class level of the runecraft wizard (rounded down) for the next minute, after which this rune ends.

Flaring

6th-level Runecraft feature

You have learned to flare your runes, strengthening them for a brief time that results in them ending early. As an action, you can flare a rune that has been inscribed upon your or another creature's body. When you do, that rune's Flare effect activates.

Spell Inscription

10th-level Runecraft feature

You have discovered how to imbue a spell into a rune. Once per long rest, you can take 1 minute to inscribe a rune upon the body of another friendly creature and fill that rune with a spell. That spell must be one you know, be 5th level or lower and have a casting time of one action, and you expend the relevant spell slot or material components as if you had cast the spell yourself.

That creature can then use its action to cast the spell, using your spellcasting ability modifier. If the spell requires concentration, the creature must concentrate. The creature can cast the spell twice before the rune ends. The rune also ends when you take a long rest.

You can use an action to flare the rune, ending it and allowing you to immediately cast the spell yourself without expending a spell slot or using the required components. This can only be done if the creature has not yet cast the spell. You can then use your bonus action to cast a 1st or 2nd level spell, ignoring the limit on spellcasting per turn.

Rune Master

14th-level Runecraft feature

You have begun to master your craft, allowing you to inscribe runes with haste if necessary. Once per long rest, when you complete a short rest, you can inscribe one rune upon your or another creature's body as if you had inscribed it with the Inscribe Rune feature and meeting all of the limitations and conditions within that feature.

Additionally, whenever you flare a rune, a ball of pure arcane energy launches itself from the creature upon whom the rune was inscribed at an enemy creature within 30 feet of it that you choose. Make a spell attack roll against the enemy creature. On a hit, the creature takes force damage equal to 4d6 + your Intelligence modifier and the creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against a spell.