Runic Knight

A knight on a quest discovers an ancient ruin, deep in the Underdark. On the walls are stories of warriors of old who created magical weapons and armor to fight of untold horrors. Some of the runes stand out, almost glowing, not knowing why the knight draws the rune on it's sword. After doing so, the sword glows and gives of a faint heat. 

A bodyguard for a powerful wizard picks up on some of the basics of magic while listening to his charge's ramblings. Finding a scroll with some familiar words, the sellsword tries to copy a flameblade spell onto his blade. The runes are ascribed terribly and he gets a chuckle from the wizard, but the spell seems to stick, although not as potent. 

A young warrior comes of age in an Elven clan. She has proven her self on the battlefield, and is chosen to learn her clans secret. She is taught how to enhance her weapons, becoming even more deadly, and ready to face any enemy. 

However your fighter learns to harness the rune magics, they do so to increase their power. Whether that is to protect loved ones, earn glory, or gain more power, they are a fighter first. While they can not cast magic directly, they can use certain runes to enhance their weapons with various magical properties.   

Runeblade

When you choose this archetype at level 3 you choose one of your martial melee weapons to become your Runeblade. The chosen weapon cannot have the thrown property. You spend one hour etching the weapon with your chosen rune, after which the weapon is bound to you. This can be done during a short rest or long rest.

You can only have one Runeblade at a time, and the runic magic is inert if wielded by anyone else. 

If the chosen weapon is already magical, a DC 15 Intelligence check must be made (this increases to a DC 25 for any legendary weapon). On a successful check, the weapon becomes a Runeblade. On a failed check, the weapon still becomes a Runeblade, but loses any magical properties other than bonuses to hit/damage. 

If the base weapon was not already magical, the Runeblade counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage while a rune is active. At 6th level, the Runeblade is always considered magical. 

To add additional runes or change the runes on your current Runeblade, you must spend another hour with the weapon. You do not need remake any DC checks. 

Runic Magic

When you choose this archetype at level 3, you gain the knowledge of certain runes that can be etched on to your Runeblade. Using a bonus action you can activate 1 of the runes etched on your Runeblade. The rune is active for 1 minute, after which another bonus action must be used to reactivate it.  

Rune Magic. At level 3 you choose 1 of the available runes and can have 1 etched at a time. The number of known runes increases by 2 at 7th and 1 at 10th level. The number of etched runes increases by 1 at 7th and 10th level. When you have the ability to learn new runes, you may also swap out one known rune with another from the same set in which it was initially chosen.  

Power Surge. Once an etched rune is activated you may use another bonus action to activate a Power Surge effect on a hit. The chosen rune may not be reactivated until you take a short or long rest. 

Saving Throws. Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Rune save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)

The available runes are listed below in level required and alphabetical order:

Level 3: 

Astrapi  - Lightning damage

Dilitrio - Poison damage

Fotia - Fire damage

Pagos - Cold damage

Level 7:

Agios - Radiant damage

Nekrotikos - Necrotic damage

Oxy - Acid damage

Vronti - Thunder damage

Level 7:

Sproxte - Shove enemy back at end of turn 

Tachys - Advantage on first attack per turn

Tyflos - Chance to blind enemy on hit

Level 10:

Aspida - Chance to increase AC on hit 

Diochetevo - Drain health on hit

Zalisma - Stun enemy on hit

Elemental Rune Magic

At 3rd level you gain access to your first rune. 

Elemental Rune magic adds 1d6 elemental damage on a successful hit. This increases to 2d6 at 10th level.

Power Surge effect: add an additional 2d6 elemental damage. 

Astrapi

Lightning damage

Dilitrio

Poison damage

Fotia

Fire damage

Pagos

Cold

Expanded Elemental Rune Magic

At 7th level you gain access to new elemental runes. The max number of known runes increases by 1 and the max number of active runes increases by 1. 

Elemental Rune magic adds 1d6 elemental damage on a successful hit. This increases to 2d6 at 10th level.  

Power Surge effect: add an additional 2d6 elemental damage. 

Agios

Radiant damage

Nekrotikos

Necrotic damage

Oxy

Acid damage

Vronti

Thunder damage

Improved Rune Magic

At 7th level you gain access to new runes. The max number of known runes increases by 1. 

Sproxte

Shove enemy back 5ft per hit. Distance stacks and is applied at the end of the players turn. 2 hits = 10 ft, etc. 

Creatures immune to shove are unaffected. 

Power Surge effect: Causes the creature to make an Athletics/Acrobatics check (creature's choice). On a failed check the creature is knocked prone, unless they are immune to the prone condition. 

Tachys (Melee)

Gain advantage on the first attack when taking the attack action. 

Power Surge effect: Pick one creature that you can see and is non-hostile to you. The chosen creature gains advantage on it's next attack. 

Tachys (Ranged)

Gain advantage on the first attack when taking the attack action. 

Power Surge effect: Pick one creature that you can see and is non-hostile to you. The chosen creature gains advantage on it's next attack. 

Tyflos

On a attack roll of 18-20, enemy must pass a Constitution saving throw or be blinded. At the end of it's turns, the creature can make another save. If successful, the effect ends and the creature is immune to this rune for the rest of combat. 

Power Surge effect: Change the trigger of this rune to "on hit". Any other saves or checks must be made as normal. 

Expanded Rune Magic

At 10th level you gain access to new runes. The max number of runes increases by 1 and the max number of active runes increases by 1. 

Aspida

On hit roll 1d4 and add the result to your AC until the start of your next turn. Multiple hits allow for multiple rolls, but only the highest is kept. You can not increase your AC by more than 4 in this way. 

Power Surge effect: When you activate this rune, roll one additional Aspida die. Choose one ally and increase their AC by half of the number rolled (rounded up). 

Diochetevo

You regain health equal to one-half of damage dealt (rounded down). You can not regain health past halfof your max health (rounded down). 

e.x. 45/100 hp. Hit for 20 damage -> 50/100 hp. 

Power Surge effect: On the next hit, any hp beyond the max healed by this rune is converted into Temp. HP. 

Zalisma

On a attack roll of 18-20, enemy must pass a Constitution saving throw or be stunned. At the end of it's turns, the creature can make another save. If successful, the effect ends and the creature is immune to this rune for the rest of combat. 

Power Surge effect: Change the trigger of this rune to "on hit". Remove immunity to this rune's effect gained by making a successful save prior to activation. Any other saves or checks must be made as normal. 

Enhanced Runic Magic

At 15th level your mastery of runic magic allows you to enhance the potency of your runes. 

When taking the Runic Magic bonus action for the first time in a combat, you may activate 2 runes instead of the usual 1. 

Elemental damage from runes treats resistance as normal damage and immunity as resistance.

If a rune effect causes the enemy to make a saving throw, they do so at disadvantage on the initial roll. 

Tachys now gives advantage on the first 2 attacks per attack action.

Sproxte now triggers attacks of opportunities from any creature hostile to your target, other than you, if the target enters the hostile creatures melee range while being shoved. 

Aspida now rolls 1d6 and the max increase to AC is now 6. 

Diochetevo can now heal up to three-quarters of max health. 

 

Rune Master

At 18th level your mastery of runic magic allows you to unleash a devastating attack. 

You sacrifice 1 of your runes to unleash a devastating attack. All 3 of your etched runes must be active and you remove the effects of the sacrificed rune before applying the effects of this feature.

Using this power causes your attack to automatically crit. The spent rune slot is recovered on a short or long rest.