Rune Weaver

A Rune Weaver is a fighter who employs the ancient Dwarven tradition of inscribing runes onto weapons before battle. These runes, although short-lived, could provide just enough of a boost to the Dwarf's weapons to possibly turn the tide of battle.  Through your character's adventures or as a family heirloom passed to you, a tome of how to inscribe runes comes into your possession. These runes can be used for many purposes from adding elemental damage to weapons to increasing the weapon's armor piercing capabilities.

Rune Weaver Lore

At 3rd level, you feel you have gained enough knowledge of Rune Weaving to try your hand at the ancient Dwarven tradition.  You may add runes to your weapons and ammunition as described in the Rune Weaving section.

Rune Weaving

Rune Weaving is the act of adding a temporary rune to an object. As a Rune Weaver you have the knowledge needed to apply a temporary rune to your weapons and ammunition. Starting at level 3 when you gain this feature, you may learn a number of runes known equal to half your Fighter level, rounded up. you can choose 2 at 3rd level, a 3rd at 5th level and so on. Once you make a choice on which runes your character knows, it cannot be undone. So, choose wisely. The descriptions of the runes available to you are listed at the end of the entry for this subclass. Some runes have restrictions on what type of weapon they may be attached to. Using Runed ammunition with a magical bow or crossbow, with the exception of +1, +2, or +3 with no other attributes, will negate the effect of the ammunition (example: if the bow applies additional elemental damage to the arrow, the rune on the arrow will be negated).

Once you learn some runes, it is time to put them to use. Once per day, at the end of a long rest, you may apply runes to your non-magical weapons and ammunition. You may apply runes that you know to a number of ammunition equal to your Wisdom modifier. The runes augment the ammunition per the descriptions at the end of the subclass description. These runes will last until the start of your next long rest or for 1 day, whichever comes first. If a runed piece of ammunition is not used before the rune wears off, it can be runed again after the next long rest. You may use the same rune or switch to a different one.

Alternatively, you can choose to use your ammunition runes to apply a rune to a melee weapon you are proficient with. This runic weapon has a number of charges equal to the number of ammunition runes you inscribe on it. You must declare that you are activating the rune prior to rolling the dice for an attack. As with the ammunition, the temporary rune loses its potency at the start of your next long rest or the end of the day, whichever comes first.

Runes applied to a ranged weapon, such as a bow or crossbow, are not powerful enough to transfer their attributes to ammunition fired from it, regardless of the rune applied.

Because runes are created by the user, only the Rune Weaver may activate the runes he inscribes on his weapons. If anyone else tries to use the weapons or ammunition, it acts normally.

Well of Runes

Starting at 7th level, the number of runes you can apply in the course of a long rest has increased. You may add half your fighter level, rounded up, to the number of runes you can apply to weapons and ammunition for the day.

Rune Weaver Adept

Starting at 10th level, the runes you inscribe on weapons and ammunition have their attributes doubled. This bonus is identified at the end of each Rune's description.

Improved Rune Weaving

At 15th level, you have learned enough about runes that you have begun to experiment with applying runes to other people's weapons. You may spend two charges to apply a rune to another player's non-magical weapons or ammunition. As with melee weapons, multiple uses may be applied, at the cost of two charges per rune. Like runes on your weapons, the runes you apply to others' weapons will fade at the start of the next long rest or after 1 day.

Runic Savant

At 18th level, you have learned to make the runes you have learned permanent. You may spend all of your runes for the day to make one rune applied to a non-magical melee weapon permanent. This weapon's rune will always be active and the rune's properties will activate every time the weapon is used. Runes applied to a ranged weapon such as a bow or crossbow, will not confer the bonuses to ammunition fires from them.

Rune Weaver Runes

Runes are presented in alphabetical order.

Bleeding Strike Rune

Bleeding Strike Rune: You imbue a weapon or piece of ammunition with a rune that causes substantial bleeding in the target. A target wounded by a weapon with this rune will suffer 1d8 bleeding damage at the start of each of its turns until a successful DC14 Medicine Check can be made. This medicine check is made as a bonus action at the end of each of the target’s turns.

Runic Adept: Bleeding damage increases to 2d8

Crippling Rune

Crippling Rune: This rune augments the damaging properties of the weapon or projectile by causing it to inflict more ghastly wounds. When a target is hit by this rune, it gains the following effects: the target’s next attack is at disadvantage and the target’s speed is reduced by half for 1 round.

Runic Adept: In addition to the above, if the target is a spellcaster, they must make a DC15 concentration check before casting any spell. If the target fails, they are unable to cast the spell and the spell slot is lost. If the caster is already concentrating on a spell, they immediately lose concentration and the spell ends.

Elemental Damage Rune (Acid)

Elemental Damage Rune: This rune applies additional elemental damage to the weapon or ammunition, dealing an additional 1d6 of the chosen damage type. You must choose the element learned when taking this rune and only that element can be used when inscribing. You may take this rune again, choosing a different element.

Elements: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic, Poison, Radiant, Thunder

Runic Adept: Damage is increased to +2d6.

Elemental Damage Rune (Cold)

Elemental Damage Rune: This rune applies additional elemental damage to the weapon or ammunition, dealing an additional 1d6 of the chosen damage type. You must choose the element learned when taking this rune and only that element can be used when inscribing. You may take this rune again, choosing a different element.

Elements: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic, Poison, Radiant, Thunder

Runic Adept: Damage is increased to +2d6.

Elemental Damage Rune (Fire)

Elemental Damage Rune: This rune applies additional elemental damage to the weapon or ammunition, dealing an additional 1d6 of the chosen damage type. You must choose the element learned when taking this rune and only that element can be used when inscribing. You may take this rune again, choosing a different element.

Elements: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic, Poison, Radiant, Thunder

Runic Adept: Damage is increased to +2d6.

Elemental Damage Rune (Lightning)

Elemental Damage Rune: This rune applies additional elemental damage to the weapon or ammunition, dealing an additional 1d6 of the chosen damage type. You must choose the element learned when taking this rune and only that element can be used when inscribing. You may take this rune again, choosing a different element.

Elements: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic, Poison, Radiant, Thunder

Runic Adept: Damage is increased to +2d6.

Elemental Damage Rune (Necrotic)

Elemental Damage Rune: This rune applies additional elemental damage to the weapon or ammunition, dealing an additional 1d6 of the chosen damage type. You must choose the element learned when taking this rune and only that element can be used when inscribing. You may take this rune again, choosing a different element.

Elements: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic, Poison, Radiant, Thunder

Runic Adept: Damage is increased to +2d6.

Elemental Damage Rune (Poison)

Elemental Damage Rune: This rune applies additional elemental damage to the weapon or ammunition, dealing an additional 1d6 of the chosen damage type. You must choose the element learned when taking this rune and only that element can be used when inscribing. You may take this rune again, choosing a different element.

Elements: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic, Poison, Radiant, Thunder

Runic Adept: Damage is increased to +2d6.

Elemental Damage Rune (Radiant)

Elemental Damage Rune: This rune applies additional elemental damage to the weapon or ammunition, dealing an additional 1d6 of the chosen damage type. You must choose the element learned when taking this rune and only that element can be used when inscribing. You may take this rune again, choosing a different element.

Elements: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic, Poison, Radiant, Thunder

Runic Adept: Damage is increased to +2d6.

Elemental Damage Rune (Thunder)

Elemental Damage Rune: This rune applies additional elemental damage to the weapon or ammunition, dealing an additional 1d6 of the chosen damage type. You must choose the element learned when taking this rune and only that element can be used when inscribing. You may take this rune again, choosing a different element.

Elements: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic, Poison, Radiant, Thunder

Runic Adept: Damage is increased to +2d6.

Explosive Rune

Explosive Rune* (Ammunition Only): You imbue a piece of ammunition with a rune that will explode on contact with a creature or object. When the projectile hits a creature or object, that creature or object will suffer normal damage + 2d6 Force Damage. All creatures within 10 feet of the target must make a DC14 Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 Force damage.

*Due to the volatility of this rune, you may only have a maximum of two in your quiver/pouch at any time.

Runic Adept: Force damage increases to 4d6 and 2d8, respectively.

Grindstone Rune

Grindstone Rune (Melee Weapon Only): You imbue a weapon with a rune that increases the effectiveness of its cutting edge or blunted end. When activating the rune, the damage die for this weapon increases by 1 step. (Example: a 1d6 Short Sword will increase to 1d8)

Runic Adept: The damage die for the weapon will increase by 2 steps. (Example: 1d6 becomes 1d10)

Physical Damage Rune (Bludgeoning)

Physical Damage Rune: This rune applies additional physical damage to the weapon or ammunition, dealing an additional 1d6 of the chosen damage type. You must choose the element learned when taking this rune and only that element can be used when inscribing. You may take this rune again, choosing a different damage type.

Damage Types: Bludgeoning, Force, Piercing, Slashing

Runic Adept: Damage is increased to +2d6.

Physical Damage Rune (Force)

Physical Damage Rune: This rune applies additional physical damage to the weapon or ammunition, dealing an additional 1d6 of the chosen damage type. You must choose the element learned when taking this rune and only that element can be used when inscribing. You may take this rune again, choosing a different damage type.

Damage Types: Bludgeoning, Force, Piercing, Slashing

Runic Adept: Damage is increased to +2d6.

Physical Damage Rune (Piercing)

Physical Damage Rune: This rune applies additional physical damage to the weapon or ammunition, dealing an additional 1d6 of the chosen damage type. You must choose the element learned when taking this rune and only that element can be used when inscribing. You may take this rune again, choosing a different damage type.

Damage Types: Bludgeoning, Force, Piercing, Slashing

Runic Adept: Damage is increased to +2d6.

Physical Damage Rune (Slashing)

Physical Damage Rune: This rune applies additional physical damage to the weapon or ammunition, dealing an additional 1d6 of the chosen damage type. You must choose the element learned when taking this rune and only that element can be used when inscribing. You may take this rune again, choosing a different damage type.

Damage Types: Bludgeoning, Force, Piercing, Slashing

Runic Adept: Damage is increased to +2d6.

Piercing Rune

Piercing Rune: This rune hardens the weapon or projectile so it penetrates armor and defenses better than a standard weapon or projectile. Weapons and ammunition with this rune applied gain +2 to hit.

Runic Adept: To hit bonus is increased to +4 and damage is increased +2

Salvo Rune

Salvo Rune (Ammunition Only): This rune causes the ammunition to split into multiple fragments. When using ammunition with this rune, all creatures within 5 feet of the target, including the target, must succeed a DC14 Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 piercing damage

Runic Adept:  Fragment damage is increased to 2d6.

True Aim Rune

True Aim Rune (Ammunition Only): Ammunition with this rune can only be used if the following conditions are met: Your initiative must be higher than your target's and the target must not have taken a turn this combat. If these conditions are met, this arrow/bolt benefits from Sneak Attack and deals an additional 2d6 Sneak Attack damage.

Runic Adept: Sneak Attack damage is increased to 4d6.