Scrolls had to be written sometime in the first place…

Wizards are the class for which this feature makes the most sense, since they gain their arcane power from studying books. A warlock, for example, wouldn’t make a spell scroll because their power has nothing to do with them; it’s about their patron. If you take a normal scroll of non-magical parchment, you can complete a ritual to transform it into a blank spell scroll. Roll a d6. What you roll is the maximum level of spell you can make a spell scroll for. The ritual takes 1 day and 10 GP for each level of the spell you are planning on writing into the scroll. You must then write a spell you know into the scroll as if writing it into your spellbook (with the gold and time costs).

Once you have done so, you can cast that spell with no components, including material components the spell consumes but not those with a monetary value. When you cast the spell in this way (without any components), there is a 5% chance that the spell scroll is destroyed in arcane flames. You don’t need the scroll anywhere near you to use this feature, only for it to be on the same plane of existence as you.

When disabling many similar traps in your dungeon-delving career, you’ve gained an affinity for those particular mechanisms. When you use thieves’ tools to disable a trap and succeed by 5 or more, you learn it’s inner workings. Each time you would attempt to disable a trap of the same kind as that one (a poison dart trap check succeeds by 5, and the next time you disable any dart trap, for example), you can add your proficiency bonus to the check. If you were normally proficient or had expertise with thieves’ tools, you nevertheless add your proficiency bonus one more time, only for those traps. You can have a maximum of three trap affinities.

Magic items, gold, medals, charms, blessings, and parcels of land all account for most D&D player’s rewards after completing a difficult quest. Why not throw a new one into the mix: Runes.

Rune Knights

Rune Knights are a fighter subclass released in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything that harness the magical abilities of runes, cut by giants, to aid them in combat. It doesn’t seem unlikely that a powerful Rune Knight might lend their services to inscribe a rune in a temple, coffin, castle, throne, or resting place to protect the creatures within. Runes shouldn’t only be a giant practise, as well - rather, sages who specialise in ancient chants and enchanted inscriptions might create their own runes or use those they learnt of. In my world, runes are enchanted sigils written to place a charm or curse in a certain area by an ancient civilisation. The heroes were a group of Rune Hunters, exploring the labyrinthine crypts and jungle temples in search of new Runes to sell to wealthy sages and power-hungry nobles...or use in combat themselves.

Runes as a Reward, or Challenge

Plenty of different runes can be created by you or taken from real life (or other sources) in order to decorate a setting. If a player learns or steals the image of a rune, and accurately scripts it onto their weapon, armour etc., then they could use that power against their foes. Or, a rune might be the source of foul magic, and destroying it will protect the nearby town and finish their quest. This should not undermine Rune Knights in the party (if any): rather, these new runes could be added to the list they might learn, or provide a less significant benefit than the ones listed below. Anyway, here are some examples.

Ankh Rune. Costs 1,500 GP to inscribe. The next time the player wearing the rune would die, the Ankh Rune instead shatters and the player returns to life with 1 hit point.

Thorn Rune. Costs 200 GP to inscribe. The gold and time it costs to write spells into your spellbook is halved. Once you have written 15 spells, the rune disappears.

Alpha Rune. Using this rune, you can restore hit points as an action. You can distribute the hit points between yourself and all the creatures within 10 feet of you. Once you have healed twice your level’s worth of hit points, the rune drifts into the wind and vanishes.

Omega Rune. Using this rune, you can deal necrotic damage to one creature as an action. The damage you deal cannot exceed twice your level. Once you have dealt twice your level’s worth of damage with this rune, it implodes in a puff of foul-smelling black smoke.

Shenu Rune. While wearing this rune, you have advantage on all Performance and Intimidation checks.

Forge Rune. You become proficient with Smith’s Tools while wearing this rune, and double your proficiency bonus to all ability checks made using tools you are proficient with.

Shield Rune. Your AC increases by 1 while you wear this rune.

Spear Rune. You score a critical hit on a 19-20 while you wear this rune.

Mountain Rune. You are acclimated to high altitudes while wearing this rune. In addition, you cannot be moved against your will.

True Damage is not a new damage type, but rather a label you can associate with damage when applicable. True damage, for example, can be applied to a Fireball’s fire damage. It is still fire damage, but with the True Damage label.

When a damage type becomes True Damage, it ignores resistance and immunity.

True Damage can be associated with a damage type when a cleric’s deity intervenes, when a critical hit is rolled (instead of rolling extra damage, the resistance and immunity is ignored), or as an Epic Boon once per long rest. As ever, the DM decides and can add True Damage whenever they feel it is appropriate.

A well-organised army is far more efficient than a ragtag group of unlikely adventurers. This optional rule, granted to intelligent parties who often face tactical encounters, provides a sense of realism and reward to clever tactics.

High Ground

A creature who assumes the high ground (adjudicated by the DM) has advantage on attack rolls against creatures below it.

Revised Flanking

If you take a ruler and connect two creatures, and the path of the ruler goes straight through another creature, the middle creature is Flanked. The creatures flanking it have a bonus to attack rolls against the Flanked victim equal to the number of creatures flanking it.

Ordered Initiative (Regrouping)

The party can spend a bonus action on their turn to regroup amidst the confusion of combat. Once each party member has used their bonus action in this way, when the first player would have their turn, instead the whole initiative order is re-written depending on the player’s wishes. Monsters retain their order (for example, the Gnoll Pack Lord who acts 3rd in Initiative still acts 3rd, even when the Cleric and Fighter switch 1st and 2nd places). This can be used only once per combat.

Tactical Assault

If the party decides to surprise their enemy, and at least half the party (rounding down) succeeds their Stealth check by 5 or more (and nobody fails), they have begun a Tactical Assault. The heroes decide initiative, placing them and monsters however they wish.

Ambient Magic

Ambient magic is a subset of arcane, eldritch or divine magic. Ambient magic can best be described as the kind that could be absorbed by meditating in an ancient dragon’s lair, resonate from a celestial being or powerful entity, or remain in the ruins of a wizard school.

Ambient magic is, as the name suggests, a very weak vestige of magic. It is only the remaining atmosphere of higher magic that remains after extremely powerful arcane, divine or eldritch creatures used high magic. Ambient magic is dependent on place. See the ambient magic table for how to include it in your game:

You can, of course, choose other sources of ambient magic or modify the chances of madness. If the players encounter any of the listed examples, they do not necessarily absorb it. 

Here is a list of the potential effects of Small Magic. Choose one per source:

• Advantage on saving throws to avoid magical effects
• Advantage on saving throws to be charmed or frightened
• +1 bonus to spell attacks, if any
• +1 bonus to spell save DC, if any
• Learn one cantrip from an appropriate spell list (use the warlock list for experiencing the true form of Cthulhu, for example, or sorcerer list if a player is exposed to an area full of wild magic).
• Magic can’t put them to sleep.

Half-Goblins are part human, part goblin. They primarily seem like humans but with a short stature and very rough skin. Most half-goblins are ashamed of their very existence, because the unity of humans and such foul creatures as goblins is seen to be disgusting. Half-goblins share the powers of what is known as Small Magic from their goblin parent, while keeping the sense of broad mind and various capabilities of the human half.

Speed. Your walking speed in 25 feet.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and you Charisma score increases by 1.

Small Magic. You know one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list.

Darkvision. Accustomed to the shadow of night, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.

Capable. Whenever you make a skill check you are not proficient in, you can choose to add your proficiency bonus to the check. Once you use this trait, you cannot use it again until you take a long or short rest.

Rogue Modrons are constructs from the plane of Mechanus who were damaged and lost their axiomatic mind. During the Great Modron March, they stumbled onto the Material Plane and were trapped there forever.

Creature Type: Your creature type is Construct.

Age: You do not age, or die of old age. Modrons are not known to have died of anything other than wounds.

Alignment: Having broken free of your axiomatic mind, you are chaotic. Most modrons lean towards neutrality.

Size: Modrons vary wildly in size, but you are either Small or Medium (your choice).

Speed: Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Construct Nature: You don’t need to eat, sleep or breathe, and are immune to poison and disease.

Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution and Intelligence scores both increase by 2.

Metallic Body: When not wearing armour, calculate your AC as 12 + your DEX modifier.

Conductor: When you take lightning or fire damage, you take additional damage equal to your proficiency bonus.

Semi-Hive Mind: Retaining a part of your weblike mind connections, once per dawn, you can choose up to two other creatures. Whenever those creature are within 20 feet of you, you and the nearby creatures gain +1 AC and +1 to all saving throws.

Tales were sung of the time you would be born, destined to achieve a mighty prophecy.

Lineage: Choose a race. You gain the alignment suggestions, age, speed, and size of that race. However, you gain no other features of that race, instead receiving those of this one.

Untapped Potential: The maximum for all your ability scores is 22. Ability score increases can go up to 22 with this feature.

Prophetic Design: One ability score of your choice increases by 2, and another increases by 1.

Skilled: You gain proficiency with two skills of your choice.

Unleash your Destiny: As an action, you can assume your prophetic form, revealing a fragment of your true power as a hero-to-be. For one minute, you have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls, saving throws, and spell attacks and spell save DCs (if any). At 10th level this bonus increases to +2, and it increases to +3 at 15th level. You cannot use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Age: Your giant nature extends your lifespan. Half-Giants live to up to 200 years, considered mature by 40 years of age.

Alignment: Human blood makes a Half-Giant as likely to choose any alignment than another. The best and worst are found among them.

Size: Half-Giants are towering creatures, often standing 8 feet tall. Your size is nevertheless Medium.

Speed: Your walking speed in 30 feet.

Powerful Build: You are considered twice your size when calculating how much you can carry, push and pull.

Ability Score Improvement: Your Strength score increases by 2, and one other score of your choice increases by 1.

Hardy: You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and have resistance to poison damage.

Imposing Presence: You gain proficiency with Intimidation.

Quick Learner: The time it takes for you to learn a new skill or tool proficiency (DMG) is halved.

Languages: You speak Common, Giant, and one other language of your choice.