RUNE MASTER

There can be no more difficult job than creating magic items. A competent enchanter could spend months or years creating a single item, meticulously ensuring that every detail was perfect.

The Rune Knight doesn't have time for that. They studied the glyphs and runes used by enchanters and created a 'shorthand' version of them following an ancient magical tradition, known as rune magic, which allows them to imbue powerful magical effects into the weapons they wield. A mage would look at their work and call it "almost mind-boggling nonsense," but the Rune Knight can use the slight glimmer of arcane talent in them to draw power from their rune inscriptions and combine it with their martial prowess to create a weapon of immense power potential power - The Rune Sword.

In addition, you will learn a variety of different runes that will help you in combat, as well as some other magical abilities. You gain proficiency with your choice of mason's tools or smith's tools. Additionally, you learn the Mending cantrip.

 

RUNE MASTER

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you can etch runes into your weapon, armor, and body. Their effects are based on how you invoke them, generating defensive properties to stop your enemies from advancing or landing decisive blows. There are 3 types of runes, Attack, Defense and Skill, and there is also a special type, the Magic that each one can only be used once per long rest.

Ritual of Creation

Each rune combination needs to be inscribed in your gear for at least 4 hours, which can be done during a long rest. Every piece of equipment needs to be within reach during the ritual, and at its conclusion, you infuse a part of your being into the runes, making them glow with your spiritual essence.

THE RUNE SWORD

At 3rd level, you've learned how to transform any melee weapon into a rune weapon. By spending 4 hours uninterrupted, you can inscribe a weapon with magical runes and gems that allow you to channel certain energy through contact. Once a weapon is turned into a rune weapon, it cannot be undone.

Once you have linked a weapon to you, you cannot be disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated. If it is on the same plane of existence, you can summon this weapon as a bonus action on your turn, causing it to instantly teleport to your hand.

Furthermore, only a Rune Knight can activate Rune Inscriptions. When any creature other than a Rune Knight attempts to wield a Runeblade, the Rune Inscriptions become inert.

RUNIC WRITING

At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Arcana and Religion skills. Additionally, you double your proficiency bonus when making Intelligence checks that involve identifying magical writing, such as arcane symbols or divine texts.

ARCANIST EYES

Starting at 7th level, you can see the flow of magic in nearby areas, you can detect familiar patterns in the fabric of magic. The GM tells you the general location of magical effects within 60 feet of range, whether it's active or dormant, and you also know the type (arcane, divine, or other) of any text you sense but not its exact purpose or power. You can use this feature a number of times per day equal to your proficiency bonus.

MAGIC RUNES

Starting at 10th level, you can unleash the energy of your magical runes to devastating effect by shouting the command word as an action. The runes you activate are dormant until you finish a short or long rest.

SUPERIOR CRITICAL

Starting at 15th level, your weapon attacks gain a critical hit range of 18 to 20 on attack rolls.

MAGIC ABSORPTION

At 18th level, when you are the target of a spell cast by a creature, you can use your Reaction to absorb the magic and create a unique activation rune with that spell, and the spellcaster gains the effects of the spell that was absorbed as if she had been targeted by her. Any necessary calculations are done using the original caster's statistics. You can use this feature a number of times per day equal to your proficiency bonus.

RUNES

Below are the available Attack, Defense, Skill and Magic runes.

Attack Runes
These are the Runes engraved on the Rune Sword. You can have up to 1 runes active at a time, and you can change one of them as a bonus action. The power of the Attack Runes only affects the Rune Sword attached to the knight. The save DC is 8 + Proficiency Modifier + Required Modifier.

Sacred: You imbue a holy rune into your weapon, and a 30-foot aura of light radiates from it. Your attack deals 2d6 radiant damage. All radiant damage dealt by this rune increases to 4d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Flame: You imbue a flame rune into your weapon. Your attack deals an extra 2d6 fire damage, and the target ignites. At the start of each of the target's turns, it takes 2d6 fire damage. At the end of each of the target's turns, it makes a Dexterity saving throw. If successful, he stops taking fire damage. All fire damage dealt by this rune increases to 4d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Force: You imbue a rune of powerful kinetic energy into your weapon. Your attack deals an extra 2d6 force damage, and the target is pushed 10 feet away from you. The damage dealt by this rune increases to 4d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Lightning: You imbue a storm rune into your weapon. Your attack deals an extra 2d6 lightning damage, and up to one creature you can see within 30 feet of the target also takes 2d6 lightning damage. All lightning damage dealt by this rune increases to 4d6 when you reach 18th level in this rune. class.

Restoration: You imbue a healing rune into your weapon. Whether your attack hits or misses, up to two people you can see within 30 feet of you each regain 2d6 hit points. Instead, each ally regains 4d6 HP when you reach 18th level in this class.

Peacemaking: You imbue a peace rune into your weapon. If you hit, the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target's speed is reduced to 0 and it is incapacitated until the end of its next turn. The target also takes 2d6 psychic damage, whether or not you succeed on the saving throw when you reach 18th level in this class.

Phasing: You imbue an ethereal rune into your weapon. Instead of making an attack roll for your attack, each creature within reach makes a Dexterity saving throw. Each creature that fails the saving throw takes your weapon's damage + an extra 1d6 force damage. All force damage dealt by this rune increases to 2d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Shadow: You imbue a rune of darkness into your weapon. Your attack deals an extra 2d6 necrotic damage, and the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target is blinded until the end of your next turn. The necrotic damage dealt by this rune increases to 4d6 when you reach 18th level in this class.

Fragility: You imbue a fragility rune into your weapon. Each attack reduces the target's AC by -1, and also removes Reactions until the start of your next turn.

Fortitude: You imbue a fortitude rune into your weapon. Each attack increases your AC by +1 until the start of your next turn.

Blood: You imbue a blood rune into your weapon. Whenever you make a successful melee attack, gain hit points equal to half the total damage dealt (rounded down).

Defense Runes
These are the Runes engraved on the knight's armor. You can have up to 2 runes active at a time, and you can change one of them as a bonus action. The power of the Runes of Defense only affects the knight.

Vengeance: When a creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make an armed melee attack against that creature.

Toughness: When you are hit by a melee attack, damage taken is halved (round up).

Hardener: You have advantage and gain a bonus on any saving throw equal to your Constitution modifier.

Wind: Ranged attacks made against you have disadvantage, due to the wind whipping around you.

Anti-Magic: Once per turn, you are immune to spells that target you.

Fortitude: You lose 1 yard of speed but gain +2 AC.

Agility: You lose 1 AC, but you move faster and have +1 attack per turn.

Skill Runes
These are the Runes that are engraved directly on the knight's body. You can have up to 3 runes active at a time, and you can change one of them as a bonus action. The power of Skill Runes only affects the knight. The save DC is 8 + Proficiency Modifier + Required Modifier.

Rock: You can add your Constitution modifier to your Strength (Athletics) and Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.

Feather: You ignore difficult terrain and can walk through still or light water.

Vitality: When you receive healing from any source, you also gain temporary hit points equal to 5 + your proficiency bonus.

Fortification: You have advantage on death saving throws and Constitution checks.

Speed: Your walking speed increases by a number of yards equal to 2 times your Constitution modifier.

Runes of Magic
These are the Runes that are engraved directly on the knight's body and are always bright, unless they are dormant. The runes you activate are dormant until you finish a short or long rest. The save DC is 8 + Proficiency Modifier + Required Modifier.

Fire: Each creature within 5 feet must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking fire damage equal to 2d6 x the number of runes you have active on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Ice: An eruption of magical cold erupts from you in a radius equal to 10 feet x the number of runes you have active. All creatures of your choice in the affected area must succeed on a Strength saving throw, becoming Restrained on failure for a number of turns equal to the number of active runes. At the end of each of their turns, they can repeat the saving throw to break free.

Earth: You unleash your runic power in an arc in front of you, creating a cone of difficult terrain as jagged earth erupts in a 5-foot radius x the number of runes you have active. When a creature enters that area for the first time on a turn, or starts in that area, it takes 2d4 slashing damage.

Wind: A raging cyclone whips a strong wind around you. All creatures within 10 feet must succeed on a Strength saving throw or take 1d10 bludgeoning damage, are pushed a number of feet equal to 5 x the number of active runes (minimum 5 feet ), and they fall. On a success, the creature takes half damage and isn't knocked prone.

Rejuvenation: Spirits of life swirl around you in a 5-foot radius. All creatures of your choice within the radius gain hit points equal to 1d6 x the number of active runes you currently have.