Dream of the Azure Court (Rune Knight Rogue)

Off in the far distance, there is a tower; Beautiful sparkling azure spires that reach up over the horizon. Of course, the tower being here can only mean one thing: That you are in a dream. While an afterthought to most, this court represents a place of great importance for you.

The nature of the Dreaming is almost impossible to truly understand, but one with the proper aptitude can have a significant sway over the minds of others. Whether through a trace of jackal blood in your veins, a fateful encounter with the Fae, or some other auspice, you have such an ability. 

While some magic is meant to make as powerful an impact as possible, you aim for a subtler approach. Meddling in the subconscious mind can bypass many things, be it an enemy's hardened resolve or your own hesitation. With just a bit of tweaking, you can have a brain acting exactly as you want. The nature of such a combatant is anything but standard, as there is no order nor organization. Merely, these are individuals who have gained insight into the nature of the Dreaming, and what they do with that ability is up to them.

 

A homebrew I made for the campaign setting "Delver's Guide to the Beast World". Flavor text is meant to fit in that campaign setting, and one campaign specific spell is used. Other than that, the mechanics graft easily onto standard Feywild lore. The following are my thoughts behind the balancing.

- For features that can activate when dealing damage, they can now only be used when dealing sneak attack.

- Optional ability to give party members Glyphs like magic items. Since the original buffs are meant for a martial character, letting any type of PC potentially use them is impossible to balance. I feel like the ability to give buffs to party members is a nice idea, but again hard to balance.

- Rune number increases are bumped a bit earlier to match Rogue, but level prerequisites for the better ones are higher.

- Fire rune is changed to the more effective psychic damage and wisdom save (on average, more monsters have a high strength save over wisdom, and psychic is rarely resisted), but certain enemies are now immune.

- Giants strength still gives the same damage, but doesn't give a bonus to strength checks and saving throws. Goes with the more avoidant style of rogue. Instead, there's no size increase and only Wisdom saves get advantage, as well as the option to change all sneak attack damage to psychic (bypasses non-magic physical resistances). The damage bonus instead scales with level since rogues don't get multi attack.

- A minor buff to sleeping/long resting is added, mainly because it would be weird if normal sleep wasn’t effected in any way.

- Great Stature becomes the ability to cast a setting-specific spell. If not playing in the Beast World setting, you can replace this feature with Fey Wanderer Ranger's 11th level feature Fey Reinforcements.

- Final two features are combined. Size and reach are dropped and replaced with a damage buff to sneak attack. At this level, its an average of +12 damage per sneak attack, which considering what casters get at this level I feel is fair.

 

Bonus Proficiencies:

At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in one artisans tool which you use to create glyphs. You also learn to read, write, and speak Seelese.

 

Dream Archetypes:

Starting at 3rd level, you learn the true sylvan names of archetypal dreams. By invoking their names in the form of glyphs, you can use them to insinuate their effect onto others, and even yourself. You learn two glyphs of your choice, from among the glyphs described below, and each time you gain a level in this class, you can replace one glyph you know with a different one from this feature. When you reach certain levels in this class, you learn additional glyphs:

 

 

Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a number of objects equal to the number of glyphs you know, and you inscribe a different glyph onto each of the objects. To be eligible, an object must be a weapon, a suit of armor, a shield, a piece of jewelry, or something else you can wear or hold in a hand. Your glyph remains on an object until you finish a long rest, and an object can bear only one of your glyphs at a time. The following glyphs are available to you when you learn a glyph. If a glyph has a level requirement, you must be at least that level in this class to learn the glyph. If a glyph requires a saving throw, your Glyph Magic save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.

 

Dream glyphs: Each glyph has a passive and active effect, the later of which can be activated once, regaining its use on a short or long rest. You can only benefit from a glyph if you have it on your person.

OPTIONAL: you may give an allied creature one of your glyphs. If you allow it, a creature can attune to one of your glyphs as they would a normal magic item, gaining the benefit from it while attuned. They can use its features the same as you, and any DC uses your Wisdom. A creature can only attune to one glyph at a time, and loses attunement at the end of a long rest unless you choose to re-enchant it.

 

Confusion: Names and faces blur together, can you even tell who's who? You gain advantage on Deception and Sleight of Hand checks.
In addition, when you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you is hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to invoke the glyph and choose a different creature within 30 feet of you, other than the attacker. The chosen creature becomes the target of the attack, using the same roll. This magic can transfer the attack's effects regardless of the attack's range.

 

Chains: Imprisoned by your own mind, the multitude tightens its hold. Any tool proficiency you have becomes expertise.
In addition, when dealing sneak attack damage, you may deal an extra 2d6 psychic damage and force the target to make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails, it is restrained for one minute, able to make additional saves at the end of its turn. While restrained, the creature takes 2d6 psychic damage at the start of its turn. Creatures immune to charm automatically succeed.

 

Wilderness: Lost, everywhere you go is unfamiliar. You have advantage on Animal Handling and Intimidation checks.
In addition, you can invoke the glyph as a bonus action to increase your sturdiness. For 10 minutes, you gain a +2 bonus to all ability checks and saving throws that use Strength or Constitution.

 

Judgment (5th Level or Higher): They are all watching you. You gain advantage on insight checks, and 120ft of darkvision.
In addition, when a creature you can see ends its turn within 30 feet of you, you can use your reaction to invoke the glyph and force the creature to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed in this way, the creature has a speed of 0 and is incapacitated, descending into a dreamy stupor. The creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

 

Protection (9th Level or Higher): Here, you are safe. You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance against poison damage.
In addition, you can invoke the glyph as a bonus action, gaining resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage for 1 minute.

 

Omen (9th Level or Higher): Seemingly random images, could they mean something? You have advantage on Arcana checks, and you can't be surprised as long as you aren't incapacitated.
In addition, you can invoke the glyph as a bonus action to enter a prophetic state for 1 minute or until you're incapacitated. Until the state ends, when you or another creature you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, a saving throw, or an ability check, you can use your reaction to cause the roll to have advantage or disadvantage.

 

 

Hypnagogic Form:

 At 3rd level, you have learned how to slip ever so slightly into the realm of The Dreaming while in combat. As a bonus action, you magically gain the following, which last for 1 minute:

• Your creature type temporarily becomes fey. You have advantage on wisdom saving throws.
• You may cause your sneak attack damage to be psychic. In addition, your sneak attack deals 1d6 extra psychic damage. This increases by 1d6 when you reach 9th level in this class, and again at 17th.

You may use this feature a number of times equal to you proficiency bonus, regaining all uses on a long rest.

In addition, you gain a mastery of mundane sleep. When asleep, your passive perception is not reduced in any way, and you may decide whether or not to wake up if alerted.

 

Bulwark of Dreams:

At 9th level, you learn how to harness your control over cognition to mislead your enemies. When another creature you can see within 60 feet of you is hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to force the attacker to reroll the d20 and use the new roll. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

 

Id Incursion:

At 13th level, you learn how to fully traverse the Dreaming, and how that power can be used to gain information. You learn the spell Daisy Walk, if you don't know it already. Once per day, you may cast the spell at a level up to your Proficiency Bonus. The spell still requires material components, and uses your Wisdom for any related checks and DCs. In addition, you have advantage on any checks related to finding memories for a target to use for the spell.

While in the dream of a creature who is unaware of your presence, you may attempt to plum the depths of their mind for secrets. This is done via a skill check, where the player suggests some way they would get the target's mind to conjure the secrets locked away. The DC is set by the GM, as well as any other perameters they wish to impose which would fit the amorphous logic of that particular dream.

 

Master of Dreams:

At 17th level, you have gained almost complete control over the subconscious. Your glyphs can each be invoked twice per rest. In addition, while in Hypnogogic Form, the damage dice of your sneak attack becomes d8s.