Base Class: Ranger
Runic Archers utilize the very runes of magic to empower their archery. Inscribing the will of magic into arrows.
Level 3: Arcane Fletching
Your exploration into runes and spellcraft has honed both your intellect and craftsmanship.
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Arcane Proficiency: You gain proficiency in the Arcana skill and with woodcarver's tools.
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Crafting Arrows: You can use woodcarver’s tools during a short or long rest to craft simple arrows suitable for rune-inscribing. These arrows are non-magical until inscribed and are considered mundane ammunition otherwise.
Level 3: Runic Inscription
You learn to inscribe magical runes into arrows, storing spells for future use in battle.
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Runic Inscription: You may inscribe a spell you know into an arrow by spending 10 minutes and expending a spell slot of the spell’s level. The spell must target a creature or area, and it is cast automatically when the arrow hits a target. The spell is treated as if cast by you, using your Ranger spell save DC and spell attack modifier if applicable.
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Concentration is not required to maintain these spells after they are triggered, but spells that normally require concentration still end early if their duration expires or if you are concentrating on another spell when the arrow is fired.
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Arrow Limit: You can maintain a number of Runic Arrows equal to your Wisdom modifier + half your Ranger level (rounded down). Inscribing beyond this limit causes your oldest Runic Arrow to crumble into inert wood. Runic Arrows lose potency after 24 hours and disintegrate if not used.
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Usage: Upon a successful hit with a Runic Arrow, the embedded spell activates on the target and the arrow crumbles into ash.
Level 7: Elemental Fletching
You have learned to craft specialized arrows using rare and elemental-infused materials. When inscribing a Runic Arrow with a spell that deals damage of a specific type, you may enhance the arrow’s effect by using matching Elemental Components during crafting.
To use this feature, you must spend additional time (30 minutes per arrow) and have the required materials. Each arrow must be made from a base wood type and an infused arrowhead or fletching tied to a damage type. You may maintain a number of Elementally Fletched Arrows equal to half your proficiency bonus (minimum 1).
Elemental Combinations and Effects
| Damage Type | Arrow Components | Enhanced Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Fire | Ash wood + Phoenix Feather | If the spell deals fire damage, it ignites flammable targets. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 additional fire damage at the start of its next turn. |
| Cold | Birch wood + Ice Mephit Dust | Hit target's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn. |
| Necrotic | Ebony wood + Grave Ash | The target cannot regain hit points until the start of your next turn. If undead, the spell deals bonus damage equal to your Wisdom modifier. |
| Lightning | Ironbark + Storm Roc Feather | The spell jumps to a second target within 10 feet. This secondary strike deals half the damage. |
| Poison | Rotwood + Ettercap Venom Sacs | On a failed Con save, the target is poisoned until the end of your next turn. If already poisoned, it takes 2d6 extra poison damage. |
| Radiant | Silverleaf + Unicorn Hair | The target is outlined in dim light for 1 round. Undead or fiends take 1d8 additional radiant damage. |
| Thunder | Oak + Thunder Lizard Hide | Creatures hit must make a Con save or be deafened for 1 minute (save ends at end of their turns). Objects take double damage from the spell. |
| Acid | Greenheart + Black Pudding Residue | Armor or weapons touched by the spell take a temporary -1 penalty to AC or attack rolls until cleaned or repaired. |
| Force | Starwood + Displacer Beast Whisker | If the spell deals force damage, the target is pushed 5 feet away and cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn. |
Level 11: Twin Engraving
Your refined rune crafting allows for greater efficiency.
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When you expend a spell slot to inscribe a Runic Arrow, you may inscribe two arrows instead of one. Both arrows must contain the same spell.
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Your maximum number of maintainable Runic Arrows increases to twice your Wisdom modifier + your Ranger level.
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Can swiftly inscribe arrows during combat, 1 arrow per bonus action.
Level 15: Master of the Bound Glyph
You have achieved mastery over runic invocation, allowing you to control and manipulate runes in flight and upon impact.
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Glyph Recall: When you fire a Runic Arrow and it misses or the target succeeds on a saving throw to avoid its effects entirely, the magic does not dissipate. Instead, you can recall the rune's energy back to your hand as a bonus action on your next turn. You may then reinscribe it into a new arrow without expending a spell slot, though you must do so within 1 minute or the energy is lost.
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Rune Chain: When a Runic Arrow hits a creature, you may choose to chain its magic to a second target. As part of the same attack, choose a second creature within 15 feet of the first target. This second creature takes half the spell's damage or suffers a lesser version of the spell effect (at the DM’s discretion).
You may use Rune Chain a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier per long rest.
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Warding Sigils: While you have at least one Runic Arrow prepared, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC and saving throws against spells.