Runic Mage

Runic Mages harness the raw and supernatural powers of runes, an old practice left behind from the cultures long ago. While not commonly practiced anymore, their powers are not to be trifled with. These rune mages harness runes in a way to bolster themselves beyond belief, and in combat they are not a force to be trifled with. These mages are similar to an artificer in that they craft various forms of arcana, but whereas an artificer can share their magical inventions, runic mages can only inscribe runes onto themselves and their equipment. For the runes are tied specifically to their magical prowess, and cannot be used by anyone but the mage that inscribed it.

In battle, a runic mage is typically seen front and center of where all the action is taking place. Trained in the combat of most one-handed weapons, they strike their foes swiftly and with precision. Their runes covering most of their equipment, or even their body itself. However, a runic mage can also be seen from a distance, weaving their arcane magic with their runes bolstering them to decimate their enemies.

Runic Combat

2nd-level Runic Mage feature

You gain proficiency with light armor, and you gain proficiency with one-handed weapons, such as handaxes, maces, longswords, rapiers, and shortswords. If a weapon has the Versatile feature, you can only use it one-handed. 

Runic Knowledge

2nd-level Runic Mage feature

Your studies of ancient runes allows you to enhance your body and equipment. When you gain this feature, pick four runes to learn at the end of this feature's description. If the rune has a level requirement, you must be at least that level in this class to learn it. You learn additional runes when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the table below. Whenever you gain levels in this class, you can replace one of your known runes with another rune. 

Wizard Level	Number of Runes Known	Inscribed Runes
2nd	4	2
6th	6	3
10th	8	4
14th	10	5
18th	12	6

 

Inscribing Runes

Whenever you finish a long rest, you can inscribe runes on your equipment or yourself and imbue it with the rune's properties. When a rune is inscribed on yourself or your equipment, it gives off a faint magical aura. Some runes only work on certain pieces of equipment or parts of your body, specified in the rune's description. If a rune requires attunement, you can attune to it immediately after inscribing it. Your runes last indefinitely, but when you die, the rune vanishes after a number of days have passed equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1 day). The rune also vanishes if you give up your knowledge of the rune for another one. 

You can inscribe more than one rune at a time at the end of a long rest; the maximum number being listed in the table above. More than one rune can be on an object, unless otherwise stated. However, a piece of equipment of rarity Rare or higher can only have one rune on it at a time. When a weapon is inscribed with a rune, you can use it as a spellcasting focus for your wizard spells. Additionally, if you try to exceed the number of runes you can inscribe, the oldest inscription ends, and then the new one is applied.

Runic Mage Runes

Runes are an ancient, powerful magic that can enhance or even push the limits of what equipment or the body can do. The description of each rune details what it can be inscribed on. If the rune requires a saving throw, the rune save DC is equal to your wizard spell save DC. When a nonmagical weapon is inscribed with a rune, it is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. Some runes specify a minimum wizard level. You can't learn such an infusion until you are at least that level. If a rune is invoked, it regains it magic at dawn unless otherwise stated.

 

Rune of Clarity

Item: A suit of armor, robes, or your head

This rune allows you to refocus your mind. While wearing equipment inscribed with this rune or having it your head, you gain advantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration on spells. In addition, you fail to maintain concentration on a spell, you can invoke this rune as a reaction to turn that failure into a success.

Rune of Defense

Item: A suit of armor, robes, or your chest

This rune gives off a faint aura of protection. While wearing equipment inscribed with this rune or having it on your chest, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC. If inscribed on armor or robes, it gains this bonus in addition to any bonus it already has. In addition, you can invoke this rune as a reaction to gain the benefits of the shield spell.

Rune of Dragons

Prerequisite: 18th-level wizard

Item: Your face (requires attunement)

When having this rune inscribed on your face, you have advantage on all Charisma (Intimidation) checks made. As an action, you can also attempt to instill fear into your enemies with a ferocious roar of the dragons. Each creature of your choice within 120 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw on the end of each of its turns. If a creature makes it saving throw, or ends the effect, the creature is immune to this feature for the next 24 hours.

In addition, you can invoke this rune as an action to make a breath weapon attack. See the "Draconic Ancestry" table on the Dragonborn race page for possible dragons and associated damage types. Whichever type you pick, the range is doubled (30 feet to 60 feet or 15 feet to 30 feet). Each creature within range of the breath attack must make a Dexterity or Constitution saving throw (dependent on which dragon you picked) or take 10d10 damage of whatever dragon type you picked on a failed save, or half as much on success. 

Rune of Elemental Resistance

Prerequisite: 6th-level wizard

Item: A suit of armor, robes, or your chest (requires attunement)

While wearing equipment inscribed with this rune or having it on your chest, you gain resistance to one type of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, or thunder. In addition, you can invoke this rune as a reaction when taking damage of the type you chose to gain immunity to it until the start of your next turn.

Rune of Flying

Prerequisite: 10th-level wizard

Item: A suit of armor, robes, or your back (requires attunement)

While wearing equipment inscribed with this rune or having it on your back, you can activate this rune as a bonus action without invoking it to sprout incorporeal wings from your back. You gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed. This benefit lasts for up to 4 hours that can be used up all at once or in several shorter flights.

In addition, you can invoke this rune as an action to gain a flying speed of 60ft for 1 hour.

Rune of Fortification

Prerequisite: 18th-level wizard

Item: Somewhere on your body (requires attunement)

When inscribing this rune, pick one of the following: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. The rune is on an appropriate location per the stat you picked (chest for Strength or Constitution, head for Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, or arms or legs for Dexterity). The stat you picked increases by 2, to a maximum of 20. In addition, you can invoke this rune as a bonus action to gain advantage on all checks and saving throws made with the stat you picked (including attacks) for 10 minutes.

Rune of Illusions

Prerequisite: 14th-level wizard

Item: A suit of armor, robes, or your chest (requires attunement)

When wearing equipment inscribed with this rune, or having it on your chest, your image is slightly obscured. Any attack roll made against you is made with disadvantage. If you take damage, the property ceases to function until the start of your next turn. This property is suppressed if you are incapacitated, restrained, or otherwise unable to move. In addition, you can invoke this rune as a bonus action to summon a duplicate image of yourself that lasts up to 1 minute, or until you lose concentration on it (as if you were concentrating on a spell). This duplicate appears within 30ft of you, and on subsequent turns, you can move it up to 30 feet as a bonus action, but must remain within 120 feet of you. You can cast spells as if you were in the illusion's space, but must use your own senses. Moreover, when both you and your illusion are within 5 feet of a creature that can see your illusion, you have advantage on attack rolls made against that creature.

Rune of Luck

Prerequisite: 10th-level wizard

Item: A weapon with which you are proficient with, a suit of armor, robes, or somewhere on your body (requires attunement)

While wielding or wearing equipment with this rune, or having it somewhere on your body, you have a +1 bonus to all ability checks and saving throws. In addition, whenever you roll for an ability check, attack roll, or saving roll, you can invoke this rune to roll an additional d20. You can choose to use either of the d20s for the ability check, attack roll, or saving throw.

Rune of Power

Item: A weapon with which you are proficient with

This rune gives a faint aura of power. When inscribed onto a weapon, it gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it on top of any bonuses the weapon may already have. In addition, you can invoke this rune to roll an additional weapon die on hit.

Rune of Restraint

Prerequisite: 6th-level wizard

Item: A weapon with which you are proficient in

This rune's magic can be used to temporarily restrain your enemies. When inscribed onto a weapon, it gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it on top of any bonuses the weapon may already have. In addition, you can invoke this rune on a hit to summon magic restraints in attempt to bind your enemies. The target makes succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, breaking the restraints on success.

Rune of Seeing

Prerequisite: 14th-level wizard

Item: A suit of armor, robes, or your face (requires attunement)

When wearing equipment inscribed with this rune, or having it on your face, you have darkvision up to 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, it is increased by 60 feet. In addition, you can invoke this rune as an action to gain truesight up to 120 feet for 10 minutes.

Rune of Spell Resistance

Prerequisite: 14th-level wizard

Item: A suit of armor, robes, or your chest (requires attunement)

When wearing equipment inscribed with this rune or having it on your chest, you have advantage on all saving throws made against spells. In addition, you can invoke this rune as a reaction when either failing a saving throw against a spell or taking damage from a spell to grant yourself immunity to that spell's damage.

Rune of Spells

Prerequisite: 10th-level wizard

Item: A weapon with witch you are proficient with, a suit of armor, robes, or somewhere on your body (requires attunement)

When wielding or wearing equipment inscribed with this rune, or having it somewhere on your body, you can activate this rune as an action without invoking it to regain one spell slot. This spell slot can be no higher than half of your wizard level, rounded down. In addition, you or any creature can cast any spell of 1st through 5th level into the rune. Then, you can invoke this rune to cast that spell, using the slot level, spell save DC, spell attack bonus, and spellcasting ability of the original caster, but is otherwise treated as if you cast the spell. The spell cast from the rune is then no longer stored in it, freeing up space.

Rune of Striding

Item: A pair of boots or your legs

While wearing boots inscribed with this rune or having it inscribed on your legs, your movement speed increases by 5 feet. In addition, you can invoke this rune as a bonus action to take the Dash or Disengage action. 

Rune of the Arcane

Item: A weapon with which you are proficient with or an arcane focus

When holding a weapon or arcane focus with this rune, you can a +1 to your spell attack rolls. In addition, you can invoke this rune as a bonus action to gain a +1 bonus to your spell save DC until the start of your next turn.

Rune of the Fox

Prerequisite: 6th-level wizard

Item: A suit of armor, robes, or somewhere on your body

While wearing equipment inscribed with this rune, or having it somewhere on your body, you have advantage on Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks and Wisdom (Insight) checks. In addition, you can invoke this rune as a bonus action to gain a +2 bonus to all ability checks and saving throws that use either Dexterity or Wisdom for the next 10 minutes.

Rune of the Mountain

Prerequisite: 10th-level wizard

Item: A suit of armor, robes, or your chest (requires attunement)

While wearing equipment inscribed with this rune or having it on your chest, you gain resistance to one type of the following damage types: slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning. In addition, you can invoke this rune as a reaction when taking damage of the type you chose to gain immunity to it until the start of your next turn.

Rune of the Ox

Prerequisite: 6th-level wizard

Item: A suit of armor, robes, or somewhere on your body

While wearing equipment inscribed with this rune, or having it somewhere on your body, you feel the strength of an ox coarse through you. You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws. In addition, you can invoke this rune as a bonus action to gain a +2 bonus to all ability checks and saving throws that use either Strength or Constitution for the next 10 minutes.

Rune of the Warrior

Item: A weapon with which you are proficient with

When this rune is inscribed on a weapon, when you attack with it, you can use your Intelligence modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls made with the weapon. In addition, you can invoke this rune as a bonus action to mark a target with runes you see within 30ft of you (requires concentration). The target is marked for 1 minute. The mark ends early if the target dies, you die, you are incapacitated, or lose concentration on the mark. Until the mark ends, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the marked target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.
• Any attack roll you make against the marked target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20

Rune of the Wolf Master

Prerequisite: 6th-level wizard

Item: A suit of armor, robes, or somewhere on your body

When wearing equipment with this rune, or having it somewhere on your body, you feel the might of the wolf flow through you. You have advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks as well as Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight or smell. In addition, you can invoke this rune as an action to cast Conjure Animals, but you can only summon either wolves or dire wolves.

Extra Attack

6th-level Runic Mage feature

You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Moreover, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of those attacks.

Runic Recharge

10th-level Runic Mage feature

Your study of ancient runes allows you to recharge some of your invoked runes. Once per day, when you finish a short rest, you can recharge up to half of the number of inscribed runes you have, rounded down.

For example, when you gain this feature, you can have up to 4 runes inscribed. You can recharge up to 2 of your invoked runes during a short rest.

Empowered Runes

14th-level Runic Mage feature

Your studies of runes have empowered all of your runes. Any +1 bonus or +5 movement speed your runes apply increases to a +2 or +10 movement speed, respectively. In addition, you can invoke one rune twice instead of once per day.