Sample file Rune Caster – A New Character Class THE RUNE CASTER WHAT IS A RUNE CASTER? WHY PLAY A RUNE CASTER AND NOT A A rune caster is a master of arcane spells, but WIZARD? rather than relying on a spellbook, the rune In certain campaigns your pointy hat caster uses magical symbols known as runes. In bookworm wizard might not fit thematically, addition the rune caster is much more for instance in a Viking campaign. In these dependent on ritual spellcasting. situations the rune caster might be a better option. WHAT IS A RUNE? A rune is a magical symbol that allows the rune CREATING A RUNE CASTER caster to cast one or more cantrips or spells. Creating a rune caster character requires a The rune caster carries these runes around and backstory where your character came into uses them as an arcane focus for spell casting. contact with the arcane. This contact awoke an Often the rune caster will use these runes in interest, causing your character to study the rituals for casting spells. arcane afterwards. It is often the case that the study of arcane lore is forbidden and your character had to do it in secret. Perhaps the predominant religion considers such studies heresy. Whatever the case, your character feels strong and confident enough now to use the abilities. The Rune Caster Proficiency Runes Runes - Spells Slots per Spell Level - Level bonus Features Known Attuned 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1st +2 Rune casting, Ritual casting 3 1 2 - - - - - - - - 2nd +2 Rune recovery 3 1 3 - - - - - - - - 3th +2 Portent 4 2 4 2 - - - - - - - 4th +2 Ability score improvement 4 2 4 3 - - - - - - - 5th +3 5 3 4 3 2 - - - - - - 6th +3 Sculpt Spell 5 3 4 3 3 - - - - - - 7th +3 6 3 4 3 3 1 - - - - - 8th +3 Ability score improvement 6 3 4 3 3 2 - - - - - 9th +4 7 4 4 3 3 3 1 - - - - 10th +4 Third eye 7 4 4 3 3 3 2 - - - - 11th +4 8 4 4 3 3 3 2 1 - - - 12th +4 Ability score improvement 8 4 4 3 3 3 2 1 - - - 13th +5 9 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 - - 14th +5 Spell resistance 9 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 - - 15th +5 10 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 - 16th +5 Ability score improvement 10 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 - 17th +6 11 6 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 18thSample +6 Spell Mastery 11 6 4 3 3 3 file3 1 1 1 1 19th +6 Ability score improvement 12 6 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 20th +6 Ritual Caster 12 6 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 Rune Caster – A New Character Class SPELLCASTING QUICK BUILD As a student of arcane magic, you have a You can make a rune caster quickly by collection of runes. Each rune contains a following these suggestions. First, Intelligence number of cantrips and spells. See chapter 10 should be your highest ability score, followed for the general rules of spellcasting and the list by Constitution or Dexterity. Second, choose of runes later in this document to see which the sage background. Third, choose the Magic runes contains what spells. Rune, Shield Rune and Fire Element Rune as known runes. Fourth attune to the Fire Element KNOWN RUNE COLLECTION Rune. The rune caster table shows how many runes you know. When the number increases you CLASS FEATURES select a new rune of your choice to add to your As a Rune Caster, you gain the following class collection of known runes. At 1st level, your features. collection of known runes contains 3 runes of your choice. HIT POINTS Hit Dice: 1d6 per rune master level ATTUNING TO RUNES Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution The Rune Caster table also shows how many modifier runes you can attune to. You can only attune to Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your known runes. You can change your list of Constitution modifier per rune master level attuned runes when you finish a short or a long after 1st rest. CASTING SPELLS PROFICIENCIES You can cast a spell from an attuned rune using Armor: light, shield a spell slot equal to or higher than the spells Weapons: Simple weapons, shortsword and level. The Rune Caster table shows how many longsword spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st Tools: choose herbalism kit or poisoner’s kit level and higher. You regain all expended spell Saving Throws: Wisdom and Intelligence slots when you finish a long rest. Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Medicine, Nature and Religion RITUAL CASTING You can cast all the spells on all your known EQUIPMENT runes as rituals requiring no spell slot, even if you start with the following equipment, in the spell doesn’t have the ritual tag. You cannot addition to the equipment granted by your cast spells as rituals if the spell is higher than background: half your rune caster level rounded up. (a) quarterstaff, (b) dagger, (c) sickle, (d) spear, (e) shortsword or (f) longsword SPELLCASTING ABILITY a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) a sling Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your and 20 sling bullets spells, since you learn your spells through a priest’s pack, (b) a scholars pack, or (c) an dedicated study and memorization. You use Sampleyour Intelligence whenever file a spell refers to explorer’s pack A collection of runes your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the Rune Caster – A New Character Class saving throw DC for a rune caster spell you cast SCULPT SPELLS and when making an attack roll with one. Beginning at 6th level, you can create pockets of Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus relative safety within the effects of your spells. + your Intelligence modifier When you cast a spell that affects other Spell attack modifier = your proficiency creatures that you can see, you can choose a bonus + your intelligence modifier number of them equal to 1 + the spell’s level. The chosen creatures automatically succeed on SPELLCASTING FOCUS their saving throws against the spell, and they You use runes as an arcane focuses (found in take no damage if they would normally take chapter 5) for your spells. half damage on a successful save. THE THIRD EYE RUNE RECOVERY Starting at 10th level, you can use your action Starting at 2nd level, you have learned to regain to increase your powers of perception. When some of your magical energy by studying your you do so, choose one of the following benefits, runes. Once per day when you finish a short which last until you are incapacitated or you rest, you can choose expended spell slots to take a short or long rest. You can’t use the recover. The spell slots can have a combined feature again until you finish a rest. level that is equal to or less than half your rune Darkvision. You gain darkvision out to a caster level (rounded up), and none of the slots range of 60 feet, as described in chapter 8. can be 6th level or higher. Ethereal Sight. You can see into the PORTENT Ethereal Plane within 60 feet of you. Greater Comprehension. You can read any Starting at 3rd level, glimpses of the future language. begin to press in on your awareness. When you See Invisibility. You can see invisible finish a long rest, roll two d20s and record the creatures and objects within 10 feet of you that numbers rolled. You can replace any attack roll, are within line of sight. saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see with one of these SPELL RESISTANCE foretelling rolls. You must choose to do so Starting at 14th level, you have advantage on before the roll, and you can replace a roll in this saving throws against spells. Furthermore, you way only once per turn. have resistance against the damage of spells. Each foretelling roll can be used only once. When you finish a long rest, you lose any SPELL MASTERY unused foretelling rolls. At 18th level, you have achieved such mastery ABILITY SCORE IMPROVEMENT over certain spells that you can cast them at will. Choose a 1st-level spell and a 2nd-level When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, spell that are in your known runes. You can 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one cast those spells at their lowest level without ability score of your choice by 2, or you can expending a spell slot. If you want to cast either increase two ability s cores of your choice by 1. spell at a higher level, you must expend a spell As normal, you can’t increase an ability score Sampleslot as normal. You do notfile have to be attuned to above 20 using this feature. the runes. Rune Caster – A New Character Class By spending 8 hours in a ritual, you can Beast Rune has the following spells: exchange one or both of the spells you chose 1 Find Familiar for different spells of the same levels. 2 Spider Climb, Web 3 Phantom Steed RITUAL CASTER 4 Edvard’s Black Tentacles, Mordenkainen’s Faithful Hound At 20th level you can cast all wizard spells with 5 Hold Monster the ritual tag, as a ritual. You can do this even if 8 Dominate Monster the spell doesn’t appear on any of your known runes.