Runic Scholar - Wizard Arcane Tradition

by Glacirus

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Runic Scholar

Arcane Tradition

Runic Scholar

Dwarven craftsmen have long been known to craft and create some of the most potent magical items across the lands, both in terms of items built for combat and those for more mundane purposes. Many know the secret to this dominance of the market, but either lack the talent or knowledge to recreate it themselves.

This secret is based around the ancient origin of all written language, the Runic alphabet. Millenia of disuse has left few with the knowledge required to recreate the ancient script, and even fewer possess the arcane prowess to instill these exceptionally receptive symbols with magic. Only a few chosen dwarves are taught and granted the honor, while others practice a lesser form of the art using the modern dwarvish script. But there are very few who truly practice the tradition of the Runic Scholars.

Runic Scholars tend to be dwarves, as the tradition is closely guarded by their elders. However, certain practitioners have begun inducting and teaching wizards of other races the secrets of the Runic language.

Runic Scholar Features
Wizard Level Feature
2nd Bonus Proficiencies, Runic Scribe, Rune Trigger
6th Runic Gifts
10th Runic Concentration, Transferring Script
14th Overcharged Rune

Bonus Proficiencies

At 2nd level, you gain proficiency with the use of Calligrapher’s Tools if you don't already have it. The inks, brushes, and pens that make up these tools are what allow you to write the runes that will contain your magic for other features of this Arcane Tradition. You also learn to read and write the Runic language. There is no spoken version of Runic, as the language is ancient and long forgotten besides its use in the study and practice of magic.

Runic Scribe

At 2nd level, your practice in writing the Runic language begins to bear fruit. When you finish a short or long rest you prepare a number of Runes equal to one half your Wizard level (rounded down) using your Calligrapher’s Tools. These Runes are used to activate the effects of the other features of this Arcane Tradition. Any unused Runes lose their capacity to store magic and become inert when you take a short or long rest. You can regain expended Runes between rests by spending 10 minutes and making a DC 10 Intelligence check with your Calligrapher’s Tools for each Rune you want to create, but you can't have more Runes than this feature would grant at the end of a rest.

Rune Trigger

Starting at 2nd level, you can contain the energy of your spells within Runes to delay their effects until certain conditions trigger their release. As a bonus action on your turn when you cast a spell that uses a spell slot, you can delay the spell's effect, sealing it within a rune at your feet. You then select one of the triggers that will activate the contained spell as described below. You can only seal spells whose level is equal to or less than half of your Wizard level (rounded down) and only spells 5th level and lower can be sealed. Runes will remain on the field for one hour, or until triggered. If a Rune is not triggered it still counts as expended from the pool created by your Runic Scribe feature. If the spell sealed within is a Concentration spell, you can't concentrate on it and its duration lasts only one round.

  • Command. As a bonus action on a subsequent turn, you speak the Rune's command word and release the spell.

  • Engagement. When a hostile creature moves within 5 feet of the Rune the spell is released, no action required. You designate what creatures are not hostile when you seal the spell in the Rune.

  • Acceptance. When a willing creature moves within 5 feet of the Rune the spell is released, no action required, as long as they accept the effect. You designate what creatures can accept the spell when you seal it in the Rune.

Runic Gifts

At 6th level, you have learned to augment gear with the energy trapped within your Runes. When you finish a short or long rest you can affix one of your Runes to a nonmagical weapon or piece of armor and temporarily grant it a magical bonus by trapping a spell into the Rune. The effect the Rune has depends on the school of the spell trapped inside and if it is put onto a weapon or armor, as detailed below. The effect of the Rune ends when you take a short or long rest, and only one piece of equipment can benefit from this feature per rest.

Weapon Benefits

  • Abjuration. The weapon grants its wielder the ability to Parry as a reaction, gaining a +2 to their AC against one melee weapon attack, as it moves on its own to protect its wielder.

  • Conjuration. On a hit, the weapon deals damage to an additional target within 5 feet of the original target equal to your Intelligence modifier, as smaller versions of the weapon are summoned around it.

  • Divination. The weapon grants its wielder a +2 bonus to hit as visions of the fight play out in their mind.

  • Enchantment. The weapon's wielder has advantage on Charisma checks while they have the weapon drawn as the magic draws attention to the weapon instilling awe, fear, respect, or other fitting emotions in onlookers.

  • Evocation. The weapon deals an extra 1d6 damage of the sealed spell's type (whichever has higher average if multiple damage types) as the energy contained within it envelops the weapon.

  • Illusion. The weapon has a +2 bonus to hit as illusory versions of it distract the target and leave them vulnerable to the real one.

  • Necromancy. The weapon drains vitality from its victims, granting its wielder half of the damage dealt as temporary hit points when they land a critical hit or kill their target.

  • Transmutation. The weapon's wielder can choose between slashing, bludgeoning, or piercing damage for the weapon as its form becomes malleable and shifts to suit the needs of the situation.

Armor Benefits

  • Abjuration. The armor grants the bearer a +2 to AC as the protective magics repel incoming attacks.

  • Conjuration. The armor's bearer can use their action to teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space they can see.

  • Divination. The armor grants the bearer a +2 to saving throws as visions of the fight play out in their mind.

  • Enchantment. The armor's bearer can use a bonus action on their turn to strike fear into their target. All creatures within 30 feet of the bearer must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC, or be frightened of the bearer until the end of the bearer's next turn. Once a creature succeeds this saving throw or the fear ends, they are immune to the effect for 24 hours.

  • Evocation. As a reaction, the armor deals 1d6 of the sealed spell's type (whichever has higher average if multiple damage types) to attackers as the energy contained within envelop the armor.

  • Illusion. The armor grants the bearer a +2 to AC as distracting lights and false images flicker across its surface.

  • Necromancy. The armor's bearer can use their action to gain temporary hit points equal to your wizard level as the sealed magic enhances their vitality.

  • Transmutation. The armor grants the bearer resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage as the material shifts and concentrates its defenses against incoming attacks.

Runic Concentration

Starting at 10th level, your control over the magic sealed within your Runes has grown, allowing you to feed them energy and prolong their duration. When you seal a Concentration spell using your Rune Trigger feature, you can now concentrate on the spell when its triggered, provided you are not already concentrating on another spell or other feature that requires concentration.

Transferring Script

Starting at 10th level, you gain the ability to move your Runes across the currents of magic to reposition them. As an action, you can move the location of a Rune created by your Rune Trigger feature up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see or transfer the benefit of a Rune created by your Runic Gifts feature to another weapon or piece of armor. You can't change the spell sealed within them or what feature they were activated by.

Overcharged Rune

At 14th level, you have mastered the intricacies of the Runic language and have learned how to push the magic sealed within your Runes to the absolute limit. As an action, you can spend a spell slot of 6th level or higher and overcharge one of your Runes created by your Runic Scribe feature. This Rune takes a physical form, hovering in the air where it is placed and emitting dim light for 10 feet.

This Rune can only be triggered by the Command trigger of your Rune Trigger feature. Once triggered, the Rune releases the contained energy explosively, dealing force damage in a sphere around its location. The radius of the sphere is determined by the level of the spell slot stored within the Rune, as detailed below. Each creature caught in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Spell Save DC, taking 20 x the spell slot level stored in the Rune on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save. After using this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Overcharged Rune Effect
Spell Slot Level Radius
6 20 ft.
7-8 35 ft.
9 50 ft.

Changelog

V 1.1

  • Changes to Runic Gifts.
    • Necromancy Weapon Benefit.
      • Only activates on a crit or kill.
    • Enchantment Armor Benefit.
      • Only activates once per combat.
  • Changes to Overcharged Rune.
    • Only consumes a single spell slot of level 6-9 instead of multiple.
    • Changed damage from d10's to flat multiplier of spell slot level.
    • Increased maximum potential radius of effect.
    • Limited use to once per long rest.

V 1.2

  • Moved to GM Binder
  • Changes to Rune Trigger
    • Minor rewording.
    • Specified only spells that use spell slots can be used. No cantrips.
  • Changes to Runic Gifts.
    • Enchantment Armor Benefit.
      • Completely reworked.
      • Bonus Action Fear effect on creatures within 30 feet of bearer.
      • Immunity for 24 hours after successful save or fear ends.

V 1.3 The "Final" Draft

  • Changes to Runic Gifts.
    • Necromancy Armor Benefit.
      • Now grants temporary hit points based on wizard levels, not armor's AC.
  • General wording changes to clarify effects.
  • Typo hunting.

V 1.4 The "For Real, Final" Draft

  • Changes to Runic Gifts.
    • Conjuration Weapon Benefit.
      • Reworded to clarify: deals damage to additional target, is not an extra attack.
      • Changed additional damage to equal your Intelligence modifier.

Homebrew by Glacirus

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