The Runemaster A half-orc raises a carved stone and crushes it with his fist, and a flash of blinding light fills the dark room. When the light subsides, he and his companions are gone. An elf sprints around an ogre, drawing a circle of glowing blue chalk below him. As the circle is completed, magical chains rise from the ground, restraining the monster. A dwarf carves the final rune into his masterpiece, wiping the beaded sweat off his forehead. He then shouts a command in Dwarvish, and his creation, the statue of a legendary dwarven hero, jumps to life. All of the individuals described above are runemasters, artisans of the craft of runecrafting, imbuing once-ordinary items with magical power. ### Master Craftsmen A runemaster is no ordinary scribe, stonecarver, or engraver. These specialists have a kind of precision and knowledge that no ordinary person could reasonably obtain. To be a runemaster is a lifetime endeavor, and it often takes the help of a master, an expert in the art of runecrafting, to get even rudimentary runecrafting abilities. ### A Re-Emerging Art Although runecrafting seemed almost lost to time for many years, a select few individuals have been versed in runecrafting, and have passed it on to apprentices, who will pass it on to their apprentices. Although few know of them, the majority of sages and scholars believe that runecrafting will soon return to the world once again. ### A Helpful Bunch One of the teachings that many runemasters pass on to their students is to use their skills to help others wherever they can. This altruism might lead some runemasters to take up lives as adventurers, often acting as valued, supportive members of adventuring parties, rarely traveling alone, as most runecrafters lack useful combat skills, and others still are directly opposed to violence. ### Creating a Runemaster While creating your runemaster, consider how they learned their runecrafting skills. Most learned from apprenticeships under masters, but some might have figured it out themselves or been blessed with the ability to runecraft by a god of craftsmanship. However, more importantly, you must consider their goals. While helping others is a part of many runemasters' teachings, equally as many runemasters forsake those teachings or just don't receive them, instead seeking to use runemaking to further their own ends. Perhaps they are seeking fame or fortune? To gain more powerful runecrafting techniques? Whatever the reason, your character took this craft and spent years perfecting it. \columnbreak #### Quick Build You can make a runemaster quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Second, choose the Guild Artisan background. Third, choose the Fire Blast engraving. ## Class Features As a runemaster, you gain the following class features #### Hit Points ___ - **Hit Dice:** 1d6 per runemaster level - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 6 + Your Constitution Modifier - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d6 + Your Constitution Modifer for each level above 1st #### Proficiencies ___ - **Armor:** None - **Weapons:** Quarterstaffs, slings, clubs, shortswords, daggers - **Tools:** Your choice of stonecarver's or calligrapher's tools. ___ - **Saving Throws:** Constitution, Intelligence - **Skills:** Choose two from History, Arcana, Insight, Medicine, Investigation, and Persuasion #### Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: - *(a)* a sling and 20 stones or *(b)* a quarterstaff - *(a)* a set of calligrapher's tools and a deck of 30 blank cards or *(b)* a set of stonecarver's tools - *(a)* a scholar's pack or *(b)* a diplomat's pack ### Runecrafting You can craft magical runes which create special effects when broken. This is different from traditional spellcasting. First, at the end of a long rest, you can choose to craft a number of runes equal to your Intelligence modifier + your runecrafter level. This, although similar to preparing spells, also determines how many runes you can use in that day. You can create runes from among all the runes which you have the ability to craft, which is determined by your runecrafter level. Every rune has a level prerequisite for crafting it, often dependent on its power level. You can find a complete list of runes at the end of the class description. If a rune or engraving needs your spell attack modifier or spell save DC, this is how you calculate both: <div style='margin-top:20px'></div> <font face='scalysans' size='2'> <center> **Spell Save DC** </font> = <font face='scalysans' size='2'> 8 + your proficiency bonus + </center> <div style='margin-top:-8px'></div> <center> your Intelligence modifier </center> <div style='margin-top:12px'></div> <center> **Spell attack modifier** </font> = <font face='scalysans' size='2'> your proficiency bonus + </center> <div style='margin-top:-8px'></div> <center> your Intelligence modifier </center> </font> \pagebreak ### Engravings Engravings are special runes that have permanent effects. While usually less powerful then normal runes, engravings have a similar function to cantrips, acting as methods for creating consistent damage for the runemaster, and providing other permanent effects, such as speed and AC boosts. Remember that all engravings stack, and if an engraving does damage, getting two of that engraving will double the damage that that ability does, and if it gives a bonus to AC, movement speed, or health, it will stack additively. This also increases with numbers of 3 or more engravings additively. For example, if you were to have 3 Fire Blast engravings, the Fire Blast ability would deal 3d6 damage, and if you had 3 Swift Step engravings, your speed would increase by 30 feet. At 1st level, you get to choose 1 engraving. You gain additional engravings at higher levels, as shown on the runemaster table. ### Hasty Runecraft You learned how to quickly craft some runes if needed. After a short rest, you can choose to create a number of runes equal to your proficiency bonus. ### Runic Specialty Every runemaster uses runes and engravings. But each runemaster also has a different specialty, a way in which they use their runes, and what they focus on in their runecrafting. Some even use additional tools to achieve their goals. Starting at 2nd level, you get to choose your Runic Specialty, either Chalkmaster, Runebreaker, or Animator, which gives you features at 2nd level, 6th level, 10th level, 14th level, and 18th level. ### Ability Score Improvement Starting at 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th level, you get an Ability Score Improvement, which allows you to either increase one ability score by 2, or two ability scores by 1. If your Dungeon Master allows the optional Feats rule, you can take a Feat instead of an Ability Score Improvement. ### Engraved Weapon Starting at 5th level, you can do a 10-minute ritual to turn any nonmagical weapon into a magical one. This ritual has no effect on weapons that are already magical, and it only makes them magical for purposes of overcoming resistance and immmunity to nonmagical weapons. However, starting at 8th level, weapons that you use this ritual on gain +1 to attack and damage rolls, and +2 starting at 11th level. ### Malleable Runes You create a new kind of rune that can change easily. Starting at 17th level, the next time you create runes, you can spend 10 minutes cleaning and recarving your runes. Afterward, you can change any and all of your runes to become different runes. \pagebreak ## Runic Specialties Below are the specialties that you can choose as a runemaster, and the features they provide. ### Chalkmaster Chalkmasters are similar to other runemasters, in that they still use runes and engravings. But chalkmasters have an additional tool: Special magical chalk, which they use to amplify and replicate the effects of normal runes. This chalk allows them special abilties other runemasters could only dream of. To be a chalkmaster, one must first learn the recipe for the magic chalk, and have a steady enough hand to use it properly. #### Magical Chalk Starting at 2nd level when you choose this specialty, you gain the ability to create magical chalk. During a short rest, you can forgo the normal benefits of a short rest to gain 10 chalk charges. These charges represent how much chalk you have left on your stick of chalk, and are used for all of your chalkmaster abilties. You cannot have more than 10 chalk charges at any given time. #### Chalkruning You learn how to replicate runes using your chalk. Starting at 2nd level when you choose this specialty, you can do a 10-minute ritual to replicate the effects of a rune you can create, expending 1 chalk charge in the process. #### Rune Expansion After practicing using chalk and runes together, you figure out how to expand the effects of your runes using your chalk. Starting at 6th level, you can draw a line of chalk while you move, creating a 5-foot long line of chalk for every 5 feet of movement, and expending one chalk charge for every 5 feet of chalk you draw. You can then choose to break a rune along the line of chalk, causing the rune's magic to spread along the chalk and affect any creatures in the same space as the chalk as if they had broken the rune. The chalk you draw, and the rune, are both destroyed in this process. #### Improved Chalk Editing your recipe for chalk, you can get more drawing out of it. Starting at 10th level, you can now have up to 20 chalk charges at any given time. Furthermore, you gain 20 charges, instead of 10, if you choose to forgo the benefits of a short rest. #### Closed Expansion You figure out a way to create closed shapes with your chalk and expand rune effects into them, increasing the potential area of your runes. Starting at 14th level, if you create a closed shape using your chalk with the Rune Expansion feature, when you break a rune along the chalk, the effect fills the closed shape and affects what is in it, in addition to everything along the line of chalk. \columnbreak #### Warding Chalk Creating a new special incantation, you now know how to create warding lines in your chalk, blocking unauthorized creatures from trying to pass it. Starting at 18th level, you can draw an extra-thick line with your chalk during your movement, taking 2 chalk charges per 5 feet of chalk line. You can then use an action to speak a magical incantation which causes a wall of magical force to rise from the drawn line, up to 20 feet above it, for 10 minutes. When you do the incantation, you choose up to 10 creatures which are allowed to pass through the wall without interference. For these creatures, the wall has no effect on them when they move through it. However, if a creature is not allowed to pass through it, if they attempt to, they must succeed on a DC 25 Strength saving throw or be thrown away from the wall 10 feet. ### Runebreaker Masters in the art of runes, a majority of runemasters fall into this specialty. They most often create runes that grant benefits to those who break them, rather than detriments to those who have it broken near them. Their runes grant greater boons and are easier to break. The greatest of runebreakers, however, can create a greater rune, known as an Opus, which can be extraordinarily powerful. #### Fragile Runes Your runes are easier to break and take less time to use. Starting at 2nd level when you choose this specialty, breaking your runes uses a bonus action, rather than an action. Throwing the runes to break them still uses an action. #### Greater Runes Thanks to your improved infusion methods, your runes become more potent. Starting at 6th level, if someone is healed by one of your runes, you may add your Intelligence modifier to the healing it gives. Furthermore, if someone breaks one of your runes that has a non-instantaneous duration, its duration doubles. #### Rune Copy You study how to use magic to create runes more quickly. Starting at 10th level, you can use an action to create a copy of a rune that you have. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, and you regain all uses of this ability after you complete a long rest. #### Weapon Engravings You learn how to make the engravings you put into weapons even more powerful. Starting at 14th level, when you engrave a weapon with runes, the wielder of the weapon also gets the benefits of a runemaster Engraving of your choice. #### Magnum Opus You uncover the ancient methods for creating an Opus, a greater rune of terrible power. Starting at 18th level, when you begin a long rest, you can choose to cause the benefits to reduce to those of a short rest in order to create an Opus. You can only create one Opus at any given time. You ahve the following options for the Opus you create: **Opus of Greater Healing:** When you break this Opus, you and up to 10 creatures within 20 feet of you are healed for 2d8 hit points. \pagebreak **Opus of Mass Transport:** When you create this Opus, you choose one exact location you have been to. When you break this Opus, you and up to 10 creatures of your choice within 20 feet of you are transported to this location. When you appear in this location, you arrive in the exact spot you chose, and all of the creatures you bring with you arrive in the same relative locations compared to you as they were when you used the Opus. If this would cause them to be in the same space as another creature or object, they instead appear at the nearest unoccupied location in the same position as when they were transported. **Opus of Power:** When you break this Opus, you and up to 10 creatures within 20 feet of you get +3 to all attack and damage rolls for 1 minute. **Opus of Fortitude:** When you break this Opus, you and up to 10 creatures within 20 feet of you have advantage on all saving throws for 1 minute. ### Animator Animators are a strange bunch among runemasters. While they do use runes and engravings, they prefer to use what they call Animations, special minions created from mundane objects using runic infusions, giving them a form of life, in order to serve their creator's bidding. While there are already methods for doing so that don't use runes, Animators have the benefit of permanence: An Animation they create will never falter in its magical power until destroyed, removing the tedious maintenance of recasting spells that many necromancers or conjurers have to deal with. #### Minor Animation Starting at 2nd level when you choose this specialty, you can, instead of creating a rune, create a Tiny Animation. This Animation has 5 hit points, an AC of 15, a flying speed of 30 feet, cannot take actions, can carry up to 20 pounds worth of items, and can pick them up itself. You can only have one of these Animations active at a time. You can command this Animation as a bonus action. #### Animated Minion You finally learn how to create animated minions to do your bidding. Starting at 6th level, after a long rest, you can choose not to create 5 of your runes. If you do, you create a Small Animation. You can command this Animation as a bonus action, and it will follow all of your commands to the best of its abilities. You can have up to three of these minions at a time. If you have multiple Animated Minions, you can command all of them using the same bonus action. While your minions are not very intelligent, they can understand most instructions, and can complete any task that a normal humanoid could. You could instruct them to guard a doorway, attack a specific enemy, or even use tools. You could also instruct them to complete more domestic tasks, such as pouring beverages or preparing simple foods. However, they cannot complete any tasks that you lack the knowledge to. For example, if you lacked proficiency in thieve's tools, you cannot instruct an Animated Minion of yours to use them, but if you had proficiency in thieve's tools, you could instruct them to use them. When you instruct your Animated Minion to complete a task you have proficiency in that requires a check, it uses its proficiency bonus, not yours, to add to the check, as if it was proficient in it. This does not apply to weapons or armor, both of which it lacks the ability to use. #### Weapon Animation You now learn how to temporarily animate weapons. Starting at 10th level, you can use an action animate a melee weapon you are holding that lacks the two-handed property. When you do, the weapon gains a flying speed of 60 feet, and you can cause it to move up to its movement as a bonus action. You can also use a bonus action to cause it to attack a target within 5 feet of it for its regular damage. This weapon is animated for up to 3 rounds, after which it stops flying and drops to the ground. #### Warrior Minions You learn how to give your Animated Minions the ability to wield simple weapons effectively. Starting at 14th level, your animated minions have proficiency in simple weapons, and have a Strength score of 12. #### Animated Golem You find the secrets to creating an Animated Golem, a weaker, yet still powerful, golem which uses runes to bind the elemental inside it. Starting at 18th level, you can spend 8 hours and 200 GP creating an Animated Golem. You can command this golem as a bonus action, and it will follow your commands to the best of its abilities. You can only have one of these golems under your command at any given time. \pagebreak ## Animated Creatures These are the statblocks for the animated minions who need them. Minor Animation does not require it, as it lacks actions and ability scores. ___ > ## Animated Minion >*Small Construct, Unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 > - **Hit Points** 12 > - **Speed** 30 ft >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|10 (+0)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)|3 (-4)|10 (+0)|1 (-5)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** poison, psychic > - **Condition Immunities** exhausted, frightened, charmed, blinded > - **Senses** blindsight 30 ft > - **Languages** Understands one language its creator knew, but cannot speak > - **Challenge** 1/2 (50 XP) > ___ > > ### Actions > > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +3 to hit, 5 ft. reach, one target. *Hit:* 1d6+1 bludgeoning damage ___ > ## Animated Golem >*Large Construct, Unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 > - **Hit Points** 54 > - **Speed** 30 ft >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|18 (+4)|10 (+0)|18 (+4)|3 (-4)|10 (+0)|1 (-5)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** Bludgeoning, piercing, slashing from nonmagical weapons not made of adamantine > - **Damage Immunities** poison, psychic > - **Condition Immunities** exhausted, frightened, charmed > - **Senses** passive perception 10 > - **Languages** Understands one language its creator knew, but cannot speak > - **Challenge** 2 (200 XP) > ___ > > ### Actions > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, 10 ft. reach, one target. *Hit:* 3d6+4 bludgeoning damage \pagebreak ## Engravings & Runes Detailed herein are the engravings and runes that the Runemaster has available, including their effects and level requirements: ### Engravings Engravings are permanent effects that benefit the runemaster. Often found on jewelry or tattoos, these are runes created in a manner that makes them difficult to destroy, but also making their effects permanent. As they don't release as much energy as once, they are often weaker than regular runes, but their continuous effects might find themselves more useful to a given runemaster than even their most powerful runes. **Forceful Strike.** While this engraving is active, your unarmed strikes deal 1d8 force damage, and when you deal damage with an unarmed strike, you can choose to push the target 10 feet away from you. The damage and push distance stacks with additional Forceful Strike engravings. **Flame Blast.** While this engraving is active, you can make a ranged spell attack against a target within 60 feet. If you hit, it deals 1d6 fire damage to the target. The damage stacks with additional Flame Blast engravings. **Swift Step.** While this engraving is active, your movement speed increases by 10 feet. This speed increase stacks with additional Swift Step engravings. **Fortification.** While this engraving is active, you have a +1 bonus to AC. This AC bonus stacks with additional Fortification engravings. **Defensive Storm.** While this engraving is active, when a hostile creature comes within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to deal 1d4 lightning damage to that creature. Furthermore, that creature cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn. ### Runes Runes are the primary ability of the runemaster. A rune is a physical object, often a stone or card, that technically anyone can possess. A rune, when created, is permanent. However, the limited inner energies of the runemaster are often what powers them. As such, you have a max on the amount of runes you can have created at a given time, equal to your Intelligence modifier + your runemaster level. If you create more runes than this, previous runes of your choice lose their power, equal to the amount of runes past the maximum you create. A rune's power is activated when it is broken. For example, tearing a card or crushing a stone with a rune on it will activate its power. Breaking a rune takes an action, like activating any consumable magic item. **Life Rune.** When you break this rune, you regain 1d8 hit points. **Blink Rune.** *crafting prerequisites: runemaster level 3.* Requires two runes. When you break one rune, you instantly appear at the location of the other one, breaking it, assuming it is within 1 mile of distance. **Chains Rune.** *crafting prerequisites: runemaster level 5.* When you break this rune, the nearest creature to the broken rune must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained for 1 minute. **Bonfire Rune.** *crafting prerequisites: runemaster level 5.* When you break this rune, a powerful bonfire appears in a 20-foot square along the nearest surface of ground for 1 minute. For the duration, when a creature starts their turn in the bonfire, they take 1d6 fire damage. **Shield Rune.** *crafting prerequisites: runemaster level 3.* When you break this rune, you gain a special shield. You gain +5 AC against the next attack directed against you. No matter whether the attack hits or misses, the AC bonus fades after you are the target of an attack. **Blade Rune.** *crafting prerequisites: runemaster level 3.* When you break this rune, your attacks become more powerful. For 1 minute, you have a +1 bonus to all attack and damage rolls. **Greater Life Rune.** *crafting prerequisites: runemaster level 5.* When you break this rune, you regain 2d8 hit points.