Wizard
Runemancy
Runemancers wield an unmatched aptitude for rites and rituals. These are dynamic, rebellious wielders of the arcane, constantly seeking novel and exciting new ways to fracture the laws of the universe.
Within the confines of their runic glyphs, they unlock cheats, tricks, and capabilities that are unique to them alone. Seek, and you shall find.
Runic Glyphs
2nd-level Runemancy feature
When you choose this subclass, you learn to write with enchanting strokes of the quill. You gain proficiency with calligrapher’s supplies.
You can also create a magical circle of power that allows you to cast your spells with enhanced alacrity, wider range, or reduced expense.
As a bonus action, you can touch a point on the ground to create a runic glyph. As you do so, you may expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher. The glyph’s level is equal to the level of the spell slot expended, and it lasts for 1 hour. If you choose not to expend a spell slot, you create a 0th level glyph that lasts until the end of your next turn.
The runic glyph is a glowing 10-foot diameter circle of ethereal patterns centered on that point. While you’re touching the glyph, you can use it as a spellcasting focus. You choose the circle’s colour and design, and you also choose which effect it grants from the following.
Glyph of Alacrity. While you’re in this glyph’s area, whenever you expend a spell slot to cast a wizard spell with a casting time of 1 minute or longer, you can change its casting time to 1 action. The spell’s level must be less than or equal to the circle’s level. When you cast a spell in this way, its effects don’t manifest until the start of your next turn, and if you leave the glyph within this time, the spell fails and the casting is lost.
Glyph of Protection. You must concentrate on this glyph, as if concentrating on a spell, and it vanishes if your concentration ends. While you’re in this glyph’s area, whenever you cast a wizard spell with a duration of 1 minute or longer targeting only yourself, you can choose to target the glyph instead. The spell’s level must be less than or equal to the glyph’s level. While the spell persists on the glyph, friendly creatures within the glyph’s area gain that spell’s benefits until they leave.
Glyph of Wealth. While you’re in this glyph’s area, you may use it in place of any of the material components of your wizard spells, even those with costs. If the component has a cost, the gp value of the component can’t be more than 150 times the glyph’s level. If the component is consumed, the glyph is destroyed.
Arcane Recharge
2nd-level Runemancy feature
As you hone your magic, you learn a lesser form of arcane recovery that gives you additional access to a few low level spell slots.
You have a number of arcane charges equal to your proficiency bonus. When you finish a short rest, or finish casting a spell as a ritual, you can spend these arcane charges to recover one or more of your expended spell slots. A 1st level spell slot costs 1 charge, and a 2nd level spell slot costs 2 charges.
When you finish a long rest, you regain all expended charges.
Enchanted Armaments
6th-level Runemancy feature
When you finish a long rest, you can spend 1 minute etching patterns into a melee weapon you are holding, with a command word hidden in plain sight in the design.
The weapon rune lasts until it is detonated or until you etch another rune with this feature. While it persists, the weapon is treated as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity.
When a creature hits another creature with an attack using the weapon, it can speak the command word to detonate the rune. The attack’s target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC, On a failed save, it takes 2d8 force damage and its speed is reduced to 0 until the end of its next turn. On a success, it takes half as much damage and its speed isn’t reduced.
Once you reach 14th level, the force damage increases to 3d8.
Rites of Passage
10th-level Runemancy feature
You add the teleportation circle spell to your spellbook. If it is already in your spellbook, you add another spell from the Wizard spell list to your spellbook instead.
When you cast this spell, you can choose to link the teleportation circle to one of your runic glyphs, rather than to a permanent teleportation circle. If you do so while you’re in the area of a runic glyph of 1st level or higher, the spell has a casting time of 1 action, and doesn’t require material components.
Rune Walking
14th-level Runemancy feature
You can use your runes to create bridges through the air, that only you can use. When you create a runic glyph, you can center it on any point you can see within 10 feet of you, rather than targeting a point on the ground you touch.
A runic glyph created in midair is oriented parallel to the ground. It is immaterial, but you treat it as a solid, indestructable surface 1 inch thick, and you can stand on it. When the glyph is created, if it overlaps with you, it is shunted into the nearest unoccupied space.
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Spells to Watch
Many spells benefit from the three glyph options, but the most impactful ones are listed below to help DMs evaluate balance. The most impactful spell is probably Leomund's tiny hut: for 2 third level spell slots, it forces all foes to run directly towards you or become unable to hit you from start of your next turn onwards. The second most impactful is magic circle, which can't affect every foe but often does the same but more versatile.
Glyph of Alacrity
| Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | snare |
| 3rd | glyph of warding, Leomund's tiny hut, magic circle |
| 4th | conjure minor elementals, fabricate |
| 5th | creation, planar binding |
| 6th | magic jar |
| 7th | simulacrum, symbol |
| 8th | mighty fortress |
Glyph of Protection
| Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | false life, mage armor |
| 2nd | mirror image |
| 3rd | blink |
| 4th | fire shield |
| 6th | magic jar, true seeing |
| 7th | crown of stars |
Glyph of Wealth
| Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | find familiar, identify, protection from evil and good |
| 3rd | glyph of warding, magic circle, summon fey/shadowspawn/undead, nondetection |
| 4th | stoneskin, summon aberration/ construct/elemental |
| 6th | create undead, magic jar |
| 7th | plane shift |
Replacement Feature
If you're worried about Glyph of Alacrity's power, consider letting smart enemies move to avoid the spell, or letting enemies attempt a Dexterity saving throw to sidestep out of the way as it appears.
If all else fails, replace it with the following:
Glyph of Alacrity. While you’re within this glyph, when you cast a spell as a ritual, you don’t have to add 10 minutes to the spell’s casting time. The spell’s level must be less than or equal to the glyph’s level.
Additionally, when you cast a spell with a casting time of between 1 minute and 1 hour, you can change its casting time to 1 minute regardless of the spell’s level.