Artificer Specialist
Artificers pursue many disciplines. Here are specialist options you can choose from at 3rd level.
Rune Smith
You discovered how to enhance one's abilities through the supernatural power of runes. The ancient practice of rune magic originated with giants, and like these Skiltgravr, or "rune cutters," you have learned the craft of carving and applying runes to items to invoke their magic.
Tools of the Trade
By the time you adopt this specialty at 3rd level, you're deeply familiar with employing its tools.
Proficiencies You gain proficiency with smith's tools and woodcarver's tools.
Crafting If you craft a magic item in the armor category, it takes you a quarter of the normal time, and it costs you half as much of the usual gold.
Rune Smith Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Rune Smith spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don't count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
Rune Smith Spells
| Artificer Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | armor of Agathys, mage armor |
| 5th | silence, warding bond |
| 9th | counterspell, magic circle |
| 13th | death ward, Otiluke's resilient sphere |
| 17th | circle of power, hollow |
Rune Magic
At 3rd level, you learn how to inscribe runes into items, infusing them with magical properties.
Whenever you finish a long rest, you can apply a number of runes equal to your intelligence modifier (minimum of one) to items that you touch. Your rune remains on the object until you finish a long rest. An object can bear only one of your runes at a time, and a creature cannot benefit from two of the same rune. A creature benefits from a rune's magic if the item it is inscribed on is in its possession. Your runes have two charges, which can be used to activate its active effect; additionally, while a rune has at least one charge, it provides a passive effect.
If a rune requires a saving throw, your Rune Magic save DC is the same as your artificer spell save DC.
Additionally, when you infuse magic items with your Infuse Items feature, you can choose to inscribe one additional item with a rune instead of creating one of your known infusions.
Extra Attack
Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, rather than once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Mark Maker
At 9th level, you always have the glyph of warding spell prepared and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can prepare. You can cast this spell once without using a spell slot or material components. After you cast this spell in this way, you cannot do so again until after you finish a long rest.
Rune Magic Mastery
At 15th level, your runes now have a maximum of five charges, instead of two. Additionally, select one rune with a level 3 requirement. This becomes your masterwork rune. When you activate the active effect of your masterwork rune, it does not consume charges. Charges are still used normally when another creature uses your masterwork rune.
Rune Options
Below are the runes a Rune Smith artificer is able to learn. Some runes specify a minimum level, and the maximum number of runes you can know from that section. You cannot lean those rune unless you are at least that level in this class. Additionally, some runes can only be applied to certain kinds of objects.
Level 3 Runes
Haug (Hill Rune) This rune bestows the resilience of a hill giant. Passive: While you are conscious, you gain temporary HP equal to your proficiency bonus at the start of each of your turns. Active: as a reaction to taking nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, you can reduce that damage by half. At level 10, this affects all bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.
Ild (Fire Rune) - weapon only. This rune's magic channels the craftsmanship of fire giant smiths. Passive: You make any ability check made for using a tool or kit. Active: when you hit a creature or object with a weapon attack, you can add 1d6 fire damage to the attack and the creature lights ablaze, taking 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns until a creature uses an action to put out the flames. At level 10, this becomes 2d6 and 2d4 damage respectively.
Stein (Stone Rune) This rune bestows the insight and athleticism of a stone giant. Passive: you have advantage on saving throws made to resist being charmed, and on athletics checks made to climb difficult surfaces. Active: As a reaction, you can give yourself advantage on a roll that would prevent you from being moved against your will or knocked prone. At level 10, this includes rolls that may have affects beyond moving you or knocking you prone.
Stig (Light Rune) This rune channels the powers of purifying light. Passive: you can cast the light cantrip, using intelligence as a spellcasting ability. Active: as a bonus action, you can radiate bright light in a 15 foot radius around you and dim light 15 feet beyond that for the next hour, or until you choose to end this effect as a bonus action. At level 10, this light is considered sunlight.
Vind (Wind Rune) This rune imbues you with the the power of the racing winds. Passive: you can cast the gust cantrip, using your intelligence as a spellcasting ability. Active: as a bonus action, you can increase your speed by 10 feet for the next minute. At level 10, this becomes 30 feet.
Venn (Friend Rune) This rune fills you with a likable presence. Passive: you can cast the friends cantrip, using your intelligence as a spellcasting ability. Active: when an ally you can see within 30 feet of you misses an attack roll, or fails an ability check or saving throw, you can use your reaction to give them a bonus to the roll equal to your half your proficiency bonus (rounded up). At level 10, this bonus equals your proficiency bonus instead.
Level 5 Runes
Blood (Blood Rune) - weapon only. This rune's power allows you to manipulate your own life force. Passive: when you deal damage to a creature with a weapon attack or cantrip, you can deal an extra 1d10 necrotic damage, and you heal an amount equal to the necrotic damage dealt. You do not heal when you apply this extra damage to creatures that do not have blood (such as constructs and most undead). At level 10, this damage becomes 2d10. Active: you can use a bonus action to spend one of your hit dice to heal an amount equal to the roll plus your constitution modifier.
Fjell (Mountain Rune) - armor only. This rune imbues one with the might of giants. Passive: you count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Active: as a bonus action, you can become Large and your weapon attacks deal an extra 1d4 damage for the next minute. At level 10, this becomes 1d6 extra damage.
Ise (Frost Rune) This rune's magic evokes a frost giant's stoic calm. Passive: you have advantage on saving throws to resist being frightened and on athletics checks to grapple a creature. Active: as a bonus action, you can increase your strength score by 2 for the next minute. This increase can cause your score to exceed 20, but not 24. At level 10, your strength increases by 4.
Skold (Shield Rune) - shield only. This rune gives you the power to protect yourself and others from harm. Passive: your armor class increases by 1 when you are wielding a shield. Active: when you are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to increase your AC against that attack by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus. At level 10, this bonus can instead be applied to the AC of a creature you can see within 30 feet of you when they are hit by an attack.
Skye (Cloud Rune) This rune's magic emulates the deceptiveness of a cloud giant. Passive: you can perfectly mimic the voice of a creature you've heard speak before. Active: when a creature you can see within 30 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to magically redirect part of the attack to target a different creature (other than the attacker) within 30 feet of you (regardless of the attack's range), using the same attack roll. If the attack roll hits, half of the damage of the attack is instead applied to the new target. At level 10, this redirects all of the attack's damage.
Level 11 Runes
Ferd (Journey Rune) This rune eases travelers on their journey. Passive: you can read all writing. Active: as a bonus action, you can teleport to an unoccupied space you can see up to 20 feet away.
Hellig (Sacred Rune) Through this rune's magic, you commune with the divine. Passive: you can speak and understand celestial and are resistant to radiant damage. Active: you can cast the ceremony, detect evil and good, protection from evil and good, or minor restoration without using a spell slot or material components.
Krig (War Rune) This rune embodies the very essence of conflict. Passive: you have advantage on the first attack roll you make after rolling for initiative. Active: When you attack a creature, you can choose to mark it. Until the start of your next turn, the first attack roll each creature makes against the marked creature is made with advantage.
Uvar (Storm Rune) This rune allows you to briefly glimpse into the future like the storm giant oracles. Passive: you have advantage on initiative checks. Active: as a bonus action you peer into the moments ahead, giving you advantage one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw of your choice that you make within the next minute.
Uven (Enemy Rune) This rune's magic fills you with vigor when enemies are closing in. Passive: creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against you if they have already dealt damage to you this turn. Active: as a bonus action, you can give yourself a bonus to weapon attack rolls and damage rolls equal to the number of enemies within 15 feet of you (maximum of 5). This bonus lasts until the end of your next turn.
Level 17 Runes
Dod (Death Rune) This rune empowers you with the ability to evade death and usher it upon your foes. Passive: You have advantage on death saving throws and you regain 1 hit point when you roll a 20 or a 19 on a death saving throw. Active: when a creature within 60 feet of you rolls a death saving throw, you can use your reaction to force a different creature of your choice within 30 feet of you to roll a death saving throw as well (they need not be at 0 HP). If a creature fails this saving throw, they gain a level of exhaustion, and if a creature who has failed 3 death saving throws in this way falls below 100 hit points, it dies.
Kong (King Rune) This rune's magic emulates the birthright of a mighty ruler. Passive: you are immune to the charmed and frightened conditions. Active: When you fail a saving throw, you can use your reaction to have a willing creature you can see within 30 feet of you roll the same saving throw. You can use either roll as your result.
Liv (Life Rune) This rune fills you with magical vitality. Passive: while you are conscious, and below half your hit point maximum, you heal 1d6 HP at the start of each of your turns. Active: When a creature you can see within 60 feet of you heals hit points or receives temporary hit points, you can use your reaction to double the amount healed or the temporary hit points received.
Wyrm (Dragon Rune) The power of a great dragon resides within this rune. Passive: you sprout ethereal dragon wings, giving you a flying speed equal to your walking speed. Active: As an action, you can expel a powerful breath weapon. All creatures in a 30 foot cone or a 60 foot line (your choice) must make a dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 10d6 fire, cold, lightning, poison, or acid damage (your choice). On a success, a creature takes half damage.
