Glyphflinger (5e Subclass)

Glyphflinger[edit]

Artificer Specialization

Glyphflingers use Spellblades, a primitive form of casting invented long before wizards or other common arcanists, as their main source of power and weaponry. Spellblades are often depicted as ovular throwing blades inscribed with various runes, glyphs, and wards. This makes the Spellblade act essentially like an arcane battery, storing vast amounts of magic and releasing it when they hit a target in the form of a spell. The lingering magic causes the blade to return the the user, drained and essentially just a glorified dagger until it is recharged.

One of the most important questions you need to ask yourself when making a Glyphflinger is how your character found out how to use Spellblades. Did they come across an ancient tribal text containing knowledge that even the gods neglected? Where they tutored by one of the few remaining Glyphflingers? Were they part of a tribe that still knew of the secret practice? Or perhaps they came across it entirely by accident? How much do they know about the art? Do they want to truly learn, or do they just throw stuff to the wall and see what sticks? It's all up to you.

Tool Proficiency

When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with smith's tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan's tools of your choice.

Glyphflinger Spells

Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Glyphflinger Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.


Artificer Level	Spells
3rd	thunderwave, guiding bolt
5th	shatter, scorching ray
9th	fireball, lightning bolt
13th	storm sphere, vitriolic sphere
17th	steel wind strike, cone of cold

Blade Casting

Starting at 3rd level, you are able to prepare magically infused daggers called Spell Blades. Whenever you finish a long rest, while you prepare your spells, you can infuse any amount of daggers with a spell you have prepared or a cantrip you know. Each infusion requires 1 minute, plus 1 minute per level of the spell infused (or just 1 minute for cantrips).

When you make a spell attack against a creature within your reach or throw range while holding a spell blade, you can use your bonus action to substitute the spell attack with a melee weapon attack. On a hit, the attack deals normal damage + your Spellcasting ability modifier, in addition to the effects of the spell. If the spell requires a spell slot to cast, you spend the spell slot when you make the attack.

You can also make attacks as normal with your infused daggers, without releasing the spell prepared on it. When you do so, they are considered magical weapons.

Magical Parrying

At 3rd level, while wielding a Spell Blade, you can use it to parry incoming attacks. Your AC can't be lower than 13 + your Intelligence modifier while wielding a spell blade.

Improved Blade Casting

Starting at 5th level, when you use your Action to cast a spell with your Blade Casting feature, you can make a second melee weapon attack against a different target within your reach. The effects of the spell are only triggered on the first hit.

In addition, the damage die of your infused daggers increase to 1d6, and the range to 30/90.

Disruptive Blade

At 9th level, can disrupt magic with your spell blade. When you see a creature within 60 feet of you casting a spell of 2nd level or lower, you can use your reaction to throw a spell blade, cancelling that magic.

In addition, the damage die of your infused daggers increase to 1d8, and the range to 45/135.

Glyph Jump

Starting at 15th level, you can infuse a Spell Blades with a teleporting glyph. If you haven't moved on this turn, you can throw a blade to a unoccupied space within 30 feet, teleporting to that position. Your movement speed is then reduced to 0.

In addition, whenever you hit a creature with a thrown attack from your Spell Blade, you can teleport to an unoccupied place within 5 feet of your target.

In addition, the damage die of your infused daggers increase to 1d10, and the range to 60/180.

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