Runecaster (5e Class)

Rune Caster

Rune Magic is the strongest form of Norse magic. Users of this form of magic can either carve the runes into objects (such as "runestone" tablets) or chant/sing the names and sounds of the runes (galdr) to cast spells. A Rune Caster is one that through great pain and suffering has unlocked the alphabet of the universe. To be able to perform Rune Magic one must go through great suffering: Odin hung from Yggdrasil for nine days with a spear in his side.

Seeking the Divine Alphabet.

After great, soul-changing sacrifice, the Rune Caster finds his first set of runes. They grant him the ability to change the world and improve it, or to strike revenge on those that have caused him harm. Through his journeys he can find more runes to increase his powers. Culminating in finding the entire Divine alphabet and being able to write fate as he wills it. Using his runes he is able to divine the future and know what he needs to do to change it.

Creating a Rune Caster

Quick Build

You can make a Rune Caster quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity as it takes deft skill to create the runes. Second, choose Any background as the Gods can select any of us.

Class Features

As a Rune Caster you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Rune Caster level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Rune Caster level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, Medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, Martial weapons
Tools: One set of artisan's tools, one musical instrument
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose 3 from the following: Arcana, Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Religion

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) Any simple melee weapon or (b) Any Martial Weapon
• (a) A dungeoneer's Pack or (b) An explorer's Pack
• (a) A light crossbow and 20 Bolts or (b) Any Simple Weapon
• (a) Studded leather armor or (b) A chain shirt
• (a) A set of artisan's tools or (b) A musical instrument of your choice
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 10 gp in funds.

Table: The Rune Caster

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Runes Drawn
1st	+2	Rune Casting, Portent	3
2nd	+2	Magic of The Norns, Devotion	4
3rd	+2	Multimagic, Devotion Feature	5
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	6
5th	+3	Maybe Lucky, Maybe Not	7
6th	+3	Devotion Feature	8
7th	+3	Inscribe Rune	8
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	9
9th	+4	Maybe Lucky, Maybe Not	9
10th	+4	Multimagic Increase	10
11th	+4	Greater Inscribe Rune	10
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	11
13th	+5	Devotion Feature	11
14th	+5	Magic Enhanced Combat	12
15th	+5	Greater Portent	12
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	13
17th	+6	Maybe Lucky, Maybe Not	13
18th	+6	Devotion Feature	14
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	14
20th	+6	Runic Master	15

Class Features

Rune casting

As a rune Caster, you have the ability to cast runes. Runes have a casting time of 1 action (unless specified otherwise) and are cast by selecting one of your runes and throwing it or simply summoning it's symbol. Either way, the rune turns to dust and reappears in your rune bag by the next short rest. Any rune in your rune bag can be used with a ritual time of 1 minute. If you cant a rune using a ritual, the rune stays in your possession and does not count as used until you use it instantaneously. This makes it so, out of combat, a rune can be used like a tool or make role-playing less tedious.

At level 1, you can draw three runes to cast. You draw additional runes at the specified Rune Caster levels in the Rune Caster progression chart above.

You can redraw runes after completing a long or short rest.

Your runecasting ability is Intelligence, and spells or spell-like effects of a cast rune use this ability's modifier, unless otherwise specified.

Portent

As a Rune Caster you can throw your stones to see into the future. When you finish a long rest, roll two d20s and record the numbers rolled. You can replace any attack roll, saving throw or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see with one of these foretelling rolls. You must choose to do so before the roll, and you can replace a roll in this way only once per turn. Each foretelling roll can be used only once. When you finish a long rest, you lose any unused foretelling rolls.

Magic of The Norns

Starting at 2nd level, your natural magic abilities flourish. You learn the Druidcraft cantrip, and you can learn another 4 cantrips of your choice from the Druid spell list.

Devotion

At 2nd level, you choose your Godly Devotion, detailed near the end of the page. The chosen god/goddess works much like the patron of a Warlock, or sometimes the deity of a Cleric. You gain more Devotion features again at 3rd, 6th, 13th, and 18th level.

Multimagic

At 3rd level, you can take two actions during your turn. Your Strength or Dexterity and your Intelligence score increase by 1 to a maximum of 21.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.

Maybe Lucky, Maybe Not

Starting at 5th level, after you draw your runes, you can redraw at any chosen time a number of those runes equal to your Rune Caster level divided by 3 rounded up, to do so you must spend at least 10 minutes working without interruptions. You can only use this feature once per short rest. At 9th and 17th level you may redraw an additional time per short rest.

Inscribe Rune

At 7th level the Rune Caster can inscribe a rune onto their weapons or Armor. They can place a +1 enchantment on their weapons or armor, and a rune specific enchantment to DM and your discretion. To do this the Rune Caster must spend 24 hours of time and 300 gp in materials. The Rune can be toggled on and off by the Rune Caster who inscribed it.

Multimagic Increase

At 10th level, your magical knowledge grows more vast. Your Strength or Dexterity and your Intelligence score increase by 1 to a maximum of 22.

Greater Inscribe Rune

At 11th level your Runic Inscription's grow stronger. You can now add a +2 enchantment on a weapon or armor, and change it's damage type between Slashing, Bludgeoning, and Piercing. The rune specific enchantment may be stronger. The cost is lowered to 200 gp, and it's time needed to inscribe is 15 hours.

Magic Enhanced Combat

At 14th level, choose three battle maneuvers from the Fighter's Battle Master subclass. You gain superiority dice equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Greater Portent

Starting at 15th level your stones are more accurate in telling the future. You roll three d20s for your Portent feature, rather than two, and can treat a 19 as a natural 20.

Runic Master

At 20th level the Rune Caster is able to imbue their weapon or 20 pieces of ammo to cause elemental damage such as Fire, Cold, Necrotic, Force, Lightning, etc. They can also increase the enchantment on their weapons and armor to +3. Your rune specific enchantment could be even more powerful. The cost is lowered to 150 gp, and it's time needed to inscribe is 8 hours. You can now cast an additional number of runes equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Devotion's

More of a Patron Than You'd Think

The Devotion you choose is not a simple choice. Some Rune Caster's go their whole lives without choosing one. A devoted god or goddess acts much like a Warlock's patron or even a Cleric deity, in which they communicate with their Rune Caster in various ways, whether in dreams or astral projection. This bargain doesn't come without reward however, further enhancing your runic capabilities the stronger you become.

At 2nd level, you learn two Eldritch invocations from the Warlock invocation list. If an invocation requires prerequisites, you must meet them before you can choose it. If you choose an invocation that requires a spell slot to cast, you instead use one of your drawn runes to cast it, discarding the rune and putting it back in the bag as if you'd used it.

Follower of Loki

Your devotion to the god of Mischief has resulted in magical gifts. You must have a Chaotic alignment to choose this Devotion. Once you choose this Devotion, you learn the Giant language and gain proficiency in Persuasion.

Channel Divinity

At 2nd level, you learn the Invoke Duplicity ability from the Cleric's Trickery domain. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to create an illusory duplicate of yourself.

As an action, you create a perfect illusion identical to yourself that last for 1 minute. This illusion is indiscernible from yourself, carries duplicates of your gear, and can speak with your voice. The illusion appears in unoccupied spaces that you can see within 30 feet of you. As a free action on your turn, you can move the illusion up to your speed to a space you can see, but they must remain within 200 feet of you.

For the duration, you can cast spells as though you were in the illusion's space. Additionally, when you and your illusion are within 5 feet of a creature that can see the illusion, you have advantage on attack rolls against that creature, given how distracting the illusion is to the target.

You can use your Channel Divinity an amount of times equal to your Intelligence modifier between rests.

Loki's Magic

At 3rd level, your magical intuition has increased to accommodate the trickster god's whim. You learn the Message and Mage Hand cantrips. When you cast Mage Hand, you can use a free action to make the hand invisible, and it can be used as an Arcane Trickster would use it.

Kenaz, The Rune of Loki

At 3rd level, your runic magic for a specific stone has strangely grown. The cone area of Burning Hands is doubled, and so are the damage dice.

Devotion Ability: Mistletoe Dart

At 6th level, the trickster god's mythology seeps into your magic. Using a bonus action, you can hold out your hand, a single shaft of mistletoe appearing in your open palm. This dart can range in length from a throwing dart to a spear. For ease of reference, it is always called a dart. Still during the bonus action, make a ranged attack roll. On a hit, this dart deals 6d6 necrotic damage, and disappears after one round once it's thrown. No matter where you are in relation to your target, throwing the dart counts as a surprise attack, so can be rolled with advantage. This dart has a range of 150 feet (5 foot melee) and uses the game statistics for a dart excluding the range, damage dice, and damage type, and feels lighter than a feather in your hand. Instead of throwing it, you can use the dart as a dagger, shortsword, or spear, depending on it's length, that disappears after 1 hit. This dart counts as magical for the purpose of ignoring resistance, and you are always proficient with it. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier + proficiency bonus before having to complete a short or long rest.

Trickster's Lament

At 18th level, Loki's magic has truly blessed you. You can now use Wild Shape as a bonus action like you would being a Druid, and shapeshift at will. Your chosen form must be CR:4 or under, and must be a beast or something of the sort.

Follower of Thor

Devoting your life to the god of Thunder, storms run through your veins. You must have a Lawful alignment to choose this Devotion. Once you choose this Devotion, you learn the Celestial language and proficiency in Intimidation.

Channel Divinity

At 2nd level, you learn a rebalanced Destructive Wrath ability from the Cleric's Tempest domain. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to wield the power of the storm with unchecked ferocity.

When you roll lightning or thunder damage, you can use your Channel Divinity to deal maximum damage, instead of rolling, and fly 15 feet in the air once you do so.

You can use your Channel Divinity an amount of times equal to your Intelligence modifier between rests.

Thor's Magic

At 3rd level, Thor's intense magic leaves you buzzing with energy. You learn the Lightning Lure and Light cantrips. When you cast Lightning Lure, it does damage regardless of the distance between you and your target.

Thurisaz, The Rune of Thor

At 3rd level, your magical powers flourish with the Thurisaz rune. When casting Lightning Bolt, you can now target anything within it's range, instead of a line. You can also choose to change the damage type from Lightning to Thunder.

Devotion Ability: Thunder Hammer

At 6th level, lightning itself beckens to your call. Once per short or long rest, using a bonus action, you hold your hand to the sky. A lightning bolt flashes down from the heavens, striking your palm and summoning a Warhammer made of pure electricity. This uses normal Warhammer stats excluding damage type and damage dice, and it requires two hands to swing. When the lightning hits, a crack of thunder occurs, which is audible up to 300 feet. When you hit a creature, the hammer deals 2d8 lightning damage. Instead of attacking with the hammer, you can slam it's handle into the ground, creating a shockwave that rumbles through the earth, dealing 2d4 thunder damage to all creatures in a 15 foot square centered on yourself and knocking all loose objects 10 feet backwards. As an action, you may throw the hammer with a range of 20/50. Make a ranged attack roll. On a hit, the hammer spins through the air until it strikes it's target and deals 2d10 lightning damage, then flies back to your hand. You cannot take actions or reactions for 1 round once you use this ability. The hammer lasts for 1 minute.

Storm of Asgard

At 18th level, your devotion to Thor has truly granted you immense power. You're able to add up to 10d20 force damage to your melee attacks, at the cost of 1 level of exhaustion for every two d20 dealt. ie, +2d20 would give 1 level of exhaustion, +4d20 would give 2 levels of exhaustion, and so on.

Follower of Tyr

Devotion to the god of Victory is risky, but promising. You must have a Lawful alignment to choose this Devotion. Once you choose this Devotion, you learn the Celestial language and proficiency in Survival.

Channel Divinity

At 2nd level, you learn a rebalanced Guided Strike ability from the Cleric's War domain. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to strike with supernatural accuracy.

When you make an attack roll, you can use your Channel Divinity to gain a +10 bonus to the roll. You make this choice after you see the roll, but before the DM says whether the attack hits or misses. If you hit, you add +10 damage as well.

You can use your Channel Divinity an amount of times equal to your Intelligence modifier between rests.

Tyr's Magic

At 3rd level, Tyr's magical power allows stronger abilities. You learn the Booming Blade and Chill Touch cantrips. When Chill Touch is cast, it can deal bludgeoning damage instead of necrotic, and lasts for 3 rounds. It does not cling to it's first target.

Tiwaz, The Rune of Tyr

At 3rd level, your magical abilities using the victory rune grow stronger. When you cast Mirror Image, your illusory duplicates are now flesh and bone, with health equal to half your max HP, giving you a chance to keep them alive after one hit. They still cannot deal damage.

Devotion Ability: Victorious Challenge

At 6th level, twice per short or long rest, as a bonus action, you can look a creature in the eyes. As long as this creature is within the range of 100 feet, you shout challenge at it. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a fail, the creature is forced to target you and only you for 6 rounds. On a success, the target can still attack others, but rolls disadvantage against them. It also only lasts for 3 rounds. If you target a beast with this ability, it automatically fails the Wisdom save and must use all of its movement to approach you. For 1 minute after you activate Victorious Challenge, you seem to radiate pure energy. Whenever you are hit with a melee attack, the attacker takes 1 force damage. Your own weapons glow in the same way, and deal an extra 1 force damage on a hit until this effect ends.

True Victory

At 18th level, the power of Tyr courses through your body. You can choose to deal an additional 13d6 damage on any damage roll with a melee weapon, at the cost of you also taking half the damage.

Follower of Frey

Peace and Fertility is your one true goal, and devotion to Frey let's you follow that. You must have a Neutral alignment to choose this Devotion. Once you choose this Devotion, you learn the Sylvan language and proficiency in Medicine.

Channel Divinity

At 2nd level, you learn a rebalanced Preserve Life ability from the Cleric's Life domain. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to heal the badly injured.

As an action, you present your holy symbol and evoke healing energy that can restore a number of hit points equal to five times your cleric level. Choose any creatures within 30 feet of you, and divide those hit points among them. You can't use this feature on an undead or a construct.

You can use your Channel Divinity an amount of times equal to your Intelligence between short or long rests.

Frey's Magic

At 3rd level, Frey has blessed you personally with special powers. You learn the Friends and Dancing Lights cantrips. When you cast Dancing Lights, you can summon double the normal amount of lights.

Fehu, The Rune of Frey

At 3rd level, your runic healing grows more powerful with the Fehu rune. Double the healing dice used when casting Prayer of Healing. You can also target up to 10 creatures with it, requiring no components.

Devotion Ability: Summer's Peace

At 6th level, once per short or long rest, as an action, you may attempt to disarm everyone in a 30-foot radius centered on yourself with your sheer peaceful willpower. All creatures in the area must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC, or be disarmed of their weaponry. The weapons then fly 20 feet backwards and clatter to the ground. When you do this, each creature in range is pushed 10 feet back falls to the ground and takes 2d10 radiant damage, if the creature succeeds on the saving throw they don't get disarmed, take half damage and dont fall prone but are still pushed back. All dirt on the area immediately sprouts grass and flowers, growing to knee height and turning the area into difficult terrain to all creatures excluding you. The sun itself is inclined to your power, and seems to glow hotter. If you disarm 3 or more targets with this ability, you gain temporary hit points equal to half the radiant damage dealt. For 1 minute after you activate Summer's Peace, you glow and radiate summer heat. Anything that attacks you takes an additional 1 radiant damage until this effect wears off.

(The damage of this feature increases to 3d10 at 11th level, 4d10 at 15th level and 6d10 at 20th level.)

You can use this abillity a number of times equal to half your Intelligence modifier per Long Rest

Surge of Life

At 18th level, the magic of Frey is ingrained within your heart. You are able to cast the Mass Heal spell once a day without components, and the Healing Spirit spell at will.

Follower of Hel

Death is as natural as breathing to you, and you understand the consequences. You must have a Chaotic alignment to choose this Devotion. Once you choose this Devotion, you learn the Abyssal language and proficiency in Deception.

Channel Divinity

At 2nd level, you learn a rebalanced Touch of Death ability from the Cleric's Death domain. Starting at 2nd level, you can use Channel Divinity to destroy another creature's life force by touch.

When you hit a creature with a melee or ranged attack, you can use Channel Divinity to deal extra necrotic damage to the target. The damage equals 5 + twice your cleric level.

You can use your Channel Divinity an amount of times equal to your Intelligence modifier between rests.

Hel's Magic

At 3rd level, Death herself is your ally. You learn the Green-Flame Blade and Infestation cantrips. The Infestation cantrip can be cast with double range.

Hagalaz, The Rune of Hel

At 3rd level, darkness has intertwined with your DNA. When casting Chaos Bolt, you can now choose the element damage type, and the bolt leaps once. After the first leap, you must meet the normal requirements for it to leap again.

Devotion Ability: Remorse of The Underworld

At 6th level, once per short or long rest, using an action, you can summon cold black spikes from Hel itself, pitch blades of hellish stone targeting what you please. In a 30-foot radius centered on a point within 80 feet of you, dark spiked pillars erupt from the earth and pierce their targets. Every creature in range must make a dexterity saving throw. On a fail, the targets each take 1d6 necrotic, 1d6 cold, and 1d6 piercing damage, and half as much on a success. When you damage a fey with this ability, you regain temporary hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt. You can choose to deal an extra 1d6 of every damage type, at the cost of taking that much damage yourself as the magic of Hel overpowers your system. You may push even further, changing all 6d6 overall damage into d12, but taking two levels of exhaustion.

Life and Death

At 18th level, Hel's personal magic of the underworld is within you. You are able to cast the Finger of Death spell once a day without components. You can also cast the Feign Death spell at will.

Runes

Runes are given to the player in a pouch. This class uses actual rune stones like the ones found in the Elder Futhark set. The player will draw the number of runes allowed for their level and use them to cast their spells, and can redraw them during a short or long rest.

Once used, a rune is expended and turns to dust, reappearing in the pouch at the next short or long rest you take. Runes and effects can vary depending on player and DM choices.

A Rune Caster only has to act on the Verbal components of the spells that the runes corelate to. Spells cast through runes ignore Material and Somatic components. All spells on this list also ignore their casting time, and are instantaneous unless used as a ritual to preserve the rune.

The runes function as their own spellcasting focus, but if you have a holy symbol or some other focus on your person, you needn't use the runes themselves to cast their effects. The list of runes is follows;

|Uruz - Enlarge/Reduce (Prerequisite: Lvl 3)

|Othala - Haste (Prerequisite: Lvl 5)

|Ansuz - Hellish Rebuke

|Gebo - Conjure Barrage (Prerequisite: Lvl 9)

|Mannaz - Counterspell (Prerequisite: Lvl 5)

|Algiz - Wall off Fire (Prerequisite: Lvl 7)

|Eihaz - Entangle

|Ingwaz - Mass Cure Wounds (Prerequisite: Lvl 9)

|Perthro - Animate Objects (Prerequisite: Lvl 9)

|Tiwaz - Mirror Image (Prerequisite: Lvl 3)

|Kenaz - Burning Hands

|Wunjo - Phantasmal Force (Prerequisite: Lvl 3)

|Fehu - Prayer of Healing (Prerequisite: Lvl 3)

|Raido - Invisibility (Prerequisite: Lvl 3)

|Hagalaz - Chaos Bolt

|Laguz - Control Water (Prerequisite: Lvl 7)

|Ehwaz - Find Greater Steed (Prerequisite: Lvl 7)

|Nauthiz - Levitate (Prerequisite: Lvl 3)

|Jera - Heat Metal (Prerequisite: Lvl 3)

|Berkana - Spiritual Weapon (Prerequisite: Lvl 3)

|Sowilo - Crown of Madness (Prerequisite: Lvl 3)

|Isa - Ice Knife

|Dagaz - Daylight (Prerequisite: Lvl 5)

|Thurisaz - Lightning Bolt (Prerequisite: Lvl 5)

|Odin - Dimension Door (Prerequisite: Lvl 7)

|Ljösta - Cure Wounds

|Gungnir - Hex

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Rune Caster class, you must meet these prerequisites:

13 Int

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Rune Caster class, you gain the following proficiencies:

Simple Weapons, Light Armor

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