Runesmith (5e Class)
Runesmith[edit]
Runesmith[edit]
A fighter with a blade glowing in the fog holds off an advancing army. A commander with glowing stones floating around him leads an army into the fray.
- Goal
The goal of the Runesmith class is to create a balanced and thematic build-your-own class. Having the abilities and spells of other classes be enchanted and stored in runes provides the thematic and roleplaying reasons for a character to possess their assortment of abilities.
Creating a Runesmith[edit]
- Quick Build
You can make a Runesmith quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by either Strength or Dexterity. Second, choose the - background.
Class Features
As a Runesmith you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Runesmith level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Runesmith level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: Two tool proficiencies of your choice. Your chosen tool proficiency determines the appearance and materials necessary to craft your runes.
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Skills: Choose three from ___
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- Any simple weapon
- (a) leather armor or (b) Explorer's pack
- Spellcasting focus
Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | Active Runes | Rune Charges |
---|---|---|---|---|
1st | +2 | Core Rune, Stance Change | 1 | 1 |
2nd | +2 | Passive Rune | 2 | 1 |
3rd | +2 | Runic Weapon, Runic Focus Feature | 2 | 2 |
4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 2 |
5th | +3 | — | 3 | 3 |
6th | +3 | Offensive Rune, Runic Focus Feature | 3 | 3 |
7th | +3 | Attack Rune, Runic Weapon Feature | 3 | 4 |
8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 |
9th | +4 | — | 4 | 5 |
10th | +4 | Runic Focus Feature | 4 | 5 |
11th | +4 | Runic Weapon Feature | 5 | 6 |
12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 6 |
13th | +5 | — | 5 | 7 |
14th | +5 | Runic Focus Feature | 6 | 7 |
15th | +5 | Runic Weapon Feature | 6 | 8 |
16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | 8 |
17th | +6 | — | 7 | 9 |
18th | +6 | Runic Weapon Feature | 7 | 9 |
19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 7 | 10 |
20th | +6 | — | 8 | 10 |
Runes[edit]
Creating Runes[edit]
To create new or additional Runes you must have 50gp of quality materials per class level for feature, or 100gp per spell level, which the creation process consumes, and spend a total of 1 week of labor to create a Rune. Runes you gain from taking levels in this class are not subject to this time requirement.
Rune Infusions[edit]
Runic Infusions are spells, abilities, or other features that can have their properties distilled down and stored in a Rune, to be called upon later by a Runesmith.
Runic Charges[edit]
Runic Charges power Runes. They count as all manner or resource points such as Ki, Superiority Die, Sorcery Points, ect. They are consumed on a 1 to 1 ratio to the resource they are imitating and cannot be used to fuel abilities that are only able to be used once a day.
Core Rune[edit]
Your Core Rune is always active and does not count against your infusions known or consume Rune Charges to use its infused abilities. It can be remade with a one hour ritual if it is lost or destroyed. After completing this ritual your other core rune disappears if it is still in existence. Your Core Rune and additional runes can take many forms. Additional features are outlined below.
Your Core Rune can be affixed or enchanted onto a weapon. A core rune affixed to a weapon transforms it, and it’s damage becomes magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances. Additionally, it gains a feature outlined below, from being affixed to either a Blade, a Bow, or a Book.
Form | Damage | Ability | |
---|---|---|---|
Blade | Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing | ||
Bow | Piercing | ||
Book | Force | Your Core Rune allows you to send out a blast of force damage | 1d10 + your Intelligence modifier force damage, scales with cantrips. |
- Blade
Starting at level # your sword empowers your initiation capabilities. A number of times a day equal to your Intelligence modifier you can use an action to leap 20 feet to a point you can see. Upon impact your sword unleashes an explosion of magical energy. All creatures in a 10 foot radius sphere must make a DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence or Dexterity modifier saving throw or take 3d6 force damage. Creatures who succeed on the save take half damage.
- Bow
- Book
- Runes
Runes can be enchanted to store spells from the Artificer Spell list, or with enchantments outlined in tables below. You can create as many runes as you have resources for, but can only have a number equal to half your levels, rounded up, in the Runesmith class active at a time.
- Spell Runes
Spell runes allow you to imbue a rune with a spell from the Artificer Spell List. The total level of spells stored in your runes cannot exceed half your Runesmith levels (rounded down.)
Stance Change[edit]
On a short rest you can freely swap out active Runes. As an action you can swap out active Runes, but must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take a level of exhaustion, the Rune swaps regardless of whether or not you succeed on the saving throw.
Spell Runes[edit]
Intelligence is your Spellcasting ability for your Runesmith Spells, since the power of your magical abilities is based on your ability to create runes. You use your Intelligence modifier whenever a spell refers to your Spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Runesmith spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
You can create Spell Runes that store spells of a level equal to one quarter of your Runesmith level (rounded up) and can only have a number of Spell Runes active equal to the sum of the spells' levels equal to or less than half your levels in Runesmith. For example, a level 20 Runesmith can have a 9th level and a 1st level Spell Runes active.
- Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
- Spell Attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
- Spellcasting Focus
Your Core Rune and other runes you create count as your arcane focus for your Runesmith Spells.
- Ability Runes
Ability runes allow you to imbue a rune with magic that enhances your abilities, these come in a couple forms such as Passive Runes, Defensive Runes, or Offensive Runes.
Passive Runes[edit]
At 2nd level, you learn to create a Rune that stores potential abilities. Choose form the following for your passive Rune:
- Choose a racial feature to store in this Rune, you can now benefit from this feature. This Rune is always active and does not count against Rune Infusions known.
- Gain proficiency in a [[5e SRD:|saving throw]] in which you are not already proficient in.
- Gain proficiency or expertise (if you are already proficient) in 3 skills of your choice.
You can now create additional Passive Runes whenever you meet the requirements to gain additional Runes.
Runic Path[edit]
At 3rd level, you chose a Runic Path. Choose between Martial Runesmith and Arcane Runesmith, both detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.
Ability Score Improvement[edit]
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. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can forgo an Ability Score Improvement and instead opt to take a Feat.
Martial Runesmith[edit]
You may pick class and subclass abilities from Martial Classes. The ability select and infused into a Rune cannot be of a level greater than the Rune it is stored into. For example, you can store a level 3 Fighter subclass feature into either your Martial 3 or Martial 6 rune, but cannot store a level 10 Fighter subclass feature into your Martial 3 Rune.
- Martial Prowess
At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in medium and heavy armor.
- Martial 3 Rune
- Martial 6 Rune
- Martial 10 Rune
Arcane Runesmith[edit]
You may pick class and subclass abilities from Arcane Classes. The ability select and infused into a Rune cannot be of a level greater than the Rune it is stored into. For example, you can store a level 3 Wizard subclass feature into either your Arcane 3 or Arcane 6 rune, but cannot store a level 10 Wizard subclass feature into your Arcane 3 Rune.
- Spellcasting
- Arcane 3 Rune
- Arcane 6 Rune
- Arcane 10 Rune
Optional Feat[edit]
Learn Rune[edit]
You can learn an additional Rune of a level you already know. In addition, you can increase one ability score by 1 but cannot exceed a score of 20.
Multiclassing[edit]
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Runesmith class, you must meet these prerequisites:
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Runesmith class, you gain the following proficiencies:
Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Classes