Dungeons & Dragons 2024 (D&D) Class: Runewalker

Level 1: Runic Magic

You can cast wizard spells and more by using runes, both by invoking the power within them and by scribing them. You know not only the meaning of the runes but also how to inscribe or engrave them, thus how to give them power.   Spellcasting. As a runewalker, you have a list of runes you know. This list is called a runelist. It can be in the shape of a spellbook, of separate scrolls or of tattoos on your body. The runelist is made up of the wizard spell list plus the runewalker spells.   Cantrips. At 1st level, you know 3 cantrips of your choice from the wizard and runewalker spell lists. You learn additional cantrips at higher runewalker levels as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Runewalker table.   Runelist. At 1st level, you have a runelist containing six 1st-level spells of your choice from the wizard and runewalker spell lists.   Spell Slots. The Runewalker table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all your expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.   Prepared Spells of Level 1+. You prepare a list of spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of spells from your runelist equal to your Intelligence modifier + your runewalker level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.   Changing Your Prepared Spells. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of spells requires time spent studying your runelist and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: you must spend at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.   Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for the spells from your runelist.   Spellcasting Focus. You can use a rune focus as a spellcasting focus for your spells.  

 

Your Runelist

The runes that you add to your runelist indicate the research you have done. You might find other runes during your adventures. You could discover new runes among your enemies’ notes, in a ruined temple during political wars or in eldritch places dating back to ancient times   Adding a rune onto the list. When you find a new rune, you can add it to your runelist if it is of a level for which you have spell slots. Also, you need the time to understand the rune, and material to add it to your runelist.

Adding a rune to your runelist involves different steps. These include solving the meaning of the rune, understanding its needs and its nature, and finally, casting it. To master a rune and cast it without error, you have to work on it. All of these steps take 2 hours and 50 gp for each level of the spell. If you want to copy one of the runes from your runelist to another, for instance to your friends’ runelist or your backup runelist, you need to spend 1 hour and 10 gp for each level of the rune.

Level 1: Detect Rune

For 1 minute, you sense the presence of runes within 30 feet of you. If you sense any rune in this way, you can use an action to learn its school of magic. Then, you can make an Intelligence (Arcana) check (DC = 10 + spell level of the rune) to comprehend the spell level of the rune.

Level 2: Rune Path

You see runes as a path in life that one walks on. After you learn about runes and runic magic, you choose a rune path. You know that life has many ways to go about things, many choices; and so do runes.   At 10th and 18th levels, you choose 1 additional rune path (different from the ones you chose so far)

Path of Berserk

Learning runes and casting spells cannot stop you from grabbing your axe and terrorizing the battlefield. When you choose to walk on this path, you become proficient with two martial weapons of your choice.   Also, as an action, you can enter a runic berserk. For 1 minute, your weapon attacks become magical, you can use your spell attack modifier for your weapon attacks, and you have a +1 bonus to your attack rolls and damage rolls. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest to use it again.

Path of Elements

You walk on the path of the primal forces of nature and choose one of the following elements to walk on its path; cold, fire, or thunder & lightning. Your spells that deal damage of the chosen type deals an extra 1d6 damage.   Additionally, runes mark your soul when you choose this path to walk on. You have advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks against elementals and nature spirits.

Path of Protection

You devote yourself to the protection of yourself and others. You become proficient with light armors. Also, as a reaction, you can choose to have advantage on your next saving throw. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest to use it again.   Additionally, as an action, you can draw a rune of protection on yourself or on an ally within your reach. The rune stays active for 8 hours and grants a success on the next death saving throw. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest to use it again.

Path of Seal

Runes have mystic powers and one of them can be interpreted as “sealing”. Sealing things carry different meanings. You can seal a chest, a door, a lockbox, or you can seal someone’s luck and fate.   As an action, you can seal an object. Opening the seal requires a successful DC 20 Dexterity check. This DC increases to 25 at 10th level. You may have only one seal at a time. When a second one is to be created, the old seal is broken.   In addition, when your target makes an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, you can try to seal its fate as a reaction. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or the result of its roll counts as 1. You can only use this feature before the target makes the roll. You can use this feature once per week.

Path of the Dead

Every path ends, as does life. You choose to see what happens after the path ends. While walking on the path of the dead, you can create one more undead with spells that create undead such as animate dead or create undead. This feature does not work if you do not have enough materials to create one more undead.   Also, your connection with the dead and their presence increases. You can sense the graves within 10 feet of you.

Path of Travel

You dedicate yourself to the concept of traveling. Your speed increases by 10 feet and you have advantage on saving throws against being exhausted.   Although you like to travel, there is nothing like a warm hearth and good mead; home. You designate a place to be your home. Once per week, you can teleport to your home as an action.

Level 3: Runewalker Subclass

You gain a Runewalker subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Runewalker levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your Runewalker’s features that are of your Runewalker level or lower.

Level 4: Ability Score Improvement

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Sorcerer levels 8, 12, and 16.

Level 5: Runic Purge

You can spoil runes by purging them with your arcane knowledge. As an action, you can expend a spell slot that is equal to the spell level of the rune you want to purge, and purge the rune, making it useless by leaving only a trace behind.

Level 19: Epic Boon

You gain an Epic Boon feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

Level 20: Signature Runes

Choose two level 3 runes in your runelist as your signature runes. You always have these spells prepared, and you can cast each of them once at level 3 without expending a spell slot. When you do so, you can’t cast them in this way again until you finish a Short or Long Rest. To cast either spell at a higher level, you must expend a spell slot.