##### The Runeseeker
–Spell Slots per Spell Level–
| Level | Proficiency
Bonus | Features |Enchanting
Runes Known | Spell
Runes Known| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:--:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
| 1st | +2 | Find Runes, Runic Weapon | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Fighting Style, Spellcasting, Elemental Burst| — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Rune Secret, Magic Runic Weapon | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Extra attack | — | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Extra Attunement, Enchanting Rune | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Rune Secret Feature | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | ─ | 1 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Rune Secret Feature| 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Enchanting Rune, Eyes of the Runekeeper| 2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | ─ | 2 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Magical Rampage | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Rune Secret Feature | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | ─ | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Enchanting Rune | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Rewrite the Laws of Creation | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
## Creating a Runeseeker
When creating a runeseeker, one important aspect is defining they became interested in the study of ancient cultures and languages. Did you discover you are the last descendant of a destroyed culture that you now want to study and pass on to a new generation? Are you just curious to understand all the tiny facets of history and language of a civilization that you find fascinating and exotic? Did your character find a magic axe engraved in runes while mining and started studying the meaning of the symbols, wanting to know more about where it came from and who made it?
What drives you to find the vestiges of old civilizations? Do you want to reconnect with the spirits of your ancestors and recover the artifacts that once belonged to them? Are you an avid reader of epic poems and believe that many of the stories written by old authors hide the truth on where to find ancient cities and relics? Do you want to teach everyone about the long-lost history that you find in your adventures or do you want to keep your precious discoveries and the power that derives from them for yourself?
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### Quick Build
You can make a runeseeker quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence. Some runeseekers who focus on ranged fighting make Dexterity higher than Strength. Second, choose the guild artisan background. Third, choose the Beacon minor property and the Confident quirk for your runic weapon.
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### Class Features
As a runeseeker, you gain the following class features
- **Hit Dice:** 1d8 per runeseeker level
- **Hit Points at 1st: Level:** 8 + your Constitution modifier
- **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per runeseeker level after 1st
#### Proficiencies
___
- **Armor:** Light armor, medium armor, shields
- **Weapons:** Simple weapons, martial weapons.
- **Tools:** Choose one from smith's tools or woodcarver's tools
- **Saving Throws:** Strength, Consitution
- **Skills:** Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, and Religion.
#### Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- *(a)* a martial weapon and a shield or *(b)* two martial weapons.
- *(a)* chain mail or *(b)* Studded leather, longbow, and 20 arrows
- *(a)* a scholar's pack and 2 daggers or *(b)* a dungeoneer's pack and 2 hand axes
- *(a)* a set of smith's tools or *(b)* a set of woodcarver's tools
### Find Runes
Runes can be found hidden in the most unexpected places, but they can look like meaningless cuts on stones even to the most experienced wizard. You, however, know what you are looking for, and have explored countless ruins to find it. You have advantage on Intelligence (History) checks related to the buildings and engravings of ancient civilizations, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks and Intelligence (Investigation) checks in the surroundings of such ancient ruins when looking for hidden spell runes and runestones.
Runestones function like scrolls, except that they are only a few symbols engraved on small stones and they are written in lost runic characters that are not related to any specific language but represent directly magical energies. Only runeseekers can activate runestones.
### Runic Weapon
You have a supernatural bond with your favorite weapon, one that either you yourself enchanted, or that you found or received already bearing ancient runes. When you get this feature, choose one of your weapons. That weapon becomes your runic weapon. Your runic weapon is indestructible and you may summon it as a bonus action on your turn, causing it to teleport instantly in your hand.
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Due to the immense power flowing through your runic weapon, it has a minor property and a quirk. Choose one of the minor properties in the Minor Property table in Chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide, and then choose a quirk from the Quirk table in the same page. Discuss with your DM these decisions. If you are not the creator of your runic weapon you may want to choose with your DM characteristics from the Creator or Intended User table and the History table as well. Your DM may also want you to roll on these two tables instead of choosing.
The runic weapon does not require attunement, but you can only have one runic weapon at a time. The runic weapon doesn't count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. You can change your weapon at any time by performing a re-engraving ritual that takes course over an 8-hour period. Once this process is complete, the previous weapon becomes inert of its' magical properties and acts as its' mundane counterpart. Magical weapons and objects may not be used in this process (Their strength lies outside the bounds of the runeseekers knowledge)
### Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
#### Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to Attack rolls you make with Ranged Weapons.
#### Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
#### Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other Weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to Damage Rolls with that weapon.
#### Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an Attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the Two-Handed or Versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
#### Protection
When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the Attack roll. You must be wielding a Shield.
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### Runecasting
Studying and activating runes confers almost magic like power unto you. They are extremely concise and your runic weapon has enough space to contain all your spells, growing more and more covered in inscriptions as your repertoire expands. You choose spells from the runeseeker spell list. See chapter 10 on the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and the end of this document for the runeseeker spell list.
#### Inscribed spell runes
At second level, you know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the Runeseeker spell list.
The Spells Runes Known column of the Runeseeker table shows when you learn more ranger spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Runeseeker spells you know and replace it with another spell from the Runeseeker spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
#### Magical crossflow
The space on your runic weapon is finite, and you must take care the runes inscribed do not interract with each other. The "spell runes known" column refers to your ability to safely inscribe runes onto your weapon as well as your general knowledge. As you become better at it, your placements will become tighter, and you wont risk a crossflow of magical energies sabotaging the activation.
But that doesn't mean you cannot try to inscribe excess amount of runes onto your weapon, only that it will become more and more difficult.
After finding a spell rune or a rune stone with the "Find Runes" feature, you can try to inscribe it onto your weapon. This is a long process, taking 1 hour per spell level. This doesnt take special tools, only either your smithing or woodcarver tools, depending on the material of the weapon. At the end, make an Intelligence (Arcana) check to see if the magical circuit is stable. The DC is 10 + the spell's level + 1 for every additional rune inscribed.
For example, if you at 3rd level have 3 spell runes inscribed, and you want to add the rune of Magic Missile as your 4th spell, the DC would be 10+1+1. If many levels later, you would add the rune Ice Storm, the DC would be 10+4+2.
On a success, the runes will work without problem. On a failure, the new rune is not integrated properly, and the inscription explodes. This explosion is not strong enough to harm you, and your runic weapon is indestructible, but it can damage the other rune spells on it. You must spend 1 hour per rune spell on repairing the inscriptions to make them safe. You can try to activate damaged runes, but who knows what might happen...
Regardless of success or failure, the runestone you are copying is destroyed in the process.
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#### Casting Spell-Runes
The runeseeker 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 expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
For example, if you're a 5th-level runeseeker, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. If you know the 1st-level spell hellish rebuke, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells.
#### Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
The Spells Runes Known column of the Runeseeker table shows when you learn more Runeseeker spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Runeseeker spells you know and replace it with another spell from the Runeseeker spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
#### Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your Runeseeker spells as you have to understand the rune's structure and the energy pathways. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Runeseeker spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
**Spell save DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.
**Spell attack modifier** = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.
#### Arcane Focus
You can use an arcane focus (found in chapter 5 in the Player's Handbook) as a spellcasting focus for your runeseeker spells. Your runic weapon counts as spellcasting focus for you.
#### Martial Somatic Components
You can perform the somatic components of spells even when you have weapons or a shield in one or both hands.
> ##### Runeseeker's "Spell" Casting
>
> A Runeseeker does not fundamentally have the ability to cast magic - they are activating the runes they have aquired to perform effects similar to spells. For mechanical purposes, these are identical and can be affected by spells such as *anti-magic field* because the runes can't be activated to cast their spells.
>
> When you cast spells, you are activating them on your runic weapon. Maybe you cast the 1st-level spell *thunderwave* by shouting a battle-cry and slamming your warhammer into the earth, or point your sword at your foe and cast *magic missile*. While mechanically there is no difference to actual spells, thematically they should feel far different.
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### Elemental Burst
Starting at 2nd level, you learn how to release raw elemental explosions from your runes without damaging the runes themselves. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack using your runic weapon, you can expend one Runeseeker spell slot to deal elemental damage to all creatures in 10-foot radius sphere centered on the creature you hit. The target of the attack roll takes 2d6 damage for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d6 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d6. Any other creature inside that 10-foot sphere must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your Runeseeker Spell save DC. This is a burst of raw energies erupting in a semi-controlled manner. On a failure, they take full damage, on a success, they take half. Choose the damage type between a damage type that any of your knows spells of that level can deal. You are immune to the damage of your own elemental burst.
For example, when Berric, a level 3 Runeseeker with 16 intelligence, hits a gnoll, he can use Elemental burst by expending a 1st level spell slot. The gnoll takes 2d6 damage, and every creature around the gnoll, excluding Berric, must succeed on a constitution saving throw against 13. Berric "knows the spells" Heroism, Magic Missile and Witch bolt, so he can chose between force and lightning for the damage type.
> ##### Multi-element spells
>
>Some Runeseeker spells, like chaos bolt or dragon's breath, can deal multiple types of damage. While sometimes it makes sense for you to chose from those, sometimes the magic is inherently random. In such cases, it could be more accurate, if not more fun, to decide with rolling an appropriate sized die.
>
>Consult your Gamemaster about such instances.
### Rune Secret
When you reach 3rd level, your knowledge of runes reaches forgotten techniques to create runes for very...specific purposes. You choose the Runes of Metallic Soul, the Runes of Magical Oppression, or the Runes of Vital Crimson, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th and 15th level
### Magical Runic Weapon
At 3rd level, you are getting closer to etching runes onto your weapon that alter its fundamental properties. You discover a new rune that allows you to imbue a tiny amount of magic into your runic weapon. Your runic weapon counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.
### Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 14th, 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.
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### Extra Attack
Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
### Enchanting Runes
Starting at 6th level you discover new runes to enchant your runic weapon with great powers. Your runic weapon now gains one enchanting rune of your choice. The enchanting runes provide their bonus only when you are attuned to them, and indirectly, to your runic weapon. Your enchanting runes options are detailed at the end of the class description.
You discover/create new enchanting runes again when you reach 10th, 14th and 18th level. Each of them can be etched into the weapon at the gives levels, as shown on the Enchanting Runes Known table, but each rune requires a separate attunement.
### Extra Attunement
When you reach 6th level, you can attune to an additional magic item. In addition, any Enchanting runes you are attuned to only take 1/2 of an attunement slot.
### Eyes of the Rune Keeper
When you reach 11th level your knowledge of ancient written languages has reached its peak. You can now read all written languages, but cannot speak them.
### Runic Rampage
At 14th level, you can focus your weapon's fury towards the runic spells engraved on it.
When you use your action to cast a Runeseeker spell, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
### Rewriting the Laws of Creation
When you reach 20th level you learn the true nature of runes, and understand their complexity beyond what others could ever dream. You have gained the ability to create runes instantaneously out of pure energy with thought alone. You may now cast any Runeseeker spell without expending their verbal or somatic components. This process is very taxing for mortals, and you can only do it a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, a minimum of once, per long rest.
Also, once per long rest, you may cast any 8th-level or lower spell from the wizard spell-list. This spell counts as a Runeseeker spell for you. You do not need to have it etched on your Runic Weapon in any form, however you must be able to pay for any gold or material costs necessary for it's casting.
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# Rune Secrets
To use runes it is necessary to carve or etch them onto something. Usually, runeseekers carve runes on stones and on their runic weapon, however, with the advancement of their studies they discover new ways to inscribe runes, either as an improved way to carve on their weapon or new methods to inscribe runes on different things.
## Runes of Metallic Soul
Metal inspires them. The sparks flying off the anvil, the blade singing through the air. What they once brushed aside as the tricks of a wandering mind, was actually the suggestions of a soul, wishing to be born onto the field of battle, for a singular, and very specific, purpose.
### Shaping the tools of war
At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with smith's tools or woodcarver's tools, whichever you are not proficient with already.
Additionally, you gain proficiency with heavy armor.
### Awakened Runic Weapon
At 3rd level your runic weapon becomes a sentient magic item that can communicate with you by transmitting emotions and can sense the surrounding world within 5 feet through blindsight. You can decide the runic weapon's intelligence, wisdom and charisma by assigning the following scores in the order that you prefer: 14, 10, 8. The DM shall help choose the weapon's personality based off the tables found within the Dungeon Master's Guide. The weapon remembers everything that happened to it from the moment it was created.
At levels 7th, 10th and 15th the weapon's conscience and perception will grow in various ways. At 7th level it will be able to communicate with you telepathically while it is able to perceive your presence and its blindsight grows to 30 feet. At 10th level the weapon becomes able to produce sounds and speak two languages of your choice and its blindsight grows to 45 feet. At 15th level the weapon becomes able to communicate telepathically with anyone it is able to perceive the presence of, it's blindsight grows to 60 feet.
At levels 7th, 10th and 15th you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 2. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20.
### Sculpted Burst
At 7th level your runic weapon can controll bursts of power better, and it can create pockets of relative safety within the effects of your Elemental Bursts. When you use your elemental burst you can choose a number of creatures equal to your Intelligence modifier. The chosen creatures are immune to the damage of your Elemental Burst.
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### Powerful Release
At 10th level your runic weapon learns how to augment energy discharges with its own power. Your elemental bursts now affect a 20-foot radius sphere centered on the creature you hit, instead of a 10-foot one. Also, the damage dice of your elemental burst change from d6 to d8s.
### Ultimate Affinity
At 15th level you and your runic weapon reach perfect mental coordination that lets you grant to the weapon the chance of moving freely on its own. You can move your runic weapon magically as long as at least one your hands is free and the runic weapon is within 5 feet of you. In combat, you can attack as if using your hands without having to move a muscle.
In addition, you have learned how to release the energy of all the runes on your weapon in a massive, powerful blast. Once per long rest, when you attack and hit an enemy, you may sacrifice any number of spell slots you have available. If you choose to do so, all living beings within a 40 foot radius must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. Targets who fail their save take 1d8 force damage for every level of spell slot sacrificed and are pushed back 60-feet. Spell slots of the same level are cumulative. You take half of this damage, with no ability to dodge or resist it further. Using this ability will render your runic weapon "unconscious" and you may not use abilities from it's Enchanting Runes until after the next long rest, when it reawakens.
##### 1st Level
- Absorb Elements
- Chaos Bolt
- Color Spray
- Comprehend Languages
- Cure Wounds
- Detect Magic
- Detect Evil and Good
- Expeditious Retreat
- Feather Fall
- Heroism
- Identify
- Magic Missile
- Longstrider
- Sanctuary
- Searing Smite
- Shield
- Thunderwave
- Witch Bolt
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##### 2nd Level
- Aganazzar's Scorcher
- Aid
- Arcane Lock
- Continual Flame
- Darkness
- Dragon's Breath
- Enhance Ability
- Enthrall
- Gust of Wind
- Heat Metal
- Hold Person
- Invisibility
- Maximilian's Earthen Grasp
- Mind Spike
- Nystul's Magic Aura
- Scorching Ray
- See Invisibility
- Shatter
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##### 3rd Level
- Blink
- Counterspell
- Daylight
- Dispel Magic
- Flame Arrows
- Glyph of Warding
- Lightning Bolt
- Remove Curse
- Tidal Wave
- Tongues
- Water Breathing
- Water Walk
##### 4th Level
- Arcane Eye
- Banishment
- Blight
- Control Water
- Death Ward
- Dimension Door
- Fabricate
- Fire Shield
- Freedom of Movement
- Ice Storm
- Leomund’s Secret Chest
- Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum
- Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere
- Polymorph
- Stone Shape
- Stoneskin
- Stormsphere
##### 5th Level
- Animate Objects
- Awaken
- Cloudkill
- Cone of Cold
- Creation
- Dawn
- Dominate Person
- Geas
- Immolation
- Passwall
- Planar Binding
- Telekinesis
- Teleportation Circle
- Transmute Rock
## Artwork and credits
Obligatory credits page, even though I dont make a dime of this, and image search exsists:
* "Runic Mage" by Alexey Yakovlev, https://www.artstation.com/artwork/aLnGR
* Magic circle asset from CuttleSkulls https://cuttleskulls.tumblr.com/post/157319590217/magic-circle-assets-i-made-for-a-commission-feel
* Mournblade from Raven Armory (its a photo of a real thing, the hell I need credits for when its not artwork?) http://www.raven-armoury.co.uk/po_mournblade.html
* Controll rune by Terry-Lynn L,
from https://www.worldanvil.com/w/isidoro-chaostearkitsune/a/control-runes-article
* dawnguard rune shield, Bethesda Softworks https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Dawnguard_Rune_Shield
* Liquid sword from Anna Shulgina
Based on the "Runeseeker" by Caller_Of_Crows
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-LhK9tOGP6U8mmKT-aIN