Runechild Sorcerer
The weave and flow of magic is mysterious and feared by many. Many study the nature of the arcane in hopes of learning to harness it, while sorcerers carry innate talent to sculpt and wield the errant strands of power that shape the world. Some sorcerers occasionally find their body itself becomes a conduit for such energies, their flesh collecting and storing remnants of their magic in the form of natural runes. These anomalies are known in erudite circles as runechildren.
The talents of a runechild are rare indeed, and many are sought after for study by mages and scholars alike, driven by a prevalent belief that the secrets within their body can help understand many mysteries of the arcane. Others seek to enslave them, using their bodies as tortured spell batteries for their own diabolic pursuits. Their subjugation throughout history has driven the few that exist this day into hiding their essence – a task that is not easy, given the revealing nature of their gifts.
Essence Runes
1st-level feature
Your body has begun to express your innate magical energies as natural runes that hide beneath your skin. You begin with 3 Essence Runes, and gain two additional runes when you reach the following levels in this class: 6th, 10th, and 14th. Runes can manifest anywhere on your body, though the first usually manifests on the forehead. They remain invisible when inert, but can be activated to unleash its power.
- Runic Dice. You have three runic dice, which are d6s. A runic die is expended to activate the rune and its effect. You regain all of your expended dice when you finish a short or long rest. You gain another runic die at levels 5th, 10th and 15th. After using a runic die, you emit bright light in a 5 foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet. The dice size increase by one at the following levels: 6th (d8), 11th (d10) and 17th (d12).
Runic Knowledge:
6th-level feature
You know the languages associated with the Essence Runes beneath your skin. For instance, if you have a draconic rune in a part of your body, you are able to read, write and speak draconic.
Protective Inscriptions
14th-level feature
When you unleash the power of the runes, these form a barrier of magical energy around you to protect you. After using a runic die, you gain temporary hit points equal to the result of the roll of the runic die.
Art credit
First Image: Zarory
Second Image: Nise Loftsteinn
List of Runes
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Abyssal: Whenever you cast a cantrip or a 1st-level or higher spell that requires a spell attack roll, you can activate this rune to gain advantage on the attack roll but you subtract your runic die from the result. If the attack still hits it deals additional damage equal to two rolls of your runic die.
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Celestial: You can activate this rune as a bonus action, when activated, you and creatures of your choice within 5ft recover an amount of hit points equal to one roll of your runic die.
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Common: You can activate this rune as a bonus action, when activated, you recover an amount of spell points equal to half roll of your runic die (rounded down).
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Deep Speech: You can activate this rune as a bonus action, when activated, choose one creature of your choice within 60ft, that creatures takes 1 psychic damage at the start of each of your turns for a number of rounds equal to one roll of your runic die. Additionally whenever the creature takes psychic damage and must make a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration for the duration of this feature, it must subtract one roll of your runic die from the saving throw.
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Draconic: Whenever you cast a cantrip or a 1st-level or higher spell that requires a spell attack roll, you can activate this rune to add the runic die to the attack's damage roll, and the target must succeed a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you for 1 minute, the target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a successful save.
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Druidic: You can activate this rune as a bonus action, when activated, you create a beautiful flower that you can keep or give to another creature within range as part of the same action. A creature wearing or holding this flower can add one roll of your runic die to their next ability check, attack roll or saving throw.
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Dwarvish: You can activate this rune as a bonus action, when activated, you can spend one of your runic dice to decrease your exhaustion levels by 1.
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Elvish: Whenever you end a short rest, you can activate this rune (no action required) to recover an amount of hit points equal to a roll of your runic die + half your Sorcerer level (rounded down).
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Giant: Whenever you cast a cantrip or a 1st-level or higher spell that requires a spell attack roll, you can activate this rune to add the runic die to the attack's damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you knock the target prone.
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Gnomish: Whenever you fail a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration on a spell, you can activate this rune, when activated you can roll your runic die and add the result to the saving throw, potentially turning it into a successful save.
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Goblin: You can activate this rune when you score a critical hit, when activated this rune makes the critical hit deal additional damage equal to a roll of your runic die + your Charisma modifier.
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Halfling: You can activate whenever a creature succeeds on a saving throw against one of your spells, when activated, you can roll your runic die and subtract the result from the creature's saving throw, potentially turning it into a failed save.
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Infernal: You can activate this rune as a bonus action, when activated choose one creature within 60ft, this creature must subtract your runic die from its attack rolls.
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Orcish: You can activate this rune whenever you cast a cantrip or a 1st-level or higher spell that deals damage, when activated you can treat one of the damage dice as if it had rolled their maximum result, additionally you can roll your runic die and add the result to the total damage.
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Primordial: You can activate this rune whenever you cast a cantrip or a 1st-level or higher spell that deals one of the following types of damage: cold, fire, lightning or thunder, when activated, you spend one runic die and the cantrip or spell ignores resistance to these types of damage.
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Sylvan: You can activate this rune as a bonus action, when activated, you can teleport an amount of feet equal to 5 times a roll of your runic dice.
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Thieves Can’t: You can activate this rune whenever you try to escape a grapple or try to get rid of non-magical restraints, when activated, you can add your runic die to any checks made to escape.
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Undercommon: You can activate this rune as a bonus action, when activated, you gain darkvision with a range of 10ft x a roll of your runic die, for 1 minute.
