The Bladescribe[]
NOTE: This is a rework of Knight of Mourne (kinda). You can still use it if you wish, but, here's a hotlink.
Gemstones are known to be powerful things, some religions and cultures choosing to say that their beauty comes from them being creations of the gods. While some cultures might exaggerate this, the warriors known simply as bladescribes use the innate magical properties of gemstones to augment their might in ways that are unknown to most masters of the blade or spellcasters of grand proportions.
Creating a Bladescribe[]
When creating a bladescribe character, think about your character’s background and reason for combat. Did the character willingly choose to study rune magic, or did a being choose for the character to gain the magic, agianst their will? What is the character’s drive for combat infused with rune magic? Talk to your DM about the role played by bladescribes in the campaign, and what sort of religions or cultures worship gemstones and those that use their might.
Quick Build[]
You can make a bladescribe quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Strength or Dexterity, followed by Intelligence. Second, choose the outlander or soldier background.
Class Features[]
"I will not stop until every opponent of mine has had their wills ripped to shreds!"
As a Bladescribe you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Bladescribe level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 7) + Constitution modifier per Bladescribe level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, Medium armor, Shields
Weapons: Simple and Martial Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose 2 from Arcana, Athletics, History, Intimidation, Perception, Persuasion.
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) one martial weapon & a shield or (b) two martial weapons
- (a) leather armor & 5 javelins or (b) scale mail
- (a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- a trinket or article of clothing with a magic gemstone embedded in it
Table: The Bladescribe[]
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Rune Charges | Features | Runebreak Die |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 | 1 | Rune Charges | 1d6 |
| 2 | +2 | 2 | Fighting Style | 1d6 |
| 3 | +2 | 3 | Chosen Stone | 1d6 |
| 4 | +2 | 4 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d6 |
| 5 | +3 | 5 | Extra Attack | 1d6 |
| 6 | +3 | 6 | Bloodied Gem | 1d8 |
| 7 | +3 | 7 | Archetype Feature | 1d8 |
| 8 | +3 | 8 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d8 |
| 9 | +4 | 9 | War Runes | 1d8 |
| 10 | +4 | 10 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d8 |
| 11 | +4 | 11 | Archetype Feature | 1d10 |
| 12 | +4 | 12 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d10 |
| 13 | +5 | 13 | Runelocation | 1d10 |
| 14 | +5 | 14 | Overbreak | 1d10 |
| 15 | +5 | 15 | Studied Mind | 1d10 |
| 16 | +5 | 16 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d12 |
| 17 | +6 | 17 | Fountain of Youth | 1d12 |
| 18 | +6 | 18 | Archetype Feature | 1d12 |
| 19 | +6 | 19 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d12 |
| 20 | +6 | 20 | Military Runes | 1d12 |
Rune Charges[]
Your power from powerful gemstones gives you an amount of energy from runes, shown by Rune Charges. Your bladescribe level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Rune Charges column of the Bladescribe table. You can spend these points to fuel various runic features. You start knowing two such features: Runebreak and Gemshield. You learn more runic features as you gain levels in this class. When you spend a rune charge, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended rune charges back into yourself. Some of your rune features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
- Rune save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Runebreak[]
When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one rune charge to deal force damage to the target, in addition to the weapon’s damage. The extra damage is shown on the Runebreak Die column of the Bladescribe table.
Gemshield[]
As a reaction to a creature making an attack roll against you, you can expend one rune charge to add your proficiency bonus to your armor class against that attack.
Fighting Style[]
At 2nd level, you adopt a particular 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.
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.
Chosen Stone[]
Beginning at 3rd level, the gemstone that gives you your runic magic has absorbed enough magical energy to grant you new features. Your choice gives you features at 3rd, 7th, 11th, and 18th levels. At the bottom of this page are the Emerald of Justice and Sapphire of Magic archetypes.
Ability Score Increase[]
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10, 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.
Extra Attack[]
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Bloodied Gem[]
Beginning at 6th level, you may sacrifice your life force to restore the might of your runes. As a bonus action, you may choose to take an amount of irreducible necrotic damage to restore rune charges, to a maximum of your Intelligence modifier (min 1). You take 2d10 necrotic damage per rune charge you choose to restore. After using this feature, you must take a long rest before using it again.
War Runes[]
Starting at 9th level, the mana in your runes surrounds you as a defensive barrier after being expended. After you expend a rune charge, you gain temporary hit points equal to twice the number of rune charges expended. This can stack with itself, and the temporary hit points last for 10 minutes.
Runelocation[]
Starting at 13th level, you are able to shift your location instantly by expending rune charges. As a bonus action, you may expend 2 rune charges to use the misty step spell, without a spell slot.
Overbreak[]
Starting at 14th level, you are able to channel more energy into your Runebreak feature. When you use Runebreak, once per turn, you may choose to expend 2 rune charges instead of just 1 to double the amount of dice rolled for its extra damage.
Studied Mind[]
By 15th level, your mind has hardened from your constant studying. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws.
Fountain of Youth[]
At 17th level, your runic attunement has caused your body to delay aging. You suffer none of the frailty of old age, cannot be magically aged, and your lifespan is increased twofold. In addition, you no longer need food or water.
Military Runes[]
At 20th level, when you roll for initiative and have no rune charges remaining, you regain 4 rune charges.
Emerald of Justice[]
Emeralds of Justice are gemstones that are blessed to have a will of pure justice and warfare, typically being the gemstones that bless heads of guards, and champions of combat.
Runic Missile[]
At 3rd level, when you choose this archetype, as an action you can expend 1 rune charge to summon a missile of pure mana to launch into a target of your choice within 30 feet, making a ranged spell attack roll using your Intelligence modifier. On a hit, the target takes force damage equal to your Runebreak Die plus your Intelligence modifier. At 7th and 18th levels, you may expend an additional rune charge to fire another missile, making another attack roll for each. The missile takes on the appearance of your choice.
Magical Reflex[]
Starting at 7th level, when you use your action to use Runic Missile, you may make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
Gemstone Aegis[]
Beginning at 11th level, your Gemshield runic feature is upgraded from your mystical prowess. When you fail to block an attack with your Gemshield feature, the damage you take from that attack is reduced by an amount equal to your Runebreak Die. Additionally, you may now use your Gemshield feature on allied creatures within 15 feet of you.
But The Earth Refused To Die[]
Starting at 18th level, magic has infused in your bloodstream from repeated use of runes. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can spend rune charges to restore hit points. You may expend a maximum of rune charges equal to your Intelligence modifier (min 1), and restore 1d10 hit points per rune charge expended. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.
Sapphire of Magic[]
Sapphires of Magic are gemstones that are attuned to the arcane energies in the world, condensing it into pure power for whomever they bless to use.
Minor Runomancy[]
Starting at 3rd level, when you choose this archetype, you learn 2 sorcerer cantrips of your choice. You learn an additional cantrip at 7th, 11th, and 18th levels.
Runomancy[]
At 3rd level, you are able to harness the magical properties of your gemstone, allowing you to convert rune charges into powerful arcane spells.
You learn two runic sigils of your choice, which are detailed in the “runic sigils” section below. You learn two additional runic sigils of your choice at 7th, 11th, and 18th level. Each runic sigil has a minimum bladescribe level that you must meet in order to use it.
Whenever you learn a new runic sigil, you can also replace one runic sigil that you already know with a different discipline. You cannot replace cantrips for runic sigils.
Arcane Spells. Some runic sigils allow you to cast spells. To cast one of these spells, you use its casting time and other rules, but you don’t need to provide material components for it. You use your Intelligence modifier for your Spellcasting modifier.
- Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Master of Runes[]
Once you reach 6th level in this class, you can spend additional rune charges points to increase the level of a runic sigil spell that you cast, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher level, as burning hands does. The spell’s level increases by 1 for each additional rune charge you spend. For example, if you are a 6th-level monk and use Shout of the Storms to cast thunderwave, you can spend 2 rune charge to cast it as a 2nd-level spell (the sigil’s base cost of 1 rune charge plus 1).
The maximum number of rune charge you can spend to cast a spell in this way (including its base rune charge cost and any additional rune charges you spend to increase its level) is determined by your bladescribe level, as shown in the table below
| Bladescribe Level | Maximum Rune Charges for a Spell |
|---|---|
| 6th-8th | 3 |
| 9th-12th | 4 |
| 13th-16th | 5 |
| 17th-20th | 8 |
Sigil Soldier[]
Starting at 11th level, when you use your action to use a runic sigil, you may make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
Runic Sigils List[]
3rd Level[]
- Shout of the Storms: Cast thunderwave for 1 rune charge.
- Falcon of Trickery: Cast avian assault for 1 rune charge.
- Blade of the Nine Hells: Cast burning hands for 1 rune charge.
- Shield of a Hero: Cast shield of faith for 1 rune charge.
- Leader's Encouragement: Cast heroism for 1 rune charge.
- Sentinel's Halberd: For 1 rune charge as a bonus action, +5ft. of reach when attacking, opportunity attacks ignore Disengage, lasts 1 minute.
- Grasp of Mortis: Cast inflict wounds for 1 rune charge.
- Challenger Approaches: Cast compelled duel for 1 rune charge.
7th Level[]
- Strength of the Giants: Cast enlarge/reduce (enlarge only) for 2 rune charges.
- Mounted Hero: Cast find steed for 2 rune charges.
- Hunter's Gaze: Cast hold person for 2 rune charges.
- Runic Imbue: Cast magic weapon for 2 rune charges.
- Eyes of Truth: Cast see invisibility for 2 rune charges.
- Spears of Solarity: Cast scorching ray for 2 rune charges.
- Sharkflesh Hide: For 2 rune charges as a bonus action, for 1 minute you regain 1 hit point at the start of each of your turns, and your armor class increases by 1.
- Howls of the Wild: Cast shatter for 2 rune charges.
11th Level[]
- Poseidon's Fury: Cast tidal wave for 3 rune charges.
- Dance of the Dragon: Cast fireball for 3 rune charges.
- Torment of the Thunder God: Cast lightning bolt for 3 rune charges.
- Fist of the Vampire Bat: Cast vampiric touch for 3 rune charges.
- Archangel's Blessing: Cast fly for 3 rune charges.
- Precision's Weapon: For 3 rune charges as a bonus action, for 1 minute your critical hit range is increased to 19-20.
- Interrogation Knows No Expiration: Cast speak with dead for 3 rune charges. The corpse is forced to answer truthfully, even if it perceives you as hostile.
18th Level[]
- Wave of the Mountains: Cast cone of cold for 5 rune charges.
- Aegis of the Planes: Cast fire shield for 5 rune charges.
- Avatar of the Wild: Cast polymorph (self only) for 5 rune charges.
- Ocean's Tornado: Cast maelstrom for 5 rune charges.
- Burning Land of Hades: Cast immolation for 5 rune charges.
- Screech of the Thousand Banshees: Cast destructive wave for 5 rune charges.
Multiclassing[]
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Bladescribe class, you must meet these prerequisites: Intelligence 13, Strength or Dexterity 13
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Bladescribe class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, Medium armor, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons