D&D General Homebrew Rune Initiate (Feat)

[SkidAce]

So you can take this at 4th level, and gain the ability to cast a third level spell without expending a slot.

Thats a level early (normally 5th to cast a 3rd level spell) (Humor link: Order of the Stick (Up a Level)
And an attribute bonus.

But it feels...lacking. Anyone that meets the requirements for this feat could gain this spell normally (its on all the main lists) by waiting one level.

I'm trying to create a reason a PC would take it, simulating advanced study of Glyphs and Runes.

Maybe the bonus casting could be free of material components (normally 200gp + powdered diamond) ? Free seems a bit much?
Cast as a ritual (10 minutes)?

Thoughts?

 

[aco175]

It can be a 2nd level spell for you. Not that cool though.

You can shorten the casting time from 1 hour to 10 minutes or 1 minute since I do not thing that matters. Not sure this does anything cool though.

You can get a unique ability to inscribe a minor explosive rune 1/rest. Maybe it is as powerful as a first level spell or 5th level cantrip that scales up at 11th level. You can inscribe it upon a weapon or ammunition. Maybe the rune lets the one using it to deal extra damage or gain advantage on the attack.

 

[Tigris]

Hm honestly when I read the feat name I was expecting something for the rune knight.

I think the rune knight runes are a lot cooler. So maybe just have the feat allow you to once per day cast a rune knight rune? (Fighter subclass).

 

[aco175]

You could make a chart for rune dice for the player to roll. There are 2d6 minor abilities that he can roll to use 1/rest or proficiency times /day.

Gain +2 to attack roll
Deal 1d6 extra damage
Gain advantage
Impose disadvantage on bad guy
etc...

 

[SkidAce]

It can be a 2nd level spell for you. Not that cool though.

You can shorten the casting time from 1 hour to 10 minutes or 1 minute since I do not thing that matters. Not sure this does anything cool though.

You can get a unique ability to inscribe a minor explosive rune 1/rest. Maybe it is as powerful as a first level spell or 5th level cantrip that scales up at 11th level. You can inscribe it upon a weapon or ammunition. Maybe the rune lets the one using it to deal extra damage or gain advantage on the attack.

Casting as a ritual (10 minutes) might do the trick, it would still be gated by material component.

 

[Maxperson]

View attachment 426586


So you can take this at 4th level, and gain the ability to cast a third level spell without expending a slot.

Thats a level early (normally 5th to cast a 3rd level spell) (Humor link: Order of the Stick (Up a Level)
And an attribute bonus.

But it feels...lacking. Anyone that meets the requirements for this feat could gain this spell normally (its on all the main lists) by waiting one level.

I'm trying to create a reason a PC would take it, simulating advanced study of Glyphs and Runes.

Maybe the bonus casting could be free of material components (normally 200gp + powdered diamond) ? Free seems a bit much?
Cast as a ritual (10 minutes)?

Thoughts?

Perhaps add in the ability to choose one of the runes from the Rune Knight, or just switch it to one of those runes if the addition is too powerful for you.

Ninja'd by @Tigris

 

[SkidAce]

Hm honestly when I read the feat name I was expecting something for the rune knight.

I think the rune knight runes are a lot cooler. So maybe just have the feat allow you to once per day cast a rune knight rune? (Fighter subclass).

Cool idea of course. The Rune knight is the giantish form of runes in my homebrew, I'm trying to make an opposing "scientific" tradition, and thought using Glyph of Warding as a template would do it.

 

[Tigris]

Cool idea of course. The Rune knight is the giantish form of runes in my homebrew, I'm trying to make an opposing "scientific" tradition, and thought using Glyph of Warding as a template would do it.

Then maybe do something like the Runepriest in D&D 4E?


You have 2 rune states an offensive and a defensive one. While in the offensive players next to you gain once per turn +PB/2 damage on an attack. While in defensive players next to you gain once a turn PB/2 damage reduction.

You can switch rune state when you cast a spell. (Else you have it at the beginning of day in one mode).


Or if that is too strong you could allow once per encounter to use a "rune of mending" which allows as a bonus action to let 1 player in 30 feet to roll a hit dice and add your PB bonus to it to gain that much health.


It just feels for me to have 1 specific spell is overall boring (even if it would be a strong spell).

 

[SkidAce]

I think I can use your thoughts as either part of this feat, or an ability for a Runemaster class, that the dwarves and the norse like culture cant stand because they treat "living runes" as scientific magical effects.

Back to the point, the reason for Glyph of Warding as the central idea is the versatility of the explosive traps, and the loading of spell into spell runes. (Later they will get Symbol).

My dilema was that most spellcasting classes can just learn the spells anyway, so giving them a benifit to casting them seems in line with the concept. (I am going to look at the 4e stuff, thanks for reminder.)

 

[SkidAce]

As an aside, the Dwarven/Norse culture uses the Rune Shaper feat from Glory of Giants. So basically, they know PB/2 runes from the list, that simply gives them the ability to cast for free a spell associated with that rune. I add the benefit that if they know the rune, they can eventually create runes style items like in the book.

So my Rune Initiate feat is meant to be of similar power but an opposing philosophy (there has been "conflict" involved)