The Channeler

A young woman traces a rune in the air with her finger. Moments later, a gout of white-hot flames erupt from the air where her hand was, laying waste to her enemies.

A hulking ogre brings down his club on an unarmored elf, laughing with delight. His laughter stops when a glowing rune of ice appears to intercept his strike, saving the elf from harm.

These heroes are channelers, students of ancient mysteries that use runes of power to summon magical effects.

Ancient Runes

Long before modern spellcasters such as wizards, mortals who wished to call upon the power of the elements used runes of power to channel the magic of the Weave. Runes have fallen out of favor with the advent of more finely controlled methods of spellcasting, but some scholars of the old ways find that the raw power of runecasting exceeds the limits of spells.

A Long Tradition

Runecasting has a storied history, with many powerful priests and arcanists of bygone eras using runes to call upon the forces of the multiverse. Runes can channel both arcane and divine magic.

Creating a Channeler

When making your channeler character, consider why you use a method of magic many consider archaic. Are you the descendant of a long line of runecasters, keeping your family tradition alive? Are you an archaeologist or scholar who is fascinated with ancient magic? Are you an explorer who stumbled across a rune in an ancient crypt or tomb, who is only just beginning to understand the power you've come into contact with?

Quick Build

You can make a channeler quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Intelligence or Wisdom your highest ability score, depending on if you want to channel arcane or divine runes, respectively. Then, make Constitution your second highest ability score. Finally, choose the Archaeologist, Sage, or Cloistered Scholar background.

Class Features

As a channeler, you have the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d6 per channeler level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per channeler level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light

Weapons: daggers, darts, quarterstaffs, slings, light crossbows

Tools: Calligrapher's supplies

Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom

Skills: Choose two skills from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, and Religion.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• a set of calligrapher's supplies
• a case with 20 crossbow bolts
• (a) a dagger and a light crossbow or (b) a warpick and a heavy crossbow (if proficient)
• (a) a scholar's pack or (b) a priest's pack
• (a) padded armor or (b) scale mail (if proficient)

Runesource

All channelers draw power either from the arcane (the power of the multiverse, drawn from the elemental chaos, the Astral, and the Ethereal) or the divine (the power wielded by gods, fiends, primordials, and the forces of nature). Choose one of these power sources. Your Runesource grants you features at 1st level, and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.

Runic Channeling

Channelers draw their power from ancient runes. At 1st level, you have learned one of these runes. You learn additional runes as you increase in level, as shown in the Runes Known column of the Channeler table. There are ten different runes: the Rune of Fire, the Rune of Force, the Rune of Ice, the Rune of Light, the Rune of Lightning, the Rune of the Mind, the Rune of Pestilence, the Rune of Shadow, the Rune of Thunder, and the Rune of Vitriol. These runes are detailed at the end of the class description. Each rune has two abilities, a passive ability and an invoked ability.

Channeling Runes

As an action, you can use an action to channel a rune you know. While you are channeling a rune, it enters your Rune Queue. At 1st level, you can only have one rune in your Rune Queue. This number increases as you gain channeler levels, as shown in the Rune Queue column of the Channeler table. While a rune is in your Rune Queue, you benefit from its passive ability. If you use an action to channel a rune while you have no room left in your Rune Queue, the rune that has been in your Queue the longest is automatically invoked without expending an action or bonus action, and the rune you channeled takes its place. You cannot channel a rune that is already in your Rune Queue.

Invoking Runes

You can use a bonus action on your turn to invoke any rune in your Rune Queue. When a rune is invoked, either as a bonus action or by being pushed out of the queue, you can use its invoked ability once. It then leaves your Rune Queue, leaving a space open.

Eyes of the Rune Keeper

By second level, your work with runes has granted you insight into all forms of written communication. You can read all writing.

Runic Implement

At 3rd level, you have crfted a tool to help you better channel your runes. You gain one of the following features of your choice.

Runeblade. You inscribe runes on a melee weapon of your choice to turn it into your runeblade. If you lose or discard your runeblade, you can create another one during a short rest. You can only have one runeblade at a time. When you make a melee weapon attack with your runeblade, you can uae a bonus action to channel one rune.

Primordial Glyph. You carry an ancient stone or crystal inscribed with one of your runes. Choose one rune you know to be inscribed on your primordial glyph. You can channel the rune on your glyph as an action to activate its Primordial Invocation. Once you do so, you must finish a short or long rest before doing so again.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 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.

Empowered Invocation

At 5th level, you can add your channeling ability modifier to the damage roll of any rune you invoke.

Runic Restoration

At 7th level, you learn to use your runes to heal yourself. As an action, you can invoke all runes in your Rune Queue at once. Instead of their normal effects, you regain hit points equal to 1d6 + your channeling ability modifier for each rune invoked. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before doing so again.

Multichannel

At 11th level, when you use an action to channel a rune, you can channel a second rune as part of the same action. At 20th level, you can channel a third rune as part of the same action.

Shared Runes

At 15th level, you learn to use your runes to shield your allies. All creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you gain the passive benefits of the runes you are channeling. At 18th level, this distance increases to 30 feet.

Runesources

Most magic falls into one of two categories: arcane and divine. Rune magic is no exception. Most channelers specialize in using runes to call forth one of either arcane or divine magic.

Arcane Channeling

Arcane channelers use runes to channel the power of the planes, drawing energy from the Elemental Chaos, the Ethereal Plane, and the Astral Sea. In ancient times, arcane channelers were the precursors to modern wizards.

Channeling Ability

Your channeling ability score is Intelligence. You use your Intelligence whenever a feature refers to your channeling ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a rune you channel or invoke and when making an attack roll with a rune.

Channeling save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Arcane Predecessor

As an arcane channeler, you have begun to use runes to unlock the secrets of spellcasting. As you gain levels in this class, you learn a small number of Wizard spells of your choice, as shown on the table below. As an action, you can invoke a number of runes in your Rune Queue equal to the level of a Wizard spell you know. Instead of gaining their normal invocation effects, you use this invocation to cast a Wizard spell you know. You can cast spells with a combined spell level equal to twice your Intelligence modifier in this way. You regain all uses of this feature after you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Wizard Spells Known

Channeler Level	Spells
1st	2 1st level Wizard spells
5th	2 Wizard spells of 2nd level or lower
9th	2 Wizard spells of 3rd level or lower
13th	2 Wizard spells of 4th level or lower
17th	1 Wizard spell of 5th level or lower

Ritual Caster

At 6th level, you've mastered the art of casting spells as rituals. You acquire a scroll that you inscribe your rituals on. You learn 2 Wizard spells of 2nd level or lower with the ritual tag. With your scroll in hand, you can cast the chosen spells as rituals. You can’t cast the spells except as rituals, unless you’ve learned them by some other means. You can also cast any Wizard spell you know from your Arcane Predecessor feature as a ritual if it has the ritual tag.

On your adventures, you can add other Wizard ritual spells to your scroll. When you find such a spell, you can add it to the book if the spell’s level is equal to or less than the spell level of the spells you can cast with your Arcane Predecessor feature and if you can spare the time to transcribe the spell. For each level of the spell, the transcription process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp for the rare inks needed to inscribe it.

Ethereal Defense

At 10th level, you've learned to use the magic of the Ethereal Plane to defend yourself. As a reaction when you take damage, you can gain resistance to the damage taken and then cast etherealness on yourself without expending a spell slot. The spell ends at the end of your next turn. Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Astral Form

At 14th level, you learn to enter the Astral Plane. As an action, you can cast astral projection without expending a spell slot or material components. When you do so, you can't take other creatures with you. Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Divine Channeling

Divine channelers, sometimes called invokers, use runes to call forth divine energy. Some invokers channel the powers of gods, fiends or primordials, others draw on the sacred power of nature.

Channeling Ability

Your channeling ability score is Wisdom. You use your Wisdom whenever a feature refers to your channeling ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a rune you channel or invoke and when making an attack roll with a rune.

Channeling save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Bonus Proficiencies

At 1st level, you gain proficiency with simple and martial weapons, medium armor, and shields.

Channel Divinity

At 1st level, you can use runes to channel divine effects. You have two such abilities: Rebuke Undead and Elemental Sense.

When you use your Channel Divinity, you choose which effect to create. You must then finish a short or long rest to use your Channel Divinity again.

Some Channel Divinity effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your channeling save DC.

Channel Divinity: Rebuke Undead

As an action, you scribe a holy rune that emits radiance in a 15-foot cube. Each undead creature within the cube must make a Wisdom saving throw or take radiant damage equal to 1d10 + your Wisdom modifier and be stunned until the end of your next turn. This damage increases to 2d10 at 5th level, 3d10 at 11th level, and 4d10 at 17th level.

Channel Divinity: Elemental Sense

As an action, until the end of your next turn you know the location of all elementals within 60 feet of you. Further, as part of the same action, you can cast the spell charm monster on one of these elementals without expending a spell slot. For this casting, the range of the spell is 60 feet and you do not need to see the target.

Runepriest

At 6th level, you learn to use your runes to heal your allies. When you invoke a rune as a bonus action, you can choose not to use the rune's invoked ability. Instead, you can restore hit points equal to 2d6 + your Wisdom modifier to a creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The healing from this ability increases to 3d6 at 11th level and 4d6 at 17th level. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, regaining all expended uses after finishing a long rest.

Runic Rehabilitation

At 10th level, you can use your runes to cure maladies and diseases. As an action, you can invoke 1 rune in your Rune Queue. Instead of gaining its normal invocation effects, you can cast lesser restoration without expending a spell slot. You can also invoke 3 runes in your Rune Queue to cast greater restoration without expending a spell slot. You can cast each of these spells in this way once, regaining expended uses after you finish a short or long rest.

Runic Resurrection

At 14th level, you can use rune magic to cheat death. As an action, you can invoke 4 runes in your Rune Queue. Instead of gaining their normal invocation effects, you restore life to a creature who has been dead for no more than a 10 days. The creature returns to life with 1 hit point. Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Runes

There are 10 ancient runes that you can learn to use.

Rune of Fire

The rune of fire channels the power of the Elemental Plane of Fire, or of divine beings attuned to fire, like Moradin, Imix, or Zariel.

Passive Ability. While channeling this rune, any creature that hits you with a melee attack takes 1d6 fire damage.

Invoked Ability. When you invoke this rune, make a ranged spell attack using your channeling ability modifier against a creature within 120 feet of you. On a hit, that creature takes 1d10 fire damage. This damage increases to 2d10 at 5th level, 3d10 at 11th level, and 4d10 at 17th level.

Primordial Invocation. You cast Aganazzar's scorcher as an action without expending a spell slot. At 5th level, you can choose to cast fireball instead. At 11th level, you can choose to cast investiture of flame. At 17th level, you can choose to cast incendiary cloud. If you choose to cast investiture of flame or incendiary cloud, you cannot cast either of those spells with your Primordial Glyph again until you finish a long rest.

Rune of Force

The rune of force channels the power of the Ethereal Plane, or of divine beings with power over magic, like Corellon or Mystra.

Passive Ability. While channeling this rune, you have a +1 bonus to AC.

Invoked Ability. When you invoke this rune, force erupts from you in a 5-foot radius. All creatures within range must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 force damage. This damage increases to 2d6 at 5th level, 3d6 at 11th level, and 4d6 at 17th level.

Primordial Invocation. You cast mage armor as an action without expending a spell slot. At 5th level, you can choose to cast haste instead. At 11th level, you can choose to cast Bigby's hand. At 17th level, you can choose to cast teleport. If you choose to cast Bigby's hand or teleport, you cannot cast either of those spells with your Primordial Glyph again until you finish a long rest.

Rune of Ice

The rune of ice channels the power of the Plane of Ice, or of divine beings attuned to ice, like the Raven Queen or Cryonax.

Passive Ability. While channeling this rune, you take 3 less damage from bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing weapons.

Invoked Ability. When you invoke this rune, spectral frost bolsters you. You gain 5 temporary hit points. This increases to 10 temporary hit points at 5th level, 15 at 11th level, and 20 at 17th level.

Primordial Invocation. You cast ice knife as an action without expending a spell slot. At 5th level, you can choose to cast ice storm instead. At 11th level, you can choose to cast cone of cold. At 17th level, you can choose to cast armor of Agathys at 8th level. If you choose to cast cone of cold or armor of Agathys, you cannot cast either of those spells with your Primordial Glyph again until you finish a long rest.

Rune of Light

The rune of light channels the power of the Astral Plane, or of divine beings with power over light, like Pelor or Bahamut.

Passive Ability. While channeling this rune, you emit bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for another 20 feet.

Invoked Ability. When you invoke this rune, choose a creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw or be outlined in glowing radiance for 1 minute. The target sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius. Any attack roll against the target has advantage if the attacker can see it. The target can't benefit from being invisible. The target can repeat its saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. At 5th level, the target also takes 1d8 radiant damage on a failed save. This damage increases to 2d8 at 11th level and 3d8 at 17th level.

Primordial Invocation. You cast mirror image as an action without expending a spell slot. At 5th level, you can choose to cast daylight instead. At 11th level, you can choose to cast sunbeam. At 17th level, you can choose to cast sunburst. If you choose to cast sunbeam or sunburst, you cannot cast either of those spells with your Primordial Glyph again until you finish a long rest.

Rune of Lightning

The rune of lightning channels the power of the Elemental Plane of Air, or of divine beings attuned to lightning, like Kord or Yan-C-Bin.

Passive Ability. While channeling this rune, any creature that you with a melee attack cannot take reactions until the end of your next turn. At 5th level, your melee attacks deal an additional 1d6 lightning damage on a hit.

Invoked Ability. When you invoke this rune, choose a creature within 15 feet of you. The target must make a Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 10 feet in a straight line towards you. It takes 1d8 lightning damage if it is within 5 feet of you. At 5th level, you can select 2 targets. At 11th level, you can select 3 targets. At 17th level, you can select 4 targets.

Primordial Invocation. You cast witch bolt as an action without expending a spell slot. At 5th level, you can choose to cast lightning bolt instead. At 11th level, you can choose to cast chain lightning. At 17th level, you can choose to cast control weather. If you choose to cast chain lightning or control weather, you cannot cast either of those spells with your Primordial Glyph again until you finish a long rest.

Rune of the Mind

The rune of the mind channels the power of the Far Realm, or of divine beings with power over the mind, like Ioun.

Passive Ability. While channeling this rune, you have telepathy to a range of 120 feet.

Invoked Ability. When you invoke this rune, choose a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for 1 minute. The target can repeat its saving throw at the end of each of its turns. At 5th level, the target also takes 1d4 psychic damage. At 11th level, you can choose for the target to be frightened by you instead of charmed on a failed saving throw. At 17th level the psychic damage taken by the target increases to 2d4.

Primordial Invocation. You cast suggestion as an action without expending a spell slot. At 5th level, you can choose to cast confusion instead. At 11th level, you can choose to cast synaptic static. At 17th level, you can choose to cast feeblemind. If you choose to cast synaptic static or feeblemind, you cannot cast either of those spells with your Primordial Glyph again until you finish a long rest.

Rune of Pestilence

The rune of pestilence channels the power of the Plane of Ooze, or of divine beings with power over poison, like Zehir or Juiblex.

Passive Ability. While channeling this rune, you are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.

Invoked Ability. When you invoke this rune, choose a creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The target can repeat its saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. At 5th level, the target also takes 1d6 poison damage on a failed save. This damage increases to 2d6 at 11th level and 3d6 at 17th level.

Primordial Invocation. You cast ray of sickness as an action without expending a spell slot. At 5th level, you can choose to cast blight instead. At 11th level, you can choose to cast contagion. At 17th level, you can choose to cast Abi-Dalzim's horrid wilting. If you choose to cast contagion or Abi-Dalzim's horrid wilting, you cannot cast either of those spells with your Primordial Glyph again until you finish a long rest.

Rune of Shadow

The rune of shadow channels the power of the Shadowfell, or of divine beings with power over darkness, like the Raven Queen.

Passive Ability. While channeling this rune, you have Darkvision to a range of 60 feet that is not impeded by magical darkness.

Invoked Ability. When you invoke this rune, choose a creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute. The target can repeat its saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. At 5th level, the target also takes 1d6 necrotic damage on a failed save. This damage increases to 2d6 at 11th level and 3d6 at 17th level.

Primordial Invocation. You cast darkness as an action without expending a spell slot. At 5th level, you can choose to cast animate dead instead. At 11th level, you can choose to cast enervation. At 17th level, you can choose to cast maddening darkness. If you choose to cast enervation or maddening darkness, you cannot cast either of those spells with your Primordial Glyph again until you finish a long rest.

Rune of Thunder

The rune of thunder channels the power of the Elemental Plane of Air, or of divine beings attuned to thunder, like Kord or Yan-C-Bin.

Passive Ability. While channeling this rune, you resist thunder and lightning damage.

Invoked Ability. When you invoke this rune, thunder rumbles out from you in a 5-foot radius. Each creature in range must make a Constitution saving throw or be deafened for 1 minute. A target can repeat its saving throw at the end of each of its turns. At 5th level, the target also takes 1d8 thunder damage and is pushed back 10 feet on a failed save. This damage increases to 2d8 at 11th level and 3d8 at 17th level.

Primordial Invocation. You cast shatter as an action without expending a spell slot. At 5th level, you can choose to cast thunder step instead. At 11th level, you can choose to cast investiture of wind. At 17th level, you can choose to cast power word stun. If you choose to cast investiture of wind or power word stun, you cannot cast either of those spells with your Primordial Glyph again until you finish a long rest.

Rune of Vitriol

The rune of vitriol channels the power of the Plane of Ooze, or of divine beings with power over acid, like Juiblex.

Passive Ability. While channeling this rune, non-magical melee weapons that hit you corrode. Such a weapon suffers a permanent and cumulative -1 penalty to damage rolls. If this penalty reaches -5, the weapon is destroyed.

Invoked Ability. When you invoke this rune, make a ranged spell attack using your channeling ability modifier against a creature within 120 feet of you. On a hit, that creature takes 2d4 acid damage and must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes an additional 1d4 acid damage at the end of its next turn. This damage increases to 3d4 and 2d4 at 5th level, 4d4 and 3d4 at 11th level, and 5d4 and 4d4 at 17th level.

Primordial Invocation. You cast Maximilian's earthen grasp as an action without expending a spell slot. At 5th level, you can choose to cast vitriolic sphere instead. At 11th level, you can choose to cast disintegrate. At 17th level, you can choose to cast earthquake. If you choose to cast disintegrate or earthquake, you cannot cast either of those spells with your Primordial Glyph again until you finish a long rest.