Engraver

Engraver

A dwarf howls a command, and flames descend from the sky, wiping out a group of goblins.

As a the goblins begin to turn toward her, an elf whispers a few words, smiling as a sphere of darkness conceals her, cloaking her from their sight. They turn back around, and she continues her stealthy pursuit.

A gnome smiles as the one of the pursuing hobgoblins treads on a set of carefully carved lines, and scampers away as a poisonous fog fills the hallway.

Engravers have the ability to weave arcane energy into a physical rune. They tug the strands of the Weave out of place slightly, and use the engraving they make as a "hook" to keep the strands under tension. When the conditions the engraver set out when making the rune are fulfilled, the rune releases the Weave, and the tension is released in the form of a magical effect, also specified by the engraver. Engravers often carve runes into their armor and weapons, using their powers to assist them in battle.

Arcane Magic-Wielders

Engravers are wielders of arcane magic, and in this respect, they are similar to sorcerers and wizards. However, they differ from both classes in that they use both knowledge and willpower to fuel their magic. A knowledge of runes, represented by the Intelligence score of an Engraver, is a vital part of engraving, but so is the willpower neccesary to put parts of the weave under tension. These two powers combine to give the engraver their strength.

Time and Skill

Carving a rune takes time and effort to complete. When an engraver carves a rune, they must not only spend the time to chisel away at a surface to leave an imprint, but must also concentrate on forcing the weave to conform to their desires. This means that carving runes requires time and effort. An engraver cannot carve a rune in a matter of seconds, nor can they carve hundreds of runes before requiring a rest.

Creating an Engraver

When creating your Engraver character, remember that the defining characterstic of an Engraver is the ability to tie the weave, the source of all magic, to a symbol, using both their knowledge of the weave, and the force of their will. One of the key questions for an Engraver character is the source of their power.

Did you gain your abilities through study, unlocking the innermost secrets of the weave and learning to bend it to your will? Perhaps you gained your abilities through pure force of will, bending the weave to your wishes in a time of desperation. Maybe you don't know why you have your abilities, and you discovered them while scratching random lines onto a stone while bored. You could even go on a quest to discover the reasons for your powers. Your ability scores should reflect how your powers originated. For example, if you came by them by study, your highest stat should be intelligence, whereas if you tie the weave to your runes by pure force of will, Charisma is more likely to be higher than average.

Quick Build

You can quickly create an Engraver by following these guidelines. Firstly, make either Intelligence or Charisma your top score, followed by the other. Then, make Constitution your third best score. Finally, pick the Hermit or Sage background.

Class Features

As an engraver you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d6 per engraver level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier for each level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: None
Weapons: Light Hammer, Dagger
Tools: Jeweler's Tools
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Investigation, Perception, and Slight of Hand

Equipment

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

• (a) a scholar's pack, or (b) an explorer's pack
• A light hammer and two daggers
• Jeweler's Tools.

Engraving

An engraver's distinguishing feature is the ability to engrave. At 1st level, you have already begun to show your potential, posessing the ability to engrave a few simple runes each day.

Your engraving bonus is equal to the sum of the bonuses of your Charisma and Intelligence scores. When a spell description refers to your engraving bonus, you use this value. Your spell save DC is equal to 8 + your engraving bonus, and your spell attack modifier is equal to your engraving bonus.

Each rune has a trigger, and may also have one or more enhancements, and possibly also an incantation. The trigger is the effect that causes the rune to activate. When a rune triggers, its main effect occurs, possibly enhanced by an enhancement of some sort. The main effect of a rune is identical to the effect of one of the spells on the engraver spell list. The material components for a spell that requires them are consumed or required when the rune is created.

The targets of spells are determined differently when they are used as effects in runes. AOE, Line, and Cone spells have their direction/centerpoint (relative to the rune) determined by the engraver when the rune is engraved. Spells that target a specific creature can be treated as line effects while being engraved, although they only affect the first valid target along the line.

Rune decay is the slow loss of tension from the weave, resulting in the weakening of a rune over time. Each hour, make an engraving check against a DC equal to 10 + the spell level of the effect stored in the rune for each rune you have that has not been triggered or decayed. Alternatively, the DM can make this roll in secret, typically for runes that you no longer are near to. Use your engraving bonus for the check. On a fail, the rune becomes impotent, and is simply a series of nonmagical lines.

Each rune takes a certain amount of time to engrave, depending on the complexity and power levels involved. To calculate the amount of time required to engrave a rune, add up any bonus time requried due to triggers and/or enhancements, and then add this to a value equal to 5 minutes per spell level of the effect. Finally, compare this to the time required for an incantation, and the time the effect would require if it was cast as a spell. The time required is the longest of these three times.

You can recover engraving slots by taking a long or short rest. If you take a long rest, you recover all of your engraving slots. If you take a short rest, you recover a number of engraving slots equal to half your engraver level, rounded down. These engraving slots are filled from the bottom first, meaning that first level engraving slots are filled first, then second, etc. You cannot regain engraving slots above 5th level in this way.

If the lines that store the arcane energy of rune are damaged or destroyed, the rune decays immediately. If your DM wishes, particulary powerful runes may cause strange magical effects when they are destroyed in this way.

Runepath

When you achieve 2nd level, you choose a specific method of engraving, which are detailed at the end of the class description. This choice grants you features at 2nd level, and again at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level.

Enhanced Runes

Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to add additional designs to enhance the power of your runes. You choose one enhancement to learn, and will be able to choose another one at 7th, 10th, 13th, and 20th level. Each time you create a rune, you will have the option to choose one or more of your enhancements and apply it to that rune. Each enhancement you add has a time cost associated with it, and you must take that amount of additional time to engrave a rune with that enhancement on it.

Incantations

At 3rd level, and again at 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th level, you may choose an incantation to recite while carving a rune. If you recite one of these incantations while carving a rune, it helps you to focus on the flow of the weave, and allows you to add an additional effect to it.

Ability Score Increase

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.

Inscription

When you reach 5th level, you acquire a new skill. You may carve runes as inscriptions, which takes ten times as long as it normally would. Inscriptions are identical to runes in every way, except that you only roll for their decay once every day.

Triggers

Command Word: This trigger occurs when a specific word, specified at the time of engraving, is spoken.
Contact: This trigger occurs when a creature comes into contact with a part of the rune.
Approach (1 minute): This trigger occurs when a creature or object, or member of a type of creature or object, specified at the time of engraving comes within 60ft. of the rune.
Action (1 minute): This trigger occurs when an action, specified at the time of engraving, occurs within 30ft. of the rune.
Long Distance Approach (10 minutes): This trigger occurs when a creature or object, specified at time of engraving, comes within 1 mile of the rune.
Long Distance Action (10 minutes): This trigger occurs when an action, specified at the time of engraving occurs within 300ft. of the rune.
Runic (10 minutes): This trigger occurs when a different rune within 10 miles of this rune, specified at the time of engraving, is activated.
Desire (1 hour): This trigger occurs when its creator, who is on the same plane of existance as it, wishes it to.

Enhancements

Flaming Engraving (1 minute)

This enhancement cannot be used on runes that already posess an enhancement with the word "Engraving" in its name. When a rune with this enhamcement is triggered, one affected creature, specified when the rune is carved, takes 1d8 additional fire damage.

Chilled Engraving (1 minute)

This enhancement cannot be used on runes that already posess an enhancement with the word "Engraving" in its name. When a rune with this enhamcement is triggered, one affected creature, specified when the rune is carved, takes 1d8 additional cold damage.

Acidic Engraving (1 minute)

This enhancement cannot be used on runes that already posess an enhancement with the word "Engraving" in its name. When a rune with this enhamcement is triggered, one affected creature, specified when the rune is carved, takes 1d8 additional acid damage.

Necrotic Engraving (1 minute)

This enhancement cannot be used on runes that already posess an enhancement with the word "Engraving" in its name. When a rune with this enhamcement is triggered, one affected creature, specified when the rune is carved, takes 1d8 additional necrotic damage.

Widespread Rune (10 minutes)

When a rune that posesses this enhancement is triggered, any creature that would be affected by the effect makes a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC - 2. On a success, the effect fails to affect them. The AOE of this rune increases in one of the following ways:

• If the effect normally has a range of touch, it instead affects one target within a range of 30ft.
• If the rune normally affects one target, it instead affects a line equal in length to the range of the effect.
• If the effect normally affects a line, it instead affects a cone.
• If the effect normally affects a cone, it instead affects a radius around you.
• If the effect normally afffects an area, double the width, length, and height of that area.

Focussed Rune (10 minutes)

When a rune that posesses this enhancement is triggered, any damage dealt is increased by a factor of 1/2, and you may add 2 to any saving throw DCs. The AOE of this rune decreases in one of the following ways:

• If the effect normally affects one target, it instead has a range of touch.
• If the effect normally affects a line, it instead affects the first target that line comes into contact with only.
• If the effect normally affects a cone, it instead affects a line.
• If a effect normally affects a radius around you, it instead affects a cone.
• If a effect affects an area, the length, width, and height of that area is halved.

Bound Rune (10 minutes)

When a rune that posesses this enhancement is engraved, you only need to roll for rune decay once every three hours, or every three days if the rune is also carved as an Inscription.

Rune of Lengthening (10 minutes)

This enhancement cannot be used on effects with a duration of Instetaneous or Permanent. When a rune with this enhancement is triggered, the duration of the effect is doubled. However, creatures make saving throws against the effect of the rune with Advantage, and the rune makes attack rolls with Disadvantage.

Rune of Abjuration (20 minutes)

This enhancement can only be used on runes with Abjuration effects. When an engraver makes a rune with this enhancement on it, they may specify creatures meeting a certain description. Such creatures are not affected by the main effect of the rune, or by any effects caused by enhancements or incantations applied to the rune.

Rune of Conjuration (20 minutes)

This enhancement can only be used on runes with Conjuration effects. When an engraver makes a rune with this enhancement on it, they may specify a Tiny non-magical object they have seen before, and a location relative to the rune within 30ft. of it. When the rune is triggered, the object appears in that location. If the object takes any damage, or is moved more than 30ft. from the location it was made in, it disappears.

Rune of Divination (20 minutes)

This enhancement can only be used on runes with Divination effects. When a rune with this enhancement on it is triggered, the engraver that made the rune gains an Arcane eye at the location of the rune, which lasts for only 1 round.

Rune of Enchantment (20 minutes)

This enhancement can only be used on runes with Enchantment effects. When an engraver makes a rune with this enhancement on it, they may choose a creature type. Creatures of that type have disadvantage on their saving throw against the effect of this rune.

Rune of Evocation (20 minutes)

This enhancement can only be used on runes with Evocation effects. When an engraver makes a rune with this enhancement on it, they may specify a certain group of creatures. Those creatures gain advantage on their saving throws against the effects of this rune.

Rune of Illusion (20 minutes)

This enhancement can only be used on runes with Illusion effects. When an engraver engraves a rune with this enhancement, they may choose up to three locations relative to the location of the rune and within 30ft. of it. They may then choose an effect for each location that a minor illusion spell could create. The effects occur when the rune is triggered, and remain for 1 minute or the duration of the effect, whichever is longer.

Rune of Necromancy (20 minutes)

This enhancement can only be used on runes with Necromancy effects. When an engraver engraves a rune with this enhancement, they may choose an area of any size relative to the rune and within 30ft of it. When the rune is triggered, determine the number of creatures within that area, roll 2d12, and apply an amount of necrotic damage equal to your result divided by the number of creatures to each creature in that area. If there are no creatures in that area, disregard this effect.

Rune of Transmutation (20 minutes)

THis enhancement can only be used on runes with Transmutation effects, and which are engraved on an item with dimensions less than 5ft. by 5ft. by 5ft.. When an engraver engraves a rune with this enhancement, they may choose one of the following substances: wood, stone (but not gemstone, iron, copper, or silver. The item the rune is engraved on becomes that substance until the rune is triggered or decays. A creature can make a Wisdom(Perception) check with a DC equal to your spell save DC to discover that the substance has been transmuted.

Rune of Effect Arcane (See table)

This enhancement cannot be used on runes that have effects of 5th level or less. When a rune with this enhancement is triggered, a secondary effect, chosen from the secondary effects table, is applied to all creatures who are targets of the effect or are within 30ft. of the rune when it is triggered and fail a saving throw of the type in the table with a DC equal to your spell save DC.

Secondary Effects

Time Required	Saving Throw	Effect	Duration
1 minute	Constitution	Blinded	1 minute
1 minute	Constitution	Deafened	1 minute
10 minutes	Wisdom	Frightened	1 round
10 minutes	Constitution	Poisoned	1 minute
10 minutes	Dexterity	Prone	N.A.
30 minutes	Dexterity	Restrained	2 rounds
1 hour	Strength	Stunned	1 round
2 hours	Strength	Paralyzed	2 rounds

Incantations

Incantations are arcane chants that increase the effectiveness of a rune. They require time to complete, and this can extend the amount of time it takes to carve a rune. Some Incantations have preprequisties, which require you to know a different incantation before you may learn the incantation with the prerequisite.

Magical Bolt (10 minutes)

This incantation uses the taut strings of the weave to launch a bolt of arcane energy. While creating this rune, the engraver can choose the criteria for choosing a target, recalling that the rune can only identify creatures by physical description. If a target that matches your description is within 60ft. of the rune when it is triggered, a bolt of magical energy flies towards them, striking them and dealing 1d4+1 force damage to them.

Entangling Weave (30 minutes)

This incantation causes the weave to become more tangible, dragging on creatures as they try to move. When the rune is triggered, any creature moving within 30ft. of where the rune was triggered for 1 minute after it was triggerd must spend an extra 5ft. of movement for every 5ft. it moves. If a creature wishes, they can attempt to move unhindered by makeing a Dexterity check against your spell save DC. On a success, they are no longer slowed. On a failure, they fall prone when they begin to move and lose all of their movement for the turn.

Weavestrike (30 minutes)

Prerequisite: Entangling Weave

This incantation allows your rune to strike at the weave itself. When the rune is triggered, all magical effects within 60ft. fail for 1 round. However, spells or magical effects with durations longer than 1 round resume their function after the round, with only one round of the duration lost. Spells that would not last longer than 1 round are completely destroyed.

Reinforcing Vibrations (30 minutes)

Prerequisite: Weavestrike

This incantation releases the weave in such a way to increase the power flowing through the weave. When a spell is cast within 30ft. of the place the rune was triggered for one round after the rune was triggered, it behaves like it was cast with a spell slot two levels higher than the spell slot it was cast with.

Explosive Blast (30 minutes)

Prerequisite: Magical Blast

This incantation expells the excess magical power from the rune as a blast of force. When the rune is triggered, each creature within 30ft. takes 1d4+1 force damage.

Magical Bonds (1 hour)

Prerequisite Entangling Weave

This incantation uses the disturbed weave to hold a creature in place. When the engraver makes a rune with this incantation, they may choose criteria for choosing a target. Any creature within 30 ft. of the rune when it is triggered and which meets thos criteria is restrained. At the beginning of each of their turns, they may make a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success, they are no longer restrained.

Ward of Peace (1 hour)

This incantation uses leftover arcane energy to stop violence. For 3 rounds after this rune is triggered, all attacks where the attacker or the creature being attacked are within 30ft. of the location of the rune when it was triggered automatically miss.

Arcane Orb (1 hour)

Prerequisite: Explosive Blast

This incantation channels some of the power of your rune into a magical sphere, and then releases the power a few seconds later. When the rune is triggered, a small orb forms in its space, floating a few feet above the ground, and avoiding any attempts to touch it. 1 round later, the orb explodes, dealing 1d12 + your engraving bonus force damage to all creatures within 30ft. of it.

Siren Song (1 hour)

This incantation uses the arcane energy that flows through the weave when a rune is triggered to create an alluring effect. Any creature within 30ft. of this rune when it is triggered must make a wisdom save against your spell save DC. On a fail, they are drawn toward the location the rune was triggered in for 1 round, as if they were affected by the sympathy option of the antipathy/sympathy effect.

Fearful Chant (1 hour)

This incantation uses the arcane energy that flows through the weave when a rune is triggered to inspire fear in nearby creatures. Any creature within 30ft. of ithis rune when it is triggerd must make a wisdom save against your spell save DC. On a fail, they are frightened of the location the rune was triggered in for 1 round.

Sniper's Ally (2 hours)

This incantation uses the loose threads of the weave to guide projectiles, both physical and magical. When the rune is triggered, any ranged attacks on creatures within 60ft. of the place it was triggered in have advantage on the attack roll for the next minute.

Dispelling Chant (2 hours)

Prerequiste: Weavestrike

This incantation uses the reverbrations as the weave is released to disrupt the ordered patterns that make up other spells. When this rune is triggered, anything within 10ft. is targeted by a dispel magic effect using the engraving bonus of the engraver as the spellcasting bonus.

Encircling Chant (3 hours)

Prerequisite: Ward of Peace

This incantation shapes the weave as it rebounds, guiding its threads into a protective barrier. When an enchanter uses this incantation while creating a rune, they choose one of the following creature types: celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, or undead. When the rune is triggered, a magic circle, as if created by the magic circle spell warding against that type of creature centered on the place where the rune was triggered appears, and remains for 1 hour.

Spiritual Containment (3 hours)

Prerequisite: Siren Song or Fearful Chant

This incantation temporarily captures spirits that attempt to leave this place, putting them at the engravers command for a short time before they escape. For 10 minutes after this rune is triggered, when creature dies within 120ft. of where the rune was triggered a shadow under the command of the engraver that carved the rune forms, and remains for 1 minute before the soul escapes to continue its journey.

Runepath

At 2nd level you choose a specific method of engraving, which determines what aspects you are more skilled with.

Runecarver

Runecarvers etch runes into wood or stone, enduring materials that endow some of their permanancy into the magic of the runes carved in them.

Enduring Runes

Beginning at 2nd level when you choose this runepath, you gain the ability to tie your runes to the weave more tightly. Whenever one of your runes decays, make a check using your engraving bonus against a DC equal to 20 + the level of the effect of the rune. On a success, the rune does not decay. However, if a rune persists in this way, it loses any incantations it posessed.

Rune of Persistance

Beginning at 6th level, you may bind your runes deeper to the magical power of the weave, allowing them to persist longer than they would otherwise. When you carve a rune, you may expend a first-level spell slot, making the rune a Rune of Persistance. When a Rune of Persistance decays, it becomes a normal rune, instead of disapperaring entirely.

Resistant Runes

Beginning at 10th level, when you roll for rune decay for a Rune of Persistance, you make the roll with advantage.

Overlayed Runes

Beginning at 14th level, you can create overlayed runes. Overlayed runes are runes carved on top of other runes. When you create an overlayed rune, you only roll for rune decay for the top rune. When that rune decays, you begin to roll for the next rune, and so on. However, you make decay rolls for the top rune with disadvantage, and you may not stack more than four runes in this way.

Graven Image

Beginning at 18th level, you may carve graven images. Graven images consist of a series of runes engraved at the same time, as a unit. The runes may not have any enhancements, and they must all share a trigger. When you roll for rune decay for a Graven Image, roll for each rune in the image seperately. The Image only decays if every rune in it decays. You may only create graven images with runes whose levels sum to ten or lower, and you may not include more than four runes in a graven image.

Rune of Permanancy

At 20th level, you have gained the ability to fix your magical carvings to the fabric of the cosmos itself. As a result, you have the ability to make runes permenent. Permenent runes fail if they are moved from the location where they were carved, require ten times as long as normal runes to carve, and vanish after being triggered, as ususal. However, as long as a permenent rune remains in the same location and is not triggered, it will continue to hold its magic. You may only make permenant runes with effects with levels below 6th.

Runetracer

Runetracers trace runes onto substances, carving runes far more quickly, in exchange for the runes lasting a few seconds.

Quickened Runes

Beginning at 2nd level when you choose this runepath, you may create quickened runes. Quickened runes take one quarter as long as normal to create, but you must roll for rune decay every half-hour, instead of every hour, and the rune may not benefit from any effect that allows you to roll for rune decay for them any less often.

Traced Runes

Beginning at 6th level, you may create traced runes. Traced runes must have the Command Word trigger, and may not have enhancements or incantations. Creating a traced rune requires a single action. You must roll for rune decay for a traced rune .

Enhanced Tracing

Beginning at 10th level, you may add an enhancement with "Engraving" in its name to your traced runes, disregarding the enhancement's time cost.

Bonus Tracing

Beginning at 14th level, you may create a traced rune as a bonus action.

Enduring Traces

Beginning at 18th level, you only need to roll for rune decay on a traced rune every minute, instead of every round. Additionally, you gain Advantage on your first roll against rune decay for traced runes.

Traces of the Weave

At 20th level, you have become powerful enough to trace full runes. You may use a single action to create a normal rune with an effect below level five, and which does not include an incantation or an enhancement without the word "Engraving" in its name.

Runeskinned

Runeskinned tattoo runes into their own skin and the skin of others, giving them powers they can call upon when needed.

Runic Tattoo

Beginning at 2nd level when you choose this runepath, you may tattoo creatures with runes. When you do so, the rune automatically has the Skinrune trigger, which does not count against your triggers known. A Skinrune trigger occurs when the creature that the rune is tattooed on wishes it to. Additionally, that creature can decide any attributes of the rune that are usually determined when the rune is engraved, such as targets for enhancemnts or the location of the AoE for an effect that has one. When a rune of this type decays or is triggered, the tattoo fades away over the next few minutes.

Engraved Skin

Beginning at 6th level, you may tattoo creatures with runes that only impart the benefits of an enhancement with the word "Engraving" in its name. Doing so takes 1 minute, no creature may have more than one such tattoo on it at a time, and the DC for decay checks on the runes is 10. When the creature makes an attack against an enemy, they may use a bonus action to trigger the enhancement. The effect is then applied to the target of the attack.

Rune Transfer

Beginning at 10th level, you may transfer a tattooed rune from one creature to another, provided you are touching both creatures simultaneously.

Skinchanger

Beginning at 14th level, you can transform into a humanoid or beast you have seen before with a CR of 1/2 or lower that does not have a fly speed as an action. Once you have used this ability, you may not use it again until you have finished a long rest. You may not engrave runes or trigger runes engraved on your skin while you are in another form. You may transform back as a bonus action at any time. However, if you are killed while in another form, you die.

Skinchanged Triggers

Beginning at 18th level, you can activate Skinrune triggers when transformed using the Skinchanger ability.

Runeskined

At 20th level, you gain the ability to transform into humanoids and beasts with a CR of 1, and you gain the ability to do so up to threee times before you must take a long rest.