Path of the Runescarred (5e Primal Path)
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Path of the Runescarred is a primal path of the Barbarian class.
Long ago, ancient primal warriors learned to etch runes onto their skin, scarring their flesh with magic to empower them in combat. This gruesome tradition is still carried on by a rare few today, who guard their secrets jealously and annihilate those that would threaten to corrupt or snuff out their ways.
| Level | Cantrips Known |
Spells Known |
Spell Slots per Spell Level | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |||
| 3rd | 2 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 4th | 2 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - |
| 5th | 2 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - |
| 6th | 2 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - |
| 7th | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | - | - |
| 8th | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | - | - |
| 9th | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | - | - |
| 10th | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | - | - |
| 11th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | - | - |
| 12th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | - | - |
| 13th | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - |
| 14th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - |
| 15th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - |
| 16th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - |
| 17th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - |
| 18th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - |
| 19th | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 20th | 3 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
Contents
Runic Spellcasting[edit]
When you select this subclass at 3rd level, you begin to carve runes into your skin, holding ancient magic only your fury can unleash.
Runic Affinity[edit]
Upon gaining this feature, select two of the following schools of magic: Abjuration, Divination, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, Transmutation; Once this choice is made, it cannot be changed. When you choose a Restricted Spell, it must be from one of the two schools of magic you've chosen for this feature.
Restricted Spells[edit]
For the purposes of freeing up space: A Restricted Spell in the context of this subclass is a spell, chosen from the Ranger, Sorcerer or Warlock spell lists, that must belong to one of the schools of magic you selected for your Runic Affinity feature. When you replace a Restricted Spell by virtue of gaining a level in this class, you must replace it with another Restricted Spell of a level for which you have spell slots.
Cantrips[edit]
At 3rd level, you learn two Cantrips of your choice, selected from among the Ranger, Sorcerer and Warlock spell lists. You learn another Cantrip of your choice in this way at 10th level.
Spell Slots[edit]
The Runescarred Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
For example, if you know the 1st-level spell Shield and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast Shield using either slot.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher[edit]
You know three 1st-level spells of your choice, selected from among the Ranger, Sorcerer and Warlock spell lists. Two of these must be Restricted Spells; The other can come from any school of magic.
The Spells Known column of the Runescarred Spellcasting table shows when you learn more spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be a Restricted Spell, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new Restricted Spell of 1st or 2nd level.
The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level are Unrestricted, and thus can come from any school of magic, but must be chosen from the Ranger, Sorcerer or Warlock spell lists.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the Restricted Spells you know with another Restricted Spell of your choice. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots. If you are replacing an Unrestricted Spell (Gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level), you may replace it with a spell from any school of magic.
Spellcasting Ability[edit]
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Runescarred spells, since the power of your magic relies on your ability to project your will into the world. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Runescarred spell you cast, and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Ritual Casting[edit]
You can cast any Runescarred spell you know as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.
Runescarred Spells and Rage[edit]
A barbarian cannot ordinarily cast or concentrate on spells while raging. However, this subclass partially circumvents this rule.
While Raging, a Runescarred Barbarian may cast, but not concentrate upon, any spell they have learned from the Runic Spellcasting feature. They may not cast or concentrate on any other spells gained via other features, be they from race, class, feat, or some other source, while they are Raging.
However, a spell learned from the Runic Spellcasting feature may only be cast while that Runescarred Barbarian is currently Raging, unless the spell is a Cantrip, or is cast as a ritual.
Warded Fury[edit]
Beginning when you select this subclass at 3rd level, while Raging, you may cast your Runic Spells freely.
When you enter a Rage, the runes covering your body project a magical barrier, further protecting you from harm. This barrier lasts until your Rage ends, and has hit points equal to your Barbarian level + your Constitution modifier. Whenever you would take damage, the barrier takes the damage instead. If this damage reduces the barrier to 0 hit points, you take any remaining damage. While the ward has 0 hit points, it can't absorb damage, but its magic remains. Whenever you cast a Runic Spell of 1st level or higher, the barrier regains a number of hit points equal to twice the level of the spell.
Each time the barrier absorbs damage dealt by a source within 10ft of you, the barrier also deals Force damage to the creature that damaged it, equal to the amount of damage that was dealt to the barrier.
Additionally, while Raging, when you must make a saving throw against a spell from one of the two schools of magic your chose for your Runic Affinity, you may add your proficiency bonus to that saving throw if you are not normally proficient in that type of saving throw - For example, a Runescarred Barbarian who chose Abjuration as one of their Runic Affinity schools would add their Proficiency Bonus to their Charisma saving throw against the Banishment spell because it is an Abjuration spell, even though they are not ordinarily proficient in Charisma saving throws.
Runic Frenzy[edit]
At 6th level, your anger pushes your magic to new heights. When you make the Attack action while Raging, you may cast one of the cantrips you've learned via your Runic Spellcasting feature, in place of one of your attacks. When you do so, you may deal additional damage to one target of that cantrip equal to your Rage Damage (As shown in the Rage Damage column of the Barbarian table for your level).
Runic Bulwark[edit]
Beginning at 6th level, your runes protect you from magical harm. When you enter a Rage, choose Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison, or Thunder damage. You gain Resistance to that type of damage while your Rage persists.
At 10th level, when you enter a Rage, you may choose two damage types from the above list, instead of one, to gain Resistance to for the duration of your Rage.
At 14th level, when you enter a Rage, you may also choose Force, Necrotic, Psychic or Radiant damage. You gain Resistance to that type of damage for the duration of your Rage, in addition to the other two damage types chosen from the previous list.
Brutal Spell[edit]
At 10th level, whenever you score a critical hit with a melee weapon, you can use your Reaction to immediately cast a spell on that target. The spell must target only the creature you scored a critical hit against, and must have a casting time of one Action or one Bonus Action.
If the spell requires an attack roll, you have advantage on the attack roll when casting the spell in this manner; If the spell triggers a saving throw, the creature has disadvantage on their saving throw when the spell is cast in this way.
Immutable Font[edit]
Beginning at 14th level, the runes inscribed on your body and the fury you hold within meld so perfectly that your arcane flame cannot be extinguished. This grants you two benefits:
- First, while Raging, your Runescarred spells are not affected by antimagic fields and cannot be dispelled or counterspelled while your rage persists;
- And when damage would reduce you to 0hp while Raging, but not kill you outright, you can expend a Runescarred spell slot to reduce the triggering damage by 5 times the spell slot's level, potentially saving you from death. You can choose whether or not to use this ability before you use your Relentless Rage ability, potentially preventing you from having to increase the save DC of Relentless Rage. When you use this feature to reduce damage in this way, if the source of the damage is within 10ft of you, arcing force lashes out at it, dealing damage to it equal to the amount of damage you absorbed with this feature.
