4e Runic Power Source

Runic was supposed to be its own power source. The Runepriest is hardly divine, and really feels shoe horned in, especially with the existence of Rune Feats. These options are intended to expand the Runic Power Source as created by the Runepriest, and hinted upon in PHB3.  Take out any and all references to “The Gods” and “Divine Runes” from this class. Instead think of it as someone who has discovered ancient runes of power, similar in thought to the 3.5 Truenamer. Note these options were created without any house rules in mind, even some of the most common. I strongly recommend house rules for 4e, but there is not currently a set of unified standard ones in use by a majority of players. I recommend some form of feat tax removal, and +X item removal.

This rewrite is 98% done, but was put on hold when a new, better edition was announced. The new class is playable for levels 1-5, and the feats are playable now. I’ve included the outline, so you can fill gaps as desired.

The Runic Keyword

When you are going to use a runic power, you first choose one of the runes noted in the power and then use the power, applying the chosen rune’s effects. The moment you choose the rune, you enter its rune state. You remain in that rune state until you enter another rune state or until the end of the encounter.

Battlesmith

Class Traits

• Role: Defender. The runes you imprint on your weapons and armor allow you to withstand even the mightiest blows.
• Power Source: Runic
• Key Abilities: Strength, and Intelligence or Charisma
• Armor Prof: Cloth, Leather, Hide, Chainmail, Scale, Plate, Light Shield, and Heavy Shield.
• Weapon Prof: Simple Melee, Military Melee, Simple Ranged, Military Ranged.
• Bonus to Defense: +2 Fortitude
• Hit Points at 1^st level: 15 + Constitution  Score
• Hit Points per Level Gained: 6
• Healing Surges per Day: 9 + Constitution Modifier
• Trained Skills: 3
• Class Skills: Athletics, Endurance, Religion, Arcana, Intimidate, Streetwise.
• Class Features:  Rune Warrior, Smithy, and Runic Markings

Class Features

Rune Warrior: Some of your powers have the runic keyword. When you use those powers, choose either of the runic powers. You have entered the runic state. You remain in this state until you use another power with the runic keyword. The two runic states are

• A – Rune of Destruction: Enemies adjacent to you take 2 extra damage from all allied attacks. (Increase to 4 and 6 at levels 11 and 21)
• B – Warding Rune: Allies adjacent to you gain resist 5 (Choose Fire, Cold, Electric, Necrotic, Acid every time you enter this state.). (Increase to 10 and 15 at levels 11 and 21)

Smithy: You can use the Brew Potion, Enchant Magic Item, and Disenchant Magic Item rituals as you reach the appropriate level. Other item creation rituals should be included as the DM sees fit.

Runic Markings: You can choose either the Rune of Attraction ability or the Positioning Rune.

• Positioning Rune – You can mark an enemy as a swift action. At the beginning of your turn, you can shift an enemy marked by you a number of squares equal to 1+ ½ your charisma modifier. If an enemy begins its turn more than 20 squares away from you, your mark ends.
• Rune of Attraction – You can mark an enemy within 20 squares. So long as the enemy is not adjacent to you, it gains vulnerability 1+ ½ intelligence mod (increase to 6+1/2 and 11+ ½ at levels 11 and 21) to all attacks.

Creating a Battlesmith

• Tactical Battlesmith:
  • Suggested Class Feature: Positioning Rune
  • Suggested Feat: Rune of Vengeance
  • Suggested Skills: Arcana, Religion, Streetwise
  • Suggested At Wills: Reaching Strike, Weighted Rune
  • Suggested Encounter: Rune of Speed
  • Suggested Daily: Teleportation Rune
• Magnetic Battlesmith
  • Suggested Class Feature: Rune of Attraction
  • Suggested Feat: Rune of Vengeance
  • Suggested Skills: Arcana, Religion, Streetwise
  • Suggested At Wills: Blurred Weapon, Shield Glare
  • Suggested Encounter: Mirrored Rune
  • Suggested Daily: Leech Life Rune

Powers

At Will Powers

• Blurred Weapon
• You enchant your blade so that it appears to be everywhere at once.
• At Will – Runic – Runic, Weapon
• Standard Action – Melee Weapon
• Target: One Creature
• Attack: Strength vs AC
• Hit: 1 [W]
• Destruction: This attack also deals damage to foes adjacent to the target equal to your intelligence mod.
• Warding: After this attack, you gain a power bonus to AC equal to ½ your charisma mod until the beginning of your next turn. 
• Increase to 2 [W] at level 21

• Reaching Strike
• You enchant your blade so that it strikes further away than anyone thought possible.
• At Will – Runic – Weapon
• Standard Action – Melee Weapon
• Target: One Creature up to 2 squares away
• Attack: Strength vs AC
• Hit: 1 [W] + Str Mod.
• Increase to 2 [W] at level 21.

• Shield Glare
• You enchant your shield so that it gives off an unearthly glare, blinding your opponents.
• At Will – Runic – Weapon
• Standard Action – Melee Weapon
• Restriction – You must be using a shield.
• Target: One Creature within 5 squares.
• Attack: Strength vs Will
• Hit: The target is blind until the beginning of your next turn.

• Weighted Rune
• You enchant your blade so that it weighs far more than it should.
• At Will – Runic – Runic, Weapon
• Standard Action – Melee Weapon
• Target: One Creature
• Attack: Strength -2 vs AC
• Hit: 1[W] + Str Mod.
• Warding: On a successful hit the target is dazed until the end of its turn.
• Destruction: On a successful hit the target is knocked prone.
• Increase to 2 [W] at level 21.

Level 1 Encounter

• Rune of Speed
• You move with an unearthly speed, and then strike your foe.
• Encounter – Runic – Weapon
• Standard Action – Melee Weapon
• Target: One Creature
• Special: Before you make the attack roll, take a move action.
• Attack: Strength vs AC
• Hit: 1[W] + Str mod.

• Draining Rune
• Your blow leaves behind a rune that drains the resolve of your foe
• Encounter – Runic – Runic, Weapon
• Standard Action – Melee Weapon
• Target: One Creature
• Attack: Strength vs Will
• Hit: 2[W] + Str Mod
• Warding: The target is slowed until the end of your next turn.
• Destruction: The target is weakened until the end of your next turn.

• Mirrored Rune
• Your weapon breaks as though through a prism, able to attack each foe around you.
• Encounter – Runic – Runic, Weapon
• Standard Action – Melee Weapon
• Close Burst 1
• Target: Each Enemy in Burst
• Attack: Strength vs AC
• Hit: 1[W] + Str Mod.
• Warding: All allies in this burst gain a +2 power bonus to AC until the end of your next turn.
• Destruction: Instead this attack deals 2[W].

Level 1 Daily

• Rune of Flame
• You wreath yourself in flames.
• Daily – Runic – Fire, Weapon
• Standard Action – Melee Weapon
• Target One Creature
• Attack: Strength vs AC
• Hit: 1[W] + Strength Mod
• Effect: 1[W] Fire damage.
• Effect: Until the end of the encounter, all your weapon attacks deal 1[W] extra fire damage.

• Life Leech Rune
• You etch your armor with runes that draw strength from your foes
• Daily – Runic – Necrotic
• Standard Action –
• Target: One Creature within 5 squares.
• Attack: Str vs Will
• Hit: 2d6 Necrotic damage. You are healed this amount.
• Effect: Until the end of the encounter, whenever an enemy begins their turn adjacent to you, they take damage equal to your charisma modifier, and you gain this many HP.

• Teleportation Rune
• You quickly disappear from one location, only to strike from another.
• Daily – Runic – Teleportation, Weapon
• Standard Acton – Melee Weapon
• Target: One creature within 10 squares.
• Effect: Teleport up to 10 squares, so that you are adjacent to the target.
• Attack: Str vs AC
• Hit: 2[W] + Str mod.
• Effect: For the duration of this encounter, you can shift an additional square. When you shift, treat this as a teleportation effect.

Level 2 Utility

• Battle Hardened Armor
• You inscribe your armor with a rune of protection hardening it against the blows of your enemy.
• Encounter – Runic
• Immediate Interrupt
• Personal
• Effect: You gain resist 5 to all damage until the beginning of your next turn.

• Runes of Fortification
• You cover your armor with runes of fortification, reinforcing any and all weaker points.
• Daily – Runic
• Immediate Interrupt   
• Personal
• Effect: For the duration of the encounter, enemies cannot score a critical hit against you.

• Strength Rune
• You inscribe a rune that allows you to accomplish legendary feats.
• Daily – Runic 
• Immediate Interrupt
• Personal          
• Effect: You gain a +20 power bonus to your next strength check.

• Bolstering Rune
• You inscribe the target with a life giving rune.
• Encounter – Runic
• Minor Action              Close Burst 1
• Yourself or any Ally within the burst.
• Effect: The target gains 3d6 temporary hit points.

• Lightening Rune
• You inscribe your armor with a rune that eases the burden of its weight.
• Daily – Runic
• Standard Action          Personal
• Effect: You no longer suffer an armor check or movement speed penalty for your armor.

Level 3 Encounter

• Piercing Rune
• You inscribe your weapons with a rune that pierces most armor.
• Encounter – Runic – Runic, Weapon
• Standard Action – Melee Weapon
• Target: One Creature
• Attack: Strength vs Ref.
• Hit: 2[W] + Str mod.
• Warding: You siphon some of the enemies armor onto yourself with this attack. You gain a power bonus to AC equal to your Int mod until the end of your next turn.
• Destruction: You weaken this creatures armor for others as well. It suffers a penalty to AC equal to your Int mod until the end of your next turn.

• Rune of Concussive Force
• The runes on your weapon cause your foe to be blown back from the force of the impact.
• Encounter – Runic – Runic, Weapon, Thunder
• Standard Action – Melee Weapon
• Target: One Creature
• Attack: Strength vs Fortitude
• Hit: 1[W] + Str mod.
• Warding: All enemies within close burst 1 are pushed a number of squares equal to you charisma modifier.
• Destruction: The target is pushed a number of squares equal to your charisma modifier. If unable to move that far due to obstruction, for every square that is not moved 5 additional thunder damage is dealt to both the obstructing object and the target.

• Rune of Binding
• This rune holds your foe fast o the ground.
• Encounter – Runic – Runic, Psychic
• Standard Action – Ranged 10
• Target: One Creature
• Attack: Strength vs Will
• Hit: 2d6  Psychic damage and the target is immobilized (Save ends).
• Warding: The target is also blind. (Save ends)
• Destruction: The target also takes 5 ongoing psychic damage. (Save ends)

Level 5 Daily

• Time Sink
• This rune creates a temporal distortion slowing your opponent
• Daily – Runic – Weapon
• Standard Action – Melee Weapon
• Target: One Creature
• Attack: Str vs AC
• Hit: 3[W] + Str mod.
• Effect: For the duration of the encounter, enemies that start their turn adjacent to you are slowed.

• Animated Blades
• This rune creates an animated copy of your weapon that dances around you striking your foes
• Daily – Runic – Weapon
• Standard Action – Melee Weapon
• Target: One Creature
• Attack: Str vs AC
• Hit: 1[W]
• Effect: Any enemy that begins its turn adjacent to you takes 1[W].

• Seeking Rune
• A beam of light shoots from this rune, blasting into your opponent and making it   impossible for them to escape.
• Daily – Runic – Radiant
• Standard  Action – Ranged 10
• Target: One Creature
• Attack: Str vs Ref
• Hit: 2d10 + Str mod
• Effect: For the duration of the encounter, the target suffers a penalty to defenses equal to ½ your charisma modifier. It also suffers these penalties to stealth checks, and it cannot be rendered invisible.

Loremaster

Class Traits

• Role: Controller
• Power Source: Runic
• Key Abilities: Intelligence, and Constitution or Wisdom
• Armor Prof: Cloth
• Weapon Prof: Simple Melee, Simple Ranged
• Bonus to Defense: +2 Will
• Hit Points at 1^st level: 10 + Constitution Score
• Hit Points per Level Gained: 4
• Healing Surges per Day: 6 + Constitution Mod
• Trained Skills: 5
• Class Skills:
• Class Features:

Class Features

• Generic:
• Generic 2:
• Generic 3. Choose A or B
• Feature A
• Feature B

Creating a Loremaster

• Build 1:
  • Suggested Class Feature
  • Suggested Feat
  • Suggested Skills
  • Suggested At Wills
  • Suggested Encounter
  • Suggested Daily.
• Build 2:
  • Suggested Class Feature
  • Suggested Feat
  • Suggested Skills
  • Suggested At Wills
  • Suggested Encounter
  • Suggested Daily.

Powers

• At Will Powers
• Level 1 Encounter
• Level 1 Daily
• Level 2 Utility
• Level 3 Encounter
• Level 5 Daily

Runic Berserker

Class Traits

• Role: Striker
• Power Source:Runic
• Key Abilities: Strength and Constitution or Charisma
• Armor Prof: Cloth, Leather, and Hide
• Weapon Prof: Simple Melee, Simple Ranged, Military Melee
• Bonus to Defense: + 2 Ref
• Hit Points at 1^st level: 12 + Constitution Score
• Hit Points per Level Gained: 5
• Healing Surges per Day:
• Trained Skills: 6
• Class Skills:
• Class Features:

Class Features

• Generic:
• Generic 2:
• Generic 3. Choose A or B
• Feature A
• Feature B

Creating a Runic Berserker

• Build 1:
  • Suggested Class Feature
  • Suggested Feat
  • Suggested Skills
  • Suggested At Wills
  • Suggested Encounter
  • Suggested Daily.
• Build 2:
  • Suggested Class Feature
  • Suggested Feat
  • Suggested Skills
  • Suggested At Wills
  • Suggested Encounter
  • Suggested Daily.

Powers

• At Will Powers
• Level 1 Encounter
• Level 1 Daily
• Level 2 Utility
• Level 3 Encounter
• Level 5 Daily

Paragon Paths

• Rune Breaker
• Runescarred
• Oracle
• XXX
• XXX

Epic Destinies

• Rune Smith
• Author
• XXX

Feats

Rune Feats

This category of feats is available to any class with the Runic Power Source. They include effects that improve based on the number of runic feats you have. The word “Rune” in brackets after a feat’s name designates that the feat is a rune feat.

Heroic Tier

• Rune of Stealth – You gain a feat bonus on Stealth and Thievery equal to the number of rune feats you have.
• Rune of Survival – You gain a feat bonus on Nature and Dungeoneering equal to the number of rune feats you have
• Rune of the Healer – You gain a feat bonus on Heal and Religion equal to the number of rune feats you have
• Rune of Awareness – You gain a feat bonus on Perception and Insight equal to the number of rune feats you have
• Rune of Knowledge – You gain a feat bonus on Arcana and History equal to the number of rune feats you have
• One for each class feature (6 total)
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6

Paragon Tier Feats

5

Epic Tier Feats

3