Foreward The Sage-Knight is a completely new class designed for the 5th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Thematically speaking, it is a language specialist, a scholar who is unpeered in disciphering and communicating in foreign tongues, and using this knowledge of language as a means to obtain mastery over mystical runes. Runes are special symbols, made from any number of languages, that allow them to empower themselves and their weapon - called a runeblade. Mechanically, is a moderately armed and armored language specialist and melee combatant that brings a variety of tools to deal with different combat situations, via their unique ability to customize their weapons. Core Features The Sage-Knight's core features are as follows: Languages: The Sage-knight speaks a variety of languages, right from 1st level - more than any other class. This is a key identity feature, and makes them an attractive party member for any group. Runes: The Sage-knight also gets to apply runes to their weapon, which becomes their runeblade. The runes they choose to add grant unique bonuses that they can swap out after a day's rest, giving them flexibility for almost any scenario. Rune-charge: The Sage-knight can charge the runeblade's runes to grant additional damage to their attacks. These charges can also be used by other features, depending on which specialization (called an Academy) they choose. Design Goals and Considerations: I had a few goals when designing this new class, which I'd like to lay out here: Create a martially-oriented combatant whose intelligence is expressed as more than a mere change to ability scores. Build a unique character class structure that fits into the existing ecosystem of D&D 5e classes by adding to it, rather than stealing from it. Balance the class to fit games of any shape or size, that is - with or without feats, with or without multi-classing, and even with or without other party members. Supply a new character class framework that is able to support new conceptual space for a variety of different character archetypes. Q & A Here are a few questions I asked myself and answered under the impossible pretense that I was also a second person and somehow interested in this class: Q: Why is the concept of a language specialist a melee combatant and not a spellcaster? A: Well, it's neither entirely melee-oriented nor completely divorced from spellcasting, but I get the point. Conceptually, a lot of people think of study and language as typically the domain of hunched, bespectacled, and studious folk who spend their time huddled among bookshelves. I wanted to produce a more 'Indiana Jones' or Evelynn O'Connell (The Mummy [1999])-style vision for a group of heroic scholars who don't just leave the field work to oafish brutes who're more likely to break an artifact than properly preserve it. Also, I feel like just adding a bunch of languages to a new wizard archetype would just result in a weak, watery wizard. Q: What was the inspiration for this archetype? A: As described above, Evelynn O'Connell and Indiana Jones are one component of the inspiration, but the pool of inspiration goes a bit wider than that as well. I wanted to create space for concepts from TV shows, movies, video-games, and anime to all fit in together. There's echoes of Star Wars movies, Final Fantasy games, and just random ideas floating around in my head all in here together. I think it works. Q: Why a new class and not a subclass or background? A: That's a simple question that require's a complex answer. I think I didn't want to water-down any other classes by strapping just languages onto them, and I also have a vision for a combat-oriented language specialist that just wouldn't be satisfied by starting with any of the existing classes. I also feel like something simple like a background could not contain this idea meaningfully in the least. Q: Seriously, a bonus action for 1dx damage? That seems kind of weak... Why isn't it an extra attack, or something cooler than just a damage bump? A: You should give Rune Charge another look. It's not just a simple 1dx/round that costs your bonus action, it's also central class resource and scalar. And unlike, say, the Horizon Walker Ranger's Planar Warrior feature from Xanathar's Guide to Everything, the whole kit is designed around it. Q: Isn't this just a weaker, language-focused version of Matt Mercer's Blood Hunter class? A: There's a rude presumption in that question that I'm going to ignore. I suppose there are some similarities in that they're both weapon-oriented and feature flavor of study and learning. However, I think the two archetypes could fit together in a game side-by-side and neither would feel duplicated by the other.

Sage-Knight A broad-shouldered woman in scholar's robes adjusts the heavy broadsword strapped to her back, turning to scan the dimly lit columns of unkept bookcases for threats. Satisfied with the moment of reprieve the haunted library has permitted her, she eagerly pulls a weighty leather-bound book off a crooked shelf and cracks it open with a plume of dust. She flips through the thick pages quickly, then, after several seconds of rapid study, her reflection is interrupted by too-close yips and howls. She snaps the tome closed, wraps it in a thick cloth and tucks it into the satchel at her side. Two fire-eyed beasts with skin like blackened night leap around the corner of one of the book-cases with a bark, their slavering maws eager with a hunger that cannot be satisfied. In a blur of motion she draws her sword, sweeping her hand over runes artfully etched into its fuller. The ancient symbols burn orange, and she brings her weapon up as the hell-hounds leap for her throat. The sound of steel striking stone echoes down the hall, then again a second time. A perplexed human monarch waves forward his trusted advisor. A lithe elf in fashionable duelist's attire strides up confidently, examines the hobgoblin treaty and points out the cultural significance of their use of a single word upon the page. The king's brow tightens and he commands his forces to withdraw from the mountain pass, drawing a nod from the elf. The unspoken threat of the hobgoblin attack would be accounted for and met - but now on the king's terms. A wrinkled, leather-bound dwarf brings his axe down on the warped crown of a hissing half-dragon, unleashing a gout of blood followed by a shockwave of flame, knocking aside the two kobolds that flanked it. With a wizened frown, the dwarf unsticks his runed axe from the ruined skull of the lizard, then gingerly picks up the shattered crown and examines the ancient dwarvish runes written upon it. Satisfied, he places the shards in his bag and turns to depart the forgotten jungle fane. Sage-knights, sometimes referred to as runewardens, martial epigraphists, chevaliers l'exergue, or tomewatchers fight at the front lines in the pursuit of knowledge and lore, based on a craft that employs a unique blend of intellectual study and martial skill. The Deep Magic When wizards, enchanters, and other spellcasters attempt to contain their spells within written tomes and spell scrolls, they must store the weft and weave of magic in the magical runes and texts inscribed therein. Wizards spend great amounts of effort and gold insuring that their magic is properly contained, but most typically consider spellbooks as a simple means to an end. Much like the musical magic of bards, written language has a power for both storing and manipulating the weave of magic. Sage-knights study the nature of this power - engrained into language itself - and seek to study its effects in both magic and society. Sage-knights primarily explore dynology - the scientific study of the power of written language. Based on the foundational logics that are employed in onomancy, which seeks to manipulate spells via the same mechanisms that dynology describes, sometimes referred to as deep magic, or old magic. Even so, a core dynological precept is that while all languages (including newer or living languages, such as common) have some degree of power, not all languages are equal. Some languages, like Abyssal, can inflict great pain or a sense of doom upon mortal speakers. Others, like Dwarvish, are particularly useful at creating powerful effects with which to enchant magical items. Some scholars say that a dragon's breath is at least partially based on Draconic, a fiery expression of their lethal intent. As such, a Sage-knight seeks to understand all languages, their nuances and meanings, and then harness that as a source of power. Scholarly Warriors Sage-knights are not merely linguistic scholars however. Their art and study of language gives them insight to magical runes, useful inscribing upon weapons to give them special enchantments. Sage-knights train extensively to wield these weapons - called runeblades - to maximum effect. Thus, the true art of a Sage-knight is neither solely in study, nor combat, but in a unique harmonious union of the two. Without a weapon, a sage-knight can't practically apply their magical effects, and without their runes, a sage-knight is much weaker than a typical warrior who spends their time solely focused on combat. Sage-knights typically are trained at academies devoted to scholarly study, such as a kingdom university or temple of Oghma. Upon graduation, some swear oaths not to a lord or liege, but rather to the organization or order that instructed them, and become valiant custodians of that place of learning, and the knowledge therein. Often, sage-knights will be sent on quests to obtain rare relics or tomes, while others will strike out on their own to learn rare languages or magical runes hidden in the deepest dungeons. Creating a Sage-knight All sage-knights share a connection to language beyond the simple ability to read or speak. Think about your sage-knight's connection to text and writing, and how they associate to it. Are you a collector of rare and obscure tongues to obtain insight to foreign cultures or ideas? Or do you focus exclusively on the study of a single language and its evolutions, learning how it has morphed and changed throughout history? Do you see language as merely local expressions of more universal truths and phenomes as a geographic (or planar) representation of eternal constants? Or are you a hardened warrior, who study other languages merely as a means of conquest, to study your enemies that you might crush them under your heel?

Sage-Knight The Sage-Knight Level Proficiency Bonus Features Runes Witchstrike Die 1st +2 Runeblade Inscription, Linguistic Analysis 2 ─ 2nd +2 Rune Charge, Witchstrike, Academic Rites 2 d6 3rd +2 Sage-Knight Academy Feature 3 d6 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 d6 5th +3 Extra Attack 3 d6 6th +3 ─ 4 d6 7th +3 Advanced Linguistics, Sage-Knight Academy Feature 4 d8 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 d8 9th +4 Overcharge 4 d8 10th +4 ─ 5 d8 11th +4 Sage-Knight Academy Feature 5 d8 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 d10 13th +5 Master of Linguistics 5 d10 14th +5 ─ 6 d10 15th +5 Sage-Knight Academy Feature 6 d10 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 6 d10 17th +6 Arcane Enlightenment 6 d12 18th +6 Overcharge (two uses) 7 d12 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 7 d12 20th +6 ─ 7 d12 How did you decide to train as a sage-knight, or was there ever any choice at all for you? Did you learn from the most prestigious educators at the highest academy, or did you interrupt a back-alley inscription ritual and eagerly seek to learn more? Most sage-knights share some sort of connection to a college, university, library, or other place of study and learning - so where did you train? How did you manage the costs of expensive education? What is your relationship to the place you were educated at? Do you still attend, or is your education in the distant past? Were you sent out on a quest to obtain a rare tome or tablet of scripture, or do you spend your days itinerantly wandering in search of adventure and whatever interesting bit of text or lore catches your fancy? As a guardian of lore and language, think about how your alignment and temperment affect how you perform your duties in pursuit of knowledge. Most sage-knights tend towards lawful alignments, and even offer some degree of expertise in written law as a high form of language. Others, as if driven by Cyric directly, secret knowledge away, never to be known by another. Quick Build You can make a sage-knight quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength or Dexterity should be your higehst ability score, depending on whether you want to focus on light and quick weapons, or heavier two-handed weapons, such as greatswords. Your next-highest ability score should be Intelligence. Second, choose the sage background. Class Features As a Sage-Knight, you gain the following class features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per sage-knight level.

Hit Points at 1st level: 8 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per sage-knight level after 1st.

Proficiencies Armor: Light and medium armor

Weapons: Simple and Martial melee weapons

Tools: Inscription Kit

Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence

Skills: Choose two skills from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, History, Investigation, Nature Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: (a) scalemail or (b) leather armor

one martial melee weapon

five javelins or (b) any simple melee weapon

a scholar's pack or an explorer's pack

An inscription kit Linguistic Analysis Sage-knights are premier linguistic scholars, giving you both familiarity with a variety of languages and also an ability to effectively smelt down any writing into its core concepts and ideas, even if you aren't familiar with the base language. You can also wield your well-read and worldly insight in critical conversations. You can read all writing, and learn to speak, read, and write two languages of your choice. In addition, you can count the number of languages you can speak and add the resulting total as a bonus to one Wisdom (Insight), Charisma (Deception), Charisma (Persuasion), or Charisma (Intimidation) check you or an allied creature you can see within 30 feet makes. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1) and regain all uses at the end of a long rest. Runeblade Inscription You also learn a ritual to inscribe magical runes onto one melee weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 8 hours, which can be done during a long rest. The weapon must be within your reach throughout the ritual, at the conclusion of which your chosen runes become magically inscribed upon the weapon. The specific runes you inscribe confer abiding magical effects, as described in the Runes section on page 7. At 1st level, you can inscribe two such runes and gain additional runes as your level increases as shown in the Runes column of the Sage-knight table. Once you have inscribed at least one rune onto a weapon, it becomes a runeblade (or runehammer, runeaxe, etc. depending on the type of weapon chosen) and counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. To gain the benefit of your chosen runes, you must have your runeblade equipped. The weapon also becomes bound to you: only you can use it to gain the benefit of the runes you have inscribed onto it. If your runeblade is destroyed or separated from you for more than 8 hours the runes inscribed on it fade, the weapon ceases to be a runeblade, and you lose the effects of the inscribed runes until you inscribe them again. Your Runeblade Just as no two sage-knights are the same, no two runeblades are exactly alike. From the quality of the runework to the craftsmanship of the base weapon itself, the culture each component came from, and the style that unifies the two into a new whole, every runeblade is different. Runeblades, once crafted, are more than simple magical weapons however - they require familiarity with the language used for the runic inscription, practical comprehension of how to wield the weapon properly, and more than a passing familiarity with dynology to be able to unlock the runes power. While anyone can pick up a runeblade to use it as a simple sword, only through extensive training can one wield these weapons as sage-knights do. It is this quality that makes sage-knights and their studies distinct from blacksmiths, calligraphers, and traditional item enchanters, and ensures their services are treasured wherever they appear. Rune Charge Beginning at 2nd level, you learn to unlock the power of the potent magical energies stored in your runes, causing the them to glow softly when charged. You have a number of rune charges equal to the number of runes you have inscribed upon your runeblade. These rune charges are consumed by Witchstrike and other features to deal fiery damage to enemies. When you take the Attack action, if you have a free hand or are wielding a two-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to manually charge one of the runes on your runeblade, and gain one rune charge. You can choose to take this bonus action either before or after you make the attack, and can use it a number of times equal to your intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all rune charges and all uses of this bonus action at the end of a short or long rest. Witchstrike Starting at 2nd level, if you make a weapon attack with your runeblade and hit, you can spend a rune charge to deal an additional 1d6 fire damage to the target. This damage increases as your sage-knight level increases as described in the Sage-knight table on page 2.

Academic Rites Also at 2nd level, you learn a collection of minor magical runic words and phrases you can affix to surfaces, inscribe into the dirt, or carve into objects. These words of power create useful magical effects, similar to how traditional spellcasters perform rituals. You gain the ability to cast the alarm, comprehend languages, and illusory script spells, but only as rituals, as described in Chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. As a part of casting these spells you affix a visible runic mark upon the ground, yourself, or an object and so casting these spells this way does not require material components. Sage-Knight Academies Beginning at 3rd level you choose a sage-knight academy to enroll in that provides a broad package of training specializations to enhance your combat style. Choose Guardian, Scholar, Harrier, or Huntmaster. The academy you choose grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th level, 11th level, and 15th level. Extra Attack Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Advanced Linguistics At 7th level, you advance your studies in a variety of languages: You learn to speak, read, and write two additional languages of your choice. Furthermore, you can also add twice your proficiency bonus to any ability checks you make to decipher or find hidden meaning in any written language, including runes, glyphs, scripts, ciphers, or other forms of text. Overcharge Starting at 9th level, you learn to react to emergent combat needs with a timely boost. You can use a bonus action to immediately gain three rune charges. You can use this feature once, and regain the use of it at the end of a long rest. You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 18th level. Master of Linguistics At 13th level, you learn to speak, read, and write two additional languages of your choice. In addition, whenever you or an allied creature within 30 feet make an ability check to try to understand communication in a language they are not familiar with, they have advantage on the check. Arcane Enlightenment Beginning at 17th level, you gain two rune charges instead of one whenever you use your Rune Charge bonus action. Sage-Knight Academies As Sage-Knights advance their training they are often enrolled in or chosen to represent an scholastic specialization called an academy. While not a formal school or requiring a specific mentor or master, an Academy represents a suite of training specializations that determine how you express your mastery over the union of scripture and combat. Guardian Academy Sage-knights of the Guardian academy strive to train their bodies and minds in unison to serve as frontline protectors. Some are sworn to a knightly order, and use their extensive education to act as leaders or advisors. Others are given charge to protect of a young prince, or lead a platoon of soldiers deep in enemy territory in search of lost knowledge. In addition to your defensive training, you also learn to unleash your witchstrike in explosive ways, allowing you to directly engage groups of enemies with concussive force. Bonus Proficiency When you choose this academy at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with heavy armor. Arcane Reinvigoration At 3rd level, you learn to sign a rune of recovery to restore your lost health. You can use an action to regain hit points equal to 1d6 (or your witchstrike die, whichever is higher) + twice your sage-knight level. You regain the use of this feature at the end of a short or long rest. Defensive Rune Charge Also starting at 3rd level, you learn to efficiently charge your runeblade even when pressed by the rigors of combat. You can now also use your rune charge bonus action either before or after you use your action to Disengage, Dodge, or use Arcane Reinvigoration. Sageblast At 7th level, you learn a technique to unleash the damage of witchstrike in an violent detonation. When you roll damage for witchstrike, you can also choose to deal the same damage to all creatures within 5 feet of the target except yourself. Hammering Flurry Starting at 11th level, you learn to use the momentum generated by witchstrike to accelerate your attacks into a cacophanous cascade of explosions. When you take the Attack action and spend a rune charge to use witchstrike on both attacks, you can make a third attack with your runeblade as a part of the same action, adding your witchstrike damage without expending a third rune charge.

Blastwave At 15th level, you develop new methods of shaping and magically catalyzing your witchstrike into a truly impressive fulmination. When you would roll damage for witchstrike, you can instead choose to unleash a massive shockwave that travels in either a 20-foot cone or a 60-foot line that must include the original target. All creatures in the area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw, or take damage equal to your witchstrike die + your Intelligence modifier. The DC for this saving throw is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier (your choice, a minimum of 1). You can use this feature twice, and regain both uses at the end of a short or long rest. Scholar Academy Sage-knights who call themselves Scholars tend to be the few who can manage the elite education required to combine a wizard's magical theory with their already demanding sage-knight studies, and strive to synthesize a style of combat that combines these two foundations. They do more than wield blade and magic however - they weave both to elevate their craft beyond the limits of either. Spellcasting When you reach 3rd level, you augment your combat prowess with the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the wizard spell list. Cantrips. You learn one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list. In addition, you can change this cantrip over the course of 10 minutes of uninterrupted study, or at the end of a short or long rest and instead choose a different cantrip from the wizard spell list. You learn and can similarly change a second cantrip of your choice at 10th level. Spell Slots. The Scholar 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 burning hands and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast burning hands using either slot. Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know three 1st-level wizard spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the conjuration and evocation spells on the wizard spell list. The Spells Known column of the Scholar Spellcasting table shows when you learn more wizard spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be a conjuration or evocation spell of your choice, 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 spell of 1st or 2nd level. The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the wizard spells you know with another spell of your choice from the wizard spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be a conjuration or evocation spell, unless you're replacing the spell you gained at 8th, 14th, or 20th level. Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since you learn your spells through study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier Spellcasting Focus You can use your runeblade as a spellcasting focus for your wizard spells. Additional Arcane Rites Beginning at 3rd level, you can add identify and detect magic to the list of spells you can cast as rituals using your Academic Rites feature. Sympathetic Synergy Beginning at 7th level, you can use your Rune Charge bonus action when you use your action to cast a spell that deals acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, or thunder damage. If you do, the damage witchstrike deals changes from fire to that type instead, and reverts back to fire after one minute or until you cast another spell that deals damage of one of those types, whichever comes first. Scholar Spellcasting Sage-knight Level Cantrips Known Spells Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 3rd 1 3 2 ─ ─ ─ 4th 1 4 3 ─ ─ ─ 5th 1 4 3 ─ ─ ─ 6th 1 4 3 ─ ─ ─ 7th 1 5 4 2 ─ ─ 8th 1 6 4 2 ─ ─ 9th 1 6 4 2 ─ ─ 10th 2 7 4 3 ─ ─ 11th 2 8 4 3 ─ ─ 12th 2 8 4 3 ─ ─ 13th 2 9 4 3 2 ─ 14th 2 10 4 3 2 ─ 15th 2 10 4 3 2 ─ 16th 2 11 4 3 3 ─ 17th 2 11 4 3 3 ─ 18th 2 11 4 3 3 ─ 19th 2 12 4 3 3 1 20th 2 13 4 3 3 1

Prismatic Feedback Charge Beginning at 11th level, you also learn to augment your strikes with elemental energies harvested from your spellcasting. When you use your action to cast a spell and deal acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, or thunder damage to a creature on your turn, you can direct a portion of that energy into your runeblade. If you do, you deal additional damage equal to your witchstrike die when you hit with your runeblade. This effect lasts until you hit or until the end of your next turn - whichever comes first. If the spell you deal damage with is cast using a 1st spell slot or higher, this additional damage increases to two witchstrike dice, plus an additional witchstrike die for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of five witchstrike dice. This damage is the same type as spell you dealt damage with. Energy Transfer Starting at 15th level, you learn a useful technique to redirect the energies storied in your runeblade to recharge your spellcasting resources. You can use your action and expend rune charges to create a spell slot. The number of rune charges you spend determines the level of the spell slot you create: Two rune charges to create a 1st level spell slot, three rune charges to create a 2nd level spell slot, and four rune charges to create a 3rd level spell slot. You can use this feature twice, and regain both uses at the end of a long rest. Harrier Academy Sage-knights of the Harrier academy are often the dungeon-delvers, forward scouts, or even assassins of their respective scholarly orders. Typically, their training and even existence is kept as closely guarded secrets. They summon a spectral facsimile of their runeblade called an eidolon to wield with it as a deadly pair. With these weapons, they strike quickly, predicting and dodging attacks amidst a mirage of blows. Conjure Eidolon Starting at 3rd level when you choose this academy, you learn to magically conjure a second weapon to wield in battle. If your runeblade does not have the two-handed property, you can create a translucent glowing sibling to it in your empty hand (called a eidolon) as an action or bonus action. You can choose the form your eidolon takes each time you create it, such as a longsword, dagger, handaxe, or whip (see chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook for weapon options) as long as this form also does not have the two-handed property. Other than the which form the eidolon takes, it gains the benefit of any magical properties and runes your runeblade has. You can use your witchstrike feature to deal additional damage if you hit with either your runeblade or your eidolon. If a rune you inscribe on your runeblade has prerequisites, you must also meet those prerequisites on your eidolon if you wish for your eidolon to gain the benefit of that rune. Your eidolon disappears if it more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or more. It also disappears if you use this feature again, if you dismiss the weapon (no action required), or if you die. Fighting Style At 3rd level, you adopt a specialized fighting style focused around the use of two weapons. You gain the two-weapon fighting style. Two-Weapon Fighting. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack. Dervish Rune Charge Also at 3rd level, you learn to incorporate a rapid eidolon strike into your rune charge. If you have both your runeblade and your eidolon equipped, you no longer require a free hand to use your Rune Charge bonus action. Additionally, when you take a bonus action to generate a rune charge you can also make an attack with your eidolon using the two-weapon fighting rules in chapter 9 of the Player's Handbook. Whirling Mirage Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to cast mirror image at 2nd level without expending a spell slot or requiring material components. Additionally, if you cast it this way you can take a bonus action to make an attack with your eidolon using the two-weapon fighting rules as if you had taken the Attack action. You can use this feature twice and regain both uses at the end of a long rest. Doublestrike Starting at 11th level, you further your ambidextrous fighting techniques to attack as rapidly with your eidolon as you do with your runeblade. When you take a bonus action to use your Dervish Rune Charge feature, you can make two attacks with your eidolon instead of one. Arcane Agility Starting at 15th level, your advanced training in the synthesis of combat and applied academics gives you preternatural agility. You gain proficiency in Dexterity saving throws. In addition, you can expend a use of Whirling Mirage as an action or bonus action to gain the effect of freedom of movement until the end of your next turn. Huntmaster Academy Huntmasters are the Sage-knights who operate as guardians and guides to royal hunts. Often acting as horselords or houndmasters to a local liege, they employ a unique fighting style that permits the use of ranged weapons, particularly two-handed crossbows. Bonus Proficiencies Starting at 3rd level when you choose this academy, you gain proficiency in the Stealth and Survival skills, and also light crossbows, shortbows, heavy crossbows, and longbows. Huntmaster's Armament At 3rd level, in addition to melee weapons, you can also choose to inscribe runes onto light crossbows, shortbows, heavy crossbows, or longbows with your Runeblade Inscription ritual. If you do, this weapon becomes your runeblade or runebow, as appropriate for the type of weapon selected.

Keen Strike At 3rd level, you can take a special action, devoting all your focus to strike a single enemy with unparalleled accuracy. As an action, you can spend a rune charge and choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of you and make one weapon attack against that creature with advantage. If the attack roll would already have advantage from another source, you can reroll one of the dice once. Hunting Charge Starting at 7th level, you can use your Rune Charge bonus action after using your action to Hide, Search, or use your Keen Strike feature. Dragonfire Method You learn a rare technique among elite sage-knights that allows you to charge and retain power in your runes for lengthy periods. When you use your Keen Strike feature you can choose to expend any number of rune charges on a hit, and roll a number of witchstrike damage dice equal to the number of rune charges spent. Instant Ignition At 15th level, if you roll initiative and have no rune charges, you immediately regain all spent rune charges. Runes Runes are magical marks made upon your weapons using your Runeblade Inscription ritual. Some runes require that you wield the runeblade to gain the benefit of its effect, but unless otherwise indicated, you continue to receive the effect of a rune as long as the rune and the runeblade its inscribed upon remain intact. If a rune has prerequisites, you must meet them to inscribe it onto your runeblade. You can perform the runeblade inscription ritual again to inscribe a new rune onto your runeblade, or to switch to different runes. You cannot inscribe the same rune more than once unless otherwise noted. Runes and Language The names of the runes presented in this list are first listed in Dwarvish, then the Common translation for a correlating word, phrase, symbol, or concept. That said, runes can come from any language: Abyssal, Elvish, Draconic, or even Common. When you're inscribing a rune onto your runeblade, you might want to think about the following things: What language is the rune in?

Where is the rune inscribed?

What style of script is the rune written in - is it elegant and artful, or terse and dense?

What colors do the runes glow when charged? Do they even glow at all? Thal (Armor): Your AC becomes 13 + your Dexterity modifier while you are not wearing armor. Zec (Pierce): Your witchstrike ignores resistance to fire damage and treats immunity to fire damage as resistance. Paor (Brilliance): You can use an action to cause this runeblade to emit bright light out to 20 feet and dim light for an additional 20 feet. You can also use an action to end this effect. You have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) checks against any creature or object within the radius of the bright light, and cannot suffer from disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks against any creature or object within the radius of the dim light. Vat (Restore): Whenever you spend a hit die to regain hit points, you can roll both the hit die and your witchstrike die, and take the higher result from either die. Vecht (Feast): When you score a critical hit with this runeblade, you immediately gain a rune charge. Thas (Reserve): You gain an additional use of your Rune Charge bonus action. Mouh (Balance) (Prerequisite: 3rd level, requires a weapon with the Versatile property): You gain a +1 bonus to the damage rolls of weapon attacks you make with one hand and a +1 bonus to the attack rolls of weapon attacks you make with two-hands that are made with this runeblade. Bar (Shield) (Prerequisite: 3rd level, requires a one-handed melee weapon): You gain a +2 bonus to AC while you wielding this runeblade, have a hand free, and are not wielding a shield. Kenn (Crush) (Prerequisite: 3rd level, requires a weapon with the Two-handed property): When you roll a 1 or 2 when rolling damage for your witchstrike damage dice, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. Crav (Return) (Prerequisite: 3rd level, requires a weapon with the Thrown property): If you make a ranged attack with this runeblade using the thrown property, it automatically returns to your hand immediately after the attack. Sett (Fang) (Prerequisite: 3rd level, requires a weapon with either the Light or Finesse properties): You can roll one additional weapon damage die and add the result to the total when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a weapon attack made with this runeblade. Quan (Justice) (Prerequisite: 3rd level, Huntmaster Academy, requires a Light Crossbow, Shortbow, Heavy Crossbow, or Longbow) If you use Keen Strike and miss, until the end of your next turn you have advantage on the next weapon attack you make against the same creature. Eol (Imbue) (Prerequisite: 3rd level, Scholar Academy) When you use your action to cast a spell and deal damage to a creature on your turn, you can reroll one of the damage dice of the next weapon attack you make with this runeblade against the same creature before the end of your next turn. Bray (Body) (Prerequisite: 3rd level, Guardian or Harrier academy): Your maximum hit points increases by an amount equal to your Sage-knight level. Brav (Alarm) (Prerequisite: 6th level): This runeblade immediately regains two rune charges when you roll initiative. Fon (Strength) (Prerequisite: 6th level): This runeblade gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls unless it is a magical weapon that already has bonuses to those rolls. Hom (Steel) (Prerequisite: 6th level): Once per round, you can add your intelligence modifier to the damage of a weapon attack you make with this runeblade.