The Griffon's Saddlebag
Caption
Use Powerful Runes to Weaken Enemies and Escape from Harm
You concentrate your efforts on perfecting your art, developing special marks to claim and cripple your targets. Rebel leaders, artists, spies, and other members of the political underworld might belong to this archetype. Originally a tactic for subterfuge and assassination for denizens of the Festerwood, those who employ these powerful works of art are famously difficult to pin down. The magical marks left behind become a calling card for any Runetagger, and as their strength and notoriety grow from the deeds that they commit (both good and evil), so too does the renown for their art.
Level 3: Impressionist
You gain Expertise with Calligrapher’s Supplies and Painter’s Supplies, and you’re never without your brushes. As a Magic action, you can create either Calligrapher’s Supplies or Painter’s Supplies in one of your free hands. When you do, you can also create either Ink (if you created Calligrapher’s Supplies) or a Vial of paint (if you created Painter’s Supplies); the ink or paint can be any color of your choice. Items created in this way immediately vanish if they are ever not on your person or if you take this action again.
In addition, whenever you finish making a mark or rune with ink or paint, you can imbue it with the effect of the Message spell. When you do, the mark is visibly magical and sheds Dim Light in a 5-foot radius. A creature that touches the glowing mark telepathically hears the message you imbued in it. Once the message is heard, the mark loses these properties and becomes nonmagical.
Level 3: Runes
You have 4 Rune Points, which fuel various magical effects from this subclass. When you hit a creature with a melee attack using a weapon or an Unarmed Strike, you can spend 1 Rune Point to mark that creature with a magical rune in a flourish of paint and weaponry. These runes remain on a marked creature for up to 1 minute. A rune vanishes early if its magic fades (as described below) or if a creature takes an action to wipe it off. You regain all spent Rune Points when you finish a Short or Long Rest.
When you mark a creature with this feature, you can choose to leave one of the following runes.
Cryos. The marked creature can’t take Reactions until the start of your next turn, at which point the rune’s magic fades.
Hexxus. When the marked creature succeeds on an ability check or attack roll, you can take a Reaction to activate the rune; the marked creature must be within 60 feet of you and you must be able to see it. When you activate the rune, the creature subtracts 1d6 from its roll, potentially turning the success into a failure. Once the rune has been activated, its magic fades.
Locus. The next attack roll made against the marked creature has Advantage, and if that attack hits, it deals an extra 1d6 Acid damage. The rune’s magic fades after the next attack roll against the creature hits or misses.
Level 9: Escape Artist
You become slippery and evasive, capable of worming out of even the tightest holds. You have Advantage on ability checks and saving throws made to avoid or end the Grappled and Restrained conditions. When you have one of those conditions, you can attempt to escape as a Bonus Action if doing so would normally require an action.
In addition, while you’re within 5 feet of a solid surface (such as the ground or a wall), you can take a Bonus Action and spend 1 Rune Point to magically create a rune on that surface. When you do, you have the Invisible condition for 10 minutes. The condition ends early immediately after you make an attack roll, deal damage, cast a spell, or leave the space where you created the rune.
Level 13: Resourceful
Your mastery over the arts is lauded by friends and feared by foes. Whenever you roll Initiative, you regain spent Rune Points until you have two if you have fewer than that. In addition, whenever you deal Sneak Attack damage and add one of your Cunning Strike effects, you can spend 1 or more Rune Points to reduce the number of Sneak Attack damage dice you must forgo by one for each Rune Point spent.
Level 17: Lead Paint
You’re able to apply more ink or paint whenever you leave a rune, using it to expose weak points in a target’s defense and guide your strikes. Whenever you hit a creature marked with one of your runes or spend a Rune Point to mark it with one of your runes as part of that attack, you don’t need Advantage on the attack roll or an ally within 5 feet of the target to use your Sneak Attack against it; you still can’t use your Sneak Attack if you have Disadvantage on the attack roll. When you do, your Sneak Attack damage increases by 2d6 damage for the attack.