Viking Runepriest Help - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 rgoodbb May 10, 2015 4:37:52	I have never done this before and hope I'm in the right place. I have created a class and would really appriciate some help in balancing it. The last thing I want is it being overpowered. The class probably screams Warlock to most but I would rather it be its own stand alone class for me. Any time anyone could take to have a look at it would be most apprieciated Cheers. VIKING RUNEPRIEST “I have seen the signs my lord, and a foul portent overshadows our clan” Skilled in manipulating blood, runes and people, The Viking Runepriest is a formidable character. Tough enough to join the front ranks, devious enough to use other combatants to his advantage. He (and it’s most often a he,) is a seeker of knowledge on events that have yet to pass. He consults the runes. He manipulates blood, and he both consults and manipulates the weather. The Runepriest toughens and steadies his warriors and he debilitates his enemies. His battle manoeuvres are devious but by no means cowardly. He is a survivor at heart and knows the ways of battle. The Runepriest has a canny knack for putting himself in, or next to, a position of power; a clan lord’s seer, a king’s consultant, a tribal leader’s rune adviser to the stars and the ways. He has knowledge of things unspoken, both legends and almanacs. The versatile runepriest can be played in many different ways: · As a frontline skirmisher he can hold his own (for a while) next to the berserker. · As a devious maneuverer, he can switch from frontline tactics to hit and run. · As a manipulator of blood magic he can cast from afar. · As a buffer he can stand just behind the frontline steadying and fortifying his allies. One thing is for certain though, at some point he will get stuck in with his weapons and he bathes in the blood with a smile upon his face. This class is designed so that it can play in a melee heavy party (Viking horde of barbarians, fighters, rogues and non-magical rangers) and be the main support class in a Vikingesk setting where magic may be rare. It also has some of the versatility of the bard and as such could be useful in any party. Although he does little or no direct healing (Cure wounds etc.) the runepriest has a number of spells that buff party members including himself; group temporary hit points, group damage resistance, group AC buffing and group regeneration at higher levels. These mixed with enemy debuffing spells can make the runepriest one of the better off-healers in the game. QUICK BUILD You can make a runepriest quickly by following these suggestions. First put your highest ability score in Charisma followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Seer background. Third, choose the blood-weapon and ravencall cantrips, along with the following 1st level spells: bane and stalwart. CLASS FEATURES HIT POINTS Hit Dice: 1d8 per runepriest level Hit Points: 8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Con modifier per runepriest level after 1st PROFICIENCIES Armour: None Weapons: Longknife, Handaxe. Tools: Runemap and Stones or Tattoo kit. Saving Throws: Charisma, Constitution Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Deception, History, Insight, Nature, Persuasion, Performance, Religion, and Survival. EQUIPMENT You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: · a longknife and two handaxes · (a) a tattooing kit or (b) a runemap and stones · (a) an explorer’s pack, (b) a priest’s pack or (c) a scholar’s pack THE VIKING RUNEPRIEST Devious Proficiency Cantrips Spells Spell Spell Manoeuvres Level Bonus Features Known Known Slots Level known 1 +2 Unarmoured Defence, Blood Magic 2 2 1 1st - 2 +2 Devious Manoeuvres, 2 3 2 1st 2 3 +2 Runemapper/Master Ritualist 3 4 2 2nd 2 4 +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 5 2 2nd 2 5 +3 3 6 2 3rd 3 6 +3 Extra Attack 4 7 2 3rd 3 7 +3 4 8 2 4th 4 8 +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 9 2 4th 4 9 +4 4 10 2 5th 5 10 +4 Knowledge Seeker 5 10 2 5th 5 11 +4 Gift of the Norns 5 11 3 5th 5 12 +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 11 3 5th 6 13 +5 Gift of the Norns 5 12 3 5th 6 14 +5 Pain or Death 6 12 3 5th 6 15 +5 Gift of the Norns 6 13 3 5th 7 16 +5 Ability Score Improvement 6 13 3 5th 7 17 +6 Gift of the Norns 6 14 4 5th 7 18 +6 7 14 4 5th 8 19 +6 Ability Score Improvement 7 15 4 5th 8 20 +6 Demigod 7 15 4 5th 8
#2 spanglemaker May 10, 2015 12:31:13	It looks initially more powerful than a Warlock, fusing both Tome and Blade pacts into one. I am intrigued enough to take some time to analyse it myself and also see what others think. It does look fun to play. I take it that Blood Magic like Pact Magic does not mix with regular magic. So a hypothetical Rune Priest 2 Warlock (Tome) 3, Sorcerer 1, would be a Cantrip Masters wet dream and have 2 Blood Magic, 2 Pact Magic Slots and Wizards slots to boot. (I could propose that Pact and Blood Magic stack, that fits with 5e and Storywise Pacts are really Blood magic and primal.) It makes me wonder, at the possibilities of Viking classes. Skald would be a Bard and Poet, a Gothi (Norse Priest), a Vitki (Norse Sorcerer and Magician), a Volva ( Seeress and Witch) practioner of Seidr ( Sorcery and Witchcraft). I might have a little play at creating these as Archetypes of the Classes or as sub paths. Bard could have a Skaldic College ( though really Lore or Valor cover it reasonably. Gothi could be a specific Priestly Devotion, replacing Light, Nature, Tempest etc( but easy fix to keep the cleric and focus on the Norse Gods) Thor could provide Nature, Tempest etc, Sif could cover Nature, Light etc Volva could be covered by Warlock, maybe a Few levels of Diviner, or be a variant of your Rune Priest, taking Seidr instead of Rune Mapping. I love your Seer Background, Vikings would assume that gifts of foresight would come from Dragons or Giants and Aesir Gods or the Vanir Gods (Archfey). I wonder what Features you would suggest for Seer and Boat Builder. Boat Builder could easily take the Guild Artisan or Outlander feature. I just noticed Runic Purity, this is very limiting, unless characters who take Rune Priest, are unable to take any other class ( not just the forbidden Magic using classes). I know that would be even more limiting, but it would fit with the runic purity.
#3 Whir May 10, 2015 12:16:13	It looks cool to me. I would want to play it a few times to see how it stacks up. The one thing that stuck out to me is that the character would get two tools and three skills right off the bat. That's pretty big as far as that goes. I guess rogues do get one and four, but I feel like it's a little imbalanced.
#4 rgoodbb May 10, 2015 12:46:34	Thanks for taking the time to peruse the class spanglemaker I initially thought it a good idea to not be able to multiclass. A pure class if you will. Do you think that unwise? As you say a couple of sub paths might be enough to fill out the class. Maybe PC's from the old world could dabble. what do you think? My worry is Blood-weapon and bloody weapon could and probably would be stolen and highly abused by melee classes. Not sure unless I limit those two features instead of the entire class? Skald is definately whichever bard you like to play the best Some of those other names I must admit, I have not heard of so will have to do some reading up. I do love the idea of a Norse-like campaign setting with a raiding party. The Gods are already there in the PHB, and there are tons of fables to use as adventures. The Angry sea separates them from the new world etc... Whir Thanks. Yeah missed that one. Could lose a skill initially. Especially as gaining an extra one at 5th and both new backgrounds grant tools, so will start with a choice of either Runemap and Stones or Tattoo kit and will deduct one skill. Would that cover it? Ps. Thanks both again for your input. Are there any glaringly obvious overpowered spells/manoeuvers spotted yet?
#5 pupoochi May 10, 2015 14:12:50	At first i was all excited, loved the Runepriest from 2nd ed (green book), but your version is to OP. Initially, runepriest were using runes to "cast" spells and reproduce spell's effects. Your first instincts were right: runes are very close to invocations, mechanically at least. Tone down the powers, limit the features, and you'll get there. A new patron? Odin! change the pact of tome, or not! and keep the essence...
#6 rgoodbb May 10, 2015 23:53:42	Pupoochi. Thanks very much for your comments. I need to hear this. Looking at toning down With regards to features, how about removing heart of your enemy feature and either wise mind or evasion. The good thing with devious manoeuvres is they appear to be quite easy to downgrade; Blood of Fenris: Remove the 1d6 bite and/or advantage Blood Splash requires a Dex save or be blinded Giantskin: Remove AC bonus Glory in Death: No crit Neutralise Weapon: No damage if disarming and no kicking it away Ragnarok: Change stunned to frightened Shocking Smear: Once during the spell you can use your reaction to gain +2 to your AC verses a melee attack instead of +2 for the duration Throw and Stab: remove advantage on attack Would these cuts be enough or is my longknife needed more? Also. I would apprieciate help on rewording Ravensmask. My knowledge of stealth and hidden is very low. Are the new spells OP? Especially Blood-weapon with bloody weapon? Cheers everyone so far for their time, expertise, and advice. I would really like to try to see if the runepriest could realise it's full class potential, but if not, then a warlock subclass would definately be something to work on down the line.
#7 Marandahir May 10, 2015 23:42:08	This makes me think that, with the similarity, I actually could make an easier-to-balance probably really quick and easy conversion of Runepriest as a Warlock patron – the Runes of Creation Patron. Odd source class for the flavour, but actually fits it pretty perfectly. Warlock is closer to Divine/Primal stuff than other Arcane classes, save Bard; it also lets us capture the distinct flavours of Runepriest where some were warriors with weapons and others were court-scholars with tomes and others carved runes into the earth; finally, the invocations work quite well as Runic powers, I might poach some of your Runic powers here and add them to the Warlock Invocation list with a Runes of Creation Patron requirement.
#8 rgoodbb May 11, 2015 4:41:41	Marandahir. Thrilled that you like enough of the powers to want to poach a few. Especially for a warlock subclass! Do you have any new advice for me to bring to this full class?
#9 Danny_Montanny May 11, 2015 6:13:48	I'd stick a little closer to the Warlock chassis. Whenever they'd gain their patron features, implement your class features. For Pact Boon, it's your ritual casting stuff. I'd combine them both into the 3rd level feature, or make them choose one over the other. Change out thier Mystic Arcanium for once per day abilities. I think Evasion and Wisdom save proficiencies are just too much in comparison for a single cast high level spell. Blood-Weapon as it sits is way too powerful. Look to Shillelagh, yours out shines it in almost every way. You can cast it innumerable times (wielding 2 of them), the damage scales, and you can throw it? You're definitely on the right track, though.
#10 rgoodbb May 11, 2015 7:06:59	Thanks a lot Danny_Montanny You have successfully sifted through the jumbled mess I have created and come up with a very clean solution. Thankyou. I was tying myself in knots. Did you mean for me to change one or two of the higher manoeuvres into arcarnium one per days?
(Reply to #10) Danny_Montanny	rgoodbb wrote:
#12 rgoodbb May 11, 2015 7:57:48	OK. Think I've done all you advised merged rituals/runemapping to either/or Toned down a lot of the manoeuvres Cleaned it up with the warlock chassis Changed Blood-Weapon cantrip Longknife only for blood-weapon Longknife cannot be thrown anymore How does this look now?
#13 Marandahir May 15, 2015 21:27:50	Honestly, I feel like the class is too tunnel-visioned: it could do with more variety. Your third-level features are a pick and choose, why not make them the first in a series of subclass features, and tie a handful of class features here to one or the other, while coming up with new features for the other? This runepriest is very nordic inspired, and doesn't quite capture Runepriests from any tradition but that. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it does limit its potential usage. For example, the 4th Edition Runepriest strove to represent viking hammer-and-chisel rune carvers/viking god worshipers, but also divine-scholarly students of runic syllabaries, and most intestingly, sacred-sutra users from Asiatic cultures (Buddhist monks and exorcists). That versatility gave it power because it wasn't limited to being basically a single character type. That said, perhaps you're creating this for a single character. Even then, nordic sages did think about the balance between right and wrong, and they spoke to following the laws of reciprocity, gift-giving, hospitality, etc. The Runic states of Destruction and Preservation from the 4e Runepriest wouldn't be out of place here, if you could work them in some way. I like the idea of making half the devious manoeuvres into preservation runes and the other have into destruction runes, and your choice matters, by having features that key off your invocation use; you could even have it extent to spell usages by the target and effect of the spell – if the target is harmed by the spell, then it's a destructive spell, and if the target is aided by the spell, it's a preserving spell. That could get into some DM fiat though. Just some thoughts.
#14 rgoodbb May 16, 2015 2:06:13	Marandahir. You are absolutely right in that this was a design for a specific single character for me. I have maybe taken this as far as I can for me with my limited knowledge and experience. Do you, or does anyone else fancy taking up the torch and creating a fully fleshed out class with subclasses? I would love to see that. If so please feel free to switch around things as you see fit, including the removal of runic purity. Still don't know how balanced the new spells/cantrips are. Still don't really know about ravensmask and rules of hidden. (I seem to go blank where stealth and hidden are concerned)
#15 Thaenok May 17, 2015 17:41:59	It seems balanced and if this were official I would play it. I like Nordic mythology is my favorite.

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

rgoodbb

May 10, 2015 4:37:52

I have never done this before and hope I'm in the right place.

I have created a class and would really appriciate some help in balancing it. The last thing I want is it being overpowered.

The class probably screams Warlock to most but I would rather it be its own stand alone class for me.

Any time anyone could take to have a look at it would be most apprieciated

Cheers.

VIKING RUNEPRIEST

“I have seen the signs my lord, and a foul portent overshadows our clan”

Skilled in manipulating blood, runes and people, The Viking Runepriest is a formidable character. Tough enough to join the front ranks, devious enough to use other combatants to his advantage. He (and it’s most often a he,) is a seeker of knowledge on events that have yet to pass. He consults the runes. He manipulates blood, and he both consults and manipulates the weather. The Runepriest toughens and steadies his warriors and he debilitates his enemies. His battle manoeuvres are devious but by no means cowardly. He is a survivor at heart and knows the ways of battle.

The Runepriest has a canny knack for putting himself in, or next to, a position of power; a clan lord’s seer, a king’s consultant, a tribal leader’s rune adviser to the stars and the ways. He has knowledge of things unspoken, both legends and almanacs.

The versatile runepriest can be played in many different ways:

· As a frontline skirmisher he can hold his own (for a while) next to the berserker.

· As a devious maneuverer, he can switch from frontline tactics to hit and run.

· As a manipulator of blood magic he can cast from afar.

· As a buffer he can stand just behind the frontline steadying and fortifying his allies.

One thing is for certain though, at some point he will get stuck in with his weapons and he bathes in the blood with a smile upon his face.

This class is designed so that it can play in a melee heavy party (Viking horde of barbarians, fighters, rogues and non-magical rangers) and be the main support class in a Vikingesk setting where magic may be rare. It also has some of the versatility of the bard and as such could be useful in any party.

Although he does little or no direct healing (Cure wounds etc.) the runepriest has a number of spells that buff party members including himself; group temporary hit points, group damage resistance, group AC buffing and group regeneration at higher levels. These mixed with enemy debuffing spells can make the runepriest one of the better off-healers in the game.

QUICK BUILD

You can make a runepriest quickly by following these suggestions. First put your highest ability score in Charisma followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Seer background. Third, choose the blood-weapon and ravencall cantrips, along with the following 1st level spells: bane and stalwart.

CLASS FEATURES

HIT POINTS

Hit Dice: 1d8 per runepriest level

Hit Points: 8 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Con modifier per runepriest level after 1st

PROFICIENCIES

Armour: None

Weapons: Longknife, Handaxe.

Tools: Runemap and Stones or Tattoo kit.

Saving Throws: Charisma, Constitution

Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Deception, History, Insight, Nature, Persuasion, Performance, Religion, and Survival.

EQUIPMENT

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

· a longknife and two handaxes

· (a) a tattooing kit or (b) a runemap and stones

· (a) an explorer’s pack, (b) a priest’s pack or (c) a scholar’s pack

THE VIKING RUNEPRIEST

Devious

Proficiency Cantrips Spells Spell Spell Manoeuvres

Level Bonus Features Known Known Slots Level known

1 +2 Unarmoured Defence, Blood Magic 2 2 1 1st -

2 +2 Devious Manoeuvres, 2 3 2 1st 2

3 +2 Runemapper/Master Ritualist 3 4 2 2nd 2

4 +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 5 2 2nd 2

5 +3 3 6 2 3rd 3

6 +3 Extra Attack 4 7 2 3rd 3

7 +3 4 8 2 4th 4

8 +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 9 2 4th 4

9 +4 4 10 2 5th 5

10 +4 Knowledge Seeker 5 10 2 5th 5

11 +4 Gift of the Norns 5 11 3 5th 5

12 +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 11 3 5th 6

13 +5 Gift of the Norns 5 12 3 5th 6

14 +5 Pain or Death 6 12 3 5th 6

15 +5 Gift of the Norns 6 13 3 5th 7

16 +5 Ability Score Improvement 6 13 3 5th 7

17 +6 Gift of the Norns 6 14 4 5th 7

18 +6 7 14 4 5th 8

19 +6 Ability Score Improvement 7 15 4 5th 8

20 +6 Demigod 7 15 4 5th 8

spanglemaker

May 10, 2015 12:31:13

It looks initially more powerful than a Warlock, fusing both Tome and Blade pacts into one. I am intrigued enough to take some time to analyse it myself and also see what others think. It does look fun to play. I take it that Blood Magic like Pact Magic does not mix with regular magic. So a hypothetical Rune Priest 2 Warlock (Tome) 3, Sorcerer 1, would be a Cantrip Masters wet dream and have 2 Blood Magic, 2 Pact Magic Slots and Wizards slots to boot.

(I could propose that Pact and Blood Magic stack, that fits with 5e and Storywise Pacts are really Blood magic and primal.)

It makes me wonder, at the possibilities of Viking classes.

Skald would be a Bard and Poet, a Gothi (Norse Priest), a Vitki (Norse Sorcerer and Magician), a Volva ( Seeress and Witch) practioner of Seidr ( Sorcery and Witchcraft).

I might have a little play at creating these as Archetypes of the Classes or as sub paths.

Bard could have a Skaldic College ( though really Lore or Valor cover it reasonably.

Gothi could be a specific Priestly Devotion, replacing Light, Nature, Tempest etc( but easy fix to keep the cleric and focus on the Norse Gods) Thor could provide Nature, Tempest etc, Sif could cover Nature, Light etc

Volva could be covered by Warlock, maybe a Few levels of Diviner, or be a variant of your Rune Priest, taking Seidr instead of Rune Mapping.

I love your Seer Background, Vikings would assume that gifts of foresight would come from Dragons or Giants and Aesir Gods or the Vanir Gods (Archfey). I wonder what Features you would suggest for Seer and Boat Builder. Boat Builder could easily take the Guild Artisan or Outlander feature.

I just noticed Runic Purity, this is very limiting, unless characters who take Rune Priest, are unable to take any other class ( not just the forbidden Magic using classes). I know that would be even more limiting, but it would fit with the runic purity.

Whir

May 10, 2015 12:16:13

It looks cool to me. I would want to play it a few times to see how it stacks up.

The one thing that stuck out to me is that the character would get two tools and three skills right off the bat. That's pretty big as far as that goes. I guess rogues do get one and four, but I feel like it's a little imbalanced.

rgoodbb

May 10, 2015 12:46:34

Thanks for taking the time to peruse the class spanglemaker

I initially thought it a good idea to not be able to multiclass. A pure class if you will. Do you think that unwise? As you say a couple of sub paths might be enough to fill out the class. Maybe PC's from the old world could dabble. what do you think? My worry is Blood-weapon and bloody weapon could and probably would be stolen and highly abused by melee classes. Not sure unless I limit those two features instead of the entire class?

Skald is definately whichever bard you like to play the best

Some of those other names I must admit, I have not heard of so will have to do some reading up. I do love the idea of a Norse-like campaign setting with a raiding party. The Gods are already there in the PHB, and there are tons of fables to use as adventures. The Angry sea separates them from the new world etc...

Whir

Thanks. Yeah missed that one. Could lose a skill initially. Especially as gaining an extra one at 5th and both new backgrounds grant tools, so will start with a choice of either Runemap and Stones or Tattoo kit and will deduct one skill. Would that cover it?

Ps. Thanks both again for your input. Are there any glaringly obvious overpowered spells/manoeuvers spotted yet?

pupoochi

May 10, 2015 14:12:50

At first i was all excited, loved the Runepriest from 2nd ed (green book), but your version is to OP.

Initially, runepriest were using runes to "cast" spells and reproduce spell's effects. Your first instincts were right: runes are very close to invocations, mechanically at least.

Tone down the powers, limit the features, and you'll get there.

A new patron? Odin! change the pact of tome, or not! and keep the essence...

rgoodbb

May 10, 2015 23:53:42

Pupoochi. Thanks very much for your comments. I need to hear this.

Looking at toning down

With regards to features, how about removing heart of your enemy feature and either wise mind or evasion.

The good thing with devious manoeuvres is they appear to be quite easy to downgrade;

Blood of Fenris: Remove the 1d6 bite and/or advantage

Blood Splash requires a Dex save or be blinded

Giantskin: Remove AC bonus

Glory in Death: No crit

Neutralise Weapon: No damage if disarming and no kicking it away

Ragnarok: Change stunned to frightened

Shocking Smear: Once during the spell you can use your reaction to gain +2 to your AC verses a melee attack instead of +2 for the duration

Throw and Stab: remove advantage on attack

Would these cuts be enough or is my longknife needed more?

Also. I would apprieciate help on rewording Ravensmask. My knowledge of stealth and hidden is very low.

Are the new spells OP? Especially Blood-weapon with bloody weapon?

Cheers everyone so far for their time, expertise, and advice. I would really like to try to see if the runepriest could realise it's full class potential, but if not, then a warlock subclass would definately be something to work on down the line.

Marandahir

May 10, 2015 23:42:08

This makes me think that, with the similarity, I actually could make an easier-to-balance probably really quick and easy conversion of Runepriest as a Warlock patron – the Runes of Creation Patron. Odd source class for the flavour, but actually fits it pretty perfectly. Warlock is closer to Divine/Primal stuff than other Arcane classes, save Bard; it also lets us capture the distinct flavours of Runepriest where some were warriors with weapons and others were court-scholars with tomes and others carved runes into the earth; finally, the invocations work quite well as Runic powers, I might poach some of your Runic powers here and add them to the Warlock Invocation list with a Runes of Creation Patron requirement.

rgoodbb

May 11, 2015 4:41:41

Marandahir.

Thrilled that you like enough of the powers to want to poach a few. Especially for a warlock subclass!

Do you have any new advice for me to bring to this full class?

Danny_Montanny

May 11, 2015 6:13:48

I'd stick a little closer to the Warlock chassis. Whenever they'd gain their patron features, implement your class features. For Pact Boon, it's your ritual casting stuff. I'd combine them both into the 3rd level feature, or make them choose one over the other. Change out thier Mystic Arcanium for once per day abilities. I think Evasion and Wisdom save proficiencies are just too much in comparison for a single cast high level spell.

Blood-Weapon as it sits is way too powerful. Look to Shillelagh, yours out shines it in almost every way. You can cast it innumerable times (wielding 2 of them), the damage scales, and you can throw it?

You're definitely on the right track, though.

#10

rgoodbb

May 11, 2015 7:06:59

Thanks a lot Danny_Montanny

You have successfully sifted through the jumbled mess I have created and come up with a very clean solution. Thankyou. I was tying myself in knots.

Did you mean for me to change one or two of the higher manoeuvres into arcarnium one per days?

(Reply to #10)

Danny_Montanny

rgoodbb wrote:

#12

rgoodbb

May 11, 2015 7:57:48

OK.

Think I've done all you advised

merged rituals/runemapping to either/or

Toned down a lot of the manoeuvres

Cleaned it up with the warlock chassis

Changed Blood-Weapon cantrip

Longknife only for blood-weapon

Longknife cannot be thrown anymore

How does this look now?

#13

Marandahir

May 15, 2015 21:27:50

Honestly, I feel like the class is too tunnel-visioned: it could do with more variety. Your third-level features are a pick and choose, why not make them the first in a series of subclass features, and tie a handful of class features here to one or the other, while coming up with new features for the other?

This runepriest is very nordic inspired, and doesn't quite capture Runepriests from any tradition but that. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it does limit its potential usage. For example, the 4th Edition Runepriest strove to represent viking hammer-and-chisel rune carvers/viking god worshipers, but also divine-scholarly students of runic syllabaries, and most intestingly, sacred-sutra users from Asiatic cultures (Buddhist monks and exorcists). That versatility gave it power because it wasn't limited to being basically a single character type. That said, perhaps you're creating this for a single character. Even then, nordic sages did think about the balance between right and wrong, and they spoke to following the laws of reciprocity, gift-giving, hospitality, etc. The Runic states of Destruction and Preservation from the 4e Runepriest wouldn't be out of place here, if you could work them in some way. I like the idea of making half the devious manoeuvres into preservation runes and the other have into destruction runes, and your choice matters, by having features that key off your invocation use; you could even have it extent to spell usages by the target and effect of the spell – if the target is harmed by the spell, then it's a destructive spell, and if the target is aided by the spell, it's a preserving spell. That could get into some DM fiat though.

Just some thoughts.

#14

rgoodbb

May 16, 2015 2:06:13

Marandahir.

You are absolutely right in that this was a design for a specific single character for me. I have maybe taken this as far as I can for me with my limited knowledge and experience.

Do you, or does anyone else fancy taking up the torch and creating a fully fleshed out class with subclasses? I would love to see that. If so please feel free to switch around things as you see fit, including the removal of runic purity.

Still don't know how balanced the new spells/cantrips are.

Still don't really know about ravensmask and rules of hidden. (I seem to go blank where stealth and hidden are concerned)

#15

Thaenok

May 17, 2015 17:41:59

It seems balanced and if this were official I would play it. I like Nordic mythology is my favorite.