Runechild

Not all sorcerous power erupts outward in fire and thunder. Some sorcerers find that their magic turns inward, writing itself into their very flesh. Runechild sorcerers are marked by the arcane energy within them: as they expend sorcery points, luminous runes bloom across their skin, storing power for later use. These runes are not decorative—they are a living reservoir, a second font of magic etched into the body itself.

Runechild sorcerers tend to be methodical practitioners who have learned to think carefully about when to spend and when to save. The runes on their skin make their nature unmistakable, but many find that the visible magic inspires as much trust as it does wariness. The runes shift and grow more elaborate with each passing level, and at the height of their power, a Runechild sorcerer can mark enemies with their own brand, turning them into lightning rods for arcane destruction.

Runechild Table:

Level	Subclass Features Gained
1st	Runic Awakening, Runic Defense
6th	Runic Surge, Arcane Inscription
14th	Runic Overload
18th	Sorcerous Brand

Subclass Features

Runic Awakening

1st-level Runechild feature

Starting at 1st level, when you expend sorcery points for any reason, you gain an equal number of Runic Charges. These charges are stored as glowing runes visible on your skin—the more charges you hold, the more elaborate and luminous the runes become.

You can hold a maximum number of Runic Charges equal to your sorcerer level. Any charges beyond this maximum are lost. Runic Charges fade and are lost when you finish a long rest.

Runic Defense

1st-level Runechild feature

Also at 1st level, you can channel the protective energy of your runes in an instant. When you are hit by an attack or fail a saving throw, you can use your reaction to spend 1 Runic Charge and gain a +2 bonus to your AC or the saving throw that triggered this reaction, potentially turning a hit into a miss or a failure into a success.

Runic Surge

6th-level Runechild feature

Starting at 6th level, you can flood a spell with the raw energy of your runes. When you cast a spell that deals damage, you can spend 3 Runic Charges to cause the spell to deal maximum damage on all of its damage dice instead of rolling. This does not affect any additional dice from critical hits or other features.

Arcane Inscription

6th-level Runechild feature

Also at 6th level, at the end of each long rest, you can inscribe one spell of 4th level or lower from the sorcerer spell list onto your skin. The inscription glows faintly and lasts until you finish your next long rest or until you use it.

You can cast the inscribed spell once without expending a spell slot or using any material components. Once the inscription is used, it fades.

Runic Overload

14th-level Runechild feature

Beginning at 14th level, you can use your runes to overwhelm a creature's magical defenses. When you cast a spell that has been modified by a Metamagic option, you can spend 2 Runic Charges to cause one target of that spell to have disadvantage on the first saving throw it makes against the spell.

Sorcerous Brand

18th-level Runechild feature

At 18th level, you can burn a fragment of your runic power into a creature, marking it as a target for your magic. As an action, you can spend 5 Runic Charges to brand a creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The brand lasts for 1 minute, during which the branded creature is vulnerable to damage dealt by your spells.

A creature can only bear one brand at a time. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.