D&D 5E - Rune Knight Cloud Rune Shenanigans

Publish date: 2024-05-20
To start with here is the relevant text from the stone Rune:

"In addition, when you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you is hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to invoke the rune and choose a different creature within 30 feet of you, other than the attacker. The chosen creature becomes the target of the attack, using the same roll. This magic can transfer the attack's effects regardless of the attack's range. Once you invoke this rune, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest."

A Rune Knight in a game I DM has taken to targeting allies when he can't get to enemies and then using the Stone Rune to transfer the damage. Recently he had the party Rogue go prone while a flying enemy was reigning down arrows. Then he attacked the prone Rogue (with advantage) and used his reaction to invoke the Stone Rune to transfer the damage to the flying enemy. I thought it was pretty clever, but it brought up some other interesting options:

1. Do the same thing as above on a flying enemy but throw a net on a prone ally from 5 feet away. You would throw it with advantage (within 5 feet of prone target, no enemy within 5 feet). Then Stone Rune it, it transfers the "effects" regardless of the range and the flying enemy is now restrained by the net, plummets to the ground and you go over and whack him with your second attack (with advantage).

2. Team with the Wizard to use it with Steel Wind Strike if there are less than 5 enemies in Range. Have him target an ally in addition to the enemies then Stone Rune that attack on to one of the enemies essentially doing double damage to that enemy from the spell (damage from the attack targeting the enemy plus the attack targeting the ally).

3. There is no mention of "seeing" the enemy you transfer it to. So if you are fighting an enemy who is invisible, behind cover or otherwise hidden target an ally with an attack and then Stone Rune that damage to the enemy.

RAW I think all of these work.

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