Casting Tradition - Nyhil Invasion

Composed of six interlocking rings with metal spheres sliding along dozens of grooves, the Nyhil Rings call upon unknown powers to bend the world around it to an irascible will. Those who explore the mechanisms of the Rings feel the call of a terrible mind spurring them to complete more of the Rings to unlock further powers… and widen the portals between our world and oblivion.

The Rings feed off the life essence and sanity of those who solve it, but there can be no bravery without madness. One must find clarity in it, lest the powers reject them, and… turn on those who dared to control them.

• Key Ability Modifier: Constitution
• Bonus Spell Points: +1 per level in casting class
• Bonus Magic Talents: Conjuration, Fate

• Boons: Deathful Magic, Fortified Casting
• Drawbacks: Addictive Casting, Draining Casting, Emotional Casting, Focus Casting, Magical Signs, Somatic Casting 2, Verbal Casting

Boons

Deathful Magic

The closer you are to death, the more powerful your magic. When you are at half hit points or less, you treat your proficiency bonus as 1 higher for the purpose of casting your sphere effects.

Fortified Casting

You can use your Constitution as your key ability if it is higher than your usual key ability.

A spherecaster must possess the Draining Casting drawback to gain this boon.

Drawbacks

Addictive Casting

Your magic is addictive. Whenever you spend one or more spell points, you must pass a Constitution saving throw against your addiction DC (Your addiction DC is 8, + 1 for each roll you have previously made. Thus, your first roll would be a DC 8, the second a DC 9, the third a DC 10, etc.).

If you fail this save, you become Mana Addicted. While Mana Addicted, any time you have not spent a spell point within the last minute, you suffer a -1 penalty to your proficiency bonus until you spend a spell point. If you are already Mana Addicted and fail your saving throw from using spell points, the Mana Addicted penalty to proficiency increases by 1 (minimum proficiency bonus 0).

If you complete a long rest after having gone a full day without spending any spell points, you can make a Constitution saving throw against your addiction DC. If successful, your addiction DC is reduced by 2. If you succeed on 2 consecutive saves in this way, you are also no longer Mana Addicted. Addiction to magic cannot be cured through magic, but a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) can be used to give you advantage on these saving throws.

Draining Casting

Using magic saps your lifeforce. You suffer one damage and your maximum hit points are reduced by 1 for every spell point you spend in any fashion. This reduction lasts until you complete a long rest. At 11th level, the damage and hp reduction increases to 2.

Emotional Casting

Your magic requires heightened emotional states of mind to use. When subject to the charmed or frightened conditions, or other effects that result in a heightened emotional state (such as the hostility (charm) of the Mind sphere or the rage spell), you are unable to cast or concentrate on any magic sphere effect.

Focus Casting

Your magic requires you to use an item such as a wand, holy symbol, ring, or staff to create magic. Using sphere talents or abilities without your focus requires you to make a key ability check with a DC of 10 + twice the number of spell points used to produce the desired effect. Failure means time (and any spell points) are spent, but no effect happens. If a focus is lost, stolen, or broken, you must create a new focus by securing the necessary item. If you are polymorphed and your focus is absorbed into your body, you instead function as having the Center of Power drawback.

Magical Signs

Your magic is accompanied by a tell-tale sign; for example, your body glows brightly, the sound of tortured souls shriek as you cast, or some other manifestation affects all creatures within 30 feet. Nearby creatures know when you are using magic, as well as the nature of the magic used (the sphere and any talents applied).

Somatic Casting

You must gesture to cast spells—a process that requires you to have at least 1 hand unoccupied. If you possess Focus Casting, holding a focus in your hand does not count as that hand being ‘unoccupied’.

You may select this drawback twice. If taken a second time, you use your entire body to cast your magic. You cannot cast while wearing any armor, using any shield, or while grappled or restrained.

Verbal Casting

You must speak in a loud, clear voice to cast spells. Using magic alerts all hearing creatures within 60 feet to your presence and location, effectively breaking stealth. You cannot cast in an area of magical silence, or in any other situation where you are unable to speak clearly, and if you are deafened you have disadvantage on spell attack rolls and other targets have advantage on saving throws against your magic.