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Complete Arcane


Unleash your arcane might with this supplement    
for the world’s greatest roleplaying game

Dungeon Master’s Workshop

COMPLETE ARCANE

Credits

Lead Designer: Taylor Reisdorf


Editing: Taylor Reisdorf
Coding: Matthew Doak, Taylor Reisdorf


Cover Illustrator: Kevin Sidharta
Interior Illustrators: Kieran Belshaw, Hristo Chukov,

Jonas DeRo, Bogna Gawrońska, Veselin Ivanov, Igor Kieryluk, Lorenzo Mastroianni, Anna Podedowrna, Saiya Art Studio, Fernando Silva, Bryan Sola, Jonathan T., Aleksandra Wojtas, Ilker Serdar Yildiz

Watercolour Stains: Jared Ondricek


Based on the fifth edition rules by

Jeremy Crawford and Mike Mearls,
with Bruce R. Cordell, Robert J. Schwalb, and James Wyatt


Based on the original game created by

E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson,
with Brian Blume, Rob Kuntz, James Ward, and Don Kaye


Drawing on further development by

Keith Baker, Rich Baker, David “Zeb” Cook, Monte Cook, Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb, and Rob Heinsoo

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Dungeon Master’s Workshop Team

Lead Writer: Taylor Reisdorf
Additional Contributors: Christian Cole, Matthew
   Doak, Tim Reisdorf, Brion “Bearclaw” Woods

On the Cover

An ambitious mage grasps for dangerous power in this vivid scene illustrated by Kevin Sidharta.

Disclaimer: Some planar energies may cause alarming or harmful effects including but not limited to physical transformation, temporary or indefinite madness, delusions of grandeur, and non-metaphorical blowing of the mind. Consult a physician before practising magic.

Contents

Using this Content

The content of this playtest document uses material published under the Open Game License. At present, no original portion of this document is available for unauthorized use.

When playtesting of this content has been completed, many of the final rules will be officially published under the OGL. Until then, permission is only granted to copy this material for personal use.

To join the discussion and playtesting effort for this content, visit Dungeon Master’s Workshop. You can also join our Discord server. And if you would like to to support us and our work, consider becoming a patron on our Patreon.

Art Credit: Hristo Chukov

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Preface

IT ALL BEGAN IN 2004. IT WAS A COLD SATURDAY afternoon in early April and I was still paging through a new D&D book I’d received for my birthday: Unearthed Arcana.

From the moment I’d previewed this book at my friendly local game store a month earlier, I’d had my heart set on it. It wasn’t just the new spells that were interesting, nor the race options, feats, or even gestalt class rules—as fascinating as those were from a conceptual and design standpoint, I wasn’t particularly interested in incorporating them into my paracosm-turned-D&D world. Rather, it was one of the more substantive rule variants that had caught my eye: spell points.

My very first D&D character was a wizard, and while I deeply treasure the experience of playing him, there was something about the way magic worked in the game that had always bothered me. It took until I read Dying Earth by Jack Vance to understand where Gary Gygax had got the idea to make magic so rigidly (and arbitrarily) delineated into spell slots, and I’d come to dislike the concept so intensely that I’d already attempted to come up with a more flexible ‘mana’-based system of my own. That project was in many ways my first real foray into homebrewing, and it failed as much as any 15-year-old’s attempt to overhaul a foundational game element might have been expected to. Finding official variant rules that followed the same concept was an enormous vindication for me, and I as I began planning the next adventure in my original world, I put this change front and centre. Jack Vance could keep his spell slots and his ‘cast-and-forget’ spells; I wanted no part of it.

After some initial hesitation to try another variant spellcasting system (really, my first attempt was awful), the group eventually concluded that spell points were indeed better, and decided to use them going forward.

But the work didn’t stop there. Spell slots were only one part of the magic system that annoyed me. Equally contrary to the entire premise of spellcraft were spell components, especially material components. To cast fireball, one needed bat guano and sulphur—in other words, gunpowder. To cast silent image, one needed a bit of fleece—because you pull the wool over someone’s eyes. To cast see invisibility, you need some talc—because you blow it on an invisible creature to reveal their outline. Detect thoughts requires a copper piece—because ‘Penny for your thoughts’. Even sorcerers, with their innate magical abilities, couldn’t cast darkvision without a carrot—you know, to improve their eyesight.

These gags and—even worse—scientific components had always broken my sense of immersion and undermined the fantastic aspect of magic. They had to go. Only real magic was allowed in my game!


    It took a year to properly balance and retool the rules for spellcasting to allow them to actually feel like casters while not permanently turning the game to easy mode for any class with spells. But just when we’d finally settled on the rules, two things happened that set everything back. First, most of our group graduated high school, got weekend jobs, or both. And second, fourth edition came out, ruining the game and driving everyone to Pathfinder. It would take eight years and a whole new edition that fixed what fourth edition broke before I found another consistent game group interested in playing D&D.

Finally, in 2015, after returning to D&D and spending a year running a group through Tyranny of Dragons using the game’s vanilla rules, I started working with spell points again. It started with the unfinished and flawed variant in the back of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Over several drafts playtested across many years, the system has been rewritten to eliminate all use of spell slots (even in class features), metamagic has been restored as a core element of spellcasting, and the distribution of spell points to different classes—and cost associated with spells by level—has been completely redone for simplicity and to work with the three-encounter-two-short-rest model for a standard fifth edition adventuring day.

It figures that as I was finally confident enough to sit down and write this document for a public playtest, everything gets horribly set back again. A day after I began importing my drafts to the Homebrewery, there was a major leak of the upcoming OGL 1.1, which indicated that OGL 1.0a—the basis for this document and half the third-party content in the D&D community (along with a substantive portion of non-D&D TTRPGs)—was on the chopping block, which would in all likelihood signal the end of my work with D&D.

So, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for checking this out—possibly the last title I’ll ever put out in the D&D brand. Whether I continue working on this under an acceptable forthcoming open game licence or have to rewrite it all again, at least this version is out for people who want to keep playing under the fifth edition SRD.

Taylor Reisdorf
January 2023

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PREFACE | DUNGEON MASTER’S WORKSHOP

 

Bard

Strumming a slow rhythm on her lute, a human woman holds a chord as the runes in the door frame begin to glow, quickly burning out as the warding magic is disrupted and spent.

A stern half-orc hammers rhythmically on a red-hot blade, setting the tempo for the ancient ritual that will fortify the steel.

Singing three notes at once, a half-elf intones a complex melody that echoes around the hall, enthralling the assembled nobles.

Students of ancient harmonic secrets, bards are scholars, skalds, and sometimes even scoundrels who use metaphysical resonances in sound to inspire allies, heal wounds, create illusions, and even manipulate minds.

Made, Not Taught

Learning bardic music is not like learning to play a mundane instrument. While many bards use lutes, drums, pipes, and other tools in their art, even the most talented musician can’t use music alone to cast a spell. Bardic magic, like that of a mage, requires an innate ability that can’t be taught.

Not every wandering minstrel, clever orator, or expert musician is a bard. Most of these performers are merely artists with a love for their craft. Bards are rare individuals who spend their lives delving into the metaphysical mysteries of sound and rhythm, uncovering strange secrets and gaining potent magical abilities. Performing for audiences is often just a convenient way for bards to monetize their skills to support themselves.

Art Credit: Jonathan T. (Foreground) / Jonas DeRo (Background)

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The Bard
Level Proficiency
Bonus
Features Cantrips
Known
Spells
Known
Spell
Points
Max. Spell
Level
1st +2 Spellcasting, Bardic Inspiration (d6) 3 3 2 1st
2nd +2 Bardic Music, Jack of All Trades 3 4 4 1st
3rd +2 Bard College 3 4 4 1st
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 4 6 1st
5th +3 Bardic Inspiration (d8), Font of Inspiration 4 5 7 2nd
6th +3 Bardic College feature, Bardic Music 4 6 8 2nd
7th +3 Magical Secrets 4 6 9 2nd
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 7 10 2nd
9th +4 Bardic Music 4 8 11 3rd
10th +4 Bardic Inspiration (d10) 5 8 12 3rd
11th +4 Magical Secrets 5 9 13 3rd
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 10 14 3rd

    Many bards become adventurers as a natural progression of their studies. Many treatises can be found on the magic of music, but just as music must be played to be truly experienced, a bard must put their art to the test in order to truly push themselves.

Sound and Magic

Sounds aren’t merely vibrations of air, but a way to tap into the mathematical laws of harmony that drive the mechanisms of the cosmos. Scholars have long recognized that proportions in the movements of celestial bodies obey the same ratios and rhythms as found within resonant chords, and posit that the heavenly spheres express a music of their own that pervades all of creation to such an extent as to be indistinguishable from silence—a chorus heard only in the soul.

Bardic magic taps into the various expressions of these special tones, and bards devote themselves to mastering their usage, learning their own form of magic in the process. Their practice goes by many names, including phonomancy, harmonic theory, and musicology.

Creating a Bard

Although bards practice a form of spellcasting, to them it is a labour of creativity rather than a scientific study or an expression of faith. Most of the secrets of music aren’t found in dry tomes, but in living songs charged with emotion. To a bard, the story behind the song is as important to its magic as the rhythms and notes. So it is that your story is just as important as your talent.


    What drove you to look at music as more than a form of self-expression? Did you obtain your training through conventional means such as apprenticeship or collegiate training, or through a more unusual method such as a fey bargain?

Consider your instruments. A good lute might cost a month’s wages, while less conventional instruments might be a whole year’s earnings. How did you come by these valuable items?

Quick Build

You can make a bard quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Charisma your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity or Constitution. Second, choose the entertainer background. Third, choose the message, minor arcana,* and vicious mockery cantrips, along with the following 1st-level spells: bane, charm,* and thunderwave.*

Class Features

As a bard, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points


  • Hit Dice: 1d8 per bard level
  • Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per bard level after 1st

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Proficiencies


  • Armour: Light armour
  • Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, shortswords
  • Tools: Two musical instruments of your choice

  • Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
  • Skills: Choose any three

Equipment

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

  • (a) a longsword or (b) any simple weapon
  • (a) a diplomat’s pack or (b) an entertainer’s pack
  • (a) a lute or (b) any other musical instrument
  • Leather armour and a dagger

Spellcasting

Through the study of the mysteries of music, you have learned secret chords and resonant melodies that allow you to reshape the fabric of reality. Your spells are part of your vast repertoire, magic that you can tune to different situations. See appendix A: “Spellcasting” for the general rules of spellcasting and appendix B: “Spells” for the mage spell list.

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn additional bard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Bard table.

Spell Points

The Spell Points column of the Mage table shows how many spell points you have to cast mage spells. To cast a spell, you must expend a number of spell points equal to the level of the spell. You can’t cast a spell if doing so would reduce your number of spell points below 0. You regain all your expended spell points when you finish a long rest.

For example, if you’re a 5th-level bard who knows the 1st-level spell flame blast, you can cast it at either 1st level (1 spell point) or 2nd level (2 spell points).

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your bard spells. Your magic may come from musical resonances, but crafting them into a spell is an art that comes from your heart and soul. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a bard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
your Charisma modifier


Spell Components and Descriptions

Throughout this document, many spells are marked with an asterisk (*), indicating that the spells is either new or revised. You can find the description of these spells in appendix B: “Spells”.

For spells not marked with an asterisk, use the standard rules for the spell, with the following alterations:

Range. For spells that require a ranged spell attack, adjust the spell’s range as follows: 30 feet becomes 15/30 feet, 60 feet becomes 20/60 feet, 90 feet becomes 30/90 feet, 120 feet becomes 30/120 feet.

Components. Disregard this portion of a spell’s description, except in the following circumstances:

Verbal: A spell that requires communication with
    the target, such as command, still has a verbal
    component.

Material: If the standard rules indicate that a focus
    is needed for the spell, that item is required, but
    divide the cost in gp by 20, rounded down to
    the nearest gp (minimum 1). This is the focus’
    new cost in silver coins (s).

     Spell Slots. This system does not use spell slots. Whenever a spell’s description refers to a spell slot, it instead refers to the level at which a spell is cast. For instance, if you cast a 1st-level spell that gains additional benefits when you cast it using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you gain those benefits when you use spell points to cast that spell at 2nd level or higher.

 

Spells Known of 1st Level or Higher

You know three 1st-level spells of your choice from the bard spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Bard table shows when you learn more bard spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level no higher than the maximum spell level indicated in the Max. Spell Level column. For instance, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level, you can choose a bard spell you know and replace it with another spell from the bard spell list that you could know at your level.

Ritual Casting

You can cast a bard spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you know the spell.

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Spellcasting Focus

Music is the medium by which you work magic. Some bards learn to perform magic using only their voice, while others rely on instruments.

Unlike other spellcasters, who wield magic purely as an act of silent will, bards must create sounds at audible pitches and specific rhythms as part of their art, drawing much more attention.

You can use any musical instrument with which you are proficient as a spellcasting focus (see chapter 5, “Equipment”).

Bardic Inspiration

You can inspire others through stirring words or music. To do so, you can use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear you. That creature gains one Bardic Inspiration die, a d6.

Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the effect of the roll is determined. Once the Bardic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Your Bardic Inspiration die changes when you reach certain levels in this class. The die becomes a d8 at 5th level, and a d10 at 10th level.

Bardic Music

Beginning at 2nd level, you learn to weave powerful songs to aid your allies and hinder your enemies. You learn two songs of your choice. Your song options are detailed at the end of the class description. You learn one additional song of your choice at 6th and 9th levels. Each time you learn a new song, you can also replace one song you know with a different one.

Songs take an action to begin and last until the end of your next turn, unless a song says otherwise. Creatures must be able to hear you to be affected by these songs, and the song ends if you are incapacitated or silenced, or if you choose end it (no action required).

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Jack of All Trades

Also at 2nd level, you can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check you make that doesn’t already include your proficiency bonus.


Bard College

At 3rd level, you delve into the advanced techniques of a bard college of your choice: the College of Charm, the College of Glamour, the College of Lore, or the College of War. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th level.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th and 12th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above the ability score maximum for your level using this feature.

Font of Inspiration

Beginning at 5th level, you regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.

Magical Secrets

By 7th level, you have plundered magical knowledge from a wide spectrum of disciplines. Choose one of the options below. Each option can only be chosen once, unless the option says otherwise. You learn an additional magical secret at 11th level.

Armoured Mind. You have advantage on saving throws made to avoid or end the charmed condition and effects that would discern your thoughts and emotions.

Enhanced Ability. One ability score of your choice increases by 2, or two ability scores of your choice increase by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above the ability score maximum for your level using this feature.

Metamagic. You learn one metamagic option of your choice. You can use it once without expending spell points, regaining the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest. You can spend spell points to use this metamagic option additional times as normal.

Skill Proficiency. You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.

Unearthed Arcana. Choose two spells from any class, including this one. A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast, as shown on the Bard table, or a cantrip. The chosen spells count as bard spells for you and don’t count against your total number of spells known.
    You can choose this secret multiple times, choosing two additional spells each time.

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Bard Colleges

The way of the bard has many paths. Those of similar philosophy and talent form loose associations, which they call colleges, to preserve their traditions. Some colleges even grow sufficiently large and influential to establish physical colleges that function much like universities with a campus, halls, and dormitories.

College of Charm

Bards of the College of Charm are unparalleled orators, able to lift up or cut down others with the right word at the right time.

Many bards of this college gain acclaim as negotiators and diplomats when operating in open society, or become puppet masters and masterminds in underground enterprises and societies.

Cutting Words

Starting at 3rd level, you learn how to use your wit to distract, confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence and competence of others. When a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a damage roll, you can use your reaction to expend one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die and subtracting the number rolled from the creature's roll. You can choose to use this feature after the creature makes its roll, but before the GM determines whether the attack roll or ability check succeeds or fails, or before the creature deals its damage. The creature is immune if it can’t hear you or if it's immune to being charmed.

Silver Tongue

Also at 3rd level, when you make a Charisma check, you can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration. Roll a Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to your result. You can choose to use this feature before or after you roll the die for the ability check, but before the GM tells you whether you succeed or fail.

Persistent Inspiration

At 6th level, your efforts to inspire are effective even in the face of failure. When a creature adds one of your Bardic Inspiration dice to an ability check, attack rolls, or saving throw, and the check, attack, or save fails, the creature can keep the Bardic Inspiration die.

College of Glamour

Bards of the College of Glamour seek to understand the lost techniques of the ancient elven sages who built wondrous monuments through song in the elder days. Their performances channel fey magic left over from the time when the elven realm overlapped the mortal world—magic that is especially effective in manipulating minds.

Though bards of this college mostly use their skills to bolster and inspire their allies rather than to exploit others, they take care not to reveal their true nature and risk running afoul of the draconian laws most nations enforce against mind-affecting magic. Many bards of this tradition claim to be part of other colleges, or obfuscate the nature of their skills in a favourable way.

Inspiring Performance

When you join the College of Glamour at 3rd level, you learn to weave fey magic into your performances.

If you perform for at least 1 minute, you can choose a number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one) that can hear you. A chosen creature gains a number of temporary hit points equal to your bard level.

Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Subtle Influence

Also at 3rd level, you learn to twist your enchantment spells to mask your influence over your targets. When you cast an enchantment spell to charm one or more creatures, you can choose one target. When the spell expires, the creature must succeed an Intelligence saving throw against your bard spell save DC or remain unaware that it was magically influenced.

Bolstering Influence

At 6th level, when a creature with temporary hit points granted by your Inspiring Performance makes an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can use your reaction to grant advantage on that roll.

You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

College of Lore

Bards of the College of Lore know something about most things, collecting bits of knowledge from sources as diverse as scholarly tomes and peasant tales. Whether singing folk ballads in taverns or elaborate compositions in royal courts, these bards use their gifts to hold audiences spellbound. When the applause dies down, the audience members might find themselves questioning everything they held to be true, from their faith in the priesthood of the local temple to their loyalty to the king.

The loyalty of these bards lies in the pursuit of beauty and truth, not in fealty to a monarch or following the tenets of a deity. A noble who keeps such a bard as a herald or advisor knows that the bard would rather be honest than politic.

The college’s members gather in libraries and sometimes in actual colleges, complete with classrooms and dormitories, to share their lore with one another. They also meet at festivals or affairs of state, where they can expose corruption, unravel lies, and poke fun at self-important figures of authority.

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Erudite

When you join the College of Lore at 3rd level, choose two of the following skills with which you are proficient: Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion. When you make an ability check that uses either of the chosen skills, you add twice your proficiency bonus, instead of your normal proficiency bonus, to the result.

Eldritch Scholar

Also at 3rd level, you compile a grimoire of arcane secrets. When you gain this feature, you learn two cantrips and one 1st-level spell from any class’ spell list (your choices needn’t be from the same list). Your choices count as bard spells for you, and they don’t count against your total number of cantrips or spells known.

You learn an additional spell of 1st or 2nd level when you reach 6th level.

You can cast the spells learned with this feature once each without expending spell points. Once you cast the spells in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Potent Cantrips

Starting at 6th level, you add your Charisma modifier to the damage you deal with any bard cantrip.

College of War

Bards of the College of War are daring warriors whose deeds evoke the glory of great heroes. They stand among other soldiers on the battlefield, their powerful voices bolstering resolve and compelling their allies to seize victory.

The college’s members gather in festhalls where they share news of great events and tell stories of honour and bravery they’ve witnessed. With their songs, new generations are inspired to reach the greatest heights of glory.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of War at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armour, shields, and martial weapons.

Combat Inspiration

Also at 3rd level, creatures that use your Bardic Inspiration in battle find themselves magically empowered.

When a creature uses your Bardic Inspiration on an attack roll or a saving throw, they gain an additional effect based on how it is used, as detailed below:

Attack Roll. If the attack is successful, the target of the attack takes additional damage equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die plus your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

Saving Throw. If the saving throw is successful, the creature gains temporary hit points equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die plus your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).


Martial Superiority

Also at 3rd level, you learn techniques that are fuelled by special dice called superiority dice.

Techniques. You learn two techniques of your choice. Techniques are described in Complete Warrior. Many techniques enhance an attack in some way. You can only use one technique per attack. When you finish a long rest, you can replace one technique you know with a different one.

You learn one additional technique of your choice at 6th level.

Superiority Dice. You have two superiority dice, which are d6s. You gain an additional superiority die at 6th level. You can expend a superiority die to fuel combat techniques and certain other features. You regain all your expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest.

When you reach 6th level in this class, your superiority dice increases in size to a d8.

Saving Throws. Some of your techniques require your target to make a saving throw to resist the technique’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Technique save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)

Extra Attack

At 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, when you take the Attack action on your turn. Furthermore, you can forgo one of those attacks to instead cast a mage cantrip.

Bardic Songs

More than merely musical compositions, bardic songs are magical effects created through advanced harmonics.

If a song has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the song at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. Level refers to your level in the bard class.

Anthem of Valour

Prerequisite: 9th level


You inspire your allies to press on and push their limits. While this song lasts, friendly creatures within 60 feet of you gain a bonus to saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

Ballad of Discord


You assail the concentration of your foes with discordant melodies. Hostile creatures within 60 feet of you have disadvantage on spellcasting ability checks and on Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration on spells while the song lasts.

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Beguiling Melody

Prerequisite: College of Charm


You build layers of complex melodies that bore into the minds of your foes. Hostile creatures within 60 feet of you must succeed a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed. While charmed, a creature can’t take reactions and can take only an action or a bonus action on its turn, not both.

Calming Chorus

Prerequisite: 6th level


You inhibit the aggression of your enemies with calming tones. While the song lasts, hostile creatures within 60 feet of you that can hear you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw at the beginning of their turn or be affected by the song. An affected creature can make only one attack on its turn and can’t take opportunity attacks.

Chant of Clarity


You disrupt mind-influencing effects with focusing magic. While the song lasts, friendly creatures within 60 feet of you (including you) have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed, or to end an ongoing effect on them that causes one of those conditions.

If a mind-affecting effect doesn’t normally allow a save, such as a vampire’s Charm ability, a creature under such an effect that is within range that can hear you can make a saving throw against the effect anyway, rolling at the start of its turn.

Chorus of Fortitude


You strengthen the physical resolve of your allies with resonant tones. While the song lasts, friendly creatures within 60 feet of you (including you) gain advantage on saving throws against being blinded, deafened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, or stunned, or to end an ongoing effect on them that causes one of these conditions.

Dolorous Dirge

Prerequisite: 6th level


You use deep notes in minor chords to retard the movements of your enemies. While the song lasts, hostile creatures within 60 feet of you that can hear you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw at the beginning of their turn or be affected by the song. An affected creature’s speed is halved, and it suffers a –2 penalty to its AC, attack rolls, and Dexterity saving throws until the start of its next turn or until the song ends.


Heroes’ March


You muster the resolve of your allies through inspiring rhythms. As part of this performance, you expend one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die. Friendly creatures within 60 feet of you (including you) gain temporary hit points equal to the number rolled.

The number of temporary hit points increases to twice the number rolled when you reach 13th level in this class.

Hymn of Healing

Prerequisite: 6th level


You weave invigorating tones to bolster healing magic. While the song lasts, whenever friendly creatures within 60 feet of you (including you) would regain hit points from a spell or magical effect, the creature regains additional hit points equal to twice the spell’s level.

Illuminating Refrain

Prerequisite: College of Lore


You perform an uplifting tune that emboldens your allies. Friendly creatures within 60 feet of you have advantage on the first ability check they make before the song ends.

Song of Rest


You can use soothing music to help revitalize your wounded allies during a short rest. If you or any friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain hit points at the end of the short rest by spending one or more Hit Dice, each of those creatures regains an additional 1d6 hit points. You can benefit from a short rest while using this song.

The number of hit points increases when you reach certain levels in this class: 2d6 at 9th level, 3d6 at 13th level, and 4d6 at 17th level.

Veiling Refrain

Prerequisite: College of Glamour


You weave harmonious chords that conjure fey mists to protect your allies. Creatures of your choice within 60 feet of you add your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) to their AC against the first attack made against them by each creature while the song lasts.

War Chant

Prerequisite: College of War


You strengthen the hands and hearts of your allies with strong notes and powerful rhythms. While the song lasts, friendly creatures within 60 feet of you (including you) add your Charisma modifier to your damage rolls.

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Mage

Leaning out over a chasm, half-suspended by a rope harness around her waist, a human woman rubs charcoal over a sheet of paper, revealing the impression of the glyphs on the wall underneath. Suddenly, the rope snaps, sending the woman down over the edge, only for her to rise again a moment later, carried by unseen force to land gently back on the precipice.

Clad in deep blue apprentice robes, an elf closes his eyes to shut out distractions and focuses his mind. All around him, esoteric symbols flare to life, forming a circle to shut out wayward tides of magic that would disrupt his ritual.

Crouched behind a stalagmite in a cold, dank cave, a grizzled half-elf slowly draws his sword as he surveys the cult’s ritual circle. Hoping the intensity of the dark magic will obscure all trace of his spell, he pours some of his will into his weapon, which glows softly in the darkness, ready to strike down the fiend slowly emerging from the blazing portal.

Mages are the supreme magic users of the world, defined and united as a class by the arcane power they wield. Drawing on mystical energies that suffuse all of existence, mages cast spells that channel the elements, manipulate the laws of reality, and even control the minds of others. Their mightiest spells can transmute matter, heal grievous injuries, and even open portals to other worlds.

Innate Gift

Mages are rare individuals gifted with the ability to sense and manipulate the arcane energies that suffuse the world. Some gain this gift from the circumstances of their birth or heritage, while other times the gift appears seemingly at random. Magical aptitude is known to run in families, and many civilizations have developed castes for mages—sometimes as rulers, other times as servants.

Art Credit: Liu Mai Shen Jian (Foreground) / Kieran Belshaw (Background)

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The Mage
Level Proficiency
Bonus
Features Cantrips
Known
Spell
Points
Max. Spell
Level
1st +2 Spellcasting, Arcane Sense, Arcane Tradition 4 4 1st
2nd +2 Arcane Recovery 4 6 1st
3rd +2 Metamagic 4 8 2nd
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 4 10 2nd
5th +3 5 12 3rd
6th +3 Arcane Tradition feature 5 14 3rd
7th +3 5 16 4th
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 5 18 4th
9th +4 5 20 5th
10th +4 Arcane Tradition feature 5 22 5th
11th +4 Greater Arcana (6th level) 6 25 5th
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 6 27 5th

    Unlike clerics or druids, who receive their magic from gods or spirits, a mage’s power is innate and irrevocable. They can enhance this power through pacts and divine boons, and many magical associations incorporate such things into their traditions, but most mages learn to study magic as a science and use their powers without external aid.

Scholars and Sages

The all-encompassing nature of magic naturally leads mages to gain special insight into one or more disciplines. Alchemy, metallurgy, and mathematics are natural extensions of the study of magical laws. Additionally, the collegiate nature most magical associations makes discourse and research common skills among mages. Many are well-versed in history and philosophy and are practised in defending arguments with reason and patience. Many nobles recruit mages to their courts as much for their magical expertise as for their qualifications as advisers.

Mage Adventurers

Magic is more than just instructions written in a tome, and even the most academic mage must occasionally venture from the workshop to truly push their art. A mage associated with a magical institution might seek lost artifacts of previous civilizations well-known for their magical achievements, while those who practise independently are often tapped by more unconventional (or even unscrupulous) parties for their unique talents.

However they become involved in an adventure, mages often bring extraordinary value to a party by way of unique magical skills and useful arcane talents.


Creating a Mage

Mages are forever set apart by their magic, and the most important question to consider when creating a mage is the origin of that power. As a starting character, you’ll choose a tradition that defines how you use your magic, but the exact nature of it—and how you came to wield it—is up to you to decide. Is it a legacy of a distant fey ancestor? Were you exposed to extraplanar magic? Was the spark of magic placed in you by a hag while you were still in the crib?

Consider how you feel about your magic. Do you consider it to be a gift, as it is so often called? Or is it a burden that upended your life, forcing you to learn to control it instead of following the life you wanted? Do you believe that you were given this power for a purpose, or is it simply a product of happenstance? If you come from a family with a strong magical tradition, do you mean to continue that legacy, or are you set on making your own way? Does your power link you to a certain individual, such as an archfey that blessed you at birth or an old god to whom you were sworn in your youth?

Quick Build

You can make a mage quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Scholar background. Third, choose the arcane mark,* fire bolt, message, and minor arcana* cantrips, along with the following 1st-level spells for your spellbook: feather fall,* flame blast,* healing touch,* mage armour,* magic missile, and shield.*

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Class Features

As a mage, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points


  • Hit Dice: 1d6 per mage level
  • Hit Points at 1st Level: 9 + your Constitution modifier
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per mage level after 1st

Proficiencies


  • Armour: None
  • Weapons: Daggers, quarterstaves; or your choice of one simple weapon
  • Tools: None

  • Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
  • Skills: Arcana plus one skill of your choice from Deception, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion

 

Your Spellbook

The spells that you add to your spellbook as you gain levels reflect the arcane research you conduct through experimentation or gain from intellectual breakthroughs. You might also find other spells during your adventures, such as from a dusty tome in an ancient library or from a spellbook of a rival mage.

Copying a Spell Into Your Spellbook. When you find a mage spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spellbook if it is of a level you can cast and if you can spare the time to do so.

Copying a spell is a complex process that involves deciphering the unique system of notation used by the original author and then adapting the spell to your own personal practice. The process is far too complex to undertake without access to a proper workspace, and follows special provisions in the Training downtime activity.

For each level of the spell, the process takes one working day and costs 1 gp. The cost represents reagents consumed while experimenting with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks or other expensive materials you use to add spells to your spellbook. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.

Replacing the Book. You can copy a spell from your own spellbook into another book—for example, if you want to make a backup copy of your spellbook. Because you already understand the nature of the spell as well as your own notation for recording it, the process is faster and easier, and you need only spend 1 hour and 1 sp for each level of the copied spell.

If you lose your spellbook, you can use the same process to fill a new spellbook with the spells you currently have prepared. You can also record spells you previously learned but didn’t have prepared by spending 1 day and 5 sp for each level of the spell.

 

Equipment

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

  • (a) a quarterstaff or (b) two daggers
  • (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
  • A spellbook

Spellcasting

As a student of arcane magic, you have a spellbook containing your research. See appendix A: “Spellcasting” for the general rules of spellcasting and appendix B: “Spells” for the mage spell list.

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know four cantrips of your choice from the mage spell list. You learn additional mage cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Mage table.

Spell Points

The Spell Points column of the Mage table shows how many spell points you have to cast mage spells. To cast a spell, you must expend a number of spell points equal to the level of the spell. You can’t cast a spell if doing so would reduce your number of spell points below 0. You regain all your expended spell points when you finish a long rest.

For example, if you’re a 3rd-level mage with the 1st-level spell flame blast prepared, you can cast it at either 1st level (1 spell point) or 2nd level (2 spell points).

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your mage spells. Though your magical power is innate, it requires extensive understanding of magical theory to understand how to apply that power and cast spells. You use your Intelligence whenever a mage spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier to determine the attack bonus and saving throw DC for mage spells you cast.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
your Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
your Intelligence modifier

Preparing Spells

Though there is no limit to the number of spells you can learn as a mage, the sheer complexity of arcane spells is too great for you to retain familiarity with all of them. You can keep a number of spells fresh in your mind and ready to cast. These are your prepared spells. Casting a spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells.

Choose a number of mage spells from your spellbook equal to your mage level + your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) as your prepared spells. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest, replacing any number of spells with other spells recorded in your spellbook. Preparing a spell takes at least 1 minute per spell level.

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    For example, if you’re a 3rd-level mage with an Intelligence of 16, you can prepare six 1st- or 2nd-level spells, in any combination, chosen from your spellbook.

Spellbook

As your magic is innate, you don’t receive spells from a god or other patron and must create them yourself. You record the details and proofs for these spells in your spellbook, which you consult when you need to adjust your list of prepared spells.

At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing six 1st-level mage spells of your choice. Your spellbook is the repository of the mage spells you know, except your cantrips, which are fixed in your mind.

Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher

Each time you gain a mage level, you can add one mage spell of your choice to your spellbook for free. Each spell you gain this way must be of a level you can cast, as indicated in the Max. Spell Level column of the Mage table.

On your adventures, you might find other spells that you can add to your spellbook (see the “Your Spellbook” sidebar).

Ritual Casting

You can cast a mage spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your spellbook. You don’t need to have the spell prepared.

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus (see chapter 5, “Equip-ment”) as a spellcasting focus for your mage spells.

Arcane Sense

You are deeply attuned to the magical energies of the world. While anyone can feel it when a spell is cast nearby, you can even perceive passive magical effects from enchantments and wards as well as the mystical nature of magical creatures and planar outsiders.

As an action, you can open your awareness to such effects and learn more about their location and nature, casting the detect magic spell without expending spell points. When you cast the spell in this way, you don’t have to concentrate on the spell once you cast it; it lasts for its full duration, until you end it as a bonus action, or until you are incapacitated. You needn’t know the detect magic spell to use this feature.

Arcane Tradition

Choose an arcane tradition, which describes the source or focus of your innate magical power: flamekeeper, loremaster, mesmer, seer, shadowbinder, or warmage, all detailed at the end of of the class description.

Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th and 10th level.


Arcane Recovery

Beginning at 2nd level, you learn to regain some of your magical energy through meditation. Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can regain a number of expended spell points up to your level.

Metamagic

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to twist your spells to suit your needs. You gain two of the metamagic options described in chapter 10, “Spellcasting”. You gain additional metamagic options at 6th and 10th level.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th and 12th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above the ability score maximum for your level using this feature.

Greater Arcana

At 11th level, you achieve a breakthrough in your studies that allows you to wield potent spells that transcend the normal limitations of magic. Choose a 6th-level spell from the mage spell list as your first greater arcanum. As you gain levels in this class, you learn additional greater arcana, as shown on the Mage table.

Using this feature, you can cast one of your greater arcana without expending spell points at the spell level indicated on the Arcanum Level table. You must then finish a short or long rest to use this feature again.

Arcanum Level
  Mage Level Spell Level
  11th–12th 6th
  13th–14th 7th
  15th–16th 8th
  17th or higher 9th

Arcane Traditions

The study of magic is ancient, dating back to the earliest civilizations of Taldaras. So extensive and versatile are the applications of magic that no one can learn everything. Most mages fall into one of a few broad traditions.

Loremaster

When most people think about mages, they picture loremasters. Scholars of strange and occult sciences, loremasters learn secrets about magic that few others can begin to conceive. More than mere academics, loremasters are so completely steeped in arcane lore and magical energies that they gain innate natural abilities beyond mere spellcasting.

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Behind the Veil: Arcane Traditions

The arcane traditions presented below are broad categories that cover many different origins, and two mages from very different origins can follow the same tradition.

For instance, two seers might develop their abilities in completely different environments: one in the collegiate halls of the Arcane College, another alongside one or more family members who follow traditions passed down through the generations from a famous oracle ancestor.

Likewise, a mesmer might be a self-taught scoundrel using magic to exploit others, an individual with a strong fey heritage, or an acolyte of a trickster god; a loremaster might be a typical arcane scholar perpetually buried in heavy tomes or a plucky scavenger of old ruins who has enough of the Gift to hear the secrets they whispers; and a shadowbinder might have been sired by a shadow fiend just as easily as they might have been randomly exposed to negative energy that forever changed them.

Just because the arcane traditions are presented with a certain flavour doesn’t mean that you need to use it. Its your magic, you determine its origin.

 

Loremaster Spells

When you reach certain levels in this class, you gain additional spells, as shown on the Loremaster Spells table. Once you gain a spell with this feature, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. Each of these spells counts as a mage spell for you, and if the spell is a ritual spell, the ritual version of the spell takes only 1 minute longer to cast for you.

Whenever you gain a mage level, you can choose one spell you can cast from this list and replace it with another spell of the same level. The new spell must be an abjuration or a divination spell from the mage spell list. The replaced spell is not unlearned, but it loses the other benefits described above.

Loremaster Spells
Mage Level Spells
1st dispel magic,* identify
3rd augury*, lesser restoration
5th magic circle,* tongues*
7th aura of protection,* banishment
9th legend lore,* scrying*

Prodigious Knowledge

At 1st level, you learn two languages of your choice.

Additionally, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses the Arcana skill, and you can add half your proficiency bonus to any ability check you make using Intelligence that doesn’t already include your proficiency bonus.

Arcane Secret

When you choose this tradition at 1st level, your delving into ancient and mystic lore has yielded powerful knowledge. You learn one secret of your choice from the options detailed under “Secrets” below.

You learn an additional secret at secret at 6th and 10th level. Each time you learn a new secret, you can also replace one secret you know with a different one.

Prodigious Memory

At 6th level, you learn to retain more magical knowledge at any given time. You add your proficiency bonus to the number of spells you can prepare.

Savant

Starting at 10th level, your talent for manipulating arcane energies has reached exceptional levels. You can add your proficiency bonus to ability checks made as part of casting a spell, such as in counterspell and dispel magic.

Secrets

If a secret has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the secret at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.

If a secret allows a saving throw, the save DC is the same as your mage spell save DC.

Amplify Spell. When you deal damage with a mage spell, you can roll one additional damage die when determining the damage the target takes. You can deal this additional damage a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, but not more than once per turn. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Aspect of the Grave (11th Level Required). As a bonus action when you use the Reap Essence feature, you can assume a terrifying appearance until the end of your next turn, until you’re incapacitated, or until you choose to end it (no action required). While the aspect lasts, if a creature starts its turn within 30 feet of you and you can see each other, you can force the creature to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is frightened of you for the duration. On a successful save, the target is not frightened of you and is immune to this effect for 24 hours.

A creature that isn’t surprised can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If it does so, it can’t see you until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If it looks at you in the meantime, and the effect is still active, it must immediately make the save.

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    Beguiling Deflection. You can divert an attack meant for you. When a creature you can see within 30 feet of you makes an attack roll against you, you can use your reaction to redirect the attack. The attacker must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the attacker must target the creature that is closest to it, not including you or itself. If multiple creatures are equally close, the attacker chooses which one to target. Creatures immune to being charmed are unaffected by this feature.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Change Shape (6th Level Required). You add the alter self spell to your spell list, if it wasn’t there already. You can cast the spell without expending spell points. When you do so, you needn’t concentrate on the spell; it lasts for its full duration, until you are incapacitated, or until you choose to end it (no action required).

Once you cast alter self this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest, though you can still cast it normally using spell points.

Charming Defence (6th Level Required). A creature that fails its saving throw against your Beguiling Deflection is also charmed by you for 1 minute, as though affected by a charm spell you cast at your highest mage spell level.

Danger Sense (6th Level Required). Your precognitive sight allows you to perceive danger before it occurs. You are never surprised while you aren’t incapacitated. Additionally, when you roll initiative, you can expend one use of your Premonition to reroll the die. You must use the new roll.

Durable Summons (6th Level Required). Any creature that you summon or create with a conjuration spell has a number of temporary hit points equal to three times your mage level.

Erudite. Whenever you gain a level in the mage class, you learn one additional mage spell of your choice. The spell must still be of a level you can cast.

Additionally, the gold and time you must spend to copy a spell into your spellbook is halved.

Flight (11th Level Required). You have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can fly for a number of minutes up to your mage level, all at once or in several nonconsecutive periods, each one using a minimum of 1 minute from the duration. You can end the effect at any time (no action required). You regain all expended minutes of flight when you finish a long rest.

Grave Whisperer (6th Level Required). You add the speak with dead spell to your spellbook, if it isn’t there already. You can cast the spell at your maximum mage spell level at will, without expending spell points.

Hidden Passage. You can use your action to magically turn invisible. You can remain invisible for a number of minutes up to your mage level, all at once or in several nonconsecutive periods, each one using a minimum of 1 minute from the duration. Remaining invisible requires your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell), and you can end the effect at any time (no action required). The effect also ends if you attack, cast a spell, or force a saving throw.

You regain all expended minutes of invisibility when you finish a long rest.

Improved Familiar. You add the find familiar* spell to your spellbook, if it isn’t there already. Your familiar has the following changes:

  • It has a number of hit points equal to three times your level, instead of twice your level.
  • It has a melee weapon attack with a range of 5 feet and a bonus to hit equal to your spell attack modifier, which deals 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing or piercing damage (your choice). You decide the form of this attack from the options appropriate to the familiar’s form, such as talons for a hawk or a bite for a cat. The familiar can use its action to make one attack using this weapon.
  • It has resistance to cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage (your choice of which).

Additionally, the familiar has one feature from the list below (your choice of which):

Invisibility. As an action, the familiar can magically turn invisible until it attacks or until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). Any items the familiar is wearing or carrying are invisible with it.

Limited Telepathy. The familiar can magically communicate simple ideas, emotions, and images telepathically with any creature within 100 feet of it that can understand a language.

Magic Resistance. The familiar has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

 

Inscrutable (6th Level Required). You are permanently under the effect of the nondetection* spell.

Magic Resistance (11th Level Required). You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Additionally, if you have a Protective Ward active, you have resistance against the damage of spells.

Overcharge Spell (11th Level Required). When you use the Amplify Spell feature on a spell you cast, you can overcharge that spell, dealing maximum damage.

You can use this feature once without suffering adverse effects. If you use this feature again before you finish a long rest, you take 1d12 necrotic damage for each level of the spell, immediately after you cast it. Each time you use this feature again before you finish a long rest, the necrotic damage per spell level increases by 1d12. This damage ignores resistance and immunity.

Penetrating Spell (6th Level Required). When you use the Amplify Spell feature on a spell you cast that deals acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage, that spell ignores resistance to damage of those types.

Persistent Enchantments (11th Level Required). When you cast an enchantment spell of 3rd level or lower, such as magic weapon, you can cast that spell at its lowest level without expending spell points. When you do, you needn’t concentrate on it; the spell lasts its full duration, until you are incapacitated, or until you choose to end it (no action required).

Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

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    Persistent Summons (11th Level Required). When you cast a spell of 3rd level or lower that summons a creature, such as conjure elemental,* you can cast that spell at its lowest level without expending spell points. When you do, you needn’t concentrate on it; the spell lasts its full duration, until you are incapacitated, or until you choose to end it (no action required).

Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Practiced Arcana (11th Level Required). Choose a 1st- or 2nd-level mage spell in your spellbook. You always have that spell prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. You can cast the chosen spell once at its lowest level without expending spell points, regaining your ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest.

By spending 8 hours in study, you can exchange the chosen spell for another mage spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Premonition. You are able to glimpse danger in your future. When you are critically hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to turn that attack into a normal hit. Any effects triggered by a critical hit are cancelled.


 

    You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Protective Ward. You can create a protective field of magical force around you. As an action, you gain temporary hit points equal to twice your mage level. While you have these hit points, you also gain a shield bonus to your AC equal to your proficiency bonus. The hit points dissipate after 1 minute.

Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Reap Essence. Once per turn when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you regain a number of hit points equal to twice the spell’s level, or three times the spell’s level if it’s a necromancy spell. You can regain hit points in this way a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

This feature doesn’t trigger when you kill a Construct, an Undead, or a creature with a challenge rating of 0.

Art Credit: Bryan Sola

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    Resilient Shield (6th Level Required). When you cast the shield spell, you can gain temporary hit points equal to twice the level of the spell. If you have a Protective Ward active, these temporary hit points add to the number of temporary hit points you have from your Protective Ward, up to a maximum of twice your mage level, and count as temporary hit points from that feature.

Shrouded Soul (11th Level Required). When you use the Hidden Passage feature, you can concentrate on a spell or other effect as though you weren’t concentrating on that feature. Additionally, you have advantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain your concentration on the Hidden Passage feature.

Telekinetic Shove. As an action, you can strike a creature or object you can see within 30 feet of you with telekinetic force. The target must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the target takes damage equal to your mage level and is pushed 5 feet away from you. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and isn’t pushed. You can also push a willing target without dealing damage and without requiring a saving throw.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Trackless Passage (6th Level Required). You add the pass without trace spell to your spellbook. The spell counts as a mage spell for you. When you use the Hidden Passage feature to become invisible, you also gain the benefits of the pass without trace spell until the invisibility ends. These benefits don’t extend to others.

Truesight (11th Level Required). You gain truesight out to a range of 120 feet.

Mesmer

You are an expert in misdirection and subterfuge, using powerful illusions and mind-bending magic to disorient your foes and achieve your goals. As your magical talent grows, you learn spells that conjure frightening visions, freeze enemies in their tracks, and even render you invisible.

Most nations have strict laws against magic that alters another’s mind, and so mesmers must take care to avoid flaunting such talents, lest they draw the attention of the authorities.

Mesmer Spells

When you reach certain levels in this class, you gain additional spells, as shown on the Mesmer Spells table. Once you gain a spell with this feature, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. Each of these spells counts as a mage spell for you, and if the spell is a ritual spell, the ritual version of the spell takes only 1 minute longer to cast for you.

Whenever you gain a mage level, you can choose one spell you can cast from this list and replace it with another spell of the same level. The new spell must be an enchantment or an illusion spell from the mage spell list. The replaced spell is not unlearned, but it loses the other benefits described above.

Mesmer Spells
Mage Level Spells
1st charm,* dissonant whispers
3rd mirror image, suggestion*
5th fear, hypnotic pattern*
7th confusion, phantasmal killer
9th dominate person, seeming

Psychic Defences

Starting at 1st level, you gain resistance to psychic damage and you have advantage on saving throws made to avoid or end the charmed condition.

Erase Memories

Also at 1st level, you can use part of a spell’s magic to alter a creature’s recollection during a period when you influenced it.

When you use a spell to charm one or more creatures, you can use your action before the spell ends to cause one target to forget some of the time it spent charmed. The amount of time it forgets can’t be longer than a number of hours equal to 1 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1), or the duration of the spell, whichever is less. You can make it forget multiple non-consecutive periods or one large section of time. You can also choose to make the creature remain unaware that it was charmed, causing it to rationalize its actions as best as possible using available information. Once you have altered a creature’s memories, you can’t use this feature on that creature again for 24 hours.

A creature whose memories you affect can attempt to recall the lost time by spending 1 minute concentrating, at which point they can make an Intelligence saving throw against your spell save DC. On a successful save, they recall the lost time. On a failed save, they can’t try again for 24 hours. A lesser restoration spell automatically restores the lost memories.

Duplicitous Escape

Beginning at 6th level, you can vanish in response to harm. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to turn invisible and teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You remain invisible until the end of your next turn or until you attack, cast a spell, or force a saving throw.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Agonizing Visions

Starting at 10th level, you add your Intelligence modifier to one damage roll of any mage enchantment or illusion spell you cast.

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Focused Spellcasting

Also at 10th level, your ability to keep your hold on magic improves. While you are concentrating on an enchantment or an illusion spell, your concentration can’t be broken as a result of taking damage.

Seer

Your magic allows you to perceive beyond the present moment in time, allowing you to glimpse visions from the past and future. The gift of the Second Sight is exceptionally rare, and most go mad trying to master it, losing their grip on the present as they get lost along abandoned timelines.

Seers who withstand the risks to their sanity can master spells of prognostication, as well as discernment, remote viewing, and supernatural knowledge. They are consulted by royalty and commoners alike for their mystical insights and predictions.

Seer Spells

When you reach certain levels in this class, you gain additional spells, as shown on the Seer Spells table. Once you gain a spell with this feature, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. Each of these spells counts as a mage spell for you, and if the spell is a ritual spell, the ritual version of the spell takes only 1 minute longer to cast for you.

Whenever you gain a mage level, you can choose one spell you can cast from this list and replace it with another spell of the same level. The new spell must be a conjuration or a divination spell from the mage spell list. The replaced spell is not unlearned, but it loses the other benefits described above.

Seer Spells
Mage Level Spells
        1st         alacrity,* detect evil and good
3rd detect thoughts, locate creature/object*
5th clairvoyance,* psychometry*
7th confusion, divination
9th dream, scrying

Presage

When you choose this tradition at 1st level, you awaken your second sight, granting you visions and knowledge beyond normal awareness. This foresight is represented by your Presage dice, which are each a d6. You have a number of these dice equal to your proficiency bonus, and they fuel various precognitive abilities you have, which are detailed below.

Some of your abilities expend the Presage die they use, as specified in the ability’s description, and you can’t use an ability if it requires you to use a die when your dice are all expended. You regain all your expended Presage dice when you finish a long rest. In addition, as a bonus action, you can regain one expended Presage die, but you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

When you reach certain levels in this class, the size of your Presage dice increases: at 5th level (d8), 11th level (d10), and 17th level (d12).

The powers below use your Presage dice.

Ability Check. Your glimpses of the future can help you to use your training more effectively: if you fail an ability check using a skill or tool with which you have proficiency, you can roll one Presage die and add the number rolled to the check, potentially turning failure into success. You expend the die only if the roll succeeds.

Attack. Your foresight grants you an edge in landing or avoiding attacks: when you make an attack roll against a target or are the target of an attack roll, you can roll one Presage die and either add or subtract the number rolled from the attack roll, potentially causing a missed attack to hit or a successful attack to miss. You can choose to do so after the roll, but before the GM determines the result.

Premonition

When you reach 6th level, your ability to perceive trouble before it arises makes it all but impossible to catch you off-guard. You can add your Intelligence modifier to your initiative rolls.

Additionally, you are never surprised while you are not incapacitated.

Third Eye

Starting at 10th level, you can expand your awareness to encompass what lies beyond normal sight. As an action, you can expend one of your Presage dice and choose one of the following benefits, which lasts for 10 minutes or until you finish a short or long rest; you can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest:

Arcane Vision. Your vision extends to allow you to perceive beyond usual mortal limits. Within 60 feet, you can perceive through darkness, both magical and nonmagical, as well as into the Ethereal Plane. This sight doesn't pass through solid, opaque barriers like walls.

Foresight. You can see ghostly images of possible futures, allowing you to pre-empt danger and seize opportunities. You add your Intelligence modifier to your AC and Dexterity saving throws, and once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack roll, you add your Intelligence modifier to the damage.

True Seeing. Your sight penetrates all deception, revealing what others try to hide. While this effect is active, you gain the following benefits:

  • You can perceive the true form of any shapeshifter you can see.
  • You can read all writing, including text written in code, learning the intended meaning of the text.
  • You automatically see through illusions, and creatures can’t benefit from invisibility against you.

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Shadowbinder

Shadowbinders are touched with the cold energy of the Shadowfell, a dark echo of the mortal world on the border of the inhospitable region of the cosmos known as the Negative Energy Plane. Like the source of their power, shadowbinders are poorly understood and widely feared. Whether because of this mistrust and hostility or supernaturally influenced antisocial attitudes, most shadowbinders become outsiders and may even become resentful of others.

Befitting the origin of their power, shadowbinders have a knack for magic that involves darkness and deception. They can command the shadows and terrorize another’s mind, often putting them at odds with authorities enforcing magical laws. Most shadowbinders either hide this aspect of their power or live on the outskirts of society.

Shadowbinder Spells

When you reach certain levels in this class, you gain additional spells, as shown on the Shadowbinder Spells table. Once you gain a spell with this feature, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. Each of these spells counts as a mage spell for you, and if the spell is a ritual spell, the ritual version of the spell takes only 1 minute longer to cast for you.

Whenever you gain a mage level, you can choose one spell you can cast from this list and replace it with another spell of the same level. The new spell must be an illusion or necromancy spell from the mage spell list. The replaced spell is not unlearned, but it loses the other benefits described above.

Shadowbinder Spells
Mage Level Spells
        1st         animate shadows,* bane
3rd blade of shadows,* darkness,*
5th nondetection, pass without trace*
7th phantasmal killer, shadow step*
9th antilife shell, withering tendrils*

Darkvision

When you choose this tradition at 1st level, you gain the ability to perceive in the deepest darkness. You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, out to a range of 120 feet. You can’t discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.

Shadow Mantle

Also at 1st level, you learn to channel the power of the Shadowfell, manifesting a mantle of shadows. As an action, you can create your shadow mantle, which lasts for 1 minute or until you dismiss it as a bonus action.

While the mantle is active, you emanate an aura of menacing darkness in a 30-foot radius. Within that range, bright light becomes dim light, and dim light becomes darkness.

Whenever an enemy creature starts its turn in the darkness, it takes necrotic damage equal to your spellcasting ability modifier, and it has disadvantage on saving throws against illusion and necromancy spells you cast.

In addition, for the duration, you have resistance to necrotic damage.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Shadowtouched

At 6th level, your exposure to shadow magic has irreversibly changed you. You no longer require sleep, and you have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects that deal necrotic damage.

In addition, when you deal damage with a mage spell, you can replace the damage type with necrotic damage. While you are using your Shadow Mantle, you can roll one additional damage die when determining the necrotic damage the target takes. You can deal this additional damage no more than once per turn.

Heart of Darkness

At 10th level, your necrotic energy now saturates your body. You have resistance to necrotic damage. If you are transformed using your Shadow Mantle, you instead become immune to necrotic damage.

In addition, you are able to become one with the darkness. When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible. You remain invisible until you make an attack, cast a spell, force a saving throw, or are in an area of bright light.

Warmage

Given the incredible power of magic, it was inevitable that it would be weaponized. While even the most bookish mage will be able to defend themselves with magic, warmages are individuals who have elevated magical combat to an art.

Warmages come in many forms. Some are expert strategists who are instrumental in the planning of great military campaigns, while others are solitary duellists driven by personal ambition. Many famous warmages retire to the courts of monarchs and other national leaders, where their advice is invaluable in matters of defence. Others pursue more dangerous projects, chasing after past glory, a quick death, or both.

Warmages are among the most practical scholars of the arcane. They are seldom unimaginative, but their approach to resolving problems is often much more straightforward than that of their peers.

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Warmage Spells

When you reach certain levels in this class, you gain additional spells, as shown on the Warmage Spells table. Once you gain a spell with this feature, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. Each of these spells counts as a mage spell for you, and if the spell is a ritual spell, the ritual version of the spell takes only 1 minute longer to cast for you.

Whenever you gain a mage level, you can choose one spell you can cast from this list and replace it with another spell of the same level. The new spell must be an abjuration or an evocation spell from the mage spell list. The replaced spell is not unlearned, but it loses the other benefits described above.

Seer Spells
Mage Level Spells
1st flame blast,* thunderous strike*
3rd counterspell,* flame blade
5th fireball, protection from energy*
7th stoneskin,* wall of fire
9th cone of cold, immolate*

Bonus Proficiencies

Starting when you choose this tradition at 1st level, you gain proficiency in light and medium armour, as well as with simple and martial weapons.

Spell Surge

Also at 1st level, you learn to gather and store magical energy within yourself to empower your spells. You have a number of surges equal to your proficiency bonus. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you regain all expended surges.

Once per turn when you cast a spell, you can expend a spell surge and choose one of the following options:

Blast. If the spell deals damage to a creature or object, you deal additional damage to one creature affected by the spell. The damage equals your mage level. As you gain levels in this class, you can deal this damage to more creatures: two creatures at 6th level, three creatures at 10th level, and four creatures at 14th level.

Repulse. If the spell deals damage to a creature or object, one Large or smaller creature or object affected by the spell that didn’t succeed a saving throw against it is pushed up to 10 feet away from you. As you gain levels in this class, you can push additional targets, which must also be Large or smaller creature or objects: one additional target at 6th level, two additional targets at 10th level, and three additional targets at 14th level.

Shield. You gain a +2 shield bonus to AC and an equal bonus to Dexterity saving throws until the start of your next turn. This bonus increases to +4 when you reach 6th level and +6 when you reach 10th level.


 

Extra Attack

At 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, when you take the Attack action on your turn. Furthermore, you can forgo one of those attacks to instead cast a mage cantrip.

Absorb Spell

Starting at 10th level, when you magically negate a spell, such as through counterspell or dispel magic, you can immediately regain an expended use of your Spell Surge.

Potent Cantrips

Also at 10th level, you add your Intelligence modifier to one damage roll of any mage cantrip you cast. Additionally, a creature that succeeds its saving throw against a mage cantrip you cast takes half the cantrip’s damage (if any), although it suffers none of the cantrip’s other effects.

Art Credit: Anna Podedworna

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Warlock

Opening her palm with the edge of a ritual blade, a woman festooned in wild fetishes intones an ancient ritual phrase to draw her patron’s gaze from across the planes.

Crouching over a half-shredded corpse, a tiefling in a long leather surcoat tastes the air for traces of dark magic. With a gentle push of will, he draws a sample of the magic into a purple crystal to summon and interrogate the fiend later.

Casting rune-carved stones in a mossy hollow, an elf with glowing silver eyes allows her mind to walk the twisting paths of fate, guided by the spirits of her ancestors.

Warlocks are daring seekers of obscure and forgotten knowledge, often discovering secrets that challenge established scholarship and tap into strange magic. They make pacts with otherworldly powers such as fiends, ancient fey, and even alien horrors from beyond the multiverse, gaining magical abilities or unlocking power that lies deep within them. Drawing on ancient and forgotten secrets, warlocks bolster their power in unusual and sometimes terrifying ways.

Art Credit: Veselin Ivanov (Foreground) / Fernando Silva (Background)

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The Warlock
Level Proficiency Bonus Features Invocations
Known
Spell
Level
1st +2 Mystic Patron, Pact Magic, Hex 1st
2nd +2 Eldritch Invocations 2 1st
3rd +2 2 2nd
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 2 2nd
5th +3 3 3rd
6th +3 Mystic Patron feature 3 3rd
7th +3 4 4th
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 4th
9th +4 5 5th
10th +4 Mystic Patron feature 5 5th
11th +4 5 5th
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 6 5th

Patron Magic

Warlocks are defined by their pacts with mystic patrons—mysterious entities of incredible power. Some patrons are gods or are powerful enough to be worshipped as such by scattered cults, while others are conclaves of powerful entities such as hag covens or a fey court. Other patrons might include ancient and forgotten beings from before the dawn of time, or even from beyond known reality.

The nature of a warlock’s patron largely defines their pact. A fiend patron might offer increasingly tantalizing glimpses of power, hoping to corrupt the warlock’s soul through the favours they demand in exchange. A celestial patron, however, might readily provide knowledge and power whenever they deem the warlock ready to use it responsibly, with the expectation that the warlock wield this power in service of a holy cause. Rare is it that a patron offers power to a mortal without intention to use them for some important task.

Strange Power

Unlike other arcane spellcasters, most warlocks have little to no innate magical talent, forcing them to seek out supernatural bargains in order to utilize the secrets they learn to their greatest potential. Unlike clerics, who petition their patrons to act through them, warlocks


receive the ‘spark’ of magic and instruction in how to use their power. Once this power is granted, it is forever part of the warlock, an intrinsic part of their nature that can’t be taken back, even if the warlock later comes into conflict with their patron.

The magic granted by patrons often comes with unusual gifts reflecting the patron’s nature. A warlock of a fiend becomes capable with weapons and armour, while a warlock of an archfey learns to beguile their foes with strange magic. Many of their abilities and magical knowledge defies traditional conventions on the arcane, causing many major organizations to regard them as threats to their authority, if not also to the natural order.

Creating a Warlock

The most important question to consider when creating your warlock is the nature of your patron and your obligations to it. Did you seek out your patron after learning about them in a forbidden tome, or did they appear to you and offer you power you couldn’t refuse?

What kind of relationship do you have with your patron? Is it a friendly relationship based on mutual respect, or is it a one-sided or even antagonistic relationship based on compelled service?

Quick Build

You can make a warlock quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Charisma your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the sage background. Third, choose the Fiend mystic patron.

Class Features

As a warlock, you gain the following class features:

Hit Points


  • Hit Dice: 1d8 per warlock level
  • Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per warlock level after 1st

Proficiencies


  • Armour: Light armour
  • Weapons: Simple weapons
  • Tools: None

  • Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
  • Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, and Religion

Equipment

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

  • (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
  • (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) a dungeoneer’s pack
  • An arcane focus
  • Leather armour, any simple weapon, and two daggers

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Mystic Patron

At 1st level, you have struck a bargain with a powerful being of your choice: the Archfey, the Celestial, the Fiend, or the Great Old One. Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 1st level and again at 6th and 10th level.

Pact Magic

Your arcane research and the magic bestowed on you by your patron have given you facility with spells. See appendix A: “Spellcasting” for the general rules of spellcasting.

Cantrips

You know three cantrips of your choice from the list below. Certain warlock features give you access to additional cantrips.

  • Blade ward*
  • Chill touch
  • Dark grasp*
  • Friends
  • Minor arcana*
  • True strike*

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

Certain warlock features give you access to spells of 1st level or higher. Each feature describes how you can use the spell, including if a spell is expended on use and when you regain use of it. Your warlock spells are all cast at the level indicated for your level on the Warlock table and don’t cost spell points when you cast them using warlock class features.

For example, if you are a warlock of the Fiend with Charisma 16, you would know the flame blast and hellish rebuke spells, which you could cast up to three times in any combination. Therefore, if you were to cast flame blast twice, you would have one spell remaining, which could either be a third flame blast or a hellish rebuke. When you completed a short or long rest, you would regain all three spells.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your warlock spells, so you use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a warlock spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
your Charisma modifier


Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your warlock spells. Such a focus might be a wand fashioned from magically petrified wood, an amber amulet charged with the latent power of a ley line, a dragon’s phalangeal bone, or some other magically attuned item.

Hex

You have learned to focus one creature as the target of your ire. As a bonus action, you can place a magical hex on one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. For 1 minute, or until you lose concentration (as though you were concentrating on a spell), the target takes an additional 1d6 damage the first time you hit it with an attack on your turn. The damage type is either necrotic or a damage determined by your choice of patron, as shown on the table below (your choice of which).

    Patron Damage Type
    Archfey psychic
    Celestial radiant
    Fiend fire
    Great Old One psychic

Additionally, choose one ability when you place the hex. The target has disadvantage on ability checks made with the chosen ability.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Eldritch Invocations

In your study of occult lore, you have unearthed eldritch invocations, fragments of strange or forbidden knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability.

At 2nd level, you gain two eldritch invocations of your choice. Your invocation options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain warlock levels, you gain additional invocations of your choice, as shown in the Invocations Known column of the Warlock table.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the invocations you know and replace it with another invocation that you could learn at that level.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th and 12th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above the ability score maximum for your level using this feature.

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Mystic Arcanum

At 11th level, you glean an advanced magical secret called an arcanum. Choose one 6th-level spell from the list below as this arcanum. You can cast this spell once without expending spell points. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

  • Circle of death
  • Eyebite
  • Fiendish transformation*
  • Fiendish weapon*
  • Mass suggestion*
  • True seeing

Mystic Patrons

The beings that serve as patrons for warlocks are mighty entities who are typically (but not always) inhabitants of other planes of existence. Some might be gods or godlike in their power, while others might be conclaves of powerful spirits working toward a common goal.

Some patrons collect warlocks, doling out mystic knowledge relatively freely or boasting of their ability to bind mortals to their will. Other patrons bestow their power only grudgingly, and might make a pact with only one warlock. Warlocks who serve the same patron might view each other as allies, siblings, or rivals.

The Archfey

Your patron is a mighty fey creature, an entity of legend whose favour and enmity have caused the rise and fall of mighty heroes. Inscrutable in their motivations and enigmatic in their methods, archfey frequently make pacts with mortals in order to use them as pawns in grand schemes. Beings of this sort include the Summer Queen, ruler of the Dawning Court; the Winter Queen, ruler of the Gloaming Court; the King of the Wild Hunt; and ancient hags.

Fey Magic

Your patron bestows on you knowledge of certain spells, which you learn at certain warlock levels, as shown below. You can cast these spells in any combination a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, regaining all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Archfey Spells
Warlock
Level
Spells
1st charm,* faerie fire
3rd misty step, moonbeam
5th conjure fey,* plant growth
7th armour of thorns,* psychic prison*
9th dominate person, seeming

Fey Presence

Starting at 1st level, you learn to project your presence to beguile or terrify your foes. As an action, you can cause each creature within 10 feet of you and that can see you to make a Wisdom saving throw against your warlock spell save DC. A creature that fails its saving throw is charmed or frightened by you (your choice) until the start of your next turn. Your choice applies to all affected creatures.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Prolonged Enchantments

Beginning at 1st level, when you cast an enchantment spell that targets one or more creatures and has a duration of 1 minute or longer, the duration increases by a number of minutes equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1 minute).

Beguiling Defences

At 6th level, you learn to reflect mind-affecting effects back on your attackers. When you would be forced to make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, you can use your reaction to make the saving throw with advantage. On a success, the source of the effect takes psychic damage equal to your warlock level.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Improved Fey Presence

Beginning at 10th level, your presence in battle becomes especially potent. The range of your Fey Presence increases to 30 feet, and you and your allies have advantage on attack rolls against creatures affected by it.

The Celestial

You have made a pact with a powerful entity from the Upper Planes, allowing you to wield divine power. Celestials are occupied with the grandest stakes in the multiverse, and their chosen are often entrusted with important tasks where these mighty powers are unable to intervene. Some celestial patrons might be gods, but most are mighty servants of divine forces, such as empyreans and mighty angels whose ability to divide their power among followers is limited.

Celestial Magic

Your patron bestows on you knowledge of certain spells, which you learn at certain warlock levels, as shown below. You can cast these spells in any combination a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, regaining all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

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Celestial Spells
Warlock
Level
Spells
1st guiding bolt, healing touch*
3rd lesser restoration, spiritual weapon
5th conjure celestial,* spiritual guardians
7th death ward, guardian of faith
9th flame strike, greater restoration

Font of Blessings

At 1st level, you become imbued with divine power that offers respite from injuries. You have a pool of divine energy represented by a number of d6s equal to your warlock level, which are your Blessing Dice.

As a bonus action, you can choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you and spend a number of those dice equal to half your warlock level or less. Roll the spent dice and add them together. The target regains a number of hit points equal to the total. The target also gains 1 temporary hit point per die spent.

You regain all expended dice when you finish a long rest.

Unyielding Destiny

Starting at 1st level, your fate is guided by providence. If you fail a saving throw or miss with an attack roll, you can spend one Blessing Die and add it to the total, possibly changing the outcome. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Heavenly Exarch

At 6th level, your connection to the upper planes has made you a more effective conduit for celestial power. You have resistance to radiant damage, and when you cast a spell that deals radiant or fire damage, you can deal additional damage of of the same type to one target of the spell. The additional damage equals your Charisma modifier.

Celestial Radiance

At 10th level, while a creature has temporary hit points granted by your Font of Blessings feature, it adds your Charisma modifier to all saving throws.

The Fiend

You have made a pact with a fiend from the lower planes of existence, a being whose aims are evil, even if you strive against those aims. Such beings desire the corruption of all things, including you. Fiends powerful enough to forge a pact are typically archfiends or their greatest servants, or independent cabals that have armies and fiefdoms of their own.


Fiendish Magic

Your patron bestows on you knowledge of certain spells, which you learn at certain warlock levels, as shown below. You can cast these spells in any combination a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, regaining all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Fiend Spells
Warlock
Level
Spells
1st flame blast,* hellish rebuke*
3rd ashes of Malevol,* blade of shadows*
5th conjure fiend,* fireball
7th fire shield, wall of fire
9th hellfire chains,* winds of Phrygia*

Fiendish Blessing

Starting at 1st level, when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

This feature doesn’t trigger when you kill a Construct, an Undead, or a creature with a challenge rating of 0.

Fiendish Warrior

At 1st level, you acquire the training necessary to face your foes in battle. You gain proficiency with medium armour, shields, and martial weapons. Additionally, as a bonus action you can channel your power through a one-handed melee weapon you are proficient with. For the next hour, whenever you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. If you later gain the Eldritch Weapon feature, this benefit extends to eldritch weapons you conjure with that feature.

Fiendish Luck

Starting at 6th level, you can call on your patron to alter your fate. When you make an ability check or a saving throw, you can use this feature to add a d10 to your roll. You can do so after seeing the initial roll, but before any of the roll’s effects occur.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Fiendish Resilience

Starting at 10th level, while you have temporary hit points from the Fiendish Blessing feature, you gain the following benefits:

  • You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. Damage from magical weapons or silver weapons ignores this resistance.
  • When you deal fire damage with your Hex, you deal additional damage equal to half your warlock level.

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The Great Old One

Your patron is an unfathomable entity whose nature is alien to the very fabric of reality. It might be an entity that arose from the primordial chaos when the laws of existence were still unwritten, or it could be a being from beyond the boundaries of the multiverse, unfathomably ancient and utterly incomprehensible to mortals.

Great Old Ones may be worshipped by some as gods, but share little in common with celestial beings and tend to favour isolated cults led by specific individuals rather than larger movements with organized doctrine. If they gain any power from prayer, it is infinitesimal to their vast, cosmic strength. Their chosen often descend into madness, burdened by the glimpses of infinity they receive through their meditations.

Entities of this type include Cthulhu, the Great Dreamer; Yog-Sothoth, the Lurker at the Threshold; Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos; and other unfathomable beings.

Alien Magic

Your patron bestows on you knowledge of certain spells, which you learn at certain warlock levels, as shown below. You can cast these spells in any combination a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, regaining all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Great Old One Spells
Warlock
Level
Spells
1st dissonant whispers, starburst*
3rd phantasmal force, psychic surge*
5th clairvoyance,* conjure aberration*
7th black tentacles,* warp space*
9th dominate person, legend lore*

Awakened Mind

Starting at 1st level, your perception has begun to transcend the limitations of mundane reality, granting you glimpses of future events and hidden truths. When you finish a short or long rest, roll a d6. When you or a creature you can see roll an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, you can add or subtract the result of the die from their total. You can choose to do this after the creature rolls, but before the outcome of the roll is determined. Once you do so, the die is expended and can’t be used again.

Additionally, your alien knowledge gives you the ability to touch the minds of other creatures and peak behind the veil. You can telepathically speak to any creature you can see within 30 feet of you. You don't need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language.


Ectopic Ward

Starting at 1st level, your thoughts and emotions can’t be read by telepathy or other means unless you allow it. You also have resistance to psychic damage, and whenever a creature deals psychic damage to you, you can use your reaction to deal damage to it equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).

Visions of Chaos

At 6th level, you can use your connection the minds around you to unleash a torrent of profane secrets and maddening images. As an action, you can force one creature you can see within 120 feet of you to make an Intelligence saving throw against your warlock spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature takes psychic damage equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier (minimum 1) and is stunned until the end of your next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and is not stunned.

Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Draw Back the Veil

At 10th level, you learn to retain additional secrets from your otherworldly visions. When you finish a short or long rest, roll three d6s for your Awakened Mind feature, instead of one.

Eldritch Invocations

If an eldritch invocation has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the invocation at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. If an invocation grants you the ability to use a spell, that spell counts as a warlock spell for that casting.

Aberrant Nature

Prerequisite: Great Old One patron


You are steeped in alien power. You have advantage on saving throws made to avoid or end the charmed condition. Additionally, when you roll damage for a spell you cast that deals psychic damage, you can add your Charisma modifier to the damage dealt to one target of that spell.

While you have this invocation, you count as both a humanoid and an aberration for the purpose of spells that detect, target, or otherwise affect aberrations.

Agonizing Cantrips

Prerequisites: 7th level, Eldritch Tome invocation


You learn to empower your basic spells. While holding your book, you can add your Charisma modifier to one damage roll of any warlock cantrip you cast.

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Arctic Gale

Prerequisite: 9th level


You can cast cone of cold once, regaining your ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

Armour of Shadows

You can cast mage armour* on yourself at will. Additionally, you can cast shield* once, regaining all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Aspect of the Moon

Prerequisite: Archfey patron


You are steeped in fey power. You no longer need to sleep and can’t be forced to sleep by magical means. Instead of sleeping during a long rest, you can spend 4 hours in a trance-like state during which you maintain awareness of your surroundings. Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws made to avoid or end the charmed condition.

While you have this invocation, you count as both a humanoid and a fey for the purpose of spells that detect, target, or otherwise affect fey.

Beast Whisperer

You can cast speak with animals on yourself at will. Additionally, you can cast animal friendship a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Bend Fortune

Prerequisite: 5th level


You can cast bestow curse or remove curse once, regaining your ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

Eldritch Familiar

Prerequisite: 3rd level


You learn the find familiar* spell and can cast it as a ritual. When you cast it as a ritual, you don’t require material components.

Additionally, you can use a bonus action to allow your familiar to make an attack using its reaction.

You can’t choose this invocation if you have the Eldritch Tome invocation or the Eldritch Weapon invocation.

Eldritch Tome

Prerequisite: 3rd level


Your patron bestows on you a grimoire called a Book of Shadows. This magical book contains secret knowledge and grants you additional abilities.

When you choose this invocation, choose two cantrips from any class’ spell list. While the book is on your person, you can cast those cantrips at will.

If you lose your Book of Shadows, you can perform a 1-hour ceremony to receive a replacement from your patron. This ceremony can be performed during a short or long rest, and it destroys the previous book. The book turns to ash when you die.

You can’t choose this invocation if you have the Eldritch Familiar invocation or the Eldritch Weapon invocation.

Eldritch Weapon

Prerequisite: 3rd level


As a bonus action, you can conjure a one-handed melee weapon to your hand. You choose the form that this weapon takes each time you create it. Regardless of its form, you are proficient with it while you wield it, and it counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. The weapon also functions as a warlock spellcasting focus.

Your weapon disappears if it is more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute. It also disappears if you dismiss the weapon (no action required), if you are incapacitated, or if you die.

You can transform one magic weapon into your eldritch weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon. The ritual takes 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. You can then dismiss the weapon, shunting it into an extradimensional space, and it appears whenever you create your eldritch weapon thereafter. You can’t affect an artifact or a sentient weapon in this way. The weapon ceases being your eldritch weapon if you die, if you perform the ritual on a different weapon, or if you use a 1-hour ritual to break your bond to it. The weapon appears at your feet if it is in the extradimensional space when the bond breaks or you die.

You can’t choose this invocation if you have the Eldritch Familiar invocation or the Eldritch Tome invocation.

Fateweaver

You can cast bane or bless once, regaining your ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

Fiendsight

You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 60 feet. If you already had darkvision, its range increases to 120 feet unless it was already greater.

Flametouched

Prerequisites: 5th level, Fiend patron


You are steeped in fiendish power. You have resistance to fire damage. If you were already resistant to fire damage, you now take no damage when you succeed on a saving throw against an effect that allows you make a saving throw to take only half damage, provided that the effect deals only fire damage.

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    Additionally, when you roll damage for a spell you cast that deals fire damage, you can add your Charisma modifier to the damage dealt to one target of that spell.

While you have this invocation, you count as both a humanoid and a fiend for the purpose of spells that detect, target, or otherwise affect fiends.

Fulminating Wrath

You can cast witch bolt once, regaining your ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest.

Holy Magic

Prerequisite: Celestial patron


You are steeped in divine power. You have resistance to necrotic damage. Additionally, when you roll damage for a spell you cast that deals radiant damage, you can add your Charisma modifier to the damage dealt to one target of that spell.

While you have this invocation, you count as both a humanoid and a celestial for the purpose of spells that detect, target, or otherwise affect celestials.

Improved Eldritch Weapon

Prerequisite: 5th level, Eldritch Weapon invocation


You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made using your eldritch weapon. This bonus doesn’t stack with a bonus that a magic weapon already has to these rolls.

This bonus improves as you gain levels in this class, increasing to +2 at 11th level.

Improved Eldritch Familiar

Prerequisite: 5th level, Eldritch Familiar invocation


Your familiar gains additional hit points equal to twice your warlock level, and it adds your proficiency bonus to its AC and to the damage it deals with its attacks. Additionally, whenever you are within 100 feet of your familiar, you and your familiar treat any die rolled to determine hit points you regain as having rolled their maximum value.

Improved Eldritch Tome

Prerequisite: 5th level, Eldritch Tome invocation


You learn to draw more secrets from your Book of Shadows. Choose two 1st-level spells that have the ritual tag from any class’ spell list. With your Book of Shadows in hand, you can cast the chosen spells as rituals. You can’t cast the spells except as rituals, unless you’ve learned them by some other means. You can also cast a warlock spell you know as a ritual if it has the ritual tag.

On your adventures, you can add other ritual spells to your Book of Shadows. When you find such a spell, you can add it to the book if the spell’s level is equal to or less than half your warlock level (rounded up), to a maximum of 5th level. For each level of the spell, it requires 2 hours and costs 1g in rare inks to transcribe it into the book.

Improved Hex

Prerequisite: 5th level


You learn to empower your Hex. The additional damage the target suffers when you hit it with an attack increases to 1d8.

The additional damage continues to improve as you gain levels in this class, increasing to 1d10 at 11th level.

Iron Mace

Prerequisites: Fiend patron, Eldritch Weapon invocation


You can create a warmace using your Eldritch Weapon feature. The weapon is made of black, rune-graved iron. Once per turn when you hit a creature no more than one size category larger than you with this weapon as part of the Attack action, you can attempt to overpower it. The target must succeed a Strength saving throw against your warlock spell save DC or be either pushed 5 feet away from you or knocked prone (your choice of which).

Lifedrinker

Prerequisites: 11th level, Eldritch Weapon invocation


When you hit a creature with your eldritch weapon and that creature is under the effect of your Hex, the creature takes extra necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1), and you gain that many temporary hit points.

Maddening Hex

Prerequisite: Great Old One patron


As a bonus action, you can cause the target of your Hex, and each creature of your choice within 5 feet of it, to take psychic damage. The psychic damage equals your Charisma modifier.

Mask of Many Faces

You can cast disguise self at will.

Master Prevaricator

Prerequisites: 5th level, Silver Tongue invocation


You can cast suggestion or enthrall once, regaining your ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

Mire and Muddle

Prerequisite: 7th level


You can cast slow or confusion once, regaining your ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

Moonbow

Prerequisites: Archfey patron, Eldritch Weapon invocation


You can create a longbow using your Eldritch Weapon feature. While you wield this weapon, you ignore the special feature of longbows. When you draw the

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bowstring, an arrow of silver-white wood is created, which lasts for up to 1 minute and vanishes immediately after your attack hits or misses. When you roll damage for an attack made using this weapon, you can roll one additional weapon die if the target is a fiend, shapeshifter, or undead.

One with Shadows

Prerequisite: 5th level


When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can cast invisibility* on yourself. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

When you cast the spell in this way, you don’t have to concentrate on the spell once you cast it; it lasts for its full duration, until you choose to end it (no action required), or until you are incapacitated. It also ends if you attack or cast a spell, as normal.

Potent Magic

Prerequisites: 11th level, Eldritch Tome invocation


You learn to draw from the power contained in your Book of Shadows to empower your magic. The DC of your warlock spells increases by 1.

Additionally, when you cast a warlock spell that would force one or more creatures to make a saving throw, you can choose one creature affected by that spell. That creature has disadvantage on its first saving throw made against this casting of the spell. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Psychic Tyrant

Prerequisite: 3rd level


You can cast crown of madness once, regaining the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

If you are a warlock of at least 7th level, you can cast phantasmal force instead.

Shadowed Mien

You gain proficiency in the Stealth and Intimidation skills.

Share Spells

Prerequisites: 11th level, Eldritch Familiar invocation


When you cast a spell targeting yourself, you can also affect your familiar with the spell if it is within 30 feet of you.

Silver Tongue

You gain proficiency in the Deception and Persuasion skills.


Smoke and Mirrors

Prerequisite: 3rd level


You can cast misty step once, regaining the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest. Additionally, you can cast mirror image once, regaining the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

Spellbreaker

Prerequisite: 3rd level


You can cast counterspell or dispel magic once, regaining the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest.

Spider Step

Prerequisite: 5th level


You can cast spider climb on yourself once, regaining the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest. When you cast the spell in this way, you don’t have to concentrate on the spell once you cast it; it lasts for its full duration, until you choose to end it (no action required), or until you are incapacitated. Additionally, while under the effect of the spell you ignore difficult terrain caused by webbing.

Starborn Spear

Prerequisites: Great Old One patron, Eldritch Weapon invocation


You can create a spear using your Eldritch Weapon feature. Once per turn when you hit a creature with this weapon as part of the Attack action, you can attempt to terrify it. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your warlock spell save DC or be frightened of you until the end of its next turn. A creature that succeeds this saving throw becomes immune to this effect for 24 hours.

Thirsting Weapon

Prerequisites: 5th level, Eldritch Weapon invocation


You can attack with your eldritch weapon twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action.

Whispers of the Grave

Prerequisite: 9th level


You can cast speak with dead once, and regain your ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

Withering Grasp

Prerequisites: 5th level, dark grasp cantrip


You can target two creatures whenever you cast dark grasp*, provided you have two unoccupied hands. Maintaining a grapple on both creatures requires two free hands.

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Appendix A: Spellcasting

MAGIC PERMEATES THE WORLD AND manifests in many fantastic ways, including spectacular terrain, strange weather phenomena, and even the occasional ripple in time. By far the most common display of magic adventurers will encounter is a spell—a discrete magical effect created by a spellcaster such as a cleric or a mage.

This chapter presents alternative spellcasting rules designed for use with the classes and spells included in this document.

Components

Most spellcasting is an act of silent will. Spellcasters will often have quirks in how they practise their art, such as muttering esoteric-sounding mnemonics to guide themselves through the complex steps involved in shaping a spell’s magic, or indulging atavistic instincts like reaching toward an object they are capable of moving solely with their thoughts. Younger spellcasters are more likely to demonstrate such idiosyncrasies, though some people never bother to train themselves out of such habits.

Sometimes, however, a spell requires more than knowledge and willpower; the magic must be catalyzed or channelled in certain ways that impose restrictions on the spellcaster. Each spell’s description indicates whether it requires verbal (V), somatic (S), or material (M) components. If you can’t provide one or more of a spell’s components, you are unable to cast the spell.

Verbal

Certain spells, such as suggestion,* require that the magic be delivered through the medium of your voice or words. It takes forceful speech to channel magic, meaning that you can’t cast a spell if you’re unable or unwilling to speak loudly, or if an environmental effect is severely distorting sound or preventing it from travelling to the target. Additionally, creatures that can’t hear you, such as if they are deafened, might not be affected by magic with a verbal component.

Somatic

Spellcasters often use their hands while casting spells, typically to handle a spellcasting focus or to touch a target. Such actions aren’t somatic components in and of themselves. A somatic component is a deliberate action that must be done for the spell, such as holding the energy of a witch bolt spell, that requires a free hand (or a hand that is holding your spellcasting focus). A spell’s text will clearly describe its somatic component if it has one.


Material

Casting some spells requires particular items or substances, specified in the spell’s description (either in parentheses in the component entry or in the text). Learning a spell comes with knowledge of how to use its material components, along with some idea of how to go about finding them (though obtaining especially valuable components may be the substance of a quest). If a spell has a material component, you must have a hand free to use it. This can be the same hand that performs the spell’s somatic component, if it has one.

Material components come in two types: focuses and reagents.

Focus. A focus is an item capable of channelling magic in specific ways, either by its nature or by special design. A spellcasting focus, such as a wand, is a general purpose focus that is useful for most spells, but may not be sufficient for every spell in your repertoire. A focus is not consumed by the spell.

Reagent. Many substances, called reagents, naturally accumulate or channel certain types of magical energy that is useful in casting spells, particularly complex spells often cast as rituals. Some of these substances are relatively common and can be purchased from miners, herbalists, and other common tradespeople, while others are more scarce and must either be obtained from specialized merchants like alchemists or specially gathered. Reagents are always consumed by the spell.

Spell Tags

Some spells have special markers, called tags, which indicate special rules or interactions with other spells. Tags appear in brackets next to the spell’s level in its description.

The rules for different tags are described below in alphabetical order.

Charm. A charm spell, like friends or charm, is a spell that manipulates another person’s thoughts or emotions.

A creature can only be charmed by one spell with this tag at a time. When a creature affected by a charm spell is targeted by another charm spell, it automatically succeeds on its saving throw if the second spell is of a lower level. If the second spell is of an equal or higher level, the creature makes its saving normally and, if it is charmed by that spell, the original charm effect ends.

Charm spells can’t charm Constructs or Undead.

Curse. This spell’s magic imbues its target with a negative magical effect for its duration. In addition to being subject to dispel magic, this spell’s effects can be ended using remove curse or similar magic which ends curses.

Ritual. This spell can be cast following the normal rules for spellcasting, or the spell can be cast as a ritual. The ritual version of a spell takes 5 minutes to cast, unless its standard casting time is longer. It also doesn’t expend spell points, which means the ritual version of a spell can’t be cast at a higher level.

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    To cast a spell as a ritual, a spellcaster must have a feature that grants the ability to do so. The cleric and the druid, for example, have such a feature. The caster must also have the spell prepared on his or her list of spells known, unless the character’s ritual feature specifies otherwise, as the wizard’s does.

Rituals are delicate matters. You can’t ritually cast a spell while moving around or fighting.

Attack Rolls

Some spells, such as fire bolt, require the caster to make a special attack, called a spell attack, to determine whether the spell effect hits the intended target. You make a spell attack as you would a normal attack, but your attack bonus with a spell attack equals your spellcasting ability modifier + your proficiency bonus. To make a spell attack, you must have a free hand (or a hand that is holding your spellcasting focus) to channel the spell’s energy.

Many spells that require spell attacks involve ranged attacks. A ranged spell attack’s range is indicated in the spell’s description, and includes two numbers. The first number is the weapon’s normal range, and the second indicates the weapon’s long range. You have advantage on spell attack rolls when attacking a target beyond the spell’s normal range, and you can’t attack a target beyond the spell’s long range.

Remember that you can’t target a creature with a spell if you don’t have a clear path to the target.

Metamagic

Metamagic is the art of twisting spells to suit your needs, such as increasing their range or quickening the casting speed. Each metamagic option increases the level of the spell, thereby increasing the spell’s cost in spell points, but doesn’t grant any other benefits associated with casting the spell at a higher level.

You can only use one metamagic option on a spell when you cast it, unless that option specifies otherwise.

You can’t use a metamagic option on a spell if doing so would increase the level of the spell above your maximum spell level.

Careful Spell

Prerequisite: 5th level


When you cast a spell that forces other creatures to make a saving throw, you can protect some of those creatures from the spell’s full force. Choose a number of those creatures up to your spellcasting ability modifier (minimum of one creature). A chosen creature automatically succeeds on its saving throw against the spell. A careful spell counts as being one level higher.

Distant Spell

When you cast a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can double the normal and long range of the spell. Alternatively, when you cast a spell that has a range of touch, you can spend make the range of the spell 15/30 feet.

A distant spell counts as being one level higher.

Empowered Spell

Prerequisite: 5th level


When you roll damage for a spell, you can reroll a number of the damage dice up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). You must use the new rolls. You can use Empowered Spell even if you have already used a different Metamagic option during the casting of the spell.

An empowered spell counts as being one level higher.

Extended Spell

When you cast a spell that has a duration of 1 minute or longer, you can extend its duration to 10 minutes if it would normally last 1 minute or longer, 8 hours if it would normally last 1 hour or longer, or 24 hours if it would normally last 8 hours or longer.

An extended spell counts as being one level higher.

Heightened Spell

Prerequisite: 5th level


When you cast a spell that forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you can give one target of the spell disadvantage on its first saving throw made against the spell.

A heightened spell counts as being two levels higher.

Inerrant Spell

When you cast a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can ignore half cover and three-quarters cover, and attacking at long range doesn’t impose disadvantage on the ranged spell attack roll.

An inerrant spell counts as being two levels higher.

Potent Spell

Prerequisite: 5th level


When you cast a spell, you can make it harder to undo its magic, imposing disadvantage on any attempts to counter or negate the spell (such as with counterspell or dispel magic).

A potent spell counts as being two levels higher.

Quickened Spell

Prerequisite: 5th level


When you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can change the casting time to 1 bonus action for this casting.

A quickened spell counts as being two levels higher.

Twinned Spell

When you cast a spell that targets only one creature and doesn’t have a range of self, you can target a second creature in range with the same spell.

A twinned spell’s level counts as being two levels higher, or one level higher if it’s a cantrip.

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Appendix B: Spells

THIS CHAPTER DESCRIBES THE MOST common spells available to arcane spellcasters. Thousands of spells have been created and lost throughout history, and during your adventures you may find spells not included here, at the GM’s option.

This chapter begins with the spell lists of the arcane spellcasting classes included in this document. The remainder contains spell descriptions, presented in alphabetical order by the name of the spell.

Bard Spells

 

Cantrips (0 Level)
  • Blade ward*
  • Friends
  • Guidance*
  • Message
  • Minor arcana*
  • Resistance*
  • True strike*
  • Vicious mockery
1st Level
  • Alacrity*
  • Bane
  • Butterfingers*
  • Charm*
  • Colour spray
  • Command
  • Comprehend languages
  • Detect magic*
  • Disguise self
  • Dispel magic*
  • Dissonant whispers
  • Faerie fire
  • Feather fall*
  • Healing touch*
  • Heroism
  • Hysteria*
  • Identify
  • Illusory script
  • Longstrider*
  • Protection from evil and good
  • Silent image
  • Sleep
  • Thunderwave*
  • Unseen servant
2nd Level
  • Aid
  • Blindness/deafness
  • Calm emotions
  • Crown of madness
  • Detect thoughts
  • Enhance ability
  • Enthrall
  • Glitterdust*
  • Heat metal*
  • Hold creature*
  • Invisibility
  • Knock*
  • Lesser restoration
  • Locate creature/object
  • Magic mouth
  • Phantasmal force
  • Remove curse*
  • See invisibility
  • Sending*
  • Shatter
  • Silence*
  • Suggestion*
  • Zone of truth
3rd Level
  • Bestow curse
  • Clairvoyance*
  • Fear
  • Glyph of warding
  • Hypnotic pattern*
  • Magic circle*
  • Major image
  • Nondetection*
  • Slow
  • Speak with dead
  • Stinking cloud
  • Tongues*

Mage Spells

 

Cantrips (0 Level)
  • Acid splash


  • Arcane mark*
  • Arcane strike*
  • Blade ward*
  • Chill touch
  • Control water*
  • Empathy*
  • Fire bolt
  • Flash freeze*
  • Friends
  • Gust*
  • Message
  • Minor arcana*
  • Minor divinaton*
  • Poison spray
  • Pyromancy*
  • Ray of frost
  • Shape earth*
  • Shocking grasp
  • True strike*
1st Level
  • Alarm
  • Charm
  • Cinder hound*
  • Colour spray
  • Comprehend languages
  • Detect magic
  • Disguise self
  • Expeditious retreat
  • False life
  • Feather fall*
  • Find familiar*
  • Flame blast*
  • Fog cloud
  • Grease*
  • Healing touch*
  • Hysteria*
  • Ice bomb*
  • Identify
  • Illusory script
  • Longstrider*
  • Mage armour*
  • Magic missile*
  • Protection from evil and good
  • Ray of sickness*
  • Shield*
  • Silent image
  • Sleep
  • Telekinesis*
  • Thunderwave*
  • Unseen servant
  • Witch bolt*
2nd Level
  • Absorb information*
  • Acid arrow
  • Alter self
  • Arcane lock
  • Augury*
  • Barrier*
  • Bend fortune*
  • Blindness/deafness
  • Blur
  • Cloud of daggers
  • Continual flame*
  • Darkness*
  • Detect thoughts
  • Enlarge/reduce
  • Final remembrance*
  • Flaming sphere
  • Gentle repose
  • Gust of wind
  • Hold creature*
  • Instant summons*
  • Invisibility*
  • Knock*
  • Levitate*
  • Locate creature/object*
  • Magic aura
  • Magic mouth
  • Magic weapon*
  • Mental barrier*
  • Mind strike*
  • Mirror image
  • Misty step
  • Phantasmal force
  • Psychic surge*
  • Ray of enfeeblement*
  • Remove curse*
  • Scorching ray
  • See invisibility
  • Sending*
  • Spider climb
  • Suggestion*
  • Telepathic bond*
  • Web
3rd Level
  • Animate dead
  • Bestow curse
  • Blink
  • Clairvoyance*
  • Conjure aberration*

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  • Conjure celestial*
  • Conjure elemental*
  • Conjure fey*
  • Conjure fiend*
  • Fear
  • Feign death
  • Fireball
  • Fly
  • Gaseous form
  • Glyph of warding
  • Haste
  • Hypnotic pattern*
  • Lightning bolt
  • Magic circle*
  • Major image
  • Nondetection*
  • Phantom steeds*
  • Protection from energy
  • Sleet storm
  • Slow
  • Speak with dead
  • Stinking cloud
  • Teleport*
  • Tiny hut
  • Tongues*
  • Vampiric touch
  • Water breathing
4th Level
  • Banishment
  • Black tentacles*
  • Blight
  • Confusion
  • Control water
  • Divination
  • Fabricate
  • Faithful hound
  • Fire shield
  • Hallucinatory terrain
  • Ice storm
  • Phantasmal killer
  • Polymorph
  • Private sanctum
  • Psychic prison*
  • Secret chest
  • Stone Shape
  • Stoneskin*
  • Wall of fire
  • Warp space*
5th Level
  • Animate objects*
  • Cloudkill
  • Cone of cold
  • Contact other plane
  • Contagion*
  • Creation
  • Dominate person
  • Dream
  • Geas
  • Legend lore*
  • Mage’s Hand
  • Mislead
  • Modify memory
  • Passwall
  • Planar binding
  • Scrying*
  • Seeming
  • Wall of stone
6th Level
  • Arcane gate
  • Chain lightning
  • Circle of death
  • Contingency
  • Create Undead
  • Disintegrate
  • Eyebite
  • Flesh to stone
  • Freezing sphere
  • Globe of invulnerability
  • Guards and wards
  • Irresistible dance
  • Magic jar
  • Mass suggestion*
  • Move earth
  • Programmed illusion
  • Sunbeam
  • True seeing
  • Wall of ice

Warlock Spells

 

Cantrips (0 Level)
  • Blade ward*
  • Chill touch
  • Dark grasp*
  • Friends
  • Minor arcana*
  • True strike*
1st Level
  • Bane
  • Charm*
  • Dispel magic*
  • Hellish rebuke*
  • Mage armour*


  • Shield*
  • Witch bolt*
2nd Level
  • Ashes of Malevol*
  • Blade of shadows*
  • Crown of madness
  • Invisibility*
  • Phantasmal force
  • Psychic surge*
  • Misty step
  • Remove curse*
  • Suggestion*
3rd Level
  • Bestow curse
  • Conjure aberration*
  • Conjure celestial*
  • Conjure fey*
  • Conjure fiend*
4th Level
  • Black tentacles*
  • Phantasmal force
  • Warp space*
5th Level
  • Dominate person
  • Hellfire chains*
  • Winds of Phrygia*
6th Level
  • Circle of death
  • Eyebite
  • Fiendish transformation*
  • Fiendish weapon*
  • Mass suggestion*
  • True seeing

Spell Descriptions

The spells are presented in alphabetical order.

Absorb Information

2nd-level divination


  • Casting Time: 1 minute
  • Range: Touch
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You touch a text, such as a scroll, a folio of notes, or a book, and learn the substance of its contents. The text can be up to 500 pages, and must be written in a language you know, otherwise the spell fails.

The knowledge you gain from this spell is substantive, as though you had read each page only long enough to digest the information rather than to memorize the words. You learn any facts, opinions, and conclusions the text contains, as well as which sources, if any, are explicitly used to support or contextualize the text’s findings. If the text contains messages that are concealed, such as content written in a code, you don’t learn the coded information unless you’re familiar with the cipher to decode it.

If the content of the scroll or book includes a spell, you learn of the presence and nature of the spell, but not the spell itself.

Alacrity

1st-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Duration: 8 hours

You quicken a creature’s natural reactions. For the duration, the target adds 1d4 to its initiative rolls and Dexterity saving throws, and opportunity attacks made against it have disadvantage.

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Animate Objects

5th-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 120 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You will objects around you to come to life and heed your command. Choose up to ten nonmagical objects within range that are not being worn or carried. Medium targets count as two objects, Large targets count as four objects, Huge targets count as eight objects. You can’t animate any object larger than Huge. Each target animates and becomes a creature under your control until the spell ends or until reduced to 0 hit points.

As a bonus action, you can mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 500 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete.

Animated Object Statistics
Size HP AC Str Dex Attack
Tiny 10 18 4 18 +8 to hit, 1d4 damage
Small 15 16 6 16 +7 to hit, 1d4 damage
Medium 30 15 10 14 +6 to hit, 1d10 damage
Large 60 14 16 10 +7 to hit, 2d10 damage
Huge 120 13 18 6 +8 to hit, 4d10 damage

An animated object is a construct with AC, hit points, attacks, Strength, and Dexterity determine by its size. Its Constitution is 10 and its Intelligence and Wisdom are 3, and its Charisma is 1. Its speed is 30 feet; if the objects lack legs or other appendages it can use for locomotion, it instead has a flying speed of 30 feet and can hover. If the object is securely attached to a surface or larger object, such as a chain bolted to a wall, its speed is 0. It has blindsight with a radius of 30 feet and is blind beyond that distance. When the animated object drops to 0 hit points, it reverts to its original object form, and any remaining damage carries over to its original object form.

If you command an object to Attack, it can make a single melee attack against a creature within 5 feet of it. It makes a slam attack with an attack bonus and bludgeoning damage determine by its size. The GM might rule that a specific object inflicts slashing or piercing damage based on its form.

Animate Shadows

1st-level illusion


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self (30-foot radius)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You take control of the shadows around you. You must be in an area of dim light or darkness to cast this spell, and it ends if you are in an area of bright light.

For the duration, the shadows within 30 feet of you respond to your will, turning the area into difficult terrain. When you cast this spell, you can choose any number of creatures you can see who ignore this effect.

You can use a bonus action to make the shadows grasp a particular creature or object within the area that is in dim light or darkness. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 1d6 necrotic damage and is restrained until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and is not restrained.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each spell level above 1st.

Arcane Mark

Transmutation cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You magically inscribe a personalized mark, such as a rune or a short string of characters, on an object or surface. The mark can be visible or invisible, and is harmless to the surface regardless of its material. If an invisible mark is made, it is revealed under the effect of detect magic or identify. If the mark is placed on a living creature, it gradually fades over the course of 1 month. It can’t be erased or removed through nonmagical means short of destroying the surface on which it is inscribed.

You can have a number of marks equal to your proficiency bonus. If casting this spell would cause you to have more marks than this limit, you must choose an existing mark that will fade, otherwise the spell fails.

You always know the location of any of your marks within 1 mile of you. Additionally, the spell interacts with other spells you might cast, such as serving as a target for the scrying spell and to mark an object to be summoned using instant summons. A spell’s description includes details on interactions, if any.

Many spellcasters take precautions to limit how much information can be gleaned about them from their marks, especially when the marked items are of a dubious nature or provenance, or if the spellcaster practices their craft secretly. The GM determines what can be learned.

Arcane Strike

Evocation cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 5 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

As part of the action to cast this spell, you must make a melee weapon attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell’s range, otherwise the spell fails. You use your spellcasting ability instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls, and the weapon is considered magical if it isn’t already.

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    The spell’s deals additional damage when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, you roll one additional weapon damage die when determining the damage. This increases to two additional weapon dice at 11th level.

Armour of Thorns

4th-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Duration: 10 minutes

You touch a willing creature that is not wearing medium or heavy armour and cause thorny vines to wrap themselves around the target for the duration or until you cast this spell again. The vines don’t harm the target or impede its movement in any way.

While the vines last, the target gains a +8 armour bonus to its AC.

In addition, whenever a creature within 5 feet of the target hits it with a melee attack, the thorns deal 2d8 piercing damage to the attacker.

Ashes of Malevol

2nd-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You summon a cloud of hot ash from the Bleak Wastes in a 20-foot-radius sphere centred on a point you can see within range. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. It lasts for the duration or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it.

Each creature that starts its turn in the cloud must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 2d6 fire damage and is poisoned for the duration. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and is not poisoned.

A poisoned creature can repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each spell level above 2nd.

Aura of Protection

4th-level abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self (15-foot sphere)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You exude a shimmering aura in a 15-foot sphere centered on you that remains for the duration, conferring protection to your allies. Friendly creatures within the aura have a +5 shield bonus to their AC. Additionally, when a creature within the aura is hit by an attack, you can give that creature resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage against that attack.


Augury

2nd-level divination


  • Casting Time: 1 minute
  • Range: Self
  • Components: M (divinatory tools, such as cards, bones, or tokens, worth at least 1g)
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You cast runes, read cards, roll bones, or employ some other divining tool and receive an omen about a specific course of action you will undertake in the next 30 minutes. The course of action must be simple and not subject to random chance. For instance, you might seek insight into what would happen if you drank a potion you found or opened the unlocked chest in the corner of the room. The outcome of larger objectives, such as storming a castle or approaching a faction for aid, are beyond the scope of the spell and cause it to simply fail, wasting the spell points.

When you cast this spell and inquire about a suitable action, the GM chooses from the following possible omens:

  • Weal, for good results
  • Woe, for bad results
  • Weal and woe, for both good and bad results
  • Nothing, for results that aren’t especially good or bad

The spell doesn’t take into account any possible changes to the circumstances, such as the casting of additional spells or the loss or gain of a companion. It simply offers a result for the given moment.

If you cast this spell two or more times before completing your next long rest, there is a cumulative 25 percent chance for each casting after the first to produce a random result. The GM makes this roll in secret.

Barrier

2nd-level evocation (ritual)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute, or until dispelled (see text)

An invisible field of force springs into existence at a point you choose within range. The field appears in any orientation you choose, as a horizontal or vertical barrier or at an angle. It can be free floating or resting on a solid surface. You can form it into a flat surface up to 10 feet by 10 feet, or a hemispherical dome with a radius of up to 5 feet. Regardless of the shape, the field is 1/4 inch thick. It lasts for the duration or until it is destroyed.

If the field cuts through a creature’s space when it appears, the creature is pushed to one side. Creatures pushed this way make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw (their choice). On a success, they choose the side to which they are pushed. On a fail, you decide. A creature not adjacent to a space containing the field can also make a Dexterity saving throw to avoid being enclosed in a hemispherical dome, using its reaction and moving up to half its speed to a space immediately

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outside the spell’s area on a success. If there are no unoccupied spaces within this range, the creature’s Dexterity save automatically fails.

Nothing except fresh air, harmless light, and sound can physically pass through the field, and it provides total cover from spells and magical effects even though it is transparent. This includes abilities that rely on magic, such as an aboleth’s Enslave ability, though other supernatural effects, such as a dragon’s Frightful Presence, function as normal.

The field is an object that can be damaged and thus breached. It has an AC equal to your spell save DC and a damage threshold of 10. It is immune to poison and psychic damage. The field is destroyed if it takes any damage. On your turn while the spell lasts, you can use an action to restore the field. A successful dispel magic or disintegrate spell destroys the entire field, and such spells can target the field as long as the caster is aware of the location of at least one panel, even if they can’t see it.

The field also extends into the Ethereal Plane, blocking ethereal travel through it.

When you cast this spell as a ritual, you can create a field that lasts for 24 hours and does not require concentration. A field created in this way can be crafted to allow certain individuals you designate to cross through the barrier at will, or to allow passage to any who speak a password. You can create a permanent barrier by casting the spell in this way in the same location every day for one month. A successful dispel magic spell suppresses a ritual barrier for 10 minutes. Ritual barriers can be permanently dispelled with a successful dispel magic spell cast in a special ritual; this ritual takes 1 minute to complete, requires concentration, and expends spell points as normal.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the damage threshold of the barrier increases by 2 for each spell level higher than 2nd, and you can extend the field into an additional panel. Each panel summoned must be contiguous with another panel. Thus, at 3rd level you could create a hemispherical dome with a 10-foot radius or create a 10-foot-by-20-foot barrier. Destroying one panel doesn’t affect the other panels, though dispel magic and disintegrate still destroy the entire field.

Bend Fortune

2nd-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when a creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself succeeds on an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: 1 minute

You magically twist the laws of probability to attempt to foil a creature’s success. The creature rolls a d6 and subtracts the result from the triggering roll.

You can then choose a different creature you can see within range (you can choose yourself). The next time that creature makes an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw before the spell ends, it can roll a d6 and add the result to the that roll. The spell then ends.

A creature can only benefit from one use of this spell at a time.

Black Tentacles

4th-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 90 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You open a tear in reality through which squirming, onyx tentacles emerge. The tentacles fill a 20-foot-square space centred on a point you can see within range. For the duration, the tentacles turn the area into difficult terrain.

When a creature enters the affected area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 3d6 bludgeoning damage and be grappled by the tentacle until the spell ends. A grappled creature is restrained. A creature that starts its turn restrained by the tentacles takes this damage automatically.

A creature restrained by the tentacles that tries to escape makes its ability check against your spell save DC.

Blade of Shadows

2nd-level illusion


  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: Self
  • Duration: 1 minute

You evoke a blade of flickering shadows in your free hand. The blade is similar in size and shape to a shortsword, and it lasts for the duration. If you let go of the blade, it disappears, but you can evoke the blade again as a bonus action.

You can use your action to make a melee spell attack with the shadowy blade. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 necrotic damage.

The blade consumes light in the surrounding area, turning dim light within 10 feet into darkness, and bright light in the same area into dim light. You can perceive through this darkness, but it foils darkvision unless an observer’s darkvision is able to penetrate magical darkness.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, the damage increases to 4d6.

Blade Ward

Abjuration cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Duration: 1 round

You weave defensive wards around yourself. Until the end of your next turn, you have resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage dealt by weapon attacks.

The potency of your wards increases when you reach certain levels, granting you a shield bonus to your AC. The bonus is +2 at 5th level and +4 at 11th level.

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Butterfingers

1st-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

One Tiny object of your choice, such as a weapon or other handheld item, becomes difficult to grasp, with a slick surface that defies purchase. Whenever a creature starts their turn holding the item or attempts to manipulate it (such as by making an attack roll with it), they must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or lose their grip on the object. Additionally, any attempt to push or drag the object requires a successful Dexterity check contested by your spell save DC.

If a creature attempts to grapple the object, their Strength (Athletics) check is made with disadvantage.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, you can target an object one size category larger for every two spell levels above 1st, to a maximum of one Medium item at 5th level.

Censure

1st-level divination


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You magically brand a creature, granting you and your allies benefits against it.

One creature of your choice within range must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be marked for the duration. During that time, you and other friendly creatures in the area gain the following benefits:

  • You know the marked creature’s damage resistances, immunities, and vulnerabilities.
  • You always know where the marked creature is relative to your position, and it can’t benefit from being hidden or invisible against your attacks and spells, unless it is behind total cover. You can target the creature with a spell even if you can’t see it, provided the creature is a valid target otherwise.
  • Your attacks against the marked creature have advantage, and its attacks against you have disadvantage.

You can only mark one creature at a time. If you use this spell to mark another creature while the current mark lasts, that mark vanishes and the spell ends on the first target.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the duration is concentration, up to 10 minutes. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the duration is concentration, up to 1 hour. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, the duration is concentration, up to 8 hours. When you cast this spell at 5th level, the duration is concentration, up to 24 hours.


Charm

1st-level enchantment (charm)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You attempt to charm a humanoid within range. It must make a Wisdom saving throw, and does so with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it. If it fails the saving throw, it is charmed by you until the spell ends or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. The charmed creature regards you as a friendly acquaintance. When the spell ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at higher levels, you can twist the magic to achieve additional effects. For each spell level above 1st, you can target one additional humanoid; all creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them. Additionally, when you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, you can charm any kind of creature, though any non-humanoid creature you charm counts as four creatures.

Cinder Hound

1st-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a flaming elemental force in the shape of a large dog in an unoccupied space that you can see within range. The hound lasts for the duration or until it is more than 60 feet away from you. It emits bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.

The hound is a Medium creature that has an AC equal to your spell save DC, 5 hit points, and a speed of 40 feet. It is immune to fire, poison, and psychic damage. It has a bite attack with an attack bonus equal to your spellcasting ability modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a hit, the bite deals 1d8 fire damage.

As a bonus action on your turn, you can cause the hound to move up to its speed an attack one creature you can see within 5 feet of it.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the hound’s hit points increase by 5, and its bite damage increases by 1d8, for each spell level above 1st.

Clairvoyance

3rd-level divination


  • Casting Time: 10 minutes
  • Range: 1 mile
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You create an invisible, magical sensor within range in a location familiar to you (a place you have visited or seen before) or in an obvious location that is unfamiliar to you (such as behind a door, around a corner, or in a grove of trees). The sensor remains in place for the duration, and

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it can’t be attacked or otherwise interacted with.

While the sensor lasts, you can see and hear through it as though you were in the sensor’s space.

As an action, you can move the sensor up to 30 feet in any direction. The sensor can’t go beyond the range of the spell, and its passage is blocked by a solid barrier, unless the barrier has an opening at least 1 inch in diameter.

At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, the duration is concentration, up to 1 hour. If you cast this spell at 5th level or higher, the duration is 8 hours and doesn’t require concentration.

Art Credit: Lorenzo Mastroianni

Conjure Aberration

3rd-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 hour
  • Range: 90 feet
  • Components: M (a fetish worth at least 1g)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

To cast this spell, you must bind an aberrant spirit to a special fetish using a mystic ritual you learn in the process of learning this spell, otherwise the spell fails.

While holding the spirit’s fetish, you call forth its essence from the Far Realm, causing it to manifest in an unoccupied space that you can see within range. This corporeal form uses the Aberrant Spirit stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) for certain effects. When you cast the spell, choose Type I or Type II. Your choice determines certain traits in its stat block. The creature’s appearance is up to you to determine; its stats are unaffected by your preference.

The creature is an ally to you and your companions. In combat, the creature shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any, it takes the Dodge action and uses its move to avoid danger. The creature disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, use the higher level wherever the spell’s level appears in the stat block.

Conjure Celestial

3rd-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 hour
  • Range: 90 feet
  • Components: M (a reliquary worth at least 1g)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

To cast this spell, you must form a compact with a celestial and have it bless a reliquary using a mystic ritual you learn in the process of learning this spell, otherwise the spell fails.

While holding the celestial’s talisman, you call forth its essence from the upper planes, causing it to manifest in an unoccupied space that you can see within range. This corporeal form uses the Celestial Spirit stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) for certain effects. When you cast the spell, choose Type I or Type II. Your choice determines certain traits in its stat block. The creature’s appearance is up to you to determine; its stats are unaffected by your preference.

The creature is an ally to you and your companions. In combat, the creature shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any, it takes the Dodge action and uses its move to avoid danger. The creature disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, use the higher level wherever the spell’s level appears in the stat block.


Aberrant Spirit

Medium aberration, unaligned


  • Armor Class 12 + spell level (natural armour)
  • Hit Points 30 (Type I only) or 40 (Type II only) + 10 for each spell level above 3rd
  • Speed 30 ft.; fly 60 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)

  • Damage Resistances psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
  • Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  • Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 60 ft.
  • Challenge —         Proficiency Bonus equals your PB

Alien Mind. The aberration is immune to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts, and divination spells. If a creature other than a Fiend or an Undead would attempt to read the aberration’s thoughts, it must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be stunned for 1 minute.

Star Spawn (Type I Only). Each creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the aberration must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or take 2d6 psychic damage, provided that the aberration isn’t incapacitated.

Eldritch Bond. The spirit adds your proficiency bonus to any ability check or saving throw it makes.

Magic Resistance. The spirit has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The spirit makes a number of attacks equal to half the spell’s level (rounded down).

Claw (Type II Only). Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, range 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2d6 + 3 + the spell’s level slashing damage.

Slam (Type I Only). Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + 3 + the spell’s level bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 11 + PB). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the aberration can’t grapple another target.

Invisibility (Type II Only). The aberration magically becomes invisible until it attacks.

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Celestial Spirit

Large celestial, any good alignment


  • Armor Class 12 + spell level (natural armour)
  • Hit Points 30 (Type I only) or 40 (Type II only) + 10 for each spell level above 3rd
  • Speed 30 ft.; fly 60 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 15 (+2)

  • Skills Perception + (PB × 2), Stealth + (PB × 2)
  • Damage Resistances radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
  • Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, unconscious
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 plus (PB × 2)
  • Languages Celestial, telepathy 60 ft.
  • Challenge —         Proficiency Bonus equals your PB

Avenger (Type I Only). The celestial’s melee weapons deal one extra die of its damage when the celestial hits with it (included in the attack). The damage is radiant.

Defender (Type II Only). When the celestial hits a creature with an attack, it can choose a friendly creature it can see within 10 feet of itself. That creature gains temporary hit points equal to twice the spell’s level.

Eldritch Bond. The fey adds your proficiency bonus to any ability check or saving throw it makes.

Magic Resistance. The spirit has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The celestial makes a number of attacks equal to half the spell’s level (rounded down).

Radiant Bow. Ranged Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + 1 + the spell’s level piercing damage, plus 1d8 radiant damage (Type I only).

Radiant Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2d6 + 3 + the spell’s level slashing damage, plus 1d6 radiant damage (Type I only).

Healing Touch (1/Day). The celestial touches another creature. The target magically regains hit points equal to four times the spell’s level.


Conjure Elemental

3rd-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 minute
  • Range: 90 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You call forth an elemental spirit that appears in an unoccupied space that you can see within range. The spirit assumes whatever shape you choose, such as a bipedal form wreathed in the creature’s natural element, or a swirling funnel made up of that element. Whatever the creature’s form, it uses the Elemental Spirit stat block. The spirit disappears when the spell ends or when it is reduced to 0 hit points.

When you cast this spell, you choose the creature’s elemental type, which determines certain traits in its stat block. Once chosen, the type can’t be changed.

The creature is an ally to you and your companions. In combat, it shares your initiative count, but takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If you issue no commands, it follows your previous commands if they are still relevant, otherwise it takes the Dodge action and uses its movement to avoid danger.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, use the level at which you cast the spell wherever the stat block refers to the spell level.

Conjure Fey

3rd-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 hour
  • Range: 90 feet
  • Components: M (a charm worth at least 1g)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

To cast this spell, you must learn the true name of a fey and bind it to a charm using a mystic ritual you learn in the process of learning this spell, otherwise the spell fails.

While holding the fey’s charm, you call forth its essence from the Feywild, causing it to manifest in an unoccupied space that you can see within range. This corporeal form uses the Fey Spirit stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) for certain effects. When you cast the spell, choose Type I, Type II, or Type III. Your choice determines certain traits in its stat block. The creature’s appearance is up to you to determine; its stats are unaffected by your preference.

The creature is an ally to you and your companions. In combat, the creature shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any, it takes the Dodge action and uses its move to avoid danger. The creature disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, use the higher level wherever the spell’s level appears in the stat block.

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Elemental Spirit

Medium Elemental, unaligned


  • Armor Class 11 + the spell’s level
  • Hit Points 10 × the spell’s level, or 15 × the spell’s level (Earth only)
  • Speed 30 ft. or 40 ft. (Fire only); burrow 30 ft. (Earth only); fly 30 ft. (hover) (Air only); swim 30 ft. (Water only)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 6 (–2) 10 (+0) 6 (–2)

  • Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
  • Damage Immunities acid (Water only), fire (Fire only), lightning and thunder (Air only), poison
  • Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, unconscious
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  • Languages Primordial; understands the languages you speak
  • Challenge —         Proficiency Bonus equals your PB

Amorphous Form. The elemental can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Eldritch Bond. The elemental adds your proficiency bonus to any ability check or saving throw it makes.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The elemental makes a number of attacks equal to half the spell’s level (rounded down).

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + the spell’s level bludgeoning damage, or 1d6 + the spell’s level fire damage (Fire only).

 

Conjure Fiend

3rd-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 hour
  • Range: 90 feet
  • Components: M (a talisman worth at least 1g)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

To cast this spell, you must learn the true name of a fiend and bind it to a talisman using a profane ritual you learn in the process of learning this spell, otherwise the spell fails.

While holding the fiend’s talisman, you call forth its essence from the lower planes, causing it to manifest in an unoccupied space that you can see within range. This corporeal form uses the Fiendish Spirit stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) for certain


Fey Spirit

Medium fey, unaligned


  • Armor Class 13 + spell level (natural armour)
  • Hit Points 30 (Type I or Type II only) or 20 (Type III only) + 10 for each spell level above 3rd
  • Speed 30 ft.; fly 60 ft. (Type III only)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 15 (+2)

  • Skills Perception + (PB × 2), Stealth + (PB × 2)
  • Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered
  • Condition Immunities charmed, unconscious
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 plus (PB × 2)
  • Languages Sylvan, telepathy 60 ft.
  • Challenge —         Proficiency Bonus equals your PB

Brute (Type II Only). The fey’s melee weapons deal one extra die of its damage when the fey hits with it (included in the attack).

Eldritch Bond. The fey adds your proficiency bonus to any ability check or saving throw it makes.

False Appearance (Type I Only). While the fey remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary, inanimate natural feature.

Magic Resistance. The spirit has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The fey makes a number of attacks equal to half the spell’s level (rounded down).

Strike (Type I Only). Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d10 + 3 + the spell’s level bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (your choice), and if the target is a creature it must succeed on a DC 9 + PB Dexterity saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 9 + PB).

Shortsword (Type II Only). Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2d6 + 3 + the spell’s level piercing damage.

Longbow (Type III Only). Ranged Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + 3 + the spell’s level piercing damage.

Invisibility (Type III Only). The fey magically turns invisible until it attacks or casts a spell, or until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). Any equipment the fey wears or carries is invisible with it.

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effects. When you cast the spell, choose Type I, Type II, or Type III. Your choice determines certain traits in its stat block. The creature’s appearance is up to you to determine; its stats are unaffected by your preference.

The creature is an ally to you and your companions. In combat, the creature shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any, it takes the Dodge action and uses its move to avoid danger. The creature disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, use the higher level wherever the spell’s level appears in the stat block.

Contagion

5th-level necromancy (curse)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Duration: 7 days

Your touch inflicts disease. One creature you touch must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is poisoned until the spell ends as it begins to succumb to a supernatural illness. On a successful save, the creature isn’t affected.

A creature poisoned by this spell must make another Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. If it successfully saves against this spell three times, the spell ends. If it fails its saves three times, the poisoned condition ends, and it is cursed for the duration. While cursed, it is afflicted with a disease of your choice from any of the ones described below. The successes and failures don’t need to be consecutive; keep track of both until the target collects three of a kind.

Since the spell induces a natural disease in its target, any effect that removes a disease or otherwise ameliorates a disease’s effects apply to it, ending the curse.

Blinding Sickness. Pain grips the creature’s mind and its eyes turn milky white. The creature has disadvantage on Wisdom checks and Wisdom saving throws and is blinded.

Filth Fever. A raging fever sweeps through the creature’s body. The creature has disadvantage on Strength checks, Strength saving throws, and attack rolls that use Strength.

Flesh Rot. The creature’s flesh decays. The creature has disadvantage on Charisma checks and vulnerability to all damage.

Mindfire. The creature’s mind becomes feverish. The creature has disadvantage on Intelligence checks and Intelligence saving throws, and behaves as if under the effects of the confusion spell during combat.

Seizure. The creature is overcome with shaking. It has disadvantage on Dexterity checks, Dexterity saving throws, and attack rolls that use Dexterity.

Slimy Doom. The creature begins to bleed dark ichor uncontrollably. The creature has disadvantage on Constitution checks and can’t regain hit points.


Fiendish Spirit

Large fiend, any evil alignment


  • Armor Class 11 + spell level (natural armour)
  • Hit Points 50 (Type I only) or 40 (Type II and III only) + 10 for each spell level above 3rd
  • Speed 40 ft.; climb 40 ft. (Type I only); swim 40 ft. (Type II only); fly 60 ft. (Type III only)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 15 (+2)

  • Damage Resistances cold (Type II only), fire (Type I and III only); bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered
  • Damage Immunities poison
  • Condition Immunities poisoned, unconscious
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 plus PB
  • Languages Infernal, telepathy 60 ft.
  • Challenge —         Proficiency Bonus equals your PB

Amphibious (Type II Only). The fiend can breathe air and water.

Charge (Type I Only). If the fiend moves at least 15 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a melee attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (save DC 11 + PB) or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the fiend can make a melee attack against it as a bonus action.

Eldritch Bond. The fiend adds your proficiency bonus to any ability check or saving throw it makes.

Grappler (Type II Only). When the fiend strikes a target, it can grapple it (escape DC 11 + PB). It can’t grapple more than one target at a time.

Infernal Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the fiend’s darkvision.

Magic Resistance. The fiend has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The fiend makes a number of attacks equal to half the spell’s level (rounded down).

Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d10 + 3 + the spell’s level bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (your choice).

Hurl Flame (Type III Only). Ranged Spell Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, range 150 ft., one target. Hit: 2d6 + 3 + the spell’s level fire damage. If the target is a flammable object that isn’t being worn or carried, it also catches fire.

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Continual Flame

2nd-level evocation (ritual)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Duration: 8 hours or until dispelled (see text)

A flame, equivalent in brightness to a torch, springs forth from an object that you touch and lasts for the duration. The effect looks like a regular flame and produces heat, but doesn’t use oxygen and doesn’t burn anything, so it produces no smoke. A continual flame can be covered or hidden but not smothered or quenched.

If you cast this spell as a ritual over 1 hour over an object treated with at least 1g worth of a magically reactive substance such as orichalcum, the flame lasts until it is dispelled. A successful dispel magic spell suppresses a permanent flame for 10 minutes. The flame can be permanently dispelled with a successful dispel magic spell cast in a special ritual; this ritual takes 1 minute to complete, requires concentration, and expends spell points as normal.

Control Water

Transmutation cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous or up to 1 hour (see text)

You create a minor magical effect within range using an amount of water that fits within a 5-foot cube. Some common effects include:

  • You instantaneously alter the flow of water up to 5 feet in any direction. This movement doesn’t damage creatures or objects along its new course.
  • You freeze the water, provided there are no creatures in it. The water thaws in 1 hour.
  • You create a harmless water effect, such as changing the colour or opacity of the water, or creating simple shapes in the water that animate as you wish. This effect can last for up to 1 hour.

If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three non-instantaneous effects active at one time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.

At the GM’s option, you may choose an alternative effect, but it should be no more powerful than those described above. No effect of this spell should deal damage or duplicate the effects of a spell of 1st level or higher. The GM has final say on whether the spell succeeds.

Counterspell

2nd-level abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you see a creature within range casting a spell
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You attempt to interrupt a creature in the process of casting a spell with a casting time of 1 action or longer. Make an ability check with your spellcasting ability contested by the creature’s spellcasting ability check. If one contestant is casting its spell at a higher level than the other, it has advantage on their check. If you win the check, the creature’s spell fails and has no effect.

If multiple creatures use this spell to counter the same spell, the GM rolls on the Resonating Magic table below to determine what happens.

Resonating Magic
     d%      Effect
01–33 All creatures attempting to counter the spell make their own ability checks contested by a single spellcasting ability check by the target.
34–66 Only the first creature casting counterspell makes an ability check, and it is made with advantage.
67–99 Only the first creature casting counterspell makes an ability check, and the contesting ability check made by the target is made with advantage.
100 All spells fail and each creature casting a spell takes 7 (2d6) psychic damage for each level of the triggering spell.

Dark Grasp

Necromancy cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 20/60 feet
  • Components: S (see text)
  • Duration: 1 round

You extend a hand wreathed in dark magic, and a ghostly hand manifests around a creature you can see within range, holding them in place. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the creature takes 1d4 necrotic damage and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be grappled until the start of your next turn, until you end the effect (no action required), or until you are incapacitated. A restrained creature can use its action to attempt to break free, making a Strength check against your spell save DC and ending the effect on a success.

You must have a free hand to cast this spell. If you subsequently use that hand to do something other than maintain your grip on a creature you are grappling with the spell, that creature is immediately freed.

This spell’s damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4) and 11th level (3d4).

Darkness

2nd-level evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

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Magical darkness spreads from a point you choose within range to fill a 15-foot-radius sphere for the duration. The darkness spreads around corners. A creature with darkvision can’t see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can’t illuminate it.

If the point you choose is on an object you are holding or one that isn’t being worn or carried, the darkness emanates from the object and moves with it. Completely covering the source of the darkness with an opaque object, such as a bowl or a helm, blocks the darkness.

If any of this spell’s area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of a lower level, the spell that created the light is dispelled. If both spells are of the same level, the overlapping area becomes normal dim light.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the radius of the sphere increases by 5 feet for each spell level above 2nd.

Detect Magic

1st-level divination (ritual)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

For the duration, you can sense the presence of magic within 30 feet of you.

As part of casting this spell, and as an action on each subsequent turn while the spell lasts, you can focus your senses on a magical effect you sense within 30 feet of you. When you do so, you can see a faint aura around any visible creature or object affected by that effect, and you can make a spellcasting ability check to learn certain information about it, as shown on the Detect Magic Results table below. You learn the information for the check result you achieve as well as for all lower check results. You can also focus on a creature within 30 feet of you and learn if it is a Celestial, Fey, Fiend, or Undead; you needn’t be able to see the creature to focus on it, but you must be aware of its presence.

Opening your mind to the mystical nature of the world can take its toll on your sanity. The first time you do so, you suffer no adverse effect. If you cast this spell again before you finish a short or long rest, you must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or suffer 1 level of exhaustion. Each time you cast this spell again before finishing a short or long rest, the save DC increases by 5.

The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 3 feet of wood or dirt, 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, or a thin sheet of lead.

Detect Magic Results
 Check
 Result
 Information
 Learned
 5  The spell’s school of magic, if any.
 10  The spell’s level, if any.
 15  The general nature of the spell. If you know the
 spell, you learn which spell it is.
 20  The spell’s save DC, if any.
 25 or
 higher
 Approximately how long ago the spell was cast,
 and whether the caster’s level is higher than,
 lower than, or equal to your own.

Dispel Magic

1st-level abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

Choose one creature, object, or magical effect within range. Make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell’s level, or the DC of the magical effect. On a successful check, the effect ends. If you targeted a creature, make a separate check for each spell on the target, ending that spell on a success.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at a level higher than the level of the spell you are attempting to dispel, you have advantage on your spellcasting ability check.

Empathy

Divination cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You gain insight into the current mood or disposition of one creature you can see that you haven’t targeted with this spell already in the last 24 hours. The target must have an Intelligence of 4 or higher, otherwise the spell fails. An unwilling target can make a Charisma saving throw, resisting the spell on a success. If the result of the creature’s saving throw is equal to or higher than your spellcasting ability score, they become aware that they were targeted by magic and may become hostile to whomever they believe responsible.

When you cast this spell, choose one of the options below.

Disposition. You learn if the creature is hostile, indifferent, or friendly to you.

Mood. You learn the creature’s current emotional state, such as if the creature is feeling apprehensive, happy, angry, or neutral.

Feather Fall

1st-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you or a creature within 60 feet of you falls
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: 1 minute

Choose up to six falling creatures within range. A falling creature’s rate of descent slows to 60 feet per round until the spell ends. If the creature lands before the spell ends, it takes no falling damage and can land on its feet, and the spell ends for that creature.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, you can target two additional creatures for each spell level above 1st.

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Fiendish Transformation

6th-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: M (a talisman worth 1g, which is a focus)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Drawing on infernal power bound to a special talisman, you transform yourself into a fiendish form. You gain the following benefits until the spell ends:

  • You gain resistance to fire and poison damage, as well as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered.
  • You are immune to the poisoned condition.
  • You gain natural weapons, such as claws and teeth, which are magical and deal 3d6 slashing or piercing damage (your choice).
  • Leathery wings appear on your back, giving you a flying speed of 40 feet.
  • You have a +8 natural armour bonus to your AC.
  • You can attack twice, instead of once, when you take the Attack action on your turn. You ignore this benefit if you already have a feature, like Extra Attack, that lets you attack more than once when you take the Attack action on your turn.

Fiendish Weapon

6th-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: Self
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You evoke a blade of black iron in your free hand. The blade is engraved with glowing red runes and is similar in size and shape to a longsword, and it lasts for the duration. If you let go of the blade, it disappears, but you can evoke the blade again as a bonus action.

You can use your action to make a melee spell attack with the blade against a target within 5 feet of you. On a hit, the target takes 5d8 slashing damage, or 5d10 slashing damage if you wield the sword in two hands, and the target must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

Final Remembrance

2nd-level divination


  • Casting Time: 1 minute
  • Range: Self
  • Duration: 1 minute

You touch the corpse of a creature that has been dead no longer than 24 hours. Until the spell ends, you are blinded, and perceive the final minute of the creature’s life from its perspective, seeing everything it saw.

The spell has no effect on a corpse of a blind creature or a creature that doesn’t have eyes, including if the eyes were removed after death.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the duration increases to 10 minutes, and you can perceive the final 10 minutes of a creature’s life. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, the duration increases to 1 hour, and you can perceive the final hour of a creature’s life. When you cast this spell at 5th level, the duration increases to 8 hours, and you can perceive the final 8 hours of a creature’s life.

Find Familiar

1st-level conjuration (ritual)


  • Casting Time: 1 hour
  • Range: 10 feet
  • Components: M (1g worth of rare herbs, gems, or other magical reagents)
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You gain the service of a familiar, a spirit that takes the shape of an animal or other Tiny creature (such as an imp or an ice mephit) of your choice.

Appearing in an unoccupied space within range, the familiar has the statistics found in the stat block below, using your proficiency bonus (PB) for certain features. Your GM will determine if your familiar possesses any of the features, actions, and traits described in the stat block based on the form you choose; it always has the Eldritch Bond feature. When you complete a short or long rest, you can cause your familiar to change its form to a new shape.

Your familiar acts independently of you, but it always obeys your commands. In combat, it shares your turn, moving and acting as you direct it. A familiar can’t attack, but it can take other actions as normal.

When you or the familiar drop to 0 hit points, the familiar disappears, leaving behind no physical form. You can re-summon it by casting this spell again.

As an action, you can temporarily dismiss your familiar, along with one Tiny item it carries, such as a scrap of paper or a small key. The familiar disappears into a pocket dimension where it awaits your summons. Alternatively, you can dismiss it forever. As an action while it is temporarily dismissed, you can cause it to reappear in any unoccupied space within 30 feet of you.

While your familiar is within 100 feet of you, you can communicate with it telepathically. The familiar’s ability to respond is limited to feelings and basic concepts. Additionally, as an action, you can see through your familiar’s eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the familiar has. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses.

Finally, when you cast a spell with a range of touch, your familiar can deliver the spell as if it had cast the spell. Your familiar must be within 100 feet of you, and it must use its reaction to deliver the spell when you cast it. If the spell requires an attack roll, you use your attack modifier for the roll.

You can’t have more than one familiar at a time.

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Familiar

Tiny Celestial, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, or Monstrosity (shapechanger), unaligned


  • Armor Class 13
  • Hit Points (your level × 2) (the companion has a number of Hit Dice [d4s] equal to your spellcaster level)
  • Speed 20 ft.; fly 60 ft., burrow 10 ft., climb 30 ft., or swim 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
6 (–2) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)

  • Saving Throws Dex +3 plus PB
  • Skills Perception +1 plus (PB × 2)
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 plus (PB × 2)
  • Languages understands the languages you speak
  • Challenge —         Proficiency Bonus equals your PB

Amphibious. The familiar can breathe both air and water.

Eldritch Bond. The familiar adds your proficiency bonus to any ability check or saving throw it makes.

Flyby. The familiar provokes no opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy’s reach.

Keen Senses. The familiar has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight, hearing, and/or smell (the GM determines which apply).

Spider Walk. The familiar can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check, and ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.

Venom. A creature hit by the familiar’s natural weapon attacks must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC, taking 5 (2d4) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

REACTIONS

Channel Magic. The familiar delivers a spell you cast that has a range of touch. The familiar must be within 100 feet of you.

Flash Freeze

Evocation cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You cause one creature of that you can see within range to be covered in a layer of numbing rime. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 1d6 cold damage and have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.

The spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6) and 11th level (3d6).

Flame Blast

1st-level evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self (15-foot cone)
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You unleash a roaring sheet of flames before you. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 3d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

The fire ignites any flammable objects in the area that aren’t being worn or carried.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each spell level above 1st.

Glitterdust

2nd-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self (15-foot cone)
  • Duration: 1 minute

You cause a blast of magical, reflective particles similar to flakes of mica to erupt in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in the area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be blinded for the duration and be unable to benefit from invisibility. A creature blinded by this spell can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

The glitter particles fade when the spell ends, but don’t entirely disappear. Targets who fail their save against this spell will continue to find lingering particles on their person or belongings for up to 2d4 + 4 days.

Grease

1st-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: 1 minute

Slick grease covers the ground in a 10-foot square centred on a point within range and turns it into difficult terrain. The grease lasts for the duration of the spell or until you cast this spell again.

When the grease appears, each creature standing in its area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. A creature that enters the area or ends its turn there must also succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone.

When you cast this spell, you can choose whether to create flammable or non-flammable grease.

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    Flammable. The grease is flammable. Any 5-foot square of grease exposed to fire burns away in 1 round, dealing 2d4 fire damage to any creature that starts its turn in the fire.

Non-flammable. When this spell is cast, the grease instantly smothers open flames on the ground, such as a campfire or a dropped torch. It can’t be ignited, even by magical flames.

Guidance

Divination cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when a creature within range makes an ability check
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You use a brief surge of magic bolster or guide a creature’s efforts. A creature you can see within range can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the triggering ability check. You can cast this spell after the creature makes the ability check, but before the GM determines the result.

An ability check can only trigger this spell if it is associated with a single visible activity, such as picking a lock or attempting a running leap. Ability checks that have no associated activity, such as an Intelligence (History) check or an initiative check, and ability checks that represent an extended series of activities, such as haggling over the price of goods or crafting an item, can’t trigger this spell.

Gust

Transmutation cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous or up to 1 hour (see text)

You create a minor magical effect using air within range. Some common effects include:

  • One Medium or smaller creature that you choose must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 5 feet in a direction of your choice.
  • One object weighing no more than 10 pounds that is not being worn or carried is pushed up to 10 feet. The push itself is harmless, but fragile items can be smashed against hard surfaces.
  • You create a harmless air effect, such as causing your hair to blow, a window shutter to close, or a small cyclone of leaves to pick up. This effect can last for up to 1 hour.

If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three non-instantaneous effects active at one time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.

At the GM’s option, you may choose an alternative effect, but it should be no more powerful than those described above. No effect of this spell should deal damage or duplicate the effects of a spell of 1st level or higher. The GM has final say on whether the spell succeeds.


Healing Touch

1st-level evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You channel restorative power into a creature you touch, replenishing its vitality and healing its injuries. The target can spend and roll one of its unspent Hit Dice and regain a number of hit points equal to the roll plus your spellcasting ability modifier.

This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the target can spend one additional Hit Die, and regains an additional 1d8 hit points, for each spell level above 1st.

Heat Metal

2nd-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Choose a Small or smaller, unattended metal object, such as a metal weapon or a metal shield sized for a Medium creature (but not a composite of multiple metal objects, such as a suit of mail or plate armour), that you can see within range. You cause the object to glow red-hot. Any creature in physical contact with the object takes 2d8 fire damage when you cast the spell. Until the spell ends, you can use a bonus action on each of your subsequent turns to cause this damage again.

If a creature is holding or wearing the object and takes the damage from it, the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or drop the object if it can. If it doesn’t drop the object, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the start of your next turn. A nonmagical weapon affected by this spell that is used to make a melee weapon attack suffers a permanent and cumulative –1 penalty to attack and damage rolls. If this penalty drops to –5, the weapon is destroyed. This damage can be repaired by a skilled weaponsmith or with minor arcana or similar magic.

The spell ends if the object is ever beyond the range of the spell or if it has total cover from you at the start of your turn.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each spell level above 2nd.

Hellish Rebuke

1st-level evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take in response to being damaged by a creature within 60 feet of you that you can see
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

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You fix your glare on the creature that damaged you, and it is momentarily engulfed in hellish flames. The creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. It takes 2d10 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each spell level above 1st.

Hellfire Chains

5th-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Blazing chains of red fire wrap around a target. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 6d6 fire damage and is restrained for the duration. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage. The chains shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.

At the end of each of its turns, a restrained target repeats the saving throw. It takes 3d6 fire damage on a failed save, and the spell ends on a successful one. These magical flames can’t be extinguished by nonmagical means.

If damage from this spell kills a target, the target is turned to ash.

Hold Creature

2nd-level enchantment


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Choose a humanoid that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed for the duration. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target.

This spell has no effect on constructs or undead.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional creature humanoid within range; all creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them. Additionally, when you cast this spell at 5th level or higher, you can target any kind of creature, though any non-humanoid creature you target counts as four creatures.

Hypnotic Pattern

3rd-level illusion (charm)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self (30-foot cube)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a twisting pattern of colours that extends from out from you. Each creature in the spell’s area must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes charmed for the duration. While charmed by this spell, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0.

A creature that isn’t surprised can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If it does so, it can’t see you until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If it looks at you in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.

The spell ends for an affected creature if it takes any damage or if someone else uses an action to shake the creature out of its stupor.

Hysteria

1st-level enchantment (charm)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A creature of your choice that you can see within range is afflicted with uncontrollable laughter if affected by this spell. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or fall prone, becoming incapacitated and unable to stand up for the duration. A creature with an Intelligence score below 5 isn’t affected.

At the end of each of its turns, and each time it takes damage, the target can make another Wisdom saving throw. The target has advantage on the saving throw if it’s triggered by damage. On a success, the spell ends.

Ice Bomb

1st-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

A mote of elemental cold streaks out from your space to a point you choose within range and then erupts in a freezing sphere. Each creature in a 5-foot-radius sphere centred on that point must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 1d6 piercing damage and 1d6 cold damage, and its speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and its speed is not reduced.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the cold damage increases by 1d6 for each spell level above 1st.

Immolate

5th-level evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

One creature you can see within range begins to spontaneously combust. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes 8d8 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, the target also burns for the spell’s duration. A burning target repeats the saving throw at the start of each of its turns while the spell lasts, taking 2d8 fire damage on a failed save, and ending the spell on a successful one. These magical flames can’t be extinguished by nonmagical means.

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Instant Summons

2nd-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 5 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You magically summon one object marked with your arcane mark. The item must weigh no more than 10 pounds (including its contents, if any) and be no longer than 10 feet in its longest dimension, and it must be on the same plane of existence when you cast this spell. It instantly appears in your hand or in the closest unoccupied space in range (your choice).

If another creature is holding or carrying the item, the item isn’t transported to you, and that creature must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, you learn the identity of the creature possessing the object and roughly where that creature is located at that moment.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the maximum weight of the object increases by 5 pounds and the maximum dimension increases by 1 foot, both for each level above 2nd.

Invisibility

2nd-level illusion


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You or a creature you touch becomes invisible until the spell ends. Anything the target is wearing or carrying is invisible as long as it is on the target’s person. The spell ends for a target that attacks or casts a spell.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or hgher, you can target one additional creature for each spell level above 2nd. When you cast this spell at 4th level, you can cast a more potent version of this spell targeting yourself or one other creature; this version of the spell does not end if the target attacks or casts a spell, but the duration is concentration, up to 1 minute.

Knock

2nd-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

Choose an object that you can see within range. The object can be a door, a box, a chest, a set of manacles, a padlock, or another object that contains a mundane or magical means that prevents access.

A target that is held shut by a mundane lock or that is stuck or barred becomes unlocked, unstuck, or unbarred. If the object has multiple locks, only one of them is unlocked.

If you choose a target that is held shut with an arcane lock spell cast at a lower level than this spell, the effect of the arcane lock is suppressed for 10 minutes, during which time the target can be opened and shut normally. If the arcane lock spell was cast at the same level or a higher level than this spell, you must make a spellcasting ability check to suppress the lock. The DC for this check is 10 + the level of the arcane lock spell.

When you cast the spell, a loud knock, audible from as far away as 300 feet, emanates from the target object.

Legend Lore

5th-level divination


  • Casting Time: 10 minutes
  • Range: Self
  • Components: M (rare incense or herbs worth at least 1g, which the spell consumes)
  • Duration: Instantaneous

Name or describe a person, place, or object. The spell brings to your mind a brief summary of the significant lore about the thing you named, drawn from echoes of knowledge that drift about the Astral Plane. The lore might consist of current tales, forgotten stories, or even secret lore that has never been widely known. If the thing you named isn’t of legendary importance, you gain no information. The more information you already have about the thing, the more precise and detailed the information you receive.

The information you learn is accurate but might be couched in figurative language. For example, if you are trying to learn about the dark cult known as the Order of the Cloven Horn, the spell might yield this information: “Pledged in darkness, sealed in blood, seekers of the ancient laws. No angel, god, or holy light doth guide them in their wicked cause. By horn of ram and rule of three they work an old and baleful spell to break the seven sacred seals and open wide the gates of hell.”

Levitate

2nd-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You gain the ability to gently move or manipulate creatures and objects by thought.

When you cast the spell, and as an action on each subsequent round for the duration, you can exert your will on one Medium or smaller creature or object that you can see within range, causing it to move up to 30 feet in a direction of your choice. An unwilling creature that succeeds on a Constitution saving throw is unaffected. If you do not use your action to move the target on a turn, it remains in place, even if it would be left suspended in midair.

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    If you target another creature, that creature can only move on its turn by pushing or pulling against a sufficiently heavy or fixed object, creature, or surface within reach (such as a wall or ceiling). An unwilling creature that has secured purchase in this way can only be moved by succeeding a spellcasting ability check contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) check.

When the spell ends, the target floats gently to the ground if it is still aloft.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, you can lift a Large or smaller target.

Locate Creature/Object

2nd-level divination (ritual)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Describe or name a creature or object that is familiar to you. You sense the direction to the target’s location, as long as that object is within 1,000 feet of you. If the target is in motion, you know the direction of its movement.

The spell can locate a specific creature or object known to you, or the nearest the nearest creature or object of a specific kind (such as the nearest human or gold necklace), as long as you have seen such a creature or item up close—within 30 feet—at least once. If the creature or object you described or named is in a different form, such as being under the effects of a transmutation spell, this spell doesn’t locate that target.

This spell can’t locate a target if running water at least 10 feet wide blocks a direct path between you and the target, or if the target is behind 3 feet of wood or dirt, 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, or a thin sheet of lead.

At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the duration is concentration, up to 10 minutes. If you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, the duration is concentration, up to 1 hour. If you cast this spell at 5th level or higher, the duration is 8 hours and doesn’t require concentration.

Longstrider

1st-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You touch a creature. Until the spell ends, the target’s speed increases by 10 feet and its jump distance is tripled. Additionally, it can take the Dash action as a bonus action on its turn.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each spell level above 1st, provided all targets are in physical contact with at least one other target, such as by linking hands. Additionally, when you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the speed of all targets increases by 30 feet instead of 10 feet.


Mage Armour

1st-level abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Duration: 8 hours

You touch a willing creature and weave a protective armour of magical force around it. Until the spell ends, the target gains a +5 armour bonus to its AC.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the armour bonus increases by 1 for each spell level above 1st.

Magic Circle

3rd-level abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 minute
  • Range: 10 feet
  • Components: M (magically reactive substances worth at least 1g, which the spell consumes)
  • Duration: 1 hour

You create a cylinder of magical energy, up to 10 feet in radius and 20 feet in high, centred on a point on the ground that you can see within range. Choose one or more of the following types of creatures: celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, or undead. The circle affects a creature of the chosen type in the following ways:

  • The creature can’t willingly enter the cylinder by nonmagical means. If the creature tries to use teleportation or interplanar travel to do so, it must first succeed on a Charisma saving throw.
  • The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets within the cylinder.
  • Targets within the cylinder can’t be charmed, frightened, or possessed by the creature.

When you cast this spell, you can elect to cause its magic to operate in the reverse direction, preventing a creature of the specified type from leaving the cylinder and protecting targets outside it.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, the duration increases to 8 hours. When you cast this spell at 5th level or higher, the duration increases to 24 hours.

Magic Missile

1st-level evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 120 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You create three glowing darts of magical force. Each dart hits one creature or object of your choice that you can see within range. A dart deals 1d4 + 1 force damage to its target. The darts all strike simultaneously.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, you create one additional dart for each spell level above 1st.

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Magic Weapon

1st-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: Touch
  • Duration: 10 minutes

You touch a nonmagical weapon. Until the spell ends, that weapon becomes a magic weapon with a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls.

This spell ends if you cast it again.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, the bonus increases to +2.

Mass Suggestion

6th-level enchantment


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 8 hours

This spell functions identically to the suggestion spell, except that you can affect up to twelve creatures with your suggestion.

Mental Barrier

2nd-level abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you are forced to make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw
  • Range: Self
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You call up psychic wards to protect your mind from intrusion. Until the start of your next turn, you have advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws.

Mind Strike

2nd-level divination


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: 1 round

You bore into the mind of a creature you can see within range, gleaning insights into its defences. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d10 psychic damage and it has disadvantage on the next saving throw you force it to make before the end of your next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and does not have disadvantage from this spell.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each spell level above 2nd.

Minor Arcana

Transmutation cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 10 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous or up to 1 hour (see text)

This is a minor utility spell taught to novice spellcasters for practice. You create a small, harmless magical effect within range. Some common effects include:

  • You create an instantaneous sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odour.
  • You instantaneously light or snuff a torch or small campfire.
  • You instantaneously repair a single break or tear in an object you touch, such as a broken chain link, a torn cloak, or a leaking wineskin, as long as the break or tear is no larger than 1 foot in any dimension. (Constructs and magic items repaired in this way do not have their magic restored.)
  • You create an image of an object or creature within range that lasts for 1 hour. The image must be no larger than a 5-foot cube. A successful Intelligence (Investigation) check or physical interaction with the image reveals it to be an illusion.
  • You chill, warm, or flavour up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour.
  • You lift and manipulate an object up to 10 pounds within range for 1 hour.
  • You cause your voice to boom up to three times as loud as normal for 1 hour.

If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three non-instantaneous effects active at one time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.

Minor Divination

Divination cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 5 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

This spell is a minor magical trick used by diviners to learn benign pieces of information about a subject by reading patterns in the lines of its hands or the dredges of its teacup, by assensing its aura, or through some other divinatory practice. When you cast this spell, you can learn a minor fact of your choice about a creature you can see, which must remain within 5 feet of you throughout the casting. Some possible facts you might learn include:

  • The target’s age in years.
  • One of the creature’s bonds, goals, or flaws, if it has any.
  • The target’s placement in an astrological system you are both familiar with, such as an associated element, animal, lunar phase, or celestial constellation.
  • Whether the target is left-handed, right-handed, or ambidextrous.
  • Whether the target has ever experienced reciprocal, romantic love, and whether such a relationship has ended or is ongoing.
  • The target’s favourite food or number, if it has one.

At the GM’s option, other information can be gleaned using this spell. The information should be no more

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meaningful than the examples provided above. This spell might produce misleading results when targeting a shapechanger in a form other than its natural state.

Nondetection

2nd-level divination


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: M (a gemstone or talisman worth at least 1g, which is a focus)
  • Duration: 8 hours

For the duration, you hide a target that you touch from divination magic. The target can be a willing creature, or an area or object up to 10 feet in any dimension. You must anchor the spell to a focus; if you target a creature, that creature must keep the focus on its body.

The target can’t be targeted by any divination magic or perceived through magical scrying sensors, unless from a spell cast at a higher level. Additionally, if the target is a creature, other creatures can’t communicate with the target telepathically unless the target wishes to receive their messages.

If the focus is destroyed or a target creature removes it, the spell ends.

Pass Without Trace

2nd-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A veil of shadows and silence radiates from you, masking you and your companions from detection. For the duration, each creature you choose within 30 feet of you (including you) has a +5 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks, and it doesn’t suffer penalties on Dexterity (Stealth) checks from cumbersome armour or being encumbered. A creature that receives this bonus leaves behind no tracks or other traces of its passage and can’t be tracked except by magical means.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the duration of the spell is concentration, up to 10 minutes. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, the duration of the spell is concentration, up to 1 hour. When you cast this spell at 5th level or higher, the duration of the spell is 8 hours and it doesn’t require concentration.

Phantom Steeds

3rd-level illusion


  • Casting Time: 1 minute
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: 8 hours

You create up to eight Large, quasi-real horselike creatures to appear on the ground in unoccupied spaces within range. You decide their appearance, but they are equipped with a saddle, bit, and bridle. Any of the equipment created by the spell vanishes in a puff of smoke if it is carried more than 10 feet away from the steed.

For the duration, you or a creature you choose can ride the steeds, which obey their riders’ commands. The steeds use the statistics for a riding horse, except that they have a speed of 100 feet and can travel 10 miles in an hour, or 13 miles at a fast pace. Additionally, the steeds ignore difficult terrain and have a long jump distance of up to 30 feet. The steeds can’t attack, and disappear if they take any damage or move more than 1 mile away from you. As an action while the spell lasts, you can cause a steed that has disappeared to reappear within 30 feet of you.

When the spell ends, the steeds gradually fade, giving the riders 1 minute to dismount. The spell ends if you use an action to dismiss it or if all the steeds disappear.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, you can create two additional steeds for each spell level above 3rd.

Protection From Energy

3rd-level abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Duration: 1 hour

For the duration, or until you cast this spell again, one willing creature you touch has resistance to one damage type of your choice: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, you grant resistance to one additional willing creature for each spell level above 3rd. All creatures must be in direct contact, such as by linking hands.

Psychic Prison

4th-level enchantment


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You assail the mind of one creature you can see within range, threatening to draw it into a prison of its own mind. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or suffer disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until the spell ends. If the target’s save fails by 5 or more, the creature is also incapacitated until the end of its next turn. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Intelligence saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target.

Psychic Surge

2nd-level divination


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You reach into the mind of one creature you can see within range. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw, taking 3d8 psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. On a failed save, the target’s thoughts become mired with disruptive intrusions for the duration. At the start of its turn, it rolls

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a d6 and subtracts the number rolled from all its attack rolls and ability checks, as well as its Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration. The target can make a Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each spell level above 2nd.

Psychometry

2nd-level divination (ritual)


  • Casting Time: 1 minute
  • Range: 5 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

Choose an object within range or your immediate surroundings (a room, street, tunnel, clearing, or other space no larger than a 50-foot cube). For the duration, you can perceive dreamlike glimpses of people and events associated with the place or object.

For each minute you concentrate on this spell, you can call up visions of one of the following:

  • The most recent significant event involving an object and its owner, or that took place within the immediate vicinity, within the past week. A significant event might be a wedding, a battle, a murder, or a similar occurrence of strong violence or emotion. By concentrating on this option for multiple rounds, you call up visions about additional significant events within the past week in reverse chronological order.
  • How the most recent owner acquired and lost the object, provided the object was owned within the past week. By concentrating for multiple rounds, you call up visions of the same information about any previous owners of the object within the past week in reverse chronological order.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, the window for information increases to 1 month. When you cast this spell at 5th level or higher, the window for information increases to 1 year.

Pyromancy

Transmutation cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous or up to 1 hour (see text)

You create a minor magical effect within range using flames that fit within a 5-foot cube. Some common effects include:

  • You instantaneously create or extinguish flames within the cube. Once created, the flames require fuel to be sustained.
  • You double or halve the area of bright and dim light cast by the flame. The change lasts for 1 hour.
  • You create a harmless flame effect, such as the appearance of shapes or patterns within the flames that animate as you wish, or changing the colour of the fire. This effect can last for up to 1 hour.

If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three non-instantaneous effects active at one time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.

At the GM’s option, you may choose an alternative effect, but it should be no more powerful than those described above. No effect of this spell should deal damage or duplicate the effects of a spell of 1st level or higher. The GM has final say on whether the spell succeeds.

Ray of Enfeeblement

2nd-level necromancy (curse)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 20/60 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You unleash a black beam of enervating energy toward a creature you can see within 60 feet of you. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target is cursed until the spell ends. While cursed, the target suffers a –2 penalty to attack rolls and saving throws that use Strength, and deals only half damage with weapon attacks that use Strength.

At the end of each of a cursed target’s turns, it can make a Constitution saving throw against the spell. On a success, the spell ends.

Ray of Sickness

1st-level necromancy


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

A ray of sickening greenish energy lashes out toward a creature within range. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 2d8 poison damage and is poisoned until the end of your next turn. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and is not poisoned.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each spell level above 1st.

Resistance

Abjuration cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when a creature you can see within range makes a saving throw
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You bolster a creature’s defences with a spark of protective magic. A creature you can see within range can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the triggering saving throw. You can cast this spell after the creature makes the saving throw, but before the GM determines the result.

A saving can only trigger this spell if it is associated with a single visible effect, such as a dragon’s fiery breath or a cloud of poison gas. Saving throws made against effects that aren’t visible, such as the Wisdom

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save made to resist the scrying spell, and saving throws that represent resilience over extended periods, such as the Constitution saving throw made to resist exhaustion during a forced march, can’t trigger this spell.

Remove Curse

2nd-level abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You touch one creature or object and end all curses affecting it. If the object is a cursed magical item, it remains cursed, but the owner’s attunement to the object is broken so it can be removed or discarded.

This spell can end curses caused by spells with the curse tag. For each such effect on the target, make a spellcasting ability check (DC 10 + the level of the curse spell), ending the curse spell on a success. If you cast this spell at a higher level than the curse spell, you have advantage on this check.

Scrying

5th-level divination (ritual)


  • Casting Time: 10 minutes
  • Range: Self
  • Components: M (a focus worth at least 10 gp, such as a black mirror, a crystal ball, or a silver bowl filled with holy water)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You can see and hear a particular creature you choose that is on the same plane of existence as you. The target must be a creature you have met or that has been described to you by someone who has firsthand knowledge of it.

The target makes a Wisdom saving throw, which is modified by how well you know the target and the sort of physical connections you have to it. If a target knows you’re casting this spell, it can choose to fail the saving throw voluntarily as normal.

 
  Knowledge Save Modifier
  Secondhand (you have heard
  of the target)
+5
  Firsthand (you have met the
  target)
+0
  Familiar (you know the
  target well)
–5
 
  Connection Save Modifier
  Likeness or picture –2
  Possession or garment –4
  Lock of hair, nail clippings, or
  the like
–10

On a successful save, the target isn’t affected, and you can’t target it with this spell again for 24 hours.

On a failed save, the spell manifests an invisible sensor within 10 feet of the target. You can see and hear through the sensor as if you were there. The sensor moves with the target, remaining within 10 feet of it for the duration. A creature that can see invisible objects perceives the sensor as a luminous, fist-sized orb.

Instead of targeting a creature, you can choose a location or object with which you are familiar. If the object is carried by another creature, the creature makes a Wisdom saving throw for the object, unless you have an active mark on the item (see the arcane mark spell).

Sending

2nd-level divination


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Unlimited
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You transmit a brief message, up to about twenty or thirty words, to a creature with which you are familiar. The creature hears the message in its mind, recognizes you as the sender if it knows you, and can answer in a like manner within

Shadow Step

4th-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Duration: 10 minutes

When you cast this spell, and then as a bonus action on each of your turns until the spell ends, you can briefly shunt yourself into the quasi-real paths that form the border of the Shadowfell, teleporting to an unoccupied space you can see within 60 feet. You must begin and end this teleportation in areas of dim light or darkness. This spell doesn’t function in areas where the Shadowfell is unreachable, such as a godly domain in the Astral Plane.

Shape Earth

Transmutation cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous or up to 1 hour (see text)

You create a minor magical effect within range using an amount of dirt or stone that fits within a 5-foot cube. Some common effects include:

  • An area of loose earth is instantaneously shifted and deposited up to 5 feet away. The earth must move along the ground to reach its new destination, and it doesn’t harm creatures or objects along the way.
  • The dirt or stone in the area becomes difficult terrain. Alternatively, if it was already difficult terrain, it becomes normal terrain. The change lasts for 1 hour.
  • You create a harmless earth effect, such as shaping images or patterns (including letters) in soil or changing the colour of the stone. This effect can last for up to 1 hour.

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If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three non-instantaneous effects active at one time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.

At the GM’s option, you may choose an alternative effect, but it should be no more powerful than those described above. No effect of this spell should deal damage or duplicate the effects of a spell of 1st level or higher. The GM has final say on whether the spell succeeds.

Shield

1st-level abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you are hit by an attack or targeted by the magic missile spell
  • Range: Self
  • Duration: 1 round

An invisible barrier of magical force appears and protects you. Until the start of your next turn, you gain a +2 shield bonus to AC, including against the triggering attack, and you take no damage from magic missile.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the shield bonus increases by 2 for each spell level above 1st.

Silence

2nd-level transmutation (ritual)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

For the duration, you can manipulate sound within a sphere centred on a point of your choice that you can see within range with a radius of up to 20 feet. Creatures outside the area have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to hear noise originating from within the spell’s area.

Additionally, choose one of the following options when you cast this spell:

Deafening. Within the spell’s area, sound can’t travel. Loud noises become no louder than whispers, and soft noises are all but impossible to hear. Any creature or object entirely inside the sphere is deafened, but has resistance to thunder damage.

Non-Deafening. Useful for foiling eavesdroppers, this option allows sound to travel normally within the area while still preventing it from being heard by those outside. Additionally, when you cast this spell and as a bonus action on each of your subsequent turns, you can allow or prevent external noise from entering the area.

Starburst

1st-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You conjure an orb of sickly purple light from the cold void and send it streaking at one creature or object within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the

Art Credit: Bogna Gawrońska

target. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 force damage. Regardless of whether the attack hits, the orb then explodes. The target and each creature within 5 feet of it must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d8 force damage.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the damage from the explosion increases by 1d8 for each spell levels above 2nd.

Stoneskin

4th-level abjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: M (magically treated dust from a hard substance, such as diamonds or orichalcum, worth at least 1g, which the spell consumes)
  • Duration: 1 hour

You touch a willing creature and turn its flesh as hard as stone. Until the spell ends, the target has resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. It takes 1 hour to magically prepare enough dust for one casting of this spell. You can perform this preparation as part of a short or long rest.

Suggestion

2nd-level enchantment (charm)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 8 hours

You magically influence a creature you can see within range that can hear and understand you. Creatures that can’t be charmed are immune to this effect. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. It has advantage on this save if it is hostile to you or your companions. On a failed save, it is charmed by you until the spell ends. The spell ends early if you or your companions damage the target or if it is freed from your charm. When the spell ends, the creature knows that it was charmed.

Choose one of the following options when you cast this spell.

Action. You describe a simple and straightforward course of action—limited to a few sentences—that the target must follow. The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to sound reasonable or else the spell automatically fails. For instance, suggesting that a guard skip his next walkabout will likely fail, but suggesting that he focus his attention in an area where outlaws are said to be passing through that day would likely succeed. Likewise, suggesting that the target turn on its allies, harm itself, give up its precious belongings, or otherwise act not in its own best interests simply fails.

You can specify conditions that will trigger a special activity during the spell’s duration. For example, you might suggest that an injured goblin tell the next raiding party that comes along that you and your companions went a different direction. If the condition isn’t met before the spell ends, the activity isn’t performed.

The spell ends when the target completes the task.

Behind the Veil: Suggestion

The suggestion spell has too many applications to effectively summarize, but that doesn’t mean it is without limitations.

When using this spell, consider the potential uses as if they were equivalent to a DC 30 Charisma check. Regardless of how friendly you and the target become, they aren’t about to believe things that are obviously false or engage in activity that is not based in logic.

Additionally, remember that spells are not subtle effects. Though the target of the spell won’t notice, their companions could hardly miss that your eyes flashed gold and your voice carried an echoing resonance as you spoke.

Finally, remember that suggestion isn’t mind control; charm doesn’t even change the creature’s attitude toward the charmer. All it does is grant advantage on ability checks to interact with the creature while preventing the creature from attacking or targeting the charmer with harmful abilities. If a spell changes a creature’s perception or attitude toward the charmer, it says so.

 

    Idea. You impart a simple and straightforward idea that the target accepts as inviolable truth. The idea must be logical and easy to grasp, such as that they have mistaken your identity or that your gold coins from a neighbouring nation are acceptable. Attempting to make the target believe something obviously untrue, such as that the sky is green or that a nearby building is engulfed in flames when it plainly is not, automatically ends the spell. The spell lasts for the duration, during which time the target rationalizes any contradictory information it receives.

Telekinesis

1st-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You remotely exert force on a target within range.

One Medium creature or object you can see within range that weighs no more than 500 pounds is affected by an option of your choice from below. As an action on each of your turns, you can maintain the same effect or switch to another option of your choice.

Grasp. The target is anchored in place. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained until this effect ends. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Strength saving throw, ending the effect on a success. If the target is an object, a creature attempting to move the object must first make a Strength check against your spellcasting ability check. You can attempt to crush a grasped creature or object, dealing 1d8 bludgeoning damage to it.

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    Move. You attempt to move the target in a direction of your choice. The destination must be within the range of the spell. You can move a creature up to 5 feet, or an object up to 15 feet. An unwilling creature can make a Strength check contested by your spellcasting ability check to avoid this effect. If the result of your check exceeds that of the target by 5 or more, or the creature is not unwilling, you can also knock it prone. If you target an object that is being worn or carried by a creature, the creature can make a Strength saving throw to prevent the object from being moved.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, you can expand its effects. For each spell level above 1st, choose one of the options below (you can choose the same options more than once). You determine which option or options apply when you cast the spell, and they can’t be changed.

Additional Target. You can target one additional creature or object you can see within range. All targets must be within 10 feet of each other.

Choking Grasp. A grasped creature is unable to breathe.

Crushing Grasp. The bludgeoning damage dealt to a grasped target increases by 1d8.

Extra Movement. The distance the target can be moved increases by 5 feet.

Forceful Move. You move the target with exceptional force. If the target encounters a solid object such as a wall or a door that interrupts the distance it would be moved, it takes 1d8 bludgeoning damage for each remaining 5 feet of movement, rounded down (minimum of 1d8).

Larger Target. You can affect a creature one size category larger or an object 250 pounds heavier. This option counts as two choices each time you select it, to a maximum of twice when you cast this spell at 5th level or higher.

Telepathic Bond

2nd-level divination (ritual)


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: M (a focus worth at least 1g, such as a mirror or a clear crystal, which is broken or cleaved into the required number of pieces and distributed to each target of the spell)
  • Duration: 10 minutes

You forge a telepathic link among up to eight willing creatures holding a piece of the spell’s focus, psychically linking each creature to all the others for the duration or until they stop wearing or carrying a piece of the focus. Creatures with Intelligence scores of 2 or less aren’t affected by this spell.

Until the spell ends, the targets can communicate telepathically through the bond whether or not they have a common language. The communication is possible to a range of 500 feet.

You can cast this spell again using the same pieces of the original focus without having to break it again or repeat the process with another focus.

A spellcaster with proficiency in jeweller’s tools can spend one workweek using this spell to prime a gem worth at least 1g, which can subsequently be cut into up to eight stones that can be set into matching rings, bracelets, earrings, or other jewellery. After the items have been created, they become magical items, and the effect of the spell on them is permanent. When casting this spell on a focus prepared this way, this spell can be cast as a ritual.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 3rd level or higher, the spell’s duration increases to 1 hour and the range of the telepathic link increases to 1 mile. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, the spell’s duration increases to 8 hours and the range of the telepathic link increases to 100 miles. When you cast this spell at 5th level, the spell’s duration increases to 24 hours and the range of the telepathic link is unlimited, though it can’t extend to other planes of existence.

Teleport

3rd-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 10 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

This spell instantly transports you through the Ethereal Plane to another location of your choice. When you teleport, you can take a number of Medium or smaller creatures or objects equal to your spellcasting ability modifier. A Large creature or object counts as two Medium or smaller creatures or objects. All targets must be in completely within range and in physical contact, such as by linking hands. An unwilling creature can make a Wisdom saving throw to resist this effect.

Your destination must be known to you, and it must be on the same plane of existence as you. Your distance from and familiarity with the destination determines whether you arrive there successfully. The GM rolls d100 and subtracts 10 for each distance increment you try to teleport beyond the safe range as indicated on the Teleport Range table (to a maximum of the maximum distance for that spell level), then compares the total to the Teleport Result table to determine what happens. For example, if you cast this spell at 3rd level and attempt to teleport 1,300 feet, the GM would apply a –20 penalty to the roll.

Familiarity. There are five levels of familiarity, described below. If you have an object associated with the destination, such as a coin cast at a specific mint or a hunk of starmetal retrieved from a certain crater, your familiarity level improves one step for this casting. “Permanent circle” means a permanent teleportation circle whose sigil sequence you know (see Teleportation Circles below).

“Very familiar” is a place you have been to very often, a place you have studied carefully, or a place you can see when you cast the spell. “Somewhat familiar” is a place you’ve been to or seen before, either in person or using magic such as the clairvoyance spell. “Description” is a place you’re familiar with through secondhand knowledge such as someone else’s description, perhaps from a map.

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Teleport Range
Spell Level Safe
Distance
 Distance
 Increment
Maximum
Distance
3rd 500 feet  500 feet 2,500 feet
4th 1 mile  1 mile 5 miles
5th 10 miles  10 miles 50 miles
Teleport Result
 Familiarity Severe
Mishap
Minor
Mishap
Safe
Arrival
 Permanent circle 01–100
 Very familiar 01–05 06–100
 Somewhat familiar 01–05 06–10 11–100
 Description 01–10 11–25 26–100
 False destination 01–100

“False destination” is a place that doesn’t exist. Perhaps you tried to scry an enemy’s sanctum but instead viewed an illusion, or you are attempting to teleport to a familiar location that no longer exists. Attempting to teleport to a false destination always fails.

Minor Mishap. The spell’s unpredictable magic results in a difficult journey. You arrive at your intended destination, but each teleporting creature and object takes 3d10 force damage.

Severe Mishap. Something has gone terribly wrong. Each teleporting creature and object takes 5d10 force damage, and the final destination is off target by 1d10 × 1d10 percent of the distance that was to be travelled. For example, if you tried to travel 3 miles and rolled a 5 and a 3 on the two d10s, then you would be off target by 15 per cent, or just under half a mile. The GM determines the direction off target randomly by rolling a d8: 1 is north, 2 is northeast, 3 is east, and so on around the points of the compass. If you were teleporting to a coastal city and arrived 2 miles out to sea, you could be in trouble.

Teleportation Circle. Learning this spell also confers the knowledge on how to create teleportation circles. Creating a teleportation circle takes 1 minute and consumes magical reagents worth at least 1 gp. The circle is a 10-foot-diameter portal that links your location to a permanent teleportation circle of your choice whose sigil sequence you know and that is on the same plane of existence as you. The portal is a shimmering doorway that remains open until the end of your next turn. Any creature that enters the portal instantly appears within 5 feet of the destination circle or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.

Each teleportation circle has a unique series of sigils—a string of magical symbols such as runes—that describe the circle’s physical location and serve as a magical key. You can commit the sigil sequence of a permanent circle after studying it for 1 minute.

You can create a permanent teleportation circle by casting this spell in the same location every day consecutively for one year. You needn’t use the portal to teleport when you cast the spell in this way.

Art Credit: Aleksandra Wojtas

Teleportation: A Primer

Teleportation is a highly advanced form of magic with complex underlying mechanics. The following points offer some basic information to help you use teleportation in your game.

Touch. Even when a teleportation spell has a range, all targets of the spell must be in physical contact to be teleported. This can be achieved either by all targets being in contact with the individual who casts the spell or in contact with each other, such as by linking hands.

Ethereal Passage. Teleportation briefly shunts the target into the Ethereal Plane—a transitive plane that exists between the mortal world and the rest of the cosmos. You can’t teleport if a spell or other effect, such as the barrier spell, blocks ethereal travel.

Localization. Teleporting causes your inertia and equilibrium to normalize to local conditions. (Otherwise, teleporting more than a short distance on a round planet orbiting a star would cause fatal injury as you smash into the walls, floor, or ceiling, or are thrown upward, possibly achieving escape velocity.) When you arrive at your destination, you can choose to appear in a standing position, unless you are incapacitated.

 

Thunderous Strike

1st-level evocation


  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: Self
  • Duration: 1 minute

The first time you hit with a melee weapon attack during this spell’s duration, your weapon rings with thunder that is audible within 300 feet of you, and the attack deals an extra 2d6 thunder damage to the target. Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away from you and knocked prone.

This spell ends if you cast it again.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the thunder damage increases by 1d6 for each spell level above 1st.

Tongues

3rd-level divination


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Duration: 1 hour

A creature you touch gains the ability to understand any spoken language it hears. Moreover, when the target speaks, any creature that can understand at least one language and can hear the target understands what it says.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 4th level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each spell level above 3rd.

True Strike

Divination cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when a creature you can see within range makes an attack
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You imbue a creature with a glimmer of precognizance, allowing it to strike true. One creature you can see within range can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the triggering attack roll. The attack also ignores disadvantage and cover (except total cover). You can cast this spell after the creature makes the attack roll, but before the GM determines the result.

Warp Space

4th-level transmutation


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You twist the fabric of space and time, causing reality to expand or contract, rearranging your surroundings to your desire. Choose up to six creatures or objects within range. An object can’t be targeted if it is being worn or held. A chosen target is instantly teleported to another space within range. An unwilling creature can make a Charisma saving throw, resisting this effect on a success.

Witch Bolt

1st-level necromancy


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: S (see text)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A beam of crackling, purple energy lances out from your outstretched hand or spellcasting focus toward a creature or object within range, forming a sustained arc of lightning between you and the target. Make a ranged spell attack against that target. On a hit, the target takes 1d12 lightning damage, and on each of your turns for the duration, you can use your action to deal 1d12 lightning damage to the target automatically. The spell ends if you use your action to do anything else, if you use your hand to do anything other than hold your spellcasting focus, if the target is ever outside the spell’s range, or if the target has total cover from you.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at 2nd level or higher, the damage of the spell increases by 1d12 for each spell level above 1st.

Withering Tendrils

5th-level necromancy


  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

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Dark tendrils of cold shadow reach out from you to grasp at creatures within range. Choose a creature you can see within range. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a successful save, the target takes 2d8 necrotic damage and the spell ends. On a failed save, thetarget takes 4d8 necrotic damage and is grappled by the tentacle, and on each of your turns for the duration, you can use your action to deal 4d8 necrotic damage to the grappled target automatically. A creature can repeat this saving throw as an action on each of its turns, freeing itself on a success and ending this effect. The effect also ends on a creature if you move more than 30 feet away from the target or if the target has total cover from you.

You can affect the same target round after round, or choose a new one at any time. If you switch targets, the prior target is no longer affected by the spell.


 

Just a Taste...

The spells contained in this document are but a sample of the options to come in additional spell compendiums where we will explore additional facets of magic beyond the traditional schools and classes. There is much more work to be done in overhauling and expanding the magic system in fifth edition to improve flexibility and meaningful choice, and we’re intent on pushing the boundaries of the game’s design space. If you have ideas about spells that you would like to see, feel free to reach out and let us know!

Some inspiration credit for certain spells in this chapter:

Animate Objects. The revisions to this spell were inspired by ThinkDM’s fix.

Final Remembrance. This spell is based on a spell created by MellieDM on D&D Beyond.

Minor Divination. This spell was inspired by a spell created by HalflingChaser on D&D Beyond.

Art Credit: Igor Kieryluk

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Appendix C: Customization Options

THE COMBINATION OF ABILITY SCORES, RACE, class, and background offers a broad way to define your character’s capabilities and establish their unique motivations. Even within your class, you have considerable latitude in many choices and how you interpret different features. This chapter offers additional options and rules for those who want to take this a step further.

Multiclassing

Multiclassing allows you to gain levels in one or more classes other than your starting class. Doing so allows you to mix the abilities of those classes to realize a character concept that might not be reflected in one of the standard class options.

Whenever you gain a new level, you can choose to gain a level in a new class instead of gaining a level in your current class. As you continue to advance in levels, you might even start progressing in a third or fourth class. Doing so has benefits and drawbacks, as you must sacrifice some focus in order to gain versatility.

Not all character concepts require you to multiclass. For example, a mage who wishes to become a priest needn’t take a level in cleric in order to be accepted into a religious fraternity or learn their spells through divine inspiration. If they truly wish to wield divine magic, they can take the Acolyte feat when they reach a level that allows them to choose a feat and continue as a mage, otherwise the concept of a religious mage can be done through a character’s background. Consider working with your GM to determine if a character concept can be realized narratively before you choose to multiclass.

Prerequisites

To qualify for a new class, you must meet the ability score prerequisites for both your current class and your new one, as shown in the Multiclassing Prerequisites table. For example, a cleric who decides to multiclass into the paladin class must have Strength, Wisdom, and Charisma scores of 13 or higher. Without the full training that a beginning character receives, you must be a quick study in your new class, necessitating a strong natural aptitude reflected by above-average ability scores.

Training

Learning new skills and abilities isn’t easy, even with a natural aptitude. In order to gain a level in a new class, you must complete the Training downtime activity. Doing so requires that you find someone willing to teach you. This might be an individual, a group, or even an association. Some trainers may require you to complete certain services in order to gain their help, which may be the substance of a quest. Work with your GM to determine the details of your training.


Multiclassing Prerequisites
  Class Ability Score Minimum
  Adept Dexterity 13 and Wisdom 13
  Barbarian Strength 13
  Bard Charisma 13
  Cleric Wisdom 13
  Druid Wisdom 13
  Fighter Strength 13 or Dexterity 13
  Mage Intelligence 13
  Paladin Strength 13 and Charisma 13
  Ranger Strength 13 or Dexterity 13,
Wisdom 13
  Rogue Dexterity 13
  Warlock Charisma 13

Hit Points and Hit Dice

When you gain a level in a new class, you count as a character above 1st level; you only gain the 1st-level hit points for a class when you are a 1st-level character.

You add together your Hit Dice from all your classes to form your pool of Hit Dice. If the Hit Dice are the same type, you can simply track them all together. If your classes give you Hit Dice of different types, you must track them separately.

For example, if you’re a fighter 2/paladin 1, you have three d10 Hit Dice and can use them interchangeably. However, if you gain a level in cleric, you now have one d8 Hit Die that you must track separately.

Proficiency Bonus

When a class feature refers to your proficiency bonus, you use the proficiency bonus indicated on that class’ table for your level in that class. For all other features and traits, including racial traits, your proficiency bonus is based on your total character level, as shown on the Character Advancement table in chapter 1 of the Player’s Handbook.

For example, if you are a bard 4/mage 1, all of your class features would use a +2 proficiency bonus, but for all other features you would have a +3 proficiency bonus.

Proficiencies

When you gain your first level in a class other than your initial class, you gain only some of the new class’ starting proficiencies, as shown in the Multiclassing Proficiencies table.

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Multiclassing Proficiencies
  Class Proficiencies Gained
  Adept Simple weapons, shortswords
  Barbarian     Light armour, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons
  Bard One skill of your choice, one musical instrument of your choice
  Cleric Light armour, shields, Religion
  Druid Light armour, shields, Nature
  Fighter Light armour, medium armour, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons
  Mage Arcana
  Paladin Light armour, medium armour, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons, Religion
  Ranger Light armour, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons
  Rogue Light armour, one skill from the class’ list, thieves’ tools
  Warlock Arcana

Class Features

When you gain a level in a new class, you get its features for that level, other than the class’ starting equipment. However, some features have special rules when you’re multiclassing, as described in the sections below.

Channel Divinity

If you already have the Channel Divinity feature and gain a level in a class that also grants the feature, you gain the effects granted by the class, but you don’t gain any additional uses.

For example, if you’re a cleric 6/paladin 4, you can use Channel Divinity three times because of your cleric proficiency bonus. Whenever you use the feature, you can choose any of the Channel Divinity effects available to you from your two classes.

Martial Superiority

Your combat superiority is determined by your combined levels in all martial classes. Once you have superiority dice from more than one class, use the rules below. If you multiclass but have superiority dice from only one class, you follow the rules described in that class.

Combat Techniques Known. You determine what combat techniques you know for each class individually, as if you had no levels in other classes. Each technique you know is associated with one of your classes, and uses the save DC for that class. For example, if you are a fighter 5/barbarian 2, you would know three combat techniques based on your levels in the fighter class and two combat techniques based on your barbarian class. If you subsequently gain a level in fighter, you would learn an additional two combat techniques available to the fighter class.

Superiority Dice Pool. You determine your total number of superiority dice by adding together your levels in barbarian, fighter, and rogue. If you have the College of War feature, you also add your levels in bard to this total. Use this total to determine your total number of superiority dice by consulting the Superiority Dice Pool table.

Superiority Die Size. If you have superiority dice from multiple sources, your superiority dice are all the same size. The size is the largest of the sizes you are able to use.

For example, if you are a fighter 4/barbarian 1 who takes another level in fighter, your five superiority dice become d8s.

Superiority Dice Pool
Total Level Superiority Dice
3rd–4th 4
5th–8th 5
9th–12th 6
13th–16th 7

Extra Attack

If you gain the Extra Attack class feature from more than one class, the features don’t add together. You can’t make more than two attacks with this feature unless one version you have of the feature says that you can (as the fighter’s Extra Attack does if you have gained at least 11 levels in that class).

Similarly, the warlock’s Thirsting Weapon doesn’t give you additional attacks if you also have Extra Attack.

Unarmoured Defence

If you already have the Unarmoured Defence feature, you can’t gain it again from another class.

Spellcasting

Your spellcasting abilities improve partly based on your combined levels in all your spellcasting classes and partly by your progress within each individual class. If you have the Spellcasting feature from more than one class, use the rules below.

Cantrips. When you cast a cantrip, you count as though you had levels in no class other than the class with which the cantrip is associated. For example, if you are a wizard 5/cleric 1 and you learned the fire bolt cantrip as one of your wizard cantrips and the sacred flame cantrip as one of your cleric cantrips, you would deal 2d10 damage with your fire bolt but only 1d8 damage with your sacred flame.

Spells Known and Prepared. You determine what spells you know and can prepare for each class individually, as if you had no levels in other classes. Each spell you know and prepare is associated with one of your classes, and uses the spellcasting ability of that class when you cast the spell. Similarly, a spellcasting focus, such as a mage staff, is only effective when used to cast spells for the class associated with that focus.

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Multiclass Spellcaster:
Spell Points per Caster Level
  Caster Level   Spell Points
  1st   4
  2nd   6
  3rd   8
  4th   10
  5th   12
  6th   14
  7th   16
  8th   18
  9th   20
  10th   22
  Caster Level   Spell Points
  11th   25
  12th   27
  13th   30
  14th   32
  15th   35
  16th   37
  17th   40
  18th   42
  19th   45
  20th   50

    Spell Points. Your total number of spell points is based on your spellcaster level (also called your ‘caster level’). To determine your caster level, add together all your levels in the cleric, druid, and mage classes and half your levels (rounded down) in the bard, paladin, and ranger classes. You also add a third of your levels (rounded down) in the fighter class if you have the Battlemage feature and the rogue class if you have the (Spellthief) feature. Once you calculate your caster level, use it to determine the number of spell points you have by consulting the Multiclass Spellcaster table.

 

Multiclass Spellcaster Example

Ryan is playing a 6th-level fighter with the Battlemage feature. When his character is able to gain a level, Ryan decides to further develop his character’s arcane talent by multiclassing into the wizard class, and thus his character becomes a fighter 6/wizard 1.

Ryan’s character is now a 3rd-level spellcaster with 8 spell points who knows five battlemage spells and six wizard spells, none of which can be higher than 1st level or cast at a level above 1st, as neither of the character’s spellcasting classes can learn or cast spells above 1st level on their own. His character’s Intelligence is 14, so the spell save DC is 13 for his battlemage spells, and 12 for his wizard spells. When he casts the battlemage cantrip fire bolt, he deals 2d10 fire damage, but when he casts the wizard cantrip shocking grasp, he deals only 1d8 lightning damage.


Feats

The following feats are added to improve multiclassing.

Divine Champion

Prerequisite: At least one level in the cleric and paladin classes


You have learned to seamlessly blend two traditions of faithful service. You gain the following benefits:

  • When determining the number of times you can use the Channel Divinity feature between rests, you add your cleric and paladin levels together for the purpose of determining your proficiency bonus.
  • When a Channel Divinity option refers to your level or your proficiency bonus, you add your cleric and paladin levels together and use the combined level or the proficiency bonus for a character of the combined level.
  • When determining the spell attack bonus and spell save DC for your cleric or paladin spells, you add your cleric and paladin levels together and use the proficiency bonus for a character of the combined level.
  • You add together your levels in the cleric and paladin classes to determine your level for the purposes of casting cleric cantrips.

Expert Combatant

Prerequisite: The Combat Superiority feature from at least two classes


You have learned to more effectively achieve your martial superiority through different traditions. You gain the following benefits:

  • You learn one additional combat technique of your choice.
  • When determining the save DC for your combat techniques, you together your levels in all classes that grant the Combat Superiority feature and use the proficiency bonus for a character of the combined level.
  • When you wield a weapon with which you have proficiency from more than one class, you can combine your levels in those classes in order to determine your proficiency bonus for attack rolls made with that weapon.

Expert Spellblade

Prerequisite: The Battlemage class feature, at least one level in the mage class


You have learned to realize more of your arcane potential through different traditions. You gain the following benefits:

  • When determining the spell attack bonus and spell save DC for your mage or battlemage spells, you add your mage and fighter levels together and use the proficiency bonus for a character of the combined level.

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  • When determining the highest level at which you can cast a spell, you add your mage and fighter levels together and compare the combined level to the Highest Spell Level column of the Mage table. (This benefit does not allow you to learn spells of a higher level.)
  • You add together your levels in the mage and fighter classes to determine your level for the purpose of casting mage and battlemage cantrips.

 

Armour Class Bonuses Explained

Throughout this document are various spells and features that refer to different types of AC bonuses. AC bonuses are an alternative method of calculating armour class that allow for simple categorization of AC bonuses to eliminate confusion.

As with other types of bonuses, AC bonuses don’t stack with each other. For example, if you have two effects that grant you a dodge bonus, you would only benefit from the higher bonus.

The different AC bonuses are described below.

Armour. An armour bonus either comes from the physical armour you wear or your natural armour (whichever bonus is higher). An updated Armour table is included in Complete Warrior.

Cover. You gain a cover bonus to your AC, as well as to Dexterity saving throws, when you are in half-cover or three-quarters cover, as described in the standard rules.

Dodge. A dodge bonus is also added to your Dexterity saving throws. You can’t benefit from a dodge bonus to your AC while you are incapacitated, unable to move, or surprised.

Untyped. Too circumstancial or unique to classify under another type, untyped AC bonuses stack with each other, though as usual you can’t benefit from more than one bonus from the same source. A bonus is untyped if it has no associated category, such as the bonus granted by a ring of protection.

Art Credit: Ilker Serdar Yildiz

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Appendix D: Errata

THIS SECTION COVERS UPDATES AND corrections to other titles in Dungeon Master’s Workshop’s “5.5E” series, which include Complete Warrior (July 2022) and Revised Races (December 2022), along with other playtest options, all of which can be found over at Dungeon Master’s Workshop.

The Adept

The following are revisions for The Adept.

Hit Dice. Replace the current text of this line with “1d10 per adept level”

Hit Points. Replace the text of the Hit Points at 1st Level line with “15 + your Constitution modifier”, and replace the text of the Hit Points at Higher Levels line with “1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per adept level after 1st”.

Nerve Strike. In the text of this feature, replace “paralyzed” with “incapacitated”.

Spells. If the description of a spell in The Adept differs from the description of the same spell in Complete Arcane, the latter description prevails.

Complete Warrior

The following are revisions for Complete Warrior.

Barbarian. Replace the barbarian’s starting hit points at 1st level with “18 + your Constitution modifier”.

Exhaustion. Replace the revised exhaustion rules with the text that appears on page 64 of this document.

Fighter. Replace the fighter’s starting hit points at 1st level with “15 + your Constitution modifier”. Additionally, the Spell Points column of the Battlemage Spellcasting table should read as follows:

Level Spell Points
3rd 2
4th 3
5th 4
6th 6
7th 6
Level Spell Points
8th 7
9th 8
10th 8
11th 9
12th 10

    Rogue. Replace the rogue’s starting hit points at 1st level with “12 + your Constitution modifier”.

Spells. If the description of a spell in Complete Martial differs from the description of the same spell in Complete Arcane, the latter description prevails.

Wounded. Replace the text of the Wounded effect with the following:


Wounded (Condition)

A creature that drops to 0 hit points receives a wound. Wounds heal if the creature receives magical healing or spends ten days resting under the care of someone who tends to the injury with a healer’s kit. While a creature is wounded, the following penalties apply:

  • A wounded creature suffers from 1 level of exhaustion. This exhaustion can’t be removed until the wound is healed.
  • A wounded creature suffers an additional effect depending on the nature of the wound.

There are five types of wounds a creature can suffer, described below:

Broken Bone. The effects of a broken bone depend on the type of bone that is broken. A broken bone associated with upper limbs means that the creature can’t effectively use items held with that hand or wield items that require two hands. A broken bone associated with lower limbs halves the creature’s speed and grants disadvantage to Dexterity checks made to balance, and the creature falls prone after taking the Dash action. A broken bone associated with the torso causes the effects of an internal injury, described below.

Burn. Burns can be inflicted by extreme temperature (hot or cold) as well as by caustic substances such as acid. While suffering from a burn, a creature requires twice as much time to complete a short or long rest.

Provided that the injury didn’t result in the loss of anatomy to necrosis, incineration, or dissolution, the damage can be healed with little to no trace using magical healing. Otherwise, some scarring may occur.

Concussion. A creature with a concussion has disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws that rely on Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma and can’t concentrate on spells or other abilities. A creature suffering a concussion that attempts an action in combat must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature loses its action and is incapacitated until the start of its next turn.

Internal Injury. A creature with an internal injury that attempts an action in combat must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature loses its action and can’t use reactions until the start of its next turn.

Laceration. A creature with a laceration has its hit point maximum reduced by 1 every round. This hit point reduction can be halted by properly tending the wound using magical healing or by making a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check using a healer’s kit. Unless the laceration is healed magically, a creature that takes an action in combat while suffering from a laceration must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the laceration reopens and must be tended to again.

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Exhaustion (Condition)

Exhaustion is measured in five levels. Exhaustion levels are cumulative. You die if you exceed five levels of exhaustion.

For each level of exhaustion affecting you, you have the following penalties:

  • You subtract 1 from all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.
  • Your save DCs for combat techniques and spells are reduced by 1.
  • Your speed is reduced by 5 feet (to a minimum of 0).

 

The Ranger

The following are revisions for The Ranger.

Favoured Enemy Spells. In the Favoured Enemy Spells table, replace “hold person” with “hold creature” in the Humanoid Spells column, and replace “dispel magic” with “bestow curse” in both the Humanoid Spells column and the Monstrosity Spells column.

Hit Points. Replace the ranger’s starting hit points at 1st level with “15 + your Constitution modifier”.

Revised Races

The following are revisions for Revised Races.

Spells. If the description of a spell in Revised Races differs from the description of the same spell in Complete Arcane, the latter description prevails.

Vital Statistics. In the Random Starting Ages table in appendix A, “Vital Statistics”, add ‘Warlock’ at to the list of classes in the third column and replace ‘Wizard’ with ‘Mage’ in the final column.

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