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Prerequisites
Prerequisites
The career of wizards is marked by breakthroughs. Yet as their understanding of magic grows, their arcane power inevitably reaches its limits. Most never even get that far, whether from a lack of talent, a lack of effort, or an untimely demise. But for some, the hunger for knowledge never ceases as they explore every option, technique, and piece of magical lore they can get their hands on. To call it an obsession is an understatement—it is a way of life. To follow the path of an archmage is to apply genius-level intellect to uncovering the secrets of magic. Woe to any who stand in their way, for an archmage’s power unleashed is a precisely calculated solution to any problem.
To advance as an archmage, you must meet the following prerequisites:
Wizard Level 20 – Only a wizard of great intellect and knowledge has the skills necessary to master the ways of magic. Those attempting the techniques of an archmage without this background meet with catastrophic failure.
Slay an Epic Foe – At the DM’s discretion, you may be required to defeat a mighty opponent of tremendous power. This enemy must be the greatest threat you have ever faced and represent a tremendous achievement in your adventuring career. DMs are encouraged to make this foe a creature of great power that pushes your character to its limits. The creature need not be defeated single-handedly but should always be of considerable challenge.
Epic Trial: Arcane Sanctum – The pursuit of arcane supremacy begins with an ideal location to conduct your research and magical experiments. You must establish such a place and fortify it against intrusion. Known as an arcane sanctum, this structure can be located on any world, as long as you find a way to maintain isolation and focus on your work. Once you have created your sanctuary, you must then commit yourself to a year and a day of uninterrupted research, exploring every aspect of the arcane arts. Such an endeavor requires copious amounts of resources: books of hidden techniques, lore on ancient magic, spell scrolls, and powerful magical items. After a year and a day, you discover the techniques required to pull on the threads of Epic magic, weaving them together to form spells of incredible power.
Class Features
Class Features
As an archmage, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per archmage level
Hit Points per Level: 1d6 + your Constitution modifier per archmage level
Proficiencies
Saving Throws: You gain proficiency in a single saving throw of your choice.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 21st level, and again at 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 29th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. You can’t increase an ability score above 30 using this feature.
Epic Feat
When you reach 21st level, and again at 25th and 29th level, you may select one Epic feat from the Epic feat list detailed in section 3. You may forgo taking an Epic feat to instead increase an ability score of your choice by 4, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 2. You cannot increase an ability score above 30 using this feature.
Arcane Fusion
Beginning at 21st level, when you take an action to cast a non-Epic spell and expend a spell slot of 5th level or lower as part of that action you may simultaneously cast a 1st-level spell with a casting time of one action or bonus action. You determine in what order each of the spells are cast. As you advance as an archmage, you can cast more powerful spells using this feature according to the Arcane Fusion column of the archmage class progression table. The maximum level of the higher castable spell using this feature is indicated on the left side of the column, while the maximum level of the lower castable spell using this feature is indicated on the right side of the column. You cannot use this feature to cast cantrips in either case.
Epic Spellbook
At 22nd level, your spellbook is a tome of wondrous knowledge and arcane secrets. You add three archmage Epic spells of your choice to your spellbook, and two additional archmage Epic spells each time you gain a level in the archmage Epic prestige class. Each of these spells must be of a tier for which you have Epic spell slots.
Additionally, your spellbook becomes extraordinarily magical. It is considered an artifact-quality magical item and while you live it cannot be read by non-Deific creatures other than you. If your spellbook leaves your possession against your will, it mysteriously reappears in your possession the next time you finish a short or long rest. Only magic of Deific strength can prevent this effect.
Finally, if you find a piece of knowledge (such as a spell scroll) of an archmage Epic spell, you can add it to your spellbook if it is of a tier for which you have Epic spell slots and if you have the time to decipher and copy it. Copying an Epic spell into your spellbook works similarly to copying a non-Epic spell, but takes 24 hours and 5,000 gp per tier of the Epic spell.
Epic Spellcasting
At 22nd level, your study of the arcane arts has unlocked the mightiest spells ever conceived: Epic spells. See the “Epic Magic and Spellcasting” in section 4 for rules about Epic magic and spellcasting and for the list of Epic spells available to the archmage.
The archmage class progression table shows how many Epic spell slots you have available to cast your Epic spells. To cast an Epic spell, you must expend an Epic spell slot of the spell’s tier or higher. You regain all expended Epic spell slots when you finish a long rest. You prepare the list of archmage Epic spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of archmage Epic spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your archmage level (minimum of one). The Epic spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. You can change your list of prepared Epic spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of archmage Epic spells requires time spent studying your spellbook and memorizing the complex arcane techniques required to cast them safely: at least 10 minutes for each Epic spell on your list.
Master of the Arcane
At 22nd level, your hunger for knowledge drives you to tackle some of the greatest challenges of magic, called arcane mysteries. Each of the eight schools of magic have their own mysteries which you unravel as you advance as an archmage.
Each mystery has three levels—a fundamental, principle, and pinnacle—which must be learned to completely unravel the secrets of that school of magic. To learn the principle in a given school, you must have learned the school’s fundamental, and to learn the pinnacle of a school, you must have learned both the school’s fundamental and principle.
You learn two fundamentals from two different schools of magic as detailed in the “Arcane Mysteries” section. As you advance as an archmage, you may improve your understanding of one of these schools by learning an additional level of its mystery, as shown in the Arcane Mysteries column of the archmage class progression table.
Spell Division
At 24th level, you can convert Epic magic into tremendous amounts of non-Epic magic. When you finish a long rest, you can choose to immediately expend one of more of your Epic spell slots and instead generate temporary non-Epic spell slots. The number and level of the temporary non-Epic spell slots generated by this feature depends on the tier of the Epic spell slot expended, which is detailed in the Spell Division table. These temporary spell slots last until you finish a long rest and cannot be regained once expended.
Epic Arcane Tradition
At 26th level, your arcane tradition has reached its zenith as you master its unique and complex techniques. This expertise takes the form of a great project of incredible artistry and design that serves as a magical tool to exemplify your tradition. You gain the following features according to the Arcane Tradition you selected when you were advancing as a wizard.
Bladesinging
When you activate your Bladesong subclass feature, you may expend one of your Epic spell slots to empower a weapon you are wielding with the might of Epic magic, transforming it into a magical weapon called a spellblade for the duration of the Bladesong. When you make an attack with that weapon, you may choose one of the following areas: a 120-foot-long, 5-footwide line; a 60-foot cone; or a 30-foot radius centered on you. Creatures of your choice within the area with an AC equal to or lower than the result of the attack roll are hit by the attack and suffer any additional effects and modifiers to the attack as though they were a target.
Arcane Brilliance
At 28th level your mind can study and analyze magic almost instantly. As a reaction when a creature you can see casts a spell that you could learn as a wizard or archmage, you may attempt an Intelligence (Arcana) ability check against a DC of 20 + the spell’s level. On a success, you can retain enough knowledge of the spell to copy it into a spellbook. You retain this knowledge for 1 week before forgetting the details necessary to copy the spell.
Supreme Magic
At 30th level, you have achieved the highest understanding of magic. You can learn non-Epic and Epic spells from any class spell list. Additionally, you may cast any number of Epic spells in a single turn as long as you have the required actions to do so.
Arcane Mysteries
Arcane Mysteries
Each arcane mystery represents a triad of knowledge and understanding that allows one to completely master a school of magic. The rewards of a mystery are great—when you learn a level of a mystery, you permanently gain its benefits in addition to the benefits from other levels of the mystery you have gained or will gain along your path as an archmage.
Mysteries of Abjuration
The mysteries of abjuration afford an archmage mastery over anti-magic. If a spell is cast in the presence of an archmage who has unearthed these mysteries, it is only because the archmage permits it. Those who unearth all of the secrets of the Abjuration school gain the ability to shut other spellcasters off from their source magic completely.
Fundamental
When you cast a non-cantrip spell from the Abjuration school of 4th level or lower, you may treat the effects of that spell as though you had cast it at 5th level.
Principle
You are immune to spells of your archmage level or lower unless you wish to be affected.
Pinnacle
You learn a secret Epic abjuration spell, blackout, which counts as an archmage Epic spell for you. The details of the spell are provided in the “Archmage Secret Spells” section. You can cast this spell without expending an Epic spell slot. When you do so, you cannot cast the spell in that manner again until you finish a long rest.
Mysteries of Conjuration
To know the mysteries of conjuration is to control space itself. An archmage with knowledge of these mysteries can never want for allies or resources, able to conjure assistance with a thought. Those who master these mysteries can summon creatures of extraordinary power to aid in any task.
Fundamental
When you cast a non-cantrip spell from the Conjuration school of 4th level or lower, you may treat the effects of that spell as though you had cast it at 5th level.
Principle
When you cast a non-Epic spell from the Conjuration school with a duration greater than instantaneous that requires you to concentrate to maintain its effect for the duration, you may increase the length of that spell’s duration to permanent.
Pinnacle
You learn a secret Epic conjuration spell, grand summons, which counts as an archmage Epic spell for you. The details of the spell are provided in the “Archmage Secret Spells” section. You can cast this spell without expending an Epic spell slot. When you do so, you cannot cast the spell in that manner again until you finish a long rest.
Mysteries of Divination
Understanding the mysteries of the Divination school of magic goes beyond acquiring knowledge—it is the mastery of knowledge itself. With such expertise comes a nearly unlimited capacity to learn, divine, and understand the world. Archmages who unearth all the mysteries of Divination can manipulate the knowledge of other creatures, imparting great wisdom and power.
Fundamental
Non-Epic creatures are unable to detect the effect or presence of spells (such as through spells like detect magic) you cast from the Divination school under any circumstances, and effects produced by spells you cast from the Divination school are invisible unless you choose otherwise. Epic creatures attempting to detect the effects or presence of your spells from the Divination school must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw versus your spell save DC or fail to detect them. Additionally, choose five non-Epic spells from the Divination school from any class spell list and add them to your spellbook. These spells are now wizard spells for you.
Principle
When you cast a spell from the Divination school with a duration greater than instantaneous, you may increase the duration of that spell to 24 hours.
Pinnacle
You learn a secret Epic divination spell, knowledge cascade, which counts as an archmage Epic spell for you. The details of the spell are provided in the “Archmage Secret Spells” section. You can cast this spell without expending an Epic spell slot. When you do so, you cannot cast the spell in that manner again until you finish a long rest.
Mysteries of Enchantment
The mysteries of the Enchantment school teach that the mind is inexorably tied to the nature of magic, and thus is vulnerable to exploitation. With this knowledge, an archmage can even subjugate those ordinarily immune to such manipulation with ease. Those who master this school’s mysteries can imprison creatures within their own minds, forced to live a fictional reality of the archmage’s design.
Fundamental
When you cast a non-cantrip spell from the Enchantment school of 4th level or lower, you may treat the effects of that spell as though you had cast it at 5th level.
Principle
When you cast a spell from the Enchantment school that attempts to charm a creature which is immune to the charmed condition, it is instead not immune and has Epic advantage on saving throws against that effect for its duration.
Pinnacle
You learn a secret Epic enchantment spell, microcosm, which counts as an archmage Epic spell for you. The details of the spell are provided in the “Archmage Secret Spells” section. You can cast this spell without expending an Epic spell slot. When you do so, you cannot cast the spell in that manner again until you finish a long rest.
Mysteries of Evocation
Simpler minds perceive the school of Evocation to be the manipulation of energy. Those who understand its mysteries know better, for Evocation deals directly with the unformed essence of magic itself. Knowing these mysteries, an archmage can unleash raw magical energy from which all spells are formed. Mastery of these mysteries imparts the knowledge to overcome any defense and inflict complete destruction upon one’s enemies.
Fundamental
When you cast a non-cantrip spell from the Evocation school of 4th level or lower, you may treat the effects of that spell as though you had cast it at 5th level.
Principle
When you cast a spell from the Evocation school that would deal acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, radiant, or thunder damage, you may instead deal arcane damage. (See section 1 for details on the arcane damage type.)
Pinnacle
You learn a secret Epic evocation spell, hellball, which counts as an archmage Epic spell for you. The details of the spell are provided in the “Archmage Secret Spells” section. When you do so, you cannot cast the spell in that manner again until you finish a long rest.
Mysteries of Illusion
If asked, “What is real?” an archmage with knowledge of the mysteries of Illusion would respond, “Whatever I decide.” Having learned the mysteries of this school, an archmage understands that reality is irrelevant when one can create a more convincing fiction. Mastering these mysteries teaches an archmage how to create sanity-shattering images and effects that ravage the minds of others.
Fundamental
Creatures with an Intelligence of 20 or lower have Epic disadvantage on saving throws and ability checks against spells you cast from the Illusion school.
Principle
Creatures with truesight no longer automatically see through your illusions or automatically succeed on saving throws against them, and instead attempt saving throws against your illusions at Epic advantage.
Pinnacle
You learn a secret Epic illusion spell, traumatize, which counts as an archmage Epic spell for you. The details of the spell are provided in the “Archmage Secret Spells” section. You can cast this spell without expending an Epic spell slot. When you do so, you cannot cast the spell in that manner again until you finish a long rest.
Mysteries of Necromancy
Death is a fate that only the uneducated are destined to face; so say the archmages who have mastered the mysteries of Necromancy. Having unearthed this school’s secrets, an archmage has little to fear from death and can visit it upon others with impunity.
Mastering this school’s mysteries teaches magic that can destroy an archmage’s enemies with utter finality.
Fundamental
When you cast a non-cantrip spell from the Necromancy school of 4th level or lower, you may treat the effects of that spell as though you had cast it at 5th level.
Principle
You can learn the spell finger of death if you have not learned it already. You may cast finger of death as a 7th-level spell without expending a spell slot.
Pinnacle
You learn a secret Epic necromancy spell, obsolescence, which counts as an archmage Epic spell for you. The details of the spell are provided in the “Archmage Secret Spells” section. When you do so, you cannot cast the spell in that manner again until you finish a long rest.
Mysteries of Transmutation
An archmage who knows the mysteries of the Transmutation school understands that magic is the only force reality can respect. How a creature was born is insignificant next to the ability to reshape it with a single spell. Mastery of these mysteries allows an archmage to change an ordinary weapon into a tool of fantastic destruction.
Fundamental
You learn the spell polymorph if you have not already and may cast it as a 4th-level spell without expending a spell slot.
Principle
You are immune to any non-Epic or Epic spell or magical effect that would alter your form unless you choose to be affected.
Pinnacle
You learn a secret Epic transmutation spell, prismatic weapon, which counts as an archmage Epic spell for you. The details of the spell are provided below. You can cast this spell without expending an Epic spell slot. When you do so, you cannot cast the spell in that manner again until you finish a long rest.
Archmage Secret Spells
Archmage Secret Spells
The secret archmage spells are presented in alphabetical order.
Blackout
Tier 3 Epic Abjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 ft.
Components: V, S, M (the dust of a disintegrated drake)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You distort the flow of magic around a single creature you can see within range, cutting it off from all magical energy. The target cannot cast non-Epic spells for the effect’s duration. A creature attempting to cast an Epic spell must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or have the effect fail and any resources used to cast the spell are wasted. At the end of each of the creature’s turns, it may attempt a Wisdom saving throw to end the effect. Once a creature has made three successful Wisdom saving throws over the spell’s duration, the effect ends.
Grand Summons
Tier 3 Epic Abjuration
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: 50 ft.
Components: V, S, M (a detailed anatomical sketch of the creature you wish to summon and an adamantine cage large enough to hold the creature)
Duration: 8 hours
You summon a single creature that you have encountered before and bind it to your service. The creature cannot be a legendary or mythic creature and must have a challenge rating no greater than your character level. The creature appears in an unoccupied space within range and is bound within a magical confinement of your design from which it cannot escape by any means while the spell is in effect. A creature bound within this confinement is immune to any damage or hostile effect for as long as it remains within the confinement and is under no compulsion to behave in any particular way.
As an action, you can free the creature from its confinement and teleport it to an unoccupied space within 100 feet of you. If the creature cannot be teleported to a space within this area, the effect fails and the creature remains confined. While free from its confinement, the creature obeys all of your instructions and commands to the best of its ability (no action required by you) and when rolling initiative may instead take its turn either immediately before or after yours. As an action, you may dismiss the creature and teleport it back to its magical confinement. If the creature cannot be teleported back to the confinement, the effect fails and the spell ends. If the creature is slain, the spell ends. If the spell ends before the creature is slain and the creature is in its magical confinement, it vanishes back to its place of origin. If the spell ends and the creature is not in the magical confinement produced by this spell, it is freed and may act according to its own wishes and desires. The creature may be hostile depending on how it was treated when it served you. This spell immediately ends if you cast it again before its duration ends.
Hellball
Tier 3 Epic Evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 500 ft.
Components: V, S, M (raw chaotic power contained in a crystal ball 10 inches in diameter)
Duration: Instantaneous
You release a furious sphere of destructive energy at a point you choose within range that decimates your enemies in a tremendous explosion of inescapable chaos. Each creature, object, and structure in a 60-foot-radius sphere centered on that point takes 200 points of arcane damage. For each affected creature that is vulnerable to a type of damage, the magic of the spell senses those creature’s weaknesses and instead deals that type of damage to only those creatures instead.
Knowledge Cascade
Tier 2 Epic Divination
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a perfect stone replica of a humanoid brain)
Duration: Instantaneous
A single creature you touch is flooded with information and experience. The target instantly recovers any class features, spell slots, or other abilities as though it had finished a short rest.
Microcosm
Tier 3 Epic Enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 ft.
Components: V, S, M (silver medical tools used to perform a lobotomy)
Duration: 1 minute
You warp the consciousness of a single creature you can see within range, trapping it within a fictional reality of your own design. This spell destroys a creature’s higher brain functions, effectively lobotomizing the creature. If the creature you choose has 200 or fewer hit points it is immediately and permanently incapacitated, cannot communicate in any way, willingly causes effects to occur, and cannot spend movement. A creature afflicted by this spell makes no effort to preserve itself and unless it receives medical care it will simply die from exposure, starvation, or other environmental factors. If a creature is reduced to 200 or fewer hit points over the course of the spell’s duration, it is subjected to the spell’s effects immediately. The effects of this spell can only be removed by Deific effects or a second casting of the spell by you on an affected creature.
Obsolescence
Tier 3 Epic Necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 300 ft.
Components: V, S, M (the soul of a creature from an extinct race)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute Your gaze unleashes destructive energies that annihilate a single creature you can see within range. The creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 100 points of necrotic damage, or half as much on a success. Until the spell ends, on each of your turns you may take an action to channel destructive power into your target, which must attempt a Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the target takes 100 points of necrotic damage, plus an additional 100 points of necrotic damage for each round it has been affected by the spell, or half as much on a success. The spell ends if you use your action to do anything else or if the target is ever outside the spell’s range. Creatures reduced to 0 hit points by this spell are destroyed utterly and can only be restored to life by Deific means.
Prismatic Weapon
Tier 3 Epic Transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a rainbow magically confined in a wine bottle)
Duration: 1 minute
You touch a weapon, transforming it into a brilliant tool of luminescent destruction. The weapon is imbued with eight different colors which glisten and sparkle, shedding bright light in a 30-foot radius. When the weapon scores a hit, the wielder may elect to expend a color of its choice to cause the attack to have the additional listed effect. Once a color has been expended it disappears from the weapon and cannot be used again. If the weapon has no colors remaining, the effect ends.
Red. The hit deals an additional 10d6 fire damage.
Orange. The hit deals an additional 10d6 acid damage.
Yellow. The hit deals an additional 10d6 lightning damage.
Green. The hit deals an additional 10d6 poison damage.
Blue. The hit deals an additional 10d6 cold damage.
Indigo. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be petrified until the end of its next turn.
Violet. The target is blinded until the spell ends.
Mysterious. The hit deals an additional 10d6 arcane damage.
Traumatize
Tier 3 Epic Illusion
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a relic of a mad god)
Duration: Instantaneous
You make a melee spell attack to afflict a creature within reach with horrifying visions of inconceivable malevolence that shatter its sanity. On a successful hit, the target must attempt a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature gains 6 levels of the traumatized condition; on a successful saving throw, the creature gains 3 levels of the traumatized condition. This condition is special and cannot be removed by non-Deific effects other than the means presented in this spell. At the end of each of the creature’s turns, it can attempt a Wisdom saving throw, reducing its levels of traumatized by 1 on a success.
If an already traumatized creature suffers another effect that causes traumatized, its current level of traumatized increases by an amount specified in the effect’s description.
A creature suffers the effect of its current level of traumatized as well as all lower levels.
If you cast this spell a second time and attack the same creature within 24 hours, the creature is no longer afforded a Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of its turns to reduce levels of the traumatized condition.
Traumatized is measured in 6 levels
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