Magic

Though spellcasters may cast as many spells as they wish each day, critical failure has severe side effects, ensuring that they only cast spells when they must.

Casting Spells

You can cast any spell you know as many times as you want, though there is some risk involved. To cast a spell, roll your casting attribute (intelligence, wisdom, or charisma) plus proficiency against difficulty 10 plus twice the rank at which you choose to cast the spell (see below).

If you fail, your action is wasted. If your natural roll (the number shown on the die without modifiers) is equal to or less than the rank of the spell, you suffer backlash and suffer 1 point of damage to your casting attribute. For example, if a wizard tried to cast a rank 3 spell and rolled a natural 2, he would suffer 1 point of intelligence damage.

Saves Against Spells

If a spell requires a target to roll a save, the difficulty is 10, plus the caster’s casting attribute, the caster’s proficiency, and the rank of the spell. Rolling a save does not require an action and can be done when it’s not your turn.

Spell Ranks

All spells can be cast at various ranks, from 1 to 5. The maximum rank you can cast a spell at is equal to half your level, rounded up. For example, a 5th level wizard could cast energy blast at 1st, 2nd, or 3rd rank. Casting spells at lower ranks is generally a good idea when facing lower-level enemies to mitigate the risk of backlash.

For some spells, the effects at each rank stack, such as those with numerical bonuses, but for others, you must choose which version you are casting. This is denoted by the words “also” or “instead” in the spell’s text.

You can also use the automatic average rule to cast a spell as a lengthy ritual, eliminating the need to make a spellcasting roll at all; this cannot be done in combat.

Spell List

This is an alphabetical list of all spells, though you could always design custom spells for your game. Each class may only select spells on their spell lists.

Alter Self

You can disguise yourself as another person. Targets who interact with you are allowed a will save to realize you’re disguised. At 2nd rank, you can disguise yourself as a brute instead. At 3rd rank, you can disguise yourself as an undead instead. At 4th rank, you can disguise yourself as a construct instead. At 5th rank, you can disguise yourself as a fiend instead. Lasts 1 scene.

Animal Shape

You can turn into a walking animal with a bite attack that deals a base 1d8 damage, has keen senses, and moves fast. You also heal 1d6 health per rank. You can change back to your normal form at any time without making a spellcasting roll. At 2nd rank, you can turn into an animal that can swim and breathe underwater or one that can climb almost anything. At 3rd rank, you can turn into an animal that also has two claw attacks that deal a base 1d6 damage. At 4th rank, you can turn into an animal that flies. At 5th rank, you can turn into any animal, gaining all its special abilities. You cannot speak or cast spells while in animal shape. Lasts 1 scene.

Animate Dead

You summon 2 skeletons or one zombie per rank. Each round, you can use your action to command your undead to perform a task, such as attacking a target, moving an object, or crewing a ship. They will continue to perform this task until you give them another command. At 2nd rank, your undead receive a +1 bonus on all rolls. At 3rd rank, you can use your action to restore one of your undead back to full health. At 4th rank, your undead receive a +2 bonus on their defense and all saves. At 5th rank, you can designate one of your undead as a captain, granting it a +2 to all its physical attributes and bestowing it with your ability to spend an action to command your undead and restore one back to full health. Lasts 1 scene.

Arcane Sight

You can sense the presence of magic in any inanimate object nearby and identify magic items. At 2nd rank, you can also detect illusions. At 3rd rank, you can also sense if a nearby target is a spellcaster. At 4th rank, you can also track spellcasters, sensing if they’ve passed through the area within the last day. At 5th rank, you can also see invisible things. Lasts 1 scene.

Bless Allies

You bless one close ally, giving them advantage on one roll they make during the scene. At each additional rank, you can give an additional blessing, either to the same or other allies.

Bright Light

You create a floating orb of light that follows you and lights up the nearby area, causing disadvantage on all rolls involving stealth. At 2nd rank, it lights up the area up to far away. At 3rd rank, the light is so bright that animals and brutes must roll will saves to move close to you. At 4th rank, any animals, brutes, monsters, or people nearby on the turn you cast this spell must make will saves or be blinded for 1 turn. At 5th rank, all animals, brutes, monsters, and people nearby on the turn you cast this spell must make will saves or be blinded for the entire scene. Lasts 1 scene.

Charm Person

One nearby person must make a will save or treat you as a friend; if you or your allies threaten the person in any way, the spell immediately ends. At 2nd rank, you can instead cause all nearby people to either notice or not notice you. At 3rd rank, you can instead convince one person to fight for you. At 4th rank, you can instead cause all nearby people to obey one simple command, such as “flee” or “follow.” At 5th rank, you can instead completely dominate one person, controlling their every action. Targets may make a will save to resist the effect, plus another save each subsequent turn if they’re asked to do something dangerous. Lasts 1 scene.

Control Weather

You can make the area nearby hot or cold enough to require special clothing, or make it temperate enough to not require any; the area moves with you. At 2nd rank, you can fill the entire nearby area with a thick fog instead, giving everyone inside cover, or dissipate any fog in the nearby area. At 3rd rank, you can make it start or stop raining instead, causing disadvantage on all ranged attacks. At 4th rank, you can start or stop a thunderstorm instead, with all the effects of a rainstorm, plus one lightning bolt per turn that forces a far away target to make a reflex save or suffer 3d10 damage. At 5th rank, you can create a tornado instead, dealing 5d6 damage per turn to one far away enemy and all enemies nearby to it. Lasts 1 scene.

Counter Spell

You can counter a spell of a rank equal to the rank at which you cast this spell. Unlike other spells, you can cast this spell on an enemy’s turn.

Create Object

You create a normal, solid, nonmagical item that would fit into a 1-foot cube. At 2nd rank, you can create a weapon or shield or something of a similar size. At 3rd rank you can create a suit of armor or something of a similar size. At 4th rank, you can create an object the size of a wagon. At 5th rank, you can create an object the size of a ship. Lasts 1 day.

Create Illusion

You conjure up an image no larger than the size of a person. At 2nd rank, you can add sound to your illusion. At 3rd rank, you can make an illusion the size of a building. At 4th rank, enemies who attempt to disbelieve your illusions do so at a disadvantage. At 5th rank, enemies attacked by your illusions suffer real damage. Enemies receive one will save to identify illusions, otherwise they are fooled. Lasts 1 scene or until disbelieved.

Curse Enemies

You curse one nearby enemy, forcing them to make one roll of your choice during the scene with disadvantage. At each additional rank, you can curse an additional enemy.

Dimensional Attunement

You establish a bond between yourself and other planes, allowing you to detect approaching elementals, fiends, and undead while they’re on their home planes. You gain advantage on initiative rolls against them. At 2nd rank, you can also use charisma against elementals and undead just as you would against people. At 3rd rank, your attacks and spells also bypass the resistances and immunities of elementals, fiends, and undead. At 4th rank, you also have advantage on all saves against effects caused by elementals, fiends, and undead. At 5th rank, you can also open a rift between two planes, allowing safe passage between them. Lasts 1 scene.

Dispel Magic

You can cancel the effects of a spell on a nearby target or object equal to the rank at which you cast this spell. Unlike other spells, rolling low when using this spell never results in backlash.

Divine Might

You gain a +1 bonus on all weapon attack and damage rolls per rank. These bonuses are doubled against fiends and undead. Lasts 1 scene.

Divine Protection

You gain a +1 bonus on your defense per rank. You may end this spell early to instantly cancel any condition affecting you. Any fiend or undead that hits you with a melee attack suffers 1d6 damage per rank. Lasts 1 scene.

Drain Life

You drain 1d6 health per rank from a close target and heal yourself for the same amount. At 2nd rank, you can affect one nearby target. At 3rd rank, the target must succeed on a fortitude save or lose their next turn. At 4th rank, any health you receive above your maximum can be given to one close ally, up to their maximum health. At 5th rank, you can affect all nearby targets.

Enchant Weapon

You touch one weapon or quiver of arrows, causing it to become magical and take on a specific property of your choice, such as cold iron, flaming, holy, or silver. Certain types of enemies can only be affected by such weapons, while others might suffer additional damage or even worse effects. At each additional rank, you can touch an additional weapon. Lasts 1 scene.

Energy Blast

You send a blast of elemental energy of your choice at a nearby enemy, who must make a reflex save or suffer 2d6 damage per rank. At 2nd rank, you can affect up to 3 close enemies instead. At 3rd rank, you can affect one far away enemy instead. At 4th rank, you can affect one far away enemy and all enemies close to them instead. At 5th rank, you can affect all nearby enemies instead.

Feather Flight

You become as light as air, suffering no falling damage. At 2nd rank, you can slowly levitate up and down at will. At 3rd rank, you can fly at your normal speed. At 4th rank, you can fly as fast as a bird. At 5th rank, you can fly so fast you cover a day’s worth of overland travel in an hour. Lasts 1 scene.

Find Familiar

You attune yourself to a small, loyal creature to serve as your familiar, understanding anything you say and obeying your commands. It cannot attack because it isn’t actually real, more like a manifested figment of your imagination or a coalescence of magical energy. However, it can scout for you and otherwise act autonomously up to far away. If it is hit by any attack (its defense and saves are all equal to yours), it is destroyed. At 2nd rank, it can speak Common. At 3rd rank, it can fly and breathe underwater. At 4th rank, it can detect nearby invisible creatures. At 5th rank, it can cast the 1st rank version of any spell you know once per scene (you make the spellcasting roll for it). You must recast this spell to replace your familiar each time it is destroyed.

Force Armor

A shimmering field of pure force surrounds you. You gain +2 defense per rank. If you suffer a critical hit, the spell immediately ends. Lasts 1 scene.

Force Barrier

You create a translucent wall of force up to 100 square feet per rank with 50 health per rank. Each turn you spend nearby, concentrating on the wall and taking no other actions repairs it for 2d6 health per rank. Lasts 1 scene or until destroyed.

Gate Fiend

You call a fiend from the netherworld to serve you. The maximum level of fiend you can gate is equal to twice the rank at which you cast this spell. Gated fiends may attempt will saves to avoid having to obey you, and any fiend that makes its will save immediately attacks you. You may use an action to attempt to regain control over a fiend, forcing it to make another will save. Alternately, you can make a deal with the fiend, allowing it to return from whence it came in exchange for 3d6 of your health. Lasts 1 scene.

Heal Wounds

You heal one close ally for 2d6 health per rank. At 2nd rank, you can heal one nearby ally. At 3rd rank, you can heal up to three close allies. At 4th rank, you can heal one far away ally. At 5th rank, you can heal all nearby allies.

Inspire Competence

You give a nearby ally +1 bonus on all actions. At 2nd rank, you can affect two nearby allies. At 3rd rank, the bonus increases to +2. At 4th rank, you can affect three nearby allies. At 5th rank, the bonus increases to +3. Lasts 1 scene.

Inspire Courage

You and all your nearby allies gain a +2 bonus on all saves per rank. Targets can also make a new save against any ongoing condition when this spell is cast on them. Lasts 1 scene.

Raise Dead

You raise a close ally back to life with 1 health, so long as they died during the current or previous turn. At 3rd rank, you can raise an ally that died anytime during the current scene. At 5th rank, you can restore an ally that has been dead for any amount of time.

Read Minds

You get a feel for the general attitude of a nearby animal, brute, or person, giving you advantage on one charisma roll involving them. At 2nd rank, you can detect their surface thoughts, letting you know what their next action is. At 3rd rank, you can access their short-term memory, learning anything they did during the current scene. At 4th rank, you can trace their relationships, determining how they feel about others and something they might know about someone specific. At 5th rank, you can dive into their long-term memory, learning anything you want about their past. Targets are allowed will saves to avoid being affected.

Remove Affliction

You remove one condition from a nearby ally, such as confusion, exhaustion, or fear. You also restore one lost attribute point per rank. At 2nd rank, you can remove poison. At 3rd rank, you can remove nonmagical diseases. At 4th rank, you can remove major conditions like blindness or deafness. At 5th rank, you can remove magical diseases like lycanthropy or vampirism.

Resist Energy

You wrap yourself or one close target in a protective field, reducing incoming elemental damage by 2 dice per rank. For example, if you cast this spell at 2nd rank, then suffer 5d6 fire damage, you would only take 1d6 fire damage. Lasts 1 scene.

Revealing Divination

You can see and hear as though you were on the other side of a wall or door you can touch. At 2nd rank, you can see and hear anything that happens nearby. At 3rd rank, you can see and hear anything that happens far away. At 4th rank, you can see and hear anything happening nearby a place you’re familiar with. At 5th rank, you can see and hear anything happening nearby a target you’re familiar with. Lasts 1 scene.

Sanctify Ground

You cause the nearby area to become sanctified, warding it against evil. Fiends and undead must succeed on will saves to enter the area. At 2nd rank, the area becomes brightly lit, causing disadvantage on all stealth rolls. At 3rd rank, any ally reduced to 0 or less health is automatically stabilized. At 4th rank, fiends and undead suffer 2d6 damage per turn they spend in the area. At 5th rank, allies heal 1d6 health every turn they spend in the area. Lasts 1 scene.

Soothing Song

You sing a beautiful and calming song, causing all nearby animals who fail a will save to immediately stop fighting. Any hostile action taken against an affected target immediately cancels the effect. At 2nd rank, your song can also affect brutes. At 3rd rank, your song can also affect people. At 4th rank, your song can also affect monsters. At 5th rank, your song can also affect undead. Lasts 1 scene.

Smite Evil

You cause 2d6 damage per rank to one close fiend or undead. At 2nd rank, affected targets must succeed on a will save or they also lose their next turn. At 3rd rank, you can affect one far away target instead. At 4th rank, the target must succeed on a will save or they also have disadvantage on all rolls for the rest of the scene. At 5th rank, targets who fail their will save are instantly destroyed.

Summon Animal

You summon an obedient 1st level animal indigenous to the local terrain. At each additional rank, the maximum level of the animal increases by 2. This animal will act naturally, defending itself as needed, but will also protect you against any attackers. If you speak Primal, you can direct it to perform other tasks, such as tracking, standing guard, or even searching for specific objects or individuals. Lasts 1 scene.

Telekinetic Field

You can lift an unattended object of up to 20 pounds per rank, which you can use to make a ranged attack against a nearby target, dealing 1d6 damage per rank. At 2nd rank, you can lift yourself and jump 20 feet per rank. At 3rd rank, you can lift an enemy up and drop them back to the ground for 5d6 damage. At 4th rank, you throw all close enemies away to nearby and cause 3d6 damage to each. At 5th rank, you can pick up all nearby enemies and put them wherever you want. Living targets can be no larger than you and are allowed fortitude saves to avoid being moved and reflex saves to avoid any damage caused.

Teleportation Field

You instantly travel to any nearby spot you can see. At 2nd rank, you can travel to any far away spot you can see. At 3rd rank, you can travel to anywhere you’ve been before. At 4th rank, you can take all close allies with you. At 5th rank, you can travel to anywhere you’ve heard of.

Turn Undead

You cause one nearby undead to flee unless it succeeds on a will save. At 2nd rank, undead who fail their saves suffer 2d6 damage. At 3rd rank, you can affect all nearby undead. At 4th rank, you can affect all near and far undead. At 5th rank, undead who fail their will saves are destroyed.

Unseen Presence

You conceal your presence, allowing you to blend in with nearby crowds, shadows, or foliage. You reappear if you attack or cast a spell. At 2nd rank, you can completely disappear, but can still be tracked by keen senses. At 3rd rank, you can’t be tracked by keen senses anymore. At 4th rank, you can vanish as a reaction to being targeted by an attack. At 5th rank, you can spend an action to disappear again, even after appearing for any reason. Targets must succeed on will saves to detect your presence. Lasts 1 scene or until you attack or cast another spell.

Ward Area

You cause all nearby doors and windows to lock shut, even if they don’t have locks. At 2nd rank, you also instantly know if any creature enters the area. At 3rd rank, you can also cause an audible alarm to sound based on any conditions you set when you cast this spell. At 4th rank, you can also choose to cause any creature entering the area to make a will save or be stunned for 1 turn. At 5th rank, you can also choose to cause any unauthorized creature entering the area to suffer 3d6 damage. Lasts 1 scene.