Chapter IX: Spells
It is not a wizard’s job to improvise. It is a wizard’s job to be prepared.Magic, both arcane and divine, is an ancient and powerful resource. Through the ages, it has been forged and cast into many powerful forms, known as spells.
Spellcasting
There are many different methods of employing magic, from the chaotic creativity of sorcerers to a warlock's pact magicks. Most magic, however, occurs in the form of spells. Spells are uniform deployments of magical energy that have fixed definitions of what they do. To cast a spell, you must know it and have a resource with which to unleash it.MEMORIZING SPELLS
Certain classes, such as shamans and paladins, choose a spell to cast at the moment they decide to cast it. Other classes, such as clerics, swordmages, and wizards, prepare the spells they intend to cast ahead of time by memorizing them.To memorize a spell, you concentrate or study your spellbook for 15 minutes then spend a number of spell points or a spell slot equal to the spell's level or higher. Alternatively, you can spend one hour in continuous concentration or study to memorize all the spells you are capable of memorizing.
You memorize spells once per day at a time of your choosing. If you are a cleric of light, you might prepare spells at dawn; a druid, when the moon is at its apogee; a witch, at the witching hour.
CASTING SPELLS
When you have a spell memorized, or a spell slot or spell point available to spontaneously cast a spell, you can use the Cast action to cast it. Casting a spell consumes the spell point, spell slot, or memorization used to cast it.Some spells can be cast without using Cast action. Such oddities are noted in a spell's description. In addition, there are certain types of spells that can be cast in different ways.
CANTRIPS & ORISONS
Cantrips and orisons differ from true spells in that they are basic forms of magic that require specific study or skill to master but very little energy to cast. Cantrips and orisons can only be learned through class or racial features. Cantrips are arcane magics. Orisons are divine magics. Unlike other spells, these ‘0 level’ spells can be cast at any time as an attack action without requiring memorization or the use of a spell point or spell slot. However, they do not benefit from bonuses applied to your other spells.SPONTANEOUS SPELLS
Spontaneous spells are spells you have mastered or have the gift of calling upon at a moment’s notice. You can expend a spell you’ve memorized to cast a spontaneous spell, even if the memorized spell is of a lower spell level. When you do so, you treat the spell as if it were of the spell slot's level.RITUALS
Rituals are utilitarian spells that can be called upon without much expenditure of energy. You can cast a ritual by concentrating for one minute and spending a hero's surge. If you use a spellbook, you must study it during this process.IMPLEMENTS & HOLY SYMBOLS
Implements and holy symbols are items capable of empowering spells cast through them. Arcane casters can utilize implements. Divine casters can utilize holy symbols and implements, though only holy symbols benefit rebuke attempts.Spell Lists
Spellbooks
LEARNING SPELLS
You must know a spell to cast it. If you are a cleric, shaman, or other class that does not use a spellbook, you begin play with a set group of known spells and learn more when you gain a level.If you are a witch, magic-user, or other class that uses a spellbook, you know the spells in your spellbook and learn more by scribing them.
SCRIBING SPELLS
Casters who utilize spellbooks learn spells by scribing them into their spellbook. The number of spells your spellbook contains and the number of spells you automatically scribe when you gain a level is defined by your class. In addition, when you encounter a scroll or spellbook that contains a spell you do not know, you can attempt to scribe it into your spellbook.To scribe a spell, you spend a day of sporadic study or an hour of uninterrupted study per spell level then make an Arcane Magic attempt. On a normal success, you scribe the spell. On a major, you scribe it in half this time. On a critical, you scribe it in one-quarter. On a 20, you scribe the spell in one minute or do not consume the scroll. On a limited success, you can try again immediately. On a failure, you can attempt to scribe the spell again after a long rest or after you gain a level. On a roll of 1, you can never scribe the spell from this source. On a roll of 1 with an unlucky result, you can never learn the spell.
- Access to an arcane laboratory grants you advantage on your scribe attempt.
- Scribing a spell requires ink, a quill, and a number of pages in your spellbook equal to the spell's level.
- Scribing a spell from a scroll consumes the scroll; the condensed nature of a scroll’s magic requires it to be unleashed to expand it.
- You can only scribe a certain number of spells per spell, as defined by your class.
Reading the Spells
NAME
Spells are listed in alphabetical order by the name they are commonly called. Customizing a spell name is the right of every hero, and possibly the path to immortality for the most audacious wizards. In addition, some spell names contain variables, particularly Element and Outsider spells. When you memorize or cast such a spell, the option of the spell you select provides its name. For example, a detect outsiders spell used to detect undead becomes detect undead and an elemental blade spell used to create a fiery blade becomes flame blade.When casting a divine variable spell, such as produce element, if you have limited access to the spell’s domains, you also have limited options with which to use the spell. If you only have access to the fire and air domains, you can only cast the produce air and produce fire versions of the spell.
ARCANE ( ) & DIVINE ( )
A spell may be arcane, divine, or both. Each is represented by a symbol:: An arcane spell : A divine spell
LEVEL
A spell's level represents the power required to cast it. Many of a spell’s effects and properties are keyed off of level. When a spell’s properties or effect mention level, the spellcaster’s level is being referenced. When a spell’s properties or effect mention spell level, the spell's level is being referenced.For example, Ophelia, a level 4 wizard, casts rope trick as a ritual. Rope trick has a duration of 1 hour per level. As a level 4 wizard, her rope trick lasts 4 hours. Later, she encounters a band of goblins and casts burning hands, which she memorized with a level 1 spell slot. Burning hands deals 3d4 fire damage, plus 2d4 per spell level, so it deals 5d4 fire damage as a level 1 spell.
To memorize or cast a spell, a spell slot of an equal or higher level must be spent. If the spell's level is followed by a ‘+’ symbol, the spell scales in power based on the number of spell points or level of the spell slot used to cast it.
Spells with a level of 0 are cantrips or orisons. Some spells have both cantrip\orison and non-cantrip\orison versions. In such a case, the cantrip\orison version of the spell will include cantrip or orison in its name.
SCHOOL
The type of magic a spell invokes is categorized by school.Abjuration spells produce wards, protections, and triggered effects.
Conjuration spells summon or magically form something into being.
Divination spells provide magical knowledge, forewarning, or sight.
Enchantment spells alter the workings of the mind through compulsions or charms or imbue magical properties to items or creatures.
Evocation spells produce forceful magical effects.
Illusion spells change what others perceive as reality. Glamer effects disguise things, figments produce things that appear to be real, and phantasms infect a creature's mind.
Necromancy spells reverse or redirect the forces of life and affect the dead.
Transmutation spells alter objects, reality, or a creature's form.
DOMAIN
The Domains a divine spell belongs to are listed after its school. Domains provide the groups through which some divine casters access spells.TYPE & SAVING THROW
A spell’s type and saving throw denote its special properties and the involved attempt. If a spell is a ritual, that is listed here. Unless your class specifies otherwise, you use your rank in Arcane or Divine magic for your spell's attempts.For example, blight's saving throw is Divine vs. Constitution. Mathus the cleric is Adept in Divine magic. When he casts blight and creatures try to resist, he rolls the attempts with a rank of Adept. The Divine vs. Constitution only comes into play if the target has vulnerability or resistance to divine effects or Constitution defenses.
DURATION
How long a spell's effect persists is listed in its duration. Unless its description specifies otherwise, you can end the effect of a spell you cast as part of your turn. Spells whose effects occur instantaneously, such as the gout of flame from burning hands or the stroke of lightning from lightning bolt, have no duration. Spells that have durations of Concentration or Permanent differ as follows.Concentration: A spell with a duration of concentration requires concentration to maintain. Unless otherwise specified, by concentrating on a spell you can keep it active for up to one minute.
- If added time is specified after concentration, such as Concentration + 2 rounds, the spell’s effects continue for the designated time after your concentration ends.
- If concentration is listed as an option, such as 10 minutes or concentration, you can extend its duration by concentrating on it. For example, solid fog lasts for 10 minutes or concentration. After 10 minutes have passed, to maintain the spell longer you must concentrate on it. The only limit to the duration of such spells is your ability to concentrate on them.
- You can only concentrate on one spell at a time.
- You cannot use arcane defense or divine defense while concentrating.
- If you take damage equal to or exceeding your level while concentrating, you must succeed on a Constitution/Wisdom (Endurance) check or lose concentration. You must also do so when faced with overwhelming distraction, such as a being dazed, grappled, in the midst of a violent storm, or sinking underwater.
- Being stunned or falling unconscious ends concentration.
- You can choose to end concentration at any time.
In example, when you use a hero's surge to cast animal companion, you cannot regain that hero's surge while the animal companion exists unless you spend a boon to regain it.
EFFECT
A spell's effect describes how its magic affects the world.COMPONENTS
To cast most spells, you need to supply components. Components can be verbal, somatic, or material. In addition, some spells require a focus or offer an option for a preservative. Unless otherwise noted, all spells require verbal and somatic components.Material Component: Some divine spells and many arcane spells require a physical component to invoke their power. These material components must be expended when the spell is cast. If you have a spell component pouch, you keep the costless components for spells you know stocked in it.
Somatic Component: Almost every spell requires a gesture with the hand to cast. This is the somatic component. You must have a free hand or be holding an implement or holy symbol to cast a spell with a somatic component.
Verbal Component: In addition to magical gestures, most spells require a verbal component. By speaking magical words or calling upon your patron's power, you invoke your spell. You must be able to speak to cast a spell with a verbal component.
Focus: Some spells require but do not consume a material component. This is a focus. You must present a focus when casting a spell requiring one, but do not lose it. If you have a spell component pouch, you keep the costless focuses for spells you know stocked in it.
Preservative: Some spells with permanent durations offer a preservative option. This is a component that allows the release of the resource used to cast a permanent spell. During or after the casting of such a spell, you spend the preservative, usually sprinkling a physical preservative over the spell's area. After doing so, you can regain the hero's surge, spell point, spell slot, or other resource used to cast the spell as you normally would.
- All material components used by spells must be real.
- Magically conjured items, illusions, or other tricks in manufacturing material components cause spells requiring them to fail.
- Material components, focuses, and preservatives with a cost that scales by spell level treat cantrips and orisons as being ½-level.
CATEGORY
A spell's category provides a quick idea as to the spell’s primary purpose.Buff spells strengthen.
Control spells hamper and contain.
Damage spells deal damage.
Enchanting spells allow you to create magical items.
Healing spells restore health.
Hybrid spells deal damage and additional effects.
Movement spells grant special forms of movement.
Scrying spells allow you to gain knowledge or prevent its gain by others.
Utility spells provide other effects that are advantageous in unusual ways.
RANGE
A spell’s range indicates how far its effect can reach. Some spells affect individual targets and others affect areas. Spells that affect individual targets will list only a distance in their range. Area effect will include an area type in addition to any base range. Unless a spell creates a cloud or specifies otherwise, its range and area are limited by obstructions. Ducking behind a pillar that lies between you and a fireball's detonation point would prevent you from being hit by the blast.Cloud: A cloud spell creates a spherical effect of the diameter listed. Unlike other area effects, clouds wrap around barriers to permeate all space in their area.
Cone: A cone spell creates a conical area effect originating from the caster and expanding outward. A cone’s diameter is equal to its distance from its point of origin. For example, a cone of cold spell is 5’ wide 5’ away from the caster, and 60’ wide 60’ away.
Line: Line spells travel from an origin point directly away from the caster to their endpoint, affecting targets they pass through. A line’s size is listed in length by width, so a 120’x5’ line would be 5’ wide and travel 120’ directly away from the caster.
Personal: Personal spells target their caster. Some personal spells also include an area effect that uses the caster as the center of the effect, such as anti-plant shell, to indicate the spell’s area moves with the caster.
Ray: Ray spells are ranged spell attacks. They function as other ranged attacks and thus can be dodged or parried.
Sphere: Sphere spells create a sphere of the specified diameter at a location within range. A spell with a range of 300’, 20’ sphere, creates a 20’ diameter sphere within 300’ of the caster.
Touch: Touch spells are delivered by their caster's touch. If they are attack spells, they are the magical equivalent of a melee attack and can be dodged or parried. Unlike other spells, touch spells are only expended once they are successfully delivered. Your hand remains charged with the spell until the touch is successful, another touch spell is cast, you fall unconscious, or you dismiss the spell as part of your turn.
Wall: Wall spells create a customizable wall of effect. A wall’s length is listed in its range, while height and depth are found in the spell’s description. A wall must be contiguous but otherwise can turn or redouble as the caster desires. Walls require a surface on which to be placed and cannot be grown vertically unless the spell specifies otherwise.
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