Magus, Variant (5e Class)
Magus
A master of magic and weapons, but not as proficient as your average wizard or fighter.
Creating a Magus
- Quick Build
You can make a Magus quickly by following these suggestions. First, strength or dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by intelligence. Second, choose the Sage background. Third, choose a rapier if you chose dexterity as your highest ability score, or longsword if you chose strength as your highest ability score.
Class Features
As a Magus you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per class level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light and shields
Weapons: Simple and martial
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength or dexterity and intelligence
Skills: Choose two from the following: Acrobatics, Athletics, Arcana, History, Insight, Intimidation and Investigation
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a rapier or (b) a longsword
- a component pouch
- (a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- leather armor
| Proficiency | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | ||||
| 1st | +2 | Spellsword,Spellcasting | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 2nd | +2 | Spellstrike | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 3rd | +2 | Magus Path | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Increase | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 5th | +3 | Improved Spellsword | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 6th | +3 | Magus Path Feature | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 7th | +3 | Medium Armor Proficiency | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Increase | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | ||||
| 9th | +4 | Magus Path Feature | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | ||||
| 10th | +4 | Arcane Defense | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | ||||
| 11th | +4 | Greater Spellsword | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | ||||
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Increase | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | ||||
| 13th | +5 | Heavy Armor Proficiency | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | ||||
| 14th | +5 | Magus Path Feature | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | ||||
| 15th | +5 | Arcane Defense | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | ||||
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Increase | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | ||||
| 17th | +6 | - | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 18th | +6 | Spell learning | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Increase | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 20th | +6 | Spell Sunder | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||
Spellsword
Starting at 1st level, a magus wields magic and one handed weapons in twine. Whenever the magus makes a melee attack with one hand, as long as their other hand is empty they may cast a spell as a bonus action. Any attacks or spell attacks this turn, including the initial melee attack are -2 to hit. You may also cast a spell as an action and make a single one handed melee weapon attack as a bonus action with the same -2 to hit.
Spellcasting
As a student of arcane magic, you have a spellbook containing spells that show the first glimmerings of your true power.
- Cantrips
At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn additional wizard cantrips of your choice at higher levels.
- Spellbook
At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing six 1st-level wizard spells of your choice. Your spellbook is the repository of the wizard spells you know, except your cantrips, which are fixed in your mind.
- Preparing and Casting Spells
To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of wizard spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of wizard spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your magus level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you're a 3rd-level wizard, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination, chosen from your spellbook. If you prepare the 1st-level spell magic missile, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of wizard spells requires time spent studying your spellbook and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
- Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since you learn your spells through dedicated study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
- Ritual Casting
You can cast a wizard 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 as a spellcasting focus for your wizard spells.
- Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher
Each time you gain a magus level, you can add two wizard spells of your choice to your spellbook for free. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the Wizard table. On your adventures, you might find other spells that you can add to your spellbook.
Spellstrike
Starting as 2nd level, a magus may use a one handed melee weapon to deliver a spell. You may prepare to deliver a spell as a bonus action,which you then release on your next attack on the same turn. It becomes a single target touch spell that is delivered through the attack, if it hits it does normal weapon damage plus the spells damage. If the attack critically strikes, the spell does as well. If the attack misses, the spell is not expended.
Magus Path
There are 3 distinct paths a magus can take. An Aegis, a Magus who combines magic with their swords and shields. A Spellcleaver, a Magus who uses larger weapons to channel their magic. A Spell Sniper, a Magus who fires their spells with a bow.
Improved Spellsword
Starting at 5th level, whenever you use the spellsword feature, you no longer take a -2 penalty to attacks
Ability Score Increase
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th 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 20 using this feature.
Medium Armor Proficiency
Starting at 7th level you gain medium armor proficiency, if you already have medium armor proficiency you may treat this feature as an ability score increase.
Arcane Defense
Beginning at 10th level, select a school of magic Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy or Transmutation. You gain a +2 bonus to saving throws against effects from that school. At 15th level you may select a second school to gain a +2 bonus to saving throws against.
Greater Spellsword
Starting at 11th level, whenever you use the spellsword feature, you are now +2 to hit with spells and attacks and your spell dc increases by 2.
Heavy Armor Proficiency
Starting at 13th level, you gain heavy armor proficiency, if you already have heavy armor proficiency you may treat this feature as an ability score increase.
Spell Learning
Starting at 18th, level you may add one spell from each spell list other than wizard to your spells known, they can be of any level you know. The spells you learn cannot be spells that restore hit points, the spells lesser restoration and greater restoration, or spells which revive the dead. The spell lists include bard, cleric, druid, paladin, ranger, sorcerer, and warlock.
Spell Sunder
Starting at 20th level whenever an enemy casts a spell, you may use your reaction to destroy or deflect it. If it is an attack spell, you both roll to hit, if only one of you succeeds, it hits the other, otherwise it is wasted and nothing happens. If it is a saving throw spell, you both roll a saving throw, if one fails, they are effected, otherwise it fails and nothing happens.
Aegis Magus
You pick up a shield to protect yourself, without unlearning the original way of the spellsword.
- Spell Aegis
Starting at 3rd level, a shield magus may wield a one handed weapon and a shield and still use the spell strike and spellsword abilities. You gain the War Caster feat.
- Spell Retaliation
Starting at 6th level, whenever you are attacked, but not hit you may cast an appropriate spell at the attacker using your reaction.
- Spellbash
Starting at 9th level whenever you make an attack using the attack action, you may follow it up with a spellbash, dealing no damage, but if you hit you may cast a non-damaging spell on that creature.
- Spell Defense
Starting at 14th level, you gain resistance to damage from spells that you know, and advantage on saving throws against spells you know.
Spell Sniper
Throwing your rapier aside, you pick up a bow to fling spells as well as arrows.
- Spell Archery
Starting at 3rd level, an archer magus takes up ranged weaponry to fling spells. Your Spellstrike feature may be applied to any ranged or thrown weapon.
- Spellshot
Starting at 6th level, your Spellstrike feature may be used with a ranged or thrown weapon without changing it to a single target touch spell. The spell's range increases to that of your ranged weapon's maximum range without disadvantage.
- Magical Munitions
Starting at 9th level, all arrows you shoot are +1 magical arrows, giving you +1 to hit and damage. This increases to +2 at 13th level and increases again to +3 at 17th level.
- Army of One
Starting at 14th level you may create of kaleidoscope of duplicates that each fire one arrow at a number of targets up to half your total character level. Roll one attack with advantage. Each creature may only be targeted by one arrow. You may not use a spell on any of these arrows. You have one use of this ability, and it refreshes after a long rest.
Spellcleaver
Dropping your longsword, and picking up a greatsword, you will slice with steel and arcane power.
- Spellcleaving
Starting at 3rd level, a spellcleaving magus may wield a two handed weapon and still use the spell strike and spellsword abilities.
- Heavy Spellcleave
Starting at 6th level, whenever you make a spell or melee attack, you may take a -3 penalty to attack for a +6 damage bonus, additionally any saving throws your target makes against your spell cleave are made with a -3 penalty.
- Cleaving critical
Starting at 9th, level whenever you roll a natural 19 you critically strike, and all critical strikes deal triple damage instead of double.
- Spellcleave
Starting at 14th level, whenever you use a two handed melee weapon to deliver a spell, you may make another weapon attack at another creature in range without moving to hit them with the attack and spell as well.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Magus class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Strength or 13 Dexterity and 13 intelligence
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Magus class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, simple and martial weapons.
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