Magus (5e Class)
Magus
A young orc sits alone in a sun-drenched green plain, eyes squeezed shut and left arm fully outstretched. He recoils in pain when a thin bolt of electricity escapes from his arm. Wrought with impatience, the orc raises his arm to its original position. The yellow grain surrounding him sways in the light breeze, baking under the sun. A bead of sweat rolls down the orc's forehead, his hand tense with concentration. He exhales slowly, and with a twitch of his finger, an enormous beam of blinding purple lightning rushes from his fingertips and instantly vaporizes miles of grassland.
Donning her blue velvet robes, a human woman feverishly repeats an arcane phrase aloud as she races to the dresser in her furnished bedroom. Her exhausted eyes dart up and down the open and unkempt drawers in exhilaration, her magical speech becoming louder with each recitation. The human spots her staff among other mystical artifacts and sprints through her homestead, breaking the latch on her front door in an effort to reach the street. She stops speaking and closes her eyes to absorb her surroundings. Dawn has not yet broken over her village, and the summer night is warm and empty around the human woman. She quickly gestures with her staff, conjuring a small patch of ice beneath her feet. Her eyes suddenly snap open as her voice echoes through the empty town corners. The ice patch instantaneously expands to engulf hundreds of feet outside of the village, thick sheets of sleet and snow overtake the air around her.
Magi are unconventional spellcasters that learn their magic by creating variations of their existing knowledge, rather than through reading or study. A Magus listens directly to the magical weave that carries arcana through existence itself, honing their powers to a level far beyond that of other magic wielders. What a Magus lacks in versatility he atones for with superior skill, expertise, and his unbreakable bond with the arcane weave.
Unlikely Candidates
The gods created you to serve another purpose, but the allure of magic was much too difficult to resist. Whether commanding the elements or manipulating the minds of your enemies, the new arcana flowing within your veins has been refined and controlled.
Creating a Magus
A Magus is born when a being defies its destiny to pursue the arcane arts. All Magi were ignited by the moment that they first diverged from their destined path. When did you begin your journey to effectively use magic? When did you cast your first spell? Was the magic difficult to cast, or difficult to control? Why are you continuing to explore your magical abilities? Do you have a source of inspiration?
- Quick Build
You can make a Magus quickly by following these suggestions. First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Far Traveler background. Third, choose the Instinct of Evocation subclass.
Class Features
As a Magus you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per Magus level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 1d6 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per Magus level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Darts, slings, daggers, longbows
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Insight, Investigation, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
- (a) a dagger or (b) a longbow
- (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus
- a spell-map
Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | ||||
1st | +2 | Spellcasting, Arcane Instinct | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2nd | +2 | Instinct Points | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
3rd | +2 | — | 1 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
5th | +3 | Dual Casting | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
6th | +3 | Arcane Instinct Feature | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
7th | +3 | — | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
9th | +4 | — | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
10th | +4 | — | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
11th | +4 | — | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
13th | +5 | — | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
14th | +5 | Arcane Instinct Feature | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
15th | +5 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
17th | +6 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
18th | +6 | Arcane Instinct Feature | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
20th | +6 | Quadruple Casting | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Spellcasting
You have always known that you aren’t a traditional spellcaster, yet powerful magic still flows within you. Your unfaltering determination and control has sparked a deep connection between you and the flow of the Arcane Weave. All Magi have a personalized spell-map that expands with experience.
- Cantrips
At 1st level, you know one Cantrip of your choice from the Magus spell list. You learn additional Magus Cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Magus table.
- Spell-map
At 1st level, you have a Spell-map containing six 1st-level Magus Spells of your choice. Your Spell-map is the repository of the Magi Spells you’ve learned, including your Cantrips.
- Casting Spells
Your spell-map shows how many Spell Slots you have to cast your Spells of 1st level and higher. 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.
- Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your Spellcasting Ability for your Magus Spells, as you learn your Spells by redirecting the Arcane Weave. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your Spellcasting Ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Magus spell you cast and when making an Attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell Attack modifier = your Proficiency Bonus + your Wisdom modifier
- Ritual Casting
You can cast a Magus spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your Spell-map.
- Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus as a Spellcasting focus for your Magus Spells.
- Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher
Each time you gain Magus level, you can add one Magus Spell of your choice to your Spell-map. Each of these Spells must be of a level for which you have Spell Slots, as shown on the Magus table.
Arcane Instinct
Your magical focus is guided to a single school of the Arcane Weave, which will act as the source of your Magus power. Choose an Arcane Instinct. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.
Instinct Points
Instinct Points permanently increase the power of a spell as a result of practice and focus of the Arcane Weave. The uses of a point differ depending on your chosen Arcane Instinct. You gain two Instinct Points at 2nd level, and two additional points every subsequent level.
- Learning New Spells
As you explore the power of different spells, you begin to unlock more powerful branches of magic. Your subclass will dictate the spells you learn as you spend Instinct Points using this formula: [(Spell Name)+Number of Instinct Points)] Only when these requirements are met, and when you have spell slots of this new spell’s level, can you learn the new spell.
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.
Dual Casting
At 5th level, your control over the Arcane Weave strengthens, allowing you to cast two spells in one action. You can use this feature twice per long rest at at 5th level, and you gain one additional use at 7th level, 11th, and 17th level.
Quadruple Casting
At 20th level, you master control over the Arcane Weave, allowing you to cast four spells in one action. You can use this feature twice per long rest. Quadruple casting does not stack with Dual Casting.
Instinct of Evocation
You control the elements, heightening the destructive capabilities of your powers as you gain experience. A Magus with the Instinct of Evocation directs massive surges of arcane energy at his foes, and holds no fear of dangerous magic.
- Powerful Evocation
You have the ability to masterfully command the elements through the power of the weave. Whenever you cast an Evocation spell, cantrip or otherwise, add a d10 of the same damage type to the damage roll. You gain an additional d10 at 9th level, and again at 15th level.
- Energy Molding
You can control the environmental implications of your powers and choose to automatically succeed any saving throw resulting from one of your Evocation spells.
- Instinct Points
As a student of Evocation, your instinct points are used to permanently enhance the power of your Evocation spell. By upgrading a spell with an instinct point, that spell will always be cast at one level higher, without expending a spell slot higher than the spell’s original slot. Multiple instinct points can be spent on one spell, additionally increasing the spells level to no higher than 8th level. This feature has no effect on spells that cannot be cast at higher levels, and you must expend the spells original slot for the instinct point to take effect
- Elemental Override
At 6th level, you can attempt to redirect a magical spell in your favor. When an Evocation spell is cast by an oppenent, you can use your reaction to give a creature - including yourself - advantage on the saving throw or the caster disadvantage on the attack roll. If the spell fails, you can decide to expend a spell slot of your choice to target the caster with his own spell.
- Evocative Layering
At 14th level, you gain the ability to cast two Evocation spells as one using only a single spell slot. The spells must deal the same damage type, must be 1st level or higher, and cannot be of the same spell level. When cast, both spells will then both be cast in the same motion and at the same time, both centered on a single target point. You may choose to expend one of either spells’ slots instead of both. This feature work in tandem with double and quadruple casting.
- Elemental Mastery
At 18th level, you begin to reach the pinnacle of your Evocation power. Once per long rest, for two rounds of combat, Evocation spells expend no spell slots. If you use this feature again before a long rest, there is a 50% chance that you fall unconscious from stress for 1d4 hours. You cannot wake up before this time.
Magus Spell List
Your subclass will dictate the number of spells that you know on the basic Magus spell list at 1st level and additional spells based on your subclass.
- Cantrips
Acid Blast, Chill Touch, Eldritch Blast, Fire Bolt, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Shape Water, Thaumaturgy
- 1st Level
Create and Destroy Water, Grease, Identify
- 2nd Level
Flaming Sphere, Blur, Misty Step, Scorching Ray, Shatter
- 3rd Level
Bestow Curse, Create Food and Water, Glyph of Warding, Slow
- 4th Level
Banishment, Conjure Minor Elementals, Fabricate, Phantasmal Killer
- 5th Level
Cloudkill, Destructive Wave, Dream
- 6th Level
Contingency, Harm, Planar Ally
- 7th Level
Etherealness, Prismatic Spray, Reverse Gravity
- 8th Level
Dominate Monster, Power Word Stun
- 9th Level
Power Word Kill, Prismatic Wall
Instinct of Evocation Spell List
- Cantrips
Dancing Lights, Eldritch Blast, Fire Bolt, Frostbite, Green Flame Blade, Light, Ray of Frost, Lightning Lure, Shocking Grasp, Thunderclap
- 1st Level
Burning Hands, Chaos Bolt, Chromatic Orb, Earth Tremor, Hellish Rebuke, Magic Missile, Thunderwave, Witch Bolt
- 2nd Level
Aganazzar’s Scorcher [Burning Hands+1], Continual Flame, Darkness, Flame Blade [Hellish Rebuke+1], Gust of Wind [Thunderwave+1], Melf’s Acid Arrow , Scorching Ray [Hellish Rebuke+2], Shatter [Magic Missile+2], Snilloc's Snowball Storm, Warding Wind [Thunderwave+1]
- 3rd Level
Fireball [Burning Hands+2], Lightning Bolt [Witch Bolt+1], Melf’s Minute Meteors [Burning Hands+3], Wall of Sand, Wall of Water [Snilloc’s Snowball Storm+1], Wind Wall [Thunderwave+2]
- 4th Level
Fire Shield [Hellish Rebuke+3], Ice Storm [Snilloc’s Snowball Storm+2], Resilient Sphere [Magic Missile+1], Sickening Radiance, Storm Sphere [Thunderwave+3/Witch Bolt+2], Vitriolic Sphere, Wall of Fire [Flame Blade+1]
- 5th Level
Bigby’s Hand [Magic Missile+2], Cone of Cold [Snilloc’s Snowball Storm+3], Dawn [Sickening Radiance+1], Immolation [Aganazzar’s Scorcher+1], Maelstrom [Wall of Water+1], Wall of Force [Magic Missile+2], Wall of Light [Sickening Radiance+1], Wall of Stone
- 6th Level
Chain Lightning [Witch Bolt+3], Contingency, Freezing Sphere [Wall of Water+2], Sunbeam [Sickening Radiance+2], Wall of Ice [Wall of Water+3]
- 7th Level
Crown of Stars [Sickening Radiance+3], Delayed Blast Fireball [Aganazzar’s Scorcher+2], Fire Storm [Flame Blade+2], Forcecage [Magic Missile+3], Mordenkainen’s Sword [Magic Missile+3], Prismatic Spray, Whirlwind [Thunderwave+4]
- 8th Level
Earthquake, Maddening Darkness [Sickening Radiance+4], Sunburst [Sickening Radiance+4], Telepathy
- 9th Level
Meteor Swarm [Flame Blade+3]
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