Available Spells
Cantrips
At your first level, all cantrips are available to you, assuming you are proficient in their schools and/or functions of magic. All spell casting players are advised to keep the list of cantrips handy, as any cantrip can be used in almost any scenario, unless otherwise stated in the cantrip’s description. Cantrips have no spell slot requirement, and very few require mana.
Cantrips are the only spells that can be used outside of battle.
Spell Slots
With each level, you gain five spell slots for that level’s spells. For example, at level one, you have five slots for level one spells. At level two, you gain five slots for level two spells, and so on.
Each spell above a cantrip must be prepared in advance, and cannot be prepared during a scenario or combat. ‘Preparing’ a spell just means writing them in your spell slots ahead of time - during undistracted travel, or during short or long rests.
Most spells above a cantrip costs mana to cast. Your maximum mana, if applicable to your character, is determined by your intelligence score (NOT your intelligence modifier), multiplied by 1d8 (or 4) per level. Mana can be replenished with potions, or during short or long rests. During a short rest, your mana will be replenished 2d8. During a long rest, your mana will be replenished fully.
Saving Throws
Rather than armor piercing rolls, spells have saving throw difficulty classes. Rather than determining if a spell pierces an enemy’s armor, an enemy must succeed on a saving throw against that spell in order to take damage.
Saving Throw Difficulty Class
A saving throw against your spell has a DC of 10 + the level of the spell + your bonus for the relevant ability (Intelligence for a Mage or Psyche, Charisma for a bard, or Wisdom for a Druid).
Succeeding on a Saving Throw
A creature that successfully saves against a spell that has no obvious physical effects feels a hostile force or a tingle, but cannot deduce the exact nature of the attack. Likewise, if a creature’s saving throw succeeds against a targeted spell you sense that the spell has failed. You do not sense when creatures succeed on saves against effect and area spells.
Components
A spell’s components are the physical requirements you must meet in order to cast it. Each spell’s description indicates whether it requires verbal (V), somatic (S), or material (M) components. If you can’t provide one or more of a spell’s components, you are unable to cast the spell.
Verbal (V)
Most spells require the chanting of mystic words. The words themselves aren’t the source of the spell’s power; rather, the particular combination of sounds, with specific pitch and resonance, sets the threads of magic in motion. Thus, a character who is gagged or in an area of Silence, such as one created by the Silence spell, can’t Cast a Spell with a verbal component.
Somatic (S)
Spellcasting gestures might include a forceful gesticulation or an intricate set of gestures. If a spell requires a somatic component, the caster must have free use of at least one hand to perform these gestures.
Mana (M)
Casting some spells requires Mana, specified in parentheses in the component entry. If a cost is indicated for a component, a character must have that amount of mana before he or she can cast the spell.
Casting a Spell
When a character casts any spell, the same basic rules are followed, regardless of the character’s class or the spell’s effects.
Each spell description begins with a block of information, including the spell’s name, level, school of magic, casting time, range, components, and duration. The rest of a spell entry describes the spell’s effect.
Casting Time
Most spells require a single action to cast, but some spells require a reaction, a minute, or a longer length of time.
Reactions
Some spells can be cast as reactions. These spells take a fraction of a second to bring about and are cast in response to some event. If a spell can be cast as a reaction, the spell description tells you exactly when you can do so.
Longer Casting Times
Certain spells (including spells cast as rituals) require more time to cast: minutes or even hours. When you Cast a Spell with a casting time longer than a single action or reaction, you must spend your action each turn casting the spell, and you must maintain your concentration while you do so (see “Concentration” below). If your concentration is broken, the spell fails, but you don’t expend a spell slot. If you want to try casting the spell again, you must start over.
Range
The target of a spell must be within the spell’s range. For a spell like Magic Missile, the target is a creature. For a spell like Fireball, the target is the point in space where the ball of fire erupts.
Most spells have ranges expressed in feet. Some spells can target only a creature (including you) that you touch. Other spells, such as the Shield spell, affect only you. These spells have a range of self.
Spells that create cones or lines of effect that originate from you also have a range of self, indicating that the origin point of the spell’s effect must be you.
Once a spell is cast, its effects aren’t limited by its range, unless the spell’s description says otherwise.
Targets
A typical spell requires you to pick one or more targets to be affected by the spell’s magic. A spell’s description tells you whether the spell targets creatures, Objects, or a point of origin for an area of effect (described below).
Unless a spell has a perceptible effect, a creature might not know it was targeted by a spell at all. An effect like crackling lightning is obvious, but a more subtle effect, such as an attempt to read a creature’s thoughts, typically goes unnoticed, unless a spell says otherwise.
A Clear Path to the Target
To target something, you must have a clear path to it, so it can’t be behind total cover.
If you place an area of effect at a point that you can’t see and an obstruction, such as a wall, is between you and that point, the point of origin comes into being on the near side of that obstruction.
Targeting Yourself
If a spell targets a creature of your choice, you can choose yourself, unless the creature must be hostile or specifically a creature other than you. If you are in the area of effect of a spell you cast, you can target yourself.
The Schools of Magic
Academies of magic group spells into eight categories called schools of magic. Scholars, particularly wizards, apply these categories to all spells, believing that all magic functions in essentially the same way, whether it derives from rigorous study or is bestowed by a deity.
The schools of magic help describe spells; they have no rules of their own, although some rules refer to the schools.
Abjuration
Abjuration spells are protective in nature, though some of them have aggressive uses. They create magical barriers, negate harmful effects, harm trespassers, or banish creatures to other planes of existence.
Conjuration
Conjuration spells involve the transportation of Objects and creatures from one location to another. Some spells summon creatures or Objects to the caster’s side, whereas others allow the caster to Teleport to another location. Some conjurations create Objects or effects out of nothing.
Divination
Divination spells reveal information, whether in the form of secrets long forgotten, glimpses of the future, the locations of hidden things, the truth behind illusions, or visions of distant people or places.
Enchantment
Enchantment spells affect the minds of others, influencing or controlling their behavior. Such spells can make enemies see the caster as a friend, force creatures to take a course of action, or even control another creature like a puppet.
Evocation
Evocation spells manipulate magical energy to produce a desired effect. Some call up blasts of fire or lightning. Others channel positive energy to heal wounds.
Illusion
Illusion spells deceive the senses or minds of others. They cause people to see things that are not there, to miss things that are there, to hear phantom noises, or to remember things that never happened. Some illusions create phantom images that any creature can see, but the most insidious illusions plant an image directly in the mind of a creature.
Necromancy
Necromancy spells manipulate the energies of life and death. Such spells can grant an extra reserve of life force, drain the life energy from another creature, create the Undead, or even bring the dead back to life. Creating the Undead through the use of necromancy spells such as Animate Dead is not a good act, and only evil casters use such spells frequently.
Transmutation
Transmutation spells change the properties of a creature, object, or Environment. They might turn an enemy into a harmless creature, bolster the Strength of an ally, make an object move at the caster’s Command, or enhance a creature’s innate Healing Abilities to rapidly recover from injury.
Magical Functions
Each spell has a magical function, or more simply put, a type. Each function is fairly self explanatory: nature spells make use of natural surroundings, elemental spells deal in the elements, and so on. Some spells may be duel function, and can be used by anyone with proficiency in one or both functions.
Elemental
Elemental spells deal in the elements, such as fire, water, wind, or earth.
Nature
Similar to Elemental, Nature spells deal in anything found in nature. This can range from dirt, to plants, to some small living creatures such as insects.
Arcana
Arcana spells deal in traditional magic. They may involve sigils, spectral beings, etc.
Undead
Undead spells are basically just necromancy. Undead spells are rarely out of the school of Necromancy.
Technomagic
Technomagic deals in manipulating technology, such as computers or phones.
Telekinesis
Telekinetic spells involve using the mind, rather than magic. While mages are obviously capable of both, some classes are only capable of ‘magic’ via the mind, or Telekinesis.