Mage

You are a student of arcane magic.

As a student of the arcane, you are able to learn spells through careful study, research, and experimentation. To perform arcane research, there are four basic steps:

1. Choose a topic

Choose a spell that costs equal to, or less than, your mana limit.

2. Research and experimentation

To conduct research and experiments, you need access to your spellbook, inks, any material components required by the spell, and a relatively stable environment to experiment. This process takes 8 hours, using 1 mana every 2 hours (which can be done in 2 hour chunks and as a downtime activity), and costs 50 sp for each mana cost of the spell (minimum 1). This represents attempting to cast the spell several times with different environments, materials, or targets to learn how it works.

For every hour of research and experimentation, make a skill check using the skill associated with the spell’s power source (Arcane: Arcana, Divine: Divinity, Occult: Occult, Primal: Primal, and Psionic: Psionics). You must be capable with the skill, or proficient if the spell costs 2 or more mana. The Difficulty is 18 + 2 × the spell’s mana cost. For every additional 5 sp for each mana cost of the spell that you spend every hour by hiring assistants, buying equipment, buying materials to test on, etc, you gain a +1 bonus to this check (up to your mana limit).

Add 5 to the difficulty if the spell is from a theme you don’t know or if the spell costs 2 or more mana and you don’t know a number of spells from the spell’s theme equal to the spell’s mana cost minus 1.

On a success, the time counts toward your research. If you have completed the time to research the spell, you can transcribe the spell into your spellbook, which costs 50 sp for each mana cost of the spell. The spell is considered to be from your power source. You can learn a number of spells from a theme you don’t know up to your mana limit + 1.

On a failure, the time is wasted. If you fail by 4 or less, you gain a research credit. If you fail by 5 or more, you are unable to try again for 24 hours and roll a d20 and compare the result to the complications table.

3. Determine complications

Roll a d6. If you roll less than or equal to the mana cost of the spell then there is a complication. Roll a d20 and compare the result to the complications table.

Research Credits

During your experiments you may make some advancements and during your adventures you may find research notes made by other mages. These research credits can help you during your experimentation. When you make a research check, you can spend a research credit to add 2d4 to the result.

During your adventures you could discover a spell recorded on the wall of an evil mage’s lair, in a dusty tome in an ancient library, or on a spell scroll. While you have the spell accessible, you can gain the benefits of a research credit to learn that spell without spending a research credit. A spell scroll is only partially sufficient to learn from as it is written in a simplified mystical cipher that other mages can repeat so research credits from a spell scroll are partial credits which add 1d4 to the result instead of 2d4. If you learn the spell, the original magical writing dims as the magic contained in it is absorbed.

You have a limited well of energy that you can draw on to protect yourself from harm. As an action, you can spend up to half your Health Dice (minimum 1). For each Health Die spent in this way, roll the die and add your Constitution. You can decide to spend an additional Health Die after each roll. You regain health equal to the total.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Choose one theme. The cost and time you must spend to copy spells from this theme into your spellbook is halved.

On a short rest you can choose a number of spells you know up to half your Aptitude Bonus (min 1) and replace each of them with another spell in your spellbook from a theme you know, which must cost equal to, or less than, your mana limit. On a long rest you can choose and replace a number of spells equal to your Aptitude Bonus.

Your study of spells has led you to understand how to how to manipulate your spells to suit your needs. You gain 1 metamagic and learn one metamagic option of your choice. You regain metamagic on a short or long rest.

At 5th level you gain an additional metamagic and learn one major metamagic option of your choice.

You can call a spell to mind that suits your needs. On your turn with your spellbook in hand, you can cast a spell that is in your spellbook as if you know it. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

You can use this feature twice between rests starting at 13th level.

You have studied themes from other power sources. Choose one theme from the Arcane, Divine, Occult, Primal, or Psionic power source. That theme is considered to be from the Arcane power source. You must be capable with the Divinity skill to study a theme from the Divine power source, the Occult skill to study a theme from the Occult power source, the Primal skill to study a theme from the Primal power source, and the Psionics skill to study a theme from the Psionic power source.

At 9th level and 17th level one additional theme is considered to be from your power source.

A feat represents an area of expertise that gives a character special aptitudes. It embodies training, experience, and abilities beyond what a class provides.

You gain a feat of your choice from the general feats or from a theme you know.

You gain additional feats at 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th level.

When you gain a level, you can choose one of the feats you know and replace it with another feat that you could have learned when the replaced feat was chosen.

Increase two abilities of your choice by 1 and one of your lowest two abilities by 1. If multiple abilities are tied for one of your lowest abilities, you can choose any of them. As normal, you can’t increase an ability above 5 using this feature.

Increase your abilities again at 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th level.

Choose a skill to become capable with. At 5th level or higher, you can become proficient if you choose a skill you are already capable with.

At 3rd level you also choose a Weapons skill to improve.

At 5th level you choose three skills to improve instead of one and also choose a Weapons skill to improve.

At 7th level you also choose a Weapons skill to improve.

You cannot be capable with martial weapons and cannot be proficient with any weapon.

Reminder

There are some limits for what can be done with two actions. See Actions in combat section.

You can use two actions on your turn instead of one.

If you fail a saving throw to maintain your concentration on a spell, you can use your reaction to reroll the saving throw.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Choose Fortitude, Reflex, or Will saving throws to become capable with, or proficient if you are already capable.

Choose another saving throw at 10th level.

You have achieved such mastery over certain spells that you can alter them. Choose two spells that are in your spellbook: one spell that costs 1 mana and one spell that costs 2 mana or less. Choose one metamagic option to always apply to one of the chosen spells and one major metamagic option to always apply to the other chosen spell.

With a week of practtice, you can exchange one or all of the spells and metamagic options you chose.