Difference between revisions of "School of Astral Magic (5A)"

Revision as of 12:21, 2 June 2022

This is a Wizard subclass for 5A.

One way to explain magic involves a division between ethereal magic, which involves the elements and the inner planes, and astral magic which involves the gods and the outer planes. Using this model, arcane casters like wizards and sorcerers work ethereal magic while divine casters like clerics and paladins work astral magic. Other magical classes use a mix of the two, but can't achieve the same mastery as either wizards or clerics.

Arcane magicians cross the barrier between astral and ethereal magic, applying wizardly models of thought and study to both astral and ethereal magic. This gives an unmatched repertoire of spells to choose from. This kind of wizardry is highly contentious. They see themselves as the wave of the future, but clerics and most common people see them as heretics and harbingers of doom.

Greyhawk: Astral Magicians tend to be synchretists as well, with a very dry and academic view of the gods. Greyhawk City and the Republic of Andoran are regions where this is common.

Divine Classes

There are many sources of power in all the many worlds, but the most well-known and most respected is that of the divine. Some call this miracles, some say its astral magic, everyone agrees the healing and enhancements are nice. Clerics and Paladins are the masters of this magic, but others practice it as well in certain subclasses such as the barbarian Zealot, bard Chanter, fencer Legate, rogue Holy Slayer and Saint of Sinners, sorcerer Divine Soul, warlock Celestial Patron, and wizard Astral Magic and Theurgist.

Subclass Features

Arcane Initiate

Beginning when you select this tradition at 2nd level, add all spells on the cleric spell list to your wizard spell list. These spells count as wizard spells to you, but another wizard can only copy these spells into their spellbook if they have also added the spell to their personal spell list by some means, such as by this school.

You can learn cleric spells from scrolls, just as if they were scrolls of wizard spells. Less likely, you can learn cleric spells from the spellbook of another wizard that has access to that spell, most likely another astral magician or theurgist.

Spellbook At 2nd level you add 2 1st level cleric spells to your spellbook at no cost in addition to the normal 2 wizard spells you gain from advancing a level as a wizard. Each time you advance a level after level 2, you add 3 spells to your spellbook (instead of the usual 2), one of which must be a cleric spell, one must be a wizard spell, and the last can be either a cleric or wizard spell at your option.

Cantrips You now know all cleric cantrips and can change into these when you change cantrips on a long rest.

Empowered Healer

Starting at 6th level, your healing spells are more effective. Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains 1d8 additional hit points.

Arcane Negation

At 10th level, when you restore hit points to an ally with a spell of 1st level or higher, you can also end one spell of your choice on that creature. The level of the spell you end must be equal to or lower than the level of the spell slot you use to cast the healing spell.

Arcane Abjuration

At 14th level, when you cast an abjuration spell that requires you to make an ability check as a part of casting that spell (as in Counterspell and Dispel Magic), you add your proficiency bonus to that ability check.

Designer's Notes

A complete rewrite of the theurgist subclass, that basically only retains the ability to cast cleric spells. Because players favored the ability to pick up a domain, that has been retained as a separate theurgist subclass, so the wizard now has two subclasses that allow access to divine spells. The theurgist from Unearthed Arcana IMO gains too much benefit from the divine domain they get. This is also simplified, removing the distinction between wizard and cleric spells when learning new spells.

I assume the reason a wizard picks this is mainly to heal, so the powers generally help healing and restorative spells. The level 10 and 14 abilities are from the Arcana domain and school of Abjuration respectively, and really ought to be

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 == Subclass Features ==
 === Arcane Initiate ===
-Beginning when you select this tradition at 2nd level, add all spells on the cleric spell list to your wizard spell list. These spells count as wizard spells to you, but another wizard can only copy these spells into their spellbook if they have also added the spell to their personal spell list by some means, such as by this subclass.
+Beginning when you select this tradition at 2nd level, add all spells on the cleric spell list to your wizard spell list. These spells count as wizard spells to you, but another wizard can only copy these spells into their spellbook if they have also added the spell to their personal spell list by some means, such as by this school.
-You can learn cleric spells from the spellbook of another wizard that has access to that spell, most likely another astral magician. Finally, you can learn cleric spells from scrolls, just as if they were scrolls of wizard spells.
+You can learn cleric spells from scrolls, just as if they were scrolls of wizard spells. Less likely, you can learn cleric spells from the spellbook of another wizard that has access to that spell, most likely another astral magician or theurgist.
 '''Spellbook