Theme: Strategic Sorcery

## Transform the Battlefield to your Advantage

The Strategic Sorcery Theme represents Tacticians who have gained the ability to wield Arcane power through learning or a natural gift, and can utilize this magic in ways that turns the battlefield to their advantage. They have learned how to wield Arcane Magic by expending their own Stamina, and through this are able to protect themselves and their allies from the harmful effects of their Spells. Additionally they may cause the Difficult Terrain their Spells create to only affect their enemies, giving their allies a further upper hand in combat. As Tacticians progress through this Theme they learn how to bolster the magic of their allies and also how weave magic into their Attacks more intuitively. At the highest levels may see though the Obscuration of their own Spells, allowing them to manipulate the Fog of War to their Advantage.

This Theme is inspired by depictions of magic in warfare. From Manga and Anime Adaptations of Naruto to depiction of low magic in combat and warfare in the Dresden Files and also the Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell novels. The intent is that the Tactician uses a small portion of the Arcane Tradition of Magic in combination with their strategic minds to deliver extraordinary effects which other Spellcasters may struggle to with their greater control over magic.

## Prerequisites

The Strategic Sorcery Theme is available to the Tactician Archetype only.

It is well suited for High Fantasy settings involving heroic exploits and cinematic action.

## Level 3 Features

At Level 3 your Character gains the following features:

### Stamina Based Spellcasting

* You have learned how to channel Arcane Magic by expending your Stamina.
* The Stamina Cost required to Cast an Arcane Spell is equal to one plus the Spell's Level.
	+ If you have access to other means of Casting Spells, such Spell Slots through another Archetype, you may Cast your Levelled Spells using these also. However you may not expend Stamina to use Spells which are not Arcane Spells.
* You may also expend additional Stamina points to Upcast a Spell if it is capable of being Upcast. The maximum number of Stamina Points you may expend on a Spell increases as you gain Levels in the Archetype you gained this Theme through.

Maximum Stamina per Casting
Level
 Lvl 5-8
 Lvl 9-12
 Lvl 13-16
 Lvl 17-20

#### Cantrips

* Cantrips are a subset of Spells which you may Cast without expending Stamina or a Spell Slot.

#### Spells Known List

* As you gain levels in this Theme you learn Spells from the Arcane School of Magic.
* You know a number of Arcane Spells equal to your one plus half your

#### Spell List and Spellcasting Ability

* Strategic Sorcerers learn Spells from the Arcane Tradition of Magic.

* Spells learned through this Theme are referred to as Arcane Spells.

* Your Spellcasting Ability Modifier for Arcane Spells learned through this Theme is your Intelligence.
* You use this Ability Modifier whenever an Arcane Spell refers to your Spellcasting Ability.
* In addition, you use this Ability Modifier when setting the Saving Throw DC for an Arcane Spell you Cast and when making an Attack roll for such a Spell.
	+ Spell save DC = 8 + your Proficiency bonus + your Intelligence Ability Modifier
	+ Spell Attack Modifier = your Proficiency bonus + your Intelligence Ability Modifier

#### Cantrips

* Cantrips are a subset of Spells which you may cast without expending a Spell Slot.
* You learn two Cantrips of your choice from the Arcane Tradition of Magic.
* You learn additional Cantrips of your choice from the Arcane Tradition of Magic at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Strategic Sorcery Spellcasting Table.
* You may replace one Cantrip of your choice with another from the Arcane Tradition of Magic whenever you Level Up.

#### Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

* You may learn any Spell from the Arcane Tradition of Magic.
* The number of Spells you may learn increases as you level up.
* You may not learn an Arcane Spell of higher level than that indicated in the Strategic Sorcery Spellcasting Feature Table.
* The total number of Spells you may learn is equal to one + Half your Hero Level rounded up (see the Strategic Sorcery Spellcasting Feature Table)
* You may learn any combination of Spells from the Arcane Tradition of Magic from any Spell Slot Level, provided they do not exceed the total number of Spells available at your Level and are of a Spell Level you can Cast as a Strategic Sorcerer (see the Strategic Sorcery Spellcasting Feature Table)

#### Replacing Spells Known of 1st Level or Higher

* Whenever you gain a New Level, you may replace any Levelled Spells previously gained through this Theme with other Spells from the Arcane Tradition of Magic, provided they are of a Level you may Cast.

#### Ritual Casting

* You can Cast any Spell you have learned as a Ritual if that Spell has the ritual tag.
* The duration to cast a Ritual is the Spell's usual casting time plus 10 minutes.
* When you Cast a Spell as a Ritual you do not expend Stamina or a Spell Slot.
* Casting a Spell as a Ritual requires you maintain Concentration on the Spell throughout performing the Ritual.

#### Spellcasting Focus

* You may use a Spellcasting Focus whenever a costless material component is required to perform an Arcane Spell.
* You may use any Weapon as a Spellcasting focus.

### Command Spell

* As a Bonus Action, you may protect any number of Characters you can see within 60ft of you against the effects of Arcane Spells you Cast or have previously Cast.
* Until the End of your Next Turn, protected Characters automatically succeed on their Saving Throws against the effects of Arcane Spells Cast by you, and take no Damage from these Spells. Additionally while the Arcane Spell is in effect it would cause Difficult Terrain, Characters may ignore the effects of this Difficult Terrain while they are protected.

## Level 6 Features

At level 6 your Character gains the following features:

### Arcane Strategy

* When you use the Strategic Action feature, Characters may in addition to the other options available them choose to use their Reaction to Cast a Cantrip they know. The Spell must have a Casting time of either an Action or a Bonus Action.

### Arcane Attack

* When you take the Attack Action, you may replace one of the Attacks you make with the Casting of a Cantrip. The Spell must have a Casting time of one Action or one Bonus Action.

## Level 10 Features

At level 10 your Character gains the following features:

### Spell Sight

* You are able to see through the Obscuration caused by Arcane Spells you Cast, such as that caused by Illusions and the Spells Fog Cloud, Sleet Storm and Stinking Cloud.

## Level 14 Features

At level 14 your Character gains the following features:

### Improved Arcane Strategy

* When you use the Strategic Action feature, Characters may in addition to the other options available to them use a Reaction to Cast either a Cantrip or a Spell of 2nd Level or lower which they know. The Spell must have a Casting time of either an Action or a Bonus Action.

## Copyright Notice

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

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This work includes material taken from "7e” by Peter Rees and materials taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC. Both "7e" and the "SRD5.1" are Licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode