Blue Mage (5e Class)

## **The Blue Mage**

*"I don't need you, the only one I can rely on is Double Bass! He's always been by my side, now get out of my face!"*

*-Diego Fuego, tiefling blue mage, after being betrayed by his best friend*

A small child lays on the road, having been abandoned by his parents in the dead of night, crying at his misfortune. Four cultists come up to the child, eager to take the child as either a new member of their order, or as a sacrifice. As they approach the child and begin to threaten him with knives, a colossal shadow creature forms behind the cultists, with claws as big as their heads and sharp as their knives. The shadow taps their shoulders, and as they turn around, it rips them all into pieces, saving the child from their evil clutches.

Dark mists rises at the top of a tower, as a foul vampire watches his minions terrorize the countryside, enslaving and killing the villagers as though they were livestock. He hears sudden footsteps, and turns around. A man in a simple jacket is standing there, and he claims that he is going to end the vampire's reign of terror. The vampire laughs at the man's foolishness, and dares him to try. Suddenly, an angelic figure appears behind the man, and rapidly attacks the vampire, ripping him to bloody shreds. His body collapses into dust, and the day is saved by the man.

### **Bound to a Spirit**

Blue Mages on their own are just regular people, only a little more durable than most commoners, but nothing special. However, they are bound to a powerful spirit, known as a guardian, either by their own conscious decision or not. Their guardian protects them, and is the one thing allowing them to be more powerful than other people.

### **Harnessing Life Energy**

The more mighty powers of their guardians are not without cost, however, and their own life force must be channeled into them to engage these powers. This is almost never enough life force to harm the blue mage directly, but it does typically make it harder for their wounds to heal without proper care.

### **Sentient or Shields**

Guardians typically have some form of sentience, a mind of their own, which was typically how they had chosen their blue mage as their own. However, not all are this way; some may manifest from the will of the blue mage itself, some might be artificially created, and others still might be the energy of a dead ancestor without the personality of the fallen family member.

## **Creating a Blue Mage**

Blue Mages gain their guardian in a variety of different ways, which is something you should consider when making your character. Is your guardian one that had hand-picked you from a group of candidates? Did your guardian come into the world from just your sheer willpower? Ask your DM about any possible phenomenons that may have sparked your guardian coming into the world. Additionally, many blue mages tend to stick together, in small groups, to ensure that they are not harmed by malicious others for having guardians. Is your character a member of such a group? If so, how did they meet the others?

### **Quick Build**

You can make a Blue Mage quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Wisdom, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the folk hero or outlander background. Finally, choose an explorer's pack.

## **Class Features**

As a Blue Mage you gain the following class features.

Hit Points
**Hit Dice:** 1d8 per Blue Mage level

**Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + Constitution modifier

**Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Blue Mage level after 1st

Proficiencies
**Armor:** Light armor

**Weapons:** Simple weapons, shortswords, scimitars, rapiers

**Tools:** None

**Saving Throws:** Intelligence, Wisdom

**Skills:** Choose 2 from Arcana, History, Intimidation, Nature, Religion, Perception, Persuasion.

Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

* (*a*) a rapier or (*b*) any simple weapon
* (*a*) a shortsword or *(b*) a scimitar or *(c*) any simple weapon
* (a) a scholar's pack or (b) a monster hunter's pack
* Studded leather and an arcane focus

### **Spellcasting**

Your spellcasting comes from your ability to absorb energy from your body, and your understanding of magic.

#### Cantrips

At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from the sorcerer spell list.

#### Spell Slots

The Blue Mage table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these blue mage 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.

#### Spells of 1st Level or Higher

You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the sorcerer spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Blue Mage table shows how many spells you may know at once. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. You may only learn new cantrips or spells through your Learning feature.

#### Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your blue mage spells, from your magic coming from your knowledge of how monsters function. 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 blue mage spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

* **Spell save DC** = 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your Proficiency bonus
* **Spell attack modifier** = your Wisdom modifier + your Proficiency bonus

#### Ritual Casting

You can cast a blue mage spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.

#### Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your blue mage spells.

### **Learning**

When a spell, spell-like ability, or cantrip is cast on you, and you experience any effect of the spell, you may learn that spell as a reaction. You do not learn a spell if you are required to make a saving throw, you succeed, and the spell has no effect on you. The Cantrips Known and the Spells Known columns of the Blue Mage table shows the maximum number of cantrips and spells you may learn through Learning. You may forget a spell or cantrip by concentrating on it for 1 round.

### **Monster Abilities**

You are able to convert natural abilities of creatures into spells that only you can use. When you are affected by an attack or saving throw that is not a spell, and you experience any effect of the feature, you may learn that monster ability as a reaction. You do not learn a monster ability if you are required to make a saving throw, you succeed, and the ability has no effect on you. The Monster Abilities Known column of the Blue Mage table shows the maximum number of monster abilities you may learn through Monster Abilities. You may forget a monster ability by concentrating on it for 1 round. The spell slot level for a monster ability is decided by the DM, and should be equal in strength to spells of a similar level, from cantrips to 9th-level spells, and everything in-between.

### **Intercept Spell**

At 2nd level, your eagerness to learn abilities allows you to throw yourself in the way of attacks. As a reaction to a creature within range of your movement speed being targeted by an attack that you do not know, and you have an open space of its type (Spell or Monster Ability), you can move in front of them and change the target of the attack to yourself. You can choose to learn this as part of the same reaction, if it is eligible.

### **Magical Archetype**

Starting at 3rd level, you choose an archetype to emulate in your magical styles and techniques. Choose Vampire, Catmancer, and Blue Magus, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 10th, and 18th levels.

### **Ability Score Increase**

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10, 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.

### **Mimic**

Beginning at 14th level, you are able to manipulate the energies of a recently cast spell to cast it yourself. As a reaction to a creature within 15 feet of yourself casting a spell you have a slot for, you may cast it as well, on the same target the original was cast on, regardless of if you are in range or not.

### **Overcharge Magic**

By 20th level, you are able to channel a spell to be more powerful without cost on your casting. When you cast a spell of 5th level or lower, you can choose for it to not expend a spell slot, and be cast at 5th level if it was any lower. After using this feature, you must take a long rest before doing so again.

### **Magical Archetypes**

Blue mages of all kinds specialize in some form, giving them variation that differentiates them from other similar blue mages. The magical archetype that you choose is how you choose to manipulate the monstrous energies of the world, for your casting.

## **Vampire**

While many people think of undead blood-sucking creatures when they imagine vampires, there are more kinds than that. Blue mages that choose the magical archetype of a vampire are similar in how they are, as they are able to drain life of others, but they are not undead. Merely, they are casters that manipulate the forces of life and death, to heal themselves while they harm others.

### **Blood Thirst**

Starting at 3rd level, when you choose this archetype, you gain the ability to absorb blood as it comes onto your blade. As a bonus action, a weapon of your choice that you are currently holding glows with a crimson gleam, for 1 minute. Your first damage roll with that weapon during that minute adds your Wisdom modifier as a bonus, and you restore hit points equal to half of the damage dealt by the weapon. You have one use of this feature, and obtain more as you gain levels in this class, restoring all uses after a long rest.

 8th
 13th
 18th

### **Extra Attack**

Beginning at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

### **Magic Thirst**

By 10th level, you are able to consume the energy of spells that you cast. Once per turn when you kill one or more creatures with a spell of 1st level or higher, you regain hit points equal to twice the spell’s level. You don’t gain this benefit for killing constructs or undead.

### **Battle Thirst**

At 18th level, your ferocity in battle is able to be driven further, as you make your foes ferocity lower. When you use Blood Thirst, you can choose a creature within 30 feet of yourself to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the creature can make one less attack than it normally could until the end of its next turn, and you can make one additional attack during your current turn.

## **Catmancer**

Blue mages that choose to augment their magical abilities to invoke more monstrous energy are known as catmancers, for they typically wear beast-like garbs that are reminiscent of cats and other furred beasts. Some are even known to use magic to augment their form, giving them claws, fangs, cat ears, tails, or eyes.

### **Whisker Sense**

Starting at 3rd level, when you choose this archetype, your senses allow you to pick up on monster abilities even if they do not affect you. You may learn a monster ability if it affects a creature within 5 feet of yourself, as well as if it affects you. This range increases by 5 feet at 6th (10 ft) 10th (15 ft) and 18th (20 ft) levels.

### **Beastlike Memory**

Starting at 6th level, your memory improves itself to allow you to have more abilities from monsters. Your maximum amount of Monster Abilities known increases by an amount equal to your Wisdom modifier (min +1 ability known).

### **Meow to the Max**

By 10th level, your powers from beasts have improved. You add your Wisdom modifier to one damage roll when you deal damage with a Monster Ability.

### **Cat Mastery**

At 18th level, your feral abilities allow you to not only dodge abilities of monstrous creatures, but deflect them back, as well. As a reaction to being attacked by a ranged attack that is not a spell, you decrease the damage by an amount equal to 1d8 + your Dexterity modifier + your Blue Mage level. If you reduce the damage to 0, you can expend a spell slot that would cast the monster ability to instantly use it as part of the same reaction.

## **Blue Magus**

The most wizard-like of all kinds of blue mages, the Blue Magus is one who has extended their arcane powers, focusing more on using spells compared to monstrous abilities. They learn more spells than most other blue mages, but not more than a wizard or most other casters.

### **Grand Mind**

Starting at 3rd level, when you choose this magical archetype, you gain additional Spells Known equal to your Wisdom modifier (min +1 spells known).

### **Spell Steal**

Beginning at 6th level, you are able to steal spells without being hurt by them, due to your magic. You add *counterspell* to the spells you can cast, though it does not count towards your Spells Known. When you use *counterspell* on a spell and you use it to counter a spell of the slot you cast it at or lower, you can choose to learn it as though it hit you.

### **Null Field**

By 10th level, your influence over the arcane protects yourself and your allies from spells. You and allied creatures within 30 feet of yourself add your Wisdom modifier (min +1) to saving throws against spells.

### **Spell Mastery**

At 18th level, you have achieved such mastery over certain spells that you can cast them at will. Choose a 1st-level blue mage spell and a 2nd-level blue mage spell that you know. You can cast those spells at their lowest level without expending a spell slot when you know them. If you want to cast either spell at a higher level, you must expend a spell slot as normal. By spending 8 hours in study, you can exchange one or both of the spells you chose for different spells of the same levels.

## **Guidelines: Monster Abilities**

Monster Abilities are too vast in difference to have a set list of which abilities are what slot levels, however there are still guidelines for how to handle monster abilities so that those who benefit from learning them do not become too powerful, or not powerful enough. As in all things, there will most likely be an exception or two to the guidelines below, but it is best to assume most monster abilities will fit into this category.

**Terminology:** When 'damage' is used to refer to numbers, it is referring to maximum damage.

**Damage:** The monster's ability modifier is not added to the damage calculation, only the dice. For example, a Tarrasque's claw is treated as dealing 48 (4d12) damage, not 58 (4d12+10). A trait adding damage, such as a deva's Angelic Weapons trait, *are* counted for the damage calculation, as well as if their damage was magically enchanted, such as a +1 longsword (1d8+1).

**Higher Slots:** Casting a spell that deals damage at higher slots is treated as most others, adding another damage die. Status effects are dependent on what kind of status effect, but should be treated as similar spells. For example, a charming effect should be treated in the same way as *charm person* for higher slots.

### **Cantrips**

For a monster ability to qualify as a cantrip, it must meet the following prerequisites:

* It cannot deal more than one dice of damage.
* It cannot both deal damage and inflict a status effect, such as poison or sleep.
* If it deals a status effect without damage, it cannot last longer than a turn.
* If the damage is more than 6, it cannot affect more than one creature.

For balancing out weaker cantrips, cantrips that deal 6 or less damage and only affect one creature are subject to the following perks.

* Your spellcasting modifier is added to the damage roll of the cantrip.
* In certain cases, a status effect for one turn may be added instead of your spellcasting modifier to the damage.

Cantrips scale how most do, with them adding an additional damage die at 5th, 11th, and 17th levels.

### **1st-Level**

For a monster ability to qualify as being a 1st-level spell, it must meet the following prerequisites:

* If it only affects one creature and does not apply a status effect, it must deal at least 16 damage.
* If it affects more than one creature, it cannot be larger than a 20-foot sphere or a 15-foot cone.
* If it affects more than one creature and applies a status effect while also dealing damage, the status effect must only last for 1 minute at maximum.
* If it affects one creature, deals no damage, and applies a status effect, the status effect must only last for 1 hour at maximum.
* Single-target abilities that do not apply status effects can deal a maximum of 24 damage.
* Multi-target abilities that do not apply status effects can deal a maximum of 20 damage.
* Single-target and multi-target abilities that do apply status effects can deal a maximum of 16 damage.

### **Higher Levels**

Each level it goes above, it removes a restriction from top to bottom. At 8th/9th level, it can be anything.

so just

don't play a blue mage in one of daisuke's games unless he's very confident in his balancing skills or he wants my assistance.

## **Multiclassing**

**Prerequisites.** To qualify for multiclassing into the Blue Mage class, you must meet these prerequisites: Wisdom 13

**Proficiencies.** When you multiclass into the Blue Mage class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, simple weapons, rapiers, shortswords, scimitars