Magister (Tales from Thedas)

*"Magic is a tool. A tool used mostly for breaking men, but soon, very soon, for breaking shackles."*

— *Freedom's Call: A Manifesto,* by A Concerned Mage

Magic originates from the Fade, the realm where spirits dwell and where humans, qunari, and elves visit when they dream. For non-mages, entering the Fade while dreaming is a fleeting experience; but for mages, they are fully conscious during the entire incident. Those who can tap into the raw energy of the Fade and block the whispering temptations of demons are truly exceptional. When they turn that mental focus onto the field of war, they can be truly terrifying opponents. Rains of fire, walls of ice, or even the ability to heal allies make up a mage's toolkit. Most employ considerable skills rendering foes not only weakened, but also vulnerable to physical attacks, setting up opportunities for their teammates to exploit.

Adapted from the base D&D 5E Wizard.

(Back to Character Creation)

* Hit Dice: 1d6
* Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
* Proficiencies: Staffs, herbalism kit, medicine kit
* Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, and Religion

### **Equipment**

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your origin.

* Your personal mage's staff
	+ To hit: 1d20 + spellcasting ability modifier + proficiency modifier
	+ *Melee Attack:* 1d6 + spellcasting ability modifier of either bludgeoning, slashing, fire, cold, force, or lightning (choose one)
	+ *Ranged Attack:* 1d4 + spellcasting ability modifier of either fire, cold, force, or lightning damage (choose one) at 60 feet
	+ Two-handed, spellcasting focus
* (a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
* A spellbook

## **Spellcasting**

Born a mage, your connection to the Fade allows you to tap into its power. You have trained in the manipulation of its energies to wield the elements, the ethereum, and the other mystical forces of the universe. You may cast any spells from the Magister spell list.

### **Cantrips**

At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from the Magister list. You learn additional cleric cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Magister table.

### **Spell Slots**

The Magister table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of lst level and higher. To cast one of these 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.

You prepare the list of Magister spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the Magister spell list. When you do so, choose a number of Magister spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Magister level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

For example, if you are a 3rd-level Magister, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell Cure Wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.

You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of Magister spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

### **Spellcasting Ability**

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your magister spells, since you learn your spells through dedicated study and academic instruction. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence  modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

### **Ritual Casting**

You can cast a Magister spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.

### **Spellcasting Focus**

Your mage's staff acts as a spellcasting focus for your Magister spells.

## **Arcane Recovery**

You have learned to regain some of your magical energy by studying your spellbook. Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half your magister level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher.

For example, if you're a 4th-level magister, you can recover up to two levels worth of spell slots. You can recover either a 2nd-level spell slot or two 1st-level spell slots.

## **Mage Specializations**

When you reach 2nd level, you choose to specialize as a specific type of mage, shaping your practice of magic through one of the following specializations. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.

The available specializations are Elementalist, Necromancer, Knight-Enchanter, and Chronoturge.

Mage Specializations

## **Features**

### **Ability Score Improvement**

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

### **Spell Mastery**

At 18th level, you have achieved such mastery over certain spells that you can cast them at will. Choose a 1st-level magister spell and a 2nd-level magister spell that are in your spellbook. You can cast those spells at their lowest level without expending a spell slot when you have them prepared. 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.

### **Signature Spells**

When you reach 20th level, you gain mastery over two powerful spells and can cast them with little effort. Choose two 3rd-level magister spells in your spellbook as your signature spells. You always have these spells prepared, they don't count against the number of spells you have prepared, and you can cast each of them once at 3rd level without expending a spell slot. When you do so, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

If you want to cast either spell at a higher level, you must expend a spell slot as normal.