In all the fiction we've read, we hear about the Hazard Mages, the Adepts of the Blue Star, the sorcerors of Ilthmar and their unspeakable rites, the ancient lore of the wizard-kings of Melnibone ... magic is, well, magical and mysterious. These titles and names evoke a sense of mystery. No two paths of magic are the same.
So how do we create this is in a 5th edition game? Well, the choice of spells is a nice start, but it starts to feel cookie-cutter ... and gives your players a lack of options. Now, imagine if you are can choose a path by using a feat, a character can take one that makes their magic different.
Below are some example feats I use in my game -- they give the player a small bump in a certain style of magic, but moreover, it ties them to my world, and adds flavour beyond 'you get +1 DC to your evocation spells'.
The feats below that refer to Lianter are more universal, but they evoke the origins of wizardry in my game -- Lianter was a demi-god who walked the earth and taught formal magic, supplanting sorcery with wizardry (much like Prometheus teaching mankind the secrets of fire). In my campaign's history, he came to a tragic end about 1500 years ago, but the art of magic he taught lives on...
ACADAMAE SUMMONER
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least
one conjuration spell.
You have
passed the grueling Test of Summoning and graduated from the Acadamae in
Goethe. You gain the following benefits:
·
Conjuration spells that have a duration of greater than
instantaneous have their duration doubled.
·
Concentration checks to maintain a conjuration spell have
Advantage
·
Summoned creatures are granted temporary hit points equal to
your character level.
ANOMANEXUS HAZARD
MAGE
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least
one evocation spell
Your training
at Anomanexus or from a Hazard Mage makes you capable of great feats of magic,
and you wield destructive power with ease.
·
You gain advantage on any attack roll with an evocation cantrip.
·
You gain advantage on any attack roll with an evocation spell if
you spend an additional spell slot.
EFFORTLESS
ILLUSIONIST
Your natural knack for illusion allows you to wield magic with little
effort.
·
You gain Advantage to maintain Concentration on all illusion
spells
·
Any one Illusion spell with a duration may last twice as long,
every short or long rest.
·
You do not need (non-costly) material components for any
illusion spell.
HAZARD MAGIC
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least
one spell.
Following the traditions of Hazard Magic, practiced by the Archmages of
Galivesh, your spells can go beyond several normal limitations. You gain the following benefits.
Whenever
you cast a spell, you may choose to augment it with metamagic as per the
Sorcerer class ability. When you do this,
you gain a level of exhaustion.
Once used,
you cannot use Hazard Magic again until you take a short or long rest.
LIANTER’S EYE
·
Increase your Intelligence by 1, to a
maximum of 20.
·
Once per day during a short rest, you
can choose to memorize one new spell, replacing an equal-level spell currently memorized,
as long as you have your spell book at hand.
LIANTER’S HAND
Through researching endless draconic scripts, you
have mastered the art of scribing magical records.
·
Increase your
Intelligence by 1, to a maximum of 20.
·
Any spell you scribe in
your spellbook costs half as much.
·
You count as two levels
higher for the purpose of requirements for crafting scrolls, and the cost of
scribing a scroll costs half as much.
LIANTER’S TONGUE
Through your mastery of spoken draconic and your
understanding of its complex scripts, you know the secrets to draw greater
power from certain magic items.
·
You gain the language
Draconic, if you did not have it previously.
·
Any spell you cast by
activating a scroll, wand or scroll has the effect of using a spell slot two
higher.
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