Wizard Arcane Tradition – School of Chronomancy

Hello, everyone! Today’s subclass rounds out the four “classic” classes with a time travel-themed wizard subclass. Unlike other approaches to time-related magic, I didn’t think that chronomancy warranted its own “school” of magic so much as a recognition that it used a different approach to achieve similar results. Originally, I’d intended to couple this supplement with a few wizard spells to suit that need, but very late into the writing process, I decided that if I were going to go for that approach, especially this far past the initial release of the Fate Domain cleric, it would be more appropriate for me to publish that as an additional article in August, with spell options for all casting classes, so that’ll be something to look forward to as well!

Wizard Arcane Tradition

School of Chronomancy

Those who study the arcane have always found their spells to be most effective in manipulating the present. However, the existence of divination spells demonstrates that the future and past can also be affected by magic, and Chronomancers extend their arcane discipline to manipulate time to their advantage.

These enigmatic wizards unite spells from the various schools of magic with a unique perspective of time to produce magical effects. However, the manipulation of time can produce unforeseen changes. A chronomancer will often become preoccupied mapping their spells’ effects on the environment around them, so as not to produce irreparable damage to the cosmos.

Asynchronous Spellbook

Starting when you select this Arcane Tradition at 2nd level, you have learned to use time magic to have your spellbook handy under almost any circumstances. Over the course of a short rest, you may summon your spellbook, transporting it from the moment you last had the book in your possession. If your spellbook was destroyed or misplaced since you last had it, it will appear to you unharmed in the same condition as when you last had it. If another creature possessed your spellbook when you summon it, that spellbook disappears.

As an action, you may replace a wizard spell in your list of prepared spells with a spell of a lower level by expending a spell slot of the same level as the new spell you wish to prepare. If you do so, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the level of the spell slot used + your Intelligence modifier.

Unstable Time Field

Starting at 6th level, your manipulation of time magic allows you to disrupt the conventional flow of time in areas affected by your arcane magic. When you cast a spell which produces an area of effect, such as a cone, line, or sphere, that area of effect has one of the following properties for the duration of the spell. If the spell’s duration was instantaneous, the effect lasts until the end of your next turn.

Creatures entering or starting their turn inside the zone have their speed halved. A ranged weapon attack which enters or crosses through the zone deals half damage if it hits.

Creatures entering or starting their turn inside the zone have their speed doubled. A ranged weapon attack which enters or crosses through the zone deals an additional 1d10 force damage if it hits.

The area within the zone cannot be perceived from the outside. Instead, a creature observing the zone would see the zone as it was the moment the spell was cast. When a creature ends their turn inside the zone, they are teleported to an empty space of their choice adjacent to the zone.

You cannot use this ability again until you complete a short rest.

Arcane Delay

Starting at 10th level, you can channel your magical abilities to forestall a spell at a crucial moment. When a creature you can see casts a spell as an action or bonus action on its turn, you may use your reaction to slow the flow of energy from the spell. The creature must make a saving throw against your spell save DC. If they fail, the creature expends the action and spell slot for the spell, but the spell is cast at the beginning of the creature’s next turn.

If the creature is reduced to 0 hit points before its next turn, the magical energies of the spell backfire, and each creature in a 15 foot radius sphere from where the spell was originally cast takes 1d8 psychic damage, plus an additional 1d8 for each level of spell slot used.

You cannot use this ability again until you complete a short rest.

Superluminal Spells

Starting at 14th level, your manipulation of time magic leaves your foes uncertain of your position on the battlefield as you cast your arcane spells. Whenever you cast a wizard spell using a spell slot of 1st level or higher, you may teleport up to your speed to a space you can see immediately before casting the spell.

Some artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved.

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