School of Umbramancy
Umbramancy is not necessarily a separate school of magic, but rather a way of imbuing magic with the power of shadow realms. As a member of this school, you learn the spells that originate from these unholy realms. You can also manipulate your spells using shadowy powers. This school and its spells are forbidden in many organizations because they are seen as the distorted opposite of life and the material realm.
Umbramancy Savant
Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, you immediately learn the darkness and darkvision spells. These spells count as 1st level spells for you, meaning that you can cast them by expending a 1st level spell slot.
VARIANT: ROTTEN ESSENCE
If you are using the Rules of Degeneration provided in this book, you can expect a member of this school to degenerate with Rotten Essence through their practices. Umbramancy is an area of magic that is tied to the void, causing distortions in the material realm and life. While you practice this school, you may find yourself becoming more and more uncaring and lacking emotions.
Cast on Shadow
Starting at 2nd level, when you cast a spell that requires a tar get creature, you can target a creature’s shadow instead of the creature itself. This grants you advantage on your spell attack for that spell. Additionally, you can target the creature’s shadow in addition to the creature when you cast a spell with a range of touch, and thus affect a creature that is within 10 feet of you with this feature. Once you use one of these features, you must finish a short rest to use it again.
Shadowcasting
Starting at 6th level, you can modify your spells with shadow. Choose 2 of the list of shadowcasting benefits given below:
Drain Strength (varies). Whenever you target a single creature with a spell of 1st level or higher that deals damage, you can imbue the spell with the power of shadows to drain a portion of the target’s Strength score until the end of its next turn. To use this benefit, you expend a spell slot that is higher (which varies as stated below) than your spell’s initial level.
When you do so, the target creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or its Strength score decreases by 1d8 for each spell slot above the normal level of the spell. If the target creature’s Strength score drops to 0, it falls prone and is paralyzed until the end of its next turn.
Shadow Blast (1 spell slot higher). A spell you cast affects 1.5 times its normal area if the target area is illuminated by dim light, and 2 times its normal area if the target area is dark. This addition in the area affected by the spell inflicts necrotic damage instead of the spell’s normal damage type and the value of any effect it causes (such as its damage output) is halved.
For example, a fireball spell with the Shadow Blast feature applied deals its damage to its normal area as a fireball spell, but it additionally deals half of its damage as necrotic to an area of a 10-foot-radius sphere beyond its normal area in dim light.
Shadow Reach (1 spell slot higher). You make your spell travel through the shadows. If the path from your location to the target location is illuminated by dim light, the spell’s range is increased to 1.5 times the normal, and to 2 times the normal if the path is dark. If the spell’s range is touch, its range becomes 15 feet in dim light and 30 feet in the dark.
Shadow Twin (2 spell slot higher). Whenever you cast a spell that deals damage, you can create a shadow twin of it, targeting another creature or area. Creature(s) make a Constitution saving throw against the spell to counteract its effects. The shadow version of the spell deals necrotic damage, and it has half of the effectiveness of the original spell. For example, a shadow fireball that is cast using a 3rd level spell slot deals 4d6 necrotic damage.
Also, higher-level spell slots that are expended for the purpose of using any of these features do not change its effects as if it is cast from a higher level. For example, a fireball spell with Shadow Blast is cast using a 4th level spell slot but still deals 8d6 fire damage.
You choose another Shadowcasting feature when you reach 10th level, and another when you reach 14th level.
Shadowspell
Starting at 10th level, you gain the benefits of imbuing your spells with the power of shadow. Whenever you are casting a spell that deals damage, you can choose to deal necrotic dam age with it, instead of dealing its normal damage type.
Additionally, you can use such a spell to decrease a target creature’s hit point maximum by a number of 1d4s equal to the spell level. In order to make the spell decrease the target creature’s hit point maximum, you must cast the spell using a spell slot that is 1 level higher than the original. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest.
Higher-level spell slots that are expended for the purpose of using any of these features do not change its effects as if it is cast from a higher level. For example, a fireball spell that is cast using a 4th level spell slot still deals 8d6 fire damage, and decreases hit point maximum by 1d4.
Shadowlink
Starting at 14th level, you can create a shadowy backlash against a spell that targets you, or an area close to the space in which you stand. Whenever you or a creature or area within 15 feet of you is the target of a spell, you can use your reaction to cast a shadow spell that targets the exact opposite direction: the spellcaster.
When you do so, the spellcaster is affected in the same way with the spell it has cast. If it was a damage-dealing spell, the spell deals necrotic damage to the target(s) instead of its original type of damage, and their hit point maximum is reduced by 1d4 for each level of the spell. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest to use it again.
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