Mage Class

Mages are supreme magic-users, defined and united as a class by the spells they cast. Drawing on the subtle weave of magic that permeates the cosmos, mages cast spells of explosive fire, arcing lightning, subtle deception, brute-force mind control, and much more.

Since magic is not something you were born with, you can end up with more magic than anyone. Through study and hard work you can even create your own spells! The power to shape reality is in your hands.
MAGE
Arcane Tradition When you reach 2nd level, you choose an arcane tradition, shaping your practice of magic through one of the following schools. The following choices are available to you: Bladesinger, Lore Mastery, Order of Scribes, Onomancy, School of Abjuration, School of Conjuration, School of Divination, School of Enchantment, School of Evocation, School of Graviturgy, School of Illusion, School of Invention, School of Necromancy, School of Transmuation, Theurgy, or War Magic
Bladesinger: Bladesingers master a tradition of wizardry that incorporates swordplay and dance. Originally created by elves, this tradition has been adopted by non-elf practitioners, who honor and expand on the elven ways. In combat, a bladesinger uses a series of intricate, elegant maneuvers that fend off harm and allow the bladesinger to channel magic into devastating attacks and a cunning defense. Many who have observed a bladesinger at work remember the display as one of the more beautiful experiences in their life, a glorious dance accompanied by a singing blade. BLADESINGING
Lore Mastery: Lore Mastery is an arcane tradition fixated on understanding the underlying mechanics of magic. It is the most academic of all arcane traditions. The promise of uncovering new knowledge or proving (or discrediting) a theory of magic is usually required to rouse its practitioners from their laboratories, academies, and archives to pursue a life of adventure. Known as savants, followers of this tradition are a bookish lot who see beauty and mystery in the application of magic. The results of a spell are less interesting to them than the process that creates it. Some savants take a haughty attitude toward those who follow a tradition focused on a single school of magic, seeing them as provincial and lacking the sophistication needed to master true magic. Other savants are generous teachers, countering ignorance and deception with deep knowledge and good humor. LORE MASTERY
Order of Scribes: Magic of the book-that's what many folk call wizardry. The name is apt, given how much time mages spend poring over tomes and penning theories about the nature of magic. It's rare to see mages traveling without books and scrolls sprouting from their bags, and a mage would go to great lengths to plumb an archive of ancient knowledge. Among mages, the Order of Scribes is the most bookish. It takes many forms in different worlds, but its primary mission is the same everywhere: recording magical discoveries so that wizardry can flourish. And while all mages value spellbooks, a mage in the Order of Scribes magically awakens their book, turning it into a trusted companion. All mages study books, but a mage scribe talks to theirs! ORDER OF SCRIBES
Onomancy: Practitioners of magic well know the power of names, but mages who follow the tradition of Onomancy use their magic to manipulate the words that encompass existence. Onomancers expand their study into language itself, searching for threads of magical significance that weave through names. Something that is named stands out in the multiverse, distinct from the tapestry of creation all around it. That distinction creates power that onomancers seek to tap. By speaking a target’s true name, the mage’s spells slip between the cracks of the target’s defenses, conforming to its essential nature through the power of its name. To protect themselves, mages who follow this tradition often hide their true names, typically by adopting monikers and pseudonyms. ONOMANCY
School of Abjuration: The School of Abjuration emphasizes magic that blocks, banishes, or protects. Detractors of this school say that its tradition is about denial, negation rather than positive assertion. You understand, however, that ending harmful effects, protecting the weak, and banishing evil influences is anything but a philosophical void. It is a proud and respected vocation. Called abjurers, members of this school are sought when baleful spirits require exorcism, when important locations must be guarded against magical spying, and when portals to other planes of existence must be closed. ABJURATION
School of Conjuration: As a conjurer, you favor spells that produce objects and creatures out of thin air. You can conjure billowing clouds of killing fog or summon creatures from elsewhere to fight on your behalf. As your mastery grows, you learn spells of transportation and can teleport yourself across vast distances, even to other planes of existence, in an instant. CONJURATION
School of Divination: The counsel of a diviner is sought by royalty and commoners alike, for all seek a clearer understanding of the past, present, and future. As a diviner, you strive to part the veils of space, time, and consciousness so that you can see clearly. You work to master spells of discernment, remote viewing, supernatural knowledge, and foresight. DIVINATION
School of Enchantment: As a member of the School of Enchantment, you have honed your ability to magically entrance and beguile other people and monsters. Some enchanters are peacemakers who bewitch the violent to lay down their arms and charm the cruel into showing mercy. Others are tyrants who magically bind the unwilling into their service. Most enchanters fall somewhere in between. ENCHANTMENT
School of Evocation: You focus your study on magic that creates powerful elemental effects such as bitter cold, searing flame, rolling thunder, crackling lightning, and burning acid. Some evokers find employment in military forces, serving as artillery to blast enemy armies from afar. Others use their spectacular power to protect the weak, while some seek their own gain as bandits, adventurers, or aspiring tyrants. EVOCATION
School of Graviturgy: Understanding and mastering the forces that draw bodies of matter together or drive them apart, the students of the Graviturgy arcane tradition learn to further bend and manipulate the violent energy of gravity to their benefit, and the terrible detriment of their enemies. GRAVITURGY
School of Illusion: You focus your studies on magic that dazzles the senses, befuddles the mind, and tricks even the wisest folk. Your magic is subtle, but the illusions crafted by your keen mind make the impossible seem real. Some illusionists – including many gnome mages – are benign tricksters who use their spells to entertain. Others are more sinister masters of deception, using their illusions to frighten and fool others for their personal gain. ILLUSION
School of Invention: The School of Invention claims credit for inventing the other schools of magic – a claim other mages find absurd. Mages of this school push magic to its limits. They stretch the known laws of arcane power and strive to reveal important truths about the nature of the multiverse. Adherents of this school believe that innovation is best served through experimentation. They have a reputation for acting first, thinking second. Most mages are scholars who have mastered their craft through careful study, rigorous practice, and endless hours of repetition. These mages would rather throw spells together and see what happens. Many mages of this tradition are gnomes, alchemists, or both, and they take pride in the magic-infused armor they don. The armor not only provides protection, but it is also designed to help the mage channel magic in unpredictable ways. Mages of this tradition are regarded as savants to their faces, but mages of other traditions often think of them as lunatics. INVENTION
School of Necromancy: The School of Necromancy explores the cosmic forces of life, death, and undeath. As you focus your studies in this tradition, you learn to manipulate the energy that animates all living things. As you progress, you learn to sap the life force from a creature as your magic destroys its body, transforming that vital energy into magical power you can manipulate. Most people see necromancers as menacing, or even villainous, due to the close association with death. Not all necromancers are evil, but the forces they manipulate are considered taboo by many societies. NECROMANCY
School of Transmuation: You are a student of spells that modify energy and matter. To you, the world is not a fixed thing, but eminently mutable, and you delight in being an agent of change. You wield the raw stuff of creation and learn to alter both physical forms and mental qualities. Your magic gives you the tools to become a smith on reality's forge. Some transmuters are tinkerers and pranksters, turning people into toads and transforming copper into silver for fun and occasional profit. Others pursue their magical studies with deadly seriousness, seeking the power of the gods to make and destroy worlds. TRANSMUATION
Theurgy: A number of deities claim arcane magic as their domain, for magic is as much a part of the fabric of the cosmos as wind, fire, lightning, and all other primal forces. Just as there are deities of the sea and gods of warfare, the arcane arts feature their own divine patrons. Such deities often have clerics, but many gods of magic bid their followers to take up the study of wizardry. These religious magic-users follow the arcane tradition of Theurgy, and are commonly known as theurgists. Such spellcasters are as dedicated and scholarly as any other mage, but they blend their arcane study with religious devotion. THEURGY
War Magic: A variety of arcane colleges specialize in training mages for war. The tradition of War Magic blends principles of evocation and abjuration, rather than specializing in either of those schools. It teaches techniques that empower a caster’s spells, while also providing methods for mages to bolster their own defenses. Followers of this tradition are known as war mages. They see their magic as both a weapon and armor, a resource superior to any piece of steel. War mages act fast in battle, using their spells to seize tactical control of a situation. Their spells strike hard, while their defensive skills foil their opponents’ attempts to counterattack. War mages are also adept at turning other spellcasters' magical energy against them. In great battles, a war mage often works with evokers, abjurers, and other types of mages. Evokers, in particular, sometimes tease war mages for splitting their attention between offense and defense. A war mage's typical response: "What good is being able to throw a mighty Fireball if I die before I can cast it?" WAR MAGIC