Spellcasters: Manipulators

Manipulators rely on their personal ability to control ambient magical power. These casters are intimately aware of the specific processes through which they shape and form magic for their own purposes. Generally, this knowledge comes through long study and experience of magic and its elements, though one may also be a savant or inspired.

The most classic example of a manipulator is the scholarly wizard, learning the secrets of arcane arts. Those who gain their power from their own understanding and usage of other forces, such as the elements or planes, may also be manipulators and can include others who are specialists, such as Druids or Bards who might learn to bend nature to their will or evoke magical forces through rhythm.

Manipulators can teach others their spells, but it is a significantly more difficult, if not impossible, task if they do not have the necessary background knowledge. Even then, there is a level of personal skill necessary for this form of spellcasting, and not all spells will be within the reach of even a powerful manipulator.

Typical Manipulators: Wizards, Bards, Druids, Rangers, Artificers, Eldritch Knights, Arcane Tricksters

Spellcasters: Mediums

Mediums conduct magical power that originates from a powerful being such a deity, spirit, or ancient abyssal power. Without their relationship to these sources of power, mediums would lose their magical abilities. These abilities are also often colored or defined by the domains of the source of their magical abilities, such that a priest of a fire god is more likely to have a range of fire-based spells.

The most classic example of a Medium is the devote Cleric, praying to their god to either see fit to grant their magical requests or to imbue them with a magical gift for a time. However, the Barbarian that reveres his ancestors or the Druid that prays to woodland spirits are also both Mediums.

The origination of magical ability for a Medium comes from their relationship to their patron. As such, Mediums may teach rituals and practices to each other, but what works for one Medium may not work for another, so their spells cannot always be meaningfully passed on to another. More often, the patron of a Medium imparts the knowledge of new ways to utilize their power through divine inspiration, or the Medium petitions for and receives additional magical power more directly.

Typical Mediums: Clerics, Warlocks, Druids, Rangers, Paladins, Barbarians

Spellcasters: Innate

Innate spellcasters have power that comes from within themselves. Whether this power grows within them over time, or they learn to unlock or better harness their existing power, Innate spellcasters rely on no one else for their magical power.

The most classic example of an Innate spellcaster is the prodigal Sorcerer, born from a powerful lineage with magic flowing in their veins. Other Innate spellcasters might include someone that has a particular talent that they have learned to utilize with skill, whether that skill itself was innate or practiced, such as a Bard, or the Monk who masters themselves and in so masters the forms that empower themselves..

For Innate spellcasters it is not enough to say the words and make the gestures; they must make an inward journey to find new ways to utilize their inner power and cast new spells. This journey could be through experimentation and exploration of their abilities, through inspiration, or perhaps even personal trauma. As such, one could aid an Innate spellcaster in their journey, but that is still an internal process and spells cannot be taught directly.

Typical Innate Casters: Sorcerers, Monks, Paladins, Bards

When using this system to enhance spellcasting in your setting, you may find it beneficial to rename certain spells to use the names of characters, gods, or locations that are consistent within your own setting. For example, Arms of Hadar can be made into a small tidbit of worldbuilding verisimilitude if named after an appropriate old god in your setting.

Spells by Rarity and Level (XGtE and SCAG)

Spells of the Masters

There are a number of spells included in 5e which are named after their creators, and similarly to the spell names mentioned above, these spells could also benefit from a bit of alteration or creative worldbuilding to fit your setting. Think about who these characters are and what they do based on what they've created, and what position that lends them in your world.

Alternatively, you might consider dropping the proper names and dropping each of these down in rarity as more common spells.

Spells of Named Spellcasters

• Abi Dalzim (Abi Dalzim's Horrid Wilting)
• Aganazzar (Aganazzar's Scorcher)
• Bigby (Bigby's Hand)
• Drawmij (Drawmij's Instant Summons)
• Evard (Evard's Black Tentacles)
• Leomund (Leomund's Tiny Hut, Leomund's Secret Chest)
• Maximilian (Maximilian's Earthen Grasp)
• Melf (Melf's Acid Arrow, Melf's Minute Meteors)
• Mordenkainen (Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound, Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion, Mordenkainen's Sword)
• Otiluke (Otiluke's Resilient Sphere, Otiluke's Freezing Sphere)
• Otto (Otto's Irresistible Dance)
• Rary (Rary's Telepathic Bond)
• Snilloc (Snilloc's Snowball Swarm)
• Tenser (Tenser's Floating Disk, Tenser's Transformation)

Written by Solaries

Credits:

• This work is based on u/SubjectiveSloth's "Spell Rarity System v0.5"
• Artist, Josu Hernaiz - Healing Hands
• Artist, Aaron Lee - Magic Academy
• Artist, Anna Podedworna - Xarthisius

Spell Rarities for Worldbuilding v1.0