The Magi
The human holds his blade close, his hands still shaking from the blow he had barely managed to parry. His imposing orc opponent takes a step forward, seemingly sure of their victory. Through gritted teeth the human begins to hum, as his body seems to blink in and out of existence. In a flash, he is behind his enemy. It is his turn to strike, and he won’t miss.
After having laid waste to many of her enemies with a mighty fireball, the elvish warrior falls to one knee. She is injured, the blood just barely seeps through her armor. She unsheathes a second shortsword, balancing it against the one in her other hand. Turning to the remaining horde, she throws one of her blades to the side as a spectral form appears to wield it. She will not be able to do this alone, but with her ethereal companion, victory is assured.
Having finally reached the castle's highest turret, the halfling peers through the king's window and monitors the three guards at his bedside. In a blinding flash, the halfling appears next to king, as his men fall to the ground, their throats slit. She grins at the monarch, her job well done.
Whether it be a flickering spellblade, a warrior fighting alongside their own mirror image, or an assassin happy to show off her skills, there is one thing that unites them all: they are magi. Magi harness the unstable energy of the Ethereal plane, spending their whole lives refining the abilities that connection has granted them.
In harnessing the unpredictable nature of their link, they produce a martial prowess so devastating that they are often hired more out of fear than respect.
The major benefit they possess from that link, is their ability to teleport. Whether it be on purpose, or completely by accident, magi can flicker out of sight by entering the planar border that exists between the Material and Ethereal planes.
Martial Training
The most common side-effect produced by having a connection to the Ethereal plane is an unstable hold on one’s own reality. Many magi in training blink out of existence while eating, drinking, relieving themselves, or even sleeping. The easiest way to gain a hold on this ability is to have a clear purpose in your actions. If you know exactly what you are meaning to do, it is very hard to lose hold of your tangibility. Due to this fact, the vast majority of magi train in martial combat. Being in combat reduces you list of the things to do to one item: survive. While many magi attain the ability to cast spells as they hone their abilities further, most start with weapon training, as it is much more tactile than magic.
Skills Learnt
Like a sorcerer with the arcane, many magi are born with their connection to the Ethereal plane. Some, though, may have experienced freak accidents that resulted in their abilities. Perhaps a rogue spell caught them at a bad time, or they were an unfortunate participant in a wild magic surge. Whatever the cause, unlike sorcerers they must train before they can control their skills in a way recognizable. A blade is only as strong as its wielder, and even a natural connection to another plane cannot fully suffice when it comes to a swordsman’s strength. Study must be made to augment one’s martial capabilities, but when it is mastered, a magi can realize their potential in a way unlike any other.
To fulfill the growing demand of multitalented magi educators, many magi schools have begun popping up around the lands. At these schools, akin to castles in appearance, burgeoning magi have the chance to hone their proficiencies in all things sword and sorcery. It has been said that magi instructors are particularly ruthless when it comes to the laws of weapon fighting, making sure to exemplify the importance of non-magical combat to enhance one’s appreciation for magic’s benefits.
There is strength in realizing your weaknesses, as you can build your defense around knowledge gained by particularly skilled foes, always matching their tenacity. The best magi use their magic to enhance not only their blades, but their minds, making sure to always keep their enemies unaware of their true plans in battle.
Creating a Magi
As you create your magi character, consider the cause of your connection.
Were you born not of this world? Were you fated to transcend this harsh reality? Perhaps you instead love your home, and your abilities are merely a boon to help defend it. Maybe a distant ancestor made a pact with an eldritch being, damning their one hundredth descendant to one day join their master away from the Material plane. How does martial training make itself known in your life? Do you train rigorously, with the bite of your sword into solid oak the only thing grounding you in reality? Are you lazy, only using your polearm when absolutely necessary? Are you afraid of your powers, regarding them as a curse rather than a blessing? Does magic calm you, reminding you that your abilities are one of many magical things about your world? Or does magic instead enrage you, reminding you of how little you understand the true nature of your powers?
The Magi
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Arcane Sense, Flicker | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Fighting Style, Spellcasting, Elemental Warp | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Esoteric Interest | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Increase | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack, Flicker (10 ft.) | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Esoteric Interest feature | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Novice Element, Evasion | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Increase | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Esoteric Interest feature | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Adept Element, Cryptic Trace, Flicker (15 ft.) | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Increase | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Esoteric Interest feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Adept Element | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Increase | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Flicker (30 ft.) | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Increase | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Arcane Repurposing | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Quick Build
You can make a magi quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence. Second, choose the knight background.
Optional Rule: Multiclassing
If your group uses the optional rule for multiclassing in the Player's Handbook, here's what you need to know if you choose the magi as one of your classes.
Ability Score Minimum. In order to multiclass, you must have at least a 13 in Intelligence and Dexterity to take a level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you are already a magi.
Proficiencies Gained. If magi isn't your initial class, you gain proficiency in light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons when you take your first level in this class.
Class Features
As a magi, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per magi level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per magi level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
- Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
- Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, History, Investigation, and Perception
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) five daggers
- (a) scale mail or (b) leather armor
- (a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- An arcane focus.
Arcane Sense
1st-level magi feature
Your link to the Ethereal plane grants you a unique ability. You can sense the presence of magic within 60 feet of you. If you sense magic in this way, you can use your action to see a faint aura around any visible creature or object in the area that bears magic. This ability can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once). When you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.
Flicker
1st-level magi feature
Your arcane connection causes you to jerk in and out of veil between the planes. When you move on your turn, you can teleport up to 5 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see. Teleporting in this way still consumes movement speed, as though you had walked that distance.
At 5th level, the distance you can teleport as part of this feature increases to 10 feet. This distances increases further to 15 feet at 11th level, and 30 feet at 18th level.
Fighting Style
2nd-level magi feature
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Studious Warrior
You learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. They count as magi spells for you, and Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip from the wizard spell list.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Thrown Weapon Fighting
You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon.
In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.
Spellcasting
2nd-level magi feature
At 2nd level, you have better developed your magical nature, allowing you to cast spells as a wizard would.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Magi table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your magi spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of magi spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the magi spell list. When you do so, choose a number of magi spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + half your magi level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which
you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 5th-level magi, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell magic missile, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of magi spells requires time spent looking within oneself, taking time to reflect on the knowledge gained and lost with each day lived: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your magi spells, since you learn your spells through study and recollection. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC
Spell attack modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for
your magi spells.
Elemental Warp
2nd-level magi feature
Your ability to teleport is honed by your connection to the arcane. As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend a spell slot of any level to teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. When you do so, your teleport is enhanced by an elemental effect.
You learn one element of your choice from the Novice Element list below.
You learn an additional novice element at 7th level, and gain access to an adept element at level 11 and level 15.
You can have one novice element and one adept element affect your warp at a time.
If a creature must make a saving throw to resist the effects of your elemental warp, that saving throw is made against your spell save DC.
You can add an additional damage die to the damage roll of your elemental warp for each slot level above 1st you expend to use it.
Novice Elements
Choose from the following:
Acid. When you teleport along the ground, you create a 5-foot-wide trail of slimy goo between the two points of your teleport. This goo is difficult terrain for creatures other than you. A creature takes 2d6 acid damage when it enters the goo for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there. The goo lasts until the end of your next turn.
Cold. When you teleport along the ground, you create a wall of ice between the two points of your teleport. The wall is 5 feet high, 1 foot thick, and lasts for 1 minute. If the wall cuts through a creature’s space when it appears, the creature within its area is pushed to one side of the wall and must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d6 cold damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. The wall is an object that can be damaged and thus breached. It has AC 10 + your spellcasting ability modifier and 10 hit points per 10-foot section, and it is vulnerable to fire damage. Reducing a 10-foot section of wall to 0 hit points destroys it.
Fire. When you teleport along the ground, a wall of flame sprouts between the two points of your teleport. The wall is 5 feet high and 1 foot thick. When the wall appears, each creature within its area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 fire damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. A creature takes the same damage when it enters the wall for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there. The wall lasts until the end of your next turn.
Lightning. When you finish your teleport, you send forth a bolt of lightning in a 5 by 30 ft. line. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d10 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If a creature is wearing armor made of metal they make their save with disadvantage.
Poison. When you teleport, you kick up a cloud of toxic smoke. Each creature within 5 feet of the path you teleport along must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature is poisoned until the start of your next turn.
Adept Elements
Choose from the following:
Force. When you finish your teleport, you send forth a wave of magical force in a 15 ft. cone. Each creature in that area must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d6 force damage and is knocked prone.
Necrotic. When you finish your teleport, make a melee spell attack against a creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, that creature takes 2d12 necrotic damage and you regain a number of hit points equal to half the damage dealt.
Psychic. Before or after you teleport, make a ranged spell attack against a creature within 30 feet of you. On a hit, that creature takes 2d8 psychic damage and has disadvantage on the next attack it makes.
Radiant. When you finish your teleport, you produce a blinding flash. Each creature of your choice within 15 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the start of your next turn.
Thunder. Immediately after you teleport, a thunderous boom sounds, and each creature of your choice within 15 feet of the space you left must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 2d12 thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The thunder can be heard from up to 300 feet away.
Esoteric Interest
3rd-level magi feature
You choose a rare study to enhance your prowess. Choose between Arcanist, Knight-errant, or Occultist all detailed at the end of the class description. The interest you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
Ability Score Improvement
4th-level magi feature
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice
by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Extra Attack
5th-level magi feature
You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Evasion
7th-level magi feature
You can blink out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's electric breath or an immolation spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Cryptic Trace
11th-level magi feature
Your corporeal body is too magically scrambled. You can’t be targeted by any divination magic or perceived through magical scrying sensors.
Arcane Repurposing
20th-level magi feature
When you cast a spell of 1st-level or higher on your turn, you can use your elemental warp as though you had expended a 1st-level spell slot to use it, without consuming a spell slot.
Esoteric Interests
Magi follow many different studies. Here are the
interest options you can choose from at 3rd level.
Arcanist
Harnessing the true potential of the magical world, the Arcanists were the first magi. Originally curious magicians that sought to tamper with the Etheral plane, they realized very quick that their experiments had created something completely alien to their world. They circumvented this problem by suffusing their newfound techniques with the arcane, and thus warping was born. A true Arcanist is a master of their origins, dancing around their foes with the might of masters long past.
Arcane Wit
3rd-level Arcanist feature
You are more in tune with the arcane than the average magi. You gain proficiency with the Arcana skill if you don't already have it. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses Arcana.
Porter
3rd-level Arcanist feature
When you elemental warp, you temporarily gain the ability to see through solid objects to a range of 30 feet. Within that range, you have darkvision if you don’t already have it. This special sight lasts until the end of your current turn. During that time, you perceive objects as ghostly, transparent images.
Improved Port
6th-level Arcanist feature
The distance you can teleport as part of elemental warp is increased to 60 feet. The ranges of Porter's special sight and the darkvision it grants also increase to 60 feet.
Flurry Warp
10th-level Arcanist feature
When you elemental warp, choose up to three creatures within 5 feet of the path you travel as you teleport. You can make a melee weapon attack against each creature.
Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
Travel Infinity
14th-level Arcanist feature
When you finish an elemental warp within 5 feet of a creature, you can immediately teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see.
Knight-errant
The Knight-errant is the archetypal magi, combining spell and sword to create something wholly unique. This field of study is extremely popular amongst young magi, their capable bodies ready to take up arms. That doesn't mean that there are no veteran Knight-errants, though, as some of the greatest warriors to ever live pulled from both their knowledge of the blade and their arcane wit.
Study of the Blade
3rd-level Knight-errant feature
Your strongest attacks are infused with the strength of your mind. When you elemental warp, you have advantage on the next melee weapon attack you make before the end of the current turn.
In addition, you can use a weapon that you are wielding as a spellcasting focus if you are proficient with it.
Prodigy
3rd-level Knight-errant feature
You learn an additional element from the Novice Element list.
Warrior's Cast
6th-level Knight-errant feature
When you use your action to cast a spell, you can add your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of one) to the damage of the next melee weapon attack you hit with before the end of your next turn.
Expose Arcane
10th-level Knight-errant feature
You can infuse your attacks, causing them to tear open your foes, leaving them vulnerable to your magic. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can use your bonus action to reap magical energy from its body. You regain a 2nd-level spell slot.
You can use this feature once, and regain the ability to do so upon finishing a short or long rest.
Arcane Combo
14th-level Knight-errant feature
Whenever you elemental warp, you can choose one additional novice element you know to occur.
Occultist
The Occultist is a special kind of magi, deriving their strength from the far corners of the magical world. Harnessing knowledge forbidden, they enhance their minds with the mythos of eldritch worlds. Capable of extending this dark lore to their weapons, they can create arcane reflections of themselves to aid in battle.
Unearthly Companion
3rd-level Occultist feature
You learn a ritual that creates a magical bond between yourself and one weapon. You can perform the ritual over the course of a short or long rest. The weapon must be within your reach throughout the ritual, at the conclusion of which you touch the weapon and forge the bond.
You can only have one bonded weapon, and attempting to bond with a second weapon will break your bond with the first. Once you have bonded a weapon to yourself, you can use a bonus action to cause an arcane reflection of yourself
to spring from the weapon. The reflection is the same size as you, wields the weapon, and appears in the space of the weapon provided it can fit. This reflection is a magical, wispy, light blue image of you that lasts until it is destroyed, until you dismiss it as a bonus action, or until you're incapacitated.
Your reflection has an AC of 13 + your Intelligence modifier, 1 hit point, immunity to all conditions, and occupies its space. If it has to make a saving throw, it uses your saving throw bonus for the roll. On your turn, you can mentally command the reflection to move up to 30 feet in any direction (no action required). If your reflection is ever more than 30 feet from you at the end of your turn, it goes back into the bonded weapon, which then teleports to your side.
When you take the Attack action on your turn, any attack you make with that action can originate from your space or the reflection's space, as the weapon wielded by your reflection blinks to and from its hands. You make this choice for each attack.
When a creature that you can see within 5 feet of your reflection moves at least 5 feet away from it, you can use your reaction to make an opportunity attack against that creature as if you were in the reflection's space.
Conduit
6th-level Occultist feature
You have learned to channel your magic through your reflection. When you cast a spell as an action on your turn, you can choose for the spell to emanate from your reflection as though it had cast it.
Mirror Agression
10th-level Occultist feature
You can cause your unearthly companion to reflect the ire thrown towards it. If a creature misses your reflection with an attack, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the creature from the reflection's position.
Extent Bond
14th-level Occultist feature
You have learned to extend the magic of your ritual. You can have up to two bonded weapons, instead of one. Also, when you use your bonus action to create an arcane reflection, you can choose to have a reflection spawn from both bonded weapons. These reflections co-exist.
Magi Spell List
1st Level
- Burning Hands
- Charm Person
- Color Spray
- Comprehend Languages
- Disguise Self
- Expeditious Retreat
- False Life
- Feather Fall
- Fog Cloud
- Inferno Jet*
- Jump
- Mage Armor
- Magic Missile
- Shield
- Silent Image
- Sleep
- Thunderwave
2nd Level
- Alter Self
- Blindness/Deafness
- Blur
- Darkness
- Darkvision
- Detect Thoughts
- Enhance Ability
- Enlarge/Reduce
- Gust of Wind
- Hold Person
- Invisibility
- Knock
- Levitate
- Mirror Image
- Scorching Ray
- See Invisibility
- Shatter
- Spider Climb
- Suggestion
- Web
3rd Level
- Blink
- Clairvoyance
- Concussive Blast*
- Counterspell
- Daylight
- Dispel Magic
- Fear
- Fireball
- Fly
- Gaseous Form
- Haste
- Hypnotic Pattern
- Lightning Bolt
- Major Image
- Protection from Energy
- Sleet Storm
- Slow
- Stinking Cloud
- Tongues
- Water Breathing
- Water Walk
4th Level
- Arcane Eye
- Banishment
- Blight
- Confusion
- Control Water
- Dimension Door
- Dominate Beast
- Greater Invisibility
- Ice Storm
- Locate Creature
- Polymorph
- Stoneskin
- Wall of Fire
5th Level
- Animate Objects
- Cloudkill
- Cone of Cold
- Contact Other Plane
- Creation
- Dominate Person
- Hold Monster
- Insect Plague
- Modify Memory
- Seeming
- Telekinesis
- Teleportation Circle
- Wall of Stone
New Spells
This section describes the new spells unique to the magi spell list.
Inferno Jet
1st-level Evocation
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self (30-foot line)
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
A jet of flames emanates from you in a line 30 feet long and 5 feet wide in a direction you choose. Each creature in the line must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or catch fire for the spell's duration or until a creature uses its action to snuff out the flames on itself or another creature. A creature on fire takes 2d4 fire damage at start of each of its turns.
The fire ignites flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 2d4 for each slot level above 1st.
Concussive Blast
3rd-level Evocation
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: 1 round
You hold your palm out at a creature within range, sending a deadly sound wave towards them. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes 4d10 thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, the target is also stunned until the end of your next turn.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 3rd.
The Magi
A martial magic class for the world's greatest roleplaying game. Enhance your blows with power of the arcane. Choose an interest from: Arcanist, Knight-errant, or Occultist!
This is the first public version of the Magi class. As such, please expect certain aspects to not be fully tuned for balanced gameplay.
Version 1.2
Created by /u/xSHIGUYx
Art Credits
Cover: Swiftblade Vindicator - Viktor Titov
Page 1: Kaya, Bane of the Dead - Magali Villeneuve
Page 2 and Back: Arcane Sanctum - Anthony Francisco
Page 3: Castle Vantress - Chris Rahn
Page 4: Jaya, Venerated Firemage - Yongjae Choi
Page 5: Lightning Runner - Raymond Swanland
Page 6: Phantom Warrior - Anna Podedworna
Page 7: Rowan Kenrith - Anna Steinbauer
Page 8: Jace, Mirror Mage - Tyler Jacobson
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