Path of the Mage Hunter
Barbarians who devote themselves to the Path of the Mage Hunter learn to fight fire with fire. Their path is one of study, of anger, and of control. These fearsome warriors are highly intelligent, and learn to empower their rage-fueled fighting style with small bursts of magic. Those that walk this path may do so out of hatred or fear of magic, for revenge against a mage who ruined their life, or simply as a way to balance their yearning for knowledge with their quest for unrivaled physical prowess. No matter their reasons, these barbarians are a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield as they move through enemies in a flurry of steel and magic.
Mage Hunter Spellcasting Table
| Barbarian Level | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | 2 | 3 | 2 | ─ | ─ | — |
| 4th | 2 | 4 | 3 | ─ | ─ | ─ |
| 5th | 2 | 4 | 3 | ─ | ─ | ─ |
| 6th | 2 | 4 | 3 | ─ | ─ | ─ |
| 7th | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | ─ | ─ |
| 8th | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | ─ | ─ |
| 9th | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | ─ | ─ |
| 10th | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | ─ | ─ |
| 11th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | ─ | ─ |
| 12th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | ─ | ─ |
| 13th | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | ─ |
| 14th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | ─ |
| 15th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | ─ |
| 16th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | ─ |
| 17th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | ─ |
| 18th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | ─ |
| 19th | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 20th | 3 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
Spellcasting
When you reach 3rd level, you augment your martial prowess with the ability to cast spells. Select two of the schools of magic: abjuration; conjuration; divination; enchantment; evocation; illusion; necromancy; transmutation; or with approval from your GM, dunamancy. These choices will impact other subclass features, as well as the selection of spells available to you.
Cantrips
You learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn an additional wizard cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
Spell Slots
The Mage Hunter Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
For example, if you know the 1st-level spell Shield and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast Shield using either slot.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
You know three 1st-level wizard spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the spells on the wizard spell list that are of the schools you selected.
The Spells Known column of the Mage Hunter Spellcasting table shows when you learn more wizard spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be a spell from one of your selected schools of magic, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
You can select a new school of magic from which to learn your spells at 6th, 10th, and 14th level. When you select a new school of magic, you can also replace a previous school of magic and its associated spells on your spell list.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the wizard spells you know with another spell of your choice from the wizard spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be a spell from one of your selected schools of magic.
Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since you learn your spells through study and memorization. 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 = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Empowerment
Also at 3rd level, you have learned how to call upon your chosen schools of magic while in your barbarian rage.
- Empowerments. You learn two empowerments, one from each of your schools of magic as detailed below. Unless an empowerment says otherwise, you can only expend one empowerment die on each use of an empowerment and you can only use one empowerment per turn. You learn a new empowerment based on your newly selected school of magic at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
- Empowerment Dice. You have a number of empowerment dice equal to your Intelligence modifier plus your proficiency bonus (minimum 1). The empowerment dice are d6s. An empowerment die is used to fuel the use of your empowerments and is expended when you use it. You regain all expended empowerment dice when you complete a long or short rest.
- Saving Throws. Some empowerments require your target to make a saving throw to resist the empowerment's effect. The saving throw DC is equal to your spell save DC.
Mage's Bane
Beginning at 6th level, your strikes against enemy mages are exceptionally deadly. When you hit a creature with an attack and that creature has the ability to cast at least one spell, you can add your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll. In addition, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw against your empowerment save DC. On a failed save, it cannot cast a spell of 1st level or higher until the end of your next turn.
Absorb Arcana
Beginning at 10th level you can attempt to absorb magic that targets you. When you see a creature within 60 feet of you cast a spell that targets your or includes you in its area, you can use your reaction to make a Constitution check with a DC equal to 10 + the spell's level. On a success, the spell fails and you absorb the magic, regaining one empowerment die for each level of the spell. You cannot have more empowerment dice than your maximum, regardless of the level of the spell you absorb. On a failure, you are affected by the spell as normal. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all uses at the end of a long or short rest.
Arcane Rage
At 14th level, your ability to weave together spells and steel has grown to its fullest potential. While raging, you gain the ability to cast spells and concentrate on spells. Casting a spell that requires an attack roll counts as attacking another creature for the purposes of maintaining your rage.
Empowerments
- Abjuration. You can magically boost your own defenses. As a bonus action on your turn, you can gain a bonus to your AC equal to a roll of one empowerment die for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). You can have this empowerment active and still use other empowerments.
- Conjuration. You can magically cause yourself and another creature who is Large or smaller that you can see within 15 ft to change places. If the creature is unwilling, it must make a Charisma saving throw to resist this effect. If the creature is willing, no save is needed. In addition, a creature that fails its saving throw takes force damage equal to the number rolled on your empowerment die. You can choose not to damage a creature, if you would like.
- Divination. You can foresee events in the heat of battle and use this foresight to alter their outcomes. As a reaction when a creature within 15 feet of you makes a weapon attack against a creature that you can see, you can roll your empowerment die and choose to add or subtract that number from the creature's attack roll.
- Enchantment. You can change a creature's perception of you in the midst of battle. As a bonus action, you may roll your empowerment die and force a creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw it perceives you differently until the end of your next turn. If the roll is an even number, it views you as an ally and is charmed by you unless you or your allies take hostile actions towards it. If the roll is an odd number, it views you as the most significant threat on the battlefield.
- Evocation. You can unleash magical retribution against an attacker. As a reaction when you are hit by an attack within 5 feet, you may force the attacker to make a Dexterity saving throw. Roll up to half of your remaining empowerment dice (minimum 1). On a failed save, the creature takes damage equal to that roll, or half as much on a success. The damage type must be a damage type from a spell that you know.
- Illusion. You can cause your attackers to see an illusory version of yourself. As a bonus action, you can move up to half your speed. This movement provokes an attack of opportunity, but if the attack would hit you, the illusory duplicate you created is hit instead and explodes, dealing force damage equal to one roll of your empowerment die.
- Necromancy. You can bolster your own life force. As a bonus action, you can expend up to half of your remaining empowerment dice (minimum 1) and gain temporary hit points equal to the roll.
- Transmutation. You can imbue your weapon with magic. When you hit a creature with an attack, you may roll one empowerment die and deal additional acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder damage equal to that roll.
- Dunamancy. As a bonus action, you can force all creatures within 10 feet of you to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes damage equal to a roll of your empowerment die, is pushed or pulled (your choice) 5 feet in a straight line originating from you, and is knocked prone. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.