Grimoires of Spell Enhancements
While some attain more power by learning to cast spells that are more and more powerful in nature, there are those who seek instead to alter the nature of spells they already know. By spending years, maybe decades of researching and experimenting, they alter the ways their spells behave, squeezing out every ounce of power from them.
This type of knowledge is both highly coveted and fiercely guarded, of course, which is why most grimoires and tomes containing such information often have magical fail-safes put on them. Over time, though, these defences have weakened, allowing someone that obtains one of these books a small window in which they can absorb the knowledge contained in it. The rarity of these books determine how many spells can be altered before the book either crumbles to dust, goes up in a poof of smoke, or even explodes into a million tiny pieces.
Uncommon: You can learn 2 enhancements before it dissipates. Rare: You can learn 3 enhancements before it dissipates. Very rare: You can learn 4 enhancements before it dissipates.
The enhancements can be learned by more than one person, as long as the total number of enhancements doesn't exceed the number allowed by the rarity.
Infernal Intensity
Wondrous item
This collection of spell enhancements were recorded by a group of devils who fervently believed that by sacrificing the sustained energy in a magical effect, one could harness and focus the released energy to increase the immediate gain to great effect.
Bless. Sometimes, a small burst of offense is all you need. As a reaction to a creature under the effect of this spell making an attack roll, you can bolster the effect to change the d4 added to attack rolls by the spell to a d8 for all affected creatures until the start of your next turn, at which point the spell ends.
Mage armor. As a bonus action, you can violently end this spell, expelling the inherent energy of it in a vicious blast around you. Each creature within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or take 3d6 + your spellcasting modifier force damage.
Mirror image. As a bonus action, you can end this spell and make a melee spell attack against one creature within 5 feet of you. If you hit, the target takes 1d6 for each mirror image that was left + your spellcasting modifier force damage.
Scorching ray. More flame, more fun. Each creature hit by one or more rays is set on fire, taking 1d6 fire damage at the end of their next turn.
Shield. When this spell makes an attack miss for the first time, you can end this spell (no action required) to deal force damage equal to 1d8 per spell slot level used to cast it + your spellcasting modifier to the attacking creature.
Spiritual weapon. Bigger is better. When you hit with an attack with the spiritual weapon, you can end this spell (no action required) to increase the damage dealt by 3d8.
Angelic Armory
First found in a remote monastery, this tome focuses on how to increase the defensive properties of spells: Either by utilizing a sudden release of their energy, or altering their composition.
Bless. Even gods recognize that sometimes, drastic measures are called for. As a reaction to one or more creatures under the effect of this spell having to make a saving throw, you can change the d4 granted by the spell to a d8 for all affected creatures. The spell then ends.
Guiding bolt. To some, the illustrious shine of your deity is unbearable to gaze upon. When you hit with this spell, you can have the impact create a glorious flash of light. Each creature within 10 feet of the target has disadvantage on the next attack they make before the end of their next turn.
Mage armor. The magical force surrounding its target now absorbs magic to a certain degree. All spell damage dealt to the target is reduced by your spellcasting modifier.
Mirror image. This alteration allows you to absorb the remaining magical energy of the spell to revitalize yourself. As a bonus action, you can end this spell to gain 1d6 for each mirror image that was left + your spellcasting modifier temporary hit points.
Shield. No defense is perfect, so sometimes all one can do is soften the blow. When a creature scores a critical hit against you, you can end this spell to take only half damage from that attack (no action required).
Spiritual weapon. A weapon can sometimes be the best shield you can have. As a reaction to being hit by an attack, if the weapon is within 10 feet of you, you can end this spell to have the weapon reduce the damage by 4d8.
Flavor of the Feywild
Like one would expect from many things fey, this book contains enhancements that are, in a word, whimsical. Effective, but whimsical nonetheless. Should you want to see natural stuff do unnatural things, this book truly brings a little bit of the Feywild to you.
Bless. What good are blessings if you're not alive to receive them? As a reaction to one or more creatures under the effect of this spell being reduced to 0 hit points, you can end this spell to have a flowerbed instantly grow where the creatures fall. A creature that starts its turn in such a flowerbed regains 1 hit point. The flowerbed then wilts, having spent its magic.
Mage armor. The magical force surrounding its target now dampens the creaking and rustling of its clothes and continuously alters the colorization of the magical force surrounding them, allowing them to better blend in with their surroundings, granting them advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. Whenever the target stands in one spot for one minute, a small flower sprouts beside their feet and the target turns invisible until it moves.
Mirror image. What could be more feywild than tricksters playing mind tricks on someone? As a bonus action, you can end this spell to have each mirror image left jaunt and leer at a different creature within 30 feet of you, granting the next attack against that creature advantage.
Moonbeam. Some flowers prefer to dance in the moonlight. When you cast this spell, colorful vines with prickly leaves grow from the ground where the light hits. The ground is difficult terrain, and when a creature moves into or within the area, it takes 1d4 piercing damage for every 5 feet it travels. The leaves instantly wilts away when the light disappears.
Shield. You can transfer the inherent energy of this spell into the soil, creating life. When this spell makes an attack miss for the first time, you can end this spell (no action required) to instantly grow a 10-foot tall, 5-foot wide tree trunk directly beneath the attacking creature, lifting them if it's Medium or smaller. Larger creatures are pushed into the nearest unoccupied space instead.
Spiritual weapon. A floating, spectral weapon simply isn't meant to follow the rules. When you make an attack with the spiritual weapon, you can end the spell to instead have the weapon multiply, making an attack against up to 3 targets within 20 feet of it.
Minor Magic Magnified
Collected from various researchers and places, this small book is a treasure trove of enhancements to cantrips.
Create bonfire. The devil is in the details, and oh my god the table is on fire! Once during this spell's duration, you can use an action to expand the bonfire, making it fill a 10-foot cube, potentially surprising, and damaging, creatures that thought they were, well, out of the fire.
Green-flame blade. A high elf whose name is long forgotten spent decades adjusting this spell to ranged combat. When you cast this spell, you must use a ranged weapon to deliver it to a creature within 30 feet of you.
Message. Whether this enhancement comes from the need of guerilla warfare, advanced espionage, or simply the desire to approximate telepathy will never be uncovered. When you cast this spell, its range is halved, but you can target two creatures with it.
Sacred flame. Adding a little longevity to this spell was an arduous task, but an illuminating one. When the target of this spell fails its saving throw against it, it's surrounded by a lingering light. The next attack against it before the start of your next turn has advantage.
Shocking grasp. Did you know that nonmetal materials can also conduct lightning? When you hit with this spell, a small zap jumps from the target to a different creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of it. That creature can't take reactions until the start of its next turn.
Vicious mockery. Low confidence is a bummer, dude. A creature that fails its saving throw against this spell also has disadvantage on the next ability check it makes before the end of its next turn.
Credits
- Created by redditor groggen2
- Thanks goes to the 'Discord of Many Things' for feedback along the way.
- Art by: Applesin, Sally Elizabeth Jackson AKA Sally-Jackson, Yaron Granot, and Reza Afshar
- This is version 1 (2022-04-29)