Welcome to Spheres of Power, an alternative magic system for 5th edition games. Within these pages you’ll find not only an original way to create and run magic-users in your 5e fantasy games, but through it, tools for telling stories and building settings far beyond the scope of the core game.
Most of the rules for making a spherecasting magic-user are extremely similar to the rules you might already be familiar with for making a spellcaster: sphere DC and spell DC are calculated the same, choosing magic talents is very similar to choosing spells known, and using spell points is, in many ways, even simpler than using spell slots. Spheres of Power is balanced against the core magic system, so introducing spheres simply or through only one or more characters can be done easily; the whole table doesn’t need to be using spheres for the spheres to be enjoyed.
The differences between the two systems, however, open up a great many options for what and how magic is played, allowing for a virtually unfettered exploration of character concepts through the interaction of two systems: Casting Traditions, and the Spheres.
Casting Traditions are the ‘how’s’ and ‘why’s’ of magic. They determine how a magic-user creates magic, what the source of their power is, and what the scope of their capabilities are.
In most fantasy tabletop games, casting tradition is tied to class: the possible casting traditions are Artificer, Cleric, Wizard, Sorcerer, etc. With Spheres of Power, however, these rules are opened up so Game Masters (and with permission, even players) can adapt magic to fit their needs, rather than adapting their needs. If the Game Master wants to create a custom world where elemental-wielding martial artists do battle with magical pet summoners, and where super-powered heroes conflict with magical-breathing swordfighters, all of this can be done without any complex multiclassing or homebrewed subclasses.
The Spheres are how a magic-user determines what they can do. Instead of spells known, a spherecaster gains magic talents, which they can spend to either unlock a new sphere, or to gain a talent from a sphere they already possess. Spheres offer thematic abilities, while talents alter and augment those abilities in new and interesting ways. Thus, if a player wants to play a master of flame magic, instead of being limited to the progression of flame magic as detailed in spells (fire bolt as a Cantrip, burning hands as a 1st level spell, flaming sphere as a 2nd level spell, fireball as a 3rd level spell, etc.), they can instead choose their progression and capabilities as they so choose (With the Nature and Destruction spheres they can immediately gain the ability to command and attack with fire, then as they gain levels they can spend talents as they choose to throw that fire as a fireball, wrap that fire around them as a shield, summon that fire as a wall, and so on, and so on).
The rest of this introduction details some of the different rules and terms required to understand in order to use Sphere of Power, as well as a walkthrough for how to build a spherecasting character. Most of these rules should be familiar to anyone who has played a core magic-user before, but are still presented below in order to be as explicit as possible.
Using a Magic Sphere
Each magic sphere has one or more basic abilities granted when you gain the sphere. Sphere abilities have the following parameters:
Casting Time: The required action needed to cast the magic sphere effect. Like the Cast a Spell action, each sphere effect has a casting time, which specifies whether the spherecaster must use an action, a bonus action, a reaction, minutes, or even hours to cast the spell. If a sphere effect takes more than one round to cast, you must spend your action each turn casting the effect and you must maintain your concentration while you do so. If your concentration is broken, the effect fails, but you don’t lose any spell points. If you want to try casting the effect again, you must start over.
Range: The target of a sphere effect must be within the effect’s range. Once an effect is cast, its effects aren’t limited by its range, unless the effect’s description says otherwise.
Duration: How long the effect lasts.
Target: This defines what can be targeted by the effect. Typical targets are you (the spherecaster), one or more creatures, one or more objects, or both creatures and objects. Further limitations may apply (allies, hostile creatures, etc.).
Cost: The number of spell points required to cast the effect, before any augments. You lose these spell points, and you cannot attempt to cast a sphere effect that requires more spell points than you possess.
Saving Throw: Some sphere abilities define the saving throw allowed by the effect. Creatures may always choose to fail their saving throw if they wish.
Augments applied to the effect may alter any of these parameters.
Spherecasting Terms
Augment
In many spheres, many granted abilities might be improved or altered through the caster spending additional spell points. These modifications are referred to as augments. The cost of adding an augment is always added to any spell points required to use the ability itself. The choice to apply an augment must be made at the time the effect is cast, unless otherwise noted. The number of spell points you can spend on a single sphere effect (including augments) cannot exceed your proficiency bonus, even if the augment is applied after the initial casting.
Concentration
Some sphere effects have a duration of ‘concentration’, and just as with spells, that concentration can be disrupted. Any factors that apply to spells with a duration of concentration also apply to sphere effects with a duration of concentration. Many sphere effects with a duration of concentration also have an augment that allows the effect to persist without concentration. Sphere effects that are changed from a duration of concentration to a different duration cannot be changed back.
Counter
Some sphere effects explicitly can counter each other (for example, the Dark and Light spheres). If a sphere effect says that it counters another sphere effect, applying it to a target under the countered effect acts as a dispel attempt (see the dispel ability of the Universal sphere).
Damage Die
Some classes, features, or sphere talents and abilities can change how much damage a weapon or sphere effect deals, decreasing or increasing its damage die size by one or more steps. This table should be used as a reference guide for such occasions when no such information is provided.
Table: Damage Dice Progression
| Damage Dice |
|---|
| 1d2 |
| 1d4 |
| 1d6 |
| 1d8 |
| 1d10 |
| 2d6 (or 1d12) |
| 2d8 |
| 3d6 |
| 3d8 |
Key Ability
A character’s magic tradition determines what ability score (usually Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma) is used to determine the strength of their magic. This ability score is referred to as their key ability. The terms ‘key ability’ and ‘spherecasting ability’ are used interchangably.
Your key ability modifier (KAM) is used to determine many things, such as the Difficulty Class of your sphere abilities, as well as your total number of spell points. If a character has both a magic tradition and a martial tradition (See Spheres of Might), they may use their spherecasting ability as their key ability for both their magic and martial abilities, if it is higher.
The Multiple Traditions optional rule can allow for a character to have more than one key ability modifier. See Section 5 for further information.
Spellcasting Ability Checks
Sometimes, a spellcaster or spherecaster directly pits the raw power of their magic against that of another caster. At these times, the caster rolls a d20 + their spellcasting ability modifier against a set DC (usually the DC of the spell or sphere effect in question).
If the effect originates from a magical item rather than a caster, use Table: Item Magic Skill below to determine spellcasting ability modifier or DC based on the item’s rarity.
Artifact level items cannot normally be countered or suppressed without the aid of other artifact-level items or rare, powerful magic.
Table: Item Magic Skill
| Rarity | Spellcasting Ability Modifier | DC |
|---|---|---|
| Common | +2 | 12 |
| Uncommon | +3 | 14 |
| Rare | +4 | 16 |
| Very Rare | +5 | 18 |
| Legendary | +6 | 20 |
Spherecasting Class
Any class that grants the ability to cast sphere effects is a spherecasting class. Sometimes, such as when a magic tradition grants you bonus spell points, it is a character’s total levels in spellcasting classes that are important. This means that all of your levels from any spherecasting classes you possess are added together for this purpose.
Magic Talent
As a spherecaster gains levels, they gain magic talents. Magic talents may be spent to allow a caster to gain new powers and abilities. Whenever a spherecaster gains a magic talent, they may spend it in one of three ways: to gain a new base magic sphere, to gain a talent associated with a magic sphere they already possess, or to remove a variant they possess from a sphere (but retaining the bonus talents granted). The number of magic talents a spherecaster gains differs between classes, but all characters gain bonus magic talents as part of their casting tradition. Once a talent is spent, it cannot be changed unless retraining is allowed.
Some class features or other options grant you a bonus sphere or a particular bonus talent. If you ever gain a sphere or talent which you already possess, you can gain a different talent of your choice from the same sphere instead.
Advanced Talents
Basic talents may be taken by any spherecaster that possesses the sphere the talent belongs to, while advanced talents have prerequisites that the spherecaster must meet before taking them. Additionally, your Game Master’s permission is required to take advanced talents (see chapter 6: Worldbuilding).
Magic Tradition
A magic-user’s casting tradition is another term for the rules that bind the use of their power, as well as its source. Does their magic come from an allied deity? Inborn talent? Communion with spirits? Does their magic require chanting or gesturing, or perhaps rare materials and the drawing of diagrams? These questions and more determine the caster’s tradition. Note that in core 5th edition games a character’s class determines these answers (wizards study magical formulae, clerics commune with deities, etc.), but with Sphere of Power, class no longer determines the rules that bind a magic-user.
A casting tradition is made up of 4 parts: a key ability modifier, drawbacks, boons, and magic talents. Drawbacks determine the rules that bind a magic-user and determine where and how they can use magic. Boons are benefits, determining the special strengths of a casting tradition’s users. Finally, every casting tradition grants its users two magic talents to serve as the beginnings of their growth in magical power.
Wiki Note: Unless noted otherwise by a specific option, every spherecaster has a casting tradition (even if it's just the Natural tradition), and they gain it when they first gain access to magic talents from class levels. This is how characters select their Key Ability Modifier for casting, which is an important part of calculating things like the accuracy of attack rolls or the DC of saving throws.
Spell Attacks and Saving Throws
Unless otherwise stated, whenever a magic sphere ability calls for a saving throw, the Difficulty Class (DC) for that saving throw is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your key ability modifier. If the targeted creature meets or exceeds this number with their saving throw, they often reduce or negate the effect.
Additionally, whenever a magic sphere ability calls for an attack roll, your sphere attack modifier is equal to your proficiency bonus + your key ability modifier.
Spell Point
All spherecasters gain a spell point pool, which accumulates spell points as they gain levels. Spell points are a measure of a caster’s capability and are spent to increase the power of their magical abilities. The number of spell points you can spend on a single sphere effect (including augments) cannot exceed your proficiency bonus, even if the augment is applied after the initial casting. Your spell pool refreshes after a long rest.
A spherecaster‘s pool of spell points is defined in their class, but casting traditions can sometime increase the number of spell points you possess. If multiclassing is allowed, you add all your spell points together in a single pool unless using the multiple traditions variant rule, except you only gain additional spell points from your key ability modifier once. For example, if you have three incanter levels and two elementalist levels, your spell pool would be equal to 3 + 2 + your key ability modifier + any bonus spell points from your casting tradition from having 5 levels in spherecasting classes.
Sphere
A sphere is a group of abilities based on a theme. Each sphere grants one or more abilities to any caster who possesses it, and these abilities can be expanded upon with the talents in that sphere.
There are 20 magic spheres, including Alteration, Creation, Conjuration, Dark, Death, Destruction, Divination, Enhancement, Fate, Illusion, Light, Life, Mind, Nature, Protection, Telekinesis, Time, Universal, Warp, and Weather. The Universal sphere is distinct from the others in that it primarily consists of abilities that modify how a spherecaster interacts with other spheres, as well as handles dispelling other magic and wild magic.
Sphere Effect
A magic sphere effect is the equivalent of a spell and in most ways function the same. For the purposes of interacting with 5e rules, all sphere effects are generally treated as spells of a level equal to the number of spell points that have been spent on them (a sphere effect that is cast with a final spell point cost of 0 sp is considered a Cantrip).
Variants
Magic spheres sometimes have variants, which are listed at the end of their pages. These are considered part of Casting Traditions and are normally selected the first time a character gains access to that sphere. These variants inflict some type of drawback or limitation, but also provide a benefit to compensate, as listed in their descriptions.
While largely optional unless the GM selects them as part of creating casting traditions, variants offer a way to customize characters and provide mechanics that better match a specific character concept.
Other Rules
Adding Ability Modifiers to Damage
Regardless of what feats, features, talents, or magic items you possess, you cannot add a spellcasting ability modifier or key ability modifier to the damage of spherecasting abilities more than once.
Bonus Action Casting Time
Some sphere effects have a casting time of a bonus action. Just as with spells, after using a magic sphere effect with a casting time of a bonus action, you can’t use another spell or magic sphere effect during the same turn, except for a Cantrip or a sphere effect with a final spell point cost of 0 sp and a casting time of 1 action.
Curses
Some magic sphere talents or abilities are considered curses. These talents and abilities have the [curse] descriptor by their name.
Doubling Proficiency Bonus
A proficiency bonus cannot be more than doubled. If a class, sphere, or other ability allows you to double a proficiency bonus (such as to a skill, similar to the expertise rogue or bard class feature), this cannot be doubled again, even if the character also has another ability that doubles a proficiency bonus, such as the expertise class feature.
Identifying a Magic Sphere Effect
Just as with spells, if a character wants to identify a magic sphere effect that someone else is casting or that was already cast, they can use their reaction to identify the magic sphere effect as it’s being cast, or they can use an action on their turn to identify a magic sphere ability by its effect after it is cast.
If the character perceived the casting, the magic sphere’s effect, or both, the character can make an Intelligence (Arcana) check with an action or reaction. The DC equals 15 + the number of spell points used. If the magic sphere effect is cast by a creature possessing a similar casting tradition as the character (or levels in a class with a strong association with the casting tradition), the check is made with advantage. For example, if a spherecaster possessing the Traditional Magic casting tradition uses a magic sphere ability, another wizard or a character with either the Traditional Magic or Magus casting tradition will have advantage on the check to identify the sphere effect. Some casting traditions aren’t generally associated with any class, such as the Lycanthrope or Natural casting traditions.
This Intelligence (Arcana) check represents the fact that identifying a sphere effect requires a quick mind and familiarity with the theory and practice of casting. This is true even for a character whose spellcasting ability is Wisdom or Charisma. Being able to use magic sphere talents or abilities doesn’t by itself make you adept at deducing exactly what others are doing when they use their magic.
If the spherecaster has no drawbacks that would make casting perceptible at all (Focus Casting, Somatic Casting, Verbal Casting, etc.) and doesn’t produce an obvious effect such as a fireball, an observer might still observe and identify the effect being cast, but might require a Wisdom (Perception) check with a DC of 15 - the number of spell points to even tell magic is being cast and which person is producing the effect.
Multiclassing
The new classes presented in this book use their key ability as their multiclassing prerequisites, so multiclassing into or out of any of these classes requires a minimum score of 13 in your key ability (determined by your tradition).
Spell points and magic talents from multiple spherecasting classes stack, though you only gain additional spell points from your key ability modifier once.
Houserules and FAQs
While not official rules, this section covers common questions and some optional houserules for things that may come up during a game.
Optional Rule: Countering Spells
With this optional rule, characters cannot counter spells whose effective spell level is higher than their effective spell level. This does not apply to the Dispel ability of the Universal sphere, but does apply to things like attempting to counter a high-level, permanent area of darkness with a very weak light effect.
Similarly, the game master may rule that certain effects (especially those reaching one mile or more across) are too large to easily counter with one weaker effect, although a strong effect at the center of the power might be enough. In situations like these, they may rule that a large spell would need to be countered in sections, similar to the way a massive object created with the Creation sphere is made of multiple sections that need to be destroyed individually.
In general, game masters should use good judgment when considering potential interactions, with preference generally given to higher-level effects and those that characters have spent many spell points on.
How to Build a Character
Spheres of Power grants a greater degree of flexibility when bringing a character to life, but this means that character creation involves an increased number of choices. The following guide demonstrates how to build a character from concept to final creation, accounting for these additional choices.
The process for building a character is, roughly:
1. Concept
2. Casting tradition
3. Race and class
4. Attributes, background, proficiencies
5. Talents and feats
Building Derwyrdd
Each step of building a character includes an example of that step, with a player named Simon building his character, Derwyrdd.
Concept
Spheres of Power is a concept-based magic system, meaning even moreso than with core character creation, the first step to creating a spherecaster is simply to determine what sort of character you want to create. What is your idea for the character? Is your character a shapeshifter, a mystic martial artist, or perhaps a con artist? What can they do and how do they do it?
Remember that the answer to these questions will be at least partially informed by the setting and your party members: in a setting where all magic is granted through service to ancient evils and casters are hunted down by the local government, magical characters will live and play very differently from a setting where magic is free and easily-available. Similarly, a magical guardian of a wilderness shrine will have a much harder time in a game where the players will be traveling all over the globe verses one that stays in the same town forever.
Building Derwyrdd, Step 1
Simon decides that he would like to create a fey-like spherecaster who manipulates the forest around him. He wants to summon plants to do his bidding and do most of his fighting for him, but his party is also in need of a skilled healer, so he wants to fill that niche as well. He imagines a character who communes with nature like a druid, but isn’t interested in shapechanging, at least for the moment.
Instead, he sees his character summoning vines to fight for him, leaping from tree to tree in the heat of combat to strike enemies with a well-placed attack.
Casting Tradition
Now that you have a general concept, assuming your character will use magic, look at Section 2 for information about casting traditions. What is the source of your character’s magic? Where and how did they learn? Check with your Game Master to see what traditions are allowed, as casting traditions are tied to a game’s setting, and the setting might include a limited number of traditions or possibly custom traditions of the GM’s own creation.
Feel free to speak to your GM about working with you to create a custom tradition if preferred.
Building Derwyrdd, Step 2
Simon’s table is allowing any casting tradition published in Spheres of Power. Simon looks through the available casting traditions and really likes Druidic, Fey Magic, and Ley-Line Tapper, but settles on Fey Magic; his character’s power come from having a fey-like nature, and possibly fey ancestry, rather than the worship of nature or the tapping into the land. He notes down that he gets no bonus spell points from his casting tradition, that his key ability score is Charisma, and also notes his drawbacks and boons. Lastly, he makes a note of the variable magic talents that he could choose from: Two from Dark, Illusion, Mind, Nature, or Weather. He will get back to those later.
Race and Class
Now that you have a concept in mind and know their casting tradition, character creation now follows the format typical for a core 5e game. What race is your character? What class best fits your concept? Note that with Spheres of Power, class does not determine concept, so feel free to explore your options to determine which class features seem the most appealing to you. This book contains new classes and adaptations for existing classes, both of which can be found in Chapter 3.
Building Derwyrdd, Step 3
Since he wants his character to draw power from a fey-like nature, Simon decides to make his character an elf, noting down his starting langauges and abilities on his character sheet. Simon knows that he could very well simply use the druid class with the druid spherecaster variant, but he doesn’t find some of the class’s features appealing, so instead he looks at the classes and subclasses in Spheres of Power.
Simon thinks both the elementalist and incanter could be a great choice, but Simon ends up choosing the elementalist, because the path of the geomancer fits perfectly with his character concept. He makes Derwyrdd an elementalist and notes the class’s proficiencies and 1st-level class features on his character sheet, including the Weave Energy feature that grants Derwyrdd the Destruction sphere as a bonus sphere.
As a 1st-level elementalist, Derwyrdd has 1 Hit Die—a d8— and starts with hit points equal to 8 + his Constitution modifier. Derwyrdd also starts with a number of spell points equal to 1 + his key ability modifier (Charisma). Simon notes this, and will record the final number after he determines Derwyrdd’s Constitution and Charisma scores. Simon also notes that the proficiency bonus for a 1st-level character, which is +2.
Attributes, Background, Proficiencies
Now is the perfect time to determine the final details of your character, such as where they’re from, what they look like, and what they can do. Generate and distribute your attributes per the method you are using in your game and determine your character’s background, just as detailed in the Player’s Guide. Where is your character from? What are they skilled at? At this point you should also choose your character’s proficiencies, which are determined both by your background and your class. If you are also using the book Spheres of Might, this is an appropriate place to choose your starting martial tradition as well, if they have one.
Building Derwyrdd, Step 4
Simon decides to use the standard set of scores (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) for Derwyrdd’s abilities. Since he’s first and foremost a spherecaster, he puts his highest score 15, in Charisma (his key ability score). His next highest, 14 goes in Dexterity. Derwyrdd wants to have a decent Wisdom and Constitution, so he allocates the next two highest there. After applying his racial benefits (increasing Derwyrdd’s Dexterity by 2 and Wisdom by 1), Derwyrdd’s ability scores and modifiers look like this: Strength 8 (-1), Dexterity 16 (+3), Constitution 12 (+1), Intelligence 10 (+0), Wisdom 14 (+2), Charisma 15 (+2).
Simon fills in Derwyrdd’s final hit points: 8 + Con (+1) = 9 hit points; spell points: 1 + Cha (+2) = 3 spell points; and sphere DC: 8 + prof bonus (+2) + Cha (+2) = save DC 12. Simon then fills in some of Derwyrdd’s basic details: his name, his sex (male), his height and weight, his alignment (chaotic neutral).
Simon decides that Derwyrdd lives in the woods, so either Hermit and Outlander are fitting backgrounds, eventually settling on Hermit. He notes the proficiencies and special features this background gives him.
For personality traits, Simon decides that Derwyrdd could be described as ‘utterly serene’. Derwyrdd believes in the ideal of ‘live and let live’ with strong bonds to an organization of isolated and wandering healers. Simon writes down the starting equipment from the elementalist class, his casting tradition, and his background. His starting equipment includes: a rapier, a shortbow (and 20 arrows), an explorer’s pack, dagger, a scroll case stuffed full of notes from studies and prayer, a winter blanket, a common set of clothes, an herbalism kit, and 5 gp.
Building Derwyrdd, Step 4 (optional)
Simon also owns Spheres of Might and decides to trade out the elementalist’s armor proficiency, martial weapon proficiencies, and Unarmored Defense feature for a martial tradition.
Because Simon already liked the Hermit background, he decides on keeping it and chooses a martial tradition tied to that background, settling on the Witch martial tradition.
Simon updates his character sheet to include the new starting equipment from his martial tradition and writes down that Derwyrdd has the following martial sphere talents and abilities:
Alchemy sphere – Talents (formulae) Salve
• formulae, (30 ft.), DC 12, 3 formulae
• Salve; Restore 1 Hit Die + Cha mod hit points.
Beastmastery sphere – Packages tame; Talents none
• tame, DC 12; CR 0 beast
Equipment sphere – Talents (discipline) Bombardier Training, (other) Unarmored Training
◊ Bombardier Training; Treat alchemical weapons (acid flasks, alchemist’s fire, etc.) as simple weapons.
◊ Unarmored Training; AC = 10 + Dex mod (+3) + Cha mod (+2)
Talents and Feats
Finally, note the talents granted by your tradition and class, and make any choices required. Similarly, if your race grants you a bonus feat, this is the time to choose which one you desire.
Now review the character and evaluate the result. You may want to go back and tweak things or even start over with a different concept, possibly inspired by options you found during the creation process.
Building Derwyrdd, Step 5
From steps 2 and 3, Simon knows that Derwyrdd has the Destruction sphere from the elementalist class, as well as two talents that must be purchased from his casting tradition.
Because Derwyrdd is supposed to be a plantomancer, he looks through the Dark, Illusion, Mind, Nature, and Weather spheres (the spheres that his casting tradition grants him two talents from) to see what is appropriate for his concept and finds the Nature sphere with its plant package. Simon uses one talent to purchase the Nature sphere (plant package), and the second talent to purchase Create Nature. Simon then looks over the Destruction sphere and notes that because he possesses the Nature sphere, he gains the Bramble Blast (blast type).
Simon writes down that Derwyrdd has the following magic sphere talents and abilities:
Destruction sphere – Talents (blast type) Bramble Blast
• destructive blast, (self), DC 10 + Cha mod, 1d8, instantaneous
◊ Blast Shapes (Shaped); 0 sp 5-ft. radius; 1sp 30-ft. cone or 120-ft. line
◊ Blast Types (Bramble, Poison); piercing (Dex save vs grappled) or poison (poisoned until start of next turn)
Nature Sphere – Packages plant; Talents (geomancy) Create Nature
• geomancy, (30 ft.), DC 10 + Cha mod, instantaneous or concentration (1 minute w/ 1 sp)
◊ Plant (Entangle, Harvest, Pummel)
◊ Create Nature; create one Large-sized tree or field of plants in 10-ft. square, 1 spell point
Want to play this character?
Derwyrdd has a full character sheet showing him at first level. Click his name at the start of this paragraph to be taken directly to his ready-to-play character sheet.
Option Introductions
Classes
Here's some more information about the new classes added in Spheres of Power.
| Class | Description |
|---|---|
| Elementalist | Elementalists are magically-inclined combatants who specialize in the Destruction sphere. They are capable of fighting in melee or at range, depending on their choice of abilities. Note that in this context, 'element' includes things like physical damage types, so it's entirely possible to build an Elementalist who specializes in piercing damage instead of fire damage. This is a good class to play if you want to be a "Blaster". |
| Incanter | The Incanter is the most "pure caster" class that Spheres of Power introduces. It's similar to the core Wizard in that it offers a lot of flexibility and minimal mandatory options, which allows it to become almost anything. You could create companions, manipulate time, cloud minds, manipulate nature, or almost anything else. Priests, Necromancers, Illusionists, Diviners, and Witches, among other concepts, all work as Incanters. This is a good class to play if you want to be a "true" caster or prefer the most freeform character design possible. |
| Mageknight | Mageknights are magical warriors. Each Mageknight can specialize in a path that provides some direction for their martial abilities, and this is a great choice if you want to play any sort of mixed magic/martial combatant. Notably, Mageknights can use both Spheres of Power and Spheres of Might, although they tend to be dedicated to a few specific options rather than learning a bunch of different powers. |
| Prodigy | Prodigies, like Mageknights, can use both Spheres of Power and Spheres of Might. However, this class focuses mainly on chaining different actions and abilities together to build up power and create explosive finishers. In many ways, the Prodigy is the most complicated class introduced by Spheres of Power, so it's best used by people who are familiar with the systems. |
| Soul Weaver | Soul Weavers are masters of the powers of life and death, communicating with and drawing on the powers of the departed to fuel their powers. With their Soul Nexus powers, Soul Weavers can also temporarily acquire different powers, making them surprisingly flexible. Like all Spherecasting classes, Soul Weavers can ultimately fit any role you build them towards, but they're particularly good at supporting others. |
Spheres
Here is a brief introduction to each of the magical spheres.| Sphere | Description |
|---|---|
| Alteration | The Alteration sphere focuses on physical transformation, allowing the user to assume a different shape and gain different abilities as the situation demands. This is a flexible sphere that can support damage dealing, utility, movement, disguise, and other needs as the situation demands. |
| Conjuration | The Conjuration sphere focuses on summoning allies to the user's side. Allies can be enhanced by taking additional talents, growing alongside their summoner to fill any needed role. |
| Creation | The Creation sphere allows spherecasters to create or modify existing objects. From creating holes in walls to summoning objects of pure force, masters of this sphere can literally reshape the world around them. |
| Dark | The Dark sphere can eliminate light within its range and make it harder for mundane enemies to find you. Many of its effects also impose debuffs and other penalties on enemies who stay within your darkness, making this sphere especially good for weakening foes. |
| Death | The Death sphere covers all the powers of necromancy, including both raising the dead as servants and using necrotic energies to strike at foes. |
| Destruction | The Destruction sphere is the primary offense option in Spheres of Power, allowing its wielders to pick both the damage type and the shape of their magical attacks. Wielders of other spheres can acquire many different types of powers to complement their other magical talents. |
| Divination | The Divination sphere allows its users to uncover different types of information, either by actively searching for it or by granting additional senses to creatures. Spherecasters who know other spheres acquire additional ways to divine for information, making diviners impressively versatile. |
| Enhancement | The Enhancement sphere allows casters to strengthen or weaken creatures and objects in range. From granting energy damage to weapons to weakening a creature and making it worse at ability checks, Enhancers can buff and debuff with equal skill. |
| Fate | The Fate sphere allows its users to manipulate destiny, altering potential outcomes to make things more in their favor. This can take many forms, from supporting allies and granting them advantage on various tasks to creating auras with an effect on those inside. |
| Illusion | Perhaps the most flexible sphere when applied creatively, the Illusion sphere allows its users to make people believe in something that isn't actually there. |
| Life | The Life sphere focuses on healing hit points and curing conditions, poisons, and other ailments that can afflict a character. |
| Light | Aside from making it possible for creatures without darkvision or torches to explore darker areas, the Light sphere can also create a variety of useful effects like revealing invisible creatures or making it easier to strike foes. |
| Mind | The Mind sphere allows its users to inspire, command, or mislead others. While somewhat energy-intensive, few are capable of turning a situation around faster than a user of mind magic. |
| Nature | The Nature sphere allows its users to command the elemental forces of the world around them, ranging from pulling ore out of the ground to animating trees to pummel foes. This sphere is more package-oriented than others, but gaining new packages will often unlock multiple new abilities all at once, making Nature casters quite flexible. |
| Protection | The Protection sphere focuses on defensive powers, from improving the armor class of those in need to resisting different types of damage. |
| Telekinesis | The Telekinesis sphere allows users to manipulate objects at range, from catching projectiles and other threats to literally hurling enemies into each other. |
| Time | The Time sphere allows its users to modify time in various ways, from granting additional actions to literally ejecting opponents from time for short periods. |
| Universal | The Universal sphere is somewhat unique because it mainly helps modify other spheres. Its powers include countering and dispelling other magical effects, triggering wild magic, modifying attributes like the range or number of targets for other sphere abilities, and even manipulating the spell points of targets. This sphere features many options that can be useful for spherecasters of practically any theme. |
| Warp | The Warp sphere includes talents that manipulate space, ranging from teleportation to creating extradimensional storage spaces. It is primarily a movement/utility sphere, but it can also cause a lot of trouble for enemies by looping space and otherwise confusing them. |
| Weather | The Weather sphere allows users to take advantage of prevalent weather conditions to create a variety of effects. If advanced talents are allowed, this sphere also allows users to manipulate the weather, providing some powerful wide-range effects. |
| Spheres of Power by Drop Dead Studios | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Using Spheres of Power | ||||
| Classes | ||||
| Elementalist | Incanter | Mageknight | Prodigy | Soul Weaver |
| Spheres | ||||
| Alteration | Conjuration | Creation | Dark | Death |
| Destruction | Divination | Enhancement | Fate | Illusion |
| Life | Light | Mind | Nature | Protection |
| Telekinesis | Time | Universal | Warp | Weather |
| Other Rules | ||||
| Casting Traditions | Conditions | Feats | Magic Items | Wild Magic |
| Buy It Now On DriveThruRPG | ||||