Unearthed Arcana: Hydromancy

This Is Playtest Material

The material in this article is presented for playtesting and to spark your imagination. These game mechanics are in draft form, usable in your campaign but not refined by final game design and editing. They aren’t officially part of the game and aren’t permitted in D&D Adventurers League events.

If you decide to use this material at your table, feel free to modify it however you think is appropriate. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Thank you for reading.

Arcane Traditions

At 2nd level, a wizard gains the Arcane Tradition feature. Here is a playtest option for that feature: Hydromancy.

School of Hydromancy

You are a student of spells that manipulate one of the four elements, water. To you, water is a near infinitely mutable form of matter. From frozen mountain peaks, to steaming pipes, to ancient carved rivers. Your magic allows you to manipulate this element into whatever form you desire.

Few mages take up the study of hydromancy, but those who do are able to powerfully affect the world around them. Some hydromancers are paragons and saviors, able to provide fresh water for lost travelers or brings fields of crops back from the brink of death. Others are renegades and plague bearers, threatening towns with disastrous floods, or sinking ships and looting their treasure.

Water Ward

2nd-level Hydromancy feature

Starting at 2nd level, you are able to manifest a swirling vortex of water around your body, manipulating it to defend yourself from harm.

You can use a bonus action to activate your Water Ward, which lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated, if you wear medium or heavy armor, or don a shield. You can also dismiss the water at any time you choose (no action required).

While your Water Ward is active, you gain the following benefits:

You gain a bonus to your AC and Dexterity saving throws equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
You are considered to be fully immersed in water, and have resistance to fire damage.

You can use this feature twice. You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.

Aquatic Adaptation

2nd-level Hydromancy feature

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, your latent magic allows you to glide through water as effortlessly as you would walk across land. You gain a swim speed equal to your walking speed.

Additionally, you learn the shape water cantrip if you don't already know it.

Aquatic Insulation

6th-level Hydromancy feature

At 6th level, your defensive ward grows in power to absorb some of the damage inflicted upon you. When you activate your Water Ward, and at the start of each of your turns while it is active, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).

You also have become acclimatized to the chilling effects of water. You gain resistance to cold damage.

Furthermore, you add the water breathing spell to your spellbook, if it is not there already. You can cast water breathing once without expending a spell slot. When you do so, you can target only yourself.

Aquatic Restoration

10th-level Hydromancy feature

At 10th level you have learned how to call on the restorative powers of water. You add the lesster restoration spell to your spellbook, and it is a wizard spell for you. You always have it prepared, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can prepare.

You are also able to wash away an ailment affecting a creature. As an action you can cleanse a creature you touch of a debilitating effect. You can reduce the target's exhaustion level by one, or end one of the following effects on the target:

One effect that petrified the target
Any reduction to one of the target's ability scores
One effect reducing the target's hit point maximum

Once you do so, you can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Aquatic Animation

14th-level Hydromancy feature

At 14th level, you have learned to imbue water with life to conjure forth an elemental servant. You can cast the conjure elemental spell summoning a water elemental, without expending a spell slot or needing to have the spell in your spellbook.

Alternatively, you can choose to transform yourself into a water elemental instead. You cast the polymorph spell targeting yourself, without expending a spell slot or needing to have the spell in your spellbook. You can end this spell at any time (no action required).

When cast in this way, neither spell requires concentration. Once you cast either spell using this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Hydromancy Spells

Cantrips (0 Level)

Hydro Pump**
Water Bolt**
Water Whip**

1st Level

Armor of Agathys*
Create or Destroy Water*
Upsurge**

2nd Level

Dragon Turtle's Breath**
Freezing Sphere**
Sea Foam Suffocation***
Seaweed Snare**
Snow Saber***

3rd Level

Aqueous Form**
Baptismal Boil***
Water Walk*

4th Level

Freedom of Movement*

5th Level

Maelstrom*

8th Level

Tsunami*

9th Level

Storm of Vengeance*

*Non-Wizard spells
**Listed further down in this document

Aqueous Form

3rd-level transmutation (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard)

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a bit of gauze and a sprinkling of water)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You transform a willing creature you touch, along with everything it's wearing and carrying, into an adhesive fluid for the duration. The spell ends if the creature drops to 0 hit points. An incorporeal creature isn't affected.

While in this form, the target's only methods of movement are a walk and climb speed of 15 feet, and a swim speed of 30 feet. The target can enter and occupy the space of another creature, and it can also move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. The target can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. The target has resistance to nonmagical damage, and it has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws.

While in this form, the target can't talk, and any objects it was carrying or holding can't be dropped, used, or otherwise interacted with. The target can't attack or cast spells.

Variant: Flexible Spell List

You may want to take spells that are not on the Wizard spell list. Ask your DM for permission to add spells from other class lists to your Hydromancer spell list. In exchange, remove spells that would contradict a Hydromancer's normal spells (eg: Add Create or Destroy Water to your spell list and remove Burning Hands).

Baptismal Boil

3rd-level evocation (Cleric, Paladin)

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a flask of holy water)
Duration: Instantaneous

You charge a flask of holy water with magic and throw it at a point within range. The flask then explodes, searing all creatures within a 15-foot-radius sphere of that point with radiant holy water. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 6d8 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

If the flask of holy water is consumed in this casting, the damage increases by 2d8.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 3rd.

Dragon Turtle's Breath

2nd-level transmutation (Sorcerer, Wizard)

Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a small piece of turtle shell)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You touch one willing creature and imbue it with the power to spew scalding steam from its mouth, provided it has one. Until the spell ends, the creature can use an action to exhale a 15-foot cone of steam. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 3d8 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Being underwater doesn't grant resistance against this damage.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 2nd.

Freezing Sphere

2nd-level conjuration (Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard)

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a bit of lard, a pinch of salt, and a dusting of powdered silver)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A 5-foot-diameter sphere of frost appears in an unoccupied space of your choice within range and lasts for the duration. Any creature that ends its turn within 5 feet of the sphere must make a Constitution saving throw. The creature takes 2d6 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

As a bonus action, you can move the sphere up to 30 feet. If you ram the sphere into a creature, that creature must make the saving throw against the sphere's damage, and the sphere stops moving this turn.

When you move the sphere, you can direct it over barriers up to 5 feet tall and jump it across pits up to 10 feet wide. The sphere extinguishes exposed flames within 10 feet of it.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd.

Hydro Pump

Conjuration cantrip (Artificer, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard)

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

You extend your hand toward a creature you can see within range and blast forth a powerful torrent of water from your palm. The creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw or take 1d6 bludgeoning damage and be pushed up to 15 feet away.

This spell's damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).

Sea Foam Suffocation

2nd-level necromancy (Druid, Warlock)

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (a vial of brine)
Duration: Instantaneous

You condense sea foam inside the lungs of a creature within range. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 2d10 necrotic damage and is unable to breathe. The target must use an action on its turn to cough up the sea foam, otherwise it begins to suffocate. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and it does not suffocate.

A creature that can breathe water or does not need to breathe is immune to the effects of this spell.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 2nd.

Seaweed Snare

2nd-level transmutation (Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard)

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Choose one creature you can see within range. Spectral blue seaweed binds the creature, restricting its movement. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw, or its swimming speed (if any) is reduced to 0 feet for the spell's duration. A creature can use its walking speed to move no more than 5 feet through water on its turn.

Snow Saber

2nd-level conjuration (Druid, Sorcerer)

Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a leaf of mint)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You conjure a snowy saber in your free hand. The blade is similar in size and shape to a shortsword, and it lasts for the duration. If you let go of the blade, it disappears, but you can conjure the blade again as a bonus action.

You can use your action to make a melee spell attack with the saber. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 cold damage.

The snow white blade sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for every two slot levels above 2nd.

Upsurge

1st-level conjuration (Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard)

Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you are hit by an attack
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 round

You sweep your arms upward in a grandiose fashion. Rushing water encircles your space, impeding attacks that cross the barrier. Until the start of your next turn, you have a +3 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws including against the triggering attack.

Water Bolt

Conjuration cantrip (Artificer, Sorcerer, Wizard)

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

You shoot out a fast moving bolt of water at a creature or object within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 piercing damage.

This spell's damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).

Water Whip