Art: Liang xing
Wizard: School of Hex Magic
From witches to hexmages, the school of hex magic has gained an unsavoury reputation among both scholarly and regular folk alike. It is regarded as a cruel and twisting style of the arcane, manipulating the very fabric of magic to inflict debilitating conditions and restrictions on others. However, those who have taken the time to research this field have realised that the school of hex magic is more than just maledictions, as it reaches into every school of magic through rituals and other incantations.
The reputation of the school of hex magic isn't unwarranted as most of their practitioners are among the evil folk in the world, particularly hags and hexbloods. Some ostracised scholars have taken to researching the school, hoping that by understanding and documenting it they can restore their place in one of the arcane institutions.
School of Hex Magic Features
| Wizard Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Ritual Initiate, Cruel Malediction |
| 6th | Apprentice of the Dark Arts |
| 10th | Ritual Rites |
| 14th | Master of Curses |
Ritual Initiate
Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy a spell with the ritual tag into your spellbook is halved.
Cruel Malediction
Also at 2nd level, you learn a special curse known as a malediction that you can use to hex your enemies. As a bonus action, you attempt to curse a creature you can see within 60 feet. The target must succeed a Charisma saving throw against your wizard spell save DC or become cursed by you. Whenever a creature with your malediction makes an attack roll or a saving throw before the curse ends, the creature must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll or saving throw.
The malediction lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you end it on your turn (no action required), you are incapacitated, the target dies, or a remove curse spell is cast on the target. You can only curse one creature at a time in this way, and a creature can only be affected by one malediction at a time.
Once you use this feature you cannot use it again until you have finished a short or long rest, unless you expend a 1st-level or higher spell slot to use it again.
Apprentice of the Dark Arts
When you reach 6th level, you have gained an increased understanding of your curses, allowing you to manipulate them with ease. You add the bestow curse and remove
curse spells to your spellbook if they are not there
already. These spells are always prepared for you,
and they don't count against the number of spells
you can have prepared.
Furthermore, you can spend 1 minute touching a
creature or an object and learn whether the target is under the effects of bestow curse or similar magic.
Ritual Rites
Starting at 10th level, you have learned to twist your rituals through various dark magic rites. When you are ritual casting a spell, you can choose to use one of these rites to enhance the casting of that spell. You can only use one rite on a spell when you ritual cast it.
Rite of Acceleration. The ritual casting of the spell takes 1 minute longer to cast than normal, instead of 10 minutes.
Rite of Endurance. If the spell has a duration of 1 minute or longer, you can double its duration, to a maximum duration of 24 hours.
Rite of Extension. If the spell has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can double the range of the spell.
Rite of Substitution. You ignore material components for the spell's casting.
Once you use a rite, you can't ritual cast a spell using that rite again until you finish a short or long rest.
Master of Curses
Finally, at 14th level, you have perfected your understanding of curses. If you fail a saving throw against a spell or magical effect initiated by a target cursed by your Cruel Malediction, you can use your reaction to roll a d4. On a 3 or higher, you succeed your saving throw, regardless of its roll.
Also, a creature under the effects of your Cruel Malediction rolls a d6, instead of a d4, when taking a penalty to an attack roll or saving throw.
Version 1.0
Got any ideas or feedback? Message me here