Greetings, inquisitive students of the arcane arts, as we embark on a captivating exploration of the School of Transmutation. Today, our sojourn takes us into the realm of control spells, where the very essence of matter and energy yields to the skilled sorcerer, reshaping reality itself.
Transmutation, dear scholars, is the art of transformation and manipulation. Within this school of magic lies a subset of spells that focus on command, alteration, and influence. Control spells empower wizards to bend the world to their will, mastering the ebb and flow of existence.
In the transmuter’s arsenal, you shall uncover spells that manipulate the elements, dominate creatures, and shape the battlefield itself. These spells are a testament to the adaptability and versatility that transmutation offers, allowing casters to control the very fabric of reality.
Control Flames: Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous or 1 hour
Picture a nonmagical flame, an ordinary one you might find in a candle or a campfire. With this spell, you gain command over it in several ways:
- First, you can choose to expand the flame, causing it to stretch an extra 5 feet in one direction, as long as there’s flammable material nearby to fuel its growth.
- Second, the power lies within you to swiftly douse the flames, extinguishing them as if they were never there.
- Third, you possess the ability to alter the light emanating from the fire. You can make it brighter, dimmer, change its color, or combine these modifications. These adjustments last for an hour.
- Lastly, and most intriguingly, you can craft simple shapes within the flames – perhaps a fleeting silhouette of a creature, an object, or even a miniature landscape. These fiery figures dance and move as you command for one hour.
It’s worth noting that you can maintain up to three of these effects simultaneously if you cast the spell multiple times, and you can dismiss any of them with a mere thought.
Druidcraft: Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
With but a whisper to the spirits of the natural world, you can conjure these effects:
- Firstly, imagine a tiny, harmless sign from nature predicting the weather in your vicinity for the next day. A golden orb might signify clear skies, a cloud foretells rain, and falling snowflakes promise snow. This sign lasts but a fleeting moment, a mere round.
- Secondly, you can make a single flower bloom, a seed pod burst open, or a leaf bud into life.
- Thirdly, you can craft an instant and harmless sensory experience – perhaps falling leaves, a gentle puff of wind, the sound of a woodland creature, or even the faint scent of a skunk. All these sensations must fit within a 5-foot cube.
- Lastly, you have the power to instantly ignite or extinguish a candle, a torch, or a small campfire. These wonders are at your fingertips.
Gust: Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
With a mere thought, you grasp the air itself and command it to perform one of these effects at a point you can see:
- Firstly, imagine a Medium-sized or smaller creature of your choosing. You beckon the air to exert its force upon them. They must muster their strength and pass a trial of endurance, a Strength saving throw. Should they fail, they’ll be pushed up to 5 feet away from you.
- Secondly, you can create a small gust of air, capable of moving an object not held nor carried, weighing no more than 5 pounds. This object is then nudged up to 10 feet away from you. A gentle force, not meant to cause harm.
- Lastly, you can conjure a harmless sensation using the air itself. Leaves may rustle, shutters may slam shut, or your clothing may sway as if caressed by a breeze. All simple effects, crafted with the wind’s gentle touch.
Mold Earth: Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous or 1 hour
You see, when you cast this spell, you choose a patch of dirt or stone no larger than a 5-foot cube, right within your view. And then, with the power of magic, you can mold it in one of these ways:
- Firstly, if the ground is loose earth, you can dig it up, move it, and place it up to 5 feet away, as if by the hand of an invisible laborer. No harm, though, just a gentle relocation of earth.
- Secondly, you can create patterns and designs on the dirt or stone’s surface. Words, images, or shapes—anything your heart desires. They’ll grace the earth for a whole hour, as if painting with magic.
Now, if the dirt or stone lies upon the ground, you can make it tricky to traverse, turning it into difficult terrain. Or, if it’s already troublesome terrain, you can ease the way, making it normal ground once more. These changes also last for an hour.
But remember, my dear, you can’t have more than two of these magical effects active at once, and should you wish, you can dispel them with but a thought.
Shape Water: Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous or 1 hour
When you cast this spell, you select a portion of water, no larger than a 5-foot cube, and within your sight. Then, with the touch of magic, you can shape it in these ways:
- Firstly, you can move the water instantaneously, guiding its flow up to 5 feet in any direction you desire. Mind you, it won’t harm anyone; it’s a gentle rearranging of liquid.
- Secondly, you can make the water take form and dance as you wish, creating simple shapes that move as you direct for a whole hour. Imagine the wonders you can craft with liquid art.
- Alternatively, you can change the water’s hue or opacity, as long as the transformation is consistent throughout. This alteration also lasts for an hour, adding a touch of magic to the waters.
- And lastly, if there are no living creatures within the water, you can freeze it in place. But fret not; it will thaw in an hour’s time.
Remember, dear one, that you can’t have more than two of these magical effects active simultaneously, and you can undo them with a mere thought.
Thaumaturgy: Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V
Duration: Up to 1 minute
With this spell, you can create one of several magical effects within your reach:
- Your voice becomes thunderous, booming up to three times its usual volume for a minute, demanding attention.
- You gain control over flames, making them flicker, brighten, dim, or even change color at your whim for a minute.
- You stir the earth beneath your feet, causing harmless tremors to ripple through the ground for a minute.
- You conjure an instant sound from a chosen point within your sight. It could be the rumble of thunder, the cry of a raven, or eerie whispers—lasting only a moment.
- You can make an unlocked door or window swing open or slam shut in an instant, revealing or concealing secrets.
- For a minute, your eyes take on a different appearance, perhaps revealing your inner emotions or your connection to the mystical.
Remember, dear one, that you can maintain up to three of these effects at once, each lasting for a minute. And, if you wish, you can release the magic with a simple action.
Earthbind: 2nd-level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 300 feet
Components: V
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You select one creature within your view, and from your fingertips, tendrils of yellow magical energy swirl around them. The target, unless strong of will, must succeed in a test of strength or find themselves robbed of their ability to fly, if they had such a gift. They become grounded, their wings rendered useless, and if they were soaring through the skies, they’ll fall, descending swiftly, at a rate of 60 feet with each passing moment until they return to the earth or the enchantment’s grip upon them is released.
Spike Growth: 2nd-level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 150 feet
Components: V, S, M (seven sharp thorns or seven small twigs, each sharpened to a point)
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
This spell, my dear, calls upon the very earth to rise up and protect itself.
In a space of 20 feet, a circle of thorny spikes emerges from the ground, centered on a point you can see within your reach. This once-familiar terrain becomes treacherous, making every step a painful journey. The earth transforms into a field of hidden danger, making it hard to traverse. Anyone who dares to venture into or move within this space will be met with the wrath of nature itself.
As they move through this perilous ground, they shall feel the sting of the thorns, suffering 2d4 piercing wounds for every 5 feet they dare to travel. Beware, though, for the earth conceals its true nature, appearing as innocent as the wilderness itself. Those who cannot perceive the danger must rely on their wisdom and perception to see through this deception before it’s too late.
Plant Growth: 3rd-level
Casting Time: 1 action or 8 hours
Range: 150 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Ah, ‘Plant Growth,’ a spell of nurturing and reaping the rewards of the land. It can be used in two distinct ways, each with its own purpose.
In the first manner, swift and immediate, you channel your energy into a specific point you can see within range. Imagine a circle, my dear, with a 100-foot radius, centered on that point. The plants within this circle respond to your magic, growing thick and wild. Anyone trying to pass through this area finds it challenging, for every 4 feet they wish to travel, they must expend the effort of 1 foot of movement. You, however, have the power to spare certain parts of this magical garden, letting them remain unaffected by your enchantment.
Now, the second way to use this spell takes patience. If you devote 8 hours of your time, you can enrich the land itself. Picture a half-mile radius, centered on a point within your reach. The plants in this vast area become blessed by your magic for an entire year. When the harvest season comes, these enriched plants yield twice the bounty of food they usually would.
So, my child, whether you seek to hinder your foes’ progress or ensure a bountiful harvest, ‘Plant Growth’ is your ally in nurturing the green world around you.
Slow: 3rd-level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (a drop of molasses)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Picture this: within a 40-foot cube that you can see within range, time bends to your will, affecting up to six creatures of your choosing.
Now, what happens to these creatures, you ask? Well, if they fail to muster the wisdom to resist the spell’s effects, they experience a significant slowdown in their actions. Their speed is halved, and they suffer a -2 penalty to both their Armor Class and their attempts to evade danger through Dexterity saving throws. These unfortunate souls also lose their ability to react swiftly, and they can’t make use of reactions.
During their turns, they face a tough choice: they can either take an action or a bonus action, but not both. Even their attacks are limited, allowing only one melee or ranged strike per turn, no matter their usual abilities or magical aids.
Should they dare to cast a spell that demands swiftness with a single action, the very fabric of time conspires against them. Roll a d20 for such attempts, and only on an 11 or higher will the spell’s effect be delayed until the creature’s next turn. They must then spend that turn finishing the spell, or it goes to waste.
However, there is a glimmer of hope for these afflicted souls. At the end of each of their turns, they can muster their inner strength and make another Wisdom saving throw. Succeed, and the spell’s grip on them is broken.
Polymorph: 4th-level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a caterpillar cocoon)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
Listen well, for it is a spell of profound change.
With this incantation, you can choose a creature within your view and attempt to reshape its very essence. However, unwilling creatures must muster their wisdom to resist this effect, for they are given the choice to undergo this transformation or not. Shapechangers, those beings who easily change their forms, are immune to this spell’s persuasion.
Once transformed, the creature remains in its new guise for a duration you determine or until it reaches 0 hit points or meets its end. The new form must be a beast, its strength measured by what we call a ‘challenge rating,’ which must be equal to or less than the original creature’s own strength (or its level if it doesn’t possess such a rating). During this transformation, the creature’s game statistics change entirely to match those of the chosen beast. Its mind, its skills, all shift to align with this new form, but its core alignment and personality remain untouched.
As the creature assumes its new shape, its hit points adjust accordingly. When it reverts to its original form, it regains the hit points it had before the transformation. But should the transformed creature take too much damage in its new shape and revert, any excess harm carries over to its true form. If this excess damage doesn’t reduce it to 0 hit points, the creature remains conscious.
Now, this new form has its limitations. It can only perform actions that befit its beastly nature, and complex tasks requiring hands or speech become impossible. Speaking spells or wielding weapons are beyond its reach.
As a final note, any equipment the creature wore or carried merges into its new form, rendering it inaccessible until the transformation ends. And, of course, a creature on the brink of death, with 0 hit points, cannot be affected by this spell.
So, my dear, ‘Polymorph’ is a spell that turns the mighty into mice, the ferocious into fledglings, and the cunning into common beasts. Quite the formidable trick, don’t you think?
Stone Shape: 4th-level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (soft clay, which must be worked into roughly the desired shape of the stone object)
Duration: Instantaneous
With ‘Stone Shape,’ you lay your hands upon a stone object, be it a medium-sized stone or a section of stone no larger than 5 feet in any dimension. Then, with the force of your will, you reshape it into a form of your choosing. Picture a lump of rock becoming a weapon, a sacred idol, or even a sturdy coffer for your treasures. You can also carve out a small passage through a wall, provided the wall is less than 5 feet thick. If it suits your purpose, you might even mold a stone door or its frame to seal it shut, though intricate mechanical work is beyond the spell’s reach.
The object you craft may possess up to two hinges and a latch, but remember, ‘Stone Shape’ doesn’t grant the finesse for intricate mechanical work.
So, my dear, ‘Stone Shape’ is a spell that turns the power of stone into putty for your creativity. It lets you mold rock and stone as if it were clay, shaping it into whatever your heart desires. Quite the enchanting craft, isn’t it?
Passwall: 5th-level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (a pinch of sesame seeds)
Duration: 1 hour
With ‘Passwall,’ you command a passage to manifest on a wooden, plaster, or stone surface. It can be a wall, a ceiling, or even a floor – as long as it’s within your sight and reach. This magical passage can stretch up to 5 feet wide, 8 feet tall, and delve as deep as 20 feet into the structure. Remarkably, it doesn’t bring any harm to the integrity of the building around it.
But remember, dearies, when the enchantment fades, any souls or objects still within the passage find themselves gently pushed out to the nearest unoccupied space outside of the wall. So, ‘Passwall’ is a key to secret chambers, a door through solid stone, and a path to new mysteries. It’s a spell of wonder and discovery for those who dare to use it.
Telekinesis: 5th-level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
When you cast this spell, and with each passing round during its duration, you possess the ability to influence one creature or object within your line of sight. Your mind becomes the instrument of action, and you can create different effects depending on your target.
If you choose to focus on a creature, you attempt to move it, provided it’s no larger than Huge. You engage in a mental struggle, your own will against the creature’s physical strength. Should you prevail, you can relocate the creature up to 30 feet in any direction, even upwards, but within the spell’s range. For a short time after your success, the creature is held in place, like a puppet on strings, until your next turn ends. Should you wish to maintain your control, you must contest with the creature’s strength round after round.
Now, if your thoughts are set on objects, you can manipulate or move something weighing up to 1,000 pounds. Unattended objects are easily guided by your mental force, shifting up to 30 feet in any direction within the spell’s range. But when an object is in the possession of a creature, you enter into a contest of wills. Your spellcasting ability competes against the creature’s strength. Should you triumph, you can wrench the object from their grasp and, again, move it as you wish within the spell’s boundaries.
Furthermore, with delicate precision, you can interact with objects under your telekinetic influence. This might involve using a simple tool, opening doors or containers, stashing or retrieving an item from an open container, or even pouring the contents from a vial.
Move Earth: 6th-level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (an iron blade and a small bag containing a mixture of soils – clay, loam, and sand)
Duration: Concentration, up to 2 hours
With ‘Move Earth,’ you have the power to shape an area of terrain no larger than 40 feet on each side within your reach. The possibilities are as vast as your imagination. You can raise the land, lower it, carve out trenches, erect walls, or summon pillars of earth. However, your alterations can’t exceed half the area’s largest dimension. So, in a 40-foot square, your pillar could reach up to 20 feet in height, or you could raise or lower the terrain by 20 feet, or create a trench up to 20 feet deep.
But remember, these changes take time, a whole 10 minutes to be exact. It’s a slow and deliberate process.
As you concentrate on this spell, every 10 minutes, you have the opportunity to choose a new area of terrain to shape according to your desires.
Be reassured that this spell’s transformation happens gradually. Creatures within the affected area usually have time to escape harm, as the ground moves and shifts beneath them.
However, it’s important to note that ‘Move Earth’ can’t manipulate natural stone or stone structures. Rocks and buildings adapt to the shifting terrain, but if your alterations would make a structure unstable, it might come tumbling down.
Furthermore, ‘Move Earth’ doesn’t directly impact plant growth. The earth you move carries any plants along with it, but it doesn’t aid in their growth or transformation.
Reverse Gravity: 7th-level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 100 feet
Components: V, S, M (a lodestone and iron filings)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Let me spin you a yarn about ‘Reverse Gravity,’ a spell that defies the very laws of nature.
With this enchantment, you can turn gravity on its head within a 50-foot-radius, 100-foot high cylinder, all centered on a point you can see within range. All that resides within this area, creatures and objects alike, suddenly find themselves falling upward, propelled towards the sky. They continue their ascent until they reach the top of this magical cylinder.
Now, dear listener, there’s a way to escape this topsy-turvy plunge. Creatures can attempt a Dexterity saving throw to grab hold of something firmly anchored to the ground, avoiding the peculiar ascent altogether.
Should the upward-bound travelers encounter something solid, like a ceiling, they collide with it just as they would in a regular downward fall. However, if they manage to reach the top of the magical field without any obstructions, they linger there, gently swaying back and forth, for the spell’s duration.
But fear not, for all good things must come to an end. When the spell’s time is up, everything and everyone affected by this topsy-turvy magic tumble back to the ground, resuming their normal orientation to gravity. And so, the tale of ‘Reverse Gravity’ turns the world as we know it quite literally upside down.
Control Weather: 8th-level
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Self (5-mile radius)
Components: V, S, M (burning incense and bits of earth and wood mixed in water)
Duration: Concentration, Up to 8 hours
To weave this enchantment, you must be outdoors with an open path to the sky. It’s no trifling matter, for you shall alter the very weather within a range of 5 miles for a time. The conditions you can change include precipitation, temperature, and the winds that sweep through the land.
When you cast this spell, you wrest control of the current weather from the hands of the elements, guided by the season and climate, as set by the watchful Game Master. In the blink of an eye, you can modify the weather conditions to your liking. But do heed that it takes a roll of the dice, specifically 1d4 x 10 minutes, for your weather manipulation to take full effect. Once your changes take hold, you can reshape the weather once more to suit your desires. However, when the spell’s magic wanes, the weather gradually returns to its natural state.
Now, the particulars of your weather-wielding powers are determined by stages. You can shift a current weather condition up or down the scale, and even change the direction of the winds. This gives you the power to sway the skies, my friends, and control the very mood of the world for a time. And so, with ‘Control Weather,’ you become the master of the elements themselves, shaping the world to your whims.
| Precipitation | |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Clear |
| Stage 2 | Light clouds |
| Stage 3 | Overcast or ground fog |
| Stage 4 | Rain, hail or snow |
| Stage 5 | Torrential rain, driving hail or blizzard |
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Unbearable heat |
| Stage 2 | Hot |
| Stage 3 | Warm |
| Stage 4 | Cool |
| Stage 5 | Cold |
| Stage 6 | Arctic cold |
| Wind | |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Calm |
| Stage 2 | Moderate wind |
| Stage 3 | Strong wind |
| Stage 4 | Gale |
| Stage 5 | Storm |
Mass Polymorph: 9th-level
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (a caterpillar cocoon)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
With the incantation of this magical verse, you gain the power to change the very essence of up to ten creatures that lie within your gaze. Beware, though, for an unwilling subject may resist your transformation with a test of their Wisdom. But take heart, my friends, for any shapechanger among them will automatically elude your grasp.
Now, each of these chosen souls shall embrace a new form, a beastly guise of your selection. It is within your power to make them all assume the same shape or grant them each a different visage from the kingdom of beasts. The creature they become must be one you’ve laid eyes upon before, and its challenge rating should not exceed that of the subject (or half the subject’s level if it lacks such a rating). The statistics of this chosen beast replace those of the target, yet their hit points, alignment, and true essence remain intact.
Moreover, with this transformation comes a gift of temporary vitality. Each subject is granted temporary hit points equal to the health of their newfound form. These fleeting lifelines cannot be bolstered by any other source of temporary hit points. A reversion to their original form occurs when these temporary lifelines are depleted, or when the subject meets their fate. If the spell’s magic dissipates before that, they lose all these newfound hit points and revert to their true selves.
But do bear in mind, my dear listeners, that the nature of their new shapes dictates the actions they can take. They shall lose the gift of speech, the casting of spells, and the ability to perform tasks requiring hands or speech. Their possessions meld into this new form, rendering them unable to use any equipment they once possessed.
Time Stop: 9th-level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
Prepare yourselves, dear listeners, for I shall recount a truly extraordinary tale known as ‘Time Stop,’ a spell of temporal manipulation beyond imagination.
When you invoke this enchantment, you alone shall become the master of time, halting its relentless march for all others. The world around you shall stand frozen, like statues in a museum, while you continue to exist within your own time stream.
During this mesmerizing period, which lasts a variable span of turns, you are granted the power to act and move as you see fit. Your actions flow unhindered, and you are unburdened by the passage of time. A roll of the dice, a 1d4, augmented by 1, shall determine the exact duration of this temporal suspension.
But heed this warning, dear adventurers, for the magic of ‘Time Stop’ is fragile. If any action or effect you unleash during this frozen moment affects anyone other than yourself, or even objects carried or worn by another, the spell shall unravel. It is a delicate enchantment, indeed. Furthermore, if you dare venture too far from where the spell was first cast, beyond a distance of 1,000 feet, its grasp on time shall slip away, leaving you once more bound by the regular flow of seconds and minutes.
So, my friends, remember well the tale of ‘Time Stop,’ a spell that grants you precious moments in a world frozen by your will, but a spell that demands your utmost care in wielding its power.
Guidance on Using Control of the Arcane Flux
As you delve into the realm of arcane control, consider these principles for the responsible use of control spells:
- Precision and Restraint: Approach control spells with precision and restraint. Their effects can be powerful, but they also demand finesse in their application.
- Ethical Considerations: Reflect upon the ethical implications of controlling elements, creatures, or the environment. Strive to use your powers for constructive purposes and avoid causing unnecessary harm.
- Adaptability: Recognize the adaptability of control spells. Employ them creatively to solve problems, overcome obstacles, or gain tactical advantages.
- Consider the Consequences: Be mindful of the consequences of your actions when manipulating the world around you. Actions taken with control spells may have far-reaching effects.
With these principles in mind, you are prepared to embark on a journey through the world of arcane control spells. Continue to refine your magical talents and use them wisely in your pursuit of knowledge and mastery.
Bearing the power of control,
Old Nan
