Warmage

Character playbook
WARMAGE
Like moving pieces in a game of chess, a warmage weaves steadily across
the board, strategically and tactically outwitting their opponent with every
spell thrown. They use cantrips as their weapons of choice, and have spent
years perfecting and mastering their next move. One thing is for sure: a
warmage is more than just another piece in the game.
Ability Scores
Your six ability scores define your character’s strengths and weaknesses,
and are the primary way you interact with the game world. To determine
your ability scores, roll 4d6; ignore the lowest die, and record the total
of the other three on scratch paper. Do this five more times, then assign
one of the numbers to each of your six ability scores. For a warmage, your
highest ability score should be Intelligence followed by Constitution.
If you’d prefer not to take the time to roll, or if you’re uncomfortable
with a random result, you can use the following default array of ability
scores for your warmage:
Strength – 9 Intelligence – 15
Dexterity – 13 Wisdom – 10
Constitution – 15 Charisma – 9
Remember an ability score is entered on your sheet separate from your
ability score modifier, which is determined by the following formula:
Ability Score Modifier = (ability score - 10) / 2, rounded down
For example, a warmage with an Intelligence score of 15 would have an
Intelligence modifier of +2.
Race
While other spellcasters rely on complex spells to make their next move,
warmages rely on the fundamentals of spellcasting in order to outwit
their opponents. For a warmage, being a race that is both intelligent and
cunning can help you win your game of strategy.
While most races have the time required for an in-depth study of the
arcane ways, humans find their attention wandering. Choosing to focus
instead on the fundamentals, they have brought these simplistic magics to
greater heights than could ever be imagined. High Elves have keen minds
and quick reflexes, they may be content to spend lifetimes perfecting
certain spells in order to strategically solve any problem.
Roll on the table below to determine your race, or choose one, and
follow the guides to create your warmage:

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 d20 Race Description
1–10 Human Adaptable and quick-thinking, humans are used to
using small things to levy a large advantage.
11–20 High Elf High Elves are always one step ahead; keep moving
forward.

Human
Short lives do not mean simple minds; humans have learned to tilt even
the smallest things to their advantage. Bending the fabric of magic to
their whim, they have learned to manipulate the most basic of magics to
devastating effect.
ABILITY SCORE INCREASE
Each of your ability scores increases by 1. Using the default array above,
your Strength and Charisma modifiers increase to +0, your Dexterity
modifier increases to +2, and your Constitution and Intelligence modifiers
increase to +3. Information presented below will use these bonuses.
SPEED
30 feet is your base walking speed. Write it in the Speed box.
SIZE
Your size is Medium. Write this in the Size box.
TOOLS, LANGUAGES, SENSES
Enter the following information in this section:
Languages: Common and Dwarvish You can speak, read, and write
these languages.
You don’t have darkvision, but your explorer’s pack includes 10 torches—
use them wisely!
High Elf
High elves have learned over the course of their lifetimes to be
straightforward and stoic; they have a perspective unlike anyone else on
the board, which gives them the upper hand in many situations. With a
mastery over the basics of magic, they can spend many years perfecting
what comes naturally to them, making them a pristine pick for being a
warmage.

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ABILITY SCORE INCREASE
Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases
by 1. Using the default array above, this brings your Dexterity modifier to
+2 and your Intelligence modifier to +3.
SPEED
30 feet is your base walking speed. Write it in the Speed box.
SIZE
Your size is Medium. Write this in the Size box.
TOOLS, LANGUAGES, SENSES
Enter the following information in this section:
Languages. Common, Elvish, and Dwarvish You can speak, read,
and write these languages.
Senses: Darkvision, 60 feet Within this range, you can see in darkness
as if it were dim light.
RACIAL TRAITS
Your warmage has the following traits based on their half-elf race; add
these to the Racial Traits section.
Fey Ancestry. Adv. on saving throws against being charmed,
and magic can’t put you to sleep You have advantage on these
saving throws, which means you roll twice and take the higher result.
Draw a little heart next to your saving throws to remind you of this trait!
Keen Senses. You gain proficiency in the Perception skill, in addition to
those provided by your class and background; fill in this circle in the
Skills section of your character sheet.
Trance. 4 hours semi-conscious dreaming = 8 hours sleep. You
only need to rest half as much as other races to gain the benefits of a
long rest.
Elf Weapon Training Write longsword, shortsword, and longbow
in the Tools, Languages, and Senses section of your character sheet.
You can add your proficiency bonus to any attacks made with the
above weapons.
Cantrip. High elves learn one cantrip, or “at will” spell, of their choice
from the wizard spell list. Message is an excellent choice; add this to
the Cantrips section of your character sheet.

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Hit Points
Your hit points (HP) are an abstraction of your ability to take damage and
continue adventuring; it might also be useful to think of them as “heroism
points.” Your HP maximum is determined by your class’ hit die (warmages
use a d8) and your Constitution modifier. At first level, you take the
maximum roll of the die, add your Constitution modifier. Your human
warmage has 11 hit points; enter this in your Max Hit Points section on
your character sheet.
You have a number of 1d8 Hit Dice equal to your character’s level.
Write this in the Hit Dice section of your character sheet. You can spend
these dice when you take a short rest to regain hit points.
Skills
Your “bonus” to ability checks is the same as your modifier for the ability
score listed in parentheses. Enter the relevant ability score modifier in the
underlined space next to the skill name.
For skills in which you are proficient, you also add your proficiency
bonus which increases as you level up. In the Skills section of your
character sheet, fill in the circle to indicate your warmage is proficient in
Arcana and History, or select two of your choice from the following list:
• Acrobatics • Athletics • Medicine
• Animal Handling • History • Perception
• Arcana • Investigation • Survival
For these skills, add your proficiency bonus to the total. For example, your
1st level human warmage would have a +5 bonus to Arcana checks.
Saving Throws
Saving throws indicate your character’s reaction to certain events in the
world like spells, traps, or miscast spells. Just like ability checks, some
saving throws add your proficiency bonus. In the Saving Throws section
of your character sheet, fill in the circle to indicate your warmage is
proficient in Constitution and Intelligence saving throws. A 1st level
human warmage would have the following bonuses:
• Strength: +0 • Constitution: +5 • Wisdom: +0
• Dexterity: +2 • Intelligence: +5 • Charisma: +0
Initiative
When you start combat, your Dexterity determines how quickly you act.
For a human warmage, write +2 in the Initiative box on your character
sheet.

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Proficiencies
This section indicates the proficiencies your warmage will use in combat,
and in a roleplaying scenario. Fill in the circles for Light Armor and
Simple Weapons on your character sheet, and add Alchemist’s supplies
and Lute to the Tools, Languages, and Senses box.
The Proficiency Bonus box next to your ability scores scales with your
level and is shown in the Class Features table of the warmage class. Enter
+2 in this box. The bonus increases by 1 every four levels you gain in any
class.
Class Features
Your class gives you a variety of powers and abilities which you list in this
section. Add the following to your Class Features:
Arcane Fighting Style: Resistive. +1 to AC while wearing light
armor or the mage armor spell You have multiple options for an
Arcane Fighting Style, but Resistive is a consistently good choice. This
bonus is reflected in the Armor section below.
Weapons
Although warmages specialize in using cantrips as a means of attack, they
do have some physical weapons that might just come in handy when the
going gets tough. Warmages start out with a dagger and a simple weapon,
a light crossbow, in this case. Write the information below in the Attacks
section on your character sheet:

Attack
Weapon Bonus Damage Properties
Dagger +4 1d4 + 2 piercing Finesse, light, thrown (range
20/60)
Crossbow, light +4 1d8 + 2 piercing Ammunition (range 80/320),
loading, two-handed

Armor
The warmage class comes with leather armor, possibly something you have
kept with you since you first learned the basics of spellcasting. Fill in the
circles Light Armor on your character sheet.
While wearing this armor, your Armor Class (AC) is 11 + your
Dexterity modifier. Enter 14 in the shield-shaped Armor Class section of
your character sheet.

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Inventory
Write down the following in the Inventory section of your character sheet:
• An arcane focus
• An explorer’s pack
• An alchemist’s kit
• Leather armor
• A dagger
• A light crossbow with 20 bolts

Spellcasting
Your warmage is uniquely skilled with a class of spells known as cantrips.
Cantrips are simple, weak spells, which you have refined into powerful
weapons through practice.
CANTRIPS
Cantrips are minor spells your warmage can cast at will, if they are able
to provide the verbal, somatic, and material components. Warmages
are based around casting cantrips as means of attack. At 1st level, your
warmage can cast four Cantrips picked from the warmage spell list. For a
quick build, add the following cantrips to your character sheet:
• Card Trick
• Force Buckler
• Sonic Pulse
• Mage Hand
As a warmage, your Spellcasting Ability is Intelligence, meaning your
Intelligence modifier and your proficiency bonus are used to determine the
potency of your spellcasting ability. If the spell requires the target to make
a saving throw, the difficulty class (your spell save DC) is equal to 8 + your
proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier; enter 13 in the Save DC
box of your character sheet. If the spell requires an attack roll, add your
Intelligence modifier and proficiency bonus to the roll; enter +5 in the
Spell Attack Bonus box.

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BACKGROUND
Your background asks, “What did you do before you were called to become
an adventurer?” The answer gives you some insight into your decisions and
temperament. There are also some mechanical benefits to the time spent in
this way. It helps to think of it as a series of questions.
What do you look like?
Think of 1 to 3 important physical details about your character other
players can use to visualize them as you play. Maybe your human warmage
has thick, golden bracers covering their forearms, magical focuses for their
spellcasting. Or perhaps they have heavy burn scars, a product of spell
training gone wrong.
What do you sound like?
You don’t have to be a voice actor or do accents to distinguish your
character’s speaking voice from your own. Think in terms of pitch, rate,
volume, rhythm, or timbre. Maybe your human warmage speaks quickly
and recklessly before they lose track of their ideas. Or perhaps they have a
raspy, hoarse voice from a throat scarred by magic.
What did you do?
Your previous occupation and lifestyle provide certain mechanical benefits
and personality traits to guide your roleplay. You can choose a prewritten
background or create your own, gaining the following features: Fill in the
bubbles next to Survival and Stealth in the Skills section of your character
sheet. In Tools, Languages, and Senses, write Tools: Disguise Kit and
Language: Gnomish. Additionally, add the following items to your
Inventory:
• A keepsake from someone from your past.
• A dragon chess set
• A disguise kit
Roll on the following table, or choose one of the options to determine your
previous occupation, where you first learned to cast spells. Your choice
grants you two cantrips, which don’t count against your total cantrips
known. This playbook contains the details for the Mercenary background,
though the other cantrips below can be found online in the System
Reference Document.

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 d8 Background
1 Adventurer. You picked up your magic informally by traveling with a
dozen different mages over the years. You learn the mage hand and
ray of frost cantrips.
2 Circus Performer. You learned a few simple tricks to participate in a
sideshow or circus act. You learn the dancing lights and minor illusion
cantrips.
3 Eldritch Event. An influx of insidious magic left an imprint on you. You
learn the chill touch and message cantrips.
4 Mercenary. You mastered the fundamentals of war magic to engage
in battle with similarly-armed arcanists. You learn the arc blade and
true strike cantrips.
5 Temple. A monastery or temple educated you in the ways of gentle
healing magic. You learn the sacred flame and spare the dying
cantrips.
6 Tower Apprentice. You apprenticed under a spellcaster for some
time, who taught you the fundamentals of arcana. You learn the
prestidigitation and shocking grasp cantrips.
7 Self-Taught. You taught yourself all the fundamentals of magic from a
dusty old tome or abandoned scroll. You learn the fire bolt and light
cantrips.
8 Survival. To survive in the wilderness, you taught yourself to cast
simple spells. You learn the druidcraft and shillelagh cantrips.

How do you do it?

d8 Personality Trait
1 I’m awake and practicing my spells before sunrise.
2 I am flamboyant and dashing, and wear a cape.
3 I try to speak mechanically, like an efficient golem.
4 I’m never without my pipe—I can even cast my spells through it!
5 I’m obsessed with strategy games.
6 I’m ruthlessly competitive, especially with other spellcasters.
7 I have a nervous tick of repeating a spell’s somatic components.
8 I never blink.

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What do you want?
These are your “bonds”—they help you determine the answers or solutions
you will tend to choose if possible. Roll on the following table, or choose
one of the options:

d6 Bond
1 My grandfather became a lich, and I intend to stop his evil schemes
for good.
2 I pledged my life to a noble who one day vanished overnight. I must
find them to continue my service.
3 I seek a book of ancient evil, mostly out of curiosity.
4 I will become the best in the world at using my cantrip of choice.
5 I will protect the village of my youth, no matter what.
6 I was a child prodigy who fell from grace. Now, I’ll reclaim my lost
skills.

Why do you want it?

d6 Ideal
1 Beauty. People will be in awe of me, for better or worse. (Chaotic)
2 Power. I will make my way, even if I have to push others over to get
through. (Evil)
3 Protection. Those that are weak are in need of my protection. (Good)
4 Freedom. Wanderlust is the only magic force propelling me forward.
(Any)
5 Logic. Thinking critically and logically maybe the best way to move
forward (Any)
6 Knowledge. The things I know are meant to be shared with others.
(Good)

What gets in your way?

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 d6 Flaw
1 I micromanage others on the simplest tasks.
2 I act out dramatically when someone is better at something than me.
3 I reduce problems to simple games of strategy, neglecting ethical
variables.
4 I am a little too attached to the bottle; it keeps me warm on cold
nights.
5 The world does, in fact, revolve around me.
6 I keep a detailed list of grudges and slights that I’ll one day repay.

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LEVELING UP
As you gain levels in the warmage class, you unlock additional features to
add to your character sheet, and other features improve.
Leveling Up to 2nd Level
At 2nd level, you gain an additional d8 hit die, and your maximum hit
points increase by 1d8 + 3 (8); add this to your maximum hit point total.
Enter the following into the Class Features section of your character
sheet.
Warmage Edge. (once per turn) When you deal damage with a
warmage cantrip, add your Intelligence modifier to the roll.
This can be used once per turn. If you are a human warmage, add your
Intelligence modifier of +3 to your damage roll.
Warmage Tricks. Warmage Tricks are special techniques that improve
upon your cantrips or your character. You gain two tricks at second
level and more at higher levels. When you gain a level in this class, you
can replace a trick that you know with another trick for which you
meet the prerequisites.
Blasting Cantrip. (once per turn) When you deal force damage
with a cantrip, push the target up to 10 feet The target
is pushed in a straight line away from you. This trick is used with
warmage cantrips like card trick and force dart.
Mystical Armor. Mage armor at will You can cast this spell without
using a spell slot, targeting yourself only. When mage armor is cast,
your Armor Class equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier. Enter 16 in
the shield-shaped Armor Class section of your character sheet.
Leveling Up to 3rd Level
At 3rd level, you gain an additional d8 hit die, and your maximum hit
points increase by 1d8 + 3 (8); add this to your maximum hit point total.
Add the cantrip lightning surge to your spell list and add the
following to the Class Features section of your character sheet.
Mage Hand Knack. This trick lets you cast the cantrip mage hand as a
bonus action, and gives you three special abilities you can use with the
hand as a bonus action.
Press. Choose a target next to the hand and a direction. The
target moves at half speed in that direction.
Punch. Melee spell attack: 1d6 force damage on a hit.

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 Seize. Grapple a Tiny creature The creature must succeed on a
Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against your spell
save DC or be grappled by the hand. The hand continues to grapple
the target until the target uses an action to escape on its turn, the spell
ends, or you use your bonus action to use a different effect using the
hand.
At 3rd level, you choose a Warmage House, a chess-themed organization.
This is your subclass, and it grants you additional features at 3rd, 7th, 10th,
15th and 18th level. For a flexible character, the House of Pawns is an
optimal choice. Enter the following in your Class Features:
Field Magic. You learn spare the dying. When you cast it on a
creature which has 0 hit points, the target regains 1 HP
and gains temporary HP equal to your level, which last for
1 minute This cantrip doesn’t count against your total number of
cantrips. Once a creature regains hit points due to this trick, it can’t do
so again until it finishes a long rest.
Adaptive Arcanist. Learn a bonus cantrip, which you can
change when you finish a rest This warmage cantrip doesn’t
count against the total number of cantrips you know. You know
force dart using it, which should be recorded with an asterisk in the
Cantrips section of your character sheet, so you know you can trade it
out later!

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SPELLS
Your warmage knows the following cantrips.
ARC BLADE
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (5-foot radius)
Components: V, M (a melee weapon)
Duration: Instantaneous
As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack
with a weapon against one creature within the spell’s range, otherwise the
spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the weapon attack’s normal effects,
except that any damage dealt by the attack is lightning damage instead of
its normal type. Additionally, an arc of lightning jumps to a creature you
choose within 5 feet of the target, dealing 1d6 lightning damage.
This spell’s damage increases when you reach certain levels. At 5th
level, the melee attack deals an additional 1d8 lightning damage and
secondary damage deals an additional 1d6 lightning damage to their
targets. Both damage rolls increase by one die at 11th level (2d8 and 3d6),
and 17th level (3d8 and 4d6).
CARD TRICK
Transmutation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a deck of playing cards)
Duration: Instantaneous
With a flash of your hands, you fling a playing or tarot card charged with
energy at your opponents. Choose whether you make a spell attack roll or
for the target to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a hit or a failed saving
throw, the target takes 1d6 force damage.
This spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6),
11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
FORCE BUCKLER
Abjuration cantrip
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a specially-prepared gauntlet worth at least 5 gp)
Duration: 1 round

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 You summon a translucent, yet visible, field of force which springs forth
from the prepared gauntlet. Until the beginning of your next turn, this
shield grants you a +2 bonus to your Armor Class, as if you were wielding
a shield. This spell ends early if you are hit by an attack.
FORCE DART
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (a specially-prepared gauntlet worth at least 5 gp)
Duration: Instantaneous
You fling a dart of magical force at a creature or object within range. Make
a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 force
damage.
This spell’s damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10),
11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).
LIGHTNING SURGE
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (5 foot-radius)
Components: V, S, M (two bits of copper wire)
Duration: Instantaneous
You emit a dazzling array of short lightning bolts in all directions. All
other creatures within 5 feet of you must succeed on a Dexterity saving
throw or take 1d6 lightning damage.
This spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6),
11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
MAGE HAND
Conjuration cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 minute
A spectral, floating hand appears at a point you choose within range. The
hand lasts for the duration or until you dismiss it as an action. The hand
vanishes if it is ever more than 30 feet away from you or if you cast this
spell again.

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 You can use your action to control the hand. You can use the hand to
manipulate an object, open an unlocked door or container, stow or retrieve
an item from an open container, or pour the contents out of a vial. You can
move the hand up to 30 feet each time you use it.
The hand can’t attack, activate magic items, or carry more than 10
pounds.
MESSAGE
Transmutation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (a short piece of copper wire)
Duration: 1 round
You point your finger toward a creature within range and whisper a
message. The target (and only the target) hears the message and can reply
in a whisper that only you can hear.
You can cast this spell through solid objects if you are familiar with the
target and know it is beyond the barrier. Magical silence, 1 foot of stone,
1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood blocks the
spell. The spell doesn’t have to follow a straight line and can travel freely
around corners or through openings.
SONIC PULSE
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
You compress a thunderous boom into an invisible ball and project it
at a creature you can see within range. The target must succeed on a
Constitution saving throw, or it takes 1d8 thunder damage and is deafened
until the start of your next turn.
If the spell’s target is within 10 feet of you, this spell’s damage becomes
d10s, instead of d8s.
This spell’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8),
11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).

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 SPARE THE DYING
Necromancy cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
You touch a living creature that has 0 hit points. The creature becomes
stable. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.
TRUE STRIKE
Divination cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round
You point a finger at a target in range. Your magic grants you a brief insight
into the target’s defenses. On your next turn, you gain advantage on your
first attack roll against the target, provided that this spell hasn’t ended.
MAGE ARMOR
1st-level abjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a piece of cured leather)
Duration: 8 hours
You touch a willing creature who isn’t wearing armor, and a protective
magical force surrounds it until the spell ends. The target’s base AC
becomes 13 + its Dexterity modifier. The spell ends if the target dons
armor or if you dismiss the spell as an action.

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