Path of the Magus

For Wizards, there is no such thing as too many spells. Your fascination with spells and the arcane has led you down an interesting path. These ancient scrolls and dust-covered books will never be able to satisfy your hunger to cast spells. No, your mind is far beyond that; able to memorize spells on the battlefield you take your talents into the unknown hoping to learn as many spells as possible. Over time your prowess swells allowing you to mimic spells on the fly, even when you don't fully understand their inner workings. The Magus strives to learn all spells and will not be held back by anyone or anything in order to do so. After all, every Grand Magus knows, there are none who can't be mimicked.

(This subclass aims to imitate Rubick from Valve's DotA 2, with a little DnD flavor. This subclass will not work with DnD Beyond as it has features that just don't work with the base game. Namely, Arcane Echo, there is no way to allow a PC to "learn and prep" a spell for just one turn. But you are welcome to bring this subclass to life in whatever way you see fit.)

Sharpened Mind

At 2nd level, your wit is quick and your mind is sharp. You see things most others can't, you are capable of memorizing a spell just by watching and hearing it be cast.

If a creature is casting, through sight and sound alone, you are able to memorize the verbal and somatic components of a spell using your Reaction. This information is stored in your mind allowing you to later transcribe the spell into your Spell Book. The effect of the spell occurs before you memorize it. The gold and time you must spend to copy spells into your Spellbook are halved when learned this way.

• The spell must be in the Wizard Spell List and be of a Spell Level you are capable of casting.
• The original caster must be seen and/or heard and within 120ft of you.
• If the creature is unwilling, you must make an Arcana Check to see if you can understand the spell. Your roll must equal or exceed (10 + Minimum Spell Slot Level of Cast Spell).

You can use this ability twice, and you regain any expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Upon reaching 14th level, this feature is strengthened. You are now able to use Sharpened Mind to learn spells from any Spell List. Any and all spells cast by a Grand Magus are considered Wizard Spells and use Intelligence for their casting modifier.

Talented Apprentice

Right from the start it is evident that your talents put you a cut above other novice Wizards. Beginning at 2nd level, you can learn one additional cantrip and prepare two additional spells.

Arcane Echo

Starting at 6th level, you have gained a newfound ability to copy spells on the fly. You might not fully understand how they work, but you know enough about magic to fill in the gaps.

Echoed spells retain the Spell Level of the original cast but do not consume a Spell Slot. Echoing spells occurs after the original cast's effect has taken place. Spells that are echoed ignore cast time unless it takes longer than an Action. Due to the makeshift nature of the spell, the damage/heal/duration of the spell is halved and rounded down. The spell also has a -2 to its Attack Roll or Spell Save DC. When making a Concentration Check with an Echoed spell, you roll with Disadvantage. Echoed spells do not receive buffs that the original caster gave. For example, Warlocks turning Eldritch Blast into Agonizing Blast or Sorcerers Twinning Chromatic Orb. You may not Echo a spell as Bonus Action and as a Reaction in the same turn. Once the spell is cast, you no longer know it.

To Echo a spell, certain conditions must be met:

• The spell must have a cast time of 1 minute or less and be at least one Spell Slot Level below your highest Spell Slot.
• The original caster must be seen and/or heard and within 120ft of you.
• If the spell has material components with a gold cost associated you need to have that much gold in order to Echo the spell, this gold is dematerialized on spell cast.

If all these conditions are met, you may use your Reaction to activate this feature, upon activation you have two choices:

• Immediate Echo: Right as the original caster has finished casting their spell you instantly Echo it. (As long as you are still able to cast spells)
• Delayed Echo: Right as the original caster has finished casting their spell you store the spell to Echo on a later turn. You temporarily store the spell in your mind. As a bonus action, within the next minute, you may cast the spell you Echoed.

You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence Modifier, and you regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

This feature is reinforced at 14th level, Echoed spells no longer suffer the following penalties: -2 Spell DC/Spell Attack and Disadvantage on Concentration Checks. Additionally, if the spell is one you have Prepared, the damage/heal/duration is not halved.

Spell Artisan

Beginning at 10th level, your understanding of how spells are conjured and how skilled wizards create spells. With this knowledge, you begin to experiment with the creation of spells. You are now able to apply Metamagic to your spells when you prepare them. You now have access to Magus Points, these points are equal to your Wizard Level. Magus points determine the number of spells you can alter in this way and what Metamagics can be applied. The application of Metamagic can only be done once a day and only while the spell is being prepared. Whenever you cast that spell, you may use your custom version of the spell once. (Unless you made multiple copies)

You can use only one Metamagic option on a spell when you cast it unless otherwise noted.

• Careful Spell. A spell with this effect forces other creatures to make a saving throw, you can protect some of those creatures from the spell's full force. To do so, you spend 1 Magus Point and choose a number of those creatures up to your Intelligence Modifier (minimum of one creature). A chosen creature automatically succeeds on its saving throw against the spell.

• Distant Spell. For a spell, with this effect, that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can spend 1 Magus Point to double the range of the spell. If the spell has a range of touch, you can make the range of the spell 30 feet.

• Empowered Spell. A spell with this effect allows you to reroll a number of the damage dice up to your Intelligence Modifier (minimum of one) in exchange for 1 Magus Point. You must use the new rolls.
  • You can use Empowered Spell even if you have already used a different Metamagic option during the casting of the spell.

• Extended Spell. A spell with this effect that has its duration doubled in exchange for 1 Magus Point, to a maximum duration of 24 hours.

• Heightened Spell. A spell with this effect forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you can spend 3 Magus Points to give one target of the spell disadvantage on its first saving throw made against the spell.

• Quickened Spell. A spell with this effect must have a casting time of 1 Action, you can spend 2 Magus Points to change the casting time to 1 bonus action for this casting.

• Seeking Spell. A spell with this effect may add +3 to its Attack Roll in exchange for 2 Magus Points.
  • You can use Seeking Spell even if you have already used a different Metamagic option during the casting of the spell.

• Subtle Spell. A spell with this effect can be cast without verbal or somatic components in exchange for 1 Magus Point.

• Twinned Spell. A spell with this effect, that targets only one creature and doesn't have a range of self, you can spend a number of Magus Points equal to the spell's level to target a second creature in range with the same spell (1 Magus Point if the spell is a cantrip). To be eligible, a spell must be incapable of targeting more than one creature at the spell's current level.

Grand Magus

At 14th level, your understanding of magic is hitting its peak. The Magus tears through the restraints of traditional magic and does things previously never thought possible, meaning many of your other features are altered at this level. Additionally, your raw magical energy begins to leak out into the world, granting permanent, subconscious levitation and more potent spellcasting.

You now float approximately 1ft off the ground. This is not considered Flying Movement, but you are immune to Difficult Terrain and your Movement Speed is increased by 5ft. You also add your Intelligence modifier to the damage you deal with any Wizard cantrip.