Prerequisite: Intelligence 13 or higher, proficiency in Arcana
Sympathy
You can magically bind two objects or entities together by establishing a sympathetic connection. When you use this ability, describe how the two things are related (shared material, symbolic resonance, mirrored form, etc.).
The DM sets the DC of the Arcana check. If the bond is beyond the trivial, it costs exhaustion:
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Trivial (DC 10): Identical or same-material objects. No exhaustion.
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Moderate (DC 15): Similar but not identical (iron coin ↔ iron dagger). 1 level of exhaustion.
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Challenging (DC 20): Symbolic or tenuous (blood ↔ water, flame ↔ anger). 2 levels of exhaustion.
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Extreme (DC 25+): Abstract or metaphorical (moonlight ↔ silver, breath ↔ wind). 3 levels of exhaustion.
Effects
On a successful connection, while you maintain concentration (up to 1 minute), you can:
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Transfer Force or Motion – affect one object by manipulating its bound twin.
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Transfer Heat or Cold – heating one warms its twin, cooling one chills the other.
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Minor Harm (4th level+): If you establish a bond to a creature’s body (hair, blood, possession, creature in moppet form, etc.), you may deal 1d12 damage once per turn while maintaining the link. Damage scales with level.
Scaling (Minor Harm)
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4th level: 1d12
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6th level: 2d12
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8th level: 3d12
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10th level: 4d12
Backlash
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Failure: On a failed Arcana check, you take 1d6 psychic damage.
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Failure by 5 or more: The effect targets you instead, and you also take 1d6 psychic damage.
Ritual Binding
You can perform Sympathy as a ritual, extending the bond’s duration and power:
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Casting Time: 10 minutes (instead of 1 action).
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Duration: 1 hour (instead of 1 minute).
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Component: You must sacrifice a rare or meaningful material component that symbolically strengthens the connection (a silver thread for moonlight, fresh blood for life force, an emerald shard for growth, etc.). The DM sets the rarity and cost.
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Result: The bond gains advantage on Arcana checks to maintain or manipulate it, and its effects (force, heat, cold, or harm) can be applied once every 10 minutes without requiring a new check.
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