For millennia, Faerûn's greatest mages sought ways to break past mortal limits. From the moonlit towers of Myth Drannor to the crimson halls of Thay, they found the answer in circle magic—a ritual art that lets spellcasters combine their strength and reshape the rules of magic.

In Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn, circle magic arrives as a mythical new mechanic. Through it, spellcasters can now merge their power, weaving magic of staggering potency that no single caster could control alone.

Let's take a look at the new circle magic mechanics and some accompanying new spells that you can empower with your caster companions!

• What Is Circle Magic?
• New Spells to Supercharge with Circle Magic

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Take your party on a legendary Faerûnian campaign of faraway lands and devastating adversaries where they can harness the boundless potential of circle magic and unleash new spells that let your party shape the Weave itself! 

What Is Circle Magic?

LUCA BANCONE

Circle magic is a method for amplifying a spell through coordinated teamwork. When a Circle spell is initiated, one caster leads while others—called secondary casters—lend their magic to expand, extend, or reshape the spell's effects beyond anything possible by a single caster.

Any spell that has a casting time of an action or 1 minute or longer and is cast using a spell slot can be cast as a Circle spell. The primary caster chooses the targets, maintains Concentration if needed, provides components, expends the spell slot, and makes any other choices the spell requires.

The secondary casters must take the Magic action and be near the caster to contribute to the spell. And if the spell's casting time is longer than 1 action, they must take the Magic action each turn and maintain Concentration on the spell—alongside the primary caster—for the entire casting time. 

Depending on the option chosen, there may be other requirements for the secondary casters, like expending a spell slot.

Circle Magic Options

When a group of casters shapes a spell with circle magic, the primary caster can choose one of the following ways to enhance and redefine the casting through the combined will of the circle:

• Augment: Stretch your spell's range by thousands of feet.
• Distribute: Let your allies share the burden of Concentration, keeping the spell's effects steady.
• Expand: Widen the spell's influence, increasing its area of effect.
• Prolong: Sustain the spell's effect for hours beyond its typical duration.
• Safeguard: Shape the Weave to spare your allies from the storm you unleash.
• Supplant: Replace costly Material components with the collective strength of your circle.
• Other Effects: Some spells, like the ones included below, can produce additional effects when cast as a Circle spell.

New Spells to Supercharge with Circle Magic

BRIAN VALENZUELA

With circle magic, simple spells can become forces of nature; infused with the ability to affect targets at great distances or expanded to cause a wider swath of destruction.

In Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn, you'll find new spells like Doomtide and Spellfire Storm that can be transformed with unique and potent effects when cast as Circle spells.

Doomtide

Unleash Dread Upon Your Enemies

When you cast this spell, you summon forth a roiling cloud of psychological torment that spreads from your position.

This spell creates a 20-foot-radius Sphere of inky, magical Darkness that can deal 5d6 Psychic damage to creatures caught within. But that's not all—those who fail their saving throw also subtract 1d6 from their saving throws until the end of their next turn. 

If those within the Sphere can't escape its shadowy grasp, it can lead to a deadly series of failed saving throws as their mind is destroyed and their ability to resist the spell's effects is constantly diminished.

Casting as a Circle Spell. When cast as a Circle spell with at least five secondary casters, you can expend a string of three black pearls from Pandemonium to extend the spell's range to 1 mile and sustain its power until dispelled, freeing it from the limits of Concentration.

On top of the rare component and additional secondary caster requirements, each secondary caster must also expend a level 3+ spell slot; otherwise, the spell fails.

Spellfire Storm

Alight the Weave Upon Your Foes

This spell creates a crucible of the Weave, raining radiant fire that scorches flesh and hampers magic.

Not only does this spell conjure a 20-foot-radius, 20-foot-high Cylinder pillar of spellfire that can deal 4d10 Radiant damage to creatures within, but it also interferes with creatures who attempt to cast spells from inside the pillar's area of effect.

Casting as a Circle Spell. When cast as a Circle spell, you can expend a blue star sapphire worth 25,000+ GP to extend the spell's range to 1 mile and anchor its power within the circle so it no longer requires Concentration. On top of the costly component, each secondary caster must also expend a level 3+ spell slot.

Gather Your Circle

The circle magic mechanic and spells in Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn are an entirely new way to look at spellcasting. Not only does it add options for characters to bolster their spells in new and exciting ways, but it gives your villains ample opportunity to unleash world-shaking devastation.

What happens when a doomsday cult collects dozens of casters to send an expanded Meteor Swarm crashing down on Waterdeep? This sounds like a threat only legendary heroes can turn the tides against!

Mike Bernier is the founder of Arcane Eye, a site focused on providing useful tips and tricks to all those involved in the world of D&D. Outside of writing for Arcane Eye, Mike spends most of his time playing games, hiking with his girlfriend, and tending the veritable jungle of houseplants that have invaded his house.