Dolorous Magic

Wizardy is often and rightly associated with rigorous study, rigid guidelines, and an abundance of caution. Dolorous wizards eschew these ancient and time-honored traditions in pursuit of greater magical potency, regardless of the consequences.

In combat, a dolorous wizard combines keen intellect and reasoning with an absolute lack of caution, allowing them to shrug off pain and combine arms and magic into an overwhelming offense. This power has its cost, though, and dolorous wizards are not often known to die of old age. The few wizards who choose this path are often driven to it in the singular pursuit of some unlikely goal, most frequently vengeance, with little regard for the toll it takes on their mind and body.

Means to an End

2nd-level Dolorous Magic feature

You gain proficiency with light armor, and you gain proficiency with one type of one-handed melee weapon of your choice.

You also gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill if you don’t already have it.

Living Conduit

2nd-level Dolorous Magic feature

You drop your mental safeguards and begin channeling raw magic directly through your body, provided that you aren’t wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield. This magic enhances your agility, speed, and focus.

You can use a bonus action to form a Living Conduit, which lasts for 30 seconds. Living Conduit ends early if you are incapacitated, if you don medium or heavy armor or a shield, or if you use two hands to make an attack with a weapon. You can also cease channeling at any time (no action required).

While Living Conduit is active, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
• Your walking speed increases by 10 feet.
• You have advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) checks.
• You gain a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make to maintain your concentration on a spell. The bonus equals your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).

You may choose to channel raw magic for longer than 30 seconds. After the initial 30 seconds, you take 1d4 psychic damage at the beginning of every round in which Living Conduit is still active.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.

Extra Attack

6th-level Dolorous Magic feature

You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Moreover, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of those attacks.

Adaptive Form

10th-level Dolorous Magic feature

You can direct the magic flowing through you to absorb damage while Living Conduit is active. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to expend one spell slot and reduce that damage to you by an amount equal to five times the spell slot’s level.

Absolute Victory

14th-level Dolorous Magic feature

You can add your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1) to the damage of your melee weapon attacks while Living Conduit is active.