Hedge Mage (2024)

The School of Hard Knocks

Those with enough wealth or connections can buy their way into the elite academies that teach magic, ensuring their place in society. Lacking formal education, these scrappy spellcasters build their repertoire in back alleys with half-baked rumors, poorly photocopied pages of ancient tomes, and by peeking over someone else's shoulder. Their magic isn't polished—it's cobbled together, unpredictable, and volatile. But when their spells work, they can reduce other wizard's fancy ivory towers to rubble.

Hedge Mages are half genius, half chaos. They approach magic with a mix of reckless enthusiasm and devil-may-care improvisation, often shouting, mumbling "I hope this works" or "What's the worst that could happen?" under their breath. While their unorthodox methods can make them unpredictable allies, their raw magical power is impossible to ignore. Whether they’re blowing up the enemy or accidentally setting their friends on fire, you can always count on a Hedge Mage to make an impression—just not necessarily the one they intended.

Level 3: Spell Replication

3rd-level Hedge Mage feature

Choose two Wizard spells that other members of your party can cast, each of which must be no higher than level 2, and add them to your spellbook for free. In addition, whenever you gain access to a new level of spell slots in this class, you can add one Wizard spell known by another party member to your spellbook for free. The chosen spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

You can also attempt to replicate spells cast by your adversaries. When a spell you haven't learned is cast against you, you can commit it to memory and attempt to transcribe it into your spellbook during a Long Rest. The number of spells you can commit to memory is equal to your Proficiency Bonus. When you attempt to copy the spell into your spellbook, you must roll 1d20: on an 11 or higher, the spell is successfully added to your spellbook. The time and cost of copying a spell is the same as normal, regardless of whether or not you are successful. If you fail to transcribe the spell, you must see it again before attempting to transcribe it again. An ally with proficiency in the Intelligence (Arcana) skill can take the Help action to give you Advantage on this roll. You have Advantage on attempts to transcribe a spell that you have previously failed to transcribe.

Level 3: Volatile Casting

3rd-level Hedge Mage feature

You can imbue your spells with excess arcane energy. When you cast a spell of Level 1 or higher, you attempt to supercharge it (no action require). You roll 1d6:

• 1: You roll a 1d6 on the Arcane Misfire table.
• 2–4: You cast the spell as normal.
• 5–6: You cast the spell as though it was one level higher, though it only consumes a spell slot of the level it was originally cast.

When you reach Level 8, the die for the Arcane Misfire table increases to 1d8 and changes to 1d10 at Level 14.

Arcane Misfire

Roll	Effect
1	Those definitely weren't the right components. The spell is cast at one level lower than you cast it. If the spell cannot be cast at a lower level, the spell fails. In either case, the spell consumes a spell slot of the level that it was originally cast at
2	After casting the spell, phantasmal energy detonates within you. A random ally within 15 feet is moved up to 10 feet and knocked Prone. If no allies are within 15 feet of you, you take Force damage equal to twice your Proficiency Bonus and are knocked Prone.
3	After casting the spell, your magic explodes in a 20-foot radius Sphere centered on you. All creatures in the Sphere must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or take a number of d6s of Force damage equal to your Proficiency Bonus.
4	After casting the spell, the energy from the spell recoils into you, causing you to take Necrotic damage equal to your Wizard Level.
5	After you cast the spell, roots erupt from the ground, fixing you or a random ally in place. Your Speed becomes 0 until the end of your next turn.
6	The spell costs more energy than anticipated. After casting the spell, you gain one level of Exhaustion.
7	After casting the spell, you are transformed into an itty bitty rat, as if by the Polymorph spell, until the end of your next turn. This does not require your Concentration.
8	Was that the right incantation? You instead cast a different spell of the DM's choice at the same level as the original spell.
9	After casting the spell, your magic permeates the entire battlefield. You and all creatures within a 30-foot radius Sphere centered on you are teleported to a random spot within 100 feet of you.
10	After casting the spell, shadowy hands erupt from you in a 50-foot radius Sphere. All creatures in the Sphere must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be pulled up to 10 feet towards you.

Level 6: Improvised Casting

6th-level Hedge Mage feature

You are able to cast your unprepared spells in a pinch. You can attempt to cast a spell with a casting time of one Action that you know, but have not prepared by making an Intelligence (Arcana) check with a difficulty of 10 plus the spell's level (cantrips are considered level 0 for the purpose of this ability). The spell slot does not consume a spell slot if you fail the Arcana check, but the casting time of the spell does elapse. Once you fail to cast a spell, you cannot attempt to cast that spell again in this way for an hour.

You can also attempt to cast a spell you have memorized through the Spell Replication feat by making an Intelligence (Arcana) check with a difficulty of 20 plus the spell's level (cantrips are considered level 0 for the purpose of this ability).

Level 10: Arcane Explosion

10th-level Hedge Mage feature

Your arcane energy is particularly volatile. You can use a Magic action and expend a spell slot to release your arcane energy in a potent shockwave of pure magical energy rather than casting a spell. All creatures within 20 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or be pushed 10 feet away from you, knocked Prone, and take Force damage based on the level of spell slot consumed. A creature that succeeds on the save takes half damage, but does not get pushed or knocked Prone. You also take the damage as if you had resistance to Force damage, but are not pushed or knocked Prone. 

Spell Level	Force Damage
1st	4d6
2nd	6d6
3rd	8d6
4th	9d6
5th	9d8
6th	10d8
7th	10d10
8th	11d10
9th	11d12

Level 14: Latent Casting

14th-level Hedge Mage feature

Your unorthodox methods of learning magic have given you insight into other forms of casting. You can harness the latent magical energy in the air and earth in an attempt to cast a spell without using a spell slot. When casting a spell, you may use your Reaction to roll 1d10. If you roll higher than the spell's level, you cast the spell without expending a spell slot, otherwise the spell fails and you take 1d6 Force damage per level of the spell and cannot use this ability again until you finish a Long Rest.