School of Consumption

You are a student of a particularly specialized and horrifying branch of arcane magic. You have learned your craft from the Phagemancers, spellcasters who draw their power from consuming the body and blood of arcane creatures. Repeated exposure to these energies allows them to absorb the arcane essence of their victims, learning and even creating new spells through digestion. 

Even the most genteel Phagemancer would be considered the stuff of nightmares by ordinary citizens and even most other spellcasters. Consuming monstrous energies in this way warps the body and the mind, turning each Phagemancer into a unique and horrifying amalgamation of their defeated foes. Dark rumors even speak of truly mad Phagemancers who consume their peers or other spellcasters to consume their power as well.

Visceral Learning

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, you can learn new spells by consuming designated fallen foes. Not all monsters and arcane beasts are appropriate for this ability. Whenever you observe a magical creature make an Intelligence (Arcana) check. On a 10 or higher you identify if the target is suitable for consumption. If your roll exceeds 10 + the target's CR you can identify which spell you might learn.

Preparing and consuming a target requires an hour of focused work. During your next long rest make an Intelligence (Arcana) check. If your roll exceeds 10 + the level of the spell, you add it to your collection.

You can no longer memorize or learn spells in the traditional way. Instead, preparing a new list of wizard spells requires time spent summoning and stabilizing the specified components of your internal arcane repository: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

Your prepaed spells cause subtle physiological manifestations appropriate to each spell. An Intelligence (Arcana) check can identify your spells prepared. You can suppress these markers with ongoing Concentration but they return if you cast any spell, become unconscious or otherwise lose your Concentration.

Hungering Spirit

Starting at 2nd level, your spellcasting takes on some of your voracious nature. When you deal damage with a spell of 1st level or higher you can choose to absorb some of your enemies life energies, gaining one of the follow choices for 1 minute. These abilities do not stack but you can select a different ability and refresh the duration with each use.

• An increase to speed of 10 feet while you are unencumbered
• You gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier + 1/2 your Wizard level
• You gain advantage on your choice of Strength or Dexterity checks

You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (a minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Altered Physiology

Starting at 6th level, when you take a long rest you can use your repository of arcane energies to temporarily alter your body. You gain a benefit of your choice which lasts until your next long rest, choose the benefit from the following options:

• When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier,
• Resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage (your choice whenever you choose this benefit)
• You gain Darkvision and a swim speed equal to your walking speed
• You can add Necrotic damage equal to your Constitution modifier to one damge roll when you cast a spell

 

This bonus ceases during your long rest and can be chosen again when you prepare spells.

Manifest Hunger

Starting at 10th level, you can magically draw forth a manifestation of your insatiable hunger. As an action, choose a point you can see within 60 feet of you. For 1 minute, a translucent maw manifests in a 10-foot radius centered on that point. Each creature in that area when the maw appears must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be restrained. Any creature that starts its turn in the maw’s area takes 3d6 necrotic or cold damage (your choice when it takes the damage). As an action, a restrained creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the restraint on a success. At the start of your turn, if there is a creature in the maw’s area, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wizard level.

Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Master of Blood and Bone

Starting at 14th level, your ability to alter your physiology improves even further. While preparing your spells after a long rest you can choose an additional benefit from the following choices:

• Monstrous wings sprout from your back. You gain a fly speed equal to your walking speed.
• You gain terrible hooked talons on your hands and feet. You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. You can comfortably stand on the ceiling or a vertical wall.
• You gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness

You can now change your Altered Physiology bonus as an action.