Occult Magic (5e Variant Rule)

Author: Zhenra-Khal (talk) Date Created: 12-17-21 Status: First Draft Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Table: Occult Magic

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Mystic Arcana		Arcana Points	Arcana Limit
			Minor	Major
1st	+2	Mystic Arcanum	1st	-	2	2
2nd	+2	-	-	-	3	2
3rd	+2	-	2nd	-	4	3
4th	+2	-	-	-	5	3
5th	+3	-	3rd	-	6	5
6th	+3	-	-	-	7	5
7th	+3	-	4th	-	8	6
8th	+3	-	-	-	9	6
9th	+4	-	5th	-	10	7
10th	+4	-	-	-	11	7
11th	+4	-	-	6th	11	7
12th	+4	-	-	-	12	7
13th	+5	-	-	7th	12	7
14th	+5	-	-	-	13	7
15th	+5	-	-	8th	13	7
16th	+5	-	-	-	14	7
17th	+6	-	-	9th	14	7
18th	+6	Occult Recovery	-	-	15	7
19th	+6	-	-	-	15	7
20th	+6	Occult Master	-	-	15	7

Occult Magic Spell Costs

Spell Level	Arcana Point Cost
1st	2
2nd	3
3rd	5
4th	6
5th	7

Occult Magic

This is an additional feature for the Warlock class. :None  

Occult Magic

With the Occult Magic class feature, no longer are you limited by spell slots. Instead, you gain Arcana Points, which you must use to cast spells. You gain a number of Arcana Points based on your Warlock level, as noted in the Arcana Points column of the Occult Magic table above.

When casting a spell, you must spend a number of Arcana points based on the level at which you wish to cast the spell; Thus, if you want to cast the 3rd-level spell Fireball, or cast the 1st-level spell Burning Hands as if from a 3rd-level spell slot, you would spend the appropriate number of points for a 3rd-level spell. The Occult Magic Spell Costs table above shows the cost of each spell level. You cannot spend more Arcana Points on a single spell than the number listed for your level in the Arcana Limit column of the Occult Magic table above.

When you finish a Long Rest, you regain all of your expended Arcana Points.

Additionally, when you finish a Short Rest, you regain Arcana Points equal to your Arcana Limit.

Occult Magic replaces the Pact Magic feature gained by the Warlock class at 1st level. When a Warlock class or subclass feature, including Invocations, requires you to spend a Warlock spell slot (Such as the Thief of Five Fates invocation), you may instead expend Arcana Points equal to the level of the spell (If the feature casts a spell), or, if the feature doesn't replicate a spell, a number of Arcana Points equal to your Arcana Limit. 

Patron Casting

When you cast a spell granted to you by your Patron's Expanded Spell List feature using Arcana Points, the spell only costs Arcana Points equal to the spell's level.

Thus, if a Warlock with the Fiend Patron casts Burning Hands, it would only cost 1 Arcana Point, rather than 2, where their Flame Strike spell would only cost 5 Arcana Points, rather than 7. 

Mystic Arcanum

At 1st level, your forbidden knowledge and devotion to your patron grants you a magical secret, called an Arcanum. You gain one 1st-level spell slot, which you may use in place of Arcana Points to cast your Warlock spells; This is called a Minor Arcanum. You gain additional Minor Arcanum spell slots as follows:

• One 2nd-level spell slot at 3rd level;
• One 3rd-level spell slot at 5th level;
• One 4th-level spell slot at 7th level;
• And one 5th-level spell slot at 9th level.

At 11th level, you gain one 6th-level spell slot; This is called a Major Arcanum. You gain additional Major Arcanum spell slots as follows:

• One 7th-level spell slot at 13th level;
• One 8th-level spell slot at 15th level;
• And one 9th-level spell slot at 17th level.

You regain all of your expended Arcanum spell slots when you finish a Long Rest.

Mystic Arcanum replaces the feature of the same name gained by the Warlock class. 

Occult Recovery

At 18th level, you gain the ability to entreat your patron to regain access to a few of their more powerful gifts. At the end of a Short Rest, you may use this feature to regain all of your Minor Arcanum spell slots.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a Long Rest before you can use it again. 

Occult Master

At 20th level, you can draw on your inner reserve of mystical power while entreating your patron to regain expended Arcana Points. As an action, you can call out to your patron for aid to regain all of your expended Arcana Points from your Occult Magic feature.

Once you regain Arcana Points with this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

Occult Master replaces the Eldritch Master feature gained by the Warlock class at 20th level.

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