Energy Mage (5e Class)

Energy Mage

His eyes glow with a bright blue color, as the he raises its hand, forming a trail of solid blue energy, deflecting an sword attack from an ogre. The half-orc expands the aura of energy surround him, as he opens his arms with violence, pushing even the powerful giant from the nearby cliff, ending the fight with the long fall of the giant to its certain death.

With intense focus, the elven lady holds an staff covered in runes, concentrating her energy into the arcane focus. As the death knight charges towards her direction, the runes emit an intense bright light. The light of the staff fades as an ball of energy floats in front of the object, and then is hurled towards the might opponent, blasting towards his chest and lunching him on the ground.

Walking carefully through the ancient dungeon, the cripple gnome with a bag full of folded scrolls and notes about spells proceeds into a great stairway, ignoring the steps and focusing on the cracks of the wall. A red light escape to the fissures, invisible to most creatures, but not from the eyes trained to find magical auras, denouncing the presence of a magic item at his little hands grasp.

Regardless of the specialty, energy mages are similar in the way they use magic, manipulating the raw arcane power, instead of performing incantations through crafted spells. They utilize the power of the weave in its natural form, sensing its presence an manipulating the protective and destructive aspects of the magic essence of all spells.

The Essence of Magic

Energy mages seek to understand the Weave, the cosmic energy that is considered to be the source of all existing magic, and the most integral part of all existing spells. This energy is raw and chaotic, hence the need to give an specific form to this energy by the careful crafting of specific magic spells and rituals. Energy Mages, rather than seeking to contain this energy in a rigid form, they study and comprehend this energy, letting it flow through their bodies, understanding the flow of this energy. Instead of limiting it, they expand the energy, hurling explosive balls of pure magic, or moving the energy around them to create flowing barriers of light. Not relying on intermediary methods of control over this energy, they rather use their connection and understanding over it to use this energy as tool.

Curious Arcanists

Instead of learning magic fueled spells, the energy mages seek comprehension over the magic itself, about its properties and its uses. The energy mages seek to know more about the universal laws that govern their lives, and magic is one of the most fundamental forces in a D&D world. Some become energy mages after becoming unsatisfied with the canned responses from their teachers about deeper questions about the nature of magic; others are witnesses of some weird arcane phenomena, that awakened in them the thirst for understanding.

Some energy mages constantly travel to places with high magical activity, to make observations through direct experimentation,. Others cluster themselves in libraries filled with arcane tomes, trying to come up with theories and pose philosophical questions about the nature of magic. And a few just enjoy the practical benefits of using the magic in its raw form, developing their powers and putting them to hire.

A great deal of energy mages will use their powers to further societies in some manner, either by acting as arcane scientists, special forces on a war or trying to expand the uses of raw magic for the everyday life of the common folk.

There are many reasons that lead an energy mage to become an adventurer. Some seek the hidden knowledge contained in ruins of forgotten libraries and old magic towers, expecting to learn something from ancient tests. Others enjoy the opportunity of putting their knowledge about this magic energy to the test, using the battle against monsters and powerful enemy as means to determine the usefulness of this power. Either way, the adventures present themselves as new chances to satiate the curious mind of an energy mage. Gold can drive energy mages to adventure, but the opportunity of unlocking new magical secrets is more often than not a more seductive option for them.

Creating an Energy Mage

As you make your energy mage, think about what was the inciting incident that have led you to become interested in the mechanics of magic. Have you survived a dangerous arcane experience? Have grown bored or lacked discipline from the formulaic approach of wizards? Did you enjoy the power that unlocking this power give to you? Have you always been amazed by magic and wanted to learn more about it?

Think about your goal as an adventurer. Are you searching for some magical artifact or arcane textbook? Are you trying to test your skills as a magician in a practical environment? Do you want just to make a living and saw in this practice a great tool to do so? Do you just want to learn more and maybe gain new perspectives about magic?

The restless mind of a energy mage is usually as chaotic as the energy they try to understand, which makes energy mage rarely neutral in their alignments.

Quick Build

You can make an Energy Mage quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the sage background.


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Class Features

As a Energy Mage you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Energy Mage level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Energy Mage level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Perception and Religion

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

any simple weapon
an arcane focus
(a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
a dagger
If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 10 gp in funds.

Table: The Energy Mage
Level	Proficiency Bonus	Energy Points	Features	Energy Blast
1st	+2	-	Arcane Defense, Energy Blast	2d6
2nd	+2	4	Arcane Energy, Spell Sniper	2d6
3rd	+2	6	Energy Mage Specialization, Energy Reflection	3d6
4th	+2	6	Ability Score Improvement	3d6
5th	+3	14	Force Cage, Precise Blasting	4d6
6th	+3	14	Energy Mage Specialization	4d6
7th	+3	17	Force Field, Nullify Magic	4d6
8th	+3	17	Ability Score Improvement, Magic Aegis	4d6
9th	+4	27	Spell Sniper	4d6
10th	+4	27	Magic Aegis	4d6
11th	+4	32	Energy Mage Specialization	5d6
12th	+4	32	Ability Score Improvement	5d6
13th	+5	38	Eye for Spellcraft	5d6
14th	+5	38	Arcane Shield	5d6
15th	+5	44	Adaptable Cover	5d6
16th	+5	44	Ability Score Improvement	5d6
17th	+6	57	Energy Mage Specialization	6d6
18th	+6	57	Impenetrable Barrier	6d6
19th	+6	64	Ability Score Improvement	6d6
20th	+6	64	Energy Restoration	6d6

Connection to the Weave

The time you’ve spent trying to understand the fabric of magic and learning to attune with it in order to control it have made you sensitive to magic. You can add your Wisdom modifier in all your Intelligence (Arcana) checks. In addition, when you see a creature within 60 feet using an attack or effect that deals cold, fire, force, lighting, thunder, radiant or necrotic damage, you can always tell if that effect is a spell or not.

Arcane Defense

Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor you can keep a magical barrier covering your body, giving you AC equal 13 + your Intelligence modifier.

Energy Blast

At 1st level, you begin to sense and understand the power of the weave, condensing this magical energy to use for combat. You can shape weapons made of energy, coat your fists with magic or hurl blasts of arcane power when using your energy blast. To use this feature, you must be wielding a spellcasting focus. You gain the following benefits:

You can use your action to make attacks with pure arcane energy. When you do so, you make a ranged spell attack, up to a range of 30 feet. This attack deal 2d6 force damage, but this damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as per table above.

Before you make an attack, you can choose to overcharge it, concentrating more energy into a powerful blast as a bonus action. When you overcharge an attack, it deals additional damage equal to 1d6 + your Intelligence modifier. This overcharge damage increases to 2d6 at 11th level.

Your spell attack modifier = Your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

Arcane Energy

Starting at 2nd level, you further your understanding of this energy, accessing a new array of abilities. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of energy points. Your energy mage level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Arcane Energy Points column of the energy mage table.

When you spend a energy point, it is unavailable until you finish a long rest.

Some of your energy features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Energy save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Arcane Light

You learn the Light cantrip, and you can cast it at will and not requiring any components.

Greater Overcharge

You can use your bonus action to increase even more the power of your energy attack. You deal 2d6 damage when overcharging. This damage increases to 3d6 at 5th level and to 4d6 at 17th level.

Energy Barrier

You can spend 1 energy point as a bonus action on your turn to gain resistance to damage types until the start of your next turn.

Repulsive Shield

You can spend 1 energy point as a bonus action on your turn to move all creatures within 5 feet of you 10 feet backwards on a failed Strength save.

Force Armor

As an action, you can spend 2 energy points and gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus, lasting until you finish a long rest, ending earlier upon being reduced to 0.

Spell Sniper

Starting at 2nd level, the range of your energy blasts increase in 5 feet for each point of proficiency bonus you have.

At 9th level, you gain the ability to curve your energy attacks, ignoring half cover and three-quarters cover.

Energy Mage Specialization

When you reach 3rd level, you choose a specialization that defines your magical abilities and your control over the weave. You can choose between the Forcemaster, the Elementalist, the Magician, the Energy Blade or the Stormjockey. Your specialization grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.

Energy Reflection

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your reaction to deflect or reflect an energy attack when you are hit by a ranged spell attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Intelligence modifier + your energy mage level.

If you reduce the damage to 0, you can reflect the attack by spending 1 energy point to make a ranged spell attack as part of the same reaction. You deal the same damage the attack would've caused on you on a hit, and the maximum range is equal to your blasting range.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Precise Blasting

Beginning at 5th level, you can now add your Intelligence modifier to the damage of your energy blasts.

Force Cage

Starting at 5th level, you can control the energy of your blasts, enveloping your opponent with it before it dissipates in the air. On a hit of your energy blast, you can spend 1 energy point to manipulate that energy in order to restrain the creature. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or is considered grappled by you until the end of your next turn.

On each of your turns, you can spend 1 additional energy point to keep the target grappled.

Force Field

At 7th level, you can envelop yourself with a solid wall of energy, shield yourself from physical harm. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Strength, Dexterity or Constitution saving throw to take only half damage, you instead create a barrier of energy, making a Intelligence saving throw instead. On a failed save, you can chose to reduce the damage is by your energy blast damage. If you do so, you can't take actions on your next turn.

Nullify Magic

Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to try to end one spell active on yourself, as if you have cast dispel magic at its lowest level.

Magic Aegis

At 10th level, the constant contact with magic have made your body strong against its effects. You gain advantage to resist magical effects.

Eye for Spellcraft

Starting at 13th level, you can see the thin lines of energy that form the fabric of magic surrounding the world. You are always under the effects of detect magic.

Arcane Shield

Beginning at 14th level, you can add your Intelligence modifier to all your saving throws.

Adaptable Cover

At 15th level, the barrier of magic surround you filters the air, making possible for you to breathe normally even in the presence of poisonous gasses or under water. In addition, you become immune to the effects of extreme weather.

Impenetrable Barrier

Beginning at 18th level, you become a master of creating solid energy. You gain access to the following spells:

you can use your action to spend 7 energy points to cast wall of force.

You can either spend 10 energy points to cast forcecage. or spend 13 energy points to cast the invulnerability spell, without needing material components. Once you cast either spell, you can't cast any of them until you finish a long rest.

Energy Restoration

At 20th level, when you roll for initiative and have no energy points remaining, you regain 4 energy points.

Energy Mage Specializations

There are many ways of controlling the raw magical energy. The specializations bellow represent some of those ways, and can be summed as follows:

Forcemaster. Uses the energy in its pure form, hurling balls of energy and lifting force fields.
Elementalist. Control elements using the weave, unleashing powerful elemental attacks.
Magician. Understands the similarities between arcane, natural and divine magic, being able to access any of them.
Energy Blade. A melee combatant specialized in infusing its attacks with energy.
Stormjockey. Uses the magical energy to control the natural forces of the sky: rains, winds and storms.
Infused Body. As the name suggests, fill his own body with energy, granting him superhuman strength, speed and resistance.

Forcemaster

Energy mages specialized on the Pure Energy Specialization are masters on controlling magic in its purest form in combat, being seeing as the natural progression of the Energy Mage studies.

Explosive Energy

Starting when you choose this specialization at 3rd level, your blasts of energy are more powerful and explosive. Whenever you hit a creature with your Energy Blast, the creature must make a saving throw or be pushed 20 feet away from the point of impact.

Force Buckler

At 6th level, when you can create a shield of solid energy to protect you from certain harm. When you finish a long rest, you have a pool of d6 equal to your level in this class. Whenever you or a creature you can see within your energy blast range take damage, you can use your force buckler to shield the target from harm, reducing the damage by an amount equal to the number of die you decide to spend.

Armor of Focus

Beginning at 11th level, you can focus all your arcane energy into creating an impervious armor. When you finish a long rest, this armor of arcane power protect you from harm, and every time an attack or harmful effect target you specifically, you can make a Intelligence saving throw against the result of the attack or DC of the effect. On a success, the effect is deflected.

This armor of focus last until your next rest or until you use any point of energy, in which case you lose the effects, needing a new long rest to refocus on building the armor.

Disintegrate

At 17th level, you can create a powerful ray of destruction with your force energy. You can spend 9 energy points to cast disintegrate. You can spend additional energy points to increase the power of the spell, increasing the damage in 3d6 (10 energy points), 6d6 (11 energy points) or 9d6 (13 energy points).

Elementalist

Elementalists learn to use the magic energy indirectly, as a means to control the elements that compound the planes. They hurl blasts of fire, shards of ice and even the concentrated energy of the sunlight towards their enemies.

Elemental Orbs

Starting when you choose this specialization at 3rd level, you can use the magic energy as a magnet for the elements, condensing them into a ball of elemental energy, released into strikes.

Chose two of the following damage type options: acid, cold, fire, lighting, or radiant. Whenever you use your Energy Blast, you can choose to deal damage using one of your known damage types.

You have access to more options as you gain levels on this class, gaining one more damage type at 6th, 11th and 17th levels.

Quick Blasts

At 6th level, you can quickly channel your energy into fast successions of elemental attacks. When you use your Energy Blast as an action, you can use your bonus action and spend 1 energy point to hurl an energy blast as a bonus action. This energy blast deal 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier. You can choose only the damage types you have access from your Elemental Orb feature.

You can spend more energy points to at a higher level. Each additional energy point add one energy blast. You can't spend more than a total of energy points equal to half your level in this class. You can only add your Intelligence modifier to one of the blasts of your choice.

Elemental Rage

At 11th level, you create two elemental orbs in your space. They float in the air and orbit you for the spell’s duration. When you cast the spell, and as a bonus action on each of your turns thereafter, you can send up to two orbs toward a point (or points) you choose, within 120 feet of you. Once the elemental orb reaches its destination or impacts against a solid surface, it explodes, forcing each creature within 5 feet of the point of explosion to make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 2d6 damage, from the damage type of your choice, from those you know, on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

You can increase the number of the orbs by spending energy points, creating one additional orb for each point of energy you spend, up to 3 energy points.

Elemental Aura

At 17th level, you can use your bonus action to summon an aura of elemental energy around you. When a creature hits you with a melee attack while your aura is active, you can use your reaction to deal damage to the creature. The damage equals 1d10 + your Intelligence modifier. You choose the damage type of the aura on the moment you summon it as a bonus action, and need to spend another bonus action to change the damage type.

Magician

The magicians seek to learn the inner functioning of magic first, understanding its core elements before and casting spells later. They can use the pure magic energy to learn any type of spell, understanding that the divide between arcane, primal or divine is an arbitrary concept that limits the understanding of magic on a deeper level.

Bonus Proficiencies

You gain proficiency in the Arcana skill. If you are already proficient with this skill, you can add double of your proficiency bonus to any checks you make with it.

Arcane Adept

When you choose this specialization at 3rd level, you learn magical spells. A spell requires you to spend energy points each time you use it.

Spells Known. You know the prestidigitation cantrip and one spell of your choice. You learn two additional spells of your choice at 6th, 11th, and 17th level. These spells can come from any spell list.

Whenever you learn a new spell, you can also replace one spell that you already know with a different spell.

Spell Level. At 3rd level, you can choose a spell of 1st-level or lower. This increases to 2nd-level spells at 6th level, 3rd and 4th-level spells at 11th and finally 5th-level spells at 17th level.

Casting Spells. To cast one of these spells, you use its casting time and other rules, but you don't need to provide material components for it.

Once you reach 5th level in this class, you can spend additional energy points to increase the level of an elemental discipline spell that you cast, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher level, as burning hands does. The spell's level increases by 1 for each additional energy point you spend. For example, if you are a 5th-level energy mage and cast burning hands, you can spend 3 energy points to cast it as a 2nd-level spell (the base cost of 2 energy points plus 1).

The maximum number of energy points you can spend to cast a spell in this way (including its base energy point cost and any additional energy points you spend to increase its level) is determined by your energy mage level, as shown in the Spells and Energy Points table.

Powerful Spells

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your Greater Overcharge to increase the damage of any spell that requires a spell attack.

Ritualistic Arcanist

At 6th level, you can cast spells a rituals. You gain a ritual book, with two ritual spells from an level you can cast spells. You gain an additional ritual at 11th and one more at 17th. You can only cast these spells as rituals, and these spells can be from any spell list.

Arcane Restoration

By 11th level, you can use your action to regain a number of expended energy points equal to your proficiency bonus. After using this ability, you must complete a long rest before using it again.

Magic Frenzy

Starting at 17th level, when you use an overcharged blast, you can also cast a cantrip targeting the same creature as a bonus action, provided the cantrip has a casting time of 1 action of lower.

Energy Blade

Some energy mages use the arcane power the learned to control to infuse weapons, becoming dangerous warriors to face on the battlefield.

Martial Training

When you choose this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons, medium armor and shields.

Charged Attack

At 3rd level, before you make an melee weapon attack, you can choose to overcharge it as a bonus action. Once in each of your turns, your melee weapon attacks can benefit from the extra damage from both the overcharge and the greater overcharge features.

Parrying Maneuver

Starting at 3rd level, while wielding a weapon or shield, you can use your Energy Reflection feature, you can also reduce the damage from melee weapon attacks. If you reduce the damage of the incoming strike to 0, you can spend 1 energy point to counter the attack, dealing the damage you would've taken back to the attacker.

Extra Attack

At 6th level, you can attack twice instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Paralyzing Strike

At 6th level, you can use your force cage feature after a hit of an attack with a weapon.

Infused Blade

At 11th level, you can spend 2 energy points to add a bonus to your attack and damage rolls equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Guided Strike

At 17th level, once in each of your turns, you can make a melee weapon attack with advantage.

Stormjockey

Stormjockeys use the weave to control the pure energy of storms, rains and lightning . These energy mages are often called stormlords or stormbringers, and they usually live close to tempestuous seas or on top of high mountains, close to the skies, where they train and attune to this primal force of nature.

Stormborn

Starting when you choose this specialization at 3rd level, you have a strong relation to storms. You can always tell if a natural rain or storm is about to happen, and have advantage on Intelligence Nature to recall any information related to lighting, thunder and storms.

Magical Lighting

At 3rd level, you can use your control over the weave to control the tempests. You can deal lighting or thunder damage instead of force whenever you use your Energy Blast feature.

You learn the absorb elements, that you can cast at its lowest level a cost of 1 energy points, only to absorb either thunder or lighting damage.

At 6th level, you learn the call lightning spell, that you can cast at a cost of 3 energy points.

Cloud Rider

At 6th level, you gain the ability to fly into the storms and strong winds. When inside a storm cloud , strong wind (both natural or magically created) or are not underground or indoors, you can use your bonus action to fly up to 60 feet. If you are inside a storm cloud or strongwind, you keep hovering in the air, otherwise you must end your movement on the ground or fall.

In addition, you can cast feather fall at its lowest level on yourself at will.

Wind Investiture

By 11th level, while you are not underground or indoors, or when you are inside a storm cloud or strong wind, you can cast warding wind at will.

Thunderous Rebuke

At 17th level, whenever a creature attacks you, you can use your reaction to deal lighting or thunder damage equal to your Energy Blast damage.

Infused Body

The mages who research the specialization of the infused body are masters in using the arcane energy to empower their strikes and physical capabilities.

Hands of Destruction

At 3rd level, when you choose this specialization, you learn how to infuse your unarmed strikes with arcane power. You can make your energy blasts attacks at melee range, making a melee spell attack, dealing the same damage.

You can choose to change the damage type to one of the following types: slashing, piercing or bludgeoning, as you shape the energy coating your fists. You make this choice for each attack. Also, when you choose to deal any of those three damage types, you add your Strength modifier to the damage rolls of these attacks.

Finally, you can spend 1 energy point when you hit a creature, forcing it to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature take additional 2d6 damage from the same type as the unarmed strike and is pushed away 15 feet. It takes half damage and is not pushed on a success.

Enhanced Body

At 3rd level, you can use your energy points to cast the following spells:

jump, expeditious retreat, at a cost of 1 energy point.

enhance ability, only affecting Strength, Dexterity or Constitution, at a cost of 2 energy points.

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Limit Break

When you reach the 6th level, you have wrecked the barrier dividing mind and body. You can add your Intelligence modifier, instead of your Strength or Dexterity when making checks with those abilities.

Impenetrable Body

Starting at 6th level, the first creature that hit you with an attack have its damage reduce by 1d6. This damage reduction increases to 2d6 at 11th level.

Stored Potential

Starting at 11th level, you can spend 1 energy point to roll a d20. Write down the number, and whenever you make a when you make a Strength (Athletics), Dexterity (Acrobatics), or Constitution check, you can choose to replace the number you rolled by this number.

Magical Atlas

At 17th level, your body has reached the peak of the human capabilities. When you are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to add your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1) to your AC, including against the triggering attack. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the energy mage class, you must have a 13 Intelligence.

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the energy mage class, you gain the following proficiencies: light armor, simple weapons.

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