Arcane Tradition
Comments from the Finger: Anyone remember the Candle Caster prestige class from 3.5? I didn’t think so. Anyway, I’m bringing it to 5th edition for posterity.
School of Candles
The School of Candles is an old and oft forgotten discipline of magic, whose practice is among the most mysterious in all spellcasting. It is based in wax, which is both the base and fuel for flame; a moldable thing, melted and poured in layers to be fed to the fire. Secrets can be held within wax — secrets, or spells.
Candle casters, as mages of this school are oft known, fashion candles with stores of arcane energy in the wax, and a single spell hidden in the wick, which are revealed as the flame ignites. They are apt to carry many candles with many types of magic, for whatever need might arise, and even a few mundane ones, for when it is merely dark.
Candle-Casting
Starting at 2nd level, you can cast your spells through the lighting of an arcane candle. You can convert any number of nonmagical candles into arcane candles for no cost over a long rest by providing a mix of material components from a material component pouch when you create them.
Whenever you cast a spell that has a somatic and/or a material component without a gp cost, you can replace those components by lighting a candle instead. Doing so ties the spell’s power to the candle. If the spell has a duration of instantaneous, it burns the candle to its base in a matter of seconds, as the spell’s power is released. If the spell requires your concentration, you automatically succeed ability checks you make to maintain the concentration, but the spell ends if the candle’s flame is extinguished (such is by high winds or a splash of water), as if you lost concentration on the spell.
Everburning Candles
At 2nd level, when you light a nonmagical candle, it burns twice as brightly, casting bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet. Additionally, the candle does not produce heat, consume oxygen, or burn down. You can quench or smother the candle’s flame as an action.
Starting at 6th level, when you light an everburning candle, you can choose for the light to only be visible only to yourself and creatures you choose. Additionally, this light penetrates magical, as well as nonmagical, darkness.
Torchling
Starting at 6th level, whenever you cast a spell which deals fire damage or radiant damage or creates a sheds light in an area, you can use your bonus action to conjure a torchling to your side. The torchling is friendly to you and your companions and acts on your turn. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to them (no action required by you).
The torchling lasts until it is reduced to 0 hit points, or until the spell ends or after a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell cast (minimum of 1), whichever is longer. At the end of this duration, the torchling explodes, as per its Death Burst trait. You can only have one torchling at a time.
Torchling
Small elemental
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 4 (1d6 + 1)
Speed 30 ft.
Str 3 (-4) Dex 14 (+2) Con 13 (+1)
Int 5 (-3) Wis 5 (-3) Cha 7 (-2)
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious
Senses passive Perception 8
Languages —
Challenge 1/4
Death Burst. When the torchling dies, it explodes in a burst of fire and wax. Each creature within 10 ft. of it must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Flammable objects that aren’t being worn or carried in that area are ignited.
Fire Form. The torchling can move through a space as narrow as 1-inch wide without squeezing. In addition, the torchling can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. The first time it enters a creature’s space on a turn, that creature takes 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Illumination. The torchling sheds bright light in a 15-foot radius and dim light in an additional 15 ft.
Water Susceptibility. For every 5 ft. the torchling moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage.
Unfettered Candle
Starting at 10th level, you can create arcane candles containing a portion of your own magic. When you prepare spells following a long rest, you can create arcane candles of any spell of 5th level or lower you have prepared, expending spell slots and spell components as if you cast the spell normally.
Any creature with an Intelligence of 10 or higher that lights this candle can cast the spell contained within it, using your spell attack roll and saving throw DC, as appropriate. Casting the spell by lighting the candle requires the spell’s normal casting time. Once the spell is cast, the candle burns to its base and can no longer be lit. If the casting is interrupted, the candle is lost.
You can create a number of candles equal to your Intelligence modifier, and all unused candles become mundane candles when you finish a long rest.
Invocation
Starting at 14th level, when you finish a long rest, you can create a lesser candle of invocation. You choose the candle’s alignment when you create it. The candle’s magic is activated when you light the candle, which requires an action. The candle is destroyed when it is snuffed, or after it burns for 1 minute.
While lit, the candle sheds dim light in a 30-foot radius. Any creature within that light whose alignment matches that of the candle makes attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks with advantage.
The candle has none of the other effects of a candle of invocation and becomes a nonmagical candle after 24 hours.
Changelog: 10/2/17: Invocation: Candle gets none of the other abilities of a Candle of Invocation
10/3/17: Unfettered Candle: Uses your spell attack bonus and saving throw DC
Invocation: Becomes nonmagical after 24 hours
