Mage Brand

Vagabond subclass

Mage Brand

Burn Magic Into Your Flesh

Searing runes and arcane geometry into one’s skin is an agonizing practice known as spellbranding. Though it was once used by tyrannical giants to imbue their conscripts with a mote of magical potential, spellbranding has long since been disparaged in polite society. However, a few that are willing and desperate enough to burn themselves with magical runes might still utilize that magic today. The so-called “Mage Brands” need none of a mage’s intellect or a priest’s faith; they need only tenacity and a tolerance for pain.

Level 3: Spellbranding

You have been taught the agonizing magic of spellbranding.

Cantrips. You know two cantrips of your choice from the Sorcerer spell list. Fire Bolt and True Strike are recommended. Whenever you gain a Vagabond level, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip of your choice from the Sorcerer spell list. When you reach Vagabond level 10, you learn another Sorcerer cantrip of your choice.

Spellbrand Spellcasting. To cast one of your level 1+ Sorcerer spells, you expend Battle Dice to create a spell slot for that spell, which is immediately expended to cast it. The spell slot’s level equals the number of Battle Dice expended to create it, up to a maximum of what’s shown in the Max Slot Level column of the Mage Brand Spellcasting table for your level.

Prepared Spells of Level 1+. You prepare the list of level 1+ spells that are available for you to cast with this feature. To start, choose three level 1 spells from the Sorcerer spell list. Chromatic Orb, Jump, and Shield are recommended.

The number of spells on your list increases as you gain Vagabond levels, as shown in the Prepared Spells column of the Mage Brand Spellcasting table. Whenever
that number increases, choose additional spells from the Sorcerer spell list until the number of spells on your list matches the number on the table. The chosen spells must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table’s Max Slot Level column for your level.

Early Ending. When you roll Initiative, all of your ongoing spells end.

Changing Your Prepared Spells. Whenever you gain a Vagabond level, you can replace one spell on your list with another Sorcerer spell of the same level.
Spellcasting Ability. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Sorcerer spells.

Vagabond Level	Prepared Spells	Max Slot Level
3	3	1
4	4	1
5	4	1
6	4	1
7	5	2
8	6	2
9	6	2
10	7	2
11	8	2
12	8	2
13	9	3
14	10	3
15	10	3
16	11	3
17	11	3
18	11	3
19	12	4
20	13	4

Level 3: Arcane Synesthesia

Due to your spellbrands, you can smell and taste the lingering evidence of magic. You can instantly identify a creature that has cast a spell within the last 24 hours. If you touch an object, you can sense if it is a magic item, but not its properties.

Level 6: Arcane Strike

When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of the attacks with a casting of one of your Sorcerer cantrips that has a casting time of an action.

Level 10: Desperate Ward

You have Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects while you are Bloodied.

Level 14: Imprinted Spellscar

When a creature casts a spell of level 5 or lower that deals damage to you, you can take a Reaction to temporarily imprint the spell upon yourself. You have this spell prepared and can cast it by expending a number of Battle Dice equal to the spell’s level. The spell imprint vanishes after you cast it or when you finish a Long Rest. You can have a number of spell imprints up to your Charisma modifier at one time.

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