Studied Magic

Blocks: Channeling Magic, Empowered Magic, Scion Magic, Weaver Magic

Studied casters are versatile and methodical. They lack the raw explosiveness of Empowered casters, but their wide spell knowledge and deliberate preparation allow them to adapt to nearly any challenge—provided they planned ahead. Choose one of the following Disciplines.

Regardless of the source of your power, your casting attribute is Intellect. You gain one training rank in the appropriate Spellcasting skill. Choose four Power 1 spells from your chosen Discipline, and add them to your list of spells known.

You gain one additional spell every time you gain a level. The new spell must be chosen from your chosen Discipline, and cannot have a Power higher than your current ranks in your Spellcasting skill (after the upgrade). However, you do not have all your spells prepared all the time! After completing a Long Rest, you may choose to Prepare Spells. This will remove all the spells that you currently have prepared, and allow you to prepare a different palette of spells. By default, you will be able to prepare spells whose total Power is equal to your level plus your Intellect bonus.

You gain a pool of mana used to cast your spells. The cost in mana to cast a spell is equal to the Power of that spell, and is spent regardless of success or failure of casting the spell. Your pool of available mana is equal to eight times the ranks invested in your Spellcasting skill, plus your Intellect modifier. You recover all expended mana when you Take a Long Rest.

Studied Magic is methodical, carefully planned, and unfortunately slow. Whenever you Cast a Spell, if that spell has a casting time of 5 seconds or less, increase it by one second. If a spell has a casting time of one round or longer, increase its casting time by one additional unit of whatever time measure is used (second, round, minute, day, month, whatever).

Special: If you gained this trait by means of selecting the Magician background, you must choose Arcane as your Discipline. If you gained this trait by means of selecting the Witch background, your Discipline will be decided by your Patron, and can include Divine (despite it not being listed above).

Studied Magic → Expanded Spellbook
Studied Magic → Efficient Spellcasting