Mystic

The old world burned because it forgot the first rule: reality is negotiable. You haven't. While others cling to steel and circuits, you manipulate the fundamental forces that underpin existence. Magic in the Wasteland isn't flashy or safe — it's raw, unpredictable, and hungry. Every spell you cast is a gamble, a pact, a scream into the void. And the void? It screams back.

You are the Mystic. You've learned to weave spells from fragments of pre-war grimoires, whispered secrets from the irradiated dead, and your own desperate experimentation. You are fragile, yes — bullets kill you just as easily as anyone else. But you don't need armor when you can reshape the battlefield, unmake your enemies, and bend probability itself. You are not a survivor. You are an inevitability.

Base Archetype (Levels 1-5)

Core Stats

Starting Equipment

• Simple weapon of choice
• Ritual components pouch
• Scholar's kit (ink, parchment, reference texts)
• Wasteland robes

Level Progression (1-5)

Level 1: Spell Crafting, Cantrips & Arcane Ward

• Spell Crafting (Core Mechanic): Mystics use a modular spell system. Each spell is constructed from:

  • Base Cantrip (damage type, effect type)
  • Delivery Shape (single target, area, cone, line)
  • Effect Modifiers (range, duration, additional effects)

  The combination determines the spell level and spell slot cost. Details of the spell crafting system are in Chapter 5: Arcane Mechanics.

• Cantrips Known (3 at Level 1): You know three cantrips of your choice. Cantrips are at-will, do not consume spell slots, and scale with your level (additional damage die at L5, L11, and L17). You learn additional cantrips at L5 (4 total), L11 (5 total), and L17 (6 total).

• Arcane Ward (Passive): When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher, you gain temporary HP equal to 2 x spell level cast. These temporary HP stack with existing temporary HP from Arcane Ward (but not other sources) up to a maximum of 2 x your Mystic level. At Level 3, your maximum ward is 6 temp HP. This represents the protective aura that forms around you as you manipulate arcane energies.

• VITAE Cantrip (Enhanced): One of your starting cantrips can be VITAE (Life). In addition to its normal stabilization effect, you can use it as 1 action (bonus) (1/Short Rest) to touch a creature (including yourself) and restore 1d4 + your INT modifier HP. This healing increases to 2d4 at 5th level, 3d4 at 11th level, and 4d4 at 17th level.

Level 2: Ritual Casting

Ritual Casting (Requires Spell Known): You can cast any spell you know as a ritual, even if it doesn't normally have the ritual tag. Casting a spell as a ritual takes 1 hour per spell level and does not consume a spell slot. You cannot ritual cast during combat.

Level 3: Arcane Recovery

Arcane Recovery (1/Short Rest, 1 Minute): During a short rest, you can recover expended spell slots. The total levels of recovered slots equals half your Mystic level, rounded up. At Level 3, you can recover one 1st-level slot or one 2nd-level slot. At Level 5, you can recover two 1st-level slots, one 2nd-level slot, or one 3rd-level slot.

Level 4: Attribute Improvement & Counterspell

• Attribute Improvement: Increase one attribute by +2, or two attributes by +1 each (maximum 20 before modifiers).
• Counterspell (Baseline Feature): As a reaction (1/Short Rest), when you see a creature cast a spell within 60 feet, you can attempt to counter it. Make an INT check (DC = 10 + spell level). On success, the spell fails.

Level 5 Capstone: Signature Spell

Signature Spell (Permanent Enhancement): Choose one 1st-level or 2nd-level spell you know. You can cast this spell at-will without consuming a spell slot. If you choose a 2nd-level spell, it costs 10 additional AP to unlock this capstone (total 25 AP).

Spell Slots by Level

Note: Mystics continue to gain spell slots through Level 20, capping at 7th-level spells. Full progression table in Chapter 5.

Skill Trees

Mystics have access to three skill trees:

Elemental Mastery (Damage & Destruction)

• Elemental Focus (5 AP): Choose one damage type (fire, cold, lightning, acid, or force). Your spells of that type deal +1 damage per die rolled.
• Elemental Penetration (10 AP, Requires Elemental Focus): Enemies have disadvantage on saves against your spells of your chosen damage type.
• Elemental Apotheosis (15 AP, Requires Elemental Penetration): Once per short rest, maximize all damage dice on one spell of your chosen damage type.

Esoteric Knowledge (Utility & Information)

• Spell Lore (5 AP): You can identify any spell being cast within 60 feet as a free action.
• Arcane Sight (10 AP, At-Will Cantrip): You can see magical auras, invisible creatures, and illusions within 30 feet.
• Forbidden Grimoire (15 AP, Requires Spell Lore): Learn one spell from any class's spell list. This spell counts as a Mystic spell for you.

Arcane Defense (Survival & Protection)

• Mage Armor (5 AP, At-Will): As a 1-action activity, grant yourself +4 DV for 8 hours. Ends if you don armor.
• Shield (10 AP, Learned Spell): You learn the Shield spell and can add it to your spellbook. Shield is a 1st-level spell that you can cast as a reaction when you are hit by an attack or spell, granting you +5 DV until the start of your next turn.
• Spell Reflection (15 AP, Requires Shield): When you successfully use Shield to cause an attack to miss you (the attack roll + your Shield bonus fails to meet your DV), you can redirect the attack to a target of your choice within 30 feet using the same attack roll.

Magic Relationship

Mystics are full casters and have the most robust spellcasting progression in the game. However, their magic caps at 7th-level spells at Level 20 (not 9th, as in some systems). This maintains bounded accuracy and ensures Mystics remain powerful but mortal. Mystics rely on intelligence and creativity, not raw cosmic power.

Advanced Specializations (Levels 6-10)

Mystics who reach level 6 have demonstrated control over the wasteland's strange energies. Now they focus their craft: unleashing raw destruction as an Elementalist, manipulating fate as a Seer, or commanding the dead as a Necromancer.

System Notes:

• All characters gain 10 AP per level from levels 6-10
• Short rest: 8 hours
• Long rest: 1 week
• Bounded accuracy: maximum total bonus of +18
• 3-action economy per turn

Elementalist (Damage Spells)

Raw destructive power given form. The Elementalist commands fire, ice, lightning, and acid — whatever energies the wasteland's corrupted ley lines offer. Where others see magic as a tool, the Elementalist sees it as a weapon.

Prerequisites: Level 6, Mystic archetype

New Skill Tree Unlocked: Destruction (maximize spell damage, AoE enhancement, elemental mastery, spell penetration)

Level 6 Features

Elemental Affinity (Choose One Element) Choose one damage type: fire, cold, lightning, or acid. You gain the following benefits:

• Add your Intelligence (INT) modifier to damage rolls for spells that deal your chosen element
• When you cast a spell that deals damage, you can change its damage type to your chosen element

Example: With INT +3 and fire affinity, your fireball deals +3 damage. You could also cast an ice-based spell and change it to fire damage.

Potent Cantrips (Passive) Your damage-dealing cantrips deal an additional +1d4 damage.

Example: A cantrip that normally deals 1d10 now deals 1d10+1d4.

Level 8 Features

Sculpt Spells (Passive) When you cast a spell that affects an area (AoE), you can choose a number of creatures in the area up to your Intelligence modifier. Those creatures:

• Automatically succeed on their saving throw against the spell
• Take no damage from the spell

This allows you to drop a fireball on your allies without harming them.

Elemental Surge (1/Short Rest) Once per short rest, when you cast a damage-dealing spell, you can maximize one of the spell's damage dice instead of rolling it.

Example: You cast a spell that deals 4d6 fire damage. You choose to maximize one die, so you roll 3d6 and add 6, guaranteeing at least partial maximum damage.

Level 10 Capstone Ability

Cataclysm (1/Long Rest) Once per long rest, when you cast a damage-dealing spell, you can invoke Cataclysm. The spell gains the following benefits:

• Cast at +2 spell levels without using a higher-level spell slot
• Ignores damage resistance (treats resistance as normal damage)
• Treats immunity as resistance (immune creatures take half damage)

Example: You cast a 3rd-level fireball as if it were 5th-level (10d6 damage instead of 8d6), and even fire-immune creatures take half damage.

Seer (Divination/Control)

The Seer perceives the threads of possibility woven through reality. They manipulate probability, read minds, and control the flow of battle through foresight. To fight a Seer is to struggle against fate itself.

Prerequisites: Level 6, Mystic archetype

New Skill Tree Unlocked: Prescience (probability manipulation, scrying, mind reading, temporal awareness)

Level 6 Features

Portent (Daily Ability) After each long rest, roll 2d20 and record the results. Before any creature you can see makes an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, you can use your reaction to replace their roll with one of your portent rolls.

Each portent die can only be used once. Unused portent dice are lost when you complete your next long rest.

Example: You roll 3 and 19 at the start of the day. Later, an enemy is about to hit your ally — you replace their attack roll with your 3, causing them to miss. Later, you replace your ally's saving throw with your 19, ensuring they succeed.

Third Eye (1/Short Rest) Once per short rest as 1 action, you can activate your Third Eye for 1 hour. Choose one of the following benefits:

• Darkvision: 120 feet
• See Invisibility: See invisible creatures and objects
• Comprehend Languages: Read any written language

Level 8 Features

Bend Luck (Reaction) As a reaction when a creature you can see makes an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can add or subtract 1d4 from the result.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom (WIS) modifier per short rest (minimum 1).

Cognitive Assault (1 Action) As 1 action, target one creature within 60 feet. The target must make a Will save (DC = 8 + INT + proficiency) or take 3d6 psychic damage and become dazed for 1 round.

While dazed, the creature can take either an action or movement on their turn, not both, and cannot take reactions.

On a successful save, the target takes half damage and is not dazed.

Level 10 Capstone Ability

Foresight Echo (1/Long Rest) Once per long rest as 1 action, you can activate Foresight Echo for 10 minutes. While active:

• You cannot be surprised
• You have advantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws
• Attack rolls against you have disadvantage

This represents seeing moments into the future and reacting before events occur.

Necromancer (Undead/Debuff)

The line between life and death has always been thin in the wasteland. Radiation creates ghouls, technology resurrects the dead as cyborgs, and stranger energies animate the fallen. The Necromancer learns to blur that line further, commanding death itself.

Prerequisites: Level 6, Mystic archetype

New Skill Tree Unlocked: Death Magic (undead control, life drain, debuffs, fear effects, necrotic enhancement)

Level 6 Features

Raise Servant (1/Long Rest, 1-Minute Ritual) Once per long rest, you can perform a 1-minute ritual to animate a Medium or smaller corpse as an undead servant. The servant has:

• HP: 15
• DV: 12
• Attack: 1d6+2 damage (your choice of melee or ranged at time of creation)
• Speed: 30 feet
• Duration: Until destroyed, or until your next long rest

The servant obeys your commands (uses 1 action (bonus) to command). You can have 1 active servant at a time. This increases to 2 active servants at level 9.

Life Drain (Passive) When you deal necrotic damage to a creature, you heal hit points equal to half the necrotic damage dealt (rounded down).

Example: Your spell deals 16 necrotic damage. You heal 8 HP.

Level 8 Features

Necrotic Shroud (1/Short Rest, 1 Action) Once per short rest as 1 action, you can shroud yourself in necrotic energy for 1 minute. While the shroud is active:

• Creatures that start their turn within 10 feet of you take 1d6 necrotic damage
• You have resistance to necrotic damage
• You have advantage on Intimidation checks

Weaken (1 Action, Concentration) As 1 action, target one creature within 30 feet. The target must make a Will save (DC = 8 + INT + proficiency) or become weakened for up to 1 minute (concentration).

While weakened:

• The target has disadvantage on all attack rolls
• The target has disadvantage on all Might (MIG) checks

The target can repeat the save at the end of each of their turns to end the effect.

Level 10 Capstone Ability

Death's Embrace (1/Long Rest, Touch) Once per long rest, you can touch a creature and channel the energies of life and death. Choose one of the following effects:

Resurrection:

• Touch a creature that has been dead for no more than 1 hour
• The creature returns to life with half their maximum hit points
• You take 1 level of exhaustion
• The creature suffers no penalties for returning from death

Death Touch:

• Touch a living creature
• The target must make a DC 18 Will save
• Failed save: 10d6 necrotic damage
• Successful save: Half damage (5d6)
• You heal hit points equal to half the necrotic damage dealt (via Life Drain)

Game Master Note: This is the Necromancer's ultimate expression of their power over the boundary between life and death.

Level 16: Arcane Mastery

Your command of magic deepens to legendary proportions. You gain 2 additional spell slots of each level from 1st to 5th. Your cantrips deal maximum damage when cast against creatures with fewer Hit Dice than your character level. When you craft a spell, you may add one additional component without increasing the crafting time.

Level 17: Specialization Final Evolution

Elementalist — Elemental Convergence

Choose a second element (fire, ice, lightning, acid, or force) — you now have mastery over two elements. You can cast two spells with elemental damage in the same turn (still limited by action economy). Your elemental damage ignores resistance (but not immunity).

Seer — Master Manipulator

Your enchantment spells have their duration doubled. Creatures have disadvantage on saves against your charm and domination effects. When you successfully charm or dominate a creature, you can sense its surface thoughts and emotions. You can maintain concentration on two enchantment spells simultaneously.

Necromancer — Lord of the Dead

You can control up to 20 undead simultaneously (instead of the usual limit). Your raised undead gain +2 to all rolls and +10 HP. You can cast one necromancy spell as a ritual without increasing casting time. Once per short rest, you can drain life from a corpse within 30ft to heal yourself for 4d8 HP.

Level 20 Apex Ability: Arcane Singularity

Once per long rest (1 week)

You tear a hole in the fabric of magic itself, becoming a living conduit for unlimited arcane power. For a brief moment, you transcend the normal limits of spellcasting.

Effects:

• Immediately cast any spell you know of 5th level or lower without expending a spell slot
• For 1 minute, you can cast two spells per turn (instead of the normal spell + cantrip limitation) — you are limited only by your action economy (3 actions)
• Your spell save DC increases by +3
• You ignore material components for spells (except those consumed and with a listed cost)
• Counterspell attempts against your spells automatically fail

Drawback: When Arcane Singularity ends, you immediately gain 2 Burnout Points as magical backlash courses through your body. The arcane power leaves scars.