Spell Wounds

There are wild magical forces in the world. Torrents of raw arcane energy that flow between the planes, rarely noticed by any mortal. However there are cases where brave adventurers or unlucky fools come in contact with these magical streams. Those that survive the encounter bear strange wounds and scars from it, fuelling the bearer with raw elemental energy. These Marks are known as Spell-Wounds.

Uncontrollable Power

A person bearing a Spell-Wound gains an innate ability to cast magic. However spells cast this way are unrefined and the energy released by them damages the user. There are only few dedicated and strong-willed enough to master and refine the raw energy into something controllable and powerful. Those that do master their Spell-Wound are real dangers to any foe, seemingly becoming an elemental force themselves. They let flames roar across the battlefield, ice encase their opponents and melt through armor with corrosive acid. They are forces to be reckoned with.

Creating a Spell-Wounded Character

A Chracter who wants to become a Spell-Wound takes this feature at 1st-Level. Every time the character could choose to improve their Ability Scores they can instead choose to advance their Spell-Wounds rank. There are a couple of different Spell-Wounds to choose from. The Player can either choose one when gaining this feature or the DM chooses for them.

Spellcasting with a Spell-Wound

All Spells cast using your Spell-Wound are innate requiring no spellslots to be cast. Furthermore you do not need vocal or material components to cast those spells. However you always have a somatic component, even on such spells that normally do not require one. Moreover every time you cast a spell in this way, your Spell-Wound reacts in some way unique to your Spell-Wound, making it very obvious that you cast a spell. The energy surging through the casters body when using a Spell-Wound damages them. Each time you cast a spell this way you inflict damage upon yourself, depending on the level of the spell you cast and the rank of your Spell-Wound. How to determine this damage is shown in the Self-inflicted damage table. Your spellcasting ability modifier for these spells is Constitution.

Spell-Wounds Mastery Progression

All Spell-Wounds can progress in ranks from least to lesser to greater and finally to supreme. Each level enables the bearer to cast stronger spells, but the toll on the casters body rises with each rank as well, resultung in higher self-inflicted damage. Starting at the lesser rank and each rank above the character gains a Spell-Wound trait.

Self-inflicted Damage

Spell-Wound Rank Damage Dice least 1d4 per spell Level lesser 1d6 per spell Level greater 1d8 per spell Level supreme 1d12 per spell Level

The Burning Mark

The Burning Mark manifest as burned Flesh, scarred Burn Marks or charred skin. They have a orange red and yallow glow of flames and ember to them and lighten up bright when the wild fiery magic curses through them. Those that bear this Mark are often fiery and hot headed through feeling the Burning flames cursing through their vanes.

Traits

Flaming Gaze. Starting at the lesser rank you gain the ability to see clearly in the darkest night. When activating this feature you take damage equal to your self-afflicted damage die. For 10 min you are able to see in complete darkness up to 60 ft. as if it were bright light. You cannot use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

At greater rank: you can now also not be blinded anymore whilst this feature is active.

Body of Flame. Starting at greater rank you become resistant to fire damage.

At supreme rank: you become immune to fire damage.

Explosive Inferno. At greater rank your flames become more volatile and you are able to release them in a powerful burst. Once when you cast an innate spell was does fire damage, you can take damage equal to your self-inflicted damage die and double the damage you deal to the target with this spell. You cannot use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Everburning Flame. At supreme level the control of your flame is so great that they burn indefinitely. Whenever you hit a creature with a spell that deals fire damage, you set that creature on fire and it takes 1d6 points of fire damage each consecutive round. The flames burn infinitely until they are put out by taking an action to drop prone. These magical flames cannot be put out by water. Creatures that are resistant or immune against fire damage are unaffected by this.

Innate Spells