Wild Magic System

Wild Magic
Few schools of the arcane are held in such awe and fear as that of wild magic. Drawing on chaos itself, practitioners of wild magic tap into a primal force of creativity and destruction greater than the most powerful archmages. Yet the power it grants is also what frightens away most would be wild mages, for even the most skilled wild mages are playing a game of chance, and the consequences are rarely limited to the caster alone.

No one is quite sure where wild magic was first discovered. It has been practiced on dozens of prime worlds as well as isolated parts of the planes for millennia. Confounding any attempt to understand its origins is the fact that the techniques used and results achieved with wild magic vary widely from place to place. Indeed, one of the main characteristics of wild magic seems to be that it can be approached from any angle, and numerous methods have been noted on the planes by those who research such things. It cannot be said that there is any “correct” form of wild magic, though some are certainly more powerful (and dangerous) than others. It should come as no surprise that the Xaositects have long demonstrated an affinity for wild magic, and the majority of wild mages on the planes are found among that faction, though the idea of it being widely taught among its members seems highly unlikely. The tanar’ri also seem to enjoy finding creative uses for wild magic in the Blood War, and several other organizations have attempted to gather information on the various types of wild magic practiced on the planes, including the Bleak Cabal, the Fated, and the Fraternity of Order. Though wild magic is inherently chaotic, spellcasters of any alignment may use it, and indeed many lawful spellcasters study it in the hope of pinning down in concrete principles.

The rules for wild magic described here is a basic and free form approach that can be used on its own or in conjunction with another variant system. While wild magic is theoretically capable of just about anything the caster or the DM imagines, it is most often used to modify a normal spell in hopes of enhancing its effectiveness. Learning to use wild magic in this manner requires taking the Wild Spell metamagic feat and may involve studying under a wild mage. Unlike most metamagic feats, it does not need to be applied to a spell when it’s being memorized and does not increase the casting time or level of the spell. The player simply chooses to channel chaos into their spell at the time of casting and rolls a d20. Compare the results of the roll to the Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells table in Chapter 1 of the Player’s Handbook and add the modifier to the caster level of the spell (minimum caster level 1). Thus a wild spell is equally likely of being stronger or weaker than it would normally be. The spell functions even if the caster level of the spell is lower than that necessary to cast the spell. If the range of the spell becomes too short to reach its target it simply fails in the case of a targeted spell or activates prematurely in the case of an area-effect spell.

Wild Surges: If the player rolled an even number then chaos has infected the spell and a wild surge has occurred. Wild surges cause uncontrollable alterations to how the spell normally functions by changing its effectiveness, giving it strange side effects, or transforming it into a different spell entirely. Wild surges can be beneficial, harmful, or just plain random and are the primary reason why wild mages are regarded with fear. To determine the nature of a wild surge the DM secretly makes a wild surge check by rolling a d20; the higher the result the more beneficial it is to the spellcaster or their allies, the lower the result the more detrimental it is. The exact effect can be just about anything, though wild surges are often more dramatic the higher the level of the spell being cast.

No extended list of effects can truly capture the variety of wild surges, though there’s nothing wrong with a DM choosing to use one. Instead, the DM is encouraged to come up with wild surges on a case by case basis as appropriate for the characters and the theme of the story. Having a character suddenly sprout flowers from their hair or start speaking gibberish adds some humor to the game, but it probably isn’t appropriate if the game’s theme is horror or the characters are at the climax of the story. Purely mechanic effects, on the other hand, rob wild magic of its flavor and encourage players to view it as just another type of magic. While requiring the DM to come up with wild surges requires more work, with some practice a DM can learn to use wild surges as minor plot devices while being able to ensure wild magic doesn’t become unbalancing or disruptive. At the same time, keep in mind that this is wild magic, and there are bound to be some strange and unusual outcomes to wild surges. There’s also nothing wrong with holding off on deciding how a wild surge manifests; maybe the effect was too subtle for the characters to notice immediately or maybe the forces of chaos are hanging over the caster’s head waiting for an appropriate outlet. A little suspense can go along way to add to the thrill of wild magic.

Chaos Taints and Epiphanies: Whenever a wild surge check rolls a 1 or 20 an extreme wild surge occurs in the form of a chaos taint or an epiphany respectively. Chaos taints are acquired when a spellcaster loses control over the chaotic energies and becomes a victim of the very forces they are attempting to channel. The spell itself may or may not work, but either way the wild mage has paid the price for experimenting with such power. Unlike most wild surges, chaos taints are detrimental effects that stay with the caster permanently, marking them with strange physical transformations or cursing them with supernatural ailments. The caster’s skin might change to the color and texture of stone, they may be accompanied by a soft wailing and cold wind wherever they walk, or they may feel the uncontrollable urge to yell hysterically whenever they sense magic being used on them. There’s no telling how a chaos taint will manifest, but they always serve as a hindrance to the mage or set them apart from their peers. Like most wild surges, the severity of a chaos taint is often based on the level of the spell being cast. In the end it’s up to the DM to determine if there are mechanical benefits or penalties for a given chaos taint. The character must find a way to live with their new condition as nothing short of wish spell can remove a chaos taint.

Epiphanies, on the other hand, are about the best thing a wild mage can hope for. Instead of losing control of their spell the forces of chaos opens the character’s eyes and allows them to view the multiverse in a completely new light. For an instant the character realizes how limited their perceptions have been and just how much reality bends to their will. Though not a miracle or wish spell per se, seemingly impossible events of good luck occur and the DM may even decide to ask the player for input as to what they would most desire as an outcome of the wild surge. While an epiphany may simply apply metamagic feats to the original spell or take the form of another spell of the character’s choice being cast, the DM should not feel constrained by the limits of a normal spell and instead attempt to invent unique and memorable results. A Harmonium patrol may suddenly round the corner and decide to help the characters subdue an opponent, a balor pursuing the party may find its wings breaking apart as if made of dust, or a portal may spontaneously open where there was none before. Others may mistake the events as mere coincidence, but the wild mage knows the truth. Just as chaos taints can be harsh awakenings to the perils of wild magic, epiphanies are an addictive taste to what it can accomplish.