The Old Magic

The spellcasting and magic system in CORE20 will be familiar to anyone who’s ever unleashed a fireball in a d20 fantasy game. But with the baseline rules of the game built on a mythic foundation in which gods and deities aren’t real, extant figures constantly messing around with the mortal realm, I knew that I wanted to do something different with the idea of animyst domains (the cleric domains of D&D, with clerics rebranded for a “no gods, all monsters” kind of milieu).

Bonus Spells! Huzzah!

The first iteration of domains in the CORE20 alpha playtest (version 3.0, back when the game was still called d20 CORE) detached them from the portfolios of deities to make them more about the philosophy or focus of a particular animyst or animyst order. They used the model of domains in D&D 3.5e (which look a fair bit like domains in 5e), granting a special power and a number of bonus spells at different levels. They also inspired the creation of an analogous setup for druidas casters called dominions at the time (now druidas creeds). 

However, this setup had a problem right from the get-go, insofar as bonus spells are cool and all, but the utility of bonus spells falls off unless your character is a dedicated caster focused on hitting as high a caster level as possible. And although that kind of singular focus works fine in a class-based game, it really works against the “be whatever you want to be” ethos of CORE20 character building.

What Came Before

For version 7 of the CORE20 alpha playtest — which is the same exact ruleset as version 1 of the open beta playtest — I rebuilt domains and creeds from the ground up by looking to have them fill a space in the magic rules that I hadn’t yet filled. One of the things that’s always bothered me about D&D spellcasting is a lack of any sense of what the history of magic and spellcasting looks like in the game world. The D&D baseline of “Gods! More gods!” is part of this problem, with any number of standard campaign settings talking about how magic and spellcasting were gifts of one or more gods, who dropped that knowledge and skill into the world ready-made.

I love the idea of history underpinning an RPG and its worlds. I love the idea of magic being a part of the world that evolved over time, starting small then improving and expanding in the same way that language and science and culture and politics evolve throughout history. So I asked myself the question: If spellcasting as we know it in the game is the current end point of the evolution of magic, what came before it? And I realized that domains and creeds could answer that question.

In CORE20, animys domains and druidas creeds represent an older magic, predating spellcasting by more than a millennium. A kind of personal and limited magic, the features granted by domains and creeds were the basis on which spellcasting was later developed. The spellcasting arts came to be because of the limited power and personal nature of domain and creed magic, and a desire to create a codified system of magic that would increase in power. (“Magic Among the Worldborn” in the “Introduction” section of the CORE20 Playtest Magic Grimoire talks at length about the history and evolution of magic in the game.)

Excerpt

The following excerpt from chapter 10 of the CORE20 Playtest Player’s Guide introduces animys domains and shows off a few common domain powers to set up the look and feel and domain and creed magic. The Player’s Guide features a whopping forty-six domain feats, each of them a unique magical power. Druidas creed feature the same number of feats, with a bit of crossover to underline how animys magic evolved from druidas magic way back. And because domains and creeds are meant to represent a personal approach to magic, they make great fodder for players and GMs who want to expand the range of domain and creed feats in their games.

You can find information on domains and domain feats starting on page 343 of the CORE20 Playtest Player’s Guide, with info on creeds and creed feats starting on page 360.

• • •

Animys Domains

An animys domain is a magical and philosophical doctrine that provides a focus for an animyst’s magic and spellcasting. A domain might represent the training of an animyst order or temple, a certain aspect of one of the old gods or the tenets of a new cult, or an entirely personal devotion to specific principles of magic and life.

A character takes the Domain of Faith feat to select a domain, then can take additional feats to gain unique magical features or specialized spells related to their domain.

The Old Magic

In the oldest records of druidas and animys traditions, formally recorded millennia ago but older by far, druidas creeds and animys domains were the earliest means of manipulating life magic. The magical abilities bestowed by creed feats and domain feats predated the development of spell magic, and the relatively limited power of creed and domain magic is thought to have inspired the initial development of life magic spellcasting.

In their earliest forms, creeds and domains were often part of complex cultural and faith traditions that limited their use, restricting domains to the followers of deities thought to control the power of those domains. However, such strictures are all but unknown today. Characters who are part of an organized faith or magical association might be directed by custom to take up only certain domains — for example, a member of an order of animyst healers who exclusively take the good, healing, or protection domains. There are otherwise no restrictions on what creeds or domains a character can select.

Animal Domain

The animal domain embodies the power and spirit of all beasts of forest and tundra, plain and sea. Animysts who choose this domain are drawn to the tenaciousness and dignity of animals, whether they demonstrate that as noble strength or feral fury. 

Chaos Domain

The chaos domain embodies the chaotic and unpredictable nature of existence and the inexorable march of time and decay. Those who follow this domain are agents of change and upheaval, creation or destruction, whether they tear order down to see what new order forms in its place, or revel in the sheer joy of disorder.

Death Domain

Those animysts who follow the death domain are fascinated by the mysteries of mortality, seeking always to understand the balance between death and life. Some see themselves as agents of death, protecting the sanctity of life until such time as creatures who meet their end can do so on their own terms. Others are agents of death, bringing an end to those they judge as deserving it.

Fire Domain

The fire domain embodies the fierce power of flame, and those who follow it are often driven by emotions whose energy fuels their actions and beliefs. They seek to control and direct fire in all its mundane and magical forms, and understand that the cleansing power of flame must sometimes be allowed to scour the world clean.

The philosophy and magic of the clerical fire domain are identical to that of the druidas fire creed.

Trickery Domain

The trickery domain embraces deception and cunning. Those who follow this domain use their magic to outwit adversaries and weave protective artifice around those they defend, and often support that magic with natural gifts of diplomacy and duplicity.

War Domain

Combat and martial prowess are the province of animysts who follow the war domain. Their study of magic focuses on force of will and skill at arms, whether they strive to protect allies in battle, to vanquish foes, or to stand up for those whose lives war would destroy.

The philosophy and magic of the animys war domain are identical to that of the druidas war creed.

• • •

Animal Aggression

Your magic controls the temperament of animals around you in combat.

Prerequisites: Domain of Faith (animal) ×1.

Benefit: As a minor action, you incite a shift in the belligerence of each animal within 30 feet of you. You choose whether to grant a target animal a d6 boon on attack rolls and combat maneuver skill checks, or to impose a d6 bane on attack rolls and combat maneuver skill checks, with either effect lasting for 1 minute.

You can use this feat a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum three times). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. 

This is a magical feature.

Mastery: You can take this feat once, at a cost of 1 feat slot.

Chaos Burst

A chaotic surge of energy courses through nearby foes.

Prerequisites: Domain of Faith (chaos) ×1.

Benefit: One creature you can observe within 15 feet takes 1d4 damage of a random type, rolled for on the following table:

d10    Damage Type 

 1       Acid

 2       Cold

 3       Fire

 4       Force

 5       Lightning

 6       Necrotic

 7   Psychic

 8       Radiant

 9      Thunder

10     Choose

If the target takes less than 4 damage, another creature you can observe within 15 feet of the previous target takes 1d4 damage of the same type. You repeat this process until a target takes 4 damage or you run out of targets. A creature can take damage only once from each use of Chaos Burst.

You can use this feat a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum three times). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

This is a magical feature.

Mastery: You can take this feat once, at a cost of 1 feat slot.

Death Touch

You drain the last dregs of life from a dying creature.

Prerequisites: Domain of Faith (death) ×1.

Benefit: As a standard action, you touch a dying creature to automatically impose three failed death saves on them. If the dying creature is not immobilized or unconscious, you must hit them with an unarmed strike to touch them.

You can use this feat a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum three times). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. 

This is a magical feature.

Mastery: You can take this feat once, at a cost of 1 feat slot.

Fiery Rebuke

Adversaries who challenge you feel the heat of your wrath.

Prerequisites: Creed of Nature (fire) ×1 or Domain of Faith (fire) ×1.

Benefit: When you are hit by an attack, you can use a reaction to deal 1d6 fire damage to one adversary you can observe within 30 feet of you. 

You can use this feat a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum three times). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. 

This is a magical feature.

Mastery: You can take this feat once, at a cost of 1 feat slot.

Trickster’s Spirit

Your natural proclivity for trickery is temporarily honed by your magic.

Prerequisites: Domain of Faith (trickery) ×1.

Benefit: As a minor action, you gain a d6 boon on skill checks made using Charisma for 1 minute.

You can use this feat a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum three times). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. 

This is a magical feature.

Mastery: You can take this feat once, at a cost of 1 feat slot.

Warrior’s Aid

Your magic lets an ally evade the most potent attacks.

Prerequisites: Creed of Nature (war) ×1 or Domain of Faith (war) ×1.

Benefit: When an ally you can observe within 30 feet is subject to critical hit, you can use a reaction to turn the attack into a regular hit.

You can use this feat a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum three times). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. 

This is a magical feature.

Mastery: You can take this feat once, at a cost of 1 feat slot.

Illustration by Eric Pommer