Darkness is the basic magic of concealment, secrets, and hidden power. Dark Magic can be used to enhance a weapon with shadowy strength, or slow someone down with dense shadows. Mastery of this Power allows you to steal from the banished gods and restrain demons. Dark Magic is a Rare Subskill, and each rank requires special advancement rules to learn. As a third generation Chaos Seed, the natural magics of The Land are not as familiar to you as are your normal “core” spells, but you may have the chance to learn, and improve on your Dark Magic abilities.
Unlike core campaign setting in Dungeons and Dragons, magic transcends type in the land, and falls into a series of Magic Types. There are eight Basic Magic types – Air Magic, Dark Magic, Death Magic, Earth Magic, Fire Magic, Life Magic, Light Magic, and Water Magic. There are higher level magics, such as Mental and Chaos, but you are not yet ready to understand them. You may gain access to one of the Basic Magics as you adventure in the Red Venom Plains. Use this guide to process the benefits of gaining a rank in Dark Magic.
The Benefits of being an Dark Mage
Rank 1:
Cost: 10 Days of Downtime, plus special access for Dark Magic Rank 1.
Benefit: You gain an extra spell slot, which can be used once per Long Rest. This slot can be used to cast either a Rank 1 Dark Magic spell that you have access too, or a Level 1 Core spell with the Dark descriptor (see the list below). You do not have to be of the associated class to cast it; it becomes a bonus spell for you. It does not get added to your spell list, so if you do not otherwise know it, you can only cast it once per day. If it has a DC, it uses your preferred DC; if you do not, choose Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom. Your DC is 8 + your Proficiency bonus + your preferred modifier from those three skills. You cannot apply class skills (such as a Sorcerer’s Metamagic skill) to this spell, but you can apply Metamagic Subskills, if you know any. Additionally, when you cast either an Dark Magic spell or a Core spell with the Dark descriptor, you gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls if the spell does damage.
Rank 2:
Cost: 20 Additional Days of Downtime, plus special access for Dark Magic Rank 2.
Benefit: In addition to the benefits of previous ranks, you gain another bonus spell slot, but this one can be of any Dark Magic spell of Rank 2 or lower, or Core spell with the Dark descriptor of level 2 or lower. This spell follows the same rules as bonus spells of previous ranks. Additionally, when you cast an Dark Magic spell or a Core spell with the Dark Descriptor, its DC is increased by 1, assuming it has a DC.
Additional Ranks will be revealed as the campaign advances.
Core Spells with the Dark Descriptor:
Cantrips: Chill Touch, Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Resistance, Sapping Sting, Shillelagh
1st Level: Arms of Hadar, Bane, Chaos Bolt, Chromatic Orb, Disguise Self, Find Familiar, Illusory Script, Mage Armor, Sleep, Unseen Servant, Wrathful Smite
2nd Level: Alter Self, Augury, Blindness/Deafness, Cloud of Daggers, Darkness, Darkvision, Flock of Familiars, Magic Mouth, Magic Weapon, Nathair’s Mischief, Phantasmal Force, Shadow Blade, Summon Beast (Shadowy Creatures only)
