One of the most dangerous traditions of magic, the powers of Chaos appeal to those in the grip of madness, nihilists who care nothing for the consequences of their actions, and the thoroughly wicked who delight in wreaking havoc.
For all its perils, the tradition offers insights into the workings of magic by allowing casters to apprehend the energy in its purest, rawest form, and thus some come to this tradition in search of that greater understanding.
Chaos magic works by releasing a burst of raw, magical energy and then using a loose framework to direct the energy into some useful or semi-useful effect. Although it can be unpredictable, Chaos magic’s appeal comes from how it can boost other magic and thus surpass what would normally be possible. No wonder, then, that the tradition is favored by sorcerers.
Chaos and Order
Chaos and Order do not play well together. Chaos spells are never affected by effects created by Order spells, and vice versa. For example, if you cast the chaos shield spell you would still roll the d6 after resolving the attack, ignoring the effect of the Order spell on the area.
Chaos Boon
Duration 1 minute
For the duration, you roll a chaos die (a d6) whenever you make an attack roll or a challenge roll. You apply an odd number as a penalty to the d20 roll and an even number as a bonus to the roll.
Chaos Shield
Duration 1 minute
Colors dance around you and dapple your body for the duration. The colors emit light in a 2-yard radius centered on a point in your space. Whenever a creature makes an attack roll against you, the colors impose 1 bane on the attack roll. After resolving the attack, roll a d6. On a 3 or lower, the spell ends.
Triggered On your turn, you can use a triggered action to cast this spell.
Chaotic Eruption
Area A 1-yard-radius sphere centered on a point in your space
Vibrant colors rush out from you and dissipate. Each creature in the area, including you, must make a Strength challenge roll with 1 bane. On a failure, roll a d6. On a 4 or higher, the creature is moved 1d6 yards in a straight line away from the area’s origin point in a direction you choose. On a 3 or lower, the creature becomes impaired for 1 round.
Triggered On your turn, you can use a triggered action to cast this spell.
Erratic Bolt
Target One creature or object within medium range
A sparkling, fizzing blob of color flies from your hand. Make a Will attack roll against the target’s Agility. On a success, the target takes 1d6 damage. After the attack roll, roll a d6. On a 6, repeat the attack against a different target, friend or foe, within medium range of the previous target. You choose the target if more than one is possible.
Attack Roll 20+ The target takes 1d6 extra damage.
Capricious Devastation
Target One creature or object within medium range
A flickering ball of energy leaps from your hand. Make a Will attack roll against the target’s Agility and roll a d6. You apply an odd number as a penalty to the attack roll and an even number as a bonus to the roll. On a success, the target takes 2d6 damage, plus 2d6 extra damage if you had a penalty on the attack roll from this spell.
Attack Roll 20+ The target also teleports 1d6 yards to an open space in a direction you choose.
Fold Space
Roll 2d6. You teleport to an open space of your choice within a number of yards equal to the total of the roll.
Triggered You can use a triggered action to cast this spell on your turn. If you do so, you roll 1d6 instead of 2d6 to determine the distance teleported.
Iridescent Shield
Duration 1 hour; see the effect
A shimmering, colorful field springs into existence around you. Roll a d6 and add the number as a bonus to your Defense. Each time a creature makes an attack against your Defense, reduce this bonus by 1 (to a minimum of 0, which ends the effect).
Randomness
Area A 3-yard-radius sphere centered on a point you can reach
A burst of color spreads through the area, making each creature in it subject to randomness for 1 minute. Creatures affected by this spell double the numbers rolled on boons or banes, such that a roll of 6 would count as a roll of 12.
At the end of each round, each creature affected by this spell must make a Will challenge roll. On a failure, the creature gains 1 Insanity.
Unlikely Transformation
Target One living creature within short range
You hurl colors at the target. Make a Will attack roll against the target’s Strength. On a success, the target becomes impaired for 1 round, as its body seems to rearrange itself for a moment. When the target is impaired in this way, it is also frightened.
Each creature within short range of the target and that can see it must get a success on a Will challenge roll with 1 bane or become frightened for 1 round.
Attack Roll 20+ You also cause the target to assume the form of a small animal (Shadow, page 217), as if it had been affected by a Transformation spell. The target remains in this form for 1 minute or until it takes any damage.
Chaos Unleashed
Area A 5-yard-radius sphere centered on a point you can reach
Duration 1 minute
A buzzing cloud of sparkling lights spreads through the area and remains for the duration. The cloud grants 2 boons to attack rolls made by creatures in the area when they cast attack spells and imposes 2 banes on challenge rolls made by creatures outside the area to resist attack spells cast from within the area. When a creature in the area casts any spell, however, it must get a success on a Will challenge roll or take 1d6 damage from exposure to the chaotic energy.
Chromatic Lance
Target One living creature within medium range
A braided rainbow leaps from your hand. Make a Will attack roll against the target’s Agility. On a success, the target takes 2d6 + 5 damage. Then, roll a d6. On a 3 or lower, the target takes half damage from all sources for 1d6 rounds thereafter. On a 4 or higher, the target takes double damage from all sources for 1d6 rounds thereafter.
Color of Magic
Target A point in space within medium range
A colorful globe speeds from your hand toward the target. When it reaches that point, or if it encounters a solid creature or object before then, it explodes. Chaotic, colorful energy spreads through a 1-yard-radius sphere centered on the target or on a point in the creature’s or object’s space. Everything in the area takes 1d6 + 1 damage. If you rolled an odd number on the damage die, everything in the area takes 3d6 extra damage.
Flicker
Duration 1d6 minutes
You pop in and out of existence. At the end of each round for the duration, roll a d6. You teleport to an open space within a number of yards equal to the number rolled. If the number was odd, the GM chooses where you appear. If even, you choose.
Chaos Orb
Target A point you can see on a solid surface within medium range
You gather up and throw a ball of unruly, chaotic energy at the target. When the ball reaches its destination or if it encounters a solid surface before then, it explodes into a 3-yard-radius sphere centered on the point it struck. The energy deals 3d6 damage to everything in the area. A creature in the area can make an Agility challenge roll and takes half the damage on a success.
Then, roll a d6. On an odd number, the spell ends. On an even number, the ball bounces 1d6 yards. Roll a d6: you choose the direction on an even number, and the GM chooses a direction on an odd number. When the ball lands at the new point, it releases a pulse as described above. A creature can take damage from this spell only once per round per casting of the spell, regardless of how many times it finds itself in the area of its pulse. Roll a d6 again to determine if the ball continues bouncing or the spell ends. Continue this process until the spell ends.
Chaotic Lance
Area A shapeable line, 15 yards long and 2 yards wide, originating from a point you can reach
A stream of colorful energy spreads through the area. Each creature in the area must make a Will challenge roll. It takes 5d6 + 5 damage on a failure, or heals 2d6 + 5 damage on a success.
Scintillating Worms
Target Up to three creatures within medium range
You fling out your hand to release one writhing, scintillating tendril toward each of the targets. For each tendril, make a Will attack roll against the target’s Agility. On a failure, the tendril dissipates. On a success, the tendril touches the target, vanishes into it, and causes light to shine out from the target’s eyes and orifices in a 10-yard radius for 1 minute. The light grants 1 boon on attack rolls made against an affected target. When a target emitting light in this way would take a turn, roll a d6 and consult the following table to see what the target does.
d6 | Effect |
---|---|
1 | The target cannot use an action or move. Instead, it experiences maddening revelations and gains 1d3 Insanity. |
2 | The target becomes immobilized for 1 round, during which time it floats 1d6 yards in the air. When the effect ends, the target falls to the ground. |
3 | The target can act normally, but it makes attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 bane. |
4 | The light shining from the target causes it to catch fire. The target takes 1d6 damage at the end of each round until a creature uses an action to extinguish the flames. The target can act normally. |
5 | The target teleports to an open space of its choice within short range and then can act normally. |
6 | The target can act normally. It makes attack rolls and challenge rolls with 3 boons until the end of its turn. |
Wild Magic
Area A sphere with a radius of 1d6 yards centered on a point you can reach
Weird lights, strange sounds, and other oddness spreads out through the area. Roll a d20 to see what happens.
d20 Roll | Effect |
---|---|
1 | 1d6 small demons appear in open spaces within the area. They are not friendly. |
2-3 | Each creature in the area gains 1 Insanity. |
4-5 | Each creature in the area makes attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 bane for 1 round. |
6-8 | Each creature in the area takes 3d6 + 5 damage, or half the damage with a success on a Strength challenge roll. |
9-13 | You regain the casting of this spell. |
14-15 | Each creature in the area heals 3d6 + 5 damage. |
16-17 | Each creature in the area makes attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 boon for 1 round. |
18-19 | Each creature in the area can take one extra turn before the end of the next round. |
20 | You regain the casting of one rank 3 or lower spell. |
Mirror Field
Area A shapeable line, 10 yards long, 5 yards tall, and 1 yard wide, originating from a point within medium range
Duration 1 minute
A mirror-like barrier fills the area for the duration, totally obscuring the area behind it. When a creature enters its space, roll a d6. An even number causes the creature to move 1 yard through the barrier to an open space on the other side (it chooses the direction). An odd number teleports the creature to an open space of your choice on a solid horizontal surface within a number of yards equal to the number rolled.
Strange Changes
Area A cube of space, up to 5 yards on a side, originating from a point within short range
Chaos afflicts everything in the area. Each object in it that is not worn or carried by a creature warps, twists, and changes color. The object’s functionality is unchanged, however.
Each creature in the area must make a Will challenge roll with 1 bane. A creature gains 1 Insanity on a failure, or on a success becomes subject to a random change. Roll a d6 for each creature that gets a success and consult the following table.
d6 | Effect |
---|---|
1 | The creature becomes a monster (Shadow, page 246) of its Size and uses the statistics of its new form in place of its own. The effect lasts until the target becomes injured or incapacitated, or until you complete a rest. |
2 | The creature gains the horrifying trait for 1 minute. |
3 | The creature’s Size increases by 1d6 for 1 minute. If there is not sufficient space for a creature of its new Size, the target takes 5d6 damage and the effect ends immediately. |
4 | The creature’s Size, but nothing it wears or carries, becomes 1/2 for 1 minute. |
5 | The creature teleports to an open space of your choosing within 1 mile of you. |
6 | The creature gains a +20 bonus to its Health and makes all attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 boon. The effect lasts for 1 minute. |
Attack Roll 20+ Roll twice to see what happens to the creature and apply both effects to it.
Unchained Probabilities
Target A 10-yard-radius sphere centered on a point you can reach
Duration 1 minute
A wave of electric blue light spreads through the area and remains for the duration, periodically making odd musical noises and flashing lights, and turning darkness in the area into shadows.
Until the effect ends, when a creature in the area would make an attack roll or a challenge roll, it must roll two additional d20s, and you roll a d6. If you roll an odd number, the triggering creature uses the lowest number rolled on any d20. If you roll an even number, the triggering creature uses the highest number rolled on any d20.
Sacrifice You can use an action and expend a casting of this spell to cast the wild magic spell.
Chaos Vortex
Area A cylinder, 10 yards tall with a 5-yard radius, centered on a point within long range
Duration Concentration, up to 1 minute
Brightly glowing vapors and flashing lights spread through the area and swirl around to heavily obscure it. The vortex remains for the duration.
Each time you use an action to concentrate on this spell, you can make a Will challenge roll and move it up to 5 yards across the ground on a success. On a failure, the GM moves the vortex up to 5 yards in any direction.
Any creature with a Health score of 15 or lower in the vortex’s space when it appears or that enters it dies, and its body along with everything it wears and carries, except for relics, breaks apart into colorful clouds that join the vortex. Relics fall to the ground in the vortex’s space, unharmed.
Creatures with Health scores higher than 15 in the vortex’s space when it appears or that enter it must make a Will challenge roll. A creature takes 4d6 damage from the wild energy on a failure, or half the damage on a success. A creature can take this damage only once per round per casting of the spell, regardless of how many times it enters the vortex’s space during that round.
Finally, whenever a creature within medium range of the vortex casts a spell, roll a d6 and consult the following table:
d6 | Effect |
---|---|
1 | A pulse of energy spreads 1d6 yards out from the vortex and dissipates. Everything in the area of the pulse and outside the space of the vortex must get a success on an Agility challenge roll or take 2d6 damage. |
2 | The vortex moves 1d6 yards toward the triggering creature. |
3 | Nothing happens. |
4 | The vortex moves 1d6 yards away from the triggering creature. |
5 | The vortex adds 1d3 yards to its radius. |
6 | A pulse of energy spreads 2d6 yards out from the vortex and dissipates. The energy deals 5d6 damage to everything it touches. A creature that would take this damage can make an Agility challenge roll and takes half the damage on a success. |
Shape Magic
You bend and twist the magical energy released when you cast this spell so that it takes a useful form. Choose a spell from any tradition that is of rank 5 or lower. Make a Will challenge roll with a number of banes equal to the rank of the chosen spell. On a success, you cast the chosen spell. On a failure, the magic gets away from you and explodes in a sphere with a radius in yards equal to the rank of the spell you chose. You and everything in the area take 6d6 damage. A creature in the area that gets a success on a Will challenge roll instead takes half damage.
Singularity
Area A sphere with a 10-yard radius centered on a point in space within long range
Duration 1 round
A roiling clot of color appears at the origin point and remains for the duration. When you cast the spell, unsecured objects in the area are moved 2d6 yards toward the origin point.
Each creature within the area when you cast the spell or that enters the area must make a Strength challenge roll with 1 bane. On a failure, the creature is moved 2d6 yards toward the origin point and cannot move away from it for the duration. Any creature or object that reaches that point takes 10d6 damage. If it becomes incapacitated by this damage, it is erased utterly from existence, its body and soul vanishing forever.
When the effect ends, the clot explodes, dealing 4d6 damage to everything in the spell’s area. Each creature in the area must make a Strength challenge roll. It falls prone on a failure, or just takes half the damage on a success.