Spontaneous Caster Specialty

A Class Warfare-like magician specialty for Dungeon World games.

You have an innate connection to magic that manifests as an ability to cast a limited selection of spells. The spells you know reflect your nature and personality, your psyche made real.

Compendium Class

Barring some extremely unusual magical accident or event, this specialty should only be taken at character creation.

Stats

If you choose the spontaneous caster specialty, you get +1 load, and lower your maximum HP by 2, but not lower than 4+Constitution.

Starting Moves

You start with all three of these moves:

Arcane Potential

Magic courses through your veins, which you can manifest as a repertoire of ingrained spells. Your repertoire starts with three cantrips. When you gain a level, add a new magic spell of your level or lower to your repertoire.

Gather Mojo

When you spend uninterrupted time (an hour or so) in quiet contemplation of your inner nature, hold mojo equal to twice your level, minus 2. Lose any mojo you previously held.

Tap the Source

When you cast a spell from your repertoire while holding at least as much mojo as the level of the spell, roll+CHA. On a 10+, the spell is successfully cast. On a 7-9, the spell is cast, but choose one:

• After it is cast, spend mojo equal to the level of the spell.
• The spell disturbs the fabric of reality as it is cast—take -1 ongoing to cast a spell until the next time you gather mojo.
• You draw unwelcome attention or put yourself in a spot. The GM will tell you how.

Advanced Moves

When you gain a level from 2-5, you may choose from these moves:

Empowered Magic

(requires: Tap the Source) When you cast a spell, on a 10+, you have the option of choosing from the 7-9 list. If you do, you may choose one of these as well:

• The spell’s effects are maximized.
• The spell’s targets are doubled.

Deep Connection

(requires: Gather Mojo) Choose a spell. You learn and cast that spell as if it were one level lower.

Expanded Repertoire

(requires: Arcane Potential) Add a new spell from the spell list of any class or archetype to your repertoire.

Improvisational Trick

(requires: Gather Mojo) When you create a fleeting advantage with raw magic, describe how you do it, then spend 1 mojo. Take +2 forward.

When you gain a level from 6-10, you may choose from these moves as well as the level 2-5 moves:

Deeper Connection

(requires: Deep Connection) Choose one spell in addition to the one you picked for Deep Connection. You prepare that spell as if it were one level lower.

Greater Empowered Magic

(replaces: Empowered Magic) When you cast a spell, on a 10-11, you have the option of choosing from the 7-9 list. If you do, you may choose one of the these effects as well. On a 12+, you get to choose one of these effects for free:

• The spell’s effects are doubled.
• The spell’s targets are doubled.

Spell Augmentation

(requires: Tap the Source) When you deal damage to a creature, you can shunt a spell’s energy into them—end one of your ongoing spells and add the spell’s level to the damage dealt.

Spontaneous Caster Alignments

You may choose one of these instead of a magician alignment:

Chaotic

Interfere with someone who opposes your nature.

Lawful

Pay the expected price when magic helps you.

Spontaneous Caster Bonds

• __________ has seen my true face.
• __________ can teach me much about myself, though they don't know it.
• __________ is somehow connected to my source of magic.

Spontaneous Caster Gear

Choose one:

• Adventuring gear (5 uses, 1 weight).
• Dungeon rations (5 uses, 1 weight).
• Healing potion.

Spontaneous Caster Races

You may choose one of these instead of a magician race option:

Elf

Magic is as natural as breath to you. You know Detect Magic in addition to your other spells, and you cast it as if it were a cantrip.

Halfling

Choose one of your first level spells. When you cast this spell, one aspect of its effects—area, damage, range, targets, etc—is doubled.

Human

Choose any first level spell and add it to your repertoire.