The campaign sourcebook gives players a new land to explore. It also gives Dungeon Mas♎ters new dangers to throw at the players and new resources to help the players. One of these exciting new tools in the D𝔍M's playbook is a set of spells that mess with the concepts of time and space.
This new branch of magic is called Dunamancy, and it stems from a study of magic that can alter possibility itself. Its use is supposed to be restricted to a select group of wizards who stud❀y it, but clever DMs can find𝐆 a way for curious parties to tap into Dunamancy spells. Here are five of the cooler spells that... Dunamancers?... can learn.
Gift Of Alacrity
We've all been there: the party comes up against unexpected combat and is totally not prepared. The cl♈eric forgot to bestow the beginning of the day buffs. The bard didn't drink a potion and is still at half HP. And the ranger didn't use their bag of tricks to summon a helper yet. Oh well, as long as at least two people roll high initiative they can start off strong. And then... no one rolls above 11.
Gift of Alacrity is a neat little 1st-level spell that saves us from our terrible initiative rolls. It gives the target an extra 1d8 to its initiative rolls for eight hours. Throw it on the party member that needs to go first aܫnd never be caught slack-jawed and taking three enemy turns out of nowhere again.
Fortune's Favor
The Lucky feat is well-known for being a powerful feat any class can take. It essentially gives a player three guaranteed uses of inspiration a day whether the 🎶DM likes it or not. Fortune's Favor takes the concept of Lucky and allows casters to hand it out to their friends.
For a 2nd-level or higher spell slot, the caster can give one willing creature (plus one more for each extra level of spell slot) a luck point. It does all of the things luck does – it gives an additio𓂃nal d20 roll on attacks, ability checks, and saving throws or can force an enemy to reroll an attack – and lasts an hour. This spell will definitely become many parties' lifeline and will be cast by many a wizard at the beginning of a session.
Pulse Wave
Thunderwave is considered an essential 1st-level spell for most casters. Pulse Wave takes the idea of Thunderwave and makes it better. For a 3rd-level slot, the caster emits a 30-foot cone of force. Creatures caught in the cone must make a Constitution saving throw and take 6d6 force damage on a fail, and half on a success. Already that's an upgrade over Thunderwave's base 2d8 damage and 4d8 at 3rd level. But there's an🗹other effect of Pulse Wave that makes it more versatile.
Creatures who fail the save can be knocked back or pulled 🔥towards the caster 15 feet, caster's choice. This gives the caster even more control over the battlefield. They can play keep away with🔜 dangerous foes as usual or separate certain enemies from their pack. One could even pull a foe right into a waiting monk or barbarian's clutches.
Temporal Shunt
A lot of Dunamancy is messing with time, and the 5th-level Temporal Shunt embodies that perfectly. This spell is a reaction taken when a creature the caster can see makes an attack roll or casts a spell. The caster forces the attacker to make a Wisdom saving throw. U🙈pon a fail, the attacker is thrown forward in time. They reappear at the start of their next turn, unaware that whatever attack they were preparing just failed.
The usefuln🍌ess of Temporal Shunt is apparent. It can save an endangered ally from being hit by a deadly monster. Or it can take an annoying side enemy out of the fight while the party focuses on the big bad. It's definitely worth a 5th-level spell and is something m♕any casters will be asking their DM for.
Time Ravage
When the time comes for players to start slinging around 9th-level spells, D&D fully achieves its role as a power fantasy. Time Ravage continues this tradition by giving the caster the ability to fast forward a creature's entire life. The targeted creature must succeed a Constitution saving throw or take 10d12 necrotic damage. A save still means half of that damage. This damage🌸 takes the form of rapid aging, with the Constitution being just how well the target holds up to their body being suddenly thrust into sudden deterioration.
Even worse is the secondary effect of a failed save. The aging succeeds in bringing the target to 30 days before they wither and die. If that wasn't enough, their elderly body also betrays them. They have disadvantage on attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. Their walking sp💫eed is also halved. The only way to undo Time Ravage is to cast Wisꦐh or Greater Restoration at the 9th level. That's devastating for any creature that isn't a master spellcaster. It could also be a wicked spell for DMs to give to their big bads...
An advance copy of Explorer's Guide to Wildemount provided by Roll20 helped with this guide.