Incantation

An alternate method of creating spell-like effects. Available to anyone of the appropriate strength (ie level). Requires a special item called a Ritual Scroll, which is not consumed on use.

Note: names in [square brackets] are the PHB spell that this mimics.

Finding and Learning Incantations

The knowledge to perform an incantation is encoded into Ritual Scrolls. These are similar to spell scrolls of the same rarity, with the difference that they are not consumed on use but that performing the incantation requires reading from the enchanted scroll. Characters can prepare a Ritual Scroll following the same rules as crafting a spell scroll; the rarity of the incantation matches the rarity of the “spell scroll” created.

Successfully performing an incantation requires a certain strength of will above all. Mechanically, this translates into level requirements. Incantations come in similar rarities to magic items, with corresponding level requirements to perform.

Common incantations can be learned by anyone. They correspond to spells of levels 1-2 as well as cantrips.

Uncommon incantations require at least someone of level 5. They generally correspond to spells of levels 3-5.

Rare incantations require at least someone of level 11. They generally correspond to spells of levels 6-7.

Very Rare incantations require level 15 to perform. They generally correspond to 8th level spells.

Legendary incantations require someone of level 17 to perform. They correspond to 9th level spells.

Incantation Tags and Costs

Each incantation has one or more tags that summarize the costs associated with performing the ritual. The exact details are explained in the text of the incantation entry. The tags are listed below:

Costly (X): This incantation requires a component with value of at least X gp, and that component is consumed per performance.

Focus (X): This incantation requires a component with value of at least X gp, but that component is not consumed in the casting.

Debilitating (X): Performing this incantation is exhausting. If you perform it again before finishing a long rest, anyone participating gains X levels of exhaustion, with subsequent performances causing stacking penalties.

Debilitating (Major, X): Like Debilitating, except takes place immediately on first use per long rest as well as subsequent uses.

Exclusive: The effects of this incantation immediately end if the incantation is performed again or if the target of the incantation is targeted by any other incantation.

Cooldown (X): This incantation can only be performed once every X amount of time.

Group (N): This incantation requires N people who all know the incantation. All share in any negative effects/costs.

Location: This incantation can only be performed at specific locations as described in the text. Implies Immobile.

Immobile: Those performing the incantation cannot move more than 5 feet during the time required to perform the incantation and for the duration of the incantation; if they do, the incantation fails.

Each incantation also requires a certain amount of time to perform (generally more than one action). Since these are not spells, that does not trigger the need for concentration. Incantations that are not Group (2) or larger can be performed by multiple celebrants simultaneously. Having one or more extra participants reduces the time required by 1 step (see below) with a minimum of a full-round action. Each participant shares in the restrictions and penalties and must know the incantation to participate.

Time Steps

Full Round (takes effect at the beginning of the performer’s next turn, requires action, bonus action, and reaction and is interrupted by any damage) -> 1 minute -> 10 minutes -> 1 hour -> 4 hours -> 8 hours -> 24 hours.

Incantations by Rarity

Common Incantations

Alarm

Common, 10 minutes, duration 8 hours.

As the spell.

Animal Friendship

Common, Full round, Exclusive.

As spell, with a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. No upcast.

Animal Messenger

Common, 1 minute, Exclusive, Costly (Special).

As the spell, see special note.

Special: By burning a sachet of costly herbs worth at least 10 gp while performing this incantation, you can extend the duration by 24 hours for the first 10 gp worth of herbs and 24 hours for every 50 gp of herbs after that.

Arcane Lock

Common, 1 minute, Exclusive, Costly (25 gp of gold dust)

As the spell.

Augury

Common, 10 minutes, Focus (as spell), Special (see text).

As spell.

Continual Flame

Common, 1 minute, Costly (ruby dust worth 50 gp), Cooldown (1 hour)

As the spell.

Enthrall

Common, Full round (see text), Focus (a gold pendant worth at least 100 gp).

You weave a distracting string of words, causing creatures of your choice that you can see within range and that can hear you to make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. Any creature that can’t be charmed succeeds on this saving throw automatically, and if you or your companions are fighting a creature, it has advantage on the save. On a failed save, the target is blinded and deafened to all creatures other than you until one minute has passed or you stop performing the ritual (by incapacitation or otherwise). Once the effect ends for a target, they cannot be affected by it for 48 hours regardless of the source.

(Editor’s note: this one’s been buffed, heavily)

Extradimensional Refuge [Rope Trick]

Common, 1 minute, Debilitating (1)

As the spell

Floating Disk

Common, 10 minutes, Immobile

As the spell.

Gentle Repose

Common, Full round, Costly (2 cp).

This incantation prevents the decay of corpses for 10 days, prolonging the time over which the Resurrection incantation can be performed while still counting as an uncommon effect. This also increases the time that the Revivify spell will work. While in effect, it also prevents the raising of the target as undead.

Gift of Tongues, Lesser [Comprehend Languages]

Common, Full round action, Costly (a small fish worth 1 gp)

As the spell.

Identify

Common, 10 minutes, Focus (as spell).

As the spell.

Illusory Script

Common, 10 minutes, Costly (a lead based ink worth at least 10 gp)

As the spell.

Lockbreaker’s Boon

Common, 1 minute, Exclusive.

One creature touched gains proficiency with Thieves Tools for 10 minutes. If the target already had proficiency, they gain expertise instead. The incantation also creates a set of thieves tools made of solid force. When these tools are used on a door that was locked via Arcane Lock, the magical lock is suppressed for the duration of the attempt.

Magic Aura

Common, 10 minutes, Costly (silk worth 10 gp)

As the spell. Note: This does allow bypassing such things as glyphs of warding keyed to creature type.

Magic Mouth

Common, 10 minutes, Costly (10gp, a small bit of honeycomb and jade dust)

As the spell, with the following paragraph added.

The triggering circumstance can be as general or as detailed as you like, though it must be based on visual or audible conditions (the mouth has passive perception of 10 and no special senses such as darkvision) that occur within 30 feet of the object and cannot be triggered by another magic mouth effect. Triggering circumstances that involve significant logic may be rejected by the DM.

Mending

Common, 1 minute.

As the spell

Purify Food and Drink

Common, 10 minutes

As the spell.

(Editor’s note: I’m fine with spamming this, since it’s a ritual anyway).

Restoration [Lesser/Greater Restoration]

Common (see text), Variable time (see text), Costly (see text).

This incantation removes afflictions. The power depends on the time spent and the components expended:

Lesser Restoration (Full round, diamond dust worth 10 gp): The creature touched at the end of this ritual is cured of one disease afflicting it or one of the following conditions: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned.

Greater Restoration (1 hour, 100 gp of diamond dust, requires 5th level): The creature touched at the end of this ritual either reduces their exhaustion level by one or has one of the following effects ended:

• One effect that charmed or petrified the target
• One curse, including the target’s attunement to a cursed magic item
• Any reduction in one of the target’s ability scores
• One effect reducing the target’s hit point maximum

Unseen Servant

Common, 10 minutes, Costly (1 gp).

As the spell, although it cannot take any action that would directly or foreseeably cause damage to another creature (as decided by the DM, although rejected courses of action won’t burn its turns). Intent: This is a noncombatant and can’t directly help you in combat.

Voice the Voiceless [Speak with Animals, Speak with Plants, Speak with Dead]

Common (see text), 10 minutes, Debilitating (1, see text).

As the appropriate spell. Speaking with the dead requires level 5 and imposes Debilitating (1); the other options do not.

Water Breathing

Common, 10 minutes, Exclusive

As the spell

Water Walk

Common, 10 minutes

As the spell

Uncommon Incantations

Abjure Espionage [New]

Uncommon, 1 minute, Exclusive, Debilitating (1)

You ward a 30’ sphere around you against spying magics for 1 hour. Any spell or effect that would allow someone not in the area to see or hear the interior fails; no sound or vision can see into the area from the outside.

Special: if you expend a pearl worth at least 100 gp while performing this incantation, you can instead cause any foiled scrying attempt to see or hear a scene that you designate when you cast the spell. This scene can last up to 10 minutes, after which it loops to the beginning.

Augment Fertility [Plant Growth, partial]

Uncommon, 8 hours, Cooldown (1 week), Location (the place to be enriched)

You enrich the land. All plants in a half-mile radius centered on your location become enriched for 1 year. The plants yield twice the normal amount of food when harvested.

Clairvoyance

Uncommon, 10 minutes, Focus (a focus worth at least 100 gp, either a jeweled horn for hearing or a glass eye for seeing), Costly (herbs and incense worth 25 gp), Immobile.

As the spell, except that a creature that can see the sensor can attack and destroy it (AC 10, 1 HP, immune to all damage from anything but attacks)

Create Food and Water

Uncommon, 1 minute, Costly (45 sp), Exclusive, Cooldown (1 day)

As the spell

Divination

Uncommon, 10 minutes, Costly (incense and an appropriate sacrificial offering worth at least 25 gp), Cooldown (8 hours).

As the spell, except strike the last paragraph and note that while the answer will be truthful, it will be worded in a way to suit the entity’s interests, which may not be identical to your interests.

Dream Messenger [Dream]

Uncommon, 10 minutes, Focus (a body part, lock of hair, nail clipping, or some similar portion of the intended target).

This incantation shapes a creature's dreams. Choose a creature known to you as the target of this incantation. The target must be on the same plane of existence as you. Creatures that don't sleep, such as elves, can't be contacted by this incantation. You, or a willing creature you touch, enters a trance state, acting as a messenger. While in the trance, the messenger is aware of his or her surroundings, but can't take actions or move.

If the target is asleep, the messenger appears in the target's dreams and can converse with the target as long as it remains asleep, through the duration of the incantation. The messenger can also shape the environment of the dream, creating landscapes, objects, and other images. The messenger can emerge from the trance at any time, ending the effect of the incantation early. The target recalls the dream perfectly upon waking. If the target is awake when you cast the incantation, the messenger knows it, and can either end the trance (and the incantation) or wait for the target to fall asleep, at which point the messenger appears in the target's dreams.

The target is aware of the identity of the messenger and can choose to reject the message. If they do so, the incantation immediately ends.

Find the Path

Uncommon), 10 minutes, Focus (as spell.

As the spell.

Gift of Tongues, Greater [Tongues]

Uncommon, 10 minutes, Focus (a golden tongue worth 100 gp)

As the spell.

Instant Summons

Uncommon, 10 minutes, Costly (sapphire worth 1000 gp)

As the spell.

Legend Lore

Uncommon, 1 hour, Focus (as spell), Costly (as spell).

As the spell.

Nondetection

Uncommon, 10 minutes, Costly (as spell), Exclusive.

As the spell.

Phantom Steed

Uncommon, 10 minutes, Exclusive.

As the spell

Private Sanctum

Uncommon, 1 hour, Exclusive, Debilitating (1)

As the spell, without an upcast option.

Rapid Fortifications [Wall of Stone]

Uncommon, 10 minutes, Cooldown (10 minutes), Immobile

A non magical, permanent wall of solid stone forms at a point you choose within 120 ft over the duration of the incantation. The wall is 6 inches thick and is composed of ten 10-foot- by-10-foot panels. Each panel must be contiguous with at least one other panel. Alternatively, you can create 10-foot-by-20-foot panels that are only 3 inches thick. If the incantation is interrupted, the wall disappears.

The wall can have any shape you desire, though it can't occupy the same space as a creature or object. The wall doesn't need to be vertical or rest on any firm foundation. It must, however, merge with and be solidly supported by existing stone. Thus, you can use this incantation to bridge a chasm or create a ramp.

If you create a span greater than 20 feet in length, you must halve the size of each panel to create supports. You can crudely shape the wall to create crenellations, battlements, and so on.

The wall is an object made of stone that can be damaged and thus breached. Each panel has AC 15 and 30 hit points per inch of thickness. Reducing a panel to 0 hit points destroys it and might cause connected panels to collapse at the GM's discretion.

Resurrection (Raise Dead, Resurrection, True Resurrection)

Uncommon, Time varies (see text), Costly (see text), Group (see text), Location (see text)

This ritual is capable of restoring life to the dead. The cost and requirements depend on the condition of the target. The target must be a creature that did not die of old age and is not undead. Mortal wounds are healed, as well as any disease or poison that affected the target.

If the target has been dead less than 10 days and the body is intact, this ritual counts as an Uncommon incantation, with a minimum casting level of 5. Enacting this incantation requires an hour of casting and consumes 500 gold pieces worth of diamonds but no other requirements.

If the target has been dead more than 10 days but less than 100 years, this ritual counts as a Rare incantation with a minimum casting level of 11. Enacting this incantation requires 8 hours of casting and consumes 5,000 gold pieces worth of diamonds. Unless performed in a sanctified location or by a cleric with the Life domain, enacting this form requires Group (2).

If the target has been dead for more than 100 years or the body is destroyed, this ritual counts as a Legendary tier incantation with a minimum casting level of 17. Enacting this incantation requires a group of 4 eligible casters, 24 hours, and 15,000 gold pieces worth of diamonds. Unless one of the participants is a cleric with the Life domain or the incantation is performed in a sanctified location (via the hallow location incantation), the target cannot regain hit points or spell slots for 8 days and all participants and the target gain 2 levels of exhaustion. This weakness can be removed by greater restoration or wish.

Secure Shelter [Tiny Hut]

Uncommon, 10 minutes, Immobile

As the spell, with the following proviso. The dome of force is an object with an AC of 10 and a damage threshold of 10. Any attack or effect dealing more damage to the dome than this forces the performer of the incantation to make a Constitution saving throw as if he were concentrating on a spell and had taken that amount of damage. On a failed save, the dome vanishes.

Sending

Uncommon, Full round, Costly (gold-inlaid feathers of a blue bird worth at least 10 gp), Cooldown (1 hour)

You send a short message of twenty-five words or less to a creature with which you are familiar. The creature hears the message in its mind, recognizes you as the sender if it knows you, and can answer in a like manner immediately. The incantation enables creatures with Intelligence scores of at least 1 to understand the meaning of your message.

You can send the message across any distance and even to other planes of existence, but if the target is on a different plane than you, there is a 5 percent chance that the message doesn't arrive. The cooldown applies per sender.

Special: If both you and the target are willing, you can prolong the conversation by adding Debilitating (N), where N is 1 for every additional 25 word (in each direction) segment. Note: this does not impose penalties on this conversation, but does on any subsequent performances before you finish a long rest. The hearer also suffers this penalty if they attempt the ritual again before finishing a long rest.

Sense Location [Locate Animals or Plants, Locate Creature, Locate Object]

Uncommon, Full round, Debilitating (1), Focus (see text).

Choose either a type of animal or plant, a specific creature familiar to you, or an object that is familiar to you. The details are as the appropriate spell.

Animal or plant: Requires a focus of a carving of an animal or plant.

Creature: A carving of an eye worth at least 25 gp.

Object: A short forked stick.

Spell Trap (Glyph of Warding)

Uncommon, 1 hour, Costly (500 gp), Immobile

As the spell, but with the following conditions:

• The incantation cannot be performed in a demiplane or other extraplanar space. If the object on which it is inscribed is moved into such an extraplanar space, the effect immediately ends without being triggered.
• The glyph has no special senses and passive perception 10, but can detect creature types.
• If the Spell Glyph option is taken, the spell stored must either deal damage or conjure a creature hostile to the one who triggers it.

(Editor’s note: As noted by the name change, this is a trap, not a buffing device).

Telepathic Bond

Uncommon, 10 minutes, Group (2-8).

As the spell

Teleportation Circle

Uncommon, 10 minutes, Costly (as the spell), Cooldown (8 hours), Immobile

As you cast the spell, you draw a 10-foot-diameter circle on the ground inscribed with sigils that link your location to a permanent teleportation circle of your choice whose sigil sequence you know and that is on the same plane of existence as you. A shimmering portal opens within the circle you drew and remains open until the end of your next turn. Any creature that enters the portal instantly appears within 5 feet of the destination circle or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.

Many major temples, guilds, and other important places have permanent teleportation circles inscribed somewhere within their confines. Each such circle includes a unique sigil sequence--a string of magical runes arranged in a particular pattern. When you first gain the ability to cast this spell, you learn the sigil sequences for two destinations on the Material Plane, determined by the GM. You can learn additional sigil sequences during your adventures. You can commit a new sigil sequence to memory after studying it for 1 minute.

(Editor’s note: note the absence of the option to make permanent circles. That’s a plot/worldbuilding thing IMO.)

Teleport Trap [New]

Uncommon, 1 minute, Exclusive, Debilitating (1)

You ward an area up to 1000 sq ft by 20’ tall against teleportation for 24 hours. Choose one of the options below:

• When a creature attempts to teleport out of or within the area, they must make a DC 17 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, they are teleported to an area you designate and stunned for one minute. Stunned targets can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the stun effect on a save. On a success, the teleport succeeds normally but you are aware that it happened.
• When a creature attempts to teleport into the warded area, they must make a DC 17 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, they instead are shunted to a false destination (see the Teleport mishaps table). On a success, the teleport succeeds normally but you are aware that it happened and the creature does not appear until 1 minute after it should have normally appeared.

Transport via Plants

Uncommon, 1 minute, Immobile

As the spell

Zone of Truth

Uncommon, 1 minute, Immobile.

As spell, with a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.