Cathartic MageLegacy Content
Source Secrets of Magic pg. 194 1.1Emotions are powerful, and you can tap into that power to enhance your magic for a time. You learn to harness a particular emotional state under the right conditions, but be warned: emotions are volatile and destructive if left unchecked. The experience often leaves you reeling from the unhindered emotion, requiring a rest or distraction before tapping into it again.
Click here for more rules on using this archetype.Legacy Content
Uncommon Archetype Dedication Source Secrets of Magic pg. 194 1.1Archetype Cathartic MagePrerequisites Charisma 14, or ability to cast spells from spell slots
You've learned to harness a particular emotion and mix it into your magic. Choose an emotion from the Emotional States section below to be your catharsis emotion.
If you don't already cast spells from spell slots, you learn to cast spontaneous spells and gain the Cast a Spell activity. You gain a spell repertoire with one cantrip of your choice, from a spell list of your choice. You choose this cantrip from the common spells on your chosen spell list or from other spells to which you have access on that list. You're trained in spell attack rolls and spell DCs for that tradition. Your key spellcasting ability for these spells is Charisma.
If you can already cast spells from spell slots, you learn one additional cantrip from your spellcasting tradition. If you're a prepared caster, you can prepare this spell in addition to your usual cantrips per day; if you're a spontaneous caster, you add this cantrip to your spell repertoire.
You gain the Catharsis reaction and the Settle Emotions activity.
Catharsis [reaction] (
concentrate,
emotion,
mental)
Trigger determined by your catharsis emotion;
Effect You gain the catharsis activation effects listed for your catharsis emotion. You gain that emotion's emotional fervor benefits for 3 rounds. When your emotional fervor ends, you suffer the listed emotional fallout. After using Catharsis, you can't use it again until you use the Settle Emotions activity.
Settle Emotions (
concentrate,
emotion,
mental) You spend 10 minutes using techniques you've developed to calm your emotions and bring them back under control. This allows you to access your Catharsis again.
Special You can't select another dedication feat until you've gained two other feats from the cathartic mage archetype.
Legacy Content
Archetype Source Secrets of Magic pg. 195 1.1Archetype Cathartic MagePrerequisites Cathartic Mage Dedication
You gain the
basic spellcasting benefits. Each time you gain a spell slot of a new level from this archetype, add a spell of that spell level from your chosen tradition to your repertoire—either a common spell or another spell you've learned or discovered.
Legacy Content
Archetype Source Secrets of Magic pg. 195 1.1Archetype Cathartic MagePrerequisites Cathartic Mage Dedication
You learn the focus spell listed under your emotion's entry. You can cast it only while in emotional fervor. If you don't already have one, you gain a focus pool of 1 Focus Point, which you can
Refocus while you use
Settle Emotions.
Legacy Content
Archetype Concentrate Source Secrets of Magic pg. 195 1.1Archetype Cathartic MagePrerequisites Cathartic Mage DedicationRequirements You have a reaction available and aren't prevented from using Catharsis.
You concentrate on your mental state, tapping into that raw emotional energy. Take your
Catharsis reaction, causing the catharsis activation and entering your emotional fervor as normal. The fervor lasts only until the end of your turn. At the end of your emotional fervor, you experience the effects of your emotional fallout, as normal.
Legacy Content
Archetype Source Secrets of Magic pg. 195 1.1Archetype Cathartic MagePrerequisites Basic Cathartic Spellcasting
You gain the
expert spellcasting benefits.
Legacy Content
Archetype Source Secrets of Magic pg. 195 1.1Archetype Cathartic MagePrerequisites Cathartic Mage Dedication
When you use
Catharsis, one ally within 30 feet gains the catharsis activation benefits in addition to you. If these benefits require an emotional focus, they use your emotional focus as they're experiencing an empathic imprint of your emotions. Depending on the activation benefit, it might be impossible to grant it to an ally; for instance, pride could only have an effect for an ally if both you and the ally critically failed the same saving throw against the same effect.
Legacy Content
Archetype Source Secrets of Magic pg. 195 1.1Archetype Cathartic MagePrerequisites Expert Cathartic Spellcasting
You gain the
master spellcasting benefits.
Emotional States
The following emotional states are used in the Cathartic Mage archetype. Each emotional state's entry lists the following pieces of information.
Catharsis Trigger The event or conditions you must meet to take your Catharsis reaction.
Catharsis Activation The benefit when you use Catharsis.
Emotional Fervor Benefits you gain for 3 rounds after you use Catharsis. This entry also lists a spell you're able to cast while in your emotional fervor. You must expend a spell slot to cast it. This slot most be of at least the spell's level, and the spell is automatically heightened to the level of slot you expended.
Emotional Fallout The effect you experience when your emotional fervor ends.
Focus Spell The focus spell you gain if you select the Cathartic Focus Spell archetype feat.
Anger
Source Secrets of Magic pg. 196 1.1Your destructive wrath allows you to harm your foes but causes you pain in the process.
Catharsis Trigger An enemy deals damage to you. You can't use this reaction if you're
fatigued.
Catharsis Activation If you're
grabbed,
immobilized, or
restrained, you can attempt to
Escape. If you succeed, the creature or hazard imposing the condition on you (if applicable) takes force damage equal to your level.
Emotional Fervor When you Cast a Spell from your spell slots, if the spell deals damage and doesn't have a duration, you gain a status bonus to that spell's damage equal to the spell's level. Spell:
draw ireEmotional Fallout You become
fatigued until you Settle your Emotions.
Focus Spell athletic rushAwe
Source Secrets of Magic pg. 196 1.1Your powerful sense of wonderment can be infectious and distracting.
Catharsis Trigger You or an ally within 30 feet critically succeeds on an attack roll against an enemy's AC or a skill check against one of an enemy's DCs.
Catharsis Activation If you're
fascinated or
stupefied, you can attempt an additional save to end the effect if it allowed a save.
Emotional Fervor When you cast a spell, choose one creature that was hit by your spell attack roll or that failed its saving throw, if any. That creature becomes fascinated with you until the end of its next turn. It's then temporarily immune to this fervor effect for 1 hour. Spell:
glitterdustEmotional Fallout You become
flat-footed until you Settle your Emotions.
Focus Spell dazzling flash (doesn't require a
religious symbol)
Dedication
Source Secrets of Magic pg. 196 1.1Your commitment protects those you are dedicated to but can lead to dependency. Your emotional focus is an individual creature you're bound to (see Emotional Focus sidebar above.
Catharsis Trigger Your emotional focus takes damage from an enemy while within 30 feet of you.
Catharsis Activation Your emotional focus gains a number of temporary Hit Points equal to half your level rounded up. These temporary HP last for 1 minute.
Emotional Fervor Your spells that target your emotional focus gain the benefits of
Reach Spell. When you cast a
healing spell that affects your emotional focus, your emotional focus also gains temporary HP equal to the spell's level in addition to the spell's effects. These temporary HP last for 1 minute. Spell:
spirit linkEmotional Fallout Until you Settle your Emotions, you can't Cast Spells unless you're adjacent to your emotional focus.
Focus Spell protector's sacrificeFear
Source Secrets of Magic pg. 196 1.1You let your fear fuel you, rather than consume you, but it burns your endurance.
Catharsis Trigger An enemy makes you
frightened.
Catharsis Activation Increase your frightened value by 1, to a maximum of frightened 4.
Emotional Fervor You don't take the status penalty from the frightened condition to your spell DCs or spell attack bonus. Instead, you gain a status bonus to spell attack rolls equal to the penalty you would've taken, and your foes take the same status penalty to their saving throws against your spells. Any other statistic takes the status penalty as normal. Spell:
fearEmotional Fallout You are
fleeing for 2 rounds, running from the source of the frightened condition that triggered your Catharsis. If that source is no longer present, you instead flee from the position where you were at the start of your emotional fallout.
Focus Spell waking nightmareHatred
Source Secrets of Magic pg. 196 1.1Your unabashed hatred consumes your soul and causes your foe to falter. Your emotional focus is an individual enemy you detest (see Emotional Focus sidebar on page 197).
Catharsis Trigger You start your first turn in an encounter against your emotional focus or one of their followers. If the encounter includes multiple eligible followers and doesn't include your actual emotional focus, choose one of the followers to act as your emotional focus for this encounter (or until your actual emotional focus shows up).
Catharsis Activation You can Step or Stride. You must end this movement closer to your emotional focus.
Emotional Fervor Your emotional focus is
flat-footed to you and takes a –2 status penalty to saves against your spells. You're flat-footed to your emotional focus and take a –2 status penalty to saves against it. Spell:
blood vendettaEmotional Fallout You become
stunned 2.
Focus Spell cry of destructionJoy
Source Secrets of Magic pg. 197 1.1Your unbridled enthusiasm and positive attitude can lead you to success, but you might expend more energy than you planned.
Catharsis Trigger You critically succeed on an attack roll or save, or an enemy critically fails on a save against you.
Catharsis Activation Reduce the value of any
frightened or
stupefied condition you have by 1 and end any
persistent mental damage you have.
Emotional Fervor You gain a +1 status bonus to
Performance checks and to the spell attack rolls of
emotion spells, and enemies take a –1 status penalty to saves against your emotion spells. Spell:
hideous laughterEmotional Fallout You become
fatigued until you Settle your Emotions.
Focus Spell unimpeded strideLove
Source Secrets of Magic pg. 197 1.1You're joined by the bonds of love and nothing can break that, but love can distract you from other things in your life. Your emotional focus is someone you're in love with; they aren't required to love you back.
Catharsis Trigger Your emotional focus takes damage from an enemy while within 30 feet of you.
Catharsis Activation If either you or your emotional focus is
confused or
controlled, one of you can attempt a new saving throw against one confusing or controlling effect (if it allowed a save), ending the condition if the new save is a success. If both of you are eligible, your emotional focus gets the new save.
Emotional Fervor You gain a +1 status bonus to Will saves. If you cast a spell to benefit your emotional focus, this bonus increases to +3 until the start of your next turn. Spell:
sootheEmotional Fallout You're
fascinated with your emotional focus for 1 minute.
Focus Spell soothing wordsMisery
Source Secrets of Magic pg. 197 1.1To suffer is to know you're alive; to make your enemies suffer as greatly as you have eases your suffering.
Catharsis Trigger You gain
persistent damage from a foe.
Catharsis Activation You gain a number of temporary Hit Points equal to your level. They last for 1 minute.
Emotional Fervor You can choose not to attempt a flat check to end persistent damage you're taking. When you cast a damaging spell, you can choose one creature that failed its save or that you hit with your spell attack roll. That target takes persistent damage of the same type the spell dealt, of an amount equal to the highest amount of persistent damage you currently have. You can't choose a creature that's already taking persistent damage. Spell:
phantom painEmotional Fallout You take an untyped penalty to any damage you would deal with any spell you cast until you Settle your Emotions. The penalty is –1 per spell level.
Focus Spell savor the stingPride
Source Secrets of Magic pg. 197 1.1All is well as long as you appear well, but you get caught up in the moment and lose track of what's important.
Catharsis Trigger You critically fail on an attack roll or saving throw.
Catharsis Activation The critical failure becomes a failure.
Emotional Fervor Each time you cast an
illusion spell, until the start of your next turn, any critical failure you roll on an attack roll or saving throw is a failure instead. Spell:
color sprayEmotional Fallout You momentarily lose track of what's real, becoming
confused for 1 round. Spell:
mirror imageFocus Spell veil of confidenceRemorse
Source Secrets of Magic pg. 197 1.1You attempt to overcome your failings, but your guilt stays with you.
Catharsis Trigger An ally within 30 feet drops to 0 Hit Points.
Catharsis Activation You Step or Stride. You must end this movement closer to the triggering ally.
Emotional Fervor Any spell you cast that restores Hit Points to the triggering ally gets a status bonus to the Hit Points healed equal to the spell's level, or double the spell's level if the ally is at 0 Hit Points. Spell:
warrior's regretEmotional Fallout Your emotional weight crushes you, leaving you
stupefied 2 until you Settle your Emotions.
Focus Spell healer's blessing