Arcana Unleashed introduces 33 spells, including 26 that appear only in this sourcebook. Their effects go beyond damage: some send familiars into battle, distort space, store pieces of souls, or restore used spell slots. The spells below are arranged by level.
Table of Contents
2nd-Level Spells
Battle Familiar, a 2nd-level Conjuration spell for Druids, Warlocks, and Wizards, upgrades your familiar to a Combat Familiar. It gains the Combat Familiar stat block, rolls its own initiative, and takes its own turn in combat. The spell can also summon a Celestial, Fey, or Fiend Familiar if you don’t already have one. Arcana Unleashed also includes five familiar-based feats and the Vestige Patron Warlock subclass, giving players several options for building around a companion.
Disruptive Tune is a 2nd-level Abjuration spell available to Bards, Sorcerers, and Wizards. The caster fills a 20-foot radius around them with a distracting melody, forcing affected creatures to make Constitution saving throws. A creature that fails loses Concentration and has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain Concentration for the spell’s duration. That makes it a useful way to disrupt other spellcasters. Casting Fireball while Rebecca Black’s “Friday” is blaring in your ear sounds difficult.
Dueling Ground is a 2nd-level Abjuration spell for Artificers, Bards, Clerics, Druids, Paladins, Rangers, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards. Fighters and Rogues can’t cast it. The spell sets up a magical arena for willing creatures to duel. It may not have much practical use, but the right group could enjoy it. If a creature drops to 0 HP or gets targeted by an insta-kill ability, it falls unconscious and is teleported out, much like a Pokémon battle.
Uncertain Footing is a 2nd-level Illusion spell for Artificers, Bards, Warlocks, and Wizards. It creates illusions of obstacles to confuse and trip up enemies within 120 feet of the caster. If the DM is in the mood, the results could include plenty of pratfalls and physical comedy.
Wither and Bloom is a 2nd-level Necromancy spell for Druids, Sorcerers, and Wizards. It deals Necrotic damage to enemies within a 10-foot radius, and the caster can choose one creature in that area to roll an unexpended Hit Point die. The spell predates Arcana Unleashed, but its damage has gone up: it now deals 3d6 Necrotic damage, compared with 2d6 in its 2014 version.
3rd- and 4th-Level Spells
Catnap is a 3rd-level Enchantment spell available to Bards, Sorcerers, and Wizards. It gives three willing creatures within 30 feet the Unconscious condition. When the spell wears off, they receive all the benefits of a short rest.
Inflict Doubt, another 3rd-level Enchantment spell, is for Bards, Warlocks, and Wizards. It targets a creature within 120 feet and forces it to make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails, it has disadvantage on all d20 tests for the remainder of the encounter.
Distorted Distance is a 4th-level Illusion spell for Artificers, Bards, Warlocks, and Wizards. It creates a 60-foot sphere centered on a point within 120 feet. The caster picks one of two effects. With Dizzying Elongation, a target must make an Intelligence saving throw and takes 2d10 Psychic damage on a failure. Shortened Space instead grants a target within the sphere an extra 20 feet of speed until the end of its next turn. One effect penalizes a failed save; the other helps a creature cover more ground.
Festering Blast is a 4th-level Necromancy spell for Druids, Warlocks, and Wizards. It sends a miasma blast in the direction the caster chooses, 10 feet wide and 60 feet long. Creatures that fail a Constitution saving throw take 4d10 Necrotic damage and become Poisoned for the spell’s duration. At the start of each turn, targets also take 2d10 Poison damage.
Zone of Amicability is a 4th-level Enchantment spell for Bards and Warlocks. The caster radiates good vibes across a 60-foot radius. When trying to influence a creature in that area, the caster can choose to treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10. For anyone who often rolls low, it’s a helpful bit of insurance.
5th- and 6th-Level Spells
Enervation is a 5th-level Necromancy spell for Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards. An inky tendril of darkness extends from the caster’s body to a creature within a 60-foot radius, draining its life force. The caster can also use a Bonus Action to deal the target 2d8 Necrotic damage automatically. Its eerie effect suits a character with a taste for the macabre.
Grave Ground is a 5th-level Necromancy spell for Clerics, Warlocks, and Wizards. Skeletal hands rise from the earth in four separate squares, each 10 feet, making those spaces Difficult Terrain. When the spell is cast, creatures in the area must make a Strength saving throw. Those that fail take 6d6 Necrotic damage and subtract 1d6 from all their damage rolls until the next turn. With favorable rolls, it could clear much of the battlefield while using a higher-level spell slot.
Mordenkainen’s Lucubration is a 5th-level Divination spell that allows the caster to recover up to two expended spell slots. It’s an instantaneous action. The name means laborious thought or study. Mordenkainen, Gary Gygax’s 50-year-old player character, is still turning up in spell books.
Negative Energy Flood is a 5th-level Necromancy spell that only Warlocks and Wizards can cast. The caster chooses a creature within 60 feet, which must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 3d10 + 25 Necrotic damage. If the spell kills a human, the human rises the next turn as a Zombie under the caster’s control.
Spirit Lantern is another 5th-level Necromancy spell, available to Artificers, Clerics, Warlocks, and Wizards. It creates a floating black lantern over the caster’s head, shedding Dim Light within a 60-foot radius. When an enemy dies in that radius, a shard of its soul is drawn into the lantern. It can store soul fragments up to the caster’s spellcasting ability modifier. The caster can expend a soul fragment to Drain Life, Repair Undead, or Ward Ally.
Summon Plant is a 5th-level Conjuration spell for Druids and Rangers. It summons the spirit of an animated plant, which uses the Plant Spirit stat block. The caster can choose whether the spirit is a fungus, tree, or vine. That gives them a plant companion to fight alongside them instead of a familiar.
Waves of Exhaustion is a 5th-level Necromancy spell for Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards. It emits gray light in a 60-foot cone. Any creature that fails the resulting Constitution saving throw gains an exhaustion level.
Summon Dinosaur is a 6th-level Conjuration spell that only Druids can cast. It calls a Dinosaur Spirit to fight beside the caster, who can choose an Ankylosaur, Triceratops, or Tyrannosaur. The spirit uses the caster’s initiative roll and takes its turn right after them. Combined with Dueling Ground, it could make for a dinosaur showdown.
At higher levels, the spells in Arcana Unleashed aren’t just about dealing more damage. They can give a failed roll another chance, show a target visions of time, or alter the course of an encounter.
Among the 7th-level spells, Reweave Fate lets a Bard, Cleric, Warlock, or Wizard help themselves or another party member reroll a failed d20 test, with advantage on the new roll. Aura of Evasion is a 7th-level Abjuration spell available to Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards. It gives allies within 30 feet advantage on Dexterity saving throws.
Several other 7th-level spells target enemies. Fractured Awareness is a Divination spell for Bards, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards. It confronts a target within 120 feet with visions of multiple futures. If the target fails an Intelligence saving throw, it takes 12d10 Psychic damage. The spell doesn’t specify that the visions are nightmares, but that may be how they’re played at many tables.
Power Word: Pain is an Enchantment spell for Bards, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards that affects a creature within 60 feet. A creature with fewer than 100 hit points takes 6d8 Force damage and gains the Charmed condition for the spell’s duration. If it has more than 100 hit points, it takes the Force damage but doesn’t become Charmed.
Transfix gives Bards, Warlocks, and Wizards another way to incapacitate an enemy. This Enchantment spell targets one creature within 60 feet. If it fails a Charisma saving throw, it becomes Charmed and Incapacitated. Should it move within 5 feet of the caster, or end a turn there, it takes 4d8 Psychic damage.
8th Level Spells
Entrancing Mirrors creates dozens of illusory mirrors and can target up to three creatures chosen by the caster within 90 feet. A creature that fails an Intelligence saving throw takes 7d6 Psychic damage and becomes Stunned.
With Illusory Dragon, Wizards conjure a huge shadowy dragon. Any creature that sees it must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature becomes Frightened and drops whatever it’s holding. The caster can spend a Bonus Action to control the dragon, move it up to 60 feet, and have it breathe a damaging blast in a 60-foot cone. The caster chooses the damage type: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic, or Poison.
Iron Body is among the few Transmutation spells in Arcana Unleashed. Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards can cast it by touching a creature, turning that target into living metal for the spell’s duration. It requires 250 gp worth of diamond dust and Concentration, and can last for up to an hour. While transformed, the target can’t be Poisoned, Paralyzed, or Petrified, and gains resistance to Piercing, Bludgeoning, Fire, and Slashing damage.
Lightning Ring can protect the caster nearby and strike at a distance. Druids, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards can cast this 8th-level Evocation spell. It forms a 10-foot Emanation around the caster. A creature that tries to approach must make a Constitution saving throw or take 3d6 Lightning damage and 3d6 Thunder damage. The caster can also take a Magic action during the spell to send lightning bolts up to 60 feet away.
Wizards can cast Moment of Prescience as a reaction after an enemy rolls damage, or after the Wizard rolls damage for one of their own attacks. This Divination spell changes the caster’s roll to a natural 20 or the enemy’s roll to a 1, letting the Wizard alter the result at a crucial moment.
Wizards of the Coast, Michele Giorgi
9th Level Spells
Detonate is a 9th-level Evocation spell. A target that fails a Constitution saving throw takes 10d10 Fire damage; on a successful save, it takes half that amount. The damage is lower than Meteor Swarm’s, but the spell adds a chain of explosions. The original target starts emanating blasts without taking damage itself, while every creature within 60 feet takes 10d10 Fire damage.
Wizards can use Hindsight, a 9th-level Divination spell, to view the past ten years of a location within 500 feet. Each second shows one day, and the caster can pause, slow, rewind, or fast-forward the view. It’s an effect with a strong story focus, though using it at the table may depend on how much time the DM has to explore the location’s history.
Invulnerability is a 9th-level Abjuration spell that makes a Wizard immune to all damage for up to ten minutes. Vision of Elapsing Eons, by contrast, targets the mind. This 9th-level Illusion spell makes the target watch itself and its surroundings crumble as time speeds past. The target remains Paralyzed for the spell’s duration and takes 10d12 Psychic damage.
Wail of the Banshee completes the list. This 9th-level Necromancy spell is available to Warlocks, Wizards, and Sorcerers. The caster lets out a bloodcurdling scream that can reach up to ten creatures within 60 feet. A target with 50 hit points or fewer dies outright. A target with more than 50 hit points can attempt a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it takes 12d10 Psychic damage, which could still prove fatal.
This is an overview, not the complete spell text; the sourcebook has the full details. The spells here show that high-level magic in Arcana Unleashed can do more than increase damage. It can defend allies, disable foes, change rolls, and reshape a fight. The complete spell list appears in Arcana Unleashed.
