A spell mastery is a feature that alters how a specific spell works in a unique way. Each mastery is bound to a single spell.
You must gain access to a spell mastery before you can use it.
Spell masteries can be gained via a wide variety of ways: magic items, feats, racial features, alternate class features, boons, downtime, and more. They can even be given to spellcasting monsters and NPCs to make them more unique.
There are two rules for using spell masteries:
Only one spell mastery can be used per casting of a spell, even if you possess multiple masteries for the same spell.
You must declare your intent to use a certain mastery before casting the spell, or the mastery has no effect.
The following optional class features provide a way for Bards, Clerics, Druids, and Sorcerers to make use of spell masteries. Options for Wizards and Warlocks are found later in this page.
When you choose skills for the Expertise feature at 3rd and 10th level, you can forgo one or both skill proficiency choices, instead choosing two spell masteries (per skill not chosen) for spells you know granted to you by your Bard class levels.
When you gain a level in the Bard class, you can change your choices.
When your cleric Domain grants you domain spells, you may choose to gain only one instead of two spells.
When you do, you may also choose one Spell Mastery for a spell granted to you by your Cleric class levels. The spell must be of a level equal to or lower than the spell(s) granted by your Domain at that level.
Whenever you cast the corresponding spell, you can use the spell mastery. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can change your choice(s).
When your Druid circle grants you circle spells, you may choose to gain only one instead of two spells.
When you do, you may also choose one Spell Mastery for a spell granted to you by your Druid class levels. The spell must be of a level equal to or lower than the spell(s) granted by your circle at that level. Whenever you cast the corresponding spell, you can use the spell mastery.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can change your choice(s).
You can use your sorcery points to access spell masteries that alter and enhance the spells you know.
When you finish a long rest, you can choose a number of spells you know granted by your Sorcerer class levels up to your spellcasting ability modifier.
For each spell you choose, you must expend a number of sorcery points determined by the spell's level, as shown in the table below. You can't regain these expended sorcery points until the next time you finish a long rest.
For each spell you chose, choose one spell mastery. Until the next time you finish a long rest, you can use that spell mastery whenever you cast the corresponding spell.
Spell Level - Sorcerer Point Cost
Cantrip-2nd - 1
3rd-6th - 2
7th-9th - 3
A Wizard can scribe spell masteries into their spellbook in exactly the same way they would spells.
To copy a spell mastery, the wizard will need to find another spellbook or spell scroll that contains a mastery.
The level of the mastery is equal to the level of the spell it alters. For these purposes, cantrip spell masteries are treated as 1st level. As with spells, the level of the mastery determines the time and gold cost required to copy the mastery into a spellbook.
Tool infusions are a new category of spell mastery that incorporate tool proficiencies and tool kits.
Each tool infusion mastery has at least one benefit that is exclusively granted to the caster if they are proficient in a certain kind of tool.
Some tool infusion masteries require the caster to use part of the tool kit itself in the spell's casting.
To use part of a tool set in the casting of a spell, the caster must have the tool set accessible on their person, and have at least one free hand to hold part of the set. This doesn't impede the caster's ability to perform any somatic components required for the spell, or to provide material components for it.
The following new conditions are used throughout my homebrew content. Some of these conditions can be classified as a step up or down from existing conditions, which helps to give them a sense of context.
Condition - Relationship
Dazed - Lesser Stunned
Shaken - Lesser Frightened
Sickened - Lesser Poisoned
Staggered - Greater Prone
Any feature which grants advantage against or immunity to the related condition also affects the new condition.
Each damage condition is tied to a specific damage type, noted in parentheses after the condition name. A creature resistant or immune to that damage type is also immune to the condition.