[Cosmos] Updated Spells + BONUS TECHNOMANCY SPELLS (Patreon)

Does your Technoweaver wizard's spell selection feel a little thin? Not anymore! Here's 20 NEW TECHNOMANCY SPELLS for the Cosmos setting, plus all of the published spells updated for the 2024 edition of 5e!

New Spells??

I was updating the Cosmos subclasses and going through my spells catalogue and updating their information when I realized there's just not that many options for the Technoweaver to use. These new spells are unique, special, and offer a wider new way to interact with the Cosmos world. What are you waiting for?

Downloads:

Cosmos Spells - Updated for 2024

Bonus Technomancy Spells

I had originally thought there were no more unique technomancy ideas to create, but I was wrong. Be prepared to teleport through screens, command terrific drones, or create a Gridspace of your own.

For those who are curious, check the Design Commentary for notes on design balance, and the Updates section for changes and clarifications to already-published stuff.

——

Design Commentary

There were three things that were extremely important when designing these spells: 1) they had to be unique and can’t be recreated with a simple reskin of another spell, 2) they can’t simply trivialize an action that could normally be done with a simple check, and 3) they had to be usable in any game even without technomancy unless it’s a tech-analog. For example, a Lightning Orb spell is a bit too similar to a Fireball with its damage swapped out; an Arcane Hacking spell makes regular hacking quite useless; and a Web Search spell wouldn’t work in a fantasy setting. It was also really important to identify the implicit design restrictions from the 5e game, such as ensuring no control spells overcome a Construct’s typical immunity to Charm — so piloting enemy robots was off-limits even if it’s similar to Dominate Monster.

Other goals included getting a wider variety of spell levels and spell schools. I think at this point every school is represented!

As usual, I’m following the implied structure of big damage spells on odd spell levels and utility/defense on even levels.

Spells

Let’s take a look into these new spells and identify the new niches they occupy, created by the new opportunities afforded by the introduction of modern technology.

Broadcast is a flavor cantrip with some creative uses like disseminating information, blocking another broadcast, or possibly aiding in checks. This is one of the few spells that gets a pass for not being usable in a fantasy setting because it’s quite flavorful in a modern setting, it’s a cantrip, and a character that uses this spell should be a modern character and can bring a screen (via holopad).

Commune with Technology is the modern version of the existing Commune with X spells, a bit like the Commune with City spell from the UA. But instead of learning about a place, the questions are technologically focused and there are extra options in a Gridspace. Few of these questions overlap with existing Commune spells (good); it covers space that Commune with Nature and City can’t, and works in the expanded Cosmos settings (where location of water isn’t relevant). Even some of the Gridspace rules have been updated to reflect this (see end).

Detect Technomancy is the tech-analog to Detect Magic. Because everyday technomancy is considered “nonmagical” and undetectable in the rules, this spell gives casters a new way to find things. It's more useful when traveling to low-tech settings.

Drone Barrage is inspired by the Mr. Terrific of the new Superman movie. You can trade off between dealing AoE damage and some defense, with each one reducing the potency throughout the duration. The mechanics are unique and works in any setting!

Find Proxy is the tech-analog of Find Familiar, filling a thematic niche that won’t quite work with an organic familiar. The proxy has the typical object immunities and can share in your detections, but can’t deliver touch spells. It otherwise works the same as a Find Familiar hawk except with no beneficial creature traits.

Gridspace Simulation is the tech version of Heroes’ Feast, an expensive spell that takes 1+ hour to work and grants an all-day benefit. The driving force is that thematically, it made sense to let the caster create a Gridspace. This one is hard to balance, but flexibility and two benefits seems to match up with what Heroes’ Feast can do (two Immunities and bonus HP). Combat Training fills that bonus HP role; Future Analysis and Target Prep may mean succeeding on a critical roll that sort of equates to Immunity. This spell will find more use overall despite its limit.

Ionize is a massive area-denial control spell, discouraging enemies from passing through it. Thematically, it’s the air reacting to fast movement. The second major effect imposes Disadvantage on all Technomancy creatures’ checks without any way for them to resist, making it a good anti-tech spell (and the reason why Druids get just this one). Finally, the hardest effect to balance of all, the Ionize Cylinder extends Lightning effects throughout it, severely extending the effectiveness of a blaster like Lightning Bolt. Using Lightning Bolt as a balancer, both spells have roughly the same effective area (and damage). Extending the area ends this spell early, so it should theoretically balance out as a mere “duplication” of another spell.

Locate Terminal is the tech-analog of the Locate spells. This one works a bit like Locate Object, though it bypasses the question of whether a terminal is an object and it allows for more targeted search. Checks related to “finding” a terminal to hack a device are nebulous enough that this spell isn’t a simple replacement for one check.

Manifest Artificial Intellect is like an upgraded Unseen Servant. It does what a “servant” would do but at a computer. The longer duration and lack of range restriction allows the intellect to “stay behind” and run commands. It’s similar enough to a Major Image type that mechanically does something similar with almost no limit on its creative uses, so I kept it on Level 4 just in case. With this spell written up, the Computer action at starships have also been rewritten to make use of this spell’s text.

Memetic Horror is a beefier version of Hypnotic Pattern with a unique spreading pattern that makes it potentially wide-ranging. It also bypasses Charm immunity. It should deal on average 21 (4d10) damage per creature, and coupled with the Incapacitation effect (of similar power since it has several methods of ending early), should equate to a Chain Lightning’s 45 (10d8) per target in one round. One cool use of this is dealing damage to enemies up to 1,000 feet away, like if you were facing enemies coordinating over comms.

Neutral Transfer is a level 9 spell so it can do pretty much anything. It works similarly to True Resurrection in that it “resurrects” a creature except as a digital intellect. The intellect rules are vague, so everything is up to the GM to adjudicate. Some actions are given to the new intellect to let them stay relevant, though. The intellect rules have also been updated with new clarifications (see below), including the idea of a host machine to bound the intellect. Very special and unique, almost necessary in this world.

Overclock thematically overclocks a process like a computer. This hasn’t been done before, so I have no sense of its balance, but expending a level 3 slot just to make something go faster is situational and expensive enough.

Power Surge is a level 1 Lightning spell option. There’s no dedicated level 1 spell that deals Lightning damage via a save (yet) so this accomplishes that. To keep it relevant to the setting (beyond just boring damage), it also acts as a zoner (like Thunderwave), encouraging targets to move out of the Sphere if there’s a surged device, and as a roleplay feature to disable devices from range.

Screengrab can’t be used outside a modern setting, but is unique enough to be included. Screengrab is a mini-teleport and extremely versatile way to grab things from range (as powerful as two casts of Bonus Action Misty Step, roughly equal to a level 3 Action spell that can’t teleport the person).

Screenwalk has the same design idea for uniqueness. It’s the tech-analog to Transport via Plants, so level 6 it goes.

Singularity is a big area-denial control spell with similar effects as Befuddlement; it targets more than one creature (average 2 for calcs) and also incapacitates but deals very low damage in comparison. The Incapcitation is the primary effect here; where Befuddlement deals 65 (10d12) damage, Singularity deals 22 (1d10 x 4 for 2 targets over 2 turns average). The remaining 43 damage difference is claimed by the Disadvantage on its attacks (split over 4 instances).

Trick Circuit is very closely inspired by Cordon of Arrows, mainly set as trap damage. The spell never expires early, but that is balanced by the more specific activation requirement meaning you can’t just smash an enemy into the terminal to spring the trap. Lastly, after the first instance of damage, the intruder gets the chance to bypass further damage. I think this should roughly equate to Cordon of Arrows.

Voltaic Barrier is the tech answer to Fire Shield. Instead of just granting Resistance, it’s a bumper that if it succeeds, prevents most enemies from getting into melee. It also bumps up AC against projectiles. Overall, it deals the same damage as Fire Shield (or less, if not counting enemy multiattack) - 3d8 - and Half Cover ehhh not the same as Resistance but that’s okay. It depends on the situation.

Weavetext is the tech-analog of Illusory Script, except it exists inside tech. Instead of deception though, it just leaves a secret message behind like Thieves Cant. It’s exactly like the messages in a Dark Souls game, ideally left behind by a community of previous techno wizards. It costs money to create, so there shouldn’t be billions of these everywhere. It’s hard to impose enough restrictions and mechanical uses for it but since it doesn’t do much mechanically, level 1 should be alright.

Wire Whip is an alternative Lightning damage cantrip - a ranged option that surpasses Shocking Grasp and targets a saving throw. It does something similar to Mind Sliver - similar damage and similar extra effect, but targeting attacks instead. However, it’s a d8 because 1) it’s a CON save so it’s more commonly resisted, 2) short range, and 3) has alternative methods to end its secondary effect. Technomantic Constructs are rare enough to account for the rest. This should be enough to account for the difference of 1 damage. The wire theme is quite important because it’s the only wire-related attack option!

Finally, Heighten Inertia moves the feature originally given to the Infinity Cleric to here. It’s now part of the Triburgy (friction magic) set!

——

Other Updates

Existing Spell Updates

Updated to 2024

Charging Current removed from the Warlock spell list. Warlocks tend to get very few spells, few of which are mobility-based.

Frictionless Surface now includes slope degrees rather than requiring the GM to decide what’s “vertical” and “sloped”

Hyper Abrasion can now be upcast, like Freedom of Movement.

Jolting Spark is now a Bonus Action cast, which makes it more valuable than just turning devices on from a distance.

Overflowing Current renamed to Blasting Current. The spell doesn’t quite “overflow” as much as it just is a blast.

Overload was removed from the Paladin list and given to Warlock. Paladins actually get very few spells, most of which tend to be smites or buffs.

Read Disk added to Bard list.

Sensor Cloak added to Bard list. Also added a clause that Truesight bypasses this spell.

Summon Mech now as a slightly beefier summon, to match the new Summon spells in 2024.

Void Smite is now restricted to melee. It was a good run, but they never intended smite styles to be ranged, let alone available for a Ranger to use.

Vortex Leash has been changed to Conjuration. Enchantment may have been a holdover from an older design. As it reads now, you are conjuring a tether, so it should be reflected in its school.

Gridspace Updates

Projecting a soul has been changed to projecting a mind. It made sense as a soul back when it explained some of the rules (as Astral Projection) did, but it is a bit too reckless for an effect that’s widely available. Because effects don’t carry over between Grid and Matter, it gel with effects that “target” a soul. Part of this clause is now covered by “also have been considered to travel to the Grid”, which covers some planar targeting questions.

Rule clarifications on your avatar, limiting it to what you know about yourself. This prevents abuse, like revealing secret curses in a Gridspace and carrying over none of the bad effects to Matterspace.

Additional clarifications on the separation between Grid and Matter.

Additional clarifications on whether you can be tricked into entering a Grid (possibly, like an illusion).

Artificial Intellect Updates

Added a clause explaining a “host machine” that serves as the intellect’s digital presence. It was implied before, but outlining it mechanically ensures there’s always some way to kill it (sorta like liches?).

Added an explanation of senses for the intellect since it’s not a creature. It senses via sensors (cameras, microphones, etc).