Time Magic C hronomancy is a great and honored art. Few have mastered its great powers. All know of the spell Time Stop, but there is little option for lesser spellcasters to dabble in the time stream. Collected here are a few options to make time magic a larger part of your game. Spells Several existing spells are actually already chronomancy, even if most users aren't aware. Consider the following spells for a chronomancer character: Mending Haste Glyph of Warding Slow Foresight And of course, Time Stop Nudge Through Time Evocation cantrip Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous You reach out and gently push your target. They must make a Charisma saving throw. If they fail, they are thrown forward in time. They vanish, and reappear at the end of your next turn. Minor Stasis Transmutation cantrip Casting Time: 1 action Range: 30 ft Components: V, S Duration: 1d6 rounds One item that is not being worn or carried, that is less than 5 feet on a side, is frozen in time. It cannot be moved or damaged in any way until the duration ends. As an action, a creature can attempt a Strength check with a DC equal to your spell save DC. If they succeed, the spell ends and the object moves. Step Forward 1st-level transmutation Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous You open a portal and throw yourself forward in time. You disappear, and then reappear in the same space in 1d6 rounds. Higher level spell slots: If you cast this with a 3rd level spell slot, it's 1d6 days. If it's a 5th level spell slot, it's 1d6 weeks. A 7th level spell slot will send you 1d6 x 10 years into the future. A 9th level spell slot will send you 1d6 x 100 years into the future. Art by Franz Vohwinkel
Reset 2nd-level transmutation Casting Time: 1 bonus action Range: Self Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous You snap your fingers, and time rolls back. Your turn begins again, with everything as it was before you moved or took actions. The spell slot used for this spell is the only thing that is changed. This does not prevent you from casting spells on your new turn. Bullet Time 3rd-level transmutation Casting Time: 1 reaction Range: Self Components: V, S Duration: 1 round Your perception of time slows, giving you the ability to avoid damage. Cast this in response to being targeted by an attack or an effect with a Dexterity saving throw. Until the end of your next turn, you get +5 AC and advantage on Dexterity saving throws. In addition, you get advantage on any ability checks or attack rolls you make. Major Stasis 4th level transmutation Casting Time: 1 action Range: 30 ft Components: V, S Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute Target one object less than 20 feet on a side or one creature. A creature targeted this way may make a Charisma saving throw. If it fails, it freezes. It cannot be moved or damaged in any way until the duration ends. Things frozen this way do not experience the passage of time. Throw Through Time 5th-level evocation Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous You reach out and gently push your target. They must make a Charisma saving throw. If they fail, they are thrown forward in time. They vanish, and reappear 1d6 days later in the exact same spot. For them, nothing happened. If they succeed, they are only thrown forward in time until the end of your next turn. Higher level spell slots: A 7th level spell slot will send the target 1d6 weeks into the future. A 9th level spell slot will send you 1d6 x 10 years into the future. Wipe From History 7th level evocation Casting Time: 1 action Range: 30 ft Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous The target is surrounded by a swirl of golden sands. They must make a Charisma saving throw. They take 10d10 necrotic damage, or half as much on a successful save. This damage cannot be reduced or resisted. If the target fails its saving throw and is reduced to 0 hp by this damage, they are erased from history. They disappear entirely and no one but you remembers they ever existed. Art by Chris Rahn
Experimental Spells Time travel is complicated. Splitting timelines, failures of causation. The following spells attempt to use time travel, but they end up being somewhat complicated. Feel free to ignore these if you want to avoid the headache. The rules of time travel in this supplement are similar to the rules of Harry Potter. You cannot change the past. When you go back in time, you'll simply be in the same stretch of time twice. You were always there twice. Here's how that works in game: If you know one of these spells, you can simply decide that you will cast it in the future. At that very moment, the spell takes effect. Later on, at a moment specified by the spell, you must cast the spell, sending its effect back through time and closing the loop. If you fail to do so, you gain Paradox, which will quickly kill you. Step Backwards 3rd-level transmutation Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous Special Action. If you have this spell prepared, you may take a special bonus action. You decide you are going to cast this spell next round. As soon as you do, your future self appears anywhere within 60 feet. You control them, and they may move and take actions as normal. You must cast the spell on your next turn in the space your future self appeared in. If you fail to cast this spell on your next turn, your copy fades from existence and you gain 1 Paradox Casting the Spell. You may only cast this spell if you took the special action last round. You travel back in time one round, disappearing in a flurry of magic. Now there is only one of you, and the timeline continues. Lifeline Through Time 3rd-level transmutation Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous Special Action. If you have this spell prepared, you may take a special bonus action. You decide you are going to cast this spell sometime this week. As soon as you do, a portal opens and any non-magical item of your choice falls through. You must cast this spell before dusk in seven days, targeting a copy of the item in question. The copy cannot be from the future, it must be from this timeline. If you fail to do so, the item from the future will fade from existence and you gain 1 Paradox Casting the Spell. You can only cast this spell if you've used the special action in the last week. Touch the non-magical item in question, and send it back through a portal in time. There is now only one copy of the item. Noncausal Cast 6th-level transmutation Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Touch Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous Special Action. If you have this spell prepared, you may take a special bonus action. You decide you are going to cast this spell sometime today. As soon as you do, another spell you have prepared is cast. The target can be anywhere. If the spell in question returns information to the caster, you will not receive that information until you cast Noncausal Cast later in the day. You must know the target exists, and its approximate location to use this special action. You must cast this spell before you take your next long rest, and you must cast the chosen spell into the resulting portal. You must be within range of the place where the target was. If you fail to do so, you gain 1 Paradox Casting the Spell. You can only cast this spell if you've used the special action this day. As a part of casting this spell, you must also cast the chosen spell, which is sent back in time. Paradox Whenever you get Paradox, you must roll on the following table. Roll 1d6 + (Your current Paradox). The effect happens immediately. Paradox is extremely dangerous, and cannot be removed outside of the wish spell. Paradox Consequences 1d6+Paradox Effect 2 Thrown forward in time 1 day 3 Thrown forward in time 1 week 4 Get lost among the timelines. Age 10 years, learn 1 new spell you can cast, and lose two hit dice of max HP to injuries 5 Erase your past. Lose anything gained from your background, and no one can remember what it was. 6 A 30 years older you appears, and tries to kill you. They're 5 levels higher than you, and will not explain themselves. They know everything you know and every new thing you learn. 7 Visit the end of time, and then return. Lose 2 Int and 2 Wis from the unspeakable things you see 8 Locked in stasis, as per Major Stasis, forever. Only a wish can restore you. 9+ Erased from existance and history, as per the Wipe from History spell. A wish could restore you, but no one will remember you existed, so no one can cast it on your behalf.
Items Timesand Locket Wonderous Item, rare This glass locket can be in any shape, but usually takes the form of an hourglass. It is filled with softly luminescent orange sand. It's magic activates when you're in grave danger. If your hit points are reduced to 0 while wearing this locket, it shatters, releasing it's contents. Restart the current turn as per the Reset spell. The only difference is that this locket is still shattered. Chronostretch Engine Wonderous Item, rare Using an action, one can twist the two halves of this device to activate it. It creates a 30 ft radius sphere of stopped time. Everything inside the sphere takes turns as normal. Everything outside the sphere is moving at 1% of it's normal speed, effectively stopped. The sphere lasts for 1d4+1 rounds, ending at the end of your turn. The edge of the sphere is a point of great chronological turbulence. A person inside the bubble cannot target anything outside the bubble. If an area of effect would extend outside the bubble, it instead ends at the barrier. To everyone outside the barrier, it only appears to exist for a fraction of a second, a swirl of chaotic movement. Once the device is activated, it cannot be used again until the next midnight. Chronosqueeze Engine Wonderous Item, rare This device looks identical to a regular Chronostretch Engine. But when activated, everything inside the 30 ft bubble is slowed to a halt, and everything outside continues as normal. It also lasts for 10 minutes. It is impossible for the person who activates it not to be caught in its effects. The people inside the bubble take 1 round in that 10 minutes, resolved after everyone outside acts for 10 minutes. Those inside cannot cross the barrier in that time. Those outside can enter the barrier, to those inside they enter partway through their single round. The same rules as the Chronostretch Engine apply about effects and attacks crossing the barrier, in both directions. Once the device is activated, it cannot be used again until the next midnight. Crystal Hourglass Wonderous Item This hourglass comes in several varieties, of different rarity. The "glass" of each is made out of finely carved crystal, and the housing is made from different metals. Each is activated by speaking a command word and flipping the hourglass. Each mimics the Step Backwards spell. Both you and your future self will have the sands flowing, showing how much time you have to cast the spell to travel back in time. Crystal Hourglass Type Rarity Brass Rare Silver Very Rare Gold Legendary Brass. This allows you to use the special action and cast Step Backwards once per day. Silver. This allows you a similar magic to the spell Step Backwards. The only difference is that your time limit to cast the spell is 1 minute instead of 1 round. Both you and your future copy can act as normal during that time. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it until the next dawn. Your future self cannot pass any information to you, as that would cause a Paradox. Because of the extra length of time, just seeing them will tell you of your future. You cannot see your future self. If you do, gain 1 Paradox. Gold. This has all of the rules and restrictions of the Silver Hourglass, but the time limit is 12 hours. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until the 7th dawn. Time Machine Wonderous Item, Artifact This device is Huge, made mostly of brass, and the interior is furnished with red cloth and soft seats. Up to 6 can fit inside. There is a lever in the center of the front seat. This machine can travel through time. The lever controls it's speed. It has 9 settings. The time listed is the time that passes outside for every minute inside. Time Machine Setting Time Travelled Per Minute -4 100 years backwards -3 10 years backwards -2 1 year backwards -1 1 day backwards 0 1 minute 1 1 day 2 1 year 3 10 years 4 100 years It can be used to travel to almost any time period. Ability checks may be required for any level of precise arrival. The further you travel, the harder it is to arrive at the exact moment you want. This is the only magical effect that can violate causality. Unlike other time travel spells, it can be used to change the present and the future. Be warned though, unintended consequences are everywhere.
Foes You are certainly not the only one who taps into the time bending arts. Here are two creatures you might encounter that use chronomancy for their own ends. Time Eaters These bestial creatures look like hairless dogs with six legs. They evolved in a stranger place, and they do not eat meat. They eat time. Their favorite food is chronomancers. They are reticent to give up their sustenance, but they can use undigested time to freeze time. They use this to drag downed prey away to a place they can eat in peace. They can also use it to escape in emergencies. Chronoclasm Knights These knights were involved in a catastrophe a long, long time ago. They were sworn to a genius king who was close to breaking the secret of the true time machine. In the calamaty, they were scattered throughout time. They now quest to find each other, find their king, and save thier kingdom. They are hostile to outsiders, and deeply mistrusting. Thanks to the magic the king had been studying, they live long lives, and have experienced more than a mortal's share of betrayal. Time Eater Medium aberration, true neutral Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 70 Speed 30ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 11 (+1) 3 (-4) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) Condition Immunities None Senses passive Perception 18 Languages None Challenge 2 (450 XP) Belly Full of Time. The Time Eater eats time. It has an organ, much like a stomach, that holds and digests it. It starts with 1d4-1 units of time in its belly. Devouring Time. If they get alone and safe with incapacitated prey, they can latch on and begin to feed. They will both stutter forward in time, a few hours or days at a time. The prey will awake, alive but disoriented 2d6 months later. Actions Multiattack. The Time Eater uses its claw twice, then if it is not in frozen time Consume Time. The Time eater "bites" at one target within 5ft. They must make a DC 13 Charisma saving throw. If they fail, the Time Eater rips off a chunk of time. The target disapears, reappearing at the end of the Time Eater's next turn. The Time Eater adds one unit of time to its belly. Claw. Melee Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d8 + 2) Regurgitate Time. In an emergency, it can use its extra time to defend itself or to make off with prey. It loses all time in its belly, and then freezes time. It takes 1 extra turn for each two units of time consumed this way, rounded down. Other creatures cannot take reactions during these extra turns. They also fail any dexterity checks. Chronoclasm Knight Medium humanoid (elf), lawful good Armor Class 18 (plate) Hit Points 200 Speed 30ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) Condition Immunities Sleep Senses passive Perception 14 Languages Elvish, sylvan, deep speech Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) Lesser Time Stop. The Chronoclasm Knight can stop time at will, but only for a short time. Time stops at the beginnings of each of its turns, and it takes its whole turn in frozen time. Creatures cannot use reactions during its turn, and automatically fail Dexterity checks. Actions Multiattack. It makes 3 attacks with its greatsword, and one throw. Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 15 (2d10 + 4) Throw. The knight throws a target 10 feet. This movement doesn't happen until time unfreezes. Then, the thrown creature and anything it hits must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d8 damage. Reactions Time Stop. The knight can freeze time in response to another character making an attack or casting a spell. If they do so, they cannot stop time on their next turn. The knight can choose from the following options in stopped time: Swap. The knight swaps places with a creature within 5 ft of it. That creature becomes the target of anything that was targeting the knight. Move. The knight moves up to half their speed. Riposte. If the attack is a melee attack, the knight counters it, and makes one greatsword attack.
Adventure in Chronomancy There are many adventures that one might have with time magic, or time travel in general. Here are a few possible adventure hooks. Stable Portal A wizard on the cutting edge of chronomancy has been reported missing. When you arrive at his secluded and run down tower, you find a portal. On the other side you find yourself in a much newer version of the same tower. Travelling back to civilization, you find that it was not a portal in space, but in time. 104 years to be exact. Right before the advent of the Great War. Things you change here change the future. Who won. Who lived. But the portal stays open through it all, moving forward in time equally in both timelines. You have to find the wizard. Do you try to change the world for the better, or just undo what the wizard has changed? Was your timeline the best possible world? The Forever King Simon Valmont will discover a way to travel back in time in jumps of at least 50 years. We know this because nearly 50 years ago, thousands of Simon Valmonts appeared on a remote island to talk to the original Simon. They're fairly cagey about future events, but here's what we know: On a day in the future, each Simon will travel back in time to the same point in the past. Simon does this 3782 times. Each Simon is known to the other Simons by a number, noting which iteration they are. Simon the First is mostly confused all the time, since he does not yet know how to time travel. The Simons live in a kingdom on that island, populated exclusively with Simons. Later Simons have more advanced knowledge than earlier Simons, but can't risk giving anything away. So no Simon can give orders directly to an earlier Simon. You'd think killing one Simon would throw off the entire timeline and consume the island in paradox, but the Simons are crafty. They use resurrection magics to ensure the unbroken chain. And they'll develop spells later in life to ensure the integrity, the smooth flow of one Simon into the next. The issue the island has is Simon #3782. Also known as Simon Omega, or the Iconoclast. He won't travel back in time. And to make things worse he's trying to create paradox, which endangers all the Simons. Simon #3781 is very stressed about what will drive him to such madness. They want you to go kill Simon Omega. They've trapped him on a small section of the island, but none of them can go nearby in case he's written deadly secrets about the future in blood on the walls or something. And he doesn't show for the time travel ritual in the future, they know that much, so there's a chance you succeeded and killed him. But never tell any Simons anything Simon Omega tells you, or you might doom the whole timeline! The Doom of Ditheria On the island of Ditheria, there was an incident that allowed a psychic entity of immesurable power into our world. It is a psychic fungus that consumes the mind and replicates any sentient thing that it's roots entangle. Two powerful mages went to stem this apocalypse. One was a master of explosive magics, to burn the fungus away. One was a master of slowed time, who could slow the encroachment of the fungus onto their minds. They were a brutally effective duo. Now, no one knows what happened when the went down. We do know now that the fungus can replicate spells, and to a massive degree. We also know that the fungus is currently exploding. The explosion is just moving very, very slowly. The shockwave moves about 10 feet a year. The blast wall moves half as fast. And time went on, and people adapted. Due to how dangerous it is to cross the shockwave, there are two cultures. One lives in the three mile stretch between the shockwave and the blast wall, the other outside. A small war is breaking out over a church that is currently passing through the shockwave, and who should shoulder the burden of repair. And I guess someone should probably make sure this explosion won't eventually engulf the planet. But in the moment, there are more important things to worry about! The Unkillable Man There's a dangerous killer on the loose. The problem is, he seems preternaturally lucky. No one can catch him, no one can kill him, nobody knows what's going on. But your employer has a hunch. He once had a friend who knew the spell Reset, and who would use it to get out of tight spots. And there's a chronomancer's tower nearby that got ransacked recently. It has to be that, or something similar, but more powerful. But how do you catch a man who can roll back time whenever things don't go his way? You'll have to delve the tower for answers, then hunt down the killer. An Unusual Service A local man claiming to be a powerful wizard has set up a store in town. But he doesn't offer goods. He offers an escape from your droll life. "The future will be wonderful! Technologies you can't even dream of! Local school children will do magic that confounds the great mages of today! For a small fee, I'll send you to the paradise that is... The Future!" And many people take him up on the offer. They go into his shop, enter a back room, and are never seen again. Now, he sent a volunteer a week into the future, to prove he was on the up and up. But was the volunteer in on it too? Someone has to investigate. What's really going on? Choose your favorite: He's feeding their time to a pack of well trained Time Eaters. This doesn't exactly hurt the people, but those beasts have weeks of time freeze stored up. He's teleporting them to an outer plane, not the future. He's being totally genuine. But the future people don't appreciate the onslaught of unwashed peasants with outdated morals. They're planning revenge.