TRULY WILD MAGIC

Bringing chaos to order

Introduction: Custom rules that replace or tweak the Wild Magic Sorcerer abilities
and accompanying Wild Magic Surge table. The purpose of these tweaks is to both
give a more stable representation of how and when to activate the Wild Magic rules
and balance the Surge results in a more game friendly manner.

These rules are optional and supplementary

by RALPH LEVI CLARK &

SHAWN KRUEGER

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Defining Chaos
The following sources on chaos are intended
for general audiences; they do not require
advanced mathematics.
Books Abraham, R.H.
and Shaw, C.D., Dynamics: The Geometry of
Behavior, 2nd edition

Objective
To make the Wild Magic Sorcerer class more
role play oriented, more fun, less dangerous,
non-permanent and balanced for good/bad
outcomes.

Balancing Chaos
In Dungeons and Dragons its stated multiple
times throughout the core books and
accompanying adventures that the rules are
used to help bring balance to a game of telling
stories. They help keep things going without
one person being all powerful (except for the
DM of course) and supposedly keeping things
in line with what we expect or can measure in
the real world. And then they add magic. And
dragons. Andyou get the idea. The rules help
players enjoy telling a story about their
characters and offer suggested mechanics to
help bring some challenge to situations
presented in the game, it keeps us from all
just sitting around and talking about how
amazing our characters are which would get
boring really quickly. It gives us a reason to tie
our characters together in the story line, to
work as a group to thwart enemies and
overcome obstacles that individual characters
would falter or simply fail in the face of. The
rules are meant to be bent and sometimes
broken, theyre more of guide lines really, but
they exist for a reason. At this point you
probably understand how role playing games
work and what the roles are in a group of
players. The Dungeon Master prepares and
adventure and adjudicates the rules, presents
the challenges, enjoys seeing players overcome
them (or be squashed by them). The DM has
the power to control the monsters, changes

rules that dont fit their style of game and

generally warp reality for the characters as
they see fit. The players build characters that
have set abilities, dynamic story lines and
goals. They know what abilities they will gain
in coming levels, what those abilities do and
make conscious choices to build a character
that they both want to play and that will be
able to survive the coming challenges
presented by the DM. They try to take the
chaos of battle, the impossibility of magic and
the wild creatures of pure imagination and
give them substance. They generally try to
bring a semblance of order to the chaos of
life to give mechanics and balance to chaos.
That being said, the general rule is that the
character classes available have been built
and balanced through years of proper testing.
Theyve gone through untold revisions,
hundreds of hands and thousands of hours of
play before they get put into the official
Players Handbook. Its widely accepted, even
in official play, that the classes are well
defined and players must build their character
knowing what their options are and that even
though their story line and background is
moldable the class abilities listed are
mechanically set in stone. Except for one class
and one specific sub class. The Wild Magic
Sorcerer.

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Why Make changes?

Out of all the core classes available in the Players
Handbook the Wild Magic Sorcerer and their
accompanying Surge table seems to catch
everyone's attention at one point or another. First
they skim the list and see something weird, then
their eyes get big and they see something cool right

does my characters fun and wild mechanic

literally only possibly happen when the DM
says so? Why make that a class at all? Why
not just say "instead of having an ability the
DM now has the power to randomly make
your spells do what he wants if he feels like
it." Ok, ok. The DM can do that anyway right?
But as a character building mechanic to
choose from? FOOLISH!

before they shake their head and turn the page.

It's a wildly potential class with tons of "Whoa, that
was awesome!" factors that just never quite make
the risk worth the take.
Wild magic in itself is chaotic and random. You
reach deep into the swirling vortex of the
unknown, grasp at the magical threads that tie
together the very fabric of existence...and you tug!
Sometimes you pull the wrong threads.
The first problem that most people run into with
Wild Magic is that even though it seems amazingly
fun to play it's just TOO chaotic and random to
make the game fun. The second problem is that
even though it sounds like you'll be doing
something crazy every time you cast a spell the
math almost totally erases that potential. Players

The Solution
Rewrite the rules. Create custom, optional
and supplementary rules that more properly
define when you should make Wild Magic
Surge roles and change the table of
possibilities to remove the overly powerful
and game breaking/ending possibilities.
Below are the proposed changes to the Wild
Magic Surge ability, there are 3 different
options that can be used in your game. Each
subsequent option would cause the likelihood
of a Wild Magic Surge to increase
dramatically.

have gone through 16 levels of Sorcerer and

NEVER ONCE been subject to the Wild Magic
Surge table of amazing things due to one reason.
The written rule.

The Written Rule Needs Tweaking

The way the rule is written is unlike many
others in the book and definitely unlike any
other a player characters class is subject to.
The Wild Magic Surge only happens when the
DM randomly decides that it should even be
rolled for in the first place, and then, that one
time in a million when it might make good
comedic effect if just the right spell turns
crazy, you have to roll a D20 and land a 1. So
once in... who knows how often... your DM
randomly decides for the ability to take affect
and then only one in twenty of those times
will anything actually happen. What? Why

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Truly Wild Magic Surge

Tides of Chaos

Option 1

Optional Rule

Starting when you choose this origin, your

spellcasting can unleash accidental happy
accidents of untamed magic. Immediately after
you cast a sorcerer spell of 1st level or higher, roll a
d20. If you roll a 1, roll on the Truly Wild Magic
Surge table to create a random magical effect.
This effect occurs in tandem immediately upon
completing your casting action, it does not replace
your spell nor cause it to be lost.

Immediately upon taking this class you can

manipulate the forces of chance and chaos to gain
advantage on one attack roll, ability check, or
saving throw. Once you do so, you gain the
Stranger Things quality. The next time you cast a
sorcerer spell of 1st level or higher you must
immediately roll on the Truly Wild Magic Surge
table, upon doing so you lose the Stranger Things
quality. You can use this ability (2+Cha Modifier)
times per day but only when you do not have the
Stranger Things quality applied.

Truly Wild Magic Surge

Option 2
Starting when you choose this origin, your
spellcasting can unleash accidental happy
accidents of untamed magic. Immediately after
you cast a sorcerer spell of 1st level or higher, roll a
d20. If you roll a 1 or a 20, roll on the Truly Wild
Magic Surge table to create a random magical
effect. This effect occurs in tandem immediately
upon completing your casting action, it does not
replace your spell nor cause it to be lost.

Truly Wild Magic Surge

Option 3
Starting when you choose this origin, your
spellcasting can unleash accidental happy
accidents of untamed magic. Immediately after
you cast a sorcerer spell of 1st level or higher, roll
(X)d20 where (X) equals the level of the spell
being cast. If you roll a 1 or a 20, roll on the Truly
Wild Magic Surge table to create a random
magical effect. Only roll one time on the table
unless instructed otherwise, ignoring all other 1s
or 20s. This effect occurs in tandem immediately
upon completing your casting action, it does not
replace your spell nor cause it to be lost.

Stranger Things
Weird things begin to happen when you
manipulate fate and play with power that you dont
truly understand. Since you chose to pluck the
strings of chaos an aura of wild magic clings to you,
shaking and disrupting things around you. This
presents itself in a number of different ways, each
time they are different and unpredictable yet
relatively benign. Some examples include the
following.
Water becomes unpleasantly hot or cold when
you touch it or a small container holding it. Cold
beer is warm, warm bath water is too chilly.
Bugs become attracted to you and bite you.
Small red rashes appear on your skin when bit
and you find it hard to sleep with them pinching.
You speak slowly or quickly, garbling your
messages in general conversation. This
generally annoys those who were trying to pay
attention to what you were saying.
A flatulent sound echoes from your foot-steps
and an unpleasant smell accompanies you,
causing others to accuse you of walking farts.
Detect Magic shows a jittery aura that seems to
cast ripples from your body causing this effect.
Anything else that the DM can think of thats fun

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Truly Wild Magic Surge Table

D100

EFFECT

01-02 You cast magic missile as a 5th-level spell, summoning 7 darts of magical force that deal 1d4+1 force
damage each to one or several creatures of your choice.
03-04 Roll a d10. Your height changes by a number of inches equal to the roll. If the roll is odd you taste a
combination of cherry tart, custard, pineapple, roast turkey, toffee and hot buttered toast, all mixed up! You also
shrink. If the roll is even you taste cranberry pomegranate cake, its delicious and like all cake is prone to do, it
makes you grow.
05-06 You seem to have forgotten what youre doing. You cast confusion centered on yourself.
07-08 For the next minute, you regain 5 hit points at the start of each of your turns. Your knuckles itch a little but
you cant find anything wrong with them.
09-10 You grow a long beard made of feathers that remains until you sneeze, at which point the feathers
explode out from your face.
11-12 You cast grease centered on yourself. Whoopsie!
13-14 Your skin turns a vibrant shade of blue, you grow foot long wavy antennae from your scalp and a glowing
halo floats above your head for 24 hours. The halo emits light in a 5 foot radius.
15-16 An eye appears on your forehead for the next 10 minutes. During that time, you have advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. You have the strange urge to make triangle shapes with your
hands.
17-18 Your hands grow strange suckers that excrete a sticky web like substance. You have advantage on climb
and grapple checks but must make a Strength check to release items held. This effect persists for 24 hours.
19-20 You are transported to the Astral Plane until the end of your next turn, after which time you return to a
random space that is unoccupied within 30 feet of your original space. Roll a percentage die. 01-50 and you are
standing on a barren rock flying through the far reaches of space, nothing but twinkling stars and colorful
coronas as far as the eye can see. 51-100 and you are standing in the private quarters of a Githyanki astral
ship captain who is currently neck deep in pink bubbles. His eyes widen as he bellows in a startled voice By the
gods! ANOTHER ONE! He shouts just before you pop back to your own plane of existence.
21-22 Power courses through your veins as you grip a pulsing string of nether in your hand. Maximize the
damage of the next damaging spell you cast within the next 10 turns.
23-24 Flip a coin! If it lands on Heads then your Charisma score changes to 20 but if it lands on tails your
Charisma score becomes a 3 (ewwww). Your score reverts back to its original number in 1 minute.
25-26 A bloated hill giant corpse appears nearby. It appears to have been sitting in the sun for several days but
it seems the giants bag is intact! If you have a copy of Storm Kings Thunder then roll 1d4 times on the Items In
A Giants Bag table, if not you only find a dented metal helmet and dead sheep.
27-28 You turn into a potted plant until the start of your next turn. While a plant, you are incapacitated and have
vulnerability to all damage. If you drop to 0 hit points, your pot breaks and your form reverts.
29-30 You suddenly grow a long, hairless blue tail that allows you to teleport up to 20 feet as a bonus action on
each of your turns. The tail disappears in one minute or if severed.
31-32 Did somebody turn the gravity off? Nope, you just cast levitate on everything in a 30 foot radius.
33-34 A unicorn controlled by the DM appears within 5 feet of you. It heals any wounds you may have and
disappears in one turn.
35-36 You cant speak for the next minute. Whenever you try, pink bubbles float out of your mouth with written
text floating inside them. When you pop the bubbles the words are released!
37-38 A spectral shield hovers near you for the next minute, granting you a +2 bonus to AC and immunity to
magic missiles.
39-40 You are immune to being intoxicated by alcohol for the next 1d6 days. The upside is that you can win any
drinking contest without even slurring your insults!
41-42 Your hair bursts from your head and showers the ground leaving you bald. Your head itches for the next
24 hours as it quickly grows back to its normal length.
43-44 You summon an invisible humanoid that tells amazing jokes. Only you can see or hear it.
45-46 Your voice booms to 5 times its normal volume, including your breathing. You annoy people nearby and
gain disadvantage on stealth checks for the next 10 minutes.
47-48 A 15 foot cone of fire explodes out in front of you; anything it hits takes 2d8 cold damage and is slowed by

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10 feet for until the end of their next turn.

49-50 Up to three creatures you choose within 30 feet of you take (X)d10 lightning damage. (X) is equal to the
highest level of spell you are able to cast.
51-52 Whoa, why does everything have such big teeth? You are frightened by the nearest creature to you at the
start of your turn for the next 5 turns.
53-54 Each creature within 30 feet of you becomes invisible for 1 minute. The invisibility ends on a creature
when it attacks or casts a spell.
55-56 Your skin begins to ripple with a rainbow of colors; you gain resistance to all damage for the next minute.
57-58 You glow with a bright light in a 30-foot radius for the next minute. Any creature that ends its turn within 5
feet of you is blinded until the end of its next turn.
59-60 You cast polymorph on yourself. If you fail the saving throw, you turn into a sheep for the spells duration.
61-62 Illusory butterflies and flower petals flutter in the air within 10 feet of you for the next minute.
63-64 Ultimate cosmic power! Each creature within 30 feet of you takes (X)d10 necrotic damage. You regain hit
points equal to the sum of the necrotic damage dealt. (X) is equal to the highest level spell slot you possess.
Any excess hit points above your maximum become bonus hit points that persist for 1 hour.
65-66 You become invisible for the next 10 minutes and other creatures cant hear you. The invisibility ends if
you attack or cast a spell.
67-68 Your magical essence receives a hard reset by the universe. Your spells all become prestidigitation for
the next 10 minutes, at the end of this period you regain all spent spell slots as if receiving a full nights rest.
69-70 You are surrounded by faint, ethereal music for the next minute, tiny violins float in the air about you.
71-72 Your skin crackles with arcane magic; it rushes into your pores and fills you with potential. You regain all
expended sorcery points.
73-74 You change gender for one minute but retain the general body features of your original form. For
example; a female with a hairy chest and full beard or a man with elegant finger nails and pig tails!
75-76 Your feet feel impossibly heavy; as a matter of fact theyre turned to stone! Your speed is halved for 1
minute.
77-78 You summon a thin green fog that fills a 60 foot area and stinks horribly. It leaves a bad taste in your
mouth too.
79-80 Grass, flowers and strange plants sprout wherever you step for the next minute. Roll 1d4 and find that
many magical Goodberries ready for harvest.
81-82 All lights, even magical, within 30 feet of you are extinguished as a gust of primal wind surrounds you
momentarily, small dust flurries dance nearby for the next minute.
83-84 All of the water within 30 feet of you turns to cheap wine. All of the wine within 30 feet of you turns to
water. If this occurs when you are near a body of still water then youve probably just caused an ecological
disaster of delicious (yet probably deadly) consequences.
85-86 For the next minute your speed doubles and you gain a free standard action every turn but you must
make a successful 10 Dexterity check for every action you take or you fumble it. Youre just too fast and jittery to
properly control your movements!
87-88 Your stomach feels like its turned into a black hole! You must eat double your portion of daily food
starting on your next turn or immediately take a level of exhaustion due to starvation. You may use your bonus
action to consume food each round, this ends when you have eaten 2 pounds of food or 0 speed.
89-90 A small cloud appears above your head and drizzles a cold rain on your parade. The pesky thing sticks
around for 10 minutes.
91-92 Small bugs keep finding their way up your pants leg and into your shirt. They pinch and make you unable
to rest easily for the next 24 hours no matter how many times you bathe.
93-94 Your hair stands on end and your hands emit a static charge dealing 1 point of damage to anything you
touch for the next 24 hours.
95-96 You emit an aura of cold, chilling everyone and everything around you for 24 hours or until you bundle up
in something warm for a long rest. People begin to call you Winter and mumble about look whos coming
whenever youre near.
97-98 You take on a deathly pallor and the stench of the grave for 24 hours. Magic detects you as undead
during this time and you cast no reflection or shadow for the duration.
99-100 Your eyes turn a deep violet. You gain dark vision of 120 feet and sensitivity to light for 24 hours. Why
does everyone keep yelling Drow?

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