New D&D Magus Class is the Gish That Keeps On Giving

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It’s a rare thing for Dungeons & Dragons to introduce a new class to the game. And it’s even rarer for it to be from a third-party publisher. Yet that’s exactly what’s happened, with Wizards of the Coast officially adding the new Magus class to D&D Beyond.

Originally published in 2016 for D&D 5E via DMsGuild, the Magus was created by indie designer Benjamin Huffman under his imprint Sterling Vermin Adventuring Co. (which also created the Pugilist class). The new D&D Beyond version officially updates the class for the D&D 5.5E ruleset, but the basic mechanics remain the same, with the class mixing martial prowess with magical might, in addition to including six updated subclasses.

So are these new wielders of spells and steel worth playing? Below, we break down all the details.

What is the Magus Class in D&D 5.5E?

Magi are gifted warriors that blend martial prowess with mystical puissance. Wielding spell and steel in tandem, Magi can render their enemies vulnerable to their magic with a look and invoke sigils to enhance their offensive and defensive abilities. Leveraging these diverse strengths, Magi can overcome even the most powerful adversaries and challenging obstacles.

Every Magus belongs to an esoteric order that shapes their abilities, enhances their sigils, and expands their magical capabilities. These orders also inform or reflect a Magus’ goals and reasons for adventuring. Some orders compel Magi to catalogue the magical wonders of the multiverse while others call on Magi to deliver harsh and unrepentant justice. Just as a Magus balances their martial talents with their magical abilities, they must also balance their personal aspirations with their order’s goals.

What is a Magus’ Primary Ability Score?

Intelligence is a Magus’ primary ability score. This represents the fact that while they are warriors, their greatest weapon is their mind. Notably, Magi also gain a saving throw proficiencies in Constitution and Intelligence.

What is the Magus’ Hit Die and Hit Points?

Magi have 1d8 hit dice per level. This means at 1st level your Magus’ Hit Points will be 8 + your Constitution modifier. Each level you advance from level 2 onwards, you gain an additional 1d8 (or an average of 5) Hit Points, plus your Constitution modifier. This Hit Die score essentially puts the Magus on the same footing as the Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Monk, Rogue and Warlock.

What is the Magus Proficient in?

A Magus has a unique set of skills that reflect their training in both arcane and physical combat.

• Armor: Light and Medium armor and Shields
• Weapons: Simple and Martial weapons
• Saving Throws: Intelligence and Wisdom
• Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception or Religion

What Equipment Does a Magus Start With?

As a level 1 Magi, you can choose between the following two options for your equipment (in addition to any other equipment provided by your Background):

• Option A: Studded Leather Armor, Longbow, 20 Arrows, Quiver, Rapier, Component Pouch, Diamond worth 50 GP and 4 GP
• Option B: 200 GP (with the ability to purchase equipment as you see fit)

What are the key D&D 5.5E features of the Magus Class?

Below are all the key features that a Magus has access to.

Level 1: Esoteric Eye

As a Bonus Action, you can observe a creature you can see. Until the end of your next turn, you have Advantage on your Magus spell attacks against it and it has Disadvantage on saving throws against your Magus spells.

You can use this Bonus Action a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum once). You regain one expended use when you finish a Short Rest, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Level 1: Weapon Mastery

Your training with weapons allows you to use the mastery properties of two kinds of weapons of your choice with which you have proficiency, such as Rapiers and Pistols.

Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can change the kinds of weapons you chose. For example, you could switch to using the mastery properties of Longbows and Longswords.

Level 2: Fighting Style

You gain a Fighting Style feat of your choice. Instead of choosing one of those feats, you can choose the option below:

Mystic Warrior. You gain a bonus on Constitution saving throws you make to maintain Concentration equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum +1). When you fail a Constitution saving throw to maintain Concentration on a spell, you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to twice the spell’s level plus your Intelligence modifier.

Level 2: Mystic Mark

You can take a Bonus Action to imbue yourself with magical power and resilience. When you do, choose a Magus level 1+ spell you have prepared that has a casting time of an action or a Bonus Action, expend a spell slot equal to or higher than the spell level, and choose Force damage or a damage type dealt by the spell. You gain your choice of the Aegis or Enspell benefit.

• Aegis. You have Resistance to the chosen damage type.
• Enspell. When you deal damage with a weapon or Unarmed Strike, you can deal the chosen damage type instead of the normal damage type for the attack.

You can only benefit from one Aegis and one Enspell at a time. While you have an Aegis or Enspell, you can use a Bonus Action to release and cast a spell chosen using this feature. Your Mystic Mark and its corresponding benefit end after 1 hour, or when you release the spell.

Level 5: Arcane Ability

When you fail an ability check, you can imbue your effort with a magical might. You add a bonus to the ability check equal to your Intelligence modifier plus the highest level unexpended spell you have, potentially turning it into a success.

Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a Short or Long Rest unless you expend a spell slot (no action required) to restore your use of it.

Level 5: Sword and Sorcery

When you take the Attack action and it doesn’t benefit from the Extra Attack feature, you can cast a Magus cantrip with a casting time of an action as part of the same action. When you take the Magic action on your turn, you can use a Bonus Action to make one weapon attack.

Level 6: Magical Recovery

You can regain some of your magical energy by meditating on the Tapestry and its myriad threads. When you finish a Short Rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level equal to no more than half your Magus level (round up), and none of the slots can be level 6 or higher. For example, if you’re a level 6 Magus, you can recover up to three levels’ worth of spell slots, regaining either one level 3 spell slot, a level 2 and a level 1 spell slot, or three level 1 spell slots.

Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Level 9: Rite of Return

When your Mystic Mark ends without you releasing the spell, you regain the expended spell slot. Additionally, you can end your Mystic Mark as a Bonus Action, regaining the expended spell slot.

Level 10: All-Seeing Eye

As a Bonus Action you can expend a use of your Esoteric Eye to gain Truesight out to a distance of 60 feet for 10 minutes. During this time, you can use the Bonus Action granted by your Esoteric Eye without requiring or expending any uses.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.

Level 11: Sigil Surge

The benefits of your Mystic Mark are improved.

• Aegis. At the start of each of your turns, you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to the expended spell slot level plus your Intelligence modifier.
• Enspell. When you deal damage with a weapon or Unarmed Strike, you deal an additional 1d6 damage of the chosen type.

Level 15: Sorcerous Shielding

You gain the following benefits.

• Magic Resistance. Choose one of the following damage types: Force, Necrotic, Psychic, or Radiant. You have Resistance to that damage type. At the start of each of your turns, you can change the damage type affected by this feature to one of the other listed options.
• Spell Parry. You have Advantage on saving throws against spells and spell attacks against you have Disadvantage.

Level 18: Spell Surge

In times of need you can surge with arcane power, grasping at magic typically beyond your ability. Choose one level 6 Magus spell as your surge spell. You can cast your surge spell once without expending a spell slot. When you do, you regain one spell slot of your choice that is 5th level or lower.

Once you cast your surge spell you must finish a Long Rest before you can cast it in this way again.

Level 20: Archmagus

You gain the following benefits.

• Ability Score Enhancement. Choose Strength or Dexterity. Your Intelligence and the chosen ability score increase by 2, to a maximum of 23.
• Rapid Recovery. You can use your Magical Recovery twice, regaining both uses when you finish a Long Rest.

What are the Magus subclasses?

There are six subclasses for the Magus, all of which are selected at Level 3 as per the new D&D 5.5E rules:

• Arcane Order: Scholars cataloging the multiverse’s wonders who use arcane foci, swap places via teleportation to absorb attacks meant for allies, and can forcibly blink enemies across the battlefield.
• Heaven’s Guard: Holy sentinels and living shields who channel radiant divine magic, provide high-impact combat healing, gain temporary bursts of winged flight and bolster allies’ frontline survivability.
• Knights Stygian: Grim warriors who use dark, necromantic magic to destroy evil, sacrificing their own Hit Dice in combat to trigger self-healing and deal devastating necrotic weapon damage.
• Shadow Court: Clandestine shinobi and spies who blend stealth, thieves’ tools and unarmed martial arts with elusive illusion techniques, reactive invisibility and defensive mirror duplicates.
• Sidereal Cabal: Astrological mages who study constellations to manipulate fate, employing portent-style dice alterations, manipulating time and movement speeds, and bending probability to favor allies.
• Sylvan Circle: Nature-infused protectors wielding druidic powers to bolster ally saving throws, restrict enemy positioning with difficult terrain and leverage powerful transformations to guard the wilderness.

Is the new Magus Class worth playing?

Despite being only a half-caster, the Magus punches well above its weight class with the potential for some serious power creep. That’s in large part due to their ability to weather magical threats and tap into a combination of weapon strikes and spellcasting that outclasses most other half-casters. The class, however, also feels a bit unwieldy at times, requiring players to track bonus actions, unspent spell slots and resistances – all of which could potentially slow down play.

That being said, the Magus also feels like it definitely fills a gap that exists with the current D&D 5.5E ruleset, and has the kind of flexibility we rarely see. While other gish classes essentially slap combat options onto a spellcaster chassis, the Magus lets you mix and match your fighting style with specific types of magic.

You can try the new 5.5E Magus class for yourself now for $14.99 USD on D&D Beyond or grab the PDF for $15 USD from Sterling Vermin.

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