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ENCYCLOPAEDIA
FORMULAE
ARCANA
M AGIC YOU MIGHT LIKE BUT CAN ’ T FIND IN A 5 E
CORE RULEBOOK

Since the beginning, when Gygax and Arneson et al gathered around tables, there have been thousands of
spells developed for the world’s most popular roleplaying game.
This work attempts to take as many spells as possible from previous-edition sourcebooks and update them
for 5e. Those spells which are already found in a 5e hardback, deal damage in a way inconsistent with 5e
mechanics (such as ability-score damage), affect alignment, or duplicate class abilities have not been
included.
If you know of a spell which should be here but has been omitted, contact the author.
PLAYERS: Do not use these spells without your DM’s permission!
DMs: Have a blast!

V OLUME 2 A : T HE "B" L IST

BY R P DAVIS

THE AUTHOR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MISSING EYEBROWS OR OTHER FACIAL HAIR RESULTING FROM
MAGICAL EXPERIMENTS. EYE OF NEWT, TONGUE OF TOAD, UNICORN TEARS, AND 1000GP DIAMONDS
NOT INCLUDED. USE AT OWN RISK.
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SOME "B" MAGIC FOR YOU!

BESTOW CURSE  The target must carry something designated by the caster
or suffer disadvantage on all saving throws. The item can
We all know and love bestow curse. It's a wonderfully useful spell be vague (such as "a holy symbol of Bane") or specific
to make our foes' lives interesting (and shorter). But the curses (such as "the Crown of King Imphras VII"), but it cannot
specifically listed in the Player's Handbook spell description can be something harmful or deadly for the target to carry
leave one feeling a bit...underwhelmed. Here are some alternate (such as a massive boulder or lava).
curses for your delectation.
 Each time the target uses the Help action, they impose
Note: Some of these are only effective if bestow curse is cast using disadvantage on the check rather than grant advantage.
a high-level spell slot. Additionally, as always, your DM has the final
say on whether or not an alternate curse is allowed.  The target is always considered to be wearing heavy
armor, even if it is wearing no armor at all.
 The target is wracked with pain. It has disadvantage on  The target’s sight, of all types, is reduced to 20 feet.
Dexterity checks and saving throws, and its speed is  The target has a fit of uncontrollable sneezing whenever
reduced by 10 feet. it tells a lie.
 The target is convinced it is a were-creature, though it  The creature gains a deadly touch. Every living thing it
most certainly isn't. Whenever the moon is full, it strips touches takes 1d10 necrotic damage. It cannot turn off this
naked and mindlessly attacks other humanoids. It gains ability.
none of the powers and abilities of a lycanthrope, and a
creature the target bites doesn’t contract lycanthropy.  The first the target sees a magical item it must try to use
it. If it sees a scroll, it must read it. If it sees a sword, it
 The target's Strength score is reduced by 10 (minimum 1). must try to hit a creature with it.
This might cause the target to suddenly collapses under
the weight of its own equipment.  The target loses all its racial abilities.
 The target is rendered sterile.  One of the target's limbs ceases to function. A
nonfunctional arm cannot hold or wield any item and
 Whenever the target kills a humanoid, it gains a new cannot be used to perform somatic spell components,
facial or body feature of the humanoid it killed. For while a nonfunctional leg prevents the target from
example, if the target kills an orc, one of its teeth turns walking without a crutch (and even then the target can
into an orc’s tusk. If it kills a female human, it gains one only move at half speed). A nonfunctional wing prevents
breast (or an extra one). Over time, albeit slowly, the the target from flying if it uses wings to fly.
target’s Charisma score is reduced as it becomes a
hideous amalgamation of races: For every ten creatures  The target becomes a plague vector. Anyone the target
killed, its Charisma score is reduced by 1 (minimum 3). touches or who touches the target must make a
successful DC 16 Constitution saving throw or contract
 The target becomes a magic sink. Beneficial spells with a sight rot or cackle fever. The target is immune.
duration longer than instantaneous which affect it end at
the beginning of its next turn.  When the target makes a d20 roll, a result of 20 counts as
a result of 1.
 The target can only communicate by singing, and can only
sing in American country music.  The target develops an obviously supernatural and
disturbing (and often ironic) physical trait, such as a
 You curse a creature to have every movement and action pig’s noise, pure black eyes, have its hair turn into
accompanied by dramatic theme music. serpents, smell like sulfur, and so on. While cursed, the
 The target must always walk backwards. Its speed is target has disadvantage on Charisma-based checks.
reduced to half normal, and if it takes the Dash action it  Holy symbols, holy water, and consecrated ground cause
must make a successful DC 16 Dexterity check or fall the target great pain. It cannot willingly touch holy
prone. symbols or carry holy water and cannot enter holy
 You curse the target's armor, shield, or one of their ground. If forced into contact, it takes 1d4 psychic damage
weapons. Its enhancement bonus is reversed, it becomes a round.
non-magical, and it loses any other special abilities. Thus,  The target is stricken with cowardice. Each time the
a +2 flaming battleaxe becomes a nonmagical -2 battleaxe. target rolls for initiative, it must immediately make a
If it’s already nonmagical, the weapon, shield, or armor Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or
instead becomes a -1 weapon, shield or armor. become incapacitated. It can repeat the saving throw at
 The target exudes an aura of antipathy, causing creatures the beginning of each of its turns. If it takes damage while
to have hostile feelings towards it. While cursed, the cursed, it must repeat the saving throw or become
target has disadvantage on Deception and Persuasion paralyzed with fear.
checks.  Beasts refuse to be within 10 feet of the target and ignore
 Whenever the target tells a lie, its nose grows by 1 inch. the target’s commands or requests.
 Whenever the target speaks, it must be in rhyme or it  The target loses all weapon and armor proficiencies.
takes 1d6 psychic damage.
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 The creature becomes insatiable. Whenever food or drink with somatic components, it must make a successful DC
16 Constitution saving throw or the spell fails (and the
is present, the creature must make a Wisdom saving spell slot is consumed).
throw or stop whatever it is doing in order to eat or drink.
 The target gains a level of exhaustion until it has  The target gains vulnerability to a damage type of your
consumed 1 pint of humanoid blood. Thereafter, it gains a choice.
thirst for blood. Normal food and drink no longer provide  The target is inflicted with a madness of your choice.
nourishment. The target awakens each morning with 1
level of exhaustion and must drink 1 pint of humanoid  Whenever the creature encounters a particular
blood to remove the condition. If it doesn’t drink the blood, substance, it becomes incredibly nauseated. It must make
it gains another level of exhaustion. a Constitution saving throw or become incapacitated for
1d6 rounds due to vomiting and dry heaves.
 All creatures of a certain kind (owlbears, goblins, red  The target loses the ability to heal naturally, and healing
dragons, beholders, zombies) are invisible to the victim. magic only heals half as many hit points as normal.
 The target has uncontrollable shakes. It has disadvantage
on ranged attacks. In addition, each time it casts a spell

A NEW SPELL
I have always been inspired by the great archwizard Bigby. His various hand spells have been a staple in my travelling spellbooks for
many years, and I have become quite adept at using them.
Here is a variation on one of Bigby's spells made with the advice of a planes-walking mendicant who claimed to come from a warm
tropical island which in his native tongue translates as "Port Richard." He said that everyone where he comes from would understand
it, and he was not mistaken. Truly it strikes terror into the hearts of any native to that land, though I am at a loss to fully explain
why.
Federec Serrell, Archmage of Timbertown

BIGBY'S MAMA'S CHANCLA

1st-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (a tiny woman's sandal)
Duration: Instantaneous
You conjure a ghostly female hand wielding a sandal. As part of casting the spell, make a ranged spell attack against a creature you
can see within range. On a hit, a disembodied female voice shouts "Don't you talk to me like that!", the sandal slaps the target in the
back of the head, the creature takes 1d8 psychic damage, and is incapacitated until the end of its next turn.
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CREDITS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
R P Davis is a freelance writer, editor, and adventure designer. He has been a tabletop RPG player and referee the entire time he's been
sentient, and a role-playing addict for more than 30 years. In that time he's written countless things, from simple spells and effects to
complete game worlds to complete roleplaying games.
You can find R P Davis on Facebook, Twitter, and his website.
R P Davis is the creative brain behind products like these (click for links):

This is the work that started it all – the first installment in the Encyclopaedia
Formulae Arcana, my attempt to update all the spells it's possible to find from
previous editions to the 5th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons.
Look for the full Volume B soon!

Cover background by Patrick E Pullen, found here. Some artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved. Other
interior art courtesy of Wizards of the Coast’s Stock Art Packs.
This book couldn't have happened without the help and support of Tina Connell, whose encouragement on Twitter was and is totally
awesome. Thank you!
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