Rhythmancy spells mostly follow existing rules for spellcasting, with several notable exceptions.
Rhythmantic cantrips can be cast an unlimited number of times, regardless of feature or trait restrictions on casting spells.
All Rhythmancy spells, in addition to normal spell slot usage and component requirements, include both a verbal component and a specific material component requirement of an instrument with a value of at least 1 gp. This instrument substitutes as your spellcasting focus when using rhythmantic magic. Instruments that are magic items also satisfy this material component requirement.
Due to the inherently performative nature of Rhythmancy, the requirements for both a verbal component and instrument cannot be bypassed with any class feature (such as a sorcerer's Subtle Spell metamagic option), trait, or any other ability, unless it specifically allows ignoring component requirements for Rhythmancy magic.
When you cast a Rhythmancy spell learned through the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature, it is considered to be a spell of that feature's class for the purpose of casting it, and it expends spell slots of the appropriate level normally.
If you have Rhythmancy Points, you can cast a Rhythmancy spell you know by spending a number of Rhythmancy Points equal to the spell's level. Additional Rhythmancy Points can be spent to cast the spell at a higher level at a cost of 1 Rhythmancy Point per level increase. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for spells cast using Rhythmancy Points. You regain all spent Rhythmancy Points when you finish a Long Rest.
If you discover a new Rhythmancy spell in your travels, you are eligible to learn the song if your total possible Rhythmancy Points are equal to or greater than the spell's level. Rhythmancy points from multiple sources are pooled together when determining your point total. For example, if you take the Rhythmancy Initiate and Rhythmancy Adept feats, you have a total of 3 Rhythmancy Points and thus are eligible to learn Rhythmancy spells up to 3rd-level.
When a Rhythmancy spell of 1st-level or higher is being cast in place of another spell granted by a feature or trait, you choose the spell you are replacing with a Rhythmancy spell each time you cast it.
If the casting of a spell using such features is subject to special rules and limitations, apply these rules using the guidelines below:
If a monk feature requires spending Focus Points to cast a spell of 1st-level or higher, the cost of casting a Rhythmancy spell is a number of Focus Points equal to 1 + the spell's level. For example, casting Song of Storms using the Empty Body feature would require spending 3 Focus Points.
Additional Focus Points can be spent to cast the spell at a higher level at 1 Discipline Point per level increase, as long as you already have the ability to cast a spell at that level using Focus Points.
If the feature or trait requires spending from a limited number of charges to cast spells, casting a Rhythmancy spell costs the same as another spell of the same level or higher.
If the feature or trait allows casting spells of 1st-level or higher once before requiring a rest to recharge (such as the Infernal Legacy trait), the Rhythmancy spell can be selected in place of the existing spell options, expending the spell use as if it were the existing spell.
If the feature or trait allows casting a spell of 1st-level or higher an unlimited number of times, you can choose to cast a Rhythmancy spell of the same spell level or lower once with this trait. Once you cast it, you can't do so again until you finish a Long Rest, but you can continue to use the default spell from this trait as normal.
If a feature or trait imposes any other limitations on casting its existing spells, the Rhythmancy spell must follow those same limitations. For example, the Empty Body feature doesn't allow taking creatures with you when casting astral projection, so a Rhythmancy spell cast in this manner also cannot take creatures with you if it normally has this ability.
If the spell cannot be used with the feature's limitations, it cannot be learned in this manner. For example, the Ascendant Step eldritch invocation only allows casting levitate on yourself, so if a Rhythmancy spell is unable to target yourself, you cannot learn it using Ascendant Step.
Some Rhythmancy songs are written to be performed by two musicians working together to create more powerful magic than they could accomplish on their own. Duets function like normal spells but come with additional requirements for the magic to be successfully linked between the two casters:
- The Rhythmancy spell performed by both casters must be the same.
- Both performers must choose the same target when casting their spells.
- Both casters must provide all required components and spell slots.
- After the first spellcasting is begun, the partner's spell must begin before the first caster's next turn. To ensure synchrony, one partner could use the Ready Action so that their spell begins casting as a Reaction to the other partner starting their song.
- Both casters must be able to hear each other during the entire casting times of the spells to ensure their performances remain in sync.
If any of the above conditions are not met, both castings of the Duet spell fail. Otherwise, the spells grant their shared effect after both casters complete the required casting time.
If a Duet is targeted by an effect or check that requires knowing the spellcasting ability, Spell Save DC, or spell attack modifier of the caster, use the higher of the two attributes from the Duet's performers. If the effect or check requires knowing the spell slot level (such as dispel magic) and the performers used two different level spell slots, use the lower of the two spell slot levels.
| ⬅️ Chapter 1: Learning Rhythmancy Spells | Chapter 3: Rhythmancy Classes ➡️ |
|---|