Monstrous Magic

I am the Dungeon Master for a campaign of Dungeons & Dragons, fifth edition. We used to play 3.5 edition, but have since moved on to the far more simplified and streamlined newer version. I love the changes, as streamlining pared away much of the fat that made running games more laborious and now I can focus on creative efforts rather than exhausting calculations. The previous editions were far more math heavy- usually addition and subtraction, but they had so many systems in place competing with each other than you nearly needed a list of spreadsheets just to operate (and some Dungeon Masters actually did. Excel is your friend).

This simplification in fifth edition has allowed me to spend my efforts creating fun ways to through interesting twists into the games I run, and as such I've come up with some tables I use occasionally to generate interesting situations. Here I'm going to specifically post several that have to do with magic in my world. I was inspired by Last Gasp's own posts.

I see magic as a terrifying force beyond mortal's understanding. What little wizards and mages have set down as laws are simply the safest manipulations of a system they don't truly grasp. There are far more spells than in the Player's Handbook, they're just not standardized because their not familiar, safe territory for the magic users of the world. To reflect this, magic can be unpredictable when pushed too far. I have my own rules for dictating when one might roll on these tables, and it is fairly uncommon, but others may apply the tables wherever they see fit. Be aware, some of them are dramatic, terrifying and often quite harsh. You may skip the rather long section below if you're only interested in mutations, which I've placed near the bottom of the page.

Magic Meltdown: 1d100

(Many of these refer to foci being the target, or spells being affected because I use this when a desperate mage attempts to cast beyond their ability and overcharges their focus. They only roll on the table if the integrity of the focus fails them.)

1-2. Caster is teleported 1d10x5ft in a random direction (roll a d6- it’s the direction the 6 points). Takes 2d6 force damage if intersecting with objects. Items are not teleported.

3-4. Focus turns to gold and begins multiplying uncontrollably for 1 hour before all vanish.

5-6. Focus turns to toxic smoke filling area within 5 feet. Expands 5ft per turn out to 20 ft. Con save if turn ends within. Dc equals your spell dc. Failure takes 1d10 poison damage.

7-8. Gives glimpse of flaming abomination and imparts knowledge that user may yet contain it. Does 3d6 fire damage. Dex dc 13 drops, no damage. Con dc 13 holds, prevents disaster. If dropped, spawns a portal to the plane of Fire. 2d6 magma mephits emerge 2/turn

9-10. Focus animates. Dc 4+spell slots remaining Cha save or be incapacitated. Ac 15, Hp 7. Focus steals all remaining spells. Fires highest slots at nearest targets.

11-12. Slides into user doing 1d6 damage, injecting larva, then dies. User suffers 1 point of exhaustion each hour for 5 hours as cysts grow all over his/her neck. They hatch into 4d4 toads with the face of the user. Each may cast one of the user’s cantrips. New familiar?

13-14. Crackles with violet electricity. Does 8d12 damage divided among all within 10 ft.

15-16. User loses all HD, is stunned for 1 round and takes 1d4 necrotic damage as focus turns to ash. Repeat the effects at the end of each of their turns until they make a save using their spellcasting stat against their spell dc.

17-18. Magnetizes. All creatures in 40ft make strength saves dc 12. Any wearing metal armor are pulled 20ft closer and become prone. If they hit the user, they do 1d4 bludgeoning. Any weapons or shields they were holding fly at the user and make a single attack with +3 to hit. Any unattended iron objects are assumed to fail their save. The focus remains fixed. Dex save dc 10 halves the total damage taken.

19-20. Vanishes. Its silhouette is burned into user’s eyes and keeps expanding. Disadvantage on wisdom checks for 2d10 days. Blind after 6 days until it ends.

21-22. The focus vents acid out 10 feet of it. Dissolves stone, metal and flesh. Dissolves 5 ft of material/minute for 1 hour. 1d10 acid damage to all caught in spray, dex save dc 13 halves. Any who end their turn in a covered square take the damage.

23-24. Turns to smoke, filling 15ft square. Heavily obscured. 1d4-1 hostile smoke mephits.

25-26. Shatters, causing a loud boom. Dex save dc 13 halves damage. Does 2d6 thunder to all in 20ft and pushes back 10 feet. 1d6 extra damage if impacting surfaces. Caster prone. Breaks potions/jars on caster and in room.

27-28. Turns flesh contacting the focus black and does 1d10 necrotic damage, reducing max hp by that amount until remove curse is cast.

29-30. Sprouts large spikes made of its material. Fills 5 ft square. Anchors to floor. Does 2d8 piercing damage to user and restrains them until dc 16 str check to remove it.

31-32. Burns white hot and falls to ground, Begins spreading 5ft/turn- max 1d10x10ft. Movement causes waveforms (like audiograph) to bounce up. Does 1 radiant damage on contact once per turn. Moving farther than 15ft in one turn causes large waves to overtake you (you see an infinite plane of white, with strange faceless people facing you+ 2d4 radiant + blinded 1d4 rounds)

33-34. Becomes incredibly cold, freezing hand to it. Str check dc 14 to remove it. Does 1d6 cold damage every round. After 3 rounds, restrained.

35-36. Grows horrible black vines with white leaves within 20 feet. Difficult terrain. Anyone that ends their turn there makes a grapple check (vines get +1). Grappled creatures take 1d6+1 bludgeoning at the beginning of any turn they are grappled by the vines. Each square has 15 hp, vuln. To fire, resistance to bludgeoning. The vines pull victims towards center.

37-38. Emits piercing shriek doing 2d4 thunder damage. Con save dc 14 or be deafened. For the next 3d6 nights, any who heard the shriek hear it again and cannot get restful sleep.

39-40. The focus is pulled into the astral plane, and the user is pulled with it unless they make a dc 10 Int save. Leaves a 3ft by 3ft portal.

41-42. User gains 1 point of exhaustion and takes 1d6 necrotic damage each turn for 1d4 turns. Then all others in 15ft are healed equal to the necrotic damage the user took.

43-44. Focus begins sucking light into it. Area of magical darkness expands 5ft/turn until 30ft wide. The darkness does 1d4 cold to any who end their turn within it. It spawns a shadow for each corpse within the area. Con save dc 10 negates the cold damage.

45-46. User gains 1 point of exhaustion and strength, dexterity and constitution are reduced by 1 point each turn. At the end of each turn, the user makes a Wisdom save dc 13 to end the progression. Effects persist for 1d4+1 days.

47-48. Focus turns to glass, reveals a world within burning. User makes Wis save dc 14 or become frightened. If dropped, it shatters, and something whispers “and so it shall be.”

49-50. User sinks up to waist in floor, which becomes quicksand-like within 15 ft. Does 1 acid damage per turn until washed off.

51-52.  User’s tongue swells, prevents verbal components. 2 rounds later a pink slug crawls out of their mouth. They regrow their tongue in 1 more round. Slug secretes flammable oil.

53-54. Focus fuses with flesh. Begins growing spines. Con save dc 15 or lose use of limb. Max health down 1d12. Gain +1 ac. Spines swirl with spectral blue fire.

55-56. Focus fuses with flesh. User grows more foci like fruit, 1 per week. -1 max health per.

57-58. Focus darkens. Lose all spell slots. For each slot, user takes 1d4 psychic damage.

59-60. Focus fuses with flesh. Sinks under skin. 1d6 hours later, user births (hope user’s a girl) a miniature version of themselves. Both rapidly age. The newborn grows to around age 25 within an hour then ceases aging. The user ages until they die. The newborn devours them and gains all their knowledge. And “becomes” them. Roll for minor magical mutation.

61-62. Tentacles erupt from the focus, embed themselves in the user and pulse. The user is grappled (dc 15 str to remove) for 1d4+2 turns, then the focus tears a hole in them and pulls itself in. Does 3d12 slashing damage. Roll for minor magical mutation. Roll for a minor mut.

63-64. Focus turns to a puff of toxic gas. Con save dc 16 or become gain the poisoned condition for 2 weeks. Repeat the save after each long rest. Take 1d6 initial poison damage.

65-66. Focus turns to a puff of mist that flits into the user’s mouth/nose. Next turn the user begins gagging and choking, 13 con save or stunned. Next turn user vomits a pale pink flying snake then falls unconscious for 1 hour or until shaken awake. The snake follows, singing.

67-68. The user’s grip tightens hard on the focus, and they begin bleeding. Int save dc = users spell dc or believe they are falling clutching a key with locked doors flying past user. Incapacitated on failure for 1 hour. Believes it was years.

69-70. Focus turns to green slime that clings to user. Does 1d10 acid damage per turn until scraped off. Effectively destroys any nonmagical weapon used to scrape off.

71-72. Focus hums pleasantly. Blood tears itself from user’s body doing 1d4 damage per level of user. User’s max hp drops by that amount. The blood forms a humanoid shape holding the focus that runs off with it leaving bloody footprints. It dies 1 mile away or after 1 hour. User regains 1d4 of health each long rest until they reach their old maximum health.

73-74. Focus explodes into a blue fireball, doing 6d6 fire damage to all within 30ft, or half on dc 13 dex save.

75-76. Focus turns into a strong whirlwind. Dc 16 str save or be knocked prone within 120ft. Open flames are extinguished. Continues for 1d4+1 rounds. Faces scream in the wind.

77-78. Focus transmutes into crystal. User makes a dc 18 Int save or becomes trapped within until it takes 30 damage (Ac 12 resistance slash/pierce. Vuln. Thunder, bludg).

79-80. Focus turns to dust. User makes a dc 10 con save. On failure, arm is dust too.

81-82. Focus twists into necklace. Cursed, automatically becomes attuned. While worn, user cannot eat, gains advantage on constitution saving throws. All effects end if curse removed.

83-84. Focus converts to fire and smoke, hovering in the air for 1d4+2 rounds then summons a hostile Glabrezu demon. While hovering, glimpses of the demon flash.

85-86. The focus turns to mist that hovers in the air. It flies into the mouth of all dead creatures in 30ft and creates a hostile spectre for each one.

87-88. The focus grows warm and the sound of combat fades. Dc 15 Cha save or become obsessed with the focus, and stunned. Repeat the save each morning. User does not sleep, and gains 1 point of exhaustion each night after the first that they do not rest. If the user succeeds a save they are free. Roll one longterm madness.

89-90. The focus pulses, and the user makes a Cha save dc 16. On failure, user attempts to “reintegrate their missing organ” and stabs self, doing 1d4 damage on their turn as their action. They may still use their movement. Repeat save at the end of each turn.

91-92. The focus cracks and searing light pours out doing 1d6 radiant damage within 60ft. It hovers in the air, doing further damage on initiative count 20 until destroyed. Ac 12, hp15.

93-94. The focus explodes doing 2d8 fire damage to the user as a flaming bird emerges and flies around. It dies after 1d4 minutes and forms into a shimmering golden version of the focus that grants a -4 to the integrity check.

95-96. Focus evaporates and gravity reverses in a column 100ft tall for 1d4 rounds.

97-98. User’s body is torn asunder and rearranged with part of the focus as its heart. Reduced to 0 hp, stable and naked. Roll for 1 major mutation + one minor magical mutation. +1d6 max health permanently. Displaced 5ft.

99-00. The focus turns to clinging black slime. User gains 1 pt exhaustion and makes Con save dc 15. On failure, he/she is stunned and begins puking and clawing at self. Next turn, he/she makes an Int save dc 10 to cease all effects. On a failure, he/she is converted to a gibbering mouther.

Mutations

Next, I have a handful of mutation tables, both for biologically based mutations and mutations expressed magically. I usually dole these out on failed constitution saves while handling powerful magical artifacts with poorly contained magical radiations, or for drinking the strange goop in a wizard's breeding vats. They're effectively permanent, so I try not to get too overzealous. First, a chart for determining random body parts, necessary for some entries later. Roll a d2 (read: "flip a coin") for left or right sides of the body.

Roll 1d12:

1. Head (1. lips, 2. tongue, 3. nose, 4. eye, 5. ear, 6. cranium)
2. Neck
3. Chest
4. Shoulder
5. Back
6. Stomach
7. Arm
8. Hand
9. Groin
10. Hip/Buttock
11. Thigh
12. Foot

Mutations marked by an @ roll on the body part table to determine relevant location.

60% chance to develop a minor mutation when resurrected from death. Roll 1d20 for any table below.

Minor Mutations:

1. Hideous tumor. @
2. Your teeth are shed like a shark’s. A few come out every time you eat.
3. Webbed fingers and toes.
4. Your skin, hair, eyes and blood are colorless.
5. You lack eyelids. Small tongues lap from your tear ducts to clean or cover your eyes.
6. 1d4 extra fingers/toes on each foot/hand.
7. Extra eyes grow in a cluster. @
8. You have vibrant external gill frills that flutter near water (no water breathing) @.
9. You secrete nutrient rich soil. Plants and mushrooms grow in your crevices.
10. Fingernails secrete black ink that can be used for writing.
11. You develop vivid bruises at even the gentlest touch, though they don’t hurt.
12. Bony coral-like growth @
13. Eyes change color. (D4. 1= all black, 2= red, 3=ice blue, 4= grey)
14. Retractable claws. Does 1d4 slashing damage. Proficiency follows hand-to-hand.
15. Ears and nose missing.
16. Uncontrollable hunger. Must eat twice as much as others.
17. A tail. If they already have one, another grows.
18. Head and hands can rotate 360 degrees.
19. Big horrible pulsing veins.
20. Your @ is swollen to twice its normal size

Major Mutations:

1. A retractable spine in your arm. 1d8 dam. Con save dc 8+your con mod or poisoned.
2. Skin is thick and furrowed in labyrinthine patterns. It can shift pattern and color.
3. Chest splits into rib-toothed mouth. Organs covered in protective white film.
4. Acid spit 1/rest. Rng.30ft, 10x10ft square 2d10+con mod. Save dc 8+con mod halves
5. You grow a thick tentacle from @. You have full control over it and may grasp things.
6. Hungry, eyeless, silent baby birds grow from the base of your neck.
7. You shed skin once a week. The process takes 1d4+1 hours and you are helpless.
8. You produce powerful pheromones.  Suggestion 1/long rest. Save= Con mod + lvl.
9. An extra set of arms grows from your armpits. They are half the normal size.
10. Gliding membranes develop between your arms and legs.
11. Gills grow and your skin secretes mucus. Advantage on slipping. Amphibious.
12. No eyes. On your brow and jaw, fine twitching hairs give you blindsight 30 ft.
13. Blood hardens on contact with air. +1 AC for 1 minute after damage. No bleeding.
14. Spine becomes incredibly flexible. Sleep like a snake. All limbs are double jointed.
15. Small wrinkled conjoined twin @. Sleeps. One savant-like power if woken.
16. Porcupine like quills cover your upper back, shoulders, head and forearms.
17. Mouth looks like a crab’s gastric mill. One hand is replaced by claw. 1d6 slashing.
18. Lumpy. Organs wander throughout body. Ignore crits. Can vomit stomach.
19. Diaphanous skin bladders from nose to chest. Ignore air poison. Double air.
20. Exude stench like a troglodyte.

Minor Magical Mutations:

1. Cannot speak common. Comes out as gibberish. Learn one exotic language.
2. A cyst @ brightly glows different colors depending on your mood.
3. Nonmagical fires within 15ft of change color for 1d4 hours or until extinguished.
4. While asleep, you appear to be 1d20 feet away from your actual location.
5. Your ears, nose and mouth leak oily smoke slowly. Smells like sage.
6. Your eyes glow (you choose color)
7. @ develops a mouth. It opens to a small 2x2ft extra-dimensional space with tongue.
8. Gain advantage to dex when completely naked- nothing tied to you. Holding is fine.
9. Semi-ethereal. You catch glimpses of the plane. In dim light you appear transparent.
10. Blood sings to you. You can hear symphonies from spilt blood and poetry in hearts.
11. Small animals follow you.
12. Resistance to Cold. A 15ft cloud when frightened. 3d12 cold damage. Dc 11 halves.
13. Tattoos write an updating autobiography on entire body in known language of choice. Insight against you is made at advantage if they can read it.
14. Roll for 2 results on each of the first two madness tables in the DMG.
15. Anytime your blood mixes with the blood of another creature, you become telepathically linked anytime you’re within sight of that creature permanently. Empathy with no limit to range.
16. Eggs boil within 30 ft of you instantly, even inside animals. Stay away from the chicken coop.
17. Emotional state determines a small illusion on your clothes. Arrogant? Suit + tie.
18. Vehicle Bonding: innate knowledge of any vehicle you touch.
19. Blightvision: constant blight rays shoot from your eyes. Poison damage. 1d6, can use perception in place of ranged attack. Make attacks as bonus action during combat.
20. Age to 150% your actual age in years.

Major Magical Mutation:

1. Electrical field surrounds body. 1d6 lightning damage to any attacker within 5 ft. Grapplers do so at disadvantage. Water causes you to connect to it and take the damage yourself. Can’t bathe.
2. Single eye and arm become physically shriveled. They develop ethereal counterparts, allowing players to see and manipulate the ethereal plane
3. Involuntary kleptomania. Small unattended objects within 30ft teleport into pockets at random.
4. Player no longer needs to eat or drink, and all food and drink putrefies in contact with their mouth. Wine to vinegar, food to rot.
5. Players can use misty step at will, recharge 6.
6. Become malleable and flexible. Gain Amorphous trait.
7. Gain displacement as displacer beast.
8. A head forms from detritus around you.  You can modify what it animates. It floats within 5 ft. You share thoughts with it, and senses it would have. Gain Two Headed
9. Plants wilt in your presence. Any within 5ft take 2d6 necrotic damage.
10. Comprehension: You know all languages. Become proficient with all knowledge skills. Roll a madness of all three categories twice.
11. Gains Regeneration. Gain 5hp per turn. Effect is suspended after acid/fire damage.
12. Heart is replaced by clockwork that slowly infects body. Must be wound by hole in chest once per day or they become inanimate. Return to 1 hp if wound before rot.
13. A glowing sigil upon your head flashes when you are reduced to 0 hp.  You require four death or life saves to stabilize or die. If you stabilize, you’re returned to 1hp.
14. Constant telekinetic field. You may cast (invisible) tenser’s floating disk and mage hand at will. Small objects tend to hover slightly off the ground near your.
15. You may consume sources of fire within 5ft to gain 1d10 temp hp. Your hair is flame that sheds bright light 10ft.
16. You no longer sleep. You must eat a gem worth 10 gp or more to gain its benefits. Skin sparkles as if flecked with crystals. When struck by any source of radiant damage, that damage is split equally among all targets within 10ft. You may allow allies to make a dex save dc 10 to opt out of the damage.
17. Body below hips boils into black smoke, serves as legs, but doesn’t trip pressure plates or make sound to move. Leaves soot on things you move over.
18. Skin and bones appear to be mirrorlike, but all who look at it see only reflections of what you once looked like. Against damaging spells that target you, gain adv. on saves to reduce damage/+2 ac against and resistance radiant. Vuln. Bludgeoning.
19. Become invisible. Make a Wis check dc 16 to turn visible for one round. Permanent.
20. 10% chance each night to divide into two people. One has a murderous bloodlust towards the other and rolls 1d4: 1=minor mut, 2=major mut, 3=minor magic mut, 4=major magic mut.