Highly-magical societies and magocracies often train military officers in battlefield magic. Arcane Officers come from such training, combining spellcraft and leadership. Most focus heavily on divination spells, as good information is of paramount importance in a battle. However, few military commanders can resist the tactical potency of a well-placed fireball. Accompanied by their (usually flying) familiars, these marshals can control a battlefield like no other.
At 3rd level you learn a bit of magical theory and some practical magic to assist your command. You gain proficiency with the Arcana skill. In addition, you learn the find familiar spell, which you can cast as a ritual. It does not count against your total spells known. In addition to the usual effects of the spell, you can speak through your familiar in your own voice (even if your familiar is normally incapable of speech) as long as it is within your Commanding Presence, potentially allowing you to issue orders to creatures secretly. However, you cannot activate any features that require speech via speaking through your familiar.
Additionally, when you reach level 13, you may select from a laboratory or library stronghold in addition to the usual marshal options.
Also at 3rd level, your magical training pays off with a modicum of spellcasting ability. Your casting ability score is Charisma and you can select cantrips and spells from the wizard spell list of the abjuration, divination, or evocation schools. See the Tertiary Spellcasting rules for when you would acquire new spells and spell slots, as well as the rules for swapping out spells.
Tertiary spellcasters are universally members of a class that does not ordinarily feature spellcasting. They share a few common features and a standardized spellcasting progression, detailed below.
Table: Tertiary Spellcasting Spell Slots Per Level
| Level | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 4th | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 5th | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 6th | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 7th | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
| 8th | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
| 9th | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 11th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 14th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 15th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — |
| 17th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — |
| 18th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — |
| 19th | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 20th | 3 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
At 3rd level, you know two cantrips of your choice drawn from the schools granted by your archetype. You learn an additional cantrip at 10th level.
The Tertiary Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st-level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You know three 1st-level spells of your choice from the school granted by your archetype. The Spells Known column of the Tertiary Spellcasting table shows when you learn more spells of your choice from this feature. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the spells you know from this feature and replace it with another qualifying spell of a level for which you have spell slots. Some tertiary spellcasters may acquire their spells in the manner of a wizard, learning them from scrolls instead of on a set progression, or by some other means. In these cases, disregard the Spells Known column and see the archetype description for details.
Your spellcasting ability for your spells is indicated by your archetype. In most cases, this will be a set ability score, but some archetypes may allow you to choose. In addition, you use your spellcasting ability score modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your spellcasting ability score modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your spellcasting ability score modifier
At 7th level, you learn to enhance the longdistance travel speed of friendly forces with your magic. As an action, you may spend any number of spell slots. Choose a number of creatures you can see equal to the total level of spell slots expended. Add twice your proficiency bonus to the number of hours the chosen creatures can march before they risk fatigue from a forced march.
At 11th level, when you cast a spell with a short or longer range, as part of the spell you can choose to use your familiar’s line of sight instead of your own, as long as it is within your
Commanding Presence. This feature does not give you the benefit of your familiar’s hearing or any special senses, but still requires intense concentration. When you use this feature, you are blind and deaf to your body’s surroundings until the start of your next turn.
At level 15, you gain a facility to train others in the techniques you employ. You gain a free Grade 2 library or training hall stronghold. You are unable to sell this stronghold. Shared Spell Energy At 18th level, you learn one of the most potent things you can do with magical energy: share it with allies. As an action, you may expend a spell slot to give one of equivalent level to another spellcaster within range of your Commanding Presence, as long as it can use spells of the slot’s level. The other spellcaster may use the given spell slot normally, but it vanishes at the start of a short or long rest. Once you have used this ability a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.