Mana
Regardless of how many spells a caster knows or prepares, they can cast only a limited number of spells before resting. Manipulating the fabric of magic and channeling its energy into even a simple spell is physically and mentally taxing, and higher-level spells are even more so. The mage and disciple classes quantify this with a pool of mana. For example, a mage that can cast with 2nd level spells has 6 mana.
The amount of mana that you have available to spend is based on your spellcasting talents. Even though you might have enough mana to cast a spell above your maximum spell level, you can’t do so without the required spellcasting talent.
When a character casts a spell, they expend an amount of mana equal to that spell’s level. So, when the mage from the above example casts magic missile, a 1st-level spell, they spend one of their 6 mana and have 5 remaining. You can’t reduce your mana total to less than 0.
Some characters and monsters have special abilities that let them cast spells without using mana. For example, a warrior who follows the Way of the Four Elements, a mage who chooses certain eldritch invocations, and a pit fiend from the Nine Hells can all cast spells in such a way.
Casting a Spell at a Higher Level
When a spellcaster casts a spell using an amount of mana greater than the spell’s level, the spell is cast at a higher level, provided that the amount of mana does not exceed the character’s maximum spell level. For example, if a mage that can cast 2nd level spells casts magic missile using two mana, then that magic missile is cast at 2nd level.
Some spells, such as magic missile and cure wounds, are more powerful when cast at a higher level, as detailed in the spell’s description.
Mana
| Maximum Spell Level | Mana |
|---|---|
| 1 | 3 |
| 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 9 |
| 4 | 13 |
| 5 | 21 |
| 6 | 22 |
| 7 | 24 |
| 8 | 27 |
| 9 | 31 |
| 10 | 38 |
Recovering Mana
Finishing a long rest restores any expended mana (see the rules on resting).
When a spellcaster takes a breather or a short rest, they may spend their recovery dice to recover mana, instead of using them to recover stamina. A spellcaster who chooses to do this rolls their recovery die and recovers that amount of mana.
Variant: Short Rest Mana Recovery
If you wish to play a disciple or mage that normally recovers its mana on a long rest, but you would prefer to recover your mana on a short rest, see the table below. Such classes have roughly one third as much mana as a long rest caster, including expected mana recovery via recovery dice. It is expected that characters have two short rests per day.
Maximum Spell Level Mana 1 3 2 6 3 9 4 12 5 15 6 16 7 18 8 21 9 24 10 27