Level Up (A5E) Spell Themes

[Haldrik]

[The first three posts are still a work in progress, as the spells continue to sort into salient themes. So far, the thematic spell lists in the second post include the spells for the Student tier (slot levels 0, 1 and 2), and the Expert tier (slot 3 and 4).]



This thread seeks to tag every official spell by theme.

Spell Themes

MIND	LIFE	ELEMENT
Divination (Prescient) (knowledge, intuition, truth, detection, clairsentience, outofbody, foresee, fate, curse, probability) Aster (Philosopher) (aster, astral, thought stuff, thought construct, language, speech, culture, social construct, ideal, ethics, alignment, philosophy, religion, sacred, symbol, paradigm, archetype, pattern, logic) Astral Spirits (aster, astral, intellect, celestial, angel, summon / control celestial, infernal, fiend, devil, aberrant, demon, summon / control infernal)	Spellcasting (intention, synchronicity, spellcasting, magical aura, magic item, dispel, antimagic) Health (Healer) (regeneration, hp, vigor, health, rest, restoration, resurrection) Medicine Damage type: poison (poison, toxin) Sickness (poisoned condition, paralyzed, disease, exhaustion)	Space (Traveler) • space element, vacuum, emptiness • soil motion, motionless place Space-time (space, time, remote, far distance, planar travel, time travel, demiplane, extradimensional space) Teleportation (teleportation) Ether (Telekinete) • ether element, fundamental forces, gravity, telekinesis; fifth element, quintessence Damage type: force (force, telekinesis, ethereal energy) Ethereal plane (ether, ethereal) Telekinesis (telekinesis, fly, gravity) Force construct (force construct, ethereal energy)
Enchantment (Telepath) telepathy (mindlink, mental abilities, memory) charm (charm, persuasion, attraction) morale (morale, bravery, hope, calm) fear (frighten, despair) possession (possession, domination, compelled action, command, hold) Phantasm damage type: psychic (psychic, pain) insanity (insanity, disorientation, distraction) sensation (sensation, hallucination, dream, subjective phenomena, virtual reality, unconscious) Illusion (illusion, invisibility, objective phenomenon, quasi real, alter reality, mind over matter)	Ki • ki, soul, bodily aura, personal lifeforce, wuxia • compare Animal Attack (attack, action, reaction, incapacitate, stun) Defense (save, dc) Ki (ki, channel bodily aura, athletics, physical abilities, ability check, speed, dash) Animal • animal kingdom • compare Ki Shapeshift (shapeshift, natural organic forms, monstrosity, dragon, ooze, wildshape, natural weapons, natural armor) Beast (beast) Object from beast (object, weapon, leather, fur, feather, horn, ivory, web, food, meat) Plant • plant kingdom • tree motion, outward, expanding • compare Air element Plant (plant, summon / control plant spirits, nature spirits) Object from plant (object, weapon, wood, paper, cotton, linen, rope, rubber, herb, resin, incense, food, vegetable, berry, oil) Fey Spirits (feywild, fey, dreaming, shared dreamscape, nature spirits, mind of natural feature, summon / control fey) Death Damage type: necrotic (necrotic, rot) Undead Spirits (shadowfell, shadow, ghost, summon / control shadow, undead, corpse, summon / control undead)	Fire • fire element, plasma state • fire motion, upward Damage type: fire (fire, fire construct, burn) Damage type: radiant (radiant, sun, stars) Damage type: acid (acid, corrosion) Damage type: lightning (lightning, electricity) Light (light, darkvision, daylight, flame, warm) Darkness (darkness, darkvision, smoke) Air • air element, gas state • tree motion, outward, expanding • compare Plant kingdom Damage type: thunder (thunder, shockwave, explosion) Wind (wind, gas, sound, weather) Water • water element, liquid state • water motion, downward Damage type: cold (cold) Water (water, weather, cloud, ice, cool) Earth • earth element, solid state • metal motion, inward, contracting • soil motion, motionless place Earth (earth, stone, soil, dust, marble, clay, sand, ground, bedrock, landscape, shape, transmute, petrify) Object from earth (object, weapon, metal, crystal, gem, glass)
		Elemental Energy Damage types: fire, acid, lightning, thunder, cold (fire, acid, lightning, thunder, cold) Elemental Spirits (element, elemental planes, elemental, summon / control elemental)

In the next post are the spell lists for each theme.

 

[Haldrik]

Spell lists − by sector, theme, and parenthetical tropes



MIND

Divination (Prescient)
0 Druidcraft (detect, beast, plant, time, light, flame, weather, wind, sound)*
0 Guidance (fate, ability check, time)*
0 Resistance (fate?, save, time?)*
0 True Strike (fate?, detection, attack, time?)*
1 Alarm (detection, sensation)*
1 Bless (fate?, sacred, morale?, attack, save)*
1 Ceremony (fate, alignment, sacred, save, check, anti-undead)*
1 Detect Evil and Good (detection, alignment?, celestial, infernal, aberration, fey, undead, elemental)*
1 Detect Magic (detection, magical aura)*
1 Detect Poison and Disease (detection, poisoned, disease)*
1 Hex (curse, anti-ability check, necrotic)*
1 Hunters Mark (detection, ki?)*
1 Identify (knowledge, magical aura)*
1 Shield of Faith (fate?, ac, telekinesis?)*
2 Augury (fate, knowledge, time)*
2 Cordon of Arrows (detect, telekinesis, fly, weapon)*
2 Detect Thoughts (detection, thought, mindlink)*
2 Find Traps (detection, object)*
2 Locate Object (detection, space, object)*
2 Locate Animals or Plants (detection, beast, plant)*
2 Mind Spike (detection, psychic)*
2 Nystals Magic Aura (detection, anti-divination, alignment, illusion, magical aura)*
2 See Invisibility (detection, anti-invisibility, ethereal)*
2 Zone of Truth (detection, truth, possession)*
3 Clairvoyance (detection, sensation, space)*
3 Bestow Curse (curse, insanity, anti-attack, anti-save, necrotic)*
3 Nondetection (anti-divination)
3 Remove Curse (anti-curse, magic energy)*
4 Arcane Eye (detection, sensation, space, darkvision)*
4 Divination (knowledge, astral)*
4 Locate Creature (detection)

Aster (Philosopher)
0 Message (language, sound?)*
0 Prestidigitation (language, illusion, force construct, flame, warm, cool, wind, object)*
0 Word of Radiance (astral, language, radiant)*
1 Bless (fate?, sacred, morale?, attack, save)*
1 Ceremony (fate, alignment, sacred, save, check, anti-undead)*
1 Comprehend Languages (language)
1 Divine Favor (astral, radiant)*
1 Illusory Script (language, illusion)*
1 Speak With Animals (language, beast)*
2 Animal Messenger (language, charm, beast)*
2 Branding Smite (astral, anti-invisibility, radiant)*
2 Detect Thoughts (detection, thought, mindlink)*
2 Magic Mouth (language, illusion)*
2 Nystals Magic Aura (detection, anti-divination, alignment, illusion, magical aura)*
2 Skywrite (language, weather)*
3 Glyph of Warding (language, magical aura, acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*
3 Hypnotic Pattern (pattern, charm, disorientation, illusion)*
3 Sending (language, space, sensation)*
3 Tongues (language)
4 Divination (knowledge, astral)*

Astral Spirits
1 Detect Evil and Good (detection, alignment?, celestial, infernal, aberration, fey, undead, elemental)*
1 Find Familiar (celestial, infernal, beast, fey, shadow?)*
1 Protection from Evil and Good (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, elemental)*
2 Find Steed (celestial, infernal, beast, fey, shadow?)*
3 Magic Circle (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, anti-teleport, force construct, elemental)*
3 Spirit Guardians (celestial, infernal, fey, necrotic, shadow?, radiant)*
3 Summon Lesser Demon (infernal)
4 Find Greater Steed (celestial, infernal, monstrosity, beast, fey, shadow?)*
4 Guardian of Faith (sacred, radiant)*
4 Summon Greater Demon (infernal)



Enchantment (Telepath)
Telepathy
0 ...
1 Beast Bond (mindlink, beast)*
2 Beast Sense (mindlink, sensation, beast)*
2 Detect Thoughts (detection, thought, mindlink)*
2 Enhance Ability (abilities, beast?)*
4 ...

Charm
0 Friends (charm)
1 Animal Friendship (charm, beast)*
1 Charm Person (charm, humanoid)*
1 Protection from Evil and Good (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, elemental)*
1 Sleep (charm, unconscious)*
1 Tashas Hideous Laughter, Hideous Laughter (charm, possession, insanity)*
2 Animal Messenger (language, charm, beast)*
2 Calm Emotions (charm, anti-charm, morale, anti-frighten)*
2 Crown of Madness (charm, insanity, illusion)*
2 Enthrall (charm, disorientation)*
2 Suggestion (charm)
3 Hypnotic Pattern (pattern, charm, disorientation, illusion)*
3 Magic Circle (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, anti-teleport, force construct, elemental)*
4 Aura of Purity (anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-poisoned, anti-disease, anti-paralyzed, anti-blinded, anti-deafened, anti-stunned)*
4 Charm Monster (charm)

Morale
0 ...
1 Bless (fate?, sacred, morale?, attack, save)*
1 Heroism (morale, anti-frighten, hp)*
2 Aid (morale, hp)*
2 Calm Emotions (charm, anti-charm, morale, anti-frighten)*
3 Beacon of Hope (morale, hp)*
3 Crusaders Mantle (morale, radiant)*
4 ...

Fear
0 ...
1 Cause Fear (frighten)
1 Heroism (morale, anti-frighten, hp)*
1 Protection from Evil and Good (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, elemental)*
1 Wrathful Smite (frighten, psychic)*
2 Calm Emotions (charm, anti-charm, morale, anti-frighten)*
3 Enemies Abound (frighten, insanity)*
3 Fear (frighten)
3 Magic Circle (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, anti-teleport, force construct, elemental)*
4 Aura of Purity (anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-poisoned, anti-disease, anti-paralyzed, anti-blinded, anti-deafened, anti-stunned)*
4 Phantasmal Killer (frighten, psychic, sensation)*

Possession
0 ...
1 Command (possession)
1 Compelled Duel (possession, anti-attack, anti-move)*
1 Dissonant Whispers (compelled reaction, psychic, pain, sensation)*
1 Protection from Evil and Good (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, elemental)*
1 Sanctuary (possession)
1 Tashas Hideous Laughter, Hideous Laughter (charm, possession, insanity)*
2 Hold Person (possession, paralyzed)*
2 Zone of Truth (detection, truth, possession)*
3 Magic Circle (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, anti-teleport, force construct, elemental)*
4 Compulsion (charm, compelled reaction)*
4 Confusion (compelled action, insanity, anti-reaction)*
4 Dominate Beast (possession, beast)*

Phantasm
Damage type: psychic
0 Vicious Mockery (psychic, disorientation, anti-attack)*
1 Chaos Bolt (psychic, poison, force, acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*
1 Dissonant Whispers (compelled reaction, psychic, pain, sensation)*
1 Wrathful Smite (frighten, psychic)*
2 Mind Spike (detection, psychic)*
2 Phantasmal Force (psychic, senation)*
2 Shadow Blade (psychic, illusion)*
3 ...
4 Phantasmal Killer (frighten, psychic, sensation)*
4 Staggering Smite (psychic, anti-attack, anti-ability check, anti-reaction)*

Insanity
0 Vicious Mockery (psychic, disorientation, anti-attack)*
1 Tashas Hideous Laughter, Hideous Laughter (charm, possession, insanity)*
2 Crown of Madness (charm, insanity, illusion)*
2 Enthrall (charm, disorientation)*
3 Bestow Curse (curse, insanity, anti-attack, anti-save, necrotic)*
3 Enemies Abound (frighten, insanity)*
3 Hypnotic Pattern (pattern, charm, disorientation, illusion)*
4 Confusion (compelled action, insanity, anti-reaction)*

Sensation
0 ...
1 Alarm (detection, sensation)*
1 Dissonant Whispers (compelled reaction, psychic, pain, sensation)*
1 Sleep (charm, unconscious)*
2 Beast Sense (mindlink, sensation, beast)*
2 Blindness or Deafness (sensation?, sickness?, corpse?, blind, deafen)*
2 Invisibility (sensation?, illusion, invisibility)*
2 Phantasmal Force (psychic, sensation)*
3 Catnap (unconscious, rest)*
3 Clairvoyance (detection, sensation, space)*
3 Sending (language, space, sensation)*
4 Arcane Eye (detection, sensation, space, darkvision)*
4 Phantasmal Killer (frighten, psychic, sensation)*

Illusion
0 Minor Illusion (illusion)
0 Prestidigitation (language, illusion, force construct, flame, warm, cool, wind, object)*
1 Color Spray (illusion, blind, light)
1 Disguise Self (illusion)
1 Faerie Fire (illusion?, anti-invisibility, attack, fey, light, flame?)*
1 Illusory Script (language, illusion)*
1 Silent Image (illusion)
2 Blur (illusion)
2 Branding Smite (astral, anti-invisibility, radiant)*
2 Crown of Madness (charm, insanity, illusion)*
2 Invisibility (sensation?, illusion, invisibility)*
2 Magic Mouth (language, illusion)*
2 Mirror Image (illusion)
2 Nystals Magic Aura (detection, anti-divination, alignment, illusion, magical aura)*
2 Pass Without Trace (illusion)
2 See Invisibility (detection, anti-invisibility, ethereal)*
2 Shadow Blade (psychic, illusion)*
2 Silence (illusion, anti-thunder, sound, deaf)*
3 Hypnotic Pattern (pattern, charm, disorientation, illusion)*
3 Hunger of Hadar (alter reality, acid, darkness, cold)*
3 Major Illusion (illusion)
3 Phantom Steed (alter reality)*
4 Greater Invisibility (illusion, invisibility)
4 Hallucinatory Terrain (illusion)
4 Sickening Radiance (anti-invisible, exhaustion, radiant, light)*



LIFE

Spellcasting
0 Magic Stone (magic item, stone weapon)*
1 Detect Magic (detection, magical aura)*
1 Identify (knowledge, magical aura)*
2 Magic Weapon (magic item, attack, weapon)*
2 Nystals Magic Aura (detection, anti-divination, alignment, illusion, magical aura)*
3 Counterspell (spellcasting, dispel)
3 Dispel Magic (magical aura, dispel)
3 Glyph of Warding (language, magical aura, acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*
3 Remove Curse (anti-curse, magic item, dispel)*
4 ...

Health (Healer)
0 Spare the Dying (hp, resurrection)
1 Cure Wounds (hp)
1 False Life (hp, undead)*
1 Goodberry (hp, plant)*
1 Healing Word (hp)
1 Heroism (morale, anti-frighten, hp)*
2 Aid (morale, hp)*
2 Gentle Repose (resurrection, anti-undead, corpse)*
2 Healing Spirit (hp, beast, fey, nature spirit)*
2 Prayer of Healing (hp)
2 Warding Bond (hp, ac, save)*
3 Aura of Vitality (hp)
3 Beacon of Hope (morale, hp)*
3 Catnap (unconscious, rest)*
3 Leomunds Tiny Hut (rest, force construct, light, darkness)*
3 Life Transference (hp, necrotic)*
3 Mass Healing Word (hp)
3 Revivify (resurrection)
3 Vampiric Touch (hp, necrotic)*
4 Aura of Life (hp, anti-necrotic)*
4 Death Ward (hp, resurrection)
4 Guardian of Nature (hp, attack, save, speed, shapeshift, beast, plant, force, darkvision, earth, terrain)*

Sickness
Damage type: poison
0 Infestation (poison, beast, fey?)*
0 Poison Spray (poison)
1 Chaos Bolt (psychic, poison, force, acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*
1 Chromatic Orb (poison, acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*
1 Purify Food and Drink (anti-poison, anti-disease)*
1 Ray of Sickness (poison)
2 Dragons Breath (poison, dragon, acid, fire, lightning, thunder?, cold)*
3 Stinking Cloud (poison, weather)*
4 ...

Sickness
0 ...
1 Detect Poison and Disease (detection, poisoned, disease)*
1 Purify Food and Drink (anti-poison, anti-disease)*
2 Blindness or Deafness (sensation?, sickness?, corpse?, blind, deafen)*
2 Hold Person (possession, paralyze)*
2 Lesser Restoration (anti-poisoned, anti-disease, anti-paralyzed, anti-blinded, anti-deafened)
2 Protection from Poison (anti-poison, anti-poisoned)
2 Ray of Enfeeblement (sickness, anti-Strength)*
3 Create Food and Water (anti-exhaustion, food, water)*
3 Feign Death (anti-poisoned, anti-disease, corpse)*
4 Aura of Purity (anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-poisoned, anti-disease, anti-paralyzed, anti-blinded, anti-deafened, anti-stunned)*
4 Sickening Radiance (anti-invisible, exhaustion, radiant, light)



Ki
Attack
0 True Strike (fate?, detection, attack, time?)*
0 Vicious Mockery (psychic, disorientation, anti-attack)*
1 Bane (anti-attack, anti-save)
1 Bless (fate?, sacred, morale?, attack, save)*
1 Compelled Duel (possession, anti-attack, anti-move)*
1 Dissonant Whispers (compelled reaction, psychic, pain, sensation)*
1 Faerie Fire (illusion?, anti-invisibility, attack, fey, light, flame?)
1 Zepher Strike (attack, anti-op attack, time, force)*
2 Magic Weapon (magic item, attack, weapon)*
2 Warding Wind (anti-ranged weapon attack, wind, terrain, sound, deafen)*
3 Haste (action, ac, save, speed, time)*
3 Slow (anti-action, anti-reaction, anti-attack, anti-save, anti-ac, anti-speed, time)*
4 Aura of Purity (anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-poison, anti-disease, anti-paralyzed, anti-blinded, anti-deafened, anti-stunned)*
4 Compulsion (charm, compelled reaction)*
4 Confusion (compelled action, insanity, anti-reaction)*
4 Guardian of Nature (hp, attack, save, speed, shapeshift, beast, plant, force, darkvision, earth, terrain)*
4 Staggering Smite (psychic, anti-attack, anti-ability check, anti-reaction)*

Defense
0 Resistance (fate?, save, time?)*
1 Ceremony (fate, alignment, sacred, save, check, anti-undead)*
1 Mage Armor (ac, force construct)*
1 Shield (ac, force construct)*
1 Shield of Faith (fate?, ac, telekinesis?)*
2 Barkskin (ac, plant)*
2 Warding Bond (hp, ac, save)*
3 Bestow Curse (curse, insanity, anti-attack, anti-save, necrotic)*
3 Slow (anti-action, anti-reaction, anti-attack, anti-save, anti-ac, anti-speed, time)*
4 Guardian of Nature (hp, attack, save, speed, shapeshift, beast, plant, force, darkvision, earth, terrain)*
4 Stone Skin (ac, earth, transmute)*

Ki
0 Blade Ward (ki?, telekinesis?, anti-weapon)*
0 Guidance (fate, ability check, time)*
1 Ceremony (fate, alignment, sacred, save, ability check, anti-undead)*
1 Compelled Duel (possession, anti-attack, anti-move)*
1 Expeditious Retreat (bonus dash, time?)*
1 Hex (curse, anti-ability check, necrotic)*
1 Hunters Mark (detection, ki?)*
1 Jump (move)
1 Longstrider (move)
2 Darkvision (ki?, darkvision)*
2 Enhance Ability (abilities, beast?)
2 Ray of Enfeeblement (sickness, anti-ability)*
3 Haste (action, ac, save, speed, time)*
3 Slow (anti-reaction, anti-Dex save, anti-ac, anti-speed, time)*
3 Water Breathing (ki?, shapeshift?, air?, water)*
3 Water Walk (speed, acid, lava, water, snow, liquid, mud, quicksand)*
3 Wind Wall (anti-ranged weapon attack, anti-fly, wind, bludgeon)*
4 Evards Black Tentacles (force construct, restrained)*
4 Freedom of Movement (speed, shapeshift?, telekinesis?)
4 Guardian of Nature (hp, attack, save, speed, shapeshift, beast, plant, force, darkvision, earth, terrain)*
4 Staggering Smite (psychic, anti-reaction, anti-attack, anti-ability check)*

Animal
Shapeshift
0 Primal Savagery (shapeshift, beast, claw, fang, acid)*
0 Thaumaturgy (shapeshift, telekinesis?, flame, sound, earth)*
1 ...
2 Alter Self (shapeshift, humanoid, beast, claw, fang, gill)
2 Dragons Breath (poison, dragon, acid, fire, lightning, thunder?, cold)*
2 Enlarge or Reduce (shapeshift)
2 Moon Beam (anti-shapeshift, radiant, light)*
3 Water Breathing (ki?, shapeshift?, air?, water)*
4 Find Greater Steed (celestial, infernal, monstrosity, beast, fey, shadow?)*
4 Freedom of Movement (speed, shapeshift?, telekinesis?)
4 Giant Insect (shapeshift, beast)
4 Guardian of Nature (hp, attack, save, speed, shapeshift, beast, plant, force, darkvision, earth, terrain)*
4 Polymorph (shapeshift, beast)

Beast
0 Druidcraft (detect, beast, plant, time, light, flame, weather, wind, sound)*
0 Infestation (poison, beast, fey?)*
1 Animal Friendship (charm, beast)*
1 Beast Bond (mindlink, beast)*
1 Find Familiar (celestial, infernal, beast, fey, shadow?)*
1 Speak With Animals (language, beast)*
2 Animal Messenger (language, charm, beast)*
2 Beast Sense (mindlink, sensation, beast)*
2 Enhance Ability (abilities, beast?)
2 Find Steed (celestial, infernal, beast, fey, shadow?)*
2 Healing Spirit (hp, beast, fey, nature spirit)*
2 Locate Animals or Plants (detection, beast, plant)*
2 Spider Climb (beast, telekinesis)*
2 Web (beast, object)*
3 Conjure Animals (beast, fey)*
4 Dominate Beast (possession, beast)*
4 Find Greater Steed (celestial, infernal, monstrosity, beast, fey, shadow?)*
4 Guardian of Nature (hp, attack, save, speed, shapeshift, beast, plant, force, darkvision, earth, terrain)*

Object from beast
0 Mend (object)*
0 Prestidigitation (language, illusion, force construct, flame, warm, cool, wind, object)*
1 Grease (beast, plant?, object)*
2 Locate Object (detection, space, object)*
2 Web (beast, object)*
3 Create Food and Water (anti-exhaustion, vegetable, food, water)*
3 Tiny Servant (object)*
4 Fabricate (object)*

Plant
Plant
0 Druidcraft (detect, beast, plant, time, light, flame, weather, wind, sound)*
1 Ensnaring Strike (plant)
1 Entangle (plant)
2 Barkskin (ac, plant)*
2 Locate Animals or Plants (detection, beast, plant)*
2 Spike Growth (plant)
3 Plant Growth (plant, food)
4 Guardian of Nature (hp, attack, save, speed, shapeshift, beast, plant, force, darkvision, earth, terrain)*

Object from plant
0 Blade Ward (ki?, telekinesis?, anti-weapon)*
0 Mend (object)*
0 Prestidigitation (language, illusion, force construct, flame, warm, cool, wind, object)*
0 Shillelagh (wood weapon)
0 Thorn Whip (plant weapon)
1 Hail of Thorns (wood weapon)
1 Goodberry (hp, plant, food)*
1 Grease (beast, plant?, object)*
1 Snare (rope trap)
2 Cordon of Arrows (detect, telekinesis, fly, weapon)*
2 Find Traps (detection, object)*
2 Locate Object (detection, space, object)*
2 Magic Weapon (magic item, attack, weapon)*
3 Conjure Barrage (weapon)*
3 Create Food and Water (anti-exhaustion, food, water)*
3 Elemental Weapon (weapon, acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*
3 Flame Arrows (fire, weapon)*
3 Lightning Arrow (lightning, weapon)*
3 Tiny Servant (object)*
3 Wind Wall (anti-ranged weapon attack, anti-fly, wind, bludgeon)*
4 Fabricate (object)*

Fey Spirits
0 Infestation (poison, beast, fey?)*
1 Detect Evil and Good (detection, alignment?, celestial, infernal, aberration, fey, undead, elemental)*
1 Faerie Fire (illusion?, anti-invisibility, attack, fey, light, flame?)*
1 Find Familiar (celestial, infernal, beast, fey, shadow?)*
1 Protection from Evil and Good (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, elemental)*
2 Find Steed (celestial, infernal, beast, fey, shadow?)*
2 Healing Spirit (hp, beast, fey, nature spirit)*
3 Conjure Animals (beast, fey)*
3 Magic Circle (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, anti-teleport, force construct, elemental)*
3 Spirit Guardians (celestial, infernal, fey, necrotic, shadow?, radiant)*
4 Find Greater Steed (celestial, infernal, monstrosity, beast, fey, shadow?)*
4 Summon Woodland Beings (fey)

Death
Damage type: necrotic
0 Chill Touch (necrotic)
0 Toll the Dead (necrotic)
1 Arms of Hadar (necrotic)
1 Hex (curse, anti-ability check, necrotic)*
1 Inflict Wounds (necrotic)
2 ...
3 Bestow Curse (curse, insanity, anti-attack, anti-save, necrotic)*
3 Life Transference (hp, necrotic)*
3 Spirit Guardians (celestial, infernal, fey, necrotic, shadow?, radiant)*
3 Vampiric Touch (hp, necrotic)*
4 Aura of Life (hp, anti-necrotic)*
4 Blight (necrotic)
4 Shadow of Moil (necrotic, anti-radiance, darkness, smoke)*

Undead Spirits (Necromancer)
0 ...
1 Ceremony (fate, alignment, sacred, save, check, anti-undead)*
1 Detect Evil and Good (detection, alignment?, celestial, infernal, aberration, fey, undead, elemental)*
1 False Life (hp, undead)*
1 Find Familiar (celestial, infernal, beast, fey, shadow?)
1 Protection from Evil and Good (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, elemental)*
2 Blindness or Deafness (sensation?, sickness?, corpse?, blind, deafen)*
2 Find Steed (celestial, infernal, beast, fey, shadow?)*
2 Gentle Repose (resurrection, anti-undead, corpse)*
3 Animate Dead (undead)
3 Feign Death (anti-poisoned, anti-disease, corpse)*
3 Magic Circle (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, anti-teleport, force construct, elemental)*
3 Speak with Dead (undead, corpse)
3 Spirit Guardians (celestial, infernal, fey, necrotic, shadow?, radiant)*
4 Find Greater Steed (celestial, infernal, monstrosity, beast, fey, shadow?)*



ELEMENT

Space (Traveler)
Space-time
0 Druidcraft (detect, beast, plant, time, light, flame, weather, wind, sound)*
0 Guidance (fate, ability check, time)*
0 Resistance (fate?, save, time?)*
0 True Strike (fate?, detection, attack, time?)
1 Expeditious Retreat (bonus dash, time?)*
1 Zepher Strike (attack, anti-op attack, time, force)*
2 Augury (fate, knowledge, time)*
2 Locate Object (detection, space, object)*
2 Rope Trick (demiplane)
3 Blink (planar, teleport, ethereal)*
3 Clairvoyance (detection, sensation, space)*
3 Haste (action, ac, save, speed, time)*
3 Sending (language, space, sensation)*
3 Slow (anti-action, anti-reaction, anti-attack, anti-save, anti-ac, anti-speed, time)*
4 Arcane Eye (detection, sensation, space, darkvision)*
4 Banishment (planar, demiplane)


Teleportation
0 ...
1 ...
2 Misty Step (teleportation)
3 Blink (planar, teleport, ethereal)*
3 Magic Circle (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, anti-teleport, force construct, elemental)*
3 Thunder Step (teleportation, thunder)*
4 Dimension Door (teleportation)

Ether (Telekinete)
Damage type: force
0 Eldritch Blast (force)
0 Sword Burst (force, force construct)*
1 Chaos Bolt (psychic, poison, force, acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*
1 Magic Missile (force)
1 Zepher Strike (attack, anti-op attack, time, force)*
2 Spiritual Weapon (force, force construct)*
3 ...
4 Guardian of Nature (hp, attack, save, speed, shapeshift, beast, plant, force, darkvision, earth, terrain)*

Ethereal
0 ...
1 ...
2 See Invisibility (detection, anti-invisibility, ethereal)*
3 Blink (planar, teleport, ethereal)*
4 Leomunds Secret Chest (ethereal)

Telekinesis
0 Blade Ward (ki?, telekinesis?, anti-weapon)*
0 Lightning Lure (telekinesis, lightning)*
0 Mage Hand (telekinesis, fly, force construct)*
0 Thaumaturgy (shapeshift, telekinesis?, flame, sound, earth)*
1 Catapult (telekinesis, fly)
1 Feather Fall (telekinesis, gravity)
1 Shield of Faith (fate?, ac, telekinesis?)*
1 Tensers Floating Disk (telekinesis, fly, force construct)*
2 Arcane Lock (telekinesis?)
2 Cordon of Arrows (detect, telekinesis, fly, weapon)*
2 Knock (telekinesis?)
2 Levitate (telekinesis, gravity)
2 Spider Climb (beast, telekinesis)*
3 Fly (telekinesis, fly, wind?)*
3 Wind Wall (anti-ranged weapon attack, anti-fly, wind, bludgeon)*
4 Freedom of Movement (speed, shapeshift?, telekinesis?)

Force construct
0 Mage Hand (telekinesis, fly, force construct)*
0 Prestidigitation (language, illusion, force construct, flame, warm, cool, wind, object)*
0 Sword Burst (force, force construct)*
1 Mage Armor (ac, force construct)*
1 Shield (ac, force construct)*
1 Tensers Floating Disk (telekinesis, fly, force construct)*
1 Unseen Servant (force construct)
2 Spiritual Weapon (force, force construct)*
3 Leomunds Tiny Hut (rest, force construct, light, darkness)*
3 Magic Circle (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, anti-teleport, force construct, elemental)*
4 Evards Black Tentacles (force construct, restrained)*
4 Otilukes Resilient Sphere (force construct)



Fire
Damage type: fire
0 Create Bonfire (fire)
0 Fire Bolt (fire)
0 Green Flame Blade (fire)
0 Produce Flame (fire)
1 Burning Hands (fire)
1 Hellish Rebuke (fire)
1 Searing Smite (fire)
2 Aganazzars Scorcher, Scorcher (fire)
2 Flame Blade (fire, fire construct, light)
2 Flaming Sphere (fire, fire construct, light)
2 Heat Metal (fire, metal)*
2 Scorching Ray (fire)
3 Fireball (fire)
3 Flame Arrows (fire, weapon)*
3 Melfs Minute Meteors (fire, earth)*
4 Fire Shield (fire, cold)*
4 Wall of Fire (fire)

Damage type: radiant
0 Sacred Flame (radiant)
0 Word of Radiance (language, radiant)*
1 Divine Favor (astral, radiant)*
1 Guiding Bolt (radiant, light)
2 Branding Smite (astral, anti-invisibility, radiant)*
2 Moon Beam (anti-shapeshift, radiant, light)*
3 Blinding Smite (radiant, blind)
3 Crusaders Mantle (morale, radiant)*
3 Spirit Guardians (celestial, infernal, fey, necrotic, shadow?, radiant)*
4 Guardian of Faith (sacred, radiant)*
4 Shadow of Moil (necrotic, anti-radiance, darkness, smoke)*
4 Sickening Radiance (anti-invisible, exhaustion, radiant, light)*

Damage type: acid
0 Acid Splash (acid)
0 Primal Savagery (shapeshift, beast, claw, fang, acid)*
1 ...
2 Melfs Acid Arrow (acid)
3 Hunger of Hadar (reality warp, acid, darkness, cold)*
3 Water Walk (speed, acid, lava, water, snow, liquid, mud, quicksand)*
4 Vitriolic Sphere (acid)

Damage type: lightning
0 Lightning Lure (telekinesis, lightning)*
0 Shocking Grasp (lightning)
1 Witch Bolt (lighting)
2 ...
3 Call Lightning (lightning, weather)*
3 Lightning Arrow (lightning, weapon)*
3 Lightning Bolt (lightning)
4 Storm Sphere (lightning, wind, terrain, bludgeon)*

Light
0 Control Flames (light, flame)
0 Dancing Lights (light)
0 Druidcraft (detect, beast, plant, time, light, flame, weather, wind, sound)*
0 Light (light)
0 Prestidigitation (language, illusion, force construct, flame, warm, cool, wind, object)*
0 Thaumaturgy (shapeshift, telekinesis?, flame, sound, earth)*
1 Color Spray (illusion, blind, light)
1 Faerie Fire (illusion?, anti-invisibility, attack, fey, light, flame?)*
2 Continual Flame (light)
2 Darkvision (ki?, darkvision)*
2 Moon Beam (anti-shapeshift, radiant, light)*
2 Pyrotechnics (flame, light, blind, smoke, obscurement)
3 Daylight (light, sun)
3 Leomunds Tiny Hut (force construct, light, darkness)*
4 Arcane Eye (detection, sensation, space, darkvision)*
4 Guardian of Nature (hp, attack, save, speed, shapeshift, beast, plant, force, darkvision, earth, terrain)*
4 Sickening Radiance (anti-invisible, exhaustion, radiant, light)*

Darkness
0 ...
1 Fog Cloud (obscurement, weather)*
2 Darkness (darkness, anti-light)
2 Darkvision (ki?, darkvision)*
2 Dust Devil (obscurement, wind, earth, bludgeon)*
3 Hunger of Hadar (reality warp, acid, darkness, cold)*
3 Leomunds Tiny Hut (force construct, light, darkness)*
4 Arcane Eye (detection, sensation, space, darkvision)*
4 Shadow of Moil (necrotic, anti-radiance, darkness, smoke)*

Air
Damage type: thunder
0 Booming Blade (thunder)
0 Thunder Clap (thunder)
1 Thunderous Smite (thunder)
1 Thunderwave (thunder)
2 Shatter (thunder, earth)*
2 Silence (illusion, anti-thunder, sound, deaf)*
3 Thunder Step (teleport, thunder)*
4 ...

Wind
0 Gust (wind)
0 Druidcraft (detect, beast, plant, time, light, flame, weather, wind, sound)*
0 Message (language, sound?)*
0 Prestidigitation (language, illusion, force construct, flame, warm, cool, wind, object)*
0 Thaumaturgy (shapeshift, telekinesis?, flame, sound, earth)*
1 Fog Cloud (obscurement, weather)*
2 Dust Devil (obscurement, wind, earth, bludgeon)*
2 Gust of Wind (wind)
2 Skywrite (language, weather)*
2 Silence (illusion, anti-thunder, sound, deaf)*
2 Warding Wind (anti-ranged weapon attack, wind, terrain, sound, deafen)*
3 Call Lightning (lightning, weather)*
3 Fly (telekinesis, fly, wind?)*
3 Gaseous Form (wind, transmute)
3 Sleet Storm (weather, ice)*
3 Stinking Cloud (poison, weather)*
3 Water Breathing (ki?, shapeshift?, air?, water)*
3 Wind Wall (anti-ranged weapon attack, anti-fly, wind, bludgeon)*
4 Ice Storm (weather, cold, ice, bludgeon)*
4 Storm Sphere (lightning, wind, earth, terrain, bludgeon)*
4 Watery Sphere (wind, water)*

Water
Damage type: cold
0 Frostbite (cold)
0 Ray of Frost (cold)
1 Armor of Agathys, Armor of Frost (cold)
1 Ice Knife (cold, ice)
2 Snillocs Snowball Swarm (cold)
3 Hunger of Hadar (reality warp, acid, darkness, cold)*
4 Fire Shield (fire, cold)*
4 Ice Storm (weather, cold, ice, bludgeon)*

Water
0 Druidcraft (detect, beast, plant, time, light, flame, weather, wind, sound)*
0 Prestidigitation (language, illusion, force construct, flame, warm, cool, wind, object)*
0 Shape Water (water, ice)
1 Create or Destroy Water (water)
1 Fog Cloud (obscurement, weather)*
2 Skywrite (language, weather)*
3 Call Lightning (lightning, weather)*
3 Create Food and Water (anti-exhaustion, food, water)*
3 Sleet Storm (weather, ice)*
3 Stinking Cloud (poison, weather)*
3 Tidal Wave (water)
3 Wall of Water (water)
3 Water Breathing (ki?, shapeshift?, air?, water)*
3 Water Walk (speed, acid, lava, water, snow, liquid, mud, quicksand)*
4 Control Water (water)
4 Ice Storm (weather, cold, ice, bludgeon)*
4 Watery Sphere (wind, water)*

Earth
Earth
0 Magic Stone (magic item, stone weapon)*
0 Mold Earth (earth)
0 Thaumaturgy (shapeshift, telekinesis?, flame, sound, earth)*
1 Earth Tremor (earth, terrain, bludgeon)
2 Dust Devil (obscurement, wind, earth, bludgeon)*
2 Maximilians Earthen Grasp (earth, bludgeon)
3 Erupting Earth (earth, terrain, bludgeon)
3 Meld into Stone (earth, transmute)
3 Wall of Sand (earth)
3 Water Walk (speed, acid, lava, water, snow, liquid, mud, quicksand)*
4 Guardian of Nature (hp, attack, save, speed, shapeshift, beast, plant, force, darkvision, earth, terrain)*
4 Stone Shape (earth)
4 Stone Skin (ac, earth, transmute)*
4 Storm Sphere (lightning, wind, earth, terrain, bludgeon)*

Object from earth
0 Blade Ward (ki?, telekinesis?, anti-weapon)*
0 Mend (object)*
0 Prestidigitation (language, illusion, force construct, flame, warm, cool, wind, object)*
2 Cloud of Daggers (metal weapon)
2 Cordon of Arrows (detect, telekinesis, fly, weapon)*
2 Find Traps (detection, object)*
2 Heat Metal (fire, metal)*
2 Locate Object (detection, space, object)*
2 Magic Weapon (magic item, attack, weapon)*
2 Shatter (thunder, earth)*
3 Conjure Barrage (weapon)*
3 Melfs Minute Meteors (fire, earth)*
3 Tiny Servant (object)*
4 Fabricate (object)*

Elemental Energy
Damage types: acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold
0 ...
1 Absorb Elements (acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*
1 Chaos Bolt (psychic, poison, force, acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*
1 Chromatic Orb (poison, acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*
2 Dragons Breath (poison, dragon, acid, fire, lightning, thunder?, cold)*
3 Elemental Weapon (weapon, acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*
3 Glyph of Warding (language, magical aura, acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*
3 Protection from Energy (acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*
4 Elemental Bane (acid, fire, lightning, thunder, cold)*

Elemental Spirits
1 Detect Evil and Good (detection, alignment?, celestial, infernal, aberration, fey, undead, elemental)*
1 Protection from Evil and Good (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, elemental)*
2 ...
3 Magic Circle (alignment?, celestial, infernal, anti-charm, anti-frighten, anti-possession, fey, undead, anti-teleport, force construct, elemental)*
4 Conjure Minor Elementals (elemental)*



* A complex spell might have parts that relate to different themes, and is listed several times, once for each pertinent theme.

 

[Haldrik]

Notes on the Organization of Themes

I have all of the 4e spells organized into moreorless the same themes. 4e is easier because the separation of flavor from mechanics allows one to reflavor the ambigious spells so that they clearly cohere to a specific theme.

This is a first pass, at sorting 5e spells into themes.

5e is more difficult, because the flavor itself can be ambiguous at times, while entangling the mechanics.

The goal is for each theme to have a comparable number of spells per slot level. At times, this goal of game playability might encourage certain themes to lump together or split apart.



Ambiguous Thematic Relationships

Generally, the three thematic "sectors" are MIND, LIFE, and ELEMENT. Mind and Element are essentially mind and matter. Here Life is a mysterious fusion of mind and matter, engendering living body and lifeforce soul. Each sector includes themes, like Mind includes Telepathy. And each theme includes tropes, like Telepathy includes charm.

The "ANTI" forms a necromantic sector horizontally, where tropes like fear and disintegration might alternatively relate to the theme of Death.



Some mechanics are thematically ambiguous.

The Fire element is the plasma state of matter, relating to the sun and lightning. This the damage types radiant and lightning lump with fire.

For example, here acid damage type is understood as an aspect of fire that can exist as a solid, liquid, or gas. Acid is Elemental, probably fire. Even acid in the sense of donating protons or bonding electrons connotes the state of fiery plasma. Finally as damage types, fire, lightning, radiant, and acid are medically patterns of burn injuries, thus all relate closely to fire. Tentatively, acid belongs to the theme of fire.

Healing, in the sense of regenerating flesh, is an aspect relating closely to bodily shapeshifting.



A "phantasm" refers to a subjective hallucination that only exists in the mind of a creature. It can include sensations of pain and disorientation, whence the psychic damage type. The Phantasm theme sometimes lumps in with the Telepathy theme in the sense of mind-affecting, and sometimes lumps in with the Illusion theme in the sense of reality distortion. Sometimes all three lump together, Telepathy-Phantasm-Illusion, such as Bard or Fey magic.



Together, the triad metal-wood-leather represent any "object", corresponding thematically to Earth, Plant, and Animal, and by extension can be an item of crystal, paper, ivory, or so on.



Cosmology and Themes

Regarding cosmology, the organization of planes can be thematically ambiguous.

The Hellenistic elements are five elemental substances − Air, Water, Earth, Fire, and Ether − understood by medieval times as gas, liquid, solid, plasma, and force, respectively. The corresponding Daoist motions refer to elemental ways of moving: Tree=Air, Water, Metal=Earth, Fire, and Soil=Void=Ether, respectively.

Air and Tree are the identical element, according to their same way of motion, outwardly, encompassing all within. Use the Plant theme to represent the Tree motion, sometimes called Wood. When visualizing the Plane of Air, combine Air and Plant themes. The Plane of Air perfuses with lush vegetation. For the moment, the Plant trope is part of the Nature theme, but possibly can relocate to join the Air theme instead.

Meanwhile, Air-Water spells are presented together since D&D tends to combine them as "weather" effects, including gusty winds, watery clouds and icy cold.

Consider Void an aspect of Ether. Both are motionless thus the same Daoist element as Soil. This Void is empty space, in other words the fabric of space-time. Deemphasize the earthy of aspect of "ground", and instead emphasize the motionless "place" in which all things happen within. Namely, Void is a roomy empty space. In the sense of space-time, Void relates to traveling, teleportation, planar travel, extradimensional space, and time travel. Teleportation jumps from one place to an other, or more precisely, clenches the distance between them together to simply step across. Elemental Void relates closely to mental Divination that can by divination peer thru space and time.

In sum, the cosmic structure presents the Hellentist five elements, but easily accommodates the Daoist five elements.



The Aster is the stuff of the Astral Plane, including Celestial and Infernal. Here, Aster is understood as a kind of Platonic realm of concepts, thus is a mindscape made out of thoughts. Functionally, it is language come to life. Philosophical concepts relate to the ethics of the alignment system. And alignment creatures such as angels and fiends are thought constructs. This nonphysical mental realm overlaps anywhere there are sapient creatures who have the capacity of speech. Angelic Telepathy is a cosmic language pervading the multiverse, relating to the capacity of speech itself. Despite the fact that thought is immaterial, Mystics suspect that the material world is created by means of the patterns of the language of thought itself. The material world was literally spoken into being, in a mathematically and linguistically comprehensible way.

The spell Astral Projection, projects a thought construct, a kind of virtual body made out of thought.

This thoughts of Aster relate to the Dream Plane, also called the Dreamscape, however differs in the sense that a Dream is more sensorial, thus relates moreso to sensations of creatures within the material world. There is a close affinity between Dream and Illusion. That said, to the extent that astral creatures also dream, their experiences too can sometimes influence the Dreamscape.

With alignments being mental, and angels and fiends being creatures made out of thought, this aspect of Cleric seems surprisingly psionic as a mental phenomenon. In D&D 1e, angels and devils were innately psionic, so there is some traditional justification to assigning the celestials and infernals to the Mind sector.



The Ether, namely the Ethereal Plane, is the realm of the fifth element, quintessence. By medieval times, ether is understood to be a physical force, albeit insubstantial and often subtle and perfusive.

The Feywild is ambiguous. Here, the Fey creatures are moreorless identical with the "nature spirits" of the plants and beasts of this world. Also Elemental spirits are considered "nature spirits", the ones relating to the features of the land, sky, and waters. Where the presence of plants and animals are significant in the Material Plane, their spirits are vibrantly present in the overlapping Feywild Plane.

Perhaps the Feywild is an aspect of the Ethereal Plane, being the influencing force of the minds of each nature spirit. If so, the Feywild is the aspect of Ether that associates more with Positivity, while the Shadowfell is the aspect of the Ether that associates more with Negativity.

One way to look at it is, the Ether is elemental. But the Feywild and Shadowfell entangle this Element with Mind, bringing forth an aspect of Life, the lifeforce of soul.

To some degree, as a nature spirit, even an elemental creature that pertains to a unique landscape feature, has a unique soul. The more significant this feature is, the more presence of mind this elemental has.