Spheres of the Mists: the Spheres System for Ravenloft
A world that obeys not the laws of nature, but the tortured whims of malevolent entities and their godlike captors. Those unlucky enough to be claimed by the Mists need to use every bit of skill and wit at their disposal to survive in this world of monsters and fell magic.
Major Traditions: The Demiplane of Dread has claimed entire lands and civilizations from a myriad of worlds, a milieu of cultures and lost histories that point at unknown legacies. Hunter-gatherer tamers of beasts, musketeers in tri-coned hats, and medieval knights on horseback can all be found within the Mists’ shrouded worlds to some degree.
The same applies to magic, although the tainted influence of the Dark Powers means that the supernatural is often a rare and subtle art. Traditions that point to ‘dark fantasy’ influences and come at a price such as Added and Blood Magic are more common than in other settings, while paladins and high priests of good-aligned deities are as rare as hen’s teeth given they eventually draw the baleful eyes of a domain’s Darklord.
Advanced/Legendary Talents: Ravenloft is a lower-power setting, one where the heroes often face overwhelming odds cannot easily rely upon miraculous wonders with no strings attached. Advanced and Legendary Talents, particularly those with a prerequisite of 11th level and higher, are often unsuitable in the hands of PCs.
But instead of a blanket ban, the DM should look over particular talents in the relevant spheres possessed by the PCs, and ask themselves the following: “Can this talent effortlessly bypass certain elements in the adventure, particularly those necessary for maintaining a sense of horror?” Beyond this, talents which ignore the setting limitations under New Rules & Subsystems, such as Warp’s Planeshift, should be banned, although even high-level talents can still have a place in gothic horror. Scrying is a common spell in horror and folkloric stories, while Creation’s Fleshcraft is thematically appropriate for characters seeking to push the boundaries of the humanoid body into uncharted (and potentially dangerous) territory
Technology Level: In pre-5th Edition the Ravenloft setting divided domains into Cultural Levels, a comparison of the land’s technological prowess compared to real-world timelines. The majority of domains are medieval, although lands ranging from the Stone Age to Victorian Times have been possibilities. No known domains have reached a truly “modern” or futuristic age. And of those exceptions, such as the alien workings of Bluetspur’s illithids, have been more or less monstrous realms whose inventions are unfathomable to mortal safety and sanity.
New Rules & Subsystems
Note: Although 2nd and 3rd Edition are very different ruleswise, the latter tried to be faithful in converting material to the D20 System. Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft is notably a lot more free-wheeling and rules-lite, where things such as altered magic and Cultural Levels are more or less gone. In the discussion of rules, “classic” refers to 2nd/3rd Edition versions of the setting, while “5e” refers to the latest version.
Altered Magic (classic): The Dark Powers have a vested interest in making magic of a dark and morally dubious nature more tempting to spellcasters, while those that allow for easy travel and the vanquishing of aforementioned dark magic are heavily restrained. Instead of going over every individual sphere and talent, a set of rules discuss how certain forms of magic are changed or even unavailable.
Summoning and Banishing: Summoning-related magic that calls and banishes entities from other planes only function normally as a one-way into Ravenloft, and such creatures often resent such imprisonment. Conjured companions are more likely to be those already bound to the Demiplane of Dread, such as ghostly haunts, spirits of the land or Mists, manifestations of the caster’s subconscious, beings already physically present heeding the spell’s call, and the like. Talents which can banish a creature to another plane of existence are equally fruitless.
Travel: Spells which allow for extradimensional travel cannot leave the Demiplane of Dread proper or cross through domain borders closed by a Darklord. Basically if the start and endpoint are still within Ravenloft proper, the talent can work as usual. Coterminous planes such as ethereal travel are an exception in that it works normally, but further travel into the Deep Ethereal cannot work. “Pocket dimensions” such as the Dark sphere’s Shadow Stash, Warp sphere’s Extradimensional Room, and Warp sphere’s Extradimensional Storage are allowed and are still technically within Ravenloft’s planar fabric.
Alignment Detection: Divination magic cannot detect alignment on the good/evil axis, although lawful/chaotic still works. Magical detection of an indirect fashion, such as Fate sphere’s Divine Force, still works normally.
General Divination: Undead are better capable of concealing their natures, and are always allowed a saving throw vs the Sphere DC against Divination sphere talents that would reveal their true nature. Furthermore, the Scrying advanced talent manifests a ghostly version of the caster’s relevant sensory organ. This can be detected via an opposed Perception/Stealth roll with the scryer having advantage on the check. The organ makes them vulnerable to sensory effects performed in the sensor’s area of influence, such as gaze attacks for visual senses, thunder damage for auditory senses, etc.
Divine Communion: Spells which allow the caster to petition a deity or similar being of power can be intercepted by the Dark Powers. Relevant rolls for information-gathering should be made by the GM in secret, and on the result of a failed check give a misleading result rather than a silent/“no result” one.
Shadow Magic: Spells that make use of shadow are stronger than usual in Ravenloft. PC spherecasters specializing in such magic (and not just dabblers who want a free talent!) may be given a bonus talent in reflection of this, typically of the Dark or Illusion spheres. The Shadow Creature form talent for Conjuration, the Beshadowed/Ink/Shadow blast types for Destruction, the Detect Shadows divine talent for Divination, and the Shadow Cage dual sphere talent for Universal are also appropriate choices.
Necromancy: It is easier to create undead creatures but harder to control them in Ravenloft. Casters with the Death sphere can have a total number of reanimated creatures equal to double their proficiency bonus. This comes at a price: undead created beyond the caster’s normal proficiency bonus will not only persist when the spell’s duration ends, they end up outside the caster’s control. In some cases they can end up under the Darklord’s control!
Challenging the Darklord’s Will: PCs who make use of talents that affect a spell or supernatural effect created by a domain’s Darklord (such as foul weather, curses, etc) must succeed at a spellcasting ability check vs. the DC of the effect, even if the talent normally has an auto-success. Such a check is made with disadvantage. In cases that involve bypassing closed domain borders, the check automatically fails.
Cultural Level (classic): In most cases the Cultural Level of a domain is more a set of guidelines than hard and fast rules for determining starting equipment and proficiencies. PCs are by nature exceptional individuals, and there’s a limited amount of trade between domains allowing travelers and people of means to obtain items that would otherwise be beyond their homeland’s meager resources.
But in a few cases some backstory justification is heavily encouraged. A “mad scientist” style PC in a Medieval domain whose devices come to him in fevered dreams can have Tinkerer sphere talents, but a Barovian peasant whose family is just getting by is a harder sell. At least not without a patron willing to supply them the necessary gear and training!
PCs from realms of a Chivalric or Renaissance Cultural Level are proficient with Renaissance-era firearms if they’d be proficient with all martial weapons, effectively possessing the Renaissance Voyager discipline talent from the Equipment sphere. In the case of beginning play with a martial tradition, said discipline talent may be taken as though it was a regular (non-legendary) talent.
Curses (classic/5e): The curse rules found in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft are open-ended and thematic enough to be used in a Spheres game relatively seamlessly. But the Spheres system also introduces many spells that have their own category as the [curse] descriptor. Spherecasters who possess such spells are capable of pronouncing their doom upon creatures with their dying breaths.
Should a spherecaster suffer instant death upon dropping to 0 hit points or fail their third death saving throw, they may choose to cast a talent with the [curse] tag as a reaction against the creature who brought about their end. The target suffers disadvantage on any relevant ability checks and saving throws to resist, and for non-instantaneous effects the duration becomes permanent. Once cast in such a way the caster seals their fate, becoming permanently dead and unable to be restored to life. They may come back as undead, with their nature tied to the curse in some way.
Soothing the Mind (5e): Certain sphere effects can be used to reduce a target’s Stress Score as defined in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. The Life Sphere’s Restore Mind talent can reduce a target’s Stress Score by 1, while Restore Mind & Body reduces it to 0. Appropriate charm talents of the Mind sphere (Amnesia, Calm, etc) can suppress the effects of the Stress score for the duration of the talent.
Tarokka: This set of mystical cards is famous for determining the fate of the heroes and villains of Ravenloft. Those learned in its ways can find inspiration in the card’s readings, deriving magical power from them.
The use of the Tarokka Deck can take many forms in the Spheres system. One suggestion is to make it a Casting Tradition, like so:
Tarokka Reader
Spellcasters who rely on the Tarokka Deck entrust their power to fate, understanding that some things are beyond their control. Still, there is power to be found in this mindset, for knowledge learned from such inevitability can be used to guide mortals in the here and now.
Bonus Spell Points: None
Key Ability: Wisdom
Bonus Magic Talents: Divination, Fate
Drawbacks: Focus Casting (Gaming Set Tools-Tarokka Deck), Mental Focus, Prepared Caster, Skilled Casting (Gaming Set Tools-Tarokka Deck)
Variants: None
Boons: Aptitude (Gaming Set Tools-Tarokka Deck), Heart of the Cards (see below)
Granted Items: Gaming Set (Tarokka Deck)
New Boon: Heart of the Cards
Your magical potential is bound up in the Tarokka, its whims bestowing you with random gifts.
At the end of a long rest, you roll a 1d20, reflecting the consultation of the Tarokka deck. You gain that Motif talent from the Fate sphere as a bonus talent until the next long rest. If you roll a Motif you already know, then its duration increases by 1 step (4 hours typically).
| Die Result |
Motif Talent |
| 1 |
The Chariot |
| 2 |
The Devil |
| 3 |
The Emperor |
| 4 |
The Empress |
| 5 |
The Fool |
| 6 |
The Hanged Man |
| 7 |
The Hermit |
| 8 |
The Hierophant |
| 9 |
Judgment |
| 10 |
Justice |
| 11 |
The Lovers |
| 12 |
The Magician |
| 13 |
The Moon |
| 14 |
The Star |
| 15 |
Strength |
| 16 |
Sun |
| 17 |
Temperance |
| 18 |
The Tower |
| 19 |
The Wheel |
| 20 |
The World |
Popular Archetypes
Anchorite: Anchorites are priests who serve the church of Ezra. They are invariably spherecasters, although how their spells manifest differs. Common spheres of the goddess include Divination, Life, Mind, and Protection. Each major denomination has a bonus sphere relevant to their religious interpretation: Destruction for the Lawful Evil (Nevuchar Springs) sect, Light for the Lawful Good (Mordant) sect, Universal (wild magic package) for the Neutral (Dementlieu) sect, and Weather for the Lawful Neutral (Borca) sect. Anchorites are also capable of turning the undead, which can be reflected as the Priest subclass of the Incanter.
Anchorites have an all-or-nothing approach to armor, either only wearing the heaviest kinds of armor reflecting their image as defenders of the common folk, or trusting solely in Ezra to protect them and thus wear no armor at all. The Evangelist or Shield of Faith Martial Tradition where Armor Training is taken as the bonus variable talent is sufficient enough to grant heavy armor proficiency for classes that begin with proficiency in light armor. Alternatively the Hermit Tradition has Ascetic and Weapon Master which both grant Unarmored Training while also having some religious flavor text.
The Anchorite’s Mistwalking talent can be reflected as the Warp sphere, with True Teleport at higher levels, and perhaps unique to Anchorites given their special connection with Ezra. Shield of Ezra manifests differently depending on the sect, albeit is almost always some variety of Protection sphere effect: Exclusion (usually against metal) for the Lawful Good (Mordant) sect, Inner Peace or the Mind sphere’s Mind Shield for the Lawful Evil (Nevuchar Springs) sect, Obstruction for the Lawful Neutral (Borca) sect, and Spell Ward for the True Neutral (Dementlieu) sect.
3rd Edition gave additional abilities as well as the division of the Anchorite into three prestige classes: Anchorite Inquisitor and Anchorite Wanderer in Heroes of Light, and Anchorite of the Mists in Van Richten’s Arsenal. The Inquisitor’s Candle Communication (where two priests communicate via magical lit candles) can be replicated via the Mind sphere’s Greater Communication advanced talent, while its various immunities can be simulated as the aforementioned Mind Shield and Spell Ward talents, and True Seeing has a Divination sense talent of the same name. As for the Anchorite Wanderer, the class is more physically inclined, particularly in the mobility department. Athletics sphere talents, especially Rapid Motion and Swift Movement, are common, while Absolution can be replicated by the Fate sphere’s Atonement advanced talent. Wanderers choosing to wear heavy armor often take the Equipment sphere’s Armor Expert twice to allow for faster donning and stealth in such gear.
Anchorites of the Mists rely upon using the misdirection of the Mists to cloud their opponent’s minds, often manifesting as the Illusion sphere, the Mind sphere’s Confusion talent, and the Warp sphere’s ability to teleport. The Divination sphere’s Blindfolded Oracle and Scout’s Sight Beyond Sight can replicate the class’ blind-fighting abilities.
Arcanist: Arcanists are a specialized discipline of wizards who delve into arts that are regarded as occult and macabre by other spellcasters. No matter their alignment, all study forbidden lore such as necromancy and pacts with strange entities, although their motivations for doing so differ.
Arcanists are best simulated with the Traditional Magic Casting Tradition, specializing in the Conjuration, Death, and Life spheres and subclasses which enhance such spheres. Their general-purpose knowledge of various “dark magic” can be reflected as being proficient in various Intelligence skills, especially Arcana, History, and Religion. The Incanter’s Priest subclass is appropriate, even if the arcanists technically aren’t clerics of a god, and the Necromancer and Summoner subclasses are also common choices. The Soul Weaver’s the other common class, often following the Path of the Gothi or Path of the White Necromancer subclasses, with Gothi’s proficiency addition/doubling to Intelligence checks being highly appropriate for them being knowledgeable sorts. Path of the Lichling represents those who seek to become free-willed undead.
Avenger: These driven warriors are motivated by a burning desire for revenge. Their ability to push onwards for this goal is best emulated via the Berserker sphere’s more defensive-minded talents, such as the Berserk adrenaline talent and the Deathless talent. Their Intuition in knowing the direction to head in achieving such vengeance may be replicated via the Scout’s Track the Scene talent, the Scholar’s Dowing Study, or the Scholar Occultist subclass’ Esotery of Divination.
Bardic College of Spirits: The Bard Spherecaster with this subclass works quite well. Most of its class features are more or less independent from Vancian magic and can be used relatively unhindered, but some conversion is necessary. Guiding Whispers can be reflected as gaining the Mind sphere’s Inspiration talent as a bonus talent. The Spiritual Focus’ 6th-level feature applies the d6 to a sphere effect that deals damage or restores hit points. For Spirit Session, the Bard gains a bonus talent from either the Death or Divination sphere.
Eremite/Hallowed Witch: Devotees of Hala and witches of the less religious sort, these spellcasters prefer to imbue their magic in otherwise mundane objects. This is best simulated as a Casting Tradition with the Material Casting drawback and Physical Magic boon. Those with access to Blended Training and thus martial sphere talents commonly take the Alchemy sphere and the Witch Martial Tradition for obvious reasons.
Knight of the Shadows: Hailing from the Shadowlands, this honorable order was founded by the noble Shadowborn clan. Very much bastions of virtue in an otherwise dreary land, they often find themselves worn down by the pressures of their ideals and vocations. The best among their lot stay true to their cause, even as their bodies and minds slowly fray.
The archetype is best reflected via the Guardian sphere, given their role as protectors of the innocent from evil. They are also spellcasters of the divine sort, commonly of the Divine Crusader Casting Tradition, and thus belong to classes that have Blended Training. They aren’t particularly potent in their spellcasting, so they tend to be dabblers in the magical arts at most.
Monster Hunter: Less a direct class conversion and more a variety of suggestions, Ravenloft’s monster hunters are a diverse bunch of people who pursue vocations that mark them as madmen by others. The Scout sphere is perhaps the most common martial sphere among this profession, for it is unmatched in the granting of knowledge and lore of foes. The Target Weakness talent grants them a limited amount of tools to overcome monstrous defenses, while Discern Illusions, Heightened Awareness, and Sense and Resist Scrying are common options for “witch-hunters.” Talents which reduce the chances of ambush such as Piercing Senses, Sight Beyond Sight, and Somnambulance are also common talents. Alchemy is another favored sphere option, both for offensive purposes such as the Holy Water formula talent and various poison talents, and overcoming supernatural maladies with Panacea, Salve, and Smelling salt formula talents.
Monster hunters in the vein of Rudolf Van Richten and other “brains over brawn” noncasters are most commonly of the Scholar class, usually either Natural Philosophers or Occultists. The former subclass grants various features useful to a monster hunter: the Belladonna and Salt material impositions are specifically defensive against certain monster types and attacks.
Spiritualists: These more benevolent kinds of death mages prefer to treat ghosts and other undead with respect, viewing them as wounded souls in need of aid in passing on. They are not necromancers, for they do not seek to dominate such souls.
Spiritualists are most commonly Soul Weavers of either the Gothi or White Necromancer subclasses. They often specialize in abilities to ensure a spirit’s proper passage, such as the Death sphere’s Gravetongue talent, the Life sphere’s Break Enchantment talent, and the Fate sphere’s Exorcise talent. Undead allies are incorporeal spirits and thus can be reflected either as Conjuration companions manifesting when ‘called,’ or have the Death sphere’s Incorporeal talent applied to a Reanimated undead. The Death sphere’s Summon Spirit Advanced Talent is another good choice.
Undead Warlock Patron: The Warlock Spherecaster subclass works well enough. For Expanded Spells, the bonus talents most appropriate are the Conjuration sphere (Phantom Steed), the Death sphere’s Gravetongue talent (Speak with Dead), the Illusion sphere (Phantasmal Force), the Life sphere (False Life), the Illusion sphere’s Obscure talent (Greater Invisibility), Protection sphere’s Deathless talent (Death Ward), the Protection sphere’s Exclusion talent (Antilife Shell), and the Destruction sphere with the Poison blast type and the Sphere blast shape (Cloudkill).
The 14th-level Spirit Projection’s feature where it waives verbal, somatic, and material components is a bit trickier, as spherecasters generally can’t avoid their Casting Tradition drawbacks without retraining and thus losing boons and bonus spell points. One suggestion would be to have it provide a bonus Casting Tradition boon that only lasts in spirit form. Or simply waive it; this class feature gets a lot of other benefits as is!
