Wand Advancement

As a witch or wizard and their wand use their way, they begin to learn its idiosyncracies and change the way they cast spells in order to produce the best results. In a peculiar way, wands will do the same things with their wielders. Wands may more easily cast the type of spells that their owners favor, or they might behave strangely in a stranger's hands. Wandmakers will often describe wands as if they have their own innate personality, and they believe the wizard's values, actions and magic will shape that personality.

Although wands react to their ideal wizard during wand selection, wands will be in a dormant state for a very long time. A dormant wand has no particular preferences over who is using it, and that is when the wand is most neutral. As a witch bonds with her wand, she may feel more in tune with it, her magic could grow more potent, or the wand can exhibit new behavior when casting a spell. When the wand and the wizard start to become one, the wand is described as being in an awakened state. These benefits depend on the wand's trait, based on its personality. As the wizard reaches a very high level of mastery in their magical pursuits, a wand can become even more magically enhanced in the exalted state. The bonuses of a wand's advancement are not cumulative and cannot be combined.

Any benefits a wizard gains from wand advancement is permanent for as long as that wizard is attuned to that wand. It does not matter whether or not the wizard has that particular wand in their possession. However, if a wizard attunes to a different wand, that wizard will lose the benefits from their previous wand and their new wand will be dormant. If the wizard ever attunes back to their first wand, the bond will be to be reformed and it will be dormant; however, the wand may quickly recognize its old owner and advance at a faster rate than before.

Matching the Traits to the Wand

Typical for the enigmatic study of wand lore, there is no rigid system for identifying the traits a wand has before it awakens. The wand's components play a significant role in the wand's developed trait. For instance, wands with a core of Dragon Heartstring do not have a reputation for allegiance to their first owner, so it would be uncommon to find one with the Loyal trait. However, if that Dragon Heartstring is found within a Spruce wand that commits itself fully to a well-disciplined wizard, that wizard may find his wand to be truly Loyal. As another example, a Unicorn Hair wand is not known for having a Powerful trait like Dragon Heartstring or Phoenix Feather is, but it is possible in a particularly "outspoken" wood like Blackthorn or Cherry. A Unicorn Hair wand has never been known to be Savage, though.

It's ultimately the combination of the wand's components and the wizard's personality. Each wand trait has two suggested Backgrounds that would be appropriate for that specific wand trait, but any Background or wand wood can be matched with any trait based on how that wand has been used and how it has learned from its wielder.

All wand traits are assigned by the DM and the time of advancement is decided by the DM. A wand's trait cannot be changed once it's been assigned, but a wand's exalted trait may be different from its awakened trait. Since effects are not cumulative, the awakened benefit is lost if the wand's trait evolves in this way.

When a Wand Advances

A wand only reaches its awakened state once it has truly bonded with its owner, typically through a life-defining event, such as:

• A character digs deep in a time of need and discovers something new about themselves.
• A character achieves a new level of magical mastery that brings them closer to achieving their lifelong goals.
• A character faces their inner demons for the sake of their companions, their family or their own happiness.
• A character finally resolves a burning question that has tormented them for years.
• A character forms a new purpose or philosophy after going through a crisis.

Most accomplished adult wizards should awaken their wands through their travels and adventures (between levels 8 and 14), but very few wands reach an exalted state. A wizard with an exalted wand is often a household name or bears serious influence in the magical world (between levels 15 and 20).

Wand Traits

ALERT

• Recommended Backgrounds: Bookworm, Troublemaker
• Awakened: You have advantage when rolling initiative.
• Exalted: You and one creature you can see both have advantage when rolling for initiative.

CARING

• Backgrounds: Dreamer, Groundskeeper
• Awakened: When you restore your own or another creature's hit points, you can add a d6 roll to the amount healed. You can't use this ability again until you finish a short or long rest.
• Exalted: When you restore your own or another creature's hit points, you can add a d12 roll to the amount healed. You can't use this ability again until you finish a short or long rest.

CLEVER

• Backgrounds: Bookworm, Potioneer
• Awakened: Add one new cantrip to your known spells.
• Exalted: Add three new cantrips to your known spells.

CONSISTENT

• Backgrounds: Groundskeeper, Potioneer
• Awakened: When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll or an ability check involved with casting a spell, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
• Exalted: When you roll a 1 or 2 on the d20 for an attack roll or an ability check involved with casting a spell, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.

INNOVATIVE

• Backgrounds: Dreamer, Potioneer
• Awakened: You can cast a spell with a known metamagic without expending any sorcery points. You can't use this ability again until you finish a short or long rest.
• Exalted: You can cast a spell with any metamagic from the Sorcerer metamagic list without expending any sorcery points. You can't use this ability again until you finish a short or long rest.

LOGICAL

• Backgrounds: Bookworm, Socialite
• Awakened: When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an ability check, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
• Exalted: When you roll a 1 or 2 on the d20 for an ability check, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.

LOYAL

• Backgrounds: Dreamer, Quidditch Fan
• Awakened: Your wand will refuse to perform magic for any other caster than you and anyone you designate.
• Exalted: Your wand will refuse to perform magic for any other caster than you and anyone you designate. If someone disarms you or tries to otherwise take your wand, the wand will issue a zap dealing 1d12 lightning damage.

LUCKY

• Backgrounds: Dreamer, Troublemaker
• Awakened: Whenever you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can add a d4 roll to the result. You can't use this ability again until you finish a short or long rest.
• Exalted: Whenever you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can add a d8 roll to the result. You can't use this ability again until you finish a short or long rest.

NON-VERBAL

• Backgrounds: Bookworm, Socialite
• Awakened: You gain the Subtle Spell metamagic and it does not count against your number of metamagics.
• Exalted: You gain the Subtle Spell metamagic and it does not count against your number of metamagics. Anyone's attempt to perceive your non-verbal casting is made at disadvantage.

POWERFUL

• Backgrounds: Quidditch Fan, Socialite
• Awakened: When you deal damage, you can add a d6 roll to the damage. You can't use this ability again until you finish a short or long rest.
• Exalted: When you deal damage, you can add a d12 roll to the damage. You can't use this ability again until you finish a short or long rest.

SAVAGE

• Backgrounds: Quidditch Fan, Socialite
• Awakened: Whenever you score a critical hit with a spell attack, add one more damage die to your damage roll.
• Exalted: Whenever you score a critical hit with a spell attack, add three more damage die to your damage roll.

SKILLFUL

• Backgrounds: Potioneer, Troublemaker
• Awakened: Gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.
• Exalted: Gain proficiency in two skills of your choice.

STUBBORN

• Backgrounds: Groundskeeper, Quidditch Fan
• Awakened: When you roll a 1 on the d20 for a saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
• Exalted: When you roll a 1 or 2 on the d20 for a saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.

TOUGH

• Backgrounds: Groundskeeper, Troublemaker
• Awakened: Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to your level when you gain this feat. Whenever you gain a level thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an additional one hit point.
• Exalted: Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to twice your level when you gain this feat. Whenever you gain a level thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an additional 2 hit points.