Starting Spells

Players each start with 4 'family' spells; story-relevant cantrips (with one L1 spell) that they would have seen so often they can cast them almost immediately upon getting their own wands. Perhaps their parents even lent them their wands for some (carefully supervised and Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875 compliant!) magical pre-schooling before our story even began.

All players also start with one offensive spell (Devicto) and one defensive spell (Protego) in both its action and reaction form. This is in acknowledgement of the fact that we are still essentially playing DnD, so to have no combat spells at all would be challenging.

School-Taught Spells

Most witches and wizards learn their repertoire of spells at Hogwarts, Ilvermorney or some similar school and go on to use these throughout their entire lives.

At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, the curriculum is broken down into:

• 8 subjects that are mandatory for all students from years 1-5 (though two of these - potions and flying - are unlikely to teach spells)
• 5 further subjects that are elective, of which students must pick at least two from year 2 onwards
• 2 final subjects that are reserved only for N.E.W.T. level students (Apparition & Alchemy, subject to enough demand)

Core curriculum (mandatory yrs 1-5)

• Transfiguration
• Charms
• Defence Against the Dark Arts
• Herbology
• Astronomy
• History of Magic
• Potions
• Flying

Elective Subjects (min 2 from yr2)

• Divination
• Arithmancy
• Care of Magical Creatures
• Muggle Studies
• Study of Ancient Runes

Advanced Subjects (yrs 6-7)

• Apparition
• Alchemy (subject to student demand)

Throughout your school year you will be taught a pre-determined curriculum of spells from the core subjects as well as according to your elective options. As you are defined as DIADEMs, you will also be able to request and commit downtime to) a few additional lessons in each School of Magic, giving an opportunity to learn even more, even faster.

When spells are taught in a classroom environment, they can be practiced safely and an expert is there to correct your actions. As a result, no penalty is incurred when you start casting such a spell 'in the real world', unlike those taught by other means.

Teaching Yourself Spells

Books abound in the Wizarding World and even the most casual observer in the courtyards of Hogwarts or on the cobbles of Diagon Alley would overhear and observe spells of all varieties being pinged about. But casting such a spell yourself is more challenging.

Any time you try to teach yourself a new spell, or if you are learning it from another student rather than a trained educator, you will need to:

• Spend downtime to experiment and practice.
  • The DM will confirm the amount of hours practice required (spells of a higher level than the player character take longer, for example).
• Once that many hours of downtime have been committed to the project, you are deemed to have learned the spell
  • If the learned spell is a cantrip you can now cast that at will
  • If the learned spell is a levelled spell, you do not truly 'know' the spell until you have successfully cast it 'in the wild'.
    • The first time you cast - and every subsequent time until you achieve success, - you do so without adding your proficiency modifier (spell attacks)
    • If the spell is one requiring a saving throw, the target has advantage on the save
    • For utility spells that do neither, the DM may call for an ability check instead.
  • Only once you have successfully cast the spell 'in the wild' (without modifier/against advantage) can you remove that limitation and cast as normal.
    • Success is defined as either hitting with a spell attack or the target failing the associated saving throw.
  • Failure still expends the spell slot used in the attempt

Finding a mentor

Sometimes you may meet people who can teach you a thing or two. This could negate the self-taught disadvantage (DM discretion).