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Awaken

Transmutation
Level: 5th-level
Casting Time: 8 hours
Range: Touch
Duration: Instantaneous
Components: V, S, M
Materials: An agate worth at least 1,000 gp, which the spell consumes.

After spending the casting time tracing magical pathways within a precious gemstone, you touch a Huge or smaller beast or plant. The target must have either no Intelligence score or an Intelligence of 3 or less. The target gains an Intelligence of 10. The target also gains the ability to speak one language you know. If the target is a plant, it gains the ability to move its limbs, roots, vines, creepers, and so forth, and it gains senses similar to a human's. Your DM chooses statistics appropriate for the awakened plant, such as the statistics for the awakened shrub or the awakened tree. The awakened beast or plant is charmed by you for 30 days or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. When the charmed condition ends, the awakened creature chooses whether to remain friendly to you, based on how you treated it while it was charmed.

Spell Details

School: Transmutation
Level: 5
Ritual: No
Concentration: No
Classes: Bard, Druid
B-Tier Powerful utility for long-term campaign impact, but requires 10 days casting time and 1000gp gemstone, limiting combat applications.

Player Guide

Awaken is a strategic investment spell best used during downtime to permanently grant Intelligence 10 and speech to loyal animal companions or plant allies, transforming them into useful NPCs who can hold conversations and follow complex instructions. Use it on creatures with high Wisdom or Dexterity to create competent allies, but avoid wasting it on creatures with poor ability scores. The spell's immense casting time makes it unsuitable for combat but invaluable for creating a network of informants, scouts, or sentient backup combatants before major campaigns.

DM Tips

Consider the personality and goals of the awakened creature—a sentient bear or treant may have its own agenda that conflicts with the party. Enforce the 1000gp gemstone cost and 10-day casting period strictly to prevent abuse; a player chain-awakening an army of creatures trivializes many encounters.