HONEYMAGE WIZARDS

A Wizard Tradition for D&D 5th Edition

The Honeymage adds valuable support options to those of the traditional wizard, built
around the theme of controlling bees. Ideal for characters of wild or rustic origins, it
provides a party of adventurers with additional available healing and the caster with
abilities to command and even potentially become a swarm of insects.

Warning: Chatting with a large number of bees has been known to creep out peasants.

1 New Tradition 3 New Spells

2 New Feats 4 New Monsters
Design: David “Serpine” Rosson
Artwork: Stonehaven Miniatures (http://stonehavenmini.com/ )
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material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

The honeymage concept artwork is copyright 2015 by Stonehaven Miniatures as part of their Halfling Miniatures line.
It is used here with their permission.

All other original material in this work is copyright 2016 by David G Rosson II and published under the Community
Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

HONEYMAGE WIZARDS
If your DM approves, the following alternate tradition
can be selected by a wizard reaching 2nd level.
In addition your Bee Familiar spell can now
summon a Swarm of Bees instead of a Enhanced
Bee. The swarm still follows most standard rules for
familiars summoned with the Find Familiar spell,
but also may be commanded to attack an enemy if
you use an action to do so.

ARCANE TRADITION:
HONEYMAGE
“Watch your valuables while she is around, because
you know she's got.... sticky fingers!”
– Last words of an unidentified peasant
before he was stung to death

A honeymage is a wizard, most often a halfling,

which has eschewed normal scholarly paths and
instead chosen to study the amazing magical
properties of honey and the bees that produce it.
While this provides fascinating insight into insect
behavior and the healing properties of the golden
HEART OF THE HIVE (10 LEVEL) TH
substance, some adherents become so lost in the
songs of their insect companions that they surrender At 10th level a Swarm of Bees summoned using Bee
body and soul to the calling. Familiar spell can protect you by sacrificing part of
Most honeymages serve as conventional beekeepers itself to “take the hit”. When adjacent to or in the
until the need to experiment with more obscure same space as the swarm you may use a reaction to
species and pollens drives them to roam. Often avoid being affected by a condition from the list
called on to clear infestations, they are at once charmed, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, prone,
welcome and disquieting thanks to being commonly restrained, or stunned. After using this feature once,
accompanied by their stinging pets. Longer lived you must finish a short rest to allow the swarm time
honeymages are notorious for adopting beelike to recover enough to protect you again.
mannerisms like darting around and even buzzing. Also, as long as the swarm ends its turns in the
same space as you and is not recovering per the
ARCANE APIARIST (2 LEVEL) ND
above, the spell Fly and those spells gained via the
Arcane Apiarist ability have their durations doubled.
Beginning when you select this arcane tradition at
2nd level, you gain advantage to Wisdom and
ROYAL JELLY (14 LEVEL) TH
Intelligence based ability checks involving insects or
honey. In addition, at some levels you gain Upon reaching 14th level you can coax your Swarm
knowledge of modified spells: These are prepared as of Bees to create a magical form of royal jelly. A vial’s
normal wizard spells, but are recorded mentally via worth can be harvested once per 24 hour period
constant training rather then in a spellbook. during a short rest and is “active” for one week. You
can use your skills to apply the contents of five
ARCANE APIARIST SPELLS active vials to a dead creature following the rules of
Wizard Level Spell Equivalent the Raise Dead spell but requiring no diamond as an
2nd Goodhoney Goodberry: Produces additional material component.
globes of honey Alternately as an action you can consume a vial of
2nd Bee Familiar Find Familiar: Summons active royal jelly yourself and expend a 7th or higher
an Enhanced Bee level spell slot to transform into an augmented
3rd Bee Animal Messenger: Swarm of Bees for up to ten minutes. This form
Messenger Limited to use on bees requires concentration but retains most capabilities
5th Conjure Bees Conjure Animals: Only including hit points, attributes, and spellcasting
summons bees while also gaining a swarm’s movement, resistances,
7th Giant Bee Giant Insect: Can only be immunities, blindsight, swarm trait, and bite. Any
cast on bees worn equipment falls to the ground but you can still
9th Bee Plague Insect Plague: Summoned use weapons and holdable items. Daily consumption
insects are all bees of active royal jelly is said to halt the appearance
(though not effects) of aging, but attempting to
QUEEN / KING BEE (6 LEVEL) TH
consume a 2nd vial before completing a long rest is
essentially fatal, as it will permanently transform
At 6th level you may expend additional spell slots you into a swarm of unintelligent mundane bees.
while casting Goodhoney to augment some or all the Royal jelly that has lost its magic can still be stored
globes to heal an added d8 hit points each. The and used in the same manner as mundane honey,
number of globes impacted is equal to the total being valued as a delicacy, cosmetic, and even
levels of the spell slots spent and the globes must medicine by nobles.
still be consumed to gain their effect.
Honeymage Wizards v1.4 (01/23/2016) by David “Serpine” Rosson
Art Used With permission of Stonehaven Miniatures 1
NEW SPELLS
The following three spells are added to the sorceror,
warlock, and wizard spell lists.
CRAWLING ARMOR
2nd-level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a lump of sugared honey)
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
A tide of creeping pests erupts from the ground,
nearby rocks, and even folds of your clothing to
cover you in a seething mass. The chitinous horde
shifts and scuttles to protect you from attacks. You
gain 8 temporary hit points for the duration. While
any of these temporary hit points remain you are
considered to have half cover and grapple attempts
against you have disadvantage. The spell will end
immediately after you suffer any damage from an
area effect regardless of how many points remain.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a
spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the temporary hit
points increase by 4 for each slot above 2nd level.
STINGER OF THE BEE
Transmutation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (the stinger of a honeybee)
Duration: 1 round
As you slap your hand against an enemy, a large
stinger dripping with insect venom extends from
your palm. The first time that your unarmed strike
hits in the same round that you cast this spell, it
inflicts 1d4 piercing and 1d4 poison damage. A
target that makes a successful Constitution saving
throw takes only half damage from the poison.
Instead of making an unarmed strike, it is also
possible to use an action to tear the stinger loose
(causing yourself 1d4 damage) and immediately
throw it as a ranged weapon (range 20/60).
This spell’s damage from both sources increases by
1d4 each when you reach 5th level (2d4 piercing and
2d4 poison), 11th level (3d4 piercing and 3d4 poison),
and 17th level (4d4 piercing and 4d4 poison).
WAVE OF INSECTS
3rd-level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (30 foot cone)
Components: V, S, M (eggs from various insects)
Duration: Instantaneous
A stream of maddened vermin jets from your hands
or mouth. Each creature in a 30-foot cone must
make a Dexterity saving throw and a Constitution
saving throw. A creature takes 3d10 damage if either
save fails, or half as much damage if both succeed,
with the damage being evenly split between the types
bludgeoning, piercing, and poison (apply fractional
points as bludgeoning). The area of the cone is
considered lightly obscured until the insects
disperse at the start of your next turn.
Honeymage Wizards v1.4 (01/23/2016) by David “Serpine” Rosson
Art Used With permission of Stonehaven Miniatures
NEW FEATS
BEE RIDER
Prerequisites: Proficiency with Animal Handling and
Athletics. Proficiency bonus +3 or higher.
You have learned techniques for riding giant winged
insects, creatures that usually make poor mounts.
 You have advantage on saving throws made to
avoid falling off your insect mount and may use its
initiative bonus instead of your own in combat.
 You may spend an action to command your insect
mount to use one of its attack actions.
 If your insect mount falls while flying, even if it is
dead, you may make a Wisdom (Animal Handling)
check to glide it safely to the ground. The DC is
the number of feet fallen, divided by 10.
DANCE OF THE SWARM
By studying the behavior of swarms you know how
to face and use them effectively on the battlefield.
 When performing an activity that inflicts the
conditions frightened, prone, or stunned you may
apply it to a swarm in spite of its immunities.
 You may make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check
with a DC of a swarm’s Wisdom and spend a
reaction to prevent it from entering your space or
an action to force one to move out of your space.
 You gain resistance to all bludgeoning, piercing,
and slashing damage inflicted by swarms.
 You may attempt to hide when obscured by or in
the same space as a swarm of at least your size.
This check is taken with disadvantage if the
swarm is hostile and in the same space.
 You may ignore the swarm trait for purposes of
granting healing or temporary hit points to an
adjacent and non-hostile swarm.
CREATIVE BEEKEEPING
1 lb of honey is worth approximately 1 gp, and
unpurified royal jelly costs at least four times that.
Some honeymages prefer to house their swarms in
a skep (a hive formed from a coiled woven basket). A
portable backpack based skep is 5 gp, weighs 4 lbs
empty, and can surge by 20-30 lbs when populated
by a colony. For obvious reasons a person wearing
such a contraption will not usually be welcomed
inside population centers.
Honeymages like to sprinkle bee related terms and
trivia into conversation. Some example terms include
“caste” (rank), “cell” (room), “cluster” (party),
“drones” (men), and “larvae” (children).
BEE TRIVIA
 A queen mates only once in its lifespan, but with
many drones during that time.
 A worker bee lives a few months at most, while a
queen can live for several years.
 An average mundane hive can have 50,000 bees.
 Bees sometimes dance to communicate locations.
 Bees have 5 eyes.
2
 GIANT BEE
NEW MONSTERS Medium beast, unaligned

Armor Class 11
BEES Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3)
Bees are frequently social insects associated with Speed 10 ft., fly 45 ft.
pollination and, in the case of some species, the STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
production of useful materials. Exposure to magic 8 (-1) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 4 (-3)
can dramatically increase their size but usually has
little impact on their behavior. Bees can be highly Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
territorial but when given distance and treated with Languages –
sufficient care are usually not dangerous. Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
For Queen and Colony: While some are solitary,
many types of bees gather in large numbers to form ACTIONS
nests (i.e. bumblebees) or hives (i.e. honeybees). A Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
colony is dominated by a single queen, a handful of Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC
12 Constitution saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) poison damage on a
male drones, and numerous female workers. The
failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a
workers will viciously defend their home to protect failed saving throw the target is also poisoned for one round.
its ruler and her cache of eggs. When the population
surges and a second queen is spawned, a swarm
consisting of a queen and attendant workers will GIANT QUEEN BEE
break off to search for a separate location. Large beast, unaligned
Bread and Honey. Bee colonies can produce
honey, wax, “bee bread” (pollen mixed with saliva Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
and nectar), and royal jelly (used to feed larvae and Hit Points 45 (6d10 + 12)
create queens). Humanoids have legends about the Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft.
restorative powers of royal jelly and have found that STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
giant bee bread serves superbly as trail rations. 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 4 (-2) 14 (+2) 6 (-2)

REGARDING LOST STINGERS Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12

Languages –
Male bees (drones) do not have stingers and are Challenge 1 (200 XP)
usually Challenge 0 non-combatants. Females
(queens and workers) of many bee species do have ACTIONS
stingers but only worker honey bees commonly have
Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
barbed ones, which can tear out and kill the bee Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC
when piercing thick skin. If this trait is desired for a 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) poison damage on a
Giant Bee (a swarm has sufficient numbers to ignore failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a
it) reduce its challenge to 1/4 (50 xp) and have the failed saving throw the target is also poisoned for one round.
Sting’s poisoned effect last 1d4 rounds, until the
target makes a save, or until an action is spent to SWARM OF BEES
detach the stinger. If a Giant Bee lacks or avoids Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned
using its stinger (under a queen’s orders perhaps)
allow it to take the following action: Armor Class 10
Thrash. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5)
one creature. Hit: 2 (1d2 + 1) bludgeoning damage. Speed 5 ft., fly 25 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

2 (-4) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 2 (-4)
ENHANCED BEE
Tiny beast, unaligned Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, petrified,
prone, restrained, stunned
Armor Class 11 Senses blindsight 10ft., darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 9
Hit Points 2 (1d4) Languages –
Speed 5 ft., fly 30 ft. Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice
1 (-5) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 4 (-3) versa, and can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny
insect. It can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages – ACTIONS
Challenge 0 (10 XP)
Stings. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in
the swarm’s space. Hit: 7 (3d4) piercing damage, or 4 (1d8)
ACTIONS piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.
Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. The target must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, taking 4
Hit: 1 piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 9 (1d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage
Constitution saving throw or take 2 (1d4) poison damage. on a successful one.

Honeymage Wizards v1.4 (01/23/2016) by David “Serpine” Rosson

Art Used With permission of Stonehaven Miniatures 3