Scott Cunningham was a prominent figure in the Wicca community, known for his significant contributions to the modern practice of Wicca. He was born on June 27, 1956, in Royal Oak, Michigan, and passed away on March 28, 1993. Cunningham played a crucial role in bringing Wicca into the mainstream, making it accessible to a wider audience. His works, such as "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" and "The Complete Book of Incense, Oils, and Brews," became popular resources for solitary Wiccans and beginners seeking practical guidance. One of Cunningham's notable beliefs was that Wicca should adapt to modern times and be more inclusive. He advocated for an individualistic approach to Wicca, which he referred to as "eclectic Wicca.
Starting at 3rd level, whenever you infuse a metal armor, a melee weapon or a shield, or when you attune to a magical metal armor, melee weapon or shield, you can choose to transform it into a sturdy stone version of itself.
Starting at 3rd level, whenever you infuse a metal armor, a melee weapon or a shield, or when you attune to a magical metal armor, melee weapon or shield, you can choose to transform it into a sturdy stone version of itself. Each creature in a 30-foot cone in front of you must make a Strength saving throw, taking 2d12 bludgeoning damage and falling prone on a fail, or taking half damage without falling prone on a success.
He advocated for an individualistic approach to Wicca, which he referred to as "eclectic Wicca." This concept allowed practitioners to tailor their practice to their own needs and preferences, embracing diversity and personal spirituality. Cunningham emphasized the significance of connecting with nature and the elements.
The curse of the stone guardian
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the mason tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with an other artisan's tool of your choice.
Stone Guardian Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Stone Guardian Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don't count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
| Artificer Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Magic Stone (cantrip), Earth Tremor |
| 5th | Maximillian's Earthen Grasp, Warding Bond |
| 9th | Erupting Earth, Meld into Stone |
| 13th | Summon Construct (stone only), Stone Skin |
| 17th | Transmute Rock, Wall of Stone |
In addition, when you throw a stone that has been transmuted by the Magic Stone cantrip, you can choose to enlarge it. When you do so, you can also make a range attack against a second creature that is within 5 feet of your initial target with that same stone. When you reach 9th level in this class, you can then choose to make an attack against all the creatures that are within 5 feet of your initial target instead.
Art Credit :
Bronze Golem by Gaidenlight
If you already know the Magic Stone cantrip, you can learn an other cantrip of your choice from the artificer's spell list.
Stone Craft
Starting at 3rd level, whenever you infuse a metal armor, a melee weapon or a shield, or when you attune to a magical metal armor, melee weapon or shield, you can choose to transform it into a sturdy stone version of itself.
You can't have more than half your proficiency bonus (rounded up) items transmuted into stone at the same time. If you transmute one more, the first one returns back to its normal material.
While transmuted into stone, the item's weight is doubled. In addition, when you or an other Stone Guardian wear or wield the stone item, it gains one of the following sets of properties according to its type :
- Stone Armor. You gain proficiency in the stone armor and you ignore any strength requirement it has. Additionally, your carry capacity is doubled and you can use your Intelligence modifier instead of your Strength modifier when you roll a strength saving throw or a strength check.
- Stone Weapon. The weapon gains the Heavy property or loose the Light property if it had it, and its damage dice are increased by one size category (1d4 > 1d6 > 1d8 > 1d10 > 1d12 > 2d8). In addition, you can use your Intelligence modifier instead of your Strength modifier for both attack and damage rolls with this weapon.
- Stone Shield. The shield can now be used as a spellcasting focus for your artificer spells. Additionally, you can use your Intelligence modifier instead of your Strength modifier when attempting to shove an opponent, or when you make an attack or damage roll using the shield as an improvised weapon. You can also, as a bonus action, create a second stone shield in your other hand. This second shield doesn't increases your AC, but you gain half cover against all attacks and effects and you provide three-quarter cover to allies behind you against all range attacks and effects. You can dismiss your second shield as a bonus action.
The item goes back to its normal material and looses those properties if you are not wearing, wielding or carrying it for at least 10 minutes.
Superior Construction
Beginning at 5th level, when you finish a long rest, you can choose one of the items you transformed into stone thanks to your Stone Craft feature to enhance it into a superior construction. According to the type of the item, you gain one of the following benefits until you use this feature again on an other object.
- Stone armor. You gain resistance to non magical slashing, piercing and bludgeoning damage.
- Stone weapon. you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. At least one of this two attacks must be made with the stone weapon.
- Stone shield. When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your artificer level (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a stone shield to use this reaction.
Stone Expert
At 9th level, you gain an additional power according to the type of your Superior Construction :
- Stone armor. As an action, you can conjure 3 protective stones that start turning around a creature you can see within 30 feet. The target's AC is increased by 1 as long as it has at least 1 stone turning around it. Every time a creature attacks the one protected by the stones, one of the stones is destroyed, and if the attacker is within 5 feet of its target, it takes 1d8 + your intelligence modifier bludgeoning damage.
- Stone weapon. As an action, you can hit the ground with all the strength of your stone weapon, causing a powerful earthquake in front of you. Each creature in a 30-foot cone in front of you must make a Strength saving throw, taking 2d12 bludgeoning damage and falling prone on a fail, or taking half damage without falling prone on a success. Each uncarried object in the cone takes 3d12 bludgeoning damage.
- Stone shield. As an action, you can cast the Wall of stone spell without expending a spell slot. You can only place up to 3 panels of wall within the range of the spell instead of 10 when you cast the spell this way, but they don't have to be contiguous.
Once you have used the power of this feature once, you must finish a short or a long rest before you can use it again.
Living Temple
At 15th level, you learn how to focus all your power to create a giant stone armor around you. For 1 minute you gain the following benefits :
- You become Huge alongside every item you are carrying or wearing
- Your reach is increased by 5 feet
- You deal one extra damage die when you hit a creature with a weapon attack
- You roll strength checks with advantage
- When you shove a creature away, you can shove it 10 feet further
- You gain temporary hit points equal to your artificer level + your intelligence modifier
Once you have used this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
While transmuted into stone, the item's weight is doubled. In addition, when you or an other Stone Guardian wear or wield the stone item, it gains one of the following sets of properties according to its type :
He believed that by working with natural energies, individuals could achieve spiritual growth and harmony. His book "Earth, Air, Fire & Water" explored the elemental forces and provided rituals and exercises to connect with them. Moreover, Cunningham's exploration of magical correspondences, herbs, and spellwork became foundational aspects of modern Wiccan practice. His books on herbal magic, such as "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs," became popular resources for witches seeking knowledge on the magical properties of plants. In conclusion, Scott Cunningham was a pioneering figure in the modern Wiccan movement. His contributions to the practice include making Wicca accessible to a broader audience, advocating for an individualistic approach, and providing valuable resources on magical correspondences and herbal magic. His impact continues to be felt in the Wiccan community, as his works remain popular and influential to this day..
Reviews for "Working with Energy in Scott Cunningham's Wiccan Practice"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Scott Cunningham Wicca". I was hoping for a comprehensive guide to Wicca, but instead, I found the book to be quite basic and lacking in depth. It seemed more like a beginner's guide rather than a resource that could really enhance my knowledge and practice. I also felt that the information provided was quite repetitive and could have been condensed into a shorter book. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone looking for a detailed understanding of Wicca.
2. Sarah - 1 star - I was excited to delve into the world of Wicca with "Scott Cunningham Wicca" but was left completely unsatisfied. The book lacked clear organization and structure, making it difficult to follow along and understand the concepts. It felt like Cunningham was trying to cover too many topics in one book, resulting in a lack of depth and coherence. Additionally, I found the writing style to be dry and uninspiring, which made it hard for me to stay engaged. I would recommend looking for other resources if you are serious about learning Wicca.
3. Michael - 2 stars - As someone who has been practicing Wicca for a few years, I found "Scott Cunningham Wicca" to be too simplistic and repetitive. The book seemed to provide surface-level information that I had already come across in other beginner's guides. I was hoping for more advanced concepts and rituals that could deepen my practice, but this book fell short in that regard. I also found the lack of references and sources to be a drawback, as I like to delve deeper into topics and explore different perspectives. Overall, I would not recommend this book to experienced Wicca practitioners looking to expand their knowledge.
4. Emily - 3 stars - "Scott Cunningham Wicca" was an okay introduction to Wicca, but I felt like there was something missing. While I appreciated the author's attempt to simplify complex concepts, I found the book to be too brief and lacking in practical exercises or guidance. It seemed more like a collection of general information rather than a comprehensive guidebook. I would recommend this book to complete beginners who are looking for a basic understanding of Wicca, but for those seeking a more in-depth exploration, I would suggest other resources.