Dungeons & Sorcery Spells 14
And now for another set of ten spells for Dungeons & Sorcery. The big standby of the bunch is lightning bolt, and the spells are generally third or fourth level. By my rarity system, fourth is when spells start getting harder to find, so we’re seeing a lot more semi-common, and named ones will go to uncommon.
Chill Shield (SC)
Evocation, Somatic, Verbal
47 points
Casting Time: 4 seconds
Casting Roll: none
Range: None
Duration: 10 minutes
The caster is wrapped in a veil of blue or green flames that do no damage, but are cold to the touch. All fire-based attacks are reflected by this shield—the caster takes no damage, and the damage is dealt to the attacker instead—if it can take damage from such an attack. However, all injury from cold-based attacks is doubled.
This is the twin of warm shield, and is usually found in spellbooks together with it.
Static (Fire; Extended Duration, x10, +40%; Reflection, +100%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, x4, –20%; Temporary Disadvantage: Vulnerability (Cold), x2, –30%) [1.55×30]
Detect Scrying (SC)
Divination, Somatic, Verbal, Information
7 points
Casting Time: 3 seconds
Casting Roll: Per (GM)
Range: Special; use speed/range table.
Duration: 3 minutes
This spell lets the caster be aware of all magical attempts to scry the caster or their immediate area. This includes attempts to directly divine the caster’s location, or use of spells such as clairvoyance and wizard eye.
The GM will make a Per roll to detect all such attempts, with the usual range penalties for distance to the current locus of clairvoyance, et al., and report accordingly. This lasts three minutes, so the caster can spend time to sweep and search an area looking for any such activities.
Detect (Divination; Extended Duration, x3, +20%;Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, x4, –20%) [0.65×10]
Enervation (SC)
Necromancy, Somatic, Verbal
29 points
Casting Time: 4 seconds
Casting Roll: Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim
Range: 100 yards
Duration: Special
This spell fires a black crackling bolt of energy at the target, who can dodge normally. If it hits, it attempts to suppress the target’s life force, causing a variety of effects. However, this means it only works on creatures with life force; animated beings and undead will not be affected.
When hit, the target makes a Quick Contest of HT against the caster’s Will (plus Talent). If the target loses, they lose one point of DX, and either Ridiculous Luck will be reduced to Extraordinary Luck, or Extraordinary or regular Luck will be removed for 5 hours per MoF.
Affliction 1 (HT; Attribute Penalty –1 DX, +10%; Negated Advantage: Luck, +30%; Extended Duration, x300, +100%; Malediction, +100%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, x4, –20%) [2.85×10]
Lightning Bolt (C)
Evocation, Somatic, Verbal
32 points
Casting Time: 3 seconds
Casting Roll: Innate Attack (Beam) to aim.
Range: 50 yards
Duration: Instantaneous
This spell generates a powerful bolt of electrical energy that streaks away from the caster. The near end can be placed anywhere within 50 yards that the caster desires (see Scatter, B414, on a miss), and then the bolt affects everything in a 20-yard long, 1-yard wide path directly away from the caster from that point.
If, for some reason, there is a solid obstacle in the way of the lighting bolt’s path (a stone wall, or other thick, minimally-conductive object), the bolt will rebound off of it directly back towards the caster, retracing its former path. This will not do extra damage to anything ‘struck twice’ by the lightning bolt; it is just one attack. However, if the obstacle was less than 10 yards away from the origin of the bolt, then the rebound will end up by continuing past the origin until the full 20 yards is expended. (Example: Votsy casts lightning bolt at a point 8 yards away, but it hits a sold wall only 5 yards beyond that. The remaining 15 yards rebound towards Votsy, hitting him, and continuing another 2 yards past him.)
It is possible to try to move out of the way of the bolt, and a Retreat (B377) out of the path is a better choice than usual. Everyone who is hit takes 3d electrical damage (burning, and any electronics that take more than 1/3 HP will short out). Metal armor will only protect as if it were DR 1.
Innate Attack: 3d (burn; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Increased 1/2D, x10, +15%; Reduced Range, 1/2, –10%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Surge, Arcing, +100%; Takes Extra Time, x2; –10%) [2.1×15] Note: This is a reshaped Area Effect of the same total hexes (well, rounded off to 20 from 19), and restrictive aiming of the effect.
Phantom Steed (C)
Conjuration, Somatic, Verbal
25 points
Casting Time: 1 minute
Casting Roll: None
Range: None
Duration: 5 hours
This spell conjures a magical horse-like creature for the caster, or someone he designates, to ride. This steed will not fight, but will inspire fear in all normal animals, causing them to make Fright Checks. This is understandable, as it is obviously unnatural, with a black coat, white mane, tail and eyes, and smoky insubstantial hooves that make no sound (they do leave tracks).
The steed will not panic like more normal mounts, and is very sure footed, being unaffected by sand, mud, or ice (Terrain Adaptation). It does not need to eat or drink or sleep, but is not untiring, and will use fatigue to run. As a conjured creature, it will disappear if dispelled or it enters a no-mana area. As well, it will disappear if reduced to –1xHP, or when the spell ends. It comes with all needed tack and saddle for riding.
Main statistics are ST 20, DX 10, IQ 5, HT 10. As well, it has Lifting ST 25, Will 10, Per 10, FT 13, Dodge 9, and is SM +2. BS is 5, BM 6, BL 125, and has Enhanced Move 1. DR is 3. Advantages include Night Vision 4, Peripheral Vision, Ultrahearing, and Parabolic Hearing 2. Disadvantages are Bad Sight (Motion Sensitive) 4, and Quadruped.
The caster will need to be worth at least 135 points for this spell to work. More powerful mages are known to conjure steeds that can cross water without trouble, traverse small gaps (Walk on Air), or fly.
Ally (75% Power, Constantly Available; Extended Duration, x300, +100%; Minion, +0%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Summonable, +100%; Takes Extra Time, x64, -60%) [2.05×12] The Steed, as outlined here, is worth 101 points.
Protection From Normal Missiles (C)
Abjuration, Somatic, Verbal, Buff
59 points
Casting Time: 3 seconds
Casting Roll: None
Range: Touch
Duration: 3 minutes
This spell allows the caster to provide the person he touches with protection against any physical non-melee attack for 3 minutes. This protection is DR 10 that defends against any attack, no matter the hit location, and adds to the DR that the character may already have from armor or natural sources.
Affliction 1 (HT; DR 10 (Force Field, +20%; Limited: Missile Attacks Only, –20%; Magical –10%; No Signature, +20%), +550%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Melee Attack, C, 1, –20%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time x2, –10%) [5.85×10]
Spirit Armor (C)
Necromancy, Somatic, Verbal
34 points
Casting Time: 3 seconds
Casting Roll: None
Range: None
Duration: 1 minute
The caster wraps himself in an invisible barrier made of his own life force that provides DR5 against any hit (including usually vulnerable locations such as the eyes or chinks in the armor). This is interfered with by all other forms of protection (other than innate/internal DR such as the skull and Tough Skin), and will not stack with DR from other sources, but the best source of DR available for any location can always be used. In addition, the armor will try to turn aside all attacks, granting the caster +1 to all his active defenses.
Abusing the caster’s life force in this way takes a toll. The caster loses 1 HP (in addition to the normal 1 FP casting cost) each time he casts the spell.
DR 5 (Can’t Wear Armor, –40%; Costs HP, 1, –10%; Force Field, +20%; Link, +10%; No Signature, +20%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time x2, –10%) [0.55×25] + Defense Bonus 1 (Link, +10%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time x2, –10%) [0.65×30]
Warm Shield (SC)
Evocation, Somatic, Verbal
47 points
Casting Time: 4 seconds
Casting Roll: None
Range: None
Duration: 10 minutes
The caster is wrapped in a veil of blue or violet flames that do no damage, but are warm to the touch. All cold-based attacks are reflected by this veil—the caster takes no damage, and the damage is dealt to the attacker instead—if it can take damage from such an attack. However, all injury from fire-based attacks is doubled.
This is the twin of chill shield, and is usually found in spellbooks together with it.
Static (Cold; Extended Duration, x10, +40%; Reflection, +100%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, x4, –20%; Temporary Disadvantage: Vulnerability (Fire), x2, –30%) [1.55×30]
Watery Double (C)
Conjuration, Somatic, Verbal, Trap
9/18/26/43/86 points
Casting Time: 3 seconds
Casting Roll: None
Range: Touch
Duration: Special
Despite the name, this will work on any single body of liquid. It will call forth a duplicate of the next creature to see its reflection on the surface of the liquid, which will then attack the victim. This could be immediate, or wait for days, years, or centuries possibly. If multiple creatures come across the liquid at the same time to see their reflection, roll randomly to see which one was first and is attacked. This can be cast on large bodies of water, such as oceans, but only that part within 100 yards of the caster will be affected and can generate the double. Once created, it will only last for one minute before returning to ordinary liquid.
The double will look just like the victim (other than obviously being made of water or other liquid), but it can only be as large as the volume of the affected liquid allows (so a double created from a large mug of beer will be SM –6 or less), and if this results in a smaller double, see Shrinking (B85) for reduced HP, but it will be unable to actually harm the victim unless something then reduces their size.
The double has DX 12, and ST/HP and Ground Move equal to the victim’s (with a limitation based on the power of the caster, see the final paragraph). It will attack by trying to engulf the victim, surrounding them in a cocoon of liquid, and then attempting to crush them. It has a Ground Speed double that of the victim (i.e. one level of Enhanced Move). It cannot fly, but will try to chase anyone who escapes that way, and will seep around/through gaps in most barriers in its way (such as closed doors).
The double will attack by attempting to grapple the victim. If they don’t break free before the double’s next turn, the victim will be considered pinned (B370), and it will start trying to crush the victim, causing a Quick Contest of its ST vs the victim’s ST or HT (whichever is greater), with the victim taking damage equal to any lost Contests each second until the double is dispelled, destroyed (it will be destroyed instantly if it reaches 0 HP), or a minute passes since the double appeared.
The first level of this spell is priced for the double to be worth no more than 25% the value of the caster, and each level of the spell increases this 25%. This is a 26-point Ally, and for a 150-point character, there are only 11 points left to pay for greater Ground Move or ST at base level, so level 2 is recommended for basic casting. If there’s not enough points, try to adjust Ground Move to the victim’s and then purchase as much ST as possible in the available budget.
Ally (25% Power, Constantly Available; Delay, Triggered: See Reflection, +50%; Minion, +0%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Summonable, +100%) [2.15×4] The Ally has: ST [varies], IQ 3 [-140], DX 12 [40], HT 10, Conjured Servant [20], Constriction Attack (Engulfing, +60%) [24], Dependency: Mana (Very Common, Constant; Instant Death, +100%) [–50], Diffuse [100], Digital Mind [5], Doesn’t Breathe [20], Enhanced Move 1 [20], Illiterate [–3], Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30], Mute [–25], No Eyes [5], No Neck [5], No Physical Attack (Arms + Cannot Kick) [–20], No Sense of Smell/Taste [–5] = [26 + ST]
Wraithform (C)
Alteration, Somatic
205 points
Casting Time: 1 second
Casting Roll: None
Range: None
Duration: 3 minutes
This spell turns the caster insubstantial, so that most normal effects cannot affect them—and vice versa. The caster is still in the Prime Material plane (or whatever other one they’re currently in), and can perceive it normally, but cannot interact with any physical objects; this includes being able to walk through walls and other solid obstacles. However, the caster does still need to breathe, and requires access to air, and cannot just stand in the middle of a solid object forever, needing to hold their breath to do so.
All the caster’s gear becomes insubstantial as well (everything they can carry up to heavy encumbrance). Note that the caster is also still visible during this, and can be seen normally. However, they take on a ghostly appearance, and not only may be mistaken for some form of undead by normal people, but may be mistaken for a wraith by other undead.
Insubstantiality (Always On, –50%; Can Carry Objects, Heavy, +100%; Extended Duration, x2, +20%; Link, +10%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Sorcery, –15%) [2.55×80] + Perk (Waithly Appearance; Link +10%; Magical, –10%) [1.0×1]
Chill Shield and Warm Shield are replacements for Fire Shield. That actually has two separate effects that you choose between, so I split them up here instead of making one be an alternate ability of the other. Consider them like reverse spells, which I also break up. Enervation should probably also drain FP, but it has enough going on with lowering DX and luck (which is considered one of the sources of D&D hit points).
Feel free to change Lightning Bolt. Initial descriptions have it always bouncing straight back, but later descriptions let you do “bank shots” with it. I’d add something like a +20% enhancement for that though.
Watery Double took some thought and writing up the double took some doing. You should probably allow a small one to attempt to get at the target’s face and attempt to smother him that way, but the mechanics aren’t as clear cut.
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