rferries
2017-08-28, 11:28 PM
My conversions of spells from Clive Barker's Undying. I have to say, staying true to the computer game mechanics (which also featured non-Vancian regenerating mana and the unique ability to fire a spell and attack with a weapon simultaneously) made for some overly complex spells.
In particular, although you only learned 8 spells in-game you could use Amplifiers to permanently increase the spells' effects (usually duration or damage). There were a total of 6 different degrees of power for each spell, which I've tried to streamline here... I suppose another option would be "lesser" and "greater" versions of each spell.
Another difficulty was spell points - some of the spells used a lot of spell points and had long cooldowns; this can't really be reflected with Vancian spellcasting (had to make do by increasing some casting times to 1 round).
I tried to match the spell levels to the protagonist's level when he first learns them, but that was hard (Invoke in particular is absurdly powerful for a low-level spell).
Many of these could just be replaced with SRD equivalents, too... in any event, tell me if I've been too slavish in adhering to the computer game (Skull Storm in particular is a doozy!).
Dispel Magic, Covenant - used in-game to dispel a few barriers of magical force, kill Scarrows (magical entities vulnerable to antimagic), remove the effects of the mindshatter spell (a spell some enemies use to severely distort your vision)
-could be replaced with simple dispel magic
Ectoplasm- used as a rapid-fire attack spell that grew more accurate as it was Amplified
-could be replaced with magic missile
Haste-used in-game as normal haste, save that the run speed and attack speed increased further as it was Amplified
-could be replaced with standard haste
Invoke-a very complex spell! Cost all your mana, but destroyed Decayed Saints (undead monks) with one casting, made human warriors (but not human witches or monks) kill themselves (100% success rate), and reanimated dead enemies to fight for you (and reanimated enemies were stronger the more you had Amplified the spell).
-balanced it against command undead, hold person, and summon monster?...obviously very hard due to the complexity.
-can't really be replaced by any one spell (except maybe wish LOL)
Lightning-simple damaging spell that hit multiple enemies in a line, or could be used to charge the Speargun for a VERY powerful call lightning effect
-could be replaced with lightning bolt, the Speargun effect is already incorporated into m write-up of the weapon.
Scrye-another complex one, used in-game to reveal clues (generally visions of things that had happened in the past), see in dark areas, detect your enemy's health (Amplifying it showed their health more accurately)..
-balanced it against darkvision and see invisibility; same effects but greatly reduced duration
Shield, Covenant-summoned a barrier that blocked physical attacks as well as spells, obscured the edges of your vision as it grew tougher
-tried to balance it against stoneskin
-could be replaced with shield or stoneskin
Skull Storm-hoooo boy! This one had a relatively simple effect, but translating all the little details to 3.5 was painful
-could be rewritten to summon 1-3 "flying skulls", which I could stat up as monsters
-could be replaced with meteor swarm
Dispel Magic, Covenant
Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Range: 10 ft.
Area: 10 ft. radius burst, centred on you
I'm fairly certain this can stop or affect any and all magic I may encounter. I might try this spell on an obstacle of smaller magnitude lest it fail in my most dire time.
This spell releases an outward-spreading ring of blue sparks that function as the area dispel version of dispel magic, except as noted above.
Ectoplasm
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One or more ectoplasmic bolts
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
The scroll Jeremiah gave me has revealed a powerful spell. It seems that with proper concentration and focus of my mana, I am able to release ethereal bolts of ectoplasm from my hand. Unreliable at far range, the mystical damage seems quite effective in close quarters.
This spell allows you to fire streaking bolts of ghostly energy from your hands. For the duration of the spell, as an attack action you may fire a bolt of ectoplasm that deals 1d3 points of force damage at any target in range. Treat the ectoplasm as a ranged attack with a range increment of 10 feet and a maximum range of the spell's range.
You may fire any number of ectoplasmic bolts, limited by your base attack bonus and the spell's duration. Whenever you make a full attack and attack with only ectoplasm, you may fire one additional bolt at your highest attack bonus. Whenever you score a critical hit with ectoplasm, it splits into two bolts (dealing double damage).
Ectoplasm sheds light as a candle as it flies, which may help illuminate an area.
At 5th level, the range increment of the ectoplasm increases to 20 feet and its damage increases to 1d4. At 9th level, the range increment of the ectoplasm increases to 30 feet and its damage increases to 1d6.
Flight
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
It seems that I have been given the ability of limited flight. When in mystical realms, this spell allows my legs to carry me much higher than before. I must be careful. Like Icarus, I fear if I travel too high for too long I may dash into the ground and injure myself...or worse.
This spell harnesses the energies of certain dimensions of existence to grant you the power of flight (even if the inhabitants of that dimension do not enjoy that ability). When you cast this spell you gain a fly speed of 30 feet with good maneuverability, for as long as you possess the [Extraplanar] subtype.
At 9th level, the fly speed increases to 60 feet with perfect maneuverability and the duration increases to one minute per level. At 13th level, the duration increases to one hour per caster level.
Haste, Covenant
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
A spell with a superb effect. When used, it gives me a limited burst of speed and agility, like a big cat racing along the Serengeti. I have found that this spell may prove critical for overcoming obstacles or retreating from my foes.
For the duration of this spell, your speed and dexterity are greatly enhanced. You gain all the benefits of the haste spell, plus those of the Dodge, Mobility, and Spring Attack feats even if you do not meet their prerequisites.
At 9th level, the enhancement bonus to your speed increases to +40 feet and you gain two extra attacks (instead of one) when making a full attack. At 13th level, the enhancement bonus to your speed increases to +50 feet and you gain three additional attacks (instead of two) when making a full attack.
Invoke
Necromancy [Compulsion][Death][Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: 1 living or undead creature or corpse
Duration: See text
Saving Throw: Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell causes creatures I have just killed to be brought back to life, this time to join my cause. As disturbing as it is to call the dead back, I'm afraid that if the scroll doesn't work correctly, I may be raising these devilish creatures only to have to fight them all over again. There is no accounting for what might happen should I attempt to use it on a living organism...
This spell can be used to produce any of three powerful effects:
Animate
A corpse targeted by this spell rises again with a semblance of life. Treat this as the raise dead spell, save that the creature always rises and fights to the death to defend you. The creature follows and protects you but does not communicate or obey any orders. It dies again after one round per caster level.
You may not animate a creature whose Hit Dice exceed your caster level (to a maximum of 15 HD) or that has been dead for longer than 1 minute. Creatures animated in this way retain all the abilities they had in life and benefit from the Augment Summoning feat.
At caster level 7th, the creature reanimates with one-half its hit points, hardness 5, and +4 Strength. At caster level 11th, the creature reanimates with full hit points, hardness 10, and +8 Strength.
Disrupt
An nonintelligent undead creature targeted by this spell is instantly destroyed (no save). This spell has no effect on intelligent undead.
Suicide
A living human targeted by this creature must succeed on a Will save or draw a weapon and perform a coup de grace on itself. The target struggles with itself for 1d4+1 rounds after failing the initial save, and is permitted a Will save each round to resist the effect. Non-human humanoids, as well as humans with at least 1 level in a spellcasting class, are immune to this spell.
Lightning
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: 60 ft.; see text
Area: 60-ft. line; see text
Duration: Instantaneous; see text
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: No
A spell that harnesses the power of the heavens! To be a conduit for this type of energy is mind numbing. I feel certain that it will provide a potent offensive force, especially when used in concert with my other weaponry.
As lightning bolt, except as noted above. The bolt deals 1d8 damage per caster level (maximum 15d8).
The spell may be cast on a single arrow, crossbow bolt, javelin, or spear rather than as a line. If so, the charged weapon deals the bolt's damage to any creature it hits, as well as all creatures within 30 feet.
At 11th level, the bolt's area increases to a 90 foot x 10 foot line and its damage increases to 2d6 per caster level (maximum 30d6). At 15th level, the bolt's area increases to a 120 foot x 15 foot line and its damage increases to 3d6 per caster level (maximum 45d6).
Scrye
Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
A spell that allows me to see and bear past events from the geographic location in which I happen to be standing. It also casts an ethereal light on enemies and darker areas, giving me the ability to see my foes, as well as find my way. I must be careful in its use, as it has no offensive power and it seems to drain my energies for short durations.
Learned men have stated that they believe that man has yet to unlock the full potential of the mind. While traveling to the Orient after the war, I met up with a local seer who told me that I was one of the chosen few. One of only a handful of individuals that he had ever met that had this ability. He called it scrying, to be able to read portions of the past. Most of the people who possessed this power, he said, over the course of their lives eventually fell into disability, mind-tired from the barrage of images and sounds that could be heard from both the past and the present, the real and unreal.
I know I have the ability to scrye, because of the subtle words I hear calling within me at times, begging me to look deeper into the past, deeper at what actually isn't even in front of me.
But I am truly wondering if this is the gift I dreamed of or a sick curse placed on me by an outside force.
This spells grants several useful divination effects, albeit for only a short time.
Enhanced Vision
You gain low-light vision. At 5th level, you also gain darkvision out to 60 feet. If you already possess low-light vision or darkvision, the effects do not stack.
Lifesight
You can determine the health of creatures within your range of vision. You instantly know whether each creature within the area is alive, dead, undead, or neither alive nor dead (such as a construct). At 5th level, you can tell whether is creature is healthy (current hit points greater than 50% it's total hit points) or unhealthy (current hit points less than or equal to 50% it's total hit points). At 9th level, you can tell a creature's current hit points as a percentage of their total hit points, rounded to the nearest 10%.
The lifesight sees through any spell or ability that allows creatures to feign death.
See Invisibility
As see invisibility.
Weirdsight
When viewing items or places of particular thematic significance, you can see and hear things that help reveal that significance. For example, looking at a painting of the mortal Lizbeth with her beloved Rottweilers with this spell might show her in her Undying form surrounded by Howlers. Similarly, using it in the Monastery ruins might reveal a vision from the past of one of the monks hurling himself off a cliff (to end the torment of the Scythe in his mind...). These visions can take almost any form (as decided by the DM), and may provide clues for how your party is to progress in their quest.
Shield, Covenant
Abjuration [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
I can't quite explain the power I've seemed to absorb from this spell. It seems to be some protective entity that has the ability to shield me from physical and magical attacks. I'm not too fond of letting a spell do the work of a trusty shotgun, but if anything, I am now more than ever convinced that there are serious external and unnatural powers that can be harnessed on this estate. Things that most people would disregard or fear... I am relieved, however, that I have stumbled across this before someone of a darker nature might have turned it upon me.
This spell creates a translucent, luminous, tower-shield sized mobile plane of force that hovers in front of you. The shield provides a +4 shield bonus to AC. This bonus applies against incorporeal touch attacks, since it is a force effect. The shield has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance. You may use the spell for cover.
The shield allows your damaging spells and attacks to pass through it freely. It blocks the physical attacks of enemies, as well as any spells that have solely damaging effects. The shield has hardness 5 and 10 hit points per caster level (maximum 100). When the shield is reduced to 0 hp or the spell expires, it shatters into many shards of force that dissipate into nothingness. The shield does not protect from from attacks originating behind you, to your sides, or above/below you.
Due to the shield's translucence, your vision is slightly obscured. You take a -1 penalty on attack rolls, Search checks, and Spot checks. Low-light vision (including that from the scrye spell) and darkvision both overcome this effect.
At caster level 9th, the shield's hardness improves to 10 and the penalty on your attack rolls and skill checks increases to -2. At caster level 13th, the shield's hardness improves to 15, the penalty on your attack rolls and skill checks increases to -3, and it becomes a globe of violet sparks that protects you from all vectors.
Skull Storm
Necromancy [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Target, Effect, or Area: See text
Duration: Instantaneous or 1 round/level; see text
Saving Throw: None or Reflex half; see text
Spell Resistance: No
This strange spell gives me the ability to hurl remnants of dead bodies, the skulls of those already in the grave, at ungodly speed. In all my travels, I have never quite seen a weapon of this type. The spell-caster who created this mystical weapon was truly insane.
This spell allows you to conjure up a flying, yellowed skull from the ground at your feet, then fire it in a straight line to the point you select. The skull leaves a trail of cinders and black smoke as it flies. The skull is summoned from the Negative Energy Plane rather than the physical ground, so you need not have a corpse at hand to use this spell.
If you aim the skull at a specific creature, you may make a ranged touch attack to strike the target. Any creature struck by the skull takes 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage (no save) and receives no saving throw against the skulls’s fire damage (see below). If a targeted skull misses its target, it continues onwards until it impacts against a creature or object or reaches the spell's maximum range, exploding in either case.
Once the skull reaches its destination, it explodes in a 10-foot-radius spread, dealing 1d6 points of fire damage to each creature in the area plus an additional 1d6 points for each round you have hold the spell charge (see below), to a maximum of 6d6 points of fire damage. As the skull's fire damage increases it begins to emit flames and becomes more agitated, until it is in a nattering frenzy with fire spewing from its eye sockets and jaws.
You can refrain from firing the skull after completing the spell, if you wish. If you do so, it remains hovering around your outstretched hand, quietly chattering to itself. Treat this as a touch spell for which you are holding the charge. You can hold the charge for as long as 1 round per level, at the end of which time the skull fires off in a random direction. Firing the skull in a later round is a standard action. While held the skull has lifesense as a dread wraith (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/wraith.htm)out to 60 feet and will always face the nearest enemy creature, which may warn you if a creature is located behind a wall or otherwise out of sight.
At 11th level, you summon a second skull. At 13th level, you summon a third skull. You may fire or retain the skulls at different times, but all skulls fired in the same round must be fired at the same point. At 15th level, skulls fired in the same round may be fired at different points. If a creature is within the area of more than one explosion, it must save separately against each. (Fire resistance applies to each skull’s damage individually.)
This spell allows you to conjure up a flying, yellowed skull from the ground at your feet, then fire it in a straight line to the point you select. The skull leaves a trail of cinders and black smoke as it flies. The skull is summoned from the Negative Energy Plane rather than the physical ground, so you need not have a corpse at hand to use this spell.
If you aim the skull at a specific creature, you may make a ranged touch attack to strike the target. Any creature struck by the skull takes 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage (no save) and receives no saving throw against the skulls’s fire damage (see below). If a targeted skull misses its target, it continues onwards until it impacts against a creature or object or reaches the spell's maximum range, exploding in either case.
Once the skull reaches its destination, it explodes in a 10-foot-radius spread, dealing 1d6 points of fire damage to each creature in the area plus an additional 1d6 points for every three rounds you have channeled the spell (see below).
Channeling
You may choose not to fire the skull right away. If you do so, it remains hovering around your outstretched hand, quietly chattering to itself. The skull has lifesense as a dread wraith (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/wraith.htm)out to 60 feet and will always face the nearest enemy creature, which may warn you if a creature is located behind a wall or otherwise out of sight.
For every three rounds that you retain the skull, the fire damage of its explosion increases by 1d6 (to a maximum of 6d6). The skull becomes more agitated and starts to emit small flames as it is retained, until it it is totally aflame and loudly nattering (imposing a -10 penalty on your Listen, Search, and Spot checks) at 6d6 damage.
You must keep one hand free to channel the spell, and may not cast any other spells while channeling. While channeling, you must make Concentration checks as though you were concentrating on a spell (though you are free to take standard actions). If you violate any of these conditions, or if you channel the spell for longer than one minute per caster level, the skulls is immediately fired (possibly endangering yourself if it explodes against something while you are in the blast range).
At 11th level, you summon a second skull after channeling the spell for one round, and the fire damage of the skulls increases by 1d6 every two rounds. At 15th level, you summon a third skull after channeling the spell for two rounds, and the fire damage of the skulls increases by 1d6 every round. All skulls must be fired at the same point. If a creature is within the area of more than one explosion, it must save separately against each. (Fire resistance applies to each skull’s damage individually.)
To add: Mindshatter, Ward, Phoenix (as spell),Shala's Vision...
In particular, although you only learned 8 spells in-game you could use Amplifiers to permanently increase the spells' effects (usually duration or damage). There were a total of 6 different degrees of power for each spell, which I've tried to streamline here... I suppose another option would be "lesser" and "greater" versions of each spell.
Another difficulty was spell points - some of the spells used a lot of spell points and had long cooldowns; this can't really be reflected with Vancian spellcasting (had to make do by increasing some casting times to 1 round).
I tried to match the spell levels to the protagonist's level when he first learns them, but that was hard (Invoke in particular is absurdly powerful for a low-level spell).
Many of these could just be replaced with SRD equivalents, too... in any event, tell me if I've been too slavish in adhering to the computer game (Skull Storm in particular is a doozy!).
Dispel Magic, Covenant - used in-game to dispel a few barriers of magical force, kill Scarrows (magical entities vulnerable to antimagic), remove the effects of the mindshatter spell (a spell some enemies use to severely distort your vision)
-could be replaced with simple dispel magic
Ectoplasm- used as a rapid-fire attack spell that grew more accurate as it was Amplified
-could be replaced with magic missile
Haste-used in-game as normal haste, save that the run speed and attack speed increased further as it was Amplified
-could be replaced with standard haste
Invoke-a very complex spell! Cost all your mana, but destroyed Decayed Saints (undead monks) with one casting, made human warriors (but not human witches or monks) kill themselves (100% success rate), and reanimated dead enemies to fight for you (and reanimated enemies were stronger the more you had Amplified the spell).
-balanced it against command undead, hold person, and summon monster?...obviously very hard due to the complexity.
-can't really be replaced by any one spell (except maybe wish LOL)
Lightning-simple damaging spell that hit multiple enemies in a line, or could be used to charge the Speargun for a VERY powerful call lightning effect
-could be replaced with lightning bolt, the Speargun effect is already incorporated into m write-up of the weapon.
Scrye-another complex one, used in-game to reveal clues (generally visions of things that had happened in the past), see in dark areas, detect your enemy's health (Amplifying it showed their health more accurately)..
-balanced it against darkvision and see invisibility; same effects but greatly reduced duration
Shield, Covenant-summoned a barrier that blocked physical attacks as well as spells, obscured the edges of your vision as it grew tougher
-tried to balance it against stoneskin
-could be replaced with shield or stoneskin
Skull Storm-hoooo boy! This one had a relatively simple effect, but translating all the little details to 3.5 was painful
-could be rewritten to summon 1-3 "flying skulls", which I could stat up as monsters
-could be replaced with meteor swarm
Dispel Magic, Covenant
Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Range: 10 ft.
Area: 10 ft. radius burst, centred on you
I'm fairly certain this can stop or affect any and all magic I may encounter. I might try this spell on an obstacle of smaller magnitude lest it fail in my most dire time.
This spell releases an outward-spreading ring of blue sparks that function as the area dispel version of dispel magic, except as noted above.
Ectoplasm
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One or more ectoplasmic bolts
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
The scroll Jeremiah gave me has revealed a powerful spell. It seems that with proper concentration and focus of my mana, I am able to release ethereal bolts of ectoplasm from my hand. Unreliable at far range, the mystical damage seems quite effective in close quarters.
This spell allows you to fire streaking bolts of ghostly energy from your hands. For the duration of the spell, as an attack action you may fire a bolt of ectoplasm that deals 1d3 points of force damage at any target in range. Treat the ectoplasm as a ranged attack with a range increment of 10 feet and a maximum range of the spell's range.
You may fire any number of ectoplasmic bolts, limited by your base attack bonus and the spell's duration. Whenever you make a full attack and attack with only ectoplasm, you may fire one additional bolt at your highest attack bonus. Whenever you score a critical hit with ectoplasm, it splits into two bolts (dealing double damage).
Ectoplasm sheds light as a candle as it flies, which may help illuminate an area.
At 5th level, the range increment of the ectoplasm increases to 20 feet and its damage increases to 1d4. At 9th level, the range increment of the ectoplasm increases to 30 feet and its damage increases to 1d6.
Flight
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
It seems that I have been given the ability of limited flight. When in mystical realms, this spell allows my legs to carry me much higher than before. I must be careful. Like Icarus, I fear if I travel too high for too long I may dash into the ground and injure myself...or worse.
This spell harnesses the energies of certain dimensions of existence to grant you the power of flight (even if the inhabitants of that dimension do not enjoy that ability). When you cast this spell you gain a fly speed of 30 feet with good maneuverability, for as long as you possess the [Extraplanar] subtype.
At 9th level, the fly speed increases to 60 feet with perfect maneuverability and the duration increases to one minute per level. At 13th level, the duration increases to one hour per caster level.
Haste, Covenant
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
A spell with a superb effect. When used, it gives me a limited burst of speed and agility, like a big cat racing along the Serengeti. I have found that this spell may prove critical for overcoming obstacles or retreating from my foes.
For the duration of this spell, your speed and dexterity are greatly enhanced. You gain all the benefits of the haste spell, plus those of the Dodge, Mobility, and Spring Attack feats even if you do not meet their prerequisites.
At 9th level, the enhancement bonus to your speed increases to +40 feet and you gain two extra attacks (instead of one) when making a full attack. At 13th level, the enhancement bonus to your speed increases to +50 feet and you gain three additional attacks (instead of two) when making a full attack.
Invoke
Necromancy [Compulsion][Death][Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: 1 living or undead creature or corpse
Duration: See text
Saving Throw: Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell causes creatures I have just killed to be brought back to life, this time to join my cause. As disturbing as it is to call the dead back, I'm afraid that if the scroll doesn't work correctly, I may be raising these devilish creatures only to have to fight them all over again. There is no accounting for what might happen should I attempt to use it on a living organism...
This spell can be used to produce any of three powerful effects:
Animate
A corpse targeted by this spell rises again with a semblance of life. Treat this as the raise dead spell, save that the creature always rises and fights to the death to defend you. The creature follows and protects you but does not communicate or obey any orders. It dies again after one round per caster level.
You may not animate a creature whose Hit Dice exceed your caster level (to a maximum of 15 HD) or that has been dead for longer than 1 minute. Creatures animated in this way retain all the abilities they had in life and benefit from the Augment Summoning feat.
At caster level 7th, the creature reanimates with one-half its hit points, hardness 5, and +4 Strength. At caster level 11th, the creature reanimates with full hit points, hardness 10, and +8 Strength.
Disrupt
An nonintelligent undead creature targeted by this spell is instantly destroyed (no save). This spell has no effect on intelligent undead.
Suicide
A living human targeted by this creature must succeed on a Will save or draw a weapon and perform a coup de grace on itself. The target struggles with itself for 1d4+1 rounds after failing the initial save, and is permitted a Will save each round to resist the effect. Non-human humanoids, as well as humans with at least 1 level in a spellcasting class, are immune to this spell.
Lightning
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: 60 ft.; see text
Area: 60-ft. line; see text
Duration: Instantaneous; see text
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: No
A spell that harnesses the power of the heavens! To be a conduit for this type of energy is mind numbing. I feel certain that it will provide a potent offensive force, especially when used in concert with my other weaponry.
As lightning bolt, except as noted above. The bolt deals 1d8 damage per caster level (maximum 15d8).
The spell may be cast on a single arrow, crossbow bolt, javelin, or spear rather than as a line. If so, the charged weapon deals the bolt's damage to any creature it hits, as well as all creatures within 30 feet.
At 11th level, the bolt's area increases to a 90 foot x 10 foot line and its damage increases to 2d6 per caster level (maximum 30d6). At 15th level, the bolt's area increases to a 120 foot x 15 foot line and its damage increases to 3d6 per caster level (maximum 45d6).
Scrye
Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
A spell that allows me to see and bear past events from the geographic location in which I happen to be standing. It also casts an ethereal light on enemies and darker areas, giving me the ability to see my foes, as well as find my way. I must be careful in its use, as it has no offensive power and it seems to drain my energies for short durations.
Learned men have stated that they believe that man has yet to unlock the full potential of the mind. While traveling to the Orient after the war, I met up with a local seer who told me that I was one of the chosen few. One of only a handful of individuals that he had ever met that had this ability. He called it scrying, to be able to read portions of the past. Most of the people who possessed this power, he said, over the course of their lives eventually fell into disability, mind-tired from the barrage of images and sounds that could be heard from both the past and the present, the real and unreal.
I know I have the ability to scrye, because of the subtle words I hear calling within me at times, begging me to look deeper into the past, deeper at what actually isn't even in front of me.
But I am truly wondering if this is the gift I dreamed of or a sick curse placed on me by an outside force.
This spells grants several useful divination effects, albeit for only a short time.
Enhanced Vision
You gain low-light vision. At 5th level, you also gain darkvision out to 60 feet. If you already possess low-light vision or darkvision, the effects do not stack.
Lifesight
You can determine the health of creatures within your range of vision. You instantly know whether each creature within the area is alive, dead, undead, or neither alive nor dead (such as a construct). At 5th level, you can tell whether is creature is healthy (current hit points greater than 50% it's total hit points) or unhealthy (current hit points less than or equal to 50% it's total hit points). At 9th level, you can tell a creature's current hit points as a percentage of their total hit points, rounded to the nearest 10%.
The lifesight sees through any spell or ability that allows creatures to feign death.
See Invisibility
As see invisibility.
Weirdsight
When viewing items or places of particular thematic significance, you can see and hear things that help reveal that significance. For example, looking at a painting of the mortal Lizbeth with her beloved Rottweilers with this spell might show her in her Undying form surrounded by Howlers. Similarly, using it in the Monastery ruins might reveal a vision from the past of one of the monks hurling himself off a cliff (to end the torment of the Scythe in his mind...). These visions can take almost any form (as decided by the DM), and may provide clues for how your party is to progress in their quest.
Shield, Covenant
Abjuration [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
I can't quite explain the power I've seemed to absorb from this spell. It seems to be some protective entity that has the ability to shield me from physical and magical attacks. I'm not too fond of letting a spell do the work of a trusty shotgun, but if anything, I am now more than ever convinced that there are serious external and unnatural powers that can be harnessed on this estate. Things that most people would disregard or fear... I am relieved, however, that I have stumbled across this before someone of a darker nature might have turned it upon me.
This spell creates a translucent, luminous, tower-shield sized mobile plane of force that hovers in front of you. The shield provides a +4 shield bonus to AC. This bonus applies against incorporeal touch attacks, since it is a force effect. The shield has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance. You may use the spell for cover.
The shield allows your damaging spells and attacks to pass through it freely. It blocks the physical attacks of enemies, as well as any spells that have solely damaging effects. The shield has hardness 5 and 10 hit points per caster level (maximum 100). When the shield is reduced to 0 hp or the spell expires, it shatters into many shards of force that dissipate into nothingness. The shield does not protect from from attacks originating behind you, to your sides, or above/below you.
Due to the shield's translucence, your vision is slightly obscured. You take a -1 penalty on attack rolls, Search checks, and Spot checks. Low-light vision (including that from the scrye spell) and darkvision both overcome this effect.
At caster level 9th, the shield's hardness improves to 10 and the penalty on your attack rolls and skill checks increases to -2. At caster level 13th, the shield's hardness improves to 15, the penalty on your attack rolls and skill checks increases to -3, and it becomes a globe of violet sparks that protects you from all vectors.
Skull Storm
Necromancy [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Target, Effect, or Area: See text
Duration: Instantaneous or 1 round/level; see text
Saving Throw: None or Reflex half; see text
Spell Resistance: No
This strange spell gives me the ability to hurl remnants of dead bodies, the skulls of those already in the grave, at ungodly speed. In all my travels, I have never quite seen a weapon of this type. The spell-caster who created this mystical weapon was truly insane.
This spell allows you to conjure up a flying, yellowed skull from the ground at your feet, then fire it in a straight line to the point you select. The skull leaves a trail of cinders and black smoke as it flies. The skull is summoned from the Negative Energy Plane rather than the physical ground, so you need not have a corpse at hand to use this spell.
If you aim the skull at a specific creature, you may make a ranged touch attack to strike the target. Any creature struck by the skull takes 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage (no save) and receives no saving throw against the skulls’s fire damage (see below). If a targeted skull misses its target, it continues onwards until it impacts against a creature or object or reaches the spell's maximum range, exploding in either case.
Once the skull reaches its destination, it explodes in a 10-foot-radius spread, dealing 1d6 points of fire damage to each creature in the area plus an additional 1d6 points for each round you have hold the spell charge (see below), to a maximum of 6d6 points of fire damage. As the skull's fire damage increases it begins to emit flames and becomes more agitated, until it is in a nattering frenzy with fire spewing from its eye sockets and jaws.
You can refrain from firing the skull after completing the spell, if you wish. If you do so, it remains hovering around your outstretched hand, quietly chattering to itself. Treat this as a touch spell for which you are holding the charge. You can hold the charge for as long as 1 round per level, at the end of which time the skull fires off in a random direction. Firing the skull in a later round is a standard action. While held the skull has lifesense as a dread wraith (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/wraith.htm)out to 60 feet and will always face the nearest enemy creature, which may warn you if a creature is located behind a wall or otherwise out of sight.
At 11th level, you summon a second skull. At 13th level, you summon a third skull. You may fire or retain the skulls at different times, but all skulls fired in the same round must be fired at the same point. At 15th level, skulls fired in the same round may be fired at different points. If a creature is within the area of more than one explosion, it must save separately against each. (Fire resistance applies to each skull’s damage individually.)
This spell allows you to conjure up a flying, yellowed skull from the ground at your feet, then fire it in a straight line to the point you select. The skull leaves a trail of cinders and black smoke as it flies. The skull is summoned from the Negative Energy Plane rather than the physical ground, so you need not have a corpse at hand to use this spell.
If you aim the skull at a specific creature, you may make a ranged touch attack to strike the target. Any creature struck by the skull takes 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage (no save) and receives no saving throw against the skulls’s fire damage (see below). If a targeted skull misses its target, it continues onwards until it impacts against a creature or object or reaches the spell's maximum range, exploding in either case.
Once the skull reaches its destination, it explodes in a 10-foot-radius spread, dealing 1d6 points of fire damage to each creature in the area plus an additional 1d6 points for every three rounds you have channeled the spell (see below).
Channeling
You may choose not to fire the skull right away. If you do so, it remains hovering around your outstretched hand, quietly chattering to itself. The skull has lifesense as a dread wraith (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/wraith.htm)out to 60 feet and will always face the nearest enemy creature, which may warn you if a creature is located behind a wall or otherwise out of sight.
For every three rounds that you retain the skull, the fire damage of its explosion increases by 1d6 (to a maximum of 6d6). The skull becomes more agitated and starts to emit small flames as it is retained, until it it is totally aflame and loudly nattering (imposing a -10 penalty on your Listen, Search, and Spot checks) at 6d6 damage.
You must keep one hand free to channel the spell, and may not cast any other spells while channeling. While channeling, you must make Concentration checks as though you were concentrating on a spell (though you are free to take standard actions). If you violate any of these conditions, or if you channel the spell for longer than one minute per caster level, the skulls is immediately fired (possibly endangering yourself if it explodes against something while you are in the blast range).
At 11th level, you summon a second skull after channeling the spell for one round, and the fire damage of the skulls increases by 1d6 every two rounds. At 15th level, you summon a third skull after channeling the spell for two rounds, and the fire damage of the skulls increases by 1d6 every round. All skulls must be fired at the same point. If a creature is within the area of more than one explosion, it must save separately against each. (Fire resistance applies to each skull’s damage individually.)
To add: Mindshatter, Ward, Phoenix (as spell),Shala's Vision...