Vengeance Spells!

[Lysander]

Sometimes you can't survive. But maybe you can still get the last laugh with these:

Vengeful Return
Necromancy, 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 second
Target: Self
Duration: 1 minute per caster level

If killed while under this spell the caster's body will regenerate and resurrect at their preference when casting the spell either instantly or after a delay of any amount up to 10 minutes. The resurrectee has full health and any spells effecting them previously are removed. Any items or garments on they possess are unaffected, and if damaged do not mend. The caster now has a life span of a single minute, after that their resurrection will reverse, all damage will return, and they will instantly perish. Nothing can prevent this demise, not even effects that raise maximum health. If enough damage is dealt before the minute is up they can die earlier.


Explosive Demise
Evocation, 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Target: Self
Duration: 1 hour

If killed your body releases a blast that causes 4d6 damage to everything within 10 feet. Your body and possessions are undamaged. When casting the spell you may select the damage to be either acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic.

Accusation
Divination, 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Target: Any willing creature
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 hour per caster level

If the target is killed while under the spell the true name of their killer will appear in glowing skywriting above the site of the murder. The writing will remain until it has been read by 100 different literate people.

[knightsaline]

are these wizard or cleric spells? also, with the last spell, what if you don't use truename magic in your campaign?

[Lysander]

They're wizard/sorc. True name should just bring up the most accurate name. If someone went by an assumed name, or was commonly known by a nickname or title it'd put up the real thing instead.

[Collin152]

I like hitting people while their down. Now, with the first spell, it says a life span of 1 minute. Does this mean that they die of old age at the end, and can never be restored to life again? If so, Its suicide for me after 9 rounds. Also, what kind of action is 1 second? Standard?

[Zeal]

Standard is half a round, so about three seconds. This sounds like a free or swift action.

[Collin152]

I thought Move actions were half a round, as you can do two in a round only if you take no standard actions- regardless, arent free/swift actions considered taking no time at all?

[F.H. Zebedee]

I like the Explosive Demise and the spell best referred to as "Mystic Tattletale". ;) They both give methods for retaliating, though the latter only really works on assassins and murders, not military combat. Next time I try to play a sorc, I need to see if the DM allows either of those. Good job!

[Lysander]

With the revival spell let's say you had been shot by an arrow. The wound would close and you'd come back to life for one minute. After that minute the wound would reappear and you'd fall back dead. You could still be revived.

[Collin152]

Hm, cause you said "Life Span," and that sounds like old age death, which is unresserectable.

[Winged One]

I suggest making the casting time an immediate action, and the duration instantaneous(with various clarifications for Vengeful Return and Accusation), which would allow you to cast the spell upon death rather than beforehand.

[Mewtarthio]

If you ran into someone flinging around Disintegrate spells (like a Beholder) or any enemy with a known penchant for total bodily destruction, could you use Vengeful Return to come back, teleport elsewhere, and leave yourself in an easy-to-raise corpse form, or would you collapse back into fine dust/get utterly consumed (by Destruction)? And what if you get Soul Bound immediately after dying?

Either way, these spells are nice for avoiding a TPK (well, more or less: You still all die, but at least one person's remains are somewhere secure). Assuming you keep Teleport handy.

[Lysander]

All the ending of the spell does is return your body to the condition it was previously. So if you just had a small stab you'd die and have a small stab reappear. So assuming what killed you originally wasn't too bad, sure, you could teleport your body somewhere safe rather than try to seek revenge.

[Lysander]

Haunting Spectre
Illusion, 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 second
Target: Self
Duration: 1 Hour Per Target Level

If killed while under the spell an illusionary form of your self will haunt your murderers, up to as many killers as your caster level. If more people are responsible for your death than can be handled by the scope of the spell it'll affect those who did the most damage. The illusion is not constant, instead appearing at opportune moments to either frighten or cause guilt in your opponents. It can speak, alter its clothing and equipment, and change between apeearing alive, as a translucent ghost, or as a hideous corpse. It can't interact with any real objects though and can only be perceived by those its haunting. It's favorite techniques are making noise to wake its victims and leave them unrested the next day, surprising them with a horrific visage as they turn a corner (DC 10 to leave them shaken), and interrupting any happy or peaceful occasion with a horrific description of the pain of dying.

[Mewtarthio]

How long does the spectre haunt them, and how do they get rid of it?

Another nice spell could be a Necromancy effect that lets you come back as a Ghost. If you make your initial Charisma check (as the ghost's usual Rejuvination check), you pick one of your killers and you come back to kill him. You are treated as though under the Geas/Quest spell, and you will automatically fail your Rejuvination check if you are destroyed as a result. You can continue to haunt the killer until he makes what you deem to be a satisfactory reparation. Death is always considered to be a satisfactory reparation (though you're allowed to hang around and destroy the corpse). Roll three d6's to determine special attacks:

1- Corrupting Gaze
2- Corrupting Touch
3- Draining Touch
4- Frightful Moan
5- Horrific Appearance
6- Malevolence

Doubles don't count and cannot be rerolled.

[Collin152]

Mewthario, I like the idea of spells that contingently turn you into a ghost. Its my favorite undead, s it has som much potential for plot, what with its ability to come back until you take out its link to the world.

[Lysander]

Haunting
Necromancy Level 4
Components: V, S, M
Target: Self
Casting Time: 1 Day
Duration: Permanent

If you die and your soul is not trapped or destroyed you will return as a ghost. You can manifest as a transparent shade for a number of minutes each day equal to your level at time of death. You can only appear and dissapear at will at your site of death, near family and closest friends, or before your killers, and cannot stray more than 10 meters from them. You can speak normally. Your ghost cannot interact with any matter. When not manifested on the material plane your soul returns to the afterlife.

Materials: A small silver shovel