Homebrew DesignRoll up your sleeves and get working: there's lots of homebrewin' to be done! Post your custom creation for critiques or review those of your peers.
I am getting ready to make a high-level (16-17) volcano-worshipping cult leader NPC for our group's campaign setting, his theme being a magma-based caster. Although Serpentine's Variant Druid thread was helpful, I was looking to use custom spells and/or items rather than altering the core class due to the rules w/in our setting.
So, does anyone know of any core or homebrewed Magma spells? items? Spells possessing the [Fire] and/or [Earth] descriptor(s) that fits the theme? Anything along these lines would be exceptionally helpful.
So far, I've only come up with one item (though only due to the previous making of the cult's backstory):
The Scarlet Star Minor Artifact
Since ancient times, the people of the L'wesh Isles have worshipped Mansutta, both the large volcano located in the middle of the isles and the patron of it, by throwing the such things as livestock, jewelry, precious stones, and artistry into him. This appeased Mansutta, and the L'wesh peoples' prospered for hundreds of years due to these offerings.
However, as forgotten L'wesh lore tells, one year a red star appeared and fell from the heavens into the great mouth of Mansutta. Causing a fierce eruption, molten brimstone and poisonous vapors desiccated many a L'wesh village, leading the remaining peoples to seek their priests explanation for this time of destruction and death. To the priests' lament, however, Mansutta did not answer any prayers nor summons, no matter their potency.
Sutta'Vola, the High Priest of Mansutta at the time, and other high-ranking members, decided that one among them would have to visit their deaf deity directly. Sutta'Vola accepted this as his task, and, to this end, went into the bowels of Mansutta to commune. When he returned, however, he wore a strange red jewel and spoke with a maddening charisma that he had previously lacked. The new Sutta'Vola told the L'wesh that they had angered the volcano-deity, and, from now on, human sacrifice was necessary to appease his burning rage.
Although there was initial resistance from other members of the cult, all whom opposed either changed sides or was sentenced to death for dubious charges of treason and wrongdoing. This, eventually, led to the rise of the version of the Cult of Mansutta that is known of in present day, whose leader always bears the red amulet known as the Scarlet Star.
A wearer of the Scarlet Star possessing either a Chaotic- or Evil- alignment component gains access to the following benefits and abilities:
- +1 to effective spellcasting level for one class that grants spellcasting.
- +1 profane bonus to caster level bonus on spells possessing the [Fire] or [Earth] descriptors. This bonus increases to +2 if a spell in question possesses both the [Fire] and [Earth] descriptors.
- Any spells the wearer casts that possess both the [Fire] and [Earth] descriptors gain the benefits of the Searing Spell feat (Sand53) without increasing the spell's casting time.
- Fire Resistance 15.
- Spell-like Abilities: Caster Level 20; DC 17 + spell level; Body Blaze (Sand112) - 3/day, Combust (SC50) - 5/day, As Fire Stride (SC93) but only through pools of lava - 3/day, Fireball (PH) - 1/day, Fire Shield (PH) - 3/day, Inferno (SC123) - 1/day.
In addition, the Scarlet Star slowly corrupts its wearer. Each week, the wearer must make a successful Will save or have one component of his alignment shift to Chaotic, then Evil (DC = 13 + 1 for every week worn) or be under the direct influence of Mansutta (DM discretion).
EDIT:11/15/2010: Added Searing Spell aspect of Scarlet Star and added Body Blaze spell-like ability.
The Atlas is also goofy but it has that whole "Stay Puft Marshmallow Man" menacing smile thing going for it. The guy who drew that one up was obviously taken to the Nutcracker when he was a child... and he was screaming in terror the entire time.
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Enterti, Cogidubnus
Glyphstone, out of all the playground I think you scare me the most...
__________________
Fighter: "I can kill someone in a turn."
Cleric: "I can kill someone in half a turn."
Wizard: "I can kill someone before my turn."
Bard: "I can make three idiots kill people for me."
Wall of Magma in Sandstorm and Spell Compendium, Lava Missile, Lava Splash and Erupt in Serpent Kingdoms. Erupt is pretty hardcore, but the rest are rather unimpressive, even though I think Wall of Magma is still badass.
__________________
P.E.A.C.H. Please Evaluate And Critique Honestly. Being nicer and kinder doesn't hurt either.
Please, please, please when using non-core material, cite to the books. There are too many books to wade through to find the one with the feat, special ability or spell you use.
Wow. This is perfect: Firedance alone screams crazy volcanoe-worshipping cult. I had no idea that this article even existed. XD Thank you very much in pointing it out.
Wall of Magma in Sandstorm and Spell Compendium, Lava Missile, Lava Splash and Erupt in Serpent Kingdoms. Erupt is pretty hardcore, but the rest are rather unimpressive, even though I think Wall of Magma is still badass.
All of them are impressive in my terms on the basis of providing example spells to go off of for further homebrew. Example:
Molten Missile
Sor/Wiz 1, Clr 2*, Drd 1
as Lava Missile, except for the following:
- +1 caster level when cast within 1 mile of an active volcano's base.
- Material Components: Fist-sized chunk of pumice and a chip of obsidian.
- Clerics with the Fire domain may cast this as a 1st level spell if they are within 5 miles of an active volcano's base.