AD&D 2nd Edition

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Category Archives: Arcane Magic


Hold Undead

Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1d4 rds + 1 rd/level
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 1d3 undead
Saving Throw: Neg.

When cast, this spell renders immobile 1d3 undead creatures whose total Hit Dice are equal to or less than the caster’s level. No more than three undead can be affected by a single spell. To cast, the wizard aims the spell at a point within range and the 3 undead closest to this are considered to be in the area of effect, provided all are within the field of vision and spell range of the caster. Undead of a mindless nature (skeletons, zombies, or ghouls) are automatically affected. Other forms of undead are allowed a saving throw to negate the effect. If the spell is successful, it renders the undead immobile for the duration of the spell. The material component for this spell is a pinch of sulphur and powdered garlic.

Hold Person

Range: 120 yds
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 2 rounds/level
Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: 1-4 persons, 20 ft cube,
Saving Throw: Neg.

This spell holds 1d4 humans, demihumans, or humanoid creatures rigidly immobile for 5 or more rounds. The hold person spell affects any bipedal human, demihuman or humanoid of man size or smaller, including brownies, dryads, dwarves, elves, gnolls, gnomes, goblins, half-elves, halflings, half-orcs, hobgoblins, humans, kobolds, lizard men, nixies, orcs, pixies, sprites, troglodytes, and others.

The spell is centered on a point selected by the caster; it affects persons selected by the caster within the area of effect. If the spell is cast at 3 or 4 people, each gets an unmodified saving throw. If only 2 people are being enspelled, each makes his saving throw with a -1 penalty. If the spell is cast at only one person, the saving throw suffers a -3 penalty. Saving throws are adjusted for Wisdom.

Those succeeding on their saving throws are unaffected by the spell. Undead creatures cannot be held. Held beings cannot move or speak, but they remain aware of events around them and can use abilities not requiring motion or speech. Being held does not prevent the worsening of the subjects’ condition due to wounds, disease, or poison. The caster can end the spell with a single utterance at any time; otherwise, the duration is 10 rounds at 5th level, 12 rounds at 6th level, 14 rounds at 7th level, etc. The spellcaster needs a small, straight piece of iron as the material component of this spell.

Haste

Range: 60 yds
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 3 rounds + 1 round/level
Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: 40 ft cube, 1 creature/level
Saving Throw: None

When this spell is cast, each affected creature functions at double its normal movement and attack rates. A hasted creature gains a -2 initiative bonus. Thus, a creature moving at 6 and attacking once per round would move at 12 and attack twice per round. Spellcasting and spell effects are not sped up. The number of creatures that can be affected is equal to the caster’s experience level; those creatures closest to the center of effect are affected first. All affected by haste must be in the designated area of effect. Note that this spell negates the effects of a slow spell. Additionally, this spell ages the recipient by one year, because of sped-up metabolic processes. This spell is not cumulative with itself or with other similar magic. The material component is a shaving of licorice root.

Gust of Wind

Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: 10 ft x 10 yds/level
Saving Throw: None

When this spell is cast, a strong puff of air originates from the wizard and moves in the direction he is facing. The force of the gust of wind (about 30 mph) is sufficient to extinguish candles, torches, and similar unprotected flames. It causes protected flames – such as those of lanterns – to dance wildly and has a 5% chance per level of experience of the spellcaster to extinguish even such light. It also fans large fires outward 1d6 feet in the direction of the wind’s movement. It forces back small flying creatures 1d6 x 10 yards and causes man-sized being to be held motionless if attempting to move against its force. It slows larger-than-man-sized flying creatures by 50% for one round. It blows over light objects, disperses most vapors, and forces away gaseous or unsecured levitating creatures. Its path is a constant 10 feet wide, by 10 yards long per level of experience of the caster (for example, an 8th level wizard causes a gust of wind that travels 80 yards). The material component of the spell is a legume seed.

Fly

Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: 1 turn/level + 1d6 turns
Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: Creature touched
Saving Throw: None

This spell enables the wizard to bestow the power of magical flight. The creature affected is able to move vertically and horizontally at a rate of 18 (half that if ascending, twice that if descending in a dive). The maneuverability class of the creature is B. Using they fly spell requires as much concentration as walking, so most spells can be cast while hovering or moving slowly (movement of 3). Possible combat penalties while flying are known to the DM (found in the “Aerial Combat” section of Chapter 9 of the DMG). The exact duration of the spell is always unknown to the spellcaster, as the variable addition is determined secretly by the DM. The material component of the fly spell is a wing feather of any bird.

Flame Arrow

Range: 30 yds + 10 yds/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None

This spell has two effects.

First, the wizard can cause normal arrows or crossbow bolts to become magical flaming missiles for one round. The missiles must be nocked and drawn (or cocked) at the completion of the spell. If they are not loosed within one round, they are consumed by the magic. For every 5 levels the caster has achieved, up to 10 arrows or bolts can be affected. The arrows inflict normal damage, plus 1 point of fire damage to any target struck. They may also cause incendiary damage. This version of the spell is used most often in large battles.

The second version of this spell enables the caster to hurl fiery bolts at opponents within rage. Each bolt inflicts 1d6 points of piercing damage, plus 4d6 points of fire damage. Only half the fire damage is inflicted if the creature struck successfully saves vs. spell. The caster receives one bolt for every five experience levels (two bolts at 10th level, three at 15th level, etc.) Bolts must be used on creatures within 20 yards of each other and in front of the wizard.

The material components for this spell are a drop of oil and a small piece of flint.

Fireball

Range: 10 yds + 10 yds/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: 20 ft radius
Saving Throw: 1/2

A fireball is an explosive burst of flame, which detonates with a low roar and delivers damage proportional to the level of the wizard who cast it – 1d6 points of damage for each level of experience of the spellcaster (up to a maximum of 10d6). The burst of the fireball creates little pressure and generally conforms to the shape of the area in which it occurs. The fireball fills an area equal to its normal spherical volume (roughly 33,000 cubic feet-thirty three 10 foot x 10 foot x 10 foot cubes).

Besides causing damage to creatures, the fireball ignites all combustible materials within its burst radius, and the heat of the fireball melts soft metals such as gold, copper, silver, etc. Exposed items require saving throws vs. magical fire to determine if they are affected,, but items in the possession of a creature that rolls a successful saving throw are unaffected by the fireball.

The wizard points his finger and speaks the range (distance and height) at which the fireball is to burst. A streak flashes from the pointing digit and, unless it impacts upon a material body or solid barrier prior to attaining the prescribed range, blossoms into the fireball (an early impact results in an early detonation).

Creatures failing their saving throws each suffer full damage from the blast. Those who roll successful saving throws manage to dodge, fall flat, or roll aside, each receiving half damage (the DM rolls the damage and each affected creature suffers either full damage or half damage [round fractions down], depending on whether the creature saved or not). The material component of this spell is a tiny ball of bat guano and sulphur.

Feign Death

Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 hr + 1 turn/level
Casting Time: 1
Area of Effect: Creature touched
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the caster (or any other creature whose levels of experience or Hit Dice do not exceed the wizard’s own level) can be put into a cataleptic state that is impossible to distinguish from death. Although the person or creature affected by the feign death spell can smell, hear, and know what is going on, no feeling or sight of any sort is possible. Thus, any wounding or mistreatment of the body is not felt and no reaction occurs; damage is only half normal. In addition, paralysis, poison, and energy-level drain cannot affect an individual under the influence of this spell. Poison injected or otherwise introduced into the body takes effect when the spell recipient is no longer under the influence of this spell, although a saving throw is permitted. Note that only a willing individual can be affected by a feign death spell. The spellcaster can end the spell effects at any time desired, as will a successful dispel, but a full round is required for bodily functions to begin again.

Explosive Runes

Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: 1- ft radius
Saving Throw: None or 1/2

By tracing these mystic runes upon a book, map, scroll, or similar object bearing written information, the wizard prevents unauthorized persons from reading his material. The explosive runes are difficult to detect – 5% chance per level of magic use experience of the reader; thieves have only a 5% chance, but trap detection by spell or magical device always finds these runes. When read, the explosive runes detonate, delivering 6d4 +6 points of damage to the reader, who gets no saving throw. A like amount, or half that if saving throws are made, is suffered by each creature within the blast radius. The wizard who cast the spell, as well as any he instructs, can read the protected writing without triggering the runes. Likewise, the wizard can remove the runes whenever desired. Others can remove them only with a successful dispel magic or erase spell, explosive runes otherwise last until the spell is triggered. The item upon which the runes are placed is destroyed when the explosion takes place, unless it is not normally subject to destruction by magical fire (see the item saving throws in Chapter 6 of the DMG).

Dispel Magic

Range: 120 yds
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: 30 ft cube
Saving Throw: None

When a wizard casts this spell, it has a chance to neutralize or negate magic it comes in contact with, as follows:

First, it removes spells and spell-like effects (including device effects and innate abilities) from creatures or objects.

Second, it disrupts the casting or use of these in the area of effect at the instant the dispel is cast.

Third, it destroys magical potions (which are treated as 12th level for purposes of this spell).

Each effect or potion in the spell’s area is checked to determine if it is dispelled. The caster can always dispel his own magic; otherwise, the chance to dispel depends on the difference in level between the magical effect and the caster. The base chance is 50% (11 or higher on 1d20 to dispel). If the caster is of higher level than the creator of the effect to be dispelled, the difference is subtracted from the number needed on 1d20 to dispel (making it more likely that the dispel succeeds); if the caster is of lower level, the difference is added to the number needed on 1d20 to dispel (making it less likely that the dispel succeeds). A roll of 20 always succeeds and a roll of 1 always fails. Thus, if a caster is 10 levels higher, only a roll of 1 prevents the effect from being dispelled.

A dispel magic spell does not affect a specially enchanted item, such as a magical scroll, ring, wand, rod, staff, miscellaneous item, weapon, shield, or armor, unless it is cast directly upon the item. This renders the item nonoperational for 1d4 rounds. An item possessed and carried by a creature gains the creature’s saving throw against this effect; otherwise, it is automatically rendered nonoperational. An interdimensional interface (such as a bag of holding) rendered nonoperational would be temporarily closed. Note that an item’s physical properties are unchanged: A nonoperational magical sword is still a sword. Artifacts and relics are not subject to this spell; however, some of their spell-like effects may be, at the DM’s option. Note that this spell can be very effective when used upon charmed and similarly beguiled creatures. Certain spells or effects cannot be dispelled; these are listed in the spell descriptions.

Summary of Dispel Magic Effects
Source of Effect Resists As Result of Dispel
Caster None Dispel automatic
Other caster/innate ability     Level/HD of other caster Effect negated
Wand 6th level *
Staff 8th level *
Potion 12th level Potion destroyed
Other magic 12th, unless special *
Artifact DM discretion DM discretion
*Effect negated; if cast directly on item, item becomes nonoperational for 1d4 rounds.