AD&D 2nd Edition

Everything I have for Second Edition

Category Archives: Arcane Magic


Melf’s Acid Arrow

Range: 180 yards
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 2
Area of Effect: 1 target
Saving Throw: Special

By means of this spell, the wizard creates a magical arrow that speeds to its target as if fired from the bow of a fighter of the same level as the wizard. No modifiers for range, nonproficiency, or specialization are used. The arrow has no attack or damage bonus, but it inflicts 2d4 points of acid damage (with saving throws for items on the target); there is no splash damage. For every 3 levels that the caster has achieved, the acid, unless somehow neutralized, lasts for another round, inflicting another 2d4 points of damage each round. So at 3rd-5th level, the acid lasts two rounds; at 6th-8th level, the acid lasts for 3 rounds, etc. The material components of the spell are a dart, powdered rhubarb leaf, and an adder’s stomach.

Magic Mouth

Range: 10 yards
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 2
Area of Effect: 1 object
Saving Throw: None

When this spell is cast, the wizard imbues the chosen object with an enchanted mouth that suddenly appears and speaks its message when a specified event occurs. The message, which must be of 25 words or less, can be in any language known by the spellcaster, and can be delivered over a period of one turn. The mouth cannot speak magical spells or use command words. It does, however, move to the words articulated – if it is placed upon a statue, the mouth of the statue would actually move and appear to speak. Of course, the magic mouth can be placed upon a tree, rock, door, or any other object, excluding intelligent members of the animal or vegetable kingdoms.

The spell functions when specific conditions are fulfilled, according to the command of the spellcaster. Some examples are to speak “to the first creature that touches you,” or “to the first creature that passes within 30 feet.” Commands can be as general or as detailed as desired, although only visual and audible triggers can be used, such as the following: “Speak only when a venerable female human carrying a sack of groat clusters sits crosslegged within 1 foot.” Such visual triggers can react to a character using the disguise ability. Command range is 5 yards per level of the wizard, so a 6th-level wizard can command the magic mouth to speak at a maximum encounter range of 30 yards (“Speak when a winged creature comes within 30 yards.”). The spell lasts until the speak command can be fulfilled; thus, the spell duration is variable. A magic mouth cannot distinguish invisible creatures, alignments, level, Hit Dice, or class, except by external garb. If desired, the effect can be keyed to a specific noise or spoken word. The material component of this spell is a small bit of honeycomb.

Locate Object

Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 rd/level
Casting Time: 2
Area of Effect: 20 yds/level
Saving Throw: None

This spell aids in locating a known or familiar object. The wizard casts the spell, slowly turns, and senses when he is facing in the direction of the object to be located, provided the object is within range (i.e., 60 yards for 3rfd level wizards, 80 years for 4th, 100 yards for 5th, etc). The spell can locate such objects as apparel, jewelry, furniture, tools, weapons, or even a ladder or stairway. Note that attempting to find a specific item, such as jewelry or a crown, requires an accurate mental image; if the image is not close enough to the actual, the spell does not work. Desired but unique objects cannot be located by this spell unless they are known by the caster. The spell is blocked by lead. Creatures cannot be found by this spell. The material component is a forked twig. The reversal, obscure object, hides an object from location by spell, crystal ball, or similar means for 8 hours. Creatures cannot be affected by this spell. The material component is a chameleon skin.

Levitate

Range: 20 yds/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 turn/level
Casting Time: 2
Area of Effect: 1 creature or object
Saving Throw: Neg.

When a levitate spell is cast, the wizard can place it upon his person, an object, or a single creature, subject to a maximum weight limit of 100 pounds per level of experience (for example, a 3rd-level wizard can levitate a maximum of 300 pounds). If the spell is cast upon the wizard, he can move vertically up or down at a movement rate of 2 per round. If cast upon an object or another creature, the wizard can levitate it at the same speed, according to his command. This spell does not empower horizontal movement, but the recipient could push along the face of a cliff, for example, to move laterally. The spellcaster can cancel the spell as desired. If the subject of the spell is unwilling, or the object is in the possession of a creature, a saving throw vs. spell is allowed to determine if the levitate spell affects it. Once cast, the spell requires no concentration, except when changing height. A levitating creature attempting to use a missile weapon finds himself increasingly unstable; the first attack has an attack roll penalty of -1, the second -2, the third -3, etc., up to a maximum of -5. A full round spent stabilizing allows the creature to begin again at -1. Lack of leverage makes it impossible to cock a medium or heavy crossbow. The material component of this spell is either a small leather loop or a piece of golden wire bent into a cup shape with a long shank on one end.

Leomund’s Trap

Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 3 rounds
Area of Effect: Object touched
Saving Throw: None

This false trap is designed to fool a thief or other character attempting to pilfer the spellcaster’s goods. The wizard places the spell upon any small mechanism or device, such as a lock, hinge, hasp, screw-on cap, ratchet, etc. Any character able to detect traps, or who uses any spell or device enabling trap detection, is 100% certain a real trap exists. Of course, the spell is illusory and nothing happens if the trap is sprung; its primary purpose is to frighten away thieves or make them waste precious time. The material component of the spell is a piece of iron pyrite touched to the object to be trapped while the object is sprinkled with a special dust requiring 200 gp to prepare. If another Leomund’s trap is within 50 feet when the spell is cast, the casting fails.

Know Alignment

Range: 10 yds
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 rd/level
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: 1 creature or object per 2 rds
Saving Throw: Neg.

A know alignment spell enables the wizard to read the aura of a creature or an aligned object (unaligned objects reveal nothing). The caster must remain stationary and concentrate on the subject for 2 full rounds. A creature is allowed a saving throw vs. spell and, if successful, the caster learns nothing about that particular creature from the casting. If the caster concentrates on a creature or object for only one round, he can learn only its alignment with respect to law and chaos. Certain magical devices negate the know alignment spell. The reverse, undetectable alignment, conceals the alignment of an object or creature for 24 hours – even from a know alignment spell.

Knock

Range: 60 yds
Components: V
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 1
Area of Effect: 10 sq. ft/level
Saving Throw: None

The knock spell opens stuck, barred, locked, held, or wizard-locked doors. It opens secret doors, as well as locked or trick-opening boxes or chests. It also loosens welds, shackles, or chains. If used to open a wizard-locked door, the spell does not remove the former spell, but simply suspends its functioning for one turn. In all other cases, it permanently opens locks or welds – although the former could be closed and locked again later. It does not raise barred gates or similar impediments (such as a portcullis), nor does it affect ropes, vines, and the like. Note that the effect is limited by the area; a 3rd level wizard can cast a knock spell on a door of 30 square feet or less (for example, a standard 4 ft x 7 ft door). Each spell can undo up to 2 means of preventing egress through a portal. Thus, if a door is locked, barred, and held, or triple locked, opening it requires 2 knock spells. In all cases, the location of the door or item must be known – the spell cannot be used against a wall in hopes of discovering a secret door. The reverse spell, lock, closes and locks a door or similar closure, provided there is a physical mechanism. it does not create a weld, but it locks physically operated locking mechanisms, set bars, and so on, up to 2 functions. It cannot affect a portcullis.

Irritation

Range: 10 yds/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 2
Area of Effect: 1-4 creatures in a 15 ft radius
Saving Throw: Neg.

An irritation spell affect the epidermis of the subject creatures. Creature with very thick or insensitive skins (such as buffalo, elephants, scaled creatures, etc) are basically unaffected. There are two versions of the spell, either of which can be cast from the standard preparation:

Itching. When cast, this causes each subject to feel an instant itching sensation on some portion of its body. If one round is not immediately spent scratching the irritated area, the creature is so affected that the next 3 rounds are spent squirming and twisting effectively worsening its Armor Class by 4 and its attack rolls by 2 during this time. Spell preparations are ruined in the 1st round this spell is in effect, but not in the following 3 rounds. Doing nothing but scratching the itch for a full round prevents the rest of the effect. If cast at one creature, the saving throw has a -3 penalty; if cast at 2 creature, the saving throw has a -1 penalty; and if cast at 3 or 4 creature, the saving throw is normal.

Rash. When a rash is cast, the subject notices nothing for 1d4 rounds, but thereafter its entire skin breaks out in red welts that itch. The rash persists until either a cure disease or dispel magic spell is cast upon it. It lowers Charisma by 1 point per day for each of 4 days (i.e., maximum Charisma loss is 4 points). After one week, Dexterity is lowered by 1 point also. Symptoms vanish immediately upon the removal of the rash, and all statistics return to normal. This can be cast at one creature only, with a saving throw penalty of -2.

The material component for this spell is a leaf from poison ivy, oak, or sumac.

Invisibility

Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 2
Area of Effect: Creature touched
Saving Throw: None

This spell causes the creature touched to vanish from sight and be undetectable by normal vision or even infravision. Of course, the invisible creature is not magically silenced, and certain other condition can render the creature detectable. Even allies cannot see the invisible creature or his gear, unless these allies can normally see invisible things or employ magic to do so. Items dropped or put down by the invisible creature become visible; items picked up disappear if tucked into the clothing or pouches worn by the creature. Note, however, that light never becomes invisible, although a source of light can become so (thus, the effect is that of a light with no visible source.) The spell remains in effect until it is magically broken or dispelled, until the wizard or recipient cancels it, until the recipient attacks any creature, or until 24 hours have passed. Thus, the invisible being can open doors, talk, eat, climb stairs, etc., but if he attacks, he immediately becomes visible, although the invisibility enables him to attack first. Note that the priest spells bless, chant, and prayer are not attacks for this purpose. All highly Intelligent (Intelligence 13 or more) creatures with 10 or more Hit Dice or levels of experience have a chance to detect invisible objects (they roll saving throws vs. spell; success means they noticed the invisible object). The material components of the invisibility spell are an eyelash and a bit of gum arabic, the former encased in the latter.

Improved Phantasmal Force

Range: 60 yds + 10 yds/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 2
Area of Effect: 200 sq. ft + 50 sq.ft./level
Saving Throw: Special

Like the 1st-level phantasmal force spell, this spell creates the illusion of any object, creature, or force, as long as it is within the spell’s area of effect. The spellcaster can maintain the illusion with minimal concentration; thus, he can move at half normal speed (but not cast other spells). Some minor sounds are included in the effects of the spell, but not understandable speech. Also, the improved phantasm continues for two rounds after the wizard ceases to concentrate upon it. The material component is a bit of fleece.