AD&D 2nd Edition

Everything I have for Second Edition

Tag Archives: Somatic


Plant Growth

Sphere: Plant
Range: 160 yards
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: Special

The plant growth spell enables the caster to choose either of two different uses. The first causes normal vegetation to grow, entwine, and entangle to form a thicket or jungle that creatures must hack or force a way through at a movement rate of 10 feet per round (or 20 feet per round for larger than man-sized creatures). Note that the area must have brush and trees in it in order for this spell to take effect. Briars, bushes, creepers, lianas, roots, saplings, thistles, thorn, trees, vines, and weeds become so thick and overgrown in the area of effect as to form a barrier. The area of effect is a square 20 feet on a side per level of experience of the caster, in any square or rectangular shape that the caster decides upon at the time of the spellcasting. Thus an 8th-level caster can affect a maximum area of 160′ X 160′ square, a 320′ x 80′ rectangle, a 640′ x 40′ rectangle, a 1,280′ x 20′ rectangle, etc. The spell’s effects persist in the area until it is cleared by labor, fire, or such magical means as a dispel magic spell.

The second use of the spell affects a one mile square area. The DM secretly makes a saving throw (based on the caster’s level) to see if the spell takes effect. If successful, the spell renders plants more vigorous, fruitful, and hardy, increasing yields by 20% to 50% ([1d4+1] x 10%), given a normal growing season. The spell does not prevent disaster in the form of floods, drought, fire, or insects, although even in these cases the plants survive better than expected. This effect lasts only for the life cycle of one season, the winter “death” marking the end of a life cycle even for the sturdiest of trees. In many farming communities, this spell is normally cast at planting time as part of the spring festivals.

Negative Plane Protection

Sphere: Protection, Necromantic
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Saving Throw: None

This spell affords the caster or touched creature partial protection from undead monsters with Negative Material plane connections (such as shadows, wights, wraiths, spectres, or vampires) and certain weapons and spells that drain energy levels. The negative plane protection spell opens a channel to the Positive Material plane, possibly offsetting the effect of the negative energy attack . A protected creature struck by a negative energy attack is allowed a saving throw vs. death magic. If successful, the energies cancel with a bright flash of light and a thunderclap. The protected creature suffers only normal hit point damage from the attack and does not suffer any drain of experience or Strength, regardless of the number of levels the attack would have drained. An attacking undead creature suffers 2d6 points of damage from the Positive plane energy; a draining wizard or weapon receives no damage.

This protection is proof against only one such attack, dissipating immediately whether or not the saving throw was successful. If the saving throw is failed, the spell recipient suffers double the usual physical damage, in addition to the loss of experience or Strength that normally occurs. The protection lasts for one turn per level of the priest casting the spell, or until the protected creature is struck by a negative energy attack. This spell cannot be cast on the Negative Material plane.

Meld Into Stone

Sphere: Elemental (Earth)
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 8 rounds • ~dB ro-.:.:-.ds
Casting Time: 6
Area of Effect: Caster
Saving Throw: None

This spell enables the priest to meld his body and possessions into a single block of stone. The stone must be large enough to accommodate his body in all three dimensions. When casting is complete, the priest and not more than 100 pounds of nonliving gear merge with the stone. If either condition is violated the spell fails and is wasted.

While in the stone, the priest remains in contact, however tenuous, with the face of the stone through which he melded. The priest remains aware of the passage of time. Nothing that goes on outside the stone can be seen or heard, however. Minor physical damage to the stone does not harm the priest, but its partial destruction, if enough so that the caster no longer fits, expels the priest with 4d8 points of damage. The stones destruction expels the priest and slays him instantly, unless a successful saving throw vs. spell is rolled.

The magic lasts for 1d8+8 rounds, the variable part of the duration rolled secretly by the DM. At any time before the duration expires, the priest can step out of the stone through the stone surface he entered. If the duration runs out or the effect is dispelled before the priest exits the stone, then he is violently expelled and suffers 4d8 points of damage.

The following spells harm the priest if cast upon the stone that he is occupying: stone to flesh expels the priest and inflicts 4d8 points of damage; stone shape causes 4d4 points of damage but does not expel the priest; transmute rock to mud expels and slays him instantly unless he rolls a successful saving throw vs. spell; passwall expels the priest without damage.

Magical Vestment

Sphere: Protection
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 5 rounds/level
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: The caster
Saving Throw: None

This spell enchants the casters’ vestment providing protection at least the equivalent of chain mail (AC 5). The vestment gains a +1 enchantment for each three levels of the priest beyond 5th level, to a maximum of AC 1 at 17th leveL. The magic lasts for five rounds per level of the caster, or until the caster loses consciousness. If the vestment is worn with other armors, only the best AC (either the armor or the vestment) is used – this protection is not cumulative with any other AC protection.

The material components are the vestment to be enchanted and the priest’s holy symbol, which are not expended.

Locate Object

Sphere: Divination
Range: 60 yards +10 yd/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 8 hours
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: 1 object
Saving Throw: None

This spell helps locate a known or familiar object. The priest casts the spell, slowly turns, and will sense when he is facing in the direction of the object to be located, provided the object is within range – e.g., 90 yards for 3rd-level priests, 100 yards for 4th, 110 yards for 5th, etc. The spell locates such objects as apparel, jewelry, furniture, tools, weapons, or even a ladder or stairway. Once the caster has fixed in his mind the item sought, the spell locates only that item. Attempting to find a specific item, such as a kingdom’s crown requires an accurate mental image. If the image is not close enough to the actual item, the spell does not work; in short, desired but unique objects cannot be located bv this spell unless they are known by the caster. The spell is blocked by lead.

The casting requires the use of a piece of lodestone.

The reversal, obscure object, hides an object from location by spell, crvstal ball, or similar means for eight hours. The caster must touch the object being concealed.

Neither application of the spell affects living creatures.

Hold Animal

Sphere: Animal
Range: 80 yards
Components: V, S
Duration: 2 rounds/level
Casting Time: 6
Area of Effect: 1 to 4 animals in a 40-foot cube
Saving Throw: Neg.

By means of this spell, the caster holds one to four animals rigid. Animals affected are normal or giant-sized mammals, birds, or reptiles, but not monsters such as centaurs, gorgons, harpies, naga, etc. Apes, bears, crocodiles, dogs, eagles, foxes, giant beavers, and similar animals are subjects to this spell. The hold lasts for two rounds per caster level. The caster decides how many animals can be affected, but the greater the number, the better chance each has to successfully save against the spell. Each animal gets a saving throw: if only one is the subject of the spell, it has a penalty of -4 to its roll; if two are subject, each receives a penalty of -2 to its roll; if three are subject, each receives a penalty of -1 to its roll; if four are subject, each gets an unmodified saving throw.

A maximum body weight of 400 pounds (100 pounds for non mammals) per animal per caster level can be affected – e.g., an 8th-level caster can affect up to four 3,200-pound mammals or a like number of 800-pound nonmammals, such as birds or reptiles.

Glyph of Warding

Sphere: Guardian
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent until discharged
Casting Time: Special
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: Special

A glyph of warding is a powerful inscription magically drawn to prevent unauthorized or hostile creatures from passing, entering, or opening. It can be used to guard a small bridge, to ward an entry, or as a trap on a chest or box.

The priest must set the conditions of the ward; typically any creature violating the warded area without speaking the name of the glyph is subject to the magic it stores. A successful saving throw vs. spell enables the creature to escape the effects of the glyph. Glyphs can be set according to physical characteristics such as creature type, size, and weight. Glyphs can also be set with respect to good or evil, or to pass those of the caster’s religion. They cannot be set according to class, Hit Dice, or level. Multiple glyphs cannot be cast on the same area; although if a cabinet had theee drawers, each could be separately warded.

When the spell is cast, the priest weaves a tracery of faintly glowing lines around the warding sigil. For every five square feet of area to be protected, one round is required to trace the warding lines of the glyph. The caster can affect an area equal to a square the sides of which are the same as his level, in feet. The glyph can be placed to conform to any shape up to the limitations of the caster’s total square footage. Thus a 6th-level caster could place a glyph on a 6′ x 6′ square, shape it into a rectangle 4′ x 9′, a band 2′ by 18′, or a single strip 1′ by 36′. When the spell is completed, the glyph and tracery become invisible.

The priest traces the glyph with incense, which, if the area exceeds 50 square feet, must be sprinkled with powdered diamond (at least 2,000 gp worth).

Typical glyphs shock for 1d4 points of electrical damage per level of the spellcaster, explode for a like amount of fire damage, paralyze, blind, deafen, and so forth. The DM may allow any harmful priest spell effect to be used as a glyph, provided the caster is of sufficient level to cast the spell. Successful saving throws either reduce effects by one-half or negate them, according to the glyph employed. Glyphs cannot be affected or bypassed by such means as physical or magical probing, though they can be dispelled by magic and foiled by high-level thieves using their find-and-remove-traps skill.

The DM may decide that the exact glyphs available to a priest depend on his religion, and he might make new glyphs available according to the magical research rules.

Flame Walk

Sphere: Elemental (Fire)
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round +1/level
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: Creature(s) touched
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the caster empowers one or more creatures to withstand nonmagical fires of temperatures up to 2,000° F. (enabling them to walk upon molten lava). It also confers a +2 bonus to saving throws against magical fire and reduces damage from such fires by one-half, even if the saving throw is failed. For every experience level above the minimum required to cast the spell (5th), the priest can affect an additional creature. This spell is not cumulative with resist fire spells or similar protections.

The material components of the spell are the priest’s holy symbol and at least 500 gp of powdered ruby per affected creature.

Dispel Magic

Sphere: Protection
Range: 60 yards
Components: V, S
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 6
Area of Effect: 30-foot cube or 1 item
Saving Throw: None

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

First, it has a chance to remove spells and spell-like effects (including device effects and innate abilities) from creatures or objects. Second, it may disrupt the casting or use of these in the area of effect at the instant the dispel is cast. Third, it may destroy 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 depends on the difference in level between the magical effect and the caster. The base chance of successfully dispelling is 11 or higher on 1d20. If the caster is higher level than the creator of the effect to be dispelled, the difference is subtracted from this base number needed. If the caster is lower level, then the difference is added to the base. A die roll of 20 always succeeds and a die roll of 1 always fails. Thus, if a caster is 10 levels higher than the magic he is trying to dispel, only a roll of 1 prevents the effect from being dispelled.

A dispel magic can affect only a specially enchanted item (such as a magical scroll, ring, wand, rod, staff, miscellaneous item, weapon, shield, or armor) if it is cast directly upon the item. This renders the item nonoperational for 1d4 rounds. An item possessed or carried by a creature has the creature’s saving throw against this effect; otherwise it is automatically rendered non-operational. An interdimensional interface (such as a bag of holding) rendered nonoperational is 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, but some of their spell-like effects may be, at the DM’s option.

Summary of Dispel 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 Effect negated
Staff 8th level Effect negated
Potion 12th level Potion destroyed
Other magical item 12th unless special *
ArtiFact DM discretion DM discretion

* Effect negated; if cast directly on item, item becomes nonoperational for ld4 rounds.

Note that this spell, if successful, will release charmed and similarly beguiled creatures. Certain spells or effects cannot be dispelled; these are listed in the spell descriptions.

Cure Disease

(Abjuration) Reversible

Sphere: Necromantic
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: Creature touched
Saving Throw: None

This spell enables the caster to cure most diseases by placing his hand upon the diseased creature. The affliction rapidly disappears thereafter, making the cured creature whole and well in from one turn to 10 days, depending on the type of disease and the state of its advancement when the cure took place. (The DM must adjudicate these conditions.) The spell is also effective against parasitic monsters such as green slime, rot grubs, and others. When cast by a priest of at least 12th level, this spell cures lycanthropy if cast within three days of the infection. Note that the spell does not prevent reoccurrence of a disease if the recipient is again exposed.

The reverse of the cure disease spell is cause disease. To be effective, the priest must touch the intended victim, and the victim must fail a saving throw vs. spell. The severity of the disease is decided by the priest (debilitating or fatal). The exact details of the disease are decided by the DM, but the following are typical:

* Debilitating – The disease takes effect in 1d6 turns, after which the creature loses 1 point of Strength per hour until his Strength is reduced to 2 or less, at which time the recipient is weak and virtually helpless. If a creature has no Strength rating, it loses 10% of its hit points per Strength loss, down to 10% of its original hit points. If the disease also affects hit points, use the more severe penalty. Recovery requires a period of 1d3 weeks.

* Fatal – This wasting disease is effective immediately. Infected creatures receive no benefit from cure wound spells while the disease is in effect; wounds heal at only 10% of the natural rate. The disease proves fatal within 1d6 months and can be cured only by magical means. Each month the disease progresses, the creature loses 2 points of Charisma, permanently.

The inflicted disease can be cured by the cure disease spell. Lycanthropy cannot be caused.