AD&D 2nd Edition

Everything I have for Second Edition

Tag Archives: Somatic


Fire Storm

Sphere: Elemental (Fire)
Range: 160 yards
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: 20-foot cube / level, minimum 16 10-foot cubes
Saving Throw: 1/2

When a fire storm spell is cast, the whole area is shot through with sheets of roaring flame that equal a wall of fire spell in effect. Creatures within the area of fire and 10 feet or less from the edge of the affected area receive 2d8 points of damage plus additional damage equal to the caster’s level (2d8 +1/level). Creatures that roll successful saving throws vs. spell suffer only one-half damage. The damage is inflicted each round the creature stays in the area of effect. The area of effect is equal to two 10′ x 10′ cubes per level of the caster – e.g., a 13th-level caster can cast a fire storm measuring 130′ x 20′ x 10′. The height of the storm is 10 or 20 feet; the balance of its area must be in length and width.

The reverse spell, fire quench, smothers twice the area of effect of a fire storm with respect to normal fires, and the normal area of effect with respect to magical fires. Fire-based creatures, such as elementals, salamanders, etc., of less than demigod status have a a 5% chance per experience level of the caster of being extinguished. If cast only against a flametongue sword, the sword must roll a successful saving throw vs. crushing blow or be rendered nonmagical. Such a sword in the possession of a creature first receives the creature’s saving throw, and if this is successful, the second saving throw is automatically successful.

Exaction

Sphere: Charm, Summoning
Range: 10 yards
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Saving Throw: None

When this spell is employed, the priest confronts some powerful creature from another plane (including devas and other powerful minions, for instance, but not demigods or deities of any sort) and requires of it some duty or quest. A creature of an alignment opposed to the priest (e.g., evil if the priest is good, chaotic if the priest is lawful) cannot be ordered around unless it is willing. Note that an absolute (true) neutral creature is effectively opposed to both good and evil, and both law and chaos.

The spellcaster must know something about the creature to exact service from it, or else he must offer some fair trade in return for the service. That is, if the priest is aware that the creature has received some favor from someone of the priest’s alignment, then the exaction spell can name this as cause; if no balancing reason for service is known, then some valuable gift or service must be pledged in return for the exaction. The service exacted must be reasonable with respect to the past or promised favor or reward, and with the being’s effort and risk. The spell then acts, subject to a magic resistance roll, as a quest upon the being that is to perform the required service. Immediately upon completion of the service, the being is transported to the vicinity of the priest, and the priest must then and there return the promised reward, whether it is irrevocable cancellation of a past debt or the giving of some service or other material reward. After this is done, the creature is instantly freed to return to its own plane.

The DM adjudicates when an equitable arrangement has been reached. If the caster requests too much, the creature is free to depart or to attack the priest (as if the agreement were breached) according to its nature. If circumstances leave the situation unbalanced (for example, the creature dies while achieving a result that was not worth the creature dying), then this might create a debt owed by the caster to the creature’s surviving kith and kin, making the caster vulnerable to a future exaction from that quarter. Agreeing to a future exaction or release in the event of catastrophic failure or death are common caster pledges in securing an exaction.

Failure to fulfill the promise to the letter results in the priest being subject to exaction by the subject creature or by its master, liege, etc., at the very least. At worst, the creature may attack the reneging priest without fear of any of his spells affecting it, for the priest’s failure to live up to the bargain gives the creature total immunity from the priest’s spell powers.

The material components of this spell are the priest’s holy symbol, some matter or substance from the plane of the creature from whom an exaction is expected, and knowledge of the creature’s nature or actions that is written out on a parchment that is burned to seal the pledge.

Earthquake

Sphere: Elemental (Earth)
Range: 120 yards
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: 5-foot diameter/level
Saving Throw: None

When this spell is cast by a priest, a local tremor of fairly high strength rips the ground. The shock is over in one round. The earthquake affects all terrain, vegetation, structures, and creatures in its area of effect. The area of effect of the earthquake spell is circular, with a diameter of five feet for every experience level of the priest casting it. Thus a 20th-level priest casts an earthquake spell with a 100-foot-diameter area of effect.

Solidly built structures with foundations reaching down to bedrock sustain one-half damage; one-quarter damage if they score above 50% on a saving throw. An earth elemental opposed to the caster in the area of effect can negate 10% to 100% (roll 1d10, 0 = 100%) of the effect. Other magical protections and wards allowed by the DM may also reduce or negate this effect. If cast undersea, this spell may, at the discretion of the DM, create a tsunami or tidal wave.

The material components for this spell are a pinch of dirt, a piece of rock, and a lump of clay.

Earthquake Effects:
TERRAIN
                     Cave or cavern Collapses roof
  Cliffs Crumble, causing landslide
  Ground Cracks open, causing the following fractions of creatures to fall in and die:
– Size S: 1 in 4
– Size M: 1 in 6
– Size L: 1 in 8
  Marsh Drains water off to form muddy, rough ground.
  Tunnel Caves in
VEGETATION
  Small growth No effect
  Trees 1 in 3 are uprooted and fall
STRUCTURES
  All structures Sustain 5d12 points of structural damage; those suffering full damage are thrown down in rubble.
CREATURES
  See “TERRAIN” entry  

Creeping Doom

Sphere: Animal, Summoning
Range: 0
Components: V, S
Duration: 4 rounds/level
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None

When the caster utters the spell of creeping doom, he calls forth a mass of from 500 to 1,000 ([1d6 + 4] x 100) venomous, biting and stinging arachnids, insects, and myriapods. This carpet-like mass swarms in an area 20 feet square. Upon command from the caster, the swarm creeps forth at 10 feet per round toward any prey within 80 yards, moving in the direction in which the caster commands. The creeping doom slays any creature subject to normal attacks, as each of the small horrors inflicts 1 point of damage (each then dies after its attack), so that up to 1,000 points of damage can be inflicted on creatures within the path of the creeping doom. If the creeping doom goes more than 80 yards away from the summoner, it loses 50 of its number for each 10 yards beyond 80 yards (e.g. , at 100 yards, its number has shrunk by 100). There are a number of ways to thwart or destroy the creatures forming the swarm. The solutions are left to the imaginations of players and DMs.

Control Weather

Sphere: Weather
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 4d12 hours
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: 4d4 square miles
Saving Throw: None

The control weather spell enables a priest to change the weather in the local area. The spell affects the weather for 4d12 hours in an area of 4d4 square miles. It requires one turn to cast the spell, and an additional 1d4 turns for the effects of the spell to be felt. The current weather conditions are decided by the DM, depending on the climate and season. Weather conditions have three
Components: precipitation, temperature, and wind. The spell can change these conditions according to the following chart:

The upper-case headings represent existing weather conditions. The lower-case headings below each upper-case heading a the new conditions to which the caster can change the existing conditions. Furthermore, the caster can control the direction of the wind. For example, a day that is dear warm, and with moderate wind can be controlled to become hazy, hot, and calm. Contradictions are not possible – fog and strong wind, for example. Multiple control weather spells can be used only in succession.

The material components for this spell are the priest’s religious symbol, incense, and prayer beads or similar prayer object. Obviously, this spell functions only in areas where there are appropriate climatic conditions.

If Weather is a major sphere for the priest (as it is for druids), duration and area are doubled, and the caster can change the prevailing weather by two places (e.g., he can cause precipitation to go from partly cloudy to heavy sleet, temperature to go from cool to arctic, and wind to go from calm to strong).

Precipitation Tempurature Wind
CLEAR WEATHER
– Very clear
– Light clouds or hazy
HOT
– Sweltering heat    
– Warm
CALM
– Dead calm
– Light wind
– Moderate wind
PARTLY CLOUDY
– Clear weather
– Cloudy
– Mist/Light rain/small hail
– Sleet/Light snow
WARM
– Hot
– Cool
MODERATE WIND
– Calm
– Strong wind
CLOUDY
– Partly cloudy
– Deep clouds
– Fog
– Heavy rain/large hail
– Driving sleet/heavy snow   
COOL
– Warm
– Cold
STRONG WIND
– Moderate wind
– Gale
  COLD
– Cool
– Arctic cold
GALE
– Strong wind
– Storm
    STORM
– Gale
– Hurricane-typhoon

Conjure Earth Elemental

Sphere: Elemental (Earth), Summoning
Range: 40 yards
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 turn/level
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None

A caster who performs a conjure earth elemental spell summons an earth elemental to do his bidding. The elemental is 60% likely to have 12 Hit Dice, 35% likely to have 16 Hit Dice, and 5% likely have 21 to to 24 Hit Dice (20 + 1d4). Furthermore, the caster needs but to command it, and it does as desired, for the elemental regards the caster as a friend to be obeyed. The elemental remains until destroyed, dispelled, sent away by dismissal or a holy word spell (see the conjure fire elemental spell), or the spell duration expires.

Confusion

Sphere: Charm
Range: 80 yards
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round/level
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: 1d4 creatures within a 40′ by 40′ square
Saving Throw: Special

This spell causes confusion in one or more creatures within the area, creating indecision and the inability to take effective action. The spell affects 1d4 creatures, plus one creature per two caster levels. Thus, seven to ten creatures can be affected by a 12th- or 13th-level caster, eight to 11 by a 14th- or 15th-level caster, etc. These creatures are allowed saving throws vs. spell with -2 penalties, adjusted for Wisdom. Those successfully saving are unaffected by the spell. Confused creatures react as follows (roll 1d10):

D10 Roll     Reaction
1 Wander away (unless prevented) for duration of spell
2-6 Stand confused one round (then roll again)
7-9 Attack nearest creature for one round (then roll again)
10 Act normally for one round (then roll again)

The spell lasts one round for each level of the caster. Those who fail their saving throws are checked by the OM for actions each round, for the duration of the spell, or until the “wander away for the duration of the spell” result occurs.

Wandering creatures move as far from the caster as possible in their most typical mode of movement (characters walk, fish swim, bats fly, etc.). This is not panicked flight. Wandering creatures also have a 50% chance of using any special innate movement abilities (plane shift, burrowing, flight, etc.). Saving throws and actions are checked at the beginning of each round. Any confused creature that is attacked perceives the attacker as an enemy and acts according to its basic nature.

The material component of this spell is a set of three nut shells.

Note: If there are many creatures involved, the DM may decide to assume average results. For example, if there are 16 orcs affected and 25 o/o could be expected to successfully roll the saving throw, then four are assumed to have succeeded, one wanders away, four attack the nearest creature, six stand confused and the last acts naturally but must check next round. Since the orcs are not near the party, the DM decides that two who are supposed to attack the nearest creature attack each other, one attacks an orc that saved, and one attacks a confused orc, which strikes back. The next round, the base is 11 orcs, since four originally saved and one wandered off. Another one wanders off, five stands confused, four attack, and one acts normally.

Chariot Of Sustarre

Sphere: Elemental (Fire), Creation
Range: 10 yards
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 12 hours
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None

When this spell is cast, it brings forth a large, flaming chariot pulled by two fiery horses from the elemental plane of Fire. These appear in a clap of thunder amid a cloud of smoke. The vehicle moves at 24 on the ground, 48 flying, and can carry the caster and up to seven other creatures of man-size or less (the passengers must be touched by the caster to protect them from the flames of the chariot). Creatures other than the caster and his designated passengers sustain 2d4 points of fire damage each round if they come within five feet of the horses or chariot. Such creatures suffer no damage if they evade the area by rolling successful saving throws vs. petrification, with Dexterity adjustments.

The caster controls the chariot by verbal command, causing the flaming steeds to stop or go, walk, trot, run or fly, and turn left or right as he desires. Note that the chariot of Sustarre is a physical manifestation and can sustain damage. The vehicle and steeds are struck only by magical weapons or by water (one quart of which inflicts 1 point of damage), they are Armor Class 2, and each requires 30 points of damage to dispel. Naturally, fire has absolutely no effect upon either the vehicle or its steeds, but magical fires other than those of the chariot can affect the riders. Other spells, such as a successful dispel magic or holy word, will force the chariot back to its home plane, without its passengers. The chariot can be summoned only once per week.

The material components are a small piece of wood, two holly berries, and a fire source at least equal to a torch.

Changestaff

Sphere: Plant, Creation
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: The caster’s staff
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the caster is able to change a specially prepared staff into a treant-like creature of the largest size (about 24 feet tall ). When the priest plants the end of the staff in the ground and speaks a special command and invocation, the staff turns into a treant-like creature with 12 Hit Dice, 40 hit points, and Armor Class 0. It attacks twice per round, inflicting 4d6 points of damage with every successful attack. The staff-treant defends the caster and obeys any spoken commands. However, it is by no means a true treant; it cannot converse with actual treants or control trees. The transformation lasts either for as many turns as the caster has experience levels, until the caster commands the staff to return to its true form, or until the staff is destroyed, whichever occurs first. If the staff-treant is reduced to 0 hit points or less, it crumbles to a sawdust-like powder and the staff is destroyed. Otherwise, the staff can be used again after 24 hours and the staff-treant is at full strength.

To cast a changestaff spell, the caster must have either his holy symbol or leaves (ash, oak, or yew) of the same sort as the staff.

The staff for the changestaff spell must be specially prepared. The staff must be a sound limb cut from an ash, oak, or yew tree struck by lightning no more than 24 hours before the limb is cut. The limb must then be cured by sun drying and special smoke for 28 days. Then it must be shaped, carved, and polished for another 28 days. The caster cannot adventure or engage in other strenuous activity during either of these periods. The finished staff, engraved with woodland scenes, is then rubbed with the juice of holly berries, and the end of it is thrust into the earth of the caster’s grove while he casts a speak with plant spell, calling upon the staff to assist in time of need. The item is then charged with a magic that will last for many changes from staff to treant and back again.

Astral Spell

Sphere: Astral
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 1/2 hour
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None

By means of the astral spell, a priest is able to project his astral body into the Astral plane, leaving his physical body and material possessions behind on the Prime Material plane. As the Astral plane touches upon the first levels of all the outer planes, the priest can travel astrally to the first level of any of these outer planes as he wills. The priest then leaves the Astral plane, forming a body on the plane of existence he has chosen to enter. It is also possible to travel astrally anywhere in the Prime Material plane by means of the astral spell (however, a second body cannot be formed on the Prime Material plane; see following).

As a general rule, a person astrally projected can be seen only by creatures on the Astral plane. The astral body is connected at all times to the material body by a silvery cord. If the cord is broken, the affected person is killed, astrally and materially, but generally only the psychic wind can cause the cord to break. When a second body is formed on a different plane, the silvery cord remains invisibly attached to the new body. If the second body or astral form is slain, the cord simply returns to the caster’s body where the body rests on the Prime Material plane, reviving it from its state of suspended animation. Although astral projections are able to function on the Astral plane, their actions affect only creatures existing on the Astral plane; a physical body must be materialized on other planes.

The spell lasts until the priest desires to end it, or until it is terminated by some outside means (such as a dispel magic spell or destruction of the priest’s body on the Prime Material plane [which kills the priest]). The priest can project the astral forms of up to seven other creatures with himself by means of the astral spell, providing the creatures are linked in a circle with the priest. These fellow travelers are dependent upon the priest and can be stranded if something happens to the priest. Travel in the Astral plane can be slow or fast, according to the priest’s desire. The ultimate destination arrived at is subject to the desire of the priest.