AD&D 2nd Edition

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Tag Archives: Somatic


Magic Jar

Range: 10 yds/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 1 rd
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Saving Throw: Special

The magic jar spell enables the caster to shift his life force into a special receptacle (a gem or large crystal). From there the caster can force an exchange of life forces between the receptacle and another creature, thus enabling the wizard to take over and control the body of another creature, while the life force of the host is confined in the receptacle. The special life force receptacle must be within spell range of the wizard’s body at the time of spellcasting. The wizard’s life force shifts into the receptacle in the round in which the casting is completed, allowing no other actions. While in the magic jar, the caster can sense and attack any life force within a 10 foot per level radius (on the same plane); however, the exact creature types and relative physical positions cannot be determined. In a group of life forces, the caster can sense a difference of 4 or more levels/Hit Dice and can determine whether a life force is positive or negative energy. For example, if two 10th level fighters are attacking a hill giant and four ogres, the caster could determine that there are three stronger and four weaker life forces within range, all with positive life energy. The caster could try to take over either a stronger or a weaker creature, but he has no control over exactly which creature is attacked. An attempt to take over a host body requires a full round. It is blocked by a protection from evil spell or similar ward. It is successful only if the subject fails a saving throw vs. spell with a special modifier (see following). The saving throw is modified by subtracting the combined Intelligence and Wisdom scores of the target from those of the wizard (Intelligence and Hit Dice in nonhuman or nonhumanoid creatures). This modifier is added to (or subtracted from) the die roll.

Difference Die Adjustment
-9 or less +4
-8 to -6 +3
-5 to -3 +2
-2 to 0 +1
+1 to +4 0
-5 to +8 -1
+9 to +12 -2
+13 or more    -3

A negative score indicates that the wizard has a lower total than the target; thus, the host has a saving throw bonus. failure to take over the host leaves the wizard’s life force in the magic jar. If successful, the caster’s life force occupies the host body and the host’s life force is confined in the magic jar receptacle. The caster can call upon rudimentary or instinctive knowledge of the subject creature, but not upon its real or acquired knowledge (i.e., the wizard does not automatically know the language or spells of the creature). The caster retains his own attack rolls, class knowledge and training, and any adjustments due to his Intelligence or Wisdom. If the host body is human or humanoid, and the necessary spell components are available, the wizard can even use his memorized spells. The host body retains its own hit points and physical abilities and properties. The DM decides if any additional modifications are necessary; for example, perhaps clumsiness or inefficiency occurs if the caster must become used to the new form. The alignment of the host or receptacle is that of the occupying life force. The caster can shift freely from the host to the receptacle if within the 10 foot per level range. Each attempt to shift requires on round. The spell ends when the wizard shifts from the jar to his own body. A successful dispel magic spell cast on the host can drive the caster of the magic jar spell back into the receptacle and prevent him from making any attacks for 1d4 rounds plus l round per level of the caster of the dispel. The base success chance is 50%, plus or minus 5% per level difference between the casters. A successful dispel magic cast against the receptacle forces the occupant back into his own body. If the wizard who cast the magic jar is forced back into his own body, the spell ends. If the host body is slain, the caster returns to the receptacle, if within range, and the life force of the host departs (i.e., it is dead). If the host body is slain beyond the range of the spell, both the host and the caster die. Any life force with nowhere to go is treated as slain unless recalled by a raise dead, resurrection, or similar spell. If the body of the caster is slain, his life force survives if it is in either the receptacle or the host. If the receptacle is destroyed while the caster’s life force occupies it, the caster is irrevocably slain.

Leomund’s Secret Chest

Range: Special
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 60 days
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: One chest, about 2 x 2 x 3 ft
Saving Throw: None

This spell enables a specially constructed chest to be hidden deep within the Ethereal Plane, to be summoned using a small model of the chest. The large chest must be exceptionally well crafted and expensive, constructed for the caster by master craftsmen. If made principally of wood, it must be ebony, rosewood, sandalwood, teak, or the like, and all of its corner fittings, nails, and hardware must be platinum. If constructed of ivory, the metal fittings of the chest must be gold. If the chest is fashioned from bronze, copper, or silver, its fittings must be electrum or silver. The cost of such a chest is never less than 5,000 gp. Once it is constructed, the wizard must have a tiny replica (of the same materials and perfect in every detail) made, so that the miniature of the chest appears to be a perfect copy. One wizard can have but one pair of these chests at any given time-even wish spells do not allow exceptions! The chests themselves are nonmagical, and can be fitted with locks, wards, and so on, just as any normal chest. While touching the chest and holding the tiny replica, the caster chants the spell. This causes the large chest to vanish into the Ethereal Plane. The chest can contain 1 cubic foot of material per level of the wizard no matter what its apparent size. Living matter makes it 75% likely that the spell fails, so the chest is typically used for securing valuable spell books, magical items, gems, etc. As long as the spellcaster has the small duplicate of the magical chest, he can recall the large one from the Ethereal Plane whenever the chest is desired. If the miniature of the chest is lost or destroyed, there is no way, not even with a wish spell, that the large chest can return, although an expedition might be mounted to find it. While the chest is in the Ethereal Plane, there is a cumulative 1% chance per week that some being finds it. This chance is reset to 1% whenever the chest is recalled and the spell recast to return it to the Ethereal Plane. If the chest is found, the DM must work out the encounter and decide how the being reacts to the chest (for example, it might ignore the chest, fully or partially empty it, or even exchange or add to the items present!). Whenever the secret chest is brought back to the Prime Material Plane, an ethereal window is opened for a variable amount of time (usually about one turn); the window slowly diminishes in size. When this hole opens between the planes, check for an ethereal encounter to see if a monster is drawn through. If the large chest is not retrieved before the spell duration lapses, there is a cumulative chance of 5% per day that the chest is lost.

Hold Monster

Range: 5 yds/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 rd/level
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 1-4 creatures in a 40 ft cube
Saving Throw: Neg.

This spell immobilizes from one to four creatures of any type within spell range and in sight of the spellcaster. He can opt to hold one, two, three, or four creatures. If three or four are attacked, each saving throw is normal; if two are attacked, each saving throw suffers a -1 penalty; if only one is attacked, the saving throw suffers a -3 penalty. The material component for this spell is one hard metal bar or rod for each monster to be held. The bar or rod can be as small as a three-penny nail.

Feeblemind

Range: 10 yards/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Saving Throw: Neg.

This spell is sued solely against people or creatures who use magic spells. The feeblemind causes the subject’s intellect to degenerate to that of a moronic child. The subject remains in this state until a heal or wish spell is used to cancel the effects. Magic using beings are very vulnerable to this spell; thus, their saving throws are made with the following adjustments:

Spell Use of Target Saving Throw Adjustment
Priest +1
Wizard (human) -4
Combination or nonhuman     -2

Wisdom adjustments apply to the saving throw. The material component of this spell is a handful of clay, crystal, glass, or mineral spheres, which disappears when the spell is cast.

False Vision

Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1d4 rds + 1 rd/level
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 30 ft radius
Saving Throw: None

When this spell is cast, the wizard is able to confound any attempt to scry (by means of either a spell or a magical device) any point within the area of effect of the spell. To use the spell, he must be aware of the scrying attempt, although knowledge of the scryer or the scryer’s location is not necessary. Upon casting the spell, the caster and all he desires within the radius of the spell become undetectable to the scrying. Furthermore, the caster is able to send whatever message he desires, including vision and sound, according to the medium of the scrying method. To do this, the caster must concentrate on the message he is sending. Once concentration is broken, no further images can be sent, although the caster remains undetectable for the duration of the spell. The material component for this spell is the ground dust of an emerald worth at least 500 gp, which is sprinkled into the air when the spell is cast.

Fabricate

Range: 5 yds/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: Special
Area of Effect: 1 cu yd/level
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the wizard is able to convert material of one sort into a product that is of the same material. Thus, the spellcaster can fabricate a wooden bridge from a clump of trees, a rope from a patch of hemp, clothes from flax or wool, and so forth. Magical or living things cannot be created or altered by a fabricate spell. The quality of items made by this spell is commensurate with the quality of material used as the basis for the new fabrication. If the caster works with a mineral, the area of effect is reduced by a factor of 27 (1 cubic foot per level instead of 1 cubic yard). Articles requiring a high degree of craftsmanship (jewelry, swords, glass, crystal, etc.) cannot be fabricated unless the wizard otherwise has great skill in the appropriate craft. Casting requires one full round per cubic yard (or foot) or material to be affected by the spell.

Dream

Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Saving Throw: None

The dream spell enables the caster, or a messenger touched by the caster, to send messages to others in the form of dreams. At the beginning of the spell, the caster must name the recipient or identify him by some title that leaves no doubt as to his identity. As the caster completes the spell, the person sending the spell falls into a deep trancelike sleep, and instantaneously projects his mind to the recipient. The sender then enters the recipient’s dream and delivers the message unless the recipient is magically protected. If the recipient is awake, the message sender can choose to remain in the trancelike sleep. If the sender is disturbed during this time, the spell is immediately canceled and the sender comes out of the trance. The whereabouts and current activities of the recipient cannot be learned through this spell. The sender is unaware of his own surroundings or the activities around him while he is in his trance. He is totally defenseless, both physically and mentally (i.e., he always fails any saving throw) while in the trance. Once the recipient’s dreams are entered, the sender can deliver a message of any length, which the recipient remembers perfectly upon waking. The communication is one-way; the recipient cannot ask questions or offer information, nor can the sender gain any information by observing the dreams of the recipient. Once the message is delivered, the sender’s mind returns instantly to his body. The duration of the spell is the time required for the sender to enter the recipient’s dream and deliver the message. The reverse of this spell, nightmare, enables the caster to send a hideous and unsettling vision to the recipient, who is allowed a saving throw vs. spell to avoid the effect. The nightmare prevents restful sleep and causes 1d10 points of damage. The nightmare leaves the recipient fatigued and unable to regain spells for the next day. A dispel evil spell cast upon the recipient stuns the caster of the nightmare for one turn per level of the cleric countering this evil sending.

Domination

Range: 10 yards/level
Components: V, S
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 1 person
Saving Throw: Neg.

The domination spell enables the caster to control the actions of any person until the spell is ended by the subject’s Intelligence (see the charm person spell). Elves and half-elves resist this enchantment as they do all charm-type spells. Then the spell is cast, the subject must roll a saving throw vs. spell at a penalty of -2, but Wisdom adjustments apply. Failure means the wizard has established a telepathic link with the subject’s mind. If a common language is shared, the wizard can generally force the subject to perform as the wizard desires, within the limits of the subject’s body structure and Strength. Note that the caster does not receive direct sensory input from the subject. Subjects resist this control, and those forced to take actions against their natures receive a new saving throw with a bonus of +1 to +4, depending on the type of action required. Obviously self-destructive orders are not carried out. Once control is established, there is no limit to the range at which it can be exercised, as long as the caster and subject are on the same plane. A protection from evil spell can prevent the caster from exercising control or using the telepathic link while the subject is so warded, but it cannot prevent the establishment of domination.

Distance Distortion

Range: 10 yards/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 2 turns/level
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 10 ft cube/level
Saving Throw: None

This spell can be cast only in an area completely surrounded or enclosed by earth, rock, sand, or similar materials. The wizard must also cast a conjure elemental spell to summon an earth elemental. The elemental serves without attempting to break free when the spellcaster announces that his intent is to cast a distance distortion spell. The spell places the earth elemental in the area of effect, and the elemental then causes the area’s dimensions to be either doubled or halved for those traveling over it (spellcaster’s choice). Thus, a 10 foot x 100 foot corridor could seem to be either 5 feet wide and 50 feet long or 20 feet wide and 200 feet long. When the spell duration has elapsed, the elemental returns to its own plane. The true nature of an area affected by distance distortion is undetectable to any creature traveling along it, but the area dimly radiates magic, and a true seeing spell can reveal that an earth elemental is spread within the area. The material needed for this spell is a small lump of soft clay.

Dismissal

Range: 10 yards
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 1 rd
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Saving Throw: Neg.

By means of this spell, a wizard on the Prime Material Plane seeks to force or enable a creature from another plane of existence to return to its proper plane. Magic resistance, if any, is checked if this spell is used to force a being home. If the resistance fails, the caster’s level is compared to the creature’s level or Hit Dice. If the wizard’s level is higher, the difference is subtracted from the creature’s die roll for its saving throw vs. spell. If the creature’s level or Hit Dice is higher, the difference is added to the saving throw roll. If the creature desires to be returned to its home plane, no saving throw is necessary (it chooses to fail the roll). If the spell is successful, the creature is instantly whisked away, but the spell has a 20% chance of actually sending the subject to a plane other than its own. The material components is any item that is distasteful to the subject creature.