Tomorrow at 8pm EST Jay Scott and Me will have a discussion about Spells with Ed Greenwood on the https://www.twitch.tv/lordgosumba channel.
I'm sure this will be a good discussion, that is a guarantee with Ed Greenwood on the show. I will try and add my bit to the topic well with a few custom spells from my campaign.
First is a low level spell used by Iuzian priests to torment their subjects:
Level: 1
School: Necromancy
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Components: S
Duration: Concentration (1 minute)
Saving Throw: Charisma halves (special)
Your patron is giving you fell energies that torment the target. You need to succeed on a melee spell attack that deals 1d10 psychic damage per round. And it turns the targets eyes red and bloody.
The target can make a saving throw each round and only suffer half damage when successful. The bloody eyes persists until the spell ends or the target takes a life. On a round the target kills someone (or something) no save needed and the pain goes away.
The spell can be ended using a Remove Curse.
Cast at Higher Levels
Increase the duration by 1 minute per level above 1.
Conduit: Divine Strain: Fiendish Taint: Evil
I converted some of the spells from the AD&D2E Complete Book of Necromancers:
Level: 1
School: Necromancy
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 1 mile
Target: Self
Components: V, S, M (sensory organ of a creature)
Duration: Concentration (10 minutes)
The caster can sense deaths within a mile. Creatures or areas that are protected from scrying are also shielded from this spell. The information gained from this spell are whether the dying creature had a soul or spirit and the power of it (CR or level), and only creatures with a CR or level are powerful enough to register
This spell can be used to target a Corpse Link spell, but as that spell is cast the concentration is shifted to the Corpse Link and the Detect Death spell ends.
Conduit: Arcane, Divine Strain: Necrotic Taint: Evil
Level: 1
School: Necromancy
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 1 mile
Target: Self
Components: V, S, M (sensory organ of a creature)
Duration: Concentration (10 minutes)
With this versatile spell, a wizard establishes a sensory link between him- or herself and a corpse, or a mindless undead like Skeleton or Zombie within a mile. This link allows the caster to gather sensory information from the vicinity of the cadaver or undead being.
Conduit: Arcane, Divine Strain: Necrotic Taint: Evil
An offensive favorite among the Iuzians are the Wall of Pain. This is an old D&D3.5 spell that I have converted to fit my campaign.
Level: 5
School: Necromancy
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Long (120 feet)
Area: 60 feet Sphere
Components: V, S, F, M (drop of blood)
Duration: Concentration (1 minute)
Saving Throw: Charisma and Wisdom (special)
You fill an area with horrid energy that inflicts severe pain upon any who pass through it. The area can be up to 30 feet in any direction from the spells origins, creating a 60 foot sphere. The Wall of Pain can be detected as Evil or by using Truesight, or by a Perception DC 18 check.
Affected creatures takes 9 (1d8+4) points of psychic damage per round to anyone caught in it. Creatures affected makes a Charisma Saving Throw and are Frightened on a failed save, forced to either retreat, or trying to push through.
Creatures who failed their Charisma Save can try pushing through on a successful Wisdom Save, but suffers 12 (2d8+4) psychic damage. Failing the Wisdom Save the creature suffers 20 (4d8+4) psychic damage and are Paralyzed for 1 round.
Cast at Higher Levels
The damage increase 1d8 for each slot level above 5th.
Conduit: Divine Strain: Fiendish Taint: Evil
Next is a very powerful spell in the Iuzian arsenal that only the most powerful of his clerics can cast:
Level: 9
School: Necromancy
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: self
Area: One square mile
Components: V, S, F, M (an intelligent being killed within an hour of casting the spell)
Duration: Concentration (1 hour)
Saving Throw: Wisdom (special)
You fill a square mile sphere with horrid energy that inflicts gradual pain upon any who are caught in it. The Dome of Despair can be detected as Evil using Truesight, or by a Perception DC 18 check.
Affected creatures takes 1 point of psychic damage per round in the first minute. This damage increase by 1 per two minutes up to 5 points of psychic damage per round after 10 minutes of the duration.
Victims who accept the damage can continue to function as normal. Victims who become obsessed with getting away can make a Wisdom Save of become Frightened and on a fail they are forced to move and take the Dash action in whatever direction they think will get them to safety.
There are a few possible ways to avoid the effects of this spell. An obvious way is to somehow force the caster to loose Concentration. Iuz demands pain and suffering and there is a risk the spell might affect the caster, if there are no other creatures taking damage the caster will suffer the wrath of the Old One with no save.
One is to do Iuz bidding and kill a creature, which will give you immunity for a number of minutes equal to its CR, and Good creatures gives you double length immunity. This spell is also cast by Iuz priests to make sure their own troops are motivated and effective on the battlefield.
Radiant Shield will reduce the damage by half.
Beacon of Hope will provide advantage on Saving Throws and maximize effect of healing.
Holy Aura will give complete protection from the effect of Dome of Despair
Miracle will dispel a Dome of Despair
Conduit: Divine Strain: Fiendish Taint: Evil
Another Iuzian specialty is:
Level: 9
School: Necromancy
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 300 feet (special)
Target: Any number of creatures within range
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Constitution halves (special)
You send out a wave of smoky black necrotic energy in all directions that travel 100 feet per round inflicting 30 points of necrotic damage.
Creatures within 100 feet save at disadvantage, within 100 - 200 feet save normally, and beyond 200 save with advantage.
This spell damages all living creatures not immune to necrotic damage, it heals undead.
Conduit: Arcane, Divine Strain: Necrotic Taint: Evil
I hope these spells will inspire your villains to some more foul deeds in future adventures!
See you on Twitch tomorrow!
