Peregrine
2006-09-13, 02:52 PM
I don't really have any unifying theme for these spells, although I might be able to spin a tale about a devious wizard who uses hardfall to trip up enemies down the steep entrance shaft to his lair, and then spellgap to snipe at them from hiding, and cinder to, uh...
But really, they're just three spells I've come up with over the past week. Three seemed like a good number to get posting with. Spellgap was intended to be an improved version of my earlier penetrate lead (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=homebrew;action=display;num=11548549 57;start=0#0), but greater penetrate lead just isn't a snappy enough name. (Note that it also works well in tandem with magic window (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=homebrew;action=display;num=11548549 57;start=0#0).) The other spells... I can't remember what train of thought I was following that lead to them.
Cinder
Conjuration (Creation) [Fire]
Level: Clr 0, Drd 0, Sor/Wiz 0
Components: V, S
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels); see text
Effect: One smouldering cinder
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell conjures a small lump of smouldering material. As part of the casting of the spell, you can throw the cinder at a target within range, requiring a ranged touch attack; otherwise, you can simply cause it to appear anywhere within arm's reach. The cinder deals 1 point of fire damage per round to unprotected flesh or flammable objects; it will cause tinder or other highly flammable substances to catch fire in 1 round. The cinder will die in one minute, becoming an inert lump of charcoal-like material; however, it can be banked in ash or other insulating material to conserve its heat, and any time spent so insulated does not count against the one minute limit.
Hardfall
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: One Medium or smaller freefalling object or creature/level, no two of which may be more than 20 ft. apart
Duration: Until landing or 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell is the malicious creation of a wizard who worked for years trying to find an effective counter for feather fall. His result is not quite perfect, since it cannot be cast as quickly as that spell, but if the subjects are falling far enough it can be quite effective.
The targets of the spell fall 50% faster than normal: 225 feet in the first round of descent, and 450 feet per round thereafter. They also take and deal extra damage upon landing, as if the fall were half again as far. The falling damage limit is increased to 30d6.
The spell affects one or more Medium or smaller creatures (including gear and carried objects up to each creature’s maximum load) or objects, or the equivalent in larger creatures: A Large creature or object counts as two Medium creatures or objects, a Huge creature or object counts as two Large creatures or objects, and so forth.
Hardfall dispels (but does not counter) feather fall.
Spellgap
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One barrier
Duration: 1 min. or until discharged
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell creates an invisible portal through a barrier, granting line of effect in the quarter circle in front of the portal to any caster standing adjacent to the spellgap. The spellgap is discharged after one spell is cast through it. This spell does not allow you to see through the wall; you (or whoever first casts through the spellgap) may need to use other means to locate targets your spell, unless you are simply designating a point in space.
A spellgap can be created through up to 3 feet of wood or dirt, 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, or a thin sheet of lead. While the duration lasts, further spellgaps cast at the same point on the barrier can be used to make the gap pass through thicker barriers, or barriers made of multiple materials. (For this purpose, two spellgaps will penetrate up to 1 inch of lead.) [The following is probably a little too complicated mathematically, and would require me to set a size for the spellgap. It should probably just be left out, for simplicity, and the quarter circle drawn from the far side of the barrier.] However, the area in which line of effect is granted is drawn from the near side of the barrier, and may be restricted by thick obstacles, as shown in Figure 1.
http://members.westnet.com.au/perey/images/spellgap.png
Figure 1: A spellgap has been created through this 5-foot stone wall (in red). However, the wall itself cuts out some of the line-of-effect area (in blue), so only a narrower arc can be targeted (in green).
Material component
A gold piece, beaten to translucent thinness.
But really, they're just three spells I've come up with over the past week. Three seemed like a good number to get posting with. Spellgap was intended to be an improved version of my earlier penetrate lead (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=homebrew;action=display;num=11548549 57;start=0#0), but greater penetrate lead just isn't a snappy enough name. (Note that it also works well in tandem with magic window (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=homebrew;action=display;num=11548549 57;start=0#0).) The other spells... I can't remember what train of thought I was following that lead to them.
Cinder
Conjuration (Creation) [Fire]
Level: Clr 0, Drd 0, Sor/Wiz 0
Components: V, S
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels); see text
Effect: One smouldering cinder
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell conjures a small lump of smouldering material. As part of the casting of the spell, you can throw the cinder at a target within range, requiring a ranged touch attack; otherwise, you can simply cause it to appear anywhere within arm's reach. The cinder deals 1 point of fire damage per round to unprotected flesh or flammable objects; it will cause tinder or other highly flammable substances to catch fire in 1 round. The cinder will die in one minute, becoming an inert lump of charcoal-like material; however, it can be banked in ash or other insulating material to conserve its heat, and any time spent so insulated does not count against the one minute limit.
Hardfall
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: One Medium or smaller freefalling object or creature/level, no two of which may be more than 20 ft. apart
Duration: Until landing or 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell is the malicious creation of a wizard who worked for years trying to find an effective counter for feather fall. His result is not quite perfect, since it cannot be cast as quickly as that spell, but if the subjects are falling far enough it can be quite effective.
The targets of the spell fall 50% faster than normal: 225 feet in the first round of descent, and 450 feet per round thereafter. They also take and deal extra damage upon landing, as if the fall were half again as far. The falling damage limit is increased to 30d6.
The spell affects one or more Medium or smaller creatures (including gear and carried objects up to each creature’s maximum load) or objects, or the equivalent in larger creatures: A Large creature or object counts as two Medium creatures or objects, a Huge creature or object counts as two Large creatures or objects, and so forth.
Hardfall dispels (but does not counter) feather fall.
Spellgap
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One barrier
Duration: 1 min. or until discharged
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell creates an invisible portal through a barrier, granting line of effect in the quarter circle in front of the portal to any caster standing adjacent to the spellgap. The spellgap is discharged after one spell is cast through it. This spell does not allow you to see through the wall; you (or whoever first casts through the spellgap) may need to use other means to locate targets your spell, unless you are simply designating a point in space.
A spellgap can be created through up to 3 feet of wood or dirt, 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, or a thin sheet of lead. While the duration lasts, further spellgaps cast at the same point on the barrier can be used to make the gap pass through thicker barriers, or barriers made of multiple materials. (For this purpose, two spellgaps will penetrate up to 1 inch of lead.) [The following is probably a little too complicated mathematically, and would require me to set a size for the spellgap. It should probably just be left out, for simplicity, and the quarter circle drawn from the far side of the barrier.] However, the area in which line of effect is granted is drawn from the near side of the barrier, and may be restricted by thick obstacles, as shown in Figure 1.
http://members.westnet.com.au/perey/images/spellgap.png
Figure 1: A spellgap has been created through this 5-foot stone wall (in red). However, the wall itself cuts out some of the line-of-effect area (in blue), so only a narrower arc can be targeted (in green).
Material component
A gold piece, beaten to translucent thinness.