Ornamental Spells

[Lysander]

This is a homebrew thread for spells that don't do anything other than look neat or add to the ambiance. Submit your best looks only magic here.

Living Painting
Illusion
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One unmagical painting
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: No

This spell animates a painting, causing it to randomly change sometimes but only when nobody is looking at it. Creatures will shift their position, time of day and weather can change, and subjects may alter their clothing or change the environment. If the subject stares outward any observer of the painting will have an eerie feeling that they are being watched and that the eyes are following them. This of course is merely an illusion... probably. Even if it isn't there is no way to communicate or interact with anything in the painting.

If the painting is dispelled it remains frozen in its current position.

Cost
One silver piece placed over each eye of any creature in the painting. The silver corrodes and turns to dust in the casting.

[Debihuman]

You know, I thought there was a magical paint that could do this. But I could be thinking of a 3rd party product.

Debby

[Xefas]

Transferal of Ink
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 1, Bard 0
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 5 minutes
Range: Touch
Target: Section of Skin
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

You take a piece of parchment, canvas, or paper and transfer anything drawn or inscribed upon it with ink onto someone's flesh, permanently adhering it there. The original work must be pressed down onto the flesh to be enchanted while the spell is being cast, and after the spell is complete, the material is consumed.

This has a number of uses. Most popularly, its a nice way of getting a tattoo of exactly what you want, exactly where you want, with no pain or recovery time.

However, in the adventuring world, Wizards sometimes use this spell to adhere bits of their spellbook to their body, where they can easily access things like Teleport should they be caught without their book on hand.

Material Component: The piece of parchment, canvas, or paper with the image to be transferred.

[Strawman]

Both the Living Painting and the Transferral of Ink sound great. I can imagine making a wizard with spells covering their entire body.

[Gnomo]

Animate Tool
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2, Brd 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./ level)
Target: One tiny or smaller tool per caster level; see text
Duration: 1 hour per level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

You imbue inanimate tools with mobility, each such animated tool start working by its own if all the materials needed to complete the task are already in place. The tool cannot make complex work, if a check with a DC of 10 or higher is required to successfully complete the task the spell fails.

An animated tool can be of any nonmagical material. You may animate one Tiny or smaller tool or an equivalent number of larger tools per caster level. A Small tool counts as two Tiny or smaller tools, a Medium tool as four, a Large tool as eight and a Huge tool as sixteen. This spell cannot animate tools carried or worn by a creature.

Animate tools can be made permanent by a 9th level spellcaster with a permanency spell and spending 500 experience points.

[Xefas]

Power Word: Groove
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sorc/Wiz 1, Bard 1
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25ft + 5ft/2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

You utter a word of pure funkitude, endowing a chosen creature with supernaturally fabulous dance moves.

If the target has below 30 hit points, they gain a +10 enhancement bonus on all Perform (Dance) checks. If the target has between 31 and 60 hit points, the bonus is +20 instead. If the target has more than 60 hit points, the bonus is +30.

Many a shy student of arcane academia has quested for such a spell.

Protection from Pruning
Abjuration
Level: Sorc/Wiz 0, Cleric 0, Druid 0
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Personal
Target: Self
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

You endow yourself with eldritch wards that prevent your skin from getting all pruny after being wet for an extended period of time.

Useful for sorcerers who enjoy long relaxing bathes, and clerics who have to wash their own dishes due to a lack of Unseen Servant on their spell list.

[Gnomo]

Sense of Art
Divination
Level: Sorc/Wiz 1, Bard 1, Cleric 1, Art 1
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 Minute
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

The subject gains insight on the beauty of art and can assess the quality of any creation with utmost precision. The subject of this spell gains a bonus on appraise checks equal to the caster level of the spell (maximum +20) with any non magical item that has been manufactured and can be stated as a piece of art.

Focus: A monocle or a fancy beret.

[Debihuman]

The subject gains insight on the beauty of art and can taste the quality of any creation with utmost precision.

I do hope you mean Assess and not TASTE because I don't think licking pieces of art would be good for the art and probably not terribly enjoyable for the taster.

Otherwise, it looks pretty good.

Debby

[Gnomo]

Thanks for the correction, it's fixed now, I'm still learning english :smalltongue:.

[sigurd]

Ass Ears
Transmutation, polymorph, Nuisance Magic
Level: Sorc/Wiz 2, Bard 2
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 Minute
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Varies - till new moon.
Saving Throw: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes


Subject's ears are reformed to look like those of a donkey or Ass. The subject suffers no appreciable hearing loss.



Minor Protection (Nuisance Magic)
Whether by extending the power of an entity or deity or investing the wearer with arcane ritual these charms and wards protect commoners from minor magics. Typically an item of minor protection is crafted for one lesser threat, say 'Ass Ears' above.
Most protective magic items, as a secondary affect, grant a second save against nuisance magic.


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[jcsw]

Animate Tool
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2, Brd 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./ level)
Target: One tiny or smaller tool per caster level; see text
Duration: 1 hour per level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

You imbue inanimate tools with mobility, each such animated tool start working by its own if all the materials needed to complete the task are already in place. The tool cannot make complex work, if a check with a DC of 10 or higher is required to successfully complete the task the spell fails.

An animated tool can be of any nonmagical material. You may animate one Tiny or smaller tool or an equivalent number of larger tools per caster level. A Small tool counts as two Tiny or smaller tools, a Medium tool as four, a Large tool as eight and a Huge tool as sixteen. This spell cannot animate tools carried or worn by a creature.

Animate tools can be made permanent by a 9th level spellcaster with a permanency spell and spending 500 experience points.

I think this already exists in the form of Unseen Crafter in Races of Eberron.

[Shpadoinkle]

Called It
Enchantment
Level: Sor/Wiz 0, Brd 1, Clr 0
Components: S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One coin
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Casting this spell on a coin will cause it to land with the called face ('heads' or 'tails') displayed if the caster declares it, or the opposite if someone other than the caster declares it (i.e. the coin always lands in favor of the caster). The somatic component consists of flipping the coin. The focus is the coin itself.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Protection from Pruning

Alternately:

Protection from Pruning
Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 2, Druid 0
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 0 feet
Area: 30-foot-radius spread
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

All plants in the area are covered with mystical wards that prevent them from being bent, plucked, cut down, or otherwise harmed in a way that negatively affects their appearance. This means that they take no hit point damage unless a creature is specifically trying to deal damage to them, and even then only if the creature possesses more HD than the caster's CL at the time the spell was set.

Druids use this spell to protect the plants in their groves; wizards use this spell to ensure the fancily-shaped plants in front of their towers aren't vandalized and that their topiary guardians don't require grooming.

[Lysander]

I like the variety of spells here. Some are personal tools, others a minor form of defense or harm. Here's are two color affecting spells:

Noir
Illusion
Level: Sor/Wiz 1, Bard 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 0 feet
Area: 30-foot-sphere
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Color is filtered out of all light in the affected area, rending everything visible only in black and white. This affects all light that passes through the area, making any line of sight view through the field black and white, even if the observer or object viewed are outside. Anyone inside views the entire world in grayscale.

Spells like Color Spray or Scintillating Pattern are still bright and can affect you despite lacking color. A Prismatic Wall still functions normally, although it appears in different shades of gray.

Permanency
Noir can be made permanent for 500xp.

Color Flame
Illusion
Level: Cleric 1, Sor/Wiz 0, Bard 0
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action (or as swift action; see special)
Range: 10 feet
Target: Torch, lantern, candle, or small campfire
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

You can make a small fire burn in any visible color you choose, and cast light in only that color. If the fire spreads the additional flames also appear colored. The spell lasts until the fire burns out. Color Flame can also permanently change the color of a touched Continual Flame.

Special: Color Flame can be cast as a swift action before fire spells like Burning Hands to color any flames produced.

Alter Eyes
Illusion
Cleric 1, Sor/Wiz 0, Bard 0
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Target: Personal
Duration: 1 minute/level

The caster alters the color of their eyes to any they choose. This can also be used to give themselves unnatural appearing eyes, such as cat eyes, or completely white or black eyes without pupils. It cannot make eyes glow, or hide affects that alter the eyes like Arcane Sight. The caster can dismiss the spell at will.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

You can make a small fire burn in any visible color you choose, and cast light in only that color. If the fire spreads the additional flames appear normally. The spell lasts until the fire burns out. Color Flame can also permanently change the color of a touched Continual Flame.

I think the fire should keep the chosen color if it spreads, actually; it's kind of a letdown if, when a fire sorcerer whose trademark is violet flame lights a lantern with his violet-modified torch, the normal flames are boring old orange unless he expends another slot to make the lantern violet too.

[The Neoclassic]

I don't have any relevent spells right now, but I must say: Nifty ideas. I may end up actually using some of these spells. I particularly like Living Painting and Ass Ears. I can see the latter being used for a minor/one time cursed item. Maybe even with a special enchantment so that only the rightful owner of the hat (whomever it was created for) can wear it without that effect? That'd possibly good for an eccentric nobleman who'd been getting annoyed with servants attempting to steal and resell his clothing.

[Lysander]

I think the fire should keep the chosen color if it spreads, actually; it's kind of a letdown if, when a fire sorcerer whose trademark is violet flame lights a lantern with his violet-modified torch, the normal flames are boring old orange unless he expends another slot to make the lantern violet too.

Hmm true. I'll change it. And I'll add a special ability to use it as a swift action to alter fire spells so that sorcerer can launch violet colored fireballs if he wants.

I also edited my post to add a third spell.

[Xefas]

Alternately:

Oooo. I love that one. I'm totally using that along with the Called It and Noir spells (not all at the same time).

[Debihuman]

Ass Ears
Transmutation, polymorph, Nuisance Magic
Level: Sorc/Wiz 2, Bard 2
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 Minute
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Varies - till new moon.
Saving Throw: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

Subject's ears are reformed to look like those of a donkey or Ass. The subject suffers no appreciable hearing loss.



You'd think there'd be a +4 bonus to Listen checks and a -2 to checks based of Charisma (Diplomacy, Intimidate, etc.)

Debby

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Oooo. I love that one. I'm totally using that along with the Called It and Noir spells (not all at the same time).

Great. Now you've got me trying to think of possible reasons you would use them at the same time.

So you're flipping this really colorful coin at a rose bush...

[Set]

Color Flame

An idea derivative of Color Flame, which didn't make it into Relics & Rituals 2, despite my best efforts. :)

Spell Affect.
Illusion changes the appearance of another spell.

llusion
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target, Effect or Area: The caster
Duration: Variable
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Description
Born into slavery to an illusionist in Dunahnae, Soltares grew to understand that those who spent their lives mastering the blade could only hope to serve those who mastered the arts of spellcraft. After escaping that land, he mastered every trick of spellcraft he could muster, yet retained an interest in the arts of illusion and the power of deception.

Spell Effect
After casting this spell, the caster may alter the ‘special effects’ of any single spell he must cast in the following round (or later in the same round through the use of metamagic). Using this spell, an arcanist may produce a foul greenish-tinted daylight spell, a lightning bolt that pours forth as hundreds of great shadowy ravens or magic missiles that appear as screaming imps that fly through the air to swipe at the targets once before vanishing into acrid puffs of yellow smoke. The altered spell will last as long as it normally would, so that a web spell that resembles a gelatinous cube-like mass would last 10 minutes / level, while a continual flame made to appear as a crackling blue electrical arc around the object affected could potentially last for decades or even centuries. It is important to note that the spell mechanics will remain unchanged in any event; only the visual, aural, olfactory and tactile appearances of the spell can be changed. For example the ‘screaming imp’ magic missiles mentioned above do not have to roll to attack, cannot be attacked in return and cannot be blocked by a protection from evil spell, and will dissipate normally against a shield spell. The web spell altered to appear as a gelatinous cube will not move, suffocate its prey or secrete a paralyzing venom, and will cut or burn away exactly as any normal web spell. Neither resistances nor immunities will be impacted in any way, as the spells energy type (if any) will remain unchanged, so that the lightning bolt that appears as a swarm of icy ravens of shadow force will still be treated as an electrical attack and not one based on cold or darkness. Only one spell is affected per casting, and spells used from magical items are not affected.

[Debihuman]

I think Alter Eyes should be Transmutation rather than Illusion much Alter Self. Also, should have Components: V, S; Range: Personal; Target: You.

Debby

[Dracomortis]

Weave of Ineffable Power
Illusion (Glamer)
Level: Bard 0, sorcerer/wizard 0
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 free action
Range: Personal; see text
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None; see text
Spell Resistance: No

For the duration of this spell, all other cantrips (but not other spells) that you cast appear to be works of truly epic proportions. Spells that normally create small fires appear to incinerate everything around you; cantrips used to conjure water seem to instead transform the world into an endless sea. The effect of the illusion is centered wherever the affected cantrips are cast, but weave of ineffable power will not effect any area more than 100 feet from you, and it cannot affect any cantrip whose area is larger than a single 10-foot cube. The effects of weave of ineffable power on any given cantrip last only 1 round, even if the cantrip itself has a longer duration. The illusion does not create sound, smell, texture, or temperature. Creatures who interact with the illusion are allowed a Will save to disbelieve it.

[Lysander]

Weave of Ineffable Power
Illusion (Glamer)
Level: Bard 0, sorcerer/wizard 0
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 free action
Range: Personal; see text
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None; see text
Spell Resistance: No

For the duration of this spell, all other cantrips (but not other spells) that you cast appear to be works of truly epic proportions. Spells that normally create small fires appear to incinerate everything around you; cantrips used to conjure water seem to instead transform the world into an endless sea. The effect of the illusion is centered wherever the affected cantrips are cast, but weave of ineffable power will not effect any area more than 100 feet from you. Creatures who interact with the illusion are allowed a Will save to disbelieve it.

It's a cool spell, but I think the level should be higher, at least level three. After all, if it can make the world seem flooded it's at least as powerful as higher level illusion spell.

[Dracomortis]

It's a cool spell, but I think the level should be higher, at least level three. After all, if it can make the world seem flooded it's at least as powerful as higher level illusion spell.

I've reworded the spell a bit and added in some extra text to specify exactly which aspects of the affected cantrips it alters - specifically, weave of ineffable power only alters its visual appearance, and the illusion created when an affected cantrip is cast only lasts 1 round, even if the cantrip itself lasts longer (so, it might indeed make the world look flooded, but only for a round). It should now function like silent image, but with a shorter range, smaller area, and somewhat limited application (though it does persist without the need for concentration).

[PumpkinJack]

I always thought the effects of "Spell Affect" should be a given on any spells the caster came up with themselves (meaning minor cosmetic variations) instead of deriving from other people.

[Lysander]

Here is one spell we've seen in many films and books:

Candlelight
Evocation, Fire
Level: Cleric 0, Sor/Wiz 0
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 10 ft/level
Target: Three candlesticks/level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: No

A wave of the hand ignites the wicks of any candlestick within range. There must be a direct unblocked line between the caster and the wick, but the caster does not need to see the candle to cast the spell or even know for certain a candle is there. If the caster does not specify which candles to light it will ignite those that are closest.

Although Candlelight is a 0 level spells lighting many candles with it requires a powerful magician. Anyone with spellcraft ranks should be suitably awed if they see a magician illuminate dozens of candles with a gesture.

[Eloel]

And here is another;


Lights Off
Transmutation
Level: Cleric 0, Sor/Wiz 0
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 10 ft/level
Target: Three minor light sources/level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: No

With a gesture of hand, as if collecting something from the air, minor lights around the caster are off'd.

Minor light sources include candles, matches, and similar. You can extinguish a torch or lantern as if offing 9 minor sources, and only the most powerful of the wizards can extinguish a campfire or similar, for it's big as 60 minor sources.

Multiple castings of this spell can reduce huge fires, though the fire will likely spread around again till you recast the spell to further reduce it.

This spell can be used to counterspell Candlelight.




A practical use for this could be giving command-activated items of this to commoners, for creating a base for fire departments. :smallwink:

[Lysander]

Nice! Although maybe a campfire should only count as 30 sources, since a level 10 magician shouldn't consider a normal fire a big obstacle.Here's another in this list of firelight spells:

Dim/Brighten
Transmutation
Level: Cleric 0, Sor/Wiz 0
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 10 ft/level
Target: Three burning candles/level
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: No

You can brighten or dim candlelight with a gesture, up to twice or half as bright as normal. The caster can alter each affected candle a different way, brightening some and dimming others to the degree of their choice.

A candle at twice brightness provides bright illumination for 5 feet and shadowy illumination for ten. A candle at half brightness only provides shadowy illumination for 2.5 feet, barely useful for anything other than reading. The extra or reduced light is a purely supernatural effect, and doesn't effect how hot the fire burns. Since the spell actually targets the combustible material and not the flame if the fire spreads the additional flame glows normally. The spell ends if the candle is extinguished or burns out.

Dim/Brighten can also be used on larger fires, but they count as several candles. A single torch or lantern counts as six candles, a campfire as twelve.

[SlyGuyMcFly]

Power Word: Groove


This. Is. AWESOME! And quite probably abusable. But such is way of Funk.