Immolating Your Minions

[Palanan]

Is there a spell that can be applied to a number of people at once, which causes them to explode or catch fire when they reach 0 hp?

I know some creatures have similar properties, not sure if I’m vaguely remembering a spell that does the same when cast on humans. Anything from official Wizards or Paizo sources would be fine. I would prefer something fiery, but I can work with a negative energy burst if that's the only option.

[Zaq]

I have a vague memory of this existing. I’m pretty sure it’s in Spell Compendium, Exemplars of Evil, or Elder Evils. I don’t have my books right now, though, and I forget the name. I recall a picture of an exploding kobold, though, so that might give you something to look for?

[Segev]

Is there a spell that can be applied to a number of people at once, which causes them to explode or catch fire when they reach 0 hp?

I know some creatures have similar properties, not sure if I’m vaguely remembering a spell that does the same when cast on humans. Anything from official Wizards or Paizo sources would be fine. I would prefer something fiery, but I can work with a negative energy burst if that's the only option.

There's the Necrotic line of spells from Libris Mortis. You take the feat Mother Cyst to add them to your spell list, and then you have to infect people using the second level spell necrotic cyst (or a few other means) with a Necrotic Cyst. This gives the victim a -2 penalty to all saves vs. Necromancy, and also renders them valid targets for additional spells in the chain. The 4th level spell is necrotic domination, which is as dominate monster but Necromancy and only valid against bearers of Necrotic Cysts. The 7th level one is necrotic tumor, which has, if they make the save, the subject influenced as by suggestion. If they fail, they become your complete and utter slaves, permanently, unable to resist doing your bidding.

And then there's necrotic eruption. I forget if it's 5th or 6th level, but it does CLd6 damage, half vile, to the target, who can save for half. If they die from this, they explode for CL d6 damage in a fireball-like radius, again half vile, and anybody who takes damage must save again or become infected with a necrotic cyst of their own.

So, imagine an evil necromancer who has kidnapped a bunch of women and children, and infected them all with Necrotic Cysts. He uses the built-in mind control, if he cares enough, to manipulate them, but they'll probably naturally run towards the heroes for salvation, anyway. When the paladin catches the terrified urchin in his arms and places him on his shoulders with a promise to protect him, the <10-hp kid explodes for massive damage, right on top of the paladin's head. Where he can feel the child die.

Repeat with additional victims.


Oh, and anything killed by necrotic eruption or its less-spectacular damage-dealing brethren has its Necrotic Cyst become an undead creature known as a Skulking Cyst. Skulking Cysts are reasonably good at hiding, drain blood as part of their attack, and can, 1 or 2/day (I forget), cast necrotic cyst on a victim of their blood drain. So the necromancer can bargain with or compel those to go out into small town and infect a bunch of people whom he'll later mind-whammy or straight-up kidnap to use as explosive ablative armor.

[ShurikVch]

Spell Compendium have Death Throes spell (Cleric 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5); it's personal-range spell, but may be applied to minions via Contingent Spell, Skull Talisman, or Greater Glyph Seal

Fatal Flame spell (Complete Scoundrel) is a single-target spell, but will do the job (if persisted)

[Thurbane]

I vaguely remember a PrC type ability where your followers get boosts, but also take fire damage each round.

I looked at the Warchief and their Tribal Frenzy ability, but I don't think that's what I was thinking of.

Maybe it was a Barbarian ACF?

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by ShurikVch
Fatal Flame spell (Complete Scoundrel) is a single-target spell, but will do the job (if persisted)

This looks good, except the damage is kinda dinky. For relatively low-level minions, you’d only get a few hp per explosion, and that’s before the Reflex save.


Originally Posted by Thurbane
I vaguely remember a PrC type ability where your followers get boosts, but also take fire damage each round.

I could’ve sworn I’ve seen something like this too, but no idea where.

[Requiem_Jeer]

There's a feat for undead minions that's a necrotic energy burst, even heals other undead. If you were a minion making necromancer you'd want the prerequisite feat anyway, corpsecrafter line is great. It's in the libris mortis.

Other than that I think that scoundrel spell is your best bet for usability, necrotic cyst line is also solid though. Depends how much effort you want to go through for this.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Requiem_Jeer
Depends how much effort you want to go through for this.

If there isn’t something official, I’d be open to brewing my own custom spell for this.

Ideally I’d like one humanoid target per caster level, exploding for 1d6 fire damage when reaching 0 hp. Not sure what spell level that should be, but second or third level would be good for my purposes.

[ShurikVch]

I recall a picture of an exploding kobold, though, so that might give you something to look for?Was it this picture?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NbqRBrVbgkU/R6s4q7Xl2oI/AAAAAAAAADM/L4OqvTElEPY/s320/Kobold+Explosion.jpg

Sadly, I'm unaware from where it is... :smallsigh:

[the_david]

Animate Dead allows you to make burning skeletons in Pathfinder that do 1d6/2 hit dice [fire] damage to adjacent creatures when they are destroyed. I'm not sure this is what you have in mind, but it works, more or less.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by ShurikVch
Was it this picture?

Unfortunately, yes. That’s from p. 99 of Complete Scoundrel, illustrating the Fatal Flame spell.


Originally Posted by the_david
I'm not sure this is what you have in mind….

Thanks, but not quite the direction I was going for. I’m looking for something that triggers when living humanoids are reduced to 0 hp.


Originally Posted by Palanan
If there isn’t something official, I’d be open to brewing my own custom spell for this.

So, here’s what I’m thinking:


Final Flame
Evocation (Fire)
Level: Cleric 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: touch
Target: one humanoid per level
Duration: 1 hour/level or until triggered
Saving Throw: Will negates; Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes

When a target humanoid is reduced to 0 hit points or less, it explodes in a pulse of flame, dealing 1d6+1 fire damage to each adjacent creature. The bonus damage increases by +1 for every two caster levels. A successful Reflex save halves this damage. Final Flame has no harmful or visible effects on the target’s body before its demise.

How does this look? It accomplishes what I need, just want to be sure this is the appropriate level for the given effects.

[Zaq]

Yeah, that's the picture I was thinking of. Fatal flame isn't good for you, huh?

Try looking at infallible servant on pg. 27-28 of Exemplars of Evil. It doesn't do precisely what you want, but it's got a lot of the elements you're after: longish duration (1 hr/lv), 3rd level spell for clerics and wizards/sorcerers, and causes a negative AoE effect to anyone nearby when the target is slain. That seems like a good foundation on which to build your desired effect, don't you think?

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Zaq
Fatal flame isn't good for you, huh?

Well, the duration is too short for what I have in mind, and the damage is minimal. Also, the spell can only affect one creature per casting.

I need something that lasts longer, with a bit more of a kick, and which can affect multiple humanoids at once. What I knocked together is essentially Fatal Flame with those changes, and restricted to touch range to compensate for the longer duration.

Is what I knocked together more or less plausible as a third-level spell?

[PoeticallyPsyco]

The Corpsecrafter/Destructive Retribution feat chain already got mentioned. With some metamagic-fu, you could Twin Spell detonate.