Need More 1st Level Illusion/Necromancy Spells [Archive]

Oramac

2021-11-20, 01:40 AM

This might just be my opinion but I feel that there should be more 1st level Illusion/Necromancy spells, especially considering that we have the Shadow Touched Feat.

I don't know if Curriculum of Chaos will add any options for this, but that might be awesome if it did.

Either way, I certain that many of us would love to see something like this.

I fully agree, mainly with the necromancy side of it. So much so that I wrote several new necromancy spells for my homebrew setting. I'd be thrilled if you (and others) wanted to critique them for me.

Flaming Skull

Necromancy cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

You conjure and hurl a flaming, screaming skull at a creature you can see within range. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 fire or necrotic damage (your choice). This spell’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).

Animate Minor Dead

1st Level Necromancy

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: 10 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

This spell creates a tiny undead servant. Choose a hand, foot, or other small appendage within range. Your spell imbues the target with a foul mimicry of life, raising it as an undead creature. Regardless of the target's shape, it uses the game statistics of a Crawling Claw.

On each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any appendage you made with this spell if the appendage is within 60 feet of you (if you control multiple appendages, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the appendage will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the appendage only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the appendage continues to follow it until its task is complete.

The appendage is under your control for 24 hours, after which it stops obeying any command you’ve given it. To maintain control of the appendage for another 24 hours, you must cast this spell on the appendage again before the current 24-hour period ends. This use of the spell reasserts your control over up to four appendages you have animated with this spell, rather than animating a new one.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you animate or reassert control over two additional undead appendages for each slot level above 1st. Each of the appendages must be unique.

Bone Spikes

1st Level Necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You summon bones from the ground to pierce an area you can see within range. Shattered bones pierce through the earth in an area within a 10 foot radius of that point. Creatures within the area must make a dexterity saving throw, taking 1d10 piercing damage on a failed save and half as much damage on a successful save. When a creature enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn in the area, it must make the dexterity saving throw, taking the same damage. While the spell lasts, the affected area is difficult terrain.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 1st.

Shattered Bone Spear

1st Level Necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

You rip a ghostly bone from the aether and hurl it at a target you can see within range. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 2d4 piercing and 3d4 necrotic damage.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the piercing and necrotic damage increase by 1d4 for each slot level above 1st.

Strangulation

2nd Level Necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: 1 round

You cause ghastly necrotic tendrils to form around the neck of a creature you can see within range. The creature must make a constitution saving throw. The creature takes 3d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, and half as much on a success.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 2nd.

Wall of Bone

4th Level Necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You summon the bones of the dead to create a wall at a point you can see within range. You can make the wall up to 40 feet long, 10 feet high, and 6 inches thick, or you can make a cubed wall up to 20 feet on a side and 6 inches thick. The wall vanishes when the spell ends. The bones are 1 inch apart, allowing creatures to see through them, but not squeeze through.

Any ranged weapon attack that fires through the wall has disadvantage on the attack roll. Each 5-foot-square section has AC 15, 30 hit points, is immune to piercing damage, and is vulnerable to bludgeoning damage. Reducing a section to 0 hit points destroys that section.

If there is a corpse or pile of bones within 30 feet of the point at which you summon the wall, the spell pulls bones from them. The wall can then be 10 feet larger and each section gains 10 hit points per corpse or pile of bones consumed, up to 3.

Desecration

7th Level Necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You conjure foul, necromantic energy to desecrate the ground at an area you can see. Choose a point within range. In a 30 foot radius ceneted on that point, necromantic energy rises from the ground. Creatures within the area or that start their turn within the area must make a constitution saving throw, taking 6d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful save. If there is a corpse or pile of bones within the area of affect, the damage is increased by 2d8 per corpse or pile of bones, up to a maximum increase of 6d8. Creatures who fail the save additionally have disadvantage on the next saving throw they make before the beginning of their next turn.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 8th level or higher, the base damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 7th.