Spell contest 0: Rule test

[insecure]

This thread is for testing the rules and the general concept. Treat this thread as if it were a normal contest.
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The rules are as follows:


One submission per participant.

You can make a 1st-3rd level spell, a 4th-6th level spell, or a 7th-9th level spell, or any combination of those.

There will be a keyword you'd have to build each spell around.

You can edit your submitted spells as much as you want until the deadline.

We will find the best spells by voting.

There will be three "sub-contests", one for 1st-3rd level spells, one for 4th-6th level spells, and one for 7th-9th level spells, and we will find a winner in each.

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The keyword for this contest is: Failure

Guide to homebrewing. (http://giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10313)

The deadline is the 1st of August.

For any questions regarding the contest, post it in the chat thread here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4506518#post4506518).

[Tempest Fennac]

Slippy's Failure. [Compulsion] [Mind-Affecting]
Enchantment.
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S,
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: 1 creature.
Duration: 1 round/level.
Saving Throw: Will Negates.
Spell Resistance: No.

Whenever the target makes any sort of dice roll, the caster can roll 1d6/4 levels before subtracting this result from the target's roll. The spell ends once the duration expires, or the caster runs out of dice. the caster runs out of dice. 1d6 can be used/round.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Butterfingers
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 1; Bard 1
Components: V, S,
Casting time: 1 immediate action action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: 1 creature.
Duration: Inst
Saving Throw: Will Negates.
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell may be cast in the middle of another action when a target is forced to make a Reflex save. The target of the spell must immediately make a Will save or automatically fail the Reflex save. If the will save is successful, the target must still make the reflex save. This spell cannot be used to target a target of one of your spells. For example, you cannot cast a Fireball, then Butterfingers a target of that fireball, but you could cast butterfingers on the target of a friend's fireball, even though it is not your turn, or cast it on an opponent who had just triggered a trap.

[Fako]

Imminent Failure
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4, Brd 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10ft./level)
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

As you finish the words of the spell, the cat hair in your hand vanishes. You look up at your target and smile as you see his resolve broken, his mind obviously filled with doubt...

You pit your subject’s imagination against him, forcing them to think of all the ways their actions could go wrong. For the duration of the spell, the subject must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom check or be unable to act as their mind is filled with self-doubt. They can still defend themselves from attacks – they just can’t follow through on any ideas of their own.
On any round that they succeed on their Wisdom check, the subject can take a standard action to attempt to shake off their doubts, granting them a new Will save to end the spell.
Material Component: A few strands of black cat hair.

[Eurus]

The Wizard Durgmunk was born with an unusual combination of great ambition, incredible intelligence, and terrible luck. As a result, though he could have been one of the greatest arcanists in history, constant failures always held him back from fame and glory. When he finally died (in a spectacular magical explosion that caused everyone within miles to grow several redundant appendages), all of his work was lost in the ruins of his tower, which soon became home to a tribe of kobolds. A few years later, though, when a group of adventurers exterminated the kobolds, they found Durgmunk's old notes, half-deciphered by the kobold's resident arcanist, and brought them back to civilization, where they managed to retrieve three almost-intact spells from the chaos. Sadly, because of their unfinished and dangerous nature, the otherwise-potent spells have never achieved widespread use.

Durgmunk's Unstable Spellblast
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10ft/level)
Target: 10-foot-radius burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes

A crackle of magical energy makes your hair stand on end as you nervously chant words of arcane power, hoping fervently that the spell works properly. A multicolored aura of light coalesces around your hand, and you flick your fingers toward your target...

The first spell reconstructed from Durgmunk's notes, it is as simple as it is dangerous. By condensing a mass of raw magical energy into his hand, the caster can create and fire a deadly projectile of multicolored energy at a foe. If you aim it at a creature or object, you must make a ranged touch attack; if successful, the struck creature does not receive a reflex save against the damage dealt. If it misses, the blast explodes somewhere in the target's square instead, allowing all affected parties a save as normal. Regardless of the result of the attack roll, the projectile detonates in a ten-foot-radius burst of force, dealing 1d6 damage plus an additional 1d6 per caster level (max 11d6 total).

Unfortunately, every time you cast this spell there is a 1% chance per caster level (max 10%) that the spell detonates prematurely, centering the blast on you instead. You receive no saving throw against this effect, as if you had been struck by the projectile, but any allies or enemies within the effect do. You may choose to voluntarily lower your caster level (to a minimum of 1) when casting this spell, lowering all caster level-dependent variables (range, damage, chance of failure, etcetera) as well.


Durgmunk's Double-Edged Defense
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: No (Reflex half, see below)
Spell Resistance: Yes

A low buzzing fills your ears as you clutch the glass bead in hand, an aura of cool blue-white light settling around you. As the town guard advances on you with a spear, you silently hope for the best...

The second of Durgmunk's three spells, the Double-Edged Defense is a powerful shield, but it too carries with it a risk of failure. While this spell is active, you gain damage reduction 5/-. In addition, anyone striking at you with a natural or melee weapon immediately takes 1d6 force damage +1/caster level (max +15). However, there is a chance that the strain causes the volatile spell energies to unravel in a dangerous blast. Every time the spell activates against an attacker, there is a cumulative 2% chance (the first retaliation would have a 2% chance of failure, the second a 4% chance, etcetera) that the spell shatters, striking both the attacker and the defender for 1d8 force damage per caster level. The attacker may make a reflex save for half damage, but the caster receives no save.

Material Component: A small glass bead, which shatters if the spell backfires.


Durgmunk's Devastating Assault
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time:
Range: 60 ft.
Target: Cone-shaped burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
Spell Resistance: Yes

Power thrums through your entire body as you complete the arcane words and gestures, vibrating your bones and blurring your vision. Thrusting one hand forward, you quickly attempt to release this force on your foes...

Pieced together from Durgmunk's notes over the course of several months, this spell is believed to be what he was working on at the time of his death. This mighty spell releases a torrent of pure crushing force on your foes, dealing 1d6 force damage per caster level (max 25d6). In addition, all afflicted targets must make a Fortitude save or be slammed back by the impact, flying back 10 feet per caster level (max 200 feet) and taking an additional 1d6 damage for each 10 feet so traveled. If the subject strikes a thin enough barrier (about 12 inches minus one inch per point of hardness of the material), he takes an additional 1d6 damage and breaks through it. If he strikes a thicker barrier, the subject comes to an abrupt halt, taking damage for the full distance he would have traveled plus 3d6.

However, like all of Durgmunk's spells, there is a serious risk with using this spell. Every time it is cast, there is a 10% chance that it backfires, with fatal effects on the caster. If it does backfire, the caster's entire body is obliterated as all of his prepared spells instantly go off, almost like a staff broken in a retributive strike. Everyone and everything within a 60-foot radius is subjected to the full effects of the spell, including knockback. The caster himself (along with all of his equipment) has a 50% chance to be transported to a random location on a random plane and knocked unconscious for 2d12 hours, otherwise he is instantly destroyed by this backlash, his body obliterated.

Material Component: A large, flawless glass prism, costing at least 50 gold pieces, hurled to the ground and shattered.

[RandomFellow]

The Archmagus Sirath was vile to the core, he would throw his apprentices to the wolves in great magical duels with a few minor spells at their disposal in the hopes they will disrupt his foes just enough to give him an edge. If his apprentices were slaughtered, who cared? They could always be replaced.

Sirath's Spell Disruption, Lesser
Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Immediate Action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: No

A spell designed to disrupt the casting of one's foes, this minor magery interferes with the target's spell. If the target is not casting a spell, it has no effect. To use this spell, successfully, you must identify your target's spell.

The Save DC (if any) of the target's spell is reduced by your Caster Level. The target spellcaster may negate this effect by one of the following methods:
A successful Concentration check against DC 15 + your Caster Level.
The target spellcaster may expend a first level (or higher) spell slot in addition to the spell he or she is casting.

Sirath's Spell Disruption
Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Immediate Action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: No

A spell designed to disrupt the casting of one's foes, this magery interferes with the target's spell. If the target is not casting a spell, it has no effect. To use this spell, successfully, you must identify your target's spell.

The target's spell is countered unless the target spellcaster negates the effect.

The target spellcaster may negate this effect by one of the following methods:
A successful Concentration check against DC 20 + your Caster Level.
The target spellcaster may expend a fourth level (or higher) spell slot in addition to the spell he or she is casting.