Three more low level arcane necromantic spells (P.E.A.C.H.)

[Grelna the Blue]

[The spell below was created because everybody likes rats.]

Hungry Mists

School: Illusion/Necromancy [shadow]; Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 2
Range : Close (25 feet + 5 feet/2 caster levels)
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round + 1 round/3 levels of the caster
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: Will partial

A grey mist vaguely resembling a swarm of incorporeal rats boils from the caster’s hands and streams towards the target. The ghostly rat swarm surrounds the target and seems to burrow into the target’s body, with a preference for entering through nostrils, mouth, ears, and any open wounds. In the first round, the target is sickened and takes 1d8 points of damage +1 added point of damage per level of the caster, to a maximum of 1d8+10 points of damage at 10th level. The target may make a Will save to take only half damage and negate the sickening effect. In each succeeding round of the spell’s duration, the target must make another Will save or be sickened for the round and take an additional 1d6 points of damage. The Hungry Mists last for one extra round for every three levels of the caster (one additional round at 3rd, 2 at 6th, 3 at 9th, etc.). This spell has no effect on undead or incorporeal beings. The material component is the cranium of a rat, which is crushed and consumed during the casting.


[The spell below is an upgraded, ranged version of the Chill Touch spell. It does subpar hit point damage for its level, but the Str damage is potentially good, although most creatures with Str worth worrying about will make at least some of the necessary saves.]

Long Shadows of the Grave

School: Necromancy; Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/2 caster levels)
Components: V, S
Casting Time: Standard action
Duration: Instantaneous
Area of Effect: Up to 5 creatures, no 2 of whom can be more than 15’ apart
Saving Throw: Fortitude (partial) for living creatures; Will (negates) for undead

Dark rays of negative energy lance out from the caster’s hands. The caster must succeed at a ranged touch attack with each ray. Each ray striking a living creature deals 1d8 points of negative energy damage and 1 point of Strength damage. Any living target struck by a ray successfully making a Fortitude save vs. the caster’s Spell DC may negate the Strength damage, but still takes the hit point damage. For each even level the caster has attained, she gains a ray, to a maximum of five rays at 10th level. Multiple rays may be targeted against the same creature, each dealing 1d8 negative energy damage and each triggering a Fortitude save which if failed results in a point of Strength damage. If sneak attack damage is applicable, it is added to one ray only.

Against undead, the rays have an effect similar to the spell Chill Touch, dealing no damage but causing undead failing Will saves vs. the caster’s Spell DC to flee as if panicked for 1d4 rounds + 1 round/caster level. Multiple rays affecting the same undead creature do not increase the length of time it must flee on a failed Will save, but do make it more likely to flee as it must make a separate Will save vs. each ray.


[The spell below is a little unusual. Everyone knows necromancy is good at inflicting pain. However, pain is only one side of an equation...]

Caress of Infinite Pleasure
School: Divination/Necromancy; Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 3; Witch 2
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, F
Duration: 1 minute/level
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Area of Effect: Creature or creatures touched
Saving Throw: Will partial or Fortitude negates (see below)

This spell induces intensely pleasurable feelings in any single living being of at least animal intelligence with whom the caster comes into physical proximity (touch contact). The caster may only affect a single creature in any given round, but she may choose to affect different creatures in different rounds. The strength of the sensations may be varied by the caster by concentrating, from mildly pleasurable (no game mechanics effect) to near incapacitating (target must make a Will save to take any action at all so long as she is in physical contact with the caster). The caster may end the spell as a swift action by sending a single touched being a jolt of pure pleasure so strong that the being must make a Fortitude save to remain conscious. Lethal damage taken by a creature during this spell's duration gives that creature an immediate Will save with a +4 morale bonus to resist, should it choose to. The focus is a velvet glove, which must be worn during casting and throughout the duration of the spell.

[scarmiglionne4]

[The spell below was created because everybody likes rats.]

Hungry Mists

School: Necromancy; Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 2
Range : Close (25 feet + 5 feet/2 caster levels)
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round + 1 round/3 levels of the caster
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial

A grey mist vaguely resembling a swarm of ethereal rats boils from the caster’s hands and streams towards the target. The ghostly rat swarm surrounds the target and seems to burrow into the target’s body, with a preference for entering through nostrils, mouth, ears, and any open wounds. In the first round, the target is sickened and takes 1d8 points of damage +1 added point of damage per level of the caster, to a maximum of 1d8+10 points of damage at 10th level. The target may make a Fortitude save to take only half damage and negate the sickening effect. In each succeeding round of the spell’s duration, the target must make another Fortitude save or be sickened for the round and take an additional 1d6 points of damage. The Hungry Mists last for one extra round for every three levels of the caster (one additional round at 3rd, 2 at 6th, 3 at 9th, etc.). One additional round at 3rd level, two at 6th and so on. This spell has no effect on undead or incorporeal beings. The material component is the cranium of a rat, which is crushed and consumed during the casting

Not bad, but shouldn't it be incorporeal rats instead of ethereal? Nothing major there. I know you are trying to make more necromancy spells, bu this would seem more appropriate as an illusion spell. Instead of a Fortitude save it allows a will save.

[The spell below is an upgraded, ranged version of the Chill Touch spell. It does subpar hit point damage for its level, but the Str damage is potentially good, although most creatures with Str worth worrying about will make at least some of the necessary saves.]

[I]
Long Shadows of the Grave

School: Necromancy; Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/2 caster levels)
Components: V, S
Casting Time: Standard action
Duration: Instantaneous
Area of Effect: Up to 5 creatures, no 2 of which can be more than 15’ apart
Saving Throw: Fortitude (partial) for living creatures; Will (negates) for undead

Dark rays of negative energy lance out from the caster’s hands. The caster must succeed at a ranged touch attack with each ray. Each ray striking a living creature deals 1d8 points of negative energy damage and 1 point of Strength damage. Any living target struck by a ray successfully making a Fortitude save vs. the caster’s Spell DC may negate the Strength damage, but still takes the hit point damage. For each even level the caster has attained, she gains a ray, to a maximum of five rays at 10th level. Multiple rays may be targeted against the same creature, each dealing 1d8 negative energy damage and each triggering a Fortitude save which if failed results in a point of Strength damage.

Against undead, the rays have an effect similar to the spell Chill Touch, dealing no damage but causing undead failing Will saves vs. the caster’s Spell DC to flee as if panicked for 1d4 rounds + 1 round/caster level. Multiple rays affecting the same undead creature do not increase the length of time it must flee on a failed Will save, but do make it more likely to flee as it must make a separate Will save vs. each ray.

Can you put all five rays into one creature? If so 1d8 per ray for five rays seems a little too strong. 1d6 seems like it would be plenty.

[I]
[The spell below is a little unusual. Everyone knows necromancy is good at inflicting pain. However, pain is only one side of an equation...]

Caress of Infinite Pleasure
School: Divination/Necromancy; Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 3; Witch 2
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, F
Duration: 1 minute/level
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Area of Effect: Creature or creatures touched
Saving Throw: Will partial or Fortitude negates (see below)

This spell induces intensely pleasurable feelings in any single living being of at least animal intelligence with whom the caster comes into physical proximity (touch contact). The caster may only affect a single creature in any given round, but she may choose to affect different creatures in different rounds. The strength of the sensations may be varied by the caster by concentrating, from mildly pleasurable (no game mechanics effect) to near incapacitating (target must make a Will save to take any action at all so long as she is in physical contact with the caster). The caster may end the spell as a swift action by sending a single touched being a jolt of pure pleasure so strong that the being must make a Fortitude save to remain conscious. Lethal damage taken by a creature during this spell's duration gives that creature an immediate Will save with a +4 morale bonus to resist, should it choose to. The focus is a velvet glove, which must be worn during casting and throughout the duration of the spell.

This reminds me of the Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker. You'd have to have a pretty mature group of players. I could never allow such a spell at my table. I can't even say something like 'weathercock' without them losing focus for the entire night. Why is it Divination/Necromancy?

[Grelna the Blue]

Not bad, but shouldn't it be incorporeal rats instead of ethereal? Nothing major there. I know you are trying to make more necromancy spells, bu this would seem more appropriate as an illusion spell. Instead of a Fortitude save it allows a will save.

Fixed the ethereal/incorporeal thing (thanks!), but although I could see this as an illusion spell of the Shadow school, I like it better as Necromancy. Although I'd be open to the idea of Illusion/Necromancy...

Can you put all five rays into one creature? If so 1d8 per ray for five rays seems a little too strong. 1d6 seems like it would be plenty.

Well, I'll wait to see what other people say before making that change. 5d8 hit point damage vs. one target, each d8 requiring a roll to hit, would not even be worth it for a 3rd level spell were it not for the possibility of a point of Str damage with each ray. The effect vs. the living does not seem uber to me, but perhaps I'm not looking at this right. Anyone else want to weigh in on this one?

This reminds me of the Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker. You'd have to have a pretty mature group of players. I could never allow such a spell at my table. I can't even say something like 'weathercock' without them losing focus for the entire night. Why is it Divination/Necromancy?

I was inspired by an old 2E spell called Pain Touch (in the Necromancer's Handbook, if memory serves). It was Divination/Necromancy too, I think because it involved enhancing and affecting the sense of pain.

Edit: I just looked Pain Touch up, and memory did NOT serve me in this case. Pain Touch was a 3rd level spell in the Complete Wizard's Handbook, and was a pure Divination spell. Its material component was a needle and a finger from a singed glove.

Still, that doesn't take away from the idea that Caress of Infinite Pleasure could be Divination at least in part, although in honesty I don't care so much about that. I just like to try to expand the boundaries of Necromantic magic where it seems it can be done without infringing on other schools of magic (and given that I believe that 2E and 3.5 were correct in that spells could belong to more than one school at once, there is built-in leeway there). Pure Necromancy in 3.5/PF is rather boring, because its most flavorful spells are all about squick. 3.5 did move cold into the school and PF expanded it a bit with curses, but even so the school supposedly about the magic of life and death is mostly about fear, death, and decay. How can you shock people with horrific spells when your chosen school specialization almost certainly tells people everything they need to know about them ahead of time?

[Yitzi]

Well, I'll wait to see what other people say before making that change. 5d8 hit point damage vs. one target, each d8 requiring a roll to hit, would not even be worth it for a 3rd level spell were it not for the possibility of a point of Str damage with each ray. The effect vs. the living does not seem uber to me, but perhaps I'm not looking at this right. Anyone else want to weigh in on this one?

For a pure wizard, it's not all that incredible, but in the hands of an arcane trickster, or cast from a scroll by a rogue, it becomes extremely powerful extremely fast due to sneak attack.

[bobthe6th]

The Hungry Mists last for one extra round for every three levels of the caster (one additional round at 3rd, 2 at 6th, 3 at 9th, etc.). One additional round at 3rd level, two at 6th and so on.

the bolded line is redundant.

[Grelna the Blue]

For a pure wizard, it's not all that incredible, but in the hands of an arcane trickster, or cast from a scroll by a rogue, it becomes extremely powerful extremely fast due to sneak attack.

Hm, I don't think that works for more than one ray. I know in 3.5 there is the volley fire rule that explicitly disallows it. I'm not sure about Pathfinder, but if that rule wasn't carried over then I've just been houseruling it as if it had. Regardless, if it needs to be made explicit in the spell that sneak attack is only applied once I can certainly do that.

the bolded line is redundant.

Thanks! Fixed.

[Yitzi]

Hm, I don't think that works for more than one ray. I know in 3.5 there is the volley fire rule that explicitly disallows it.

Ok, that makes sense, although apparently that comes from Complete Arcane and so would not apply to a game that
(a) Did not allow Complete Arcane, and
(b) Did allow psionics (which includes the Greater Manyshot feat, from which the rule would likely be extrapolated without an explicit rule otherwise.)

(I do know that you can apply Sneak Attack damage to every attack with Chill Touch, making it a very useful "budget" spell for arcane tricksters.)

[Grelna the Blue]

Ok, that makes sense, although apparently that comes from Complete Arcane and so would not apply to a game that
(a) Did not allow Complete Arcane, and
(b) Did allow psionics (which includes the Greater Manyshot feat, from which the rule would likely be extrapolated without an explicit rule otherwise.)

(I do know that you can apply Sneak Attack damage to every attack with Chill Touch, making it a very useful "budget" spell for arcane tricksters.)

I think that is because the Chill Touch spell attacks are staggered in time, not simultaneous, so they can be treated as normal weapon attacks. Anyway, I have now changed this spell to (hopefully) remove all ambiguity in this regard. I'm aiming for solid spells with flavor, not cheesy abusability.

BTW, I really appreciate the input.

[Miss Disaster]

I like these spells, Grelna. Especially the first two ...

But you need to mention if these are SR: Yes, SR: No, or some variation thereof.