Fun with Magic

Fun with Magic: Antipathy

Keith Abbott — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 18:16:00 GMT

This is an article in the continuing series, “Fun with Magic”, where I examine spells from the D20 System Reference Document, which corresponds to spells from the Player’s Handbook v. 3.5. These spells are in almost every campaign and form the foundation of spells used in Yön. Each article demonstrates strengths and weaknesses of a particular spell and some unique applications for each, to the limit of the author’s imagination, such as it is.

Antipathy

Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]

Level: Drd 9, Sor/Wiz 8

Components: V, S, M/DF

Casting Time: 1 hour

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target: One location (up to a 10-ft. cube/level) or one object

Duration: 2 hours/level (D)

Saving Throw: Will partial

Spell Resistance: Yes

You cause an object or location to emanate magical vibrations that repel either a specific kind of intelligent creature or creatures of a particular alignment, as defined by you. The kind of creature to be affected must be named specifically. A creature subtype is not specific enough. Likewise, the specific alignment to be repelled must be named.

Creatures of the designated kind or alignment feel an overpowering urge to leave the area or to avoid the affected item.

A compulsion forces them to abandon the area or item, shunning it and never willingly returning to it while the spell is in effect. A creature that makes a successful saving throw can stay in the area or touch the item but feels uncomfortable doing so. This distracting discomfort reduces the creature’s Dexterity score by 4 points.

Antipathy counters and dispels sympathy.

Arcane Material Component: A lump of alum soaked in vinegar.

This spell used to be more powerful in earlier editions, but has been nerfed since then. Still, against powerful creatures, you can use it to drive them away from a room you are in or at least knock four points off their Dexterity if they stay and fight. This will reduce their Armor Class, ranged attacks and Reflex saves by two, so it might make the fight against them easier. It’s a good spell to use against dragons by casting it on the area where their treasure is and fighting them there. Few dragons are going to completely abandon their treasure, so If they fail the save, they can’t melee you around their treasure or even approach it, and some lower-level energy resistance spells will ward off their breath weapons. If they make the save, their Reflex saves will suffer a bit as will their Armor Class, especially their touch AC, so splash weapons, touch spells and Reflex save spells will have a greater effect on them.

Fun with Magic: Antimagic Field

Keith Abbott — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 04:42:00 GMT

Antimagic Field

Abjuration

Level: Clr 8, Magic 6, Protection 6, Sor/Wiz 6

Components: V, S, M/DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: 10 ft.

Area: 10-ft.-radius emanation, centered on you

Duration: 10 min./level (D)

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: See text

An invisible barrier surrounds you and moves with you. The space within this barrier is impervious to most magical effects, including spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. Likewise, it prevents the functioning of any magic items or spells within its confines.

An antimagic field suppresses any spell or magical effect used within, brought into, or cast into the area, but does not dispel it. Time spent within an antimagic field counts against the suppressed spell’s duration.

Summoned creatures of any type and incorporeal undead wink out if they enter an antimagic field. They reappear in the same spot once the field goes away. Time spent winked out counts normally against the duration of the conjuration that is maintaining the creature. If you cast antimagic field in an area occupied by a summoned creature that has spell resistance, you must make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against the creature’s spell resistance to make it wink out. (The effects of instantaneous conjurations are not affected by an antimagic field because the conjuration itself is no longer in effect, only its result.)

A normal creature can enter the area, as can normal missiles. Furthermore, while a magic sword does not function magically within the area, it is still a sword (and a masterwork sword at that). The spell has no effect on golems and other constructs that are imbued with magic during their creation process and are thereafter self-supporting (unless they have been summoned, in which case they are treated like any other summoned creatures). Elementals, corporeal undead, and outsiders are likewise unaffected unless summoned. These creatures’ spell-like or supernatural abilities, however, may be temporarily nullified by the field. Dispel magic does not remove the field.

Two or more antimagic fields sharing any of the same space have no effect on each other. Certain spells, such as wall of force, prismatic sphere, and prismatic wall, remain unaffected by antimagic field (see the individual spell descriptions). Artifacts and deities are unaffected by mortal magic such as this.

Should a creature be larger than the area enclosed by the barrier, any part of it that lies outside the barrier is unaffected by the field.

Arcane Material Component: A pinch of powdered iron or iron filings.

Very nearly the ultimate defense against magic, the antimagic field is a very mixed blessing. It stops all magical and supernatural effects—including yours, since the field surrounds you. While the spell exists, you are pretty much a high-level commoner, so be sure that you have friends to help cover you when you find it necessary to use this spell.

As much as it weakens a wizard or sorcerer to use the spell, it can turn the tide in an otherwise hopeless battle against formidible magic using creatures that are physically weak. A lich or even the dreaded demilich (if you go first!) is all but helpless in the field. Grapple it, find a way to pin it (damage reduction doesn’t stop a pin) and silence it and the fight is over. (Destroying liches and demiliches without first finding their phylacteries is, of course, a waste of time.)

Fun with Magic: Antilife Shell

Keith Abbott — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 04:28:00 GMT

Antilife Shell

Abjuration

Level: Animal 6, Clr 6, Drd 6

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 round

Range: 10 ft.

Area: 10-ft.-radius emanation, centered on you

Duration: 10 min./level (D)

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: Yes

You bring into being a mobile, hemispherical energy field that prevents the entrance of most types of living creatures.

The effect hedges out animals, aberrations, dragons, fey, giants, humanoids, magical beasts, monstrous humanoids, oozes, plants, and vermin, but not constructs, elementals, outsiders, or undead.

This spell may be used only defensively, not aggressively. Forcing an abjuration barrier against creatures that the spell keeps at bay collapses the barrier.

This spell is the ultimate definition of “personal space” for clerics and druids that want absolutely no mucking about in melee. In constricted space, such as a dungeon corridor, the spellcaster can play “Horatio on the bridge”, covering his friends’ escape (if a wizard with a more handy wall of force spell is not available for such a thing).

There is, however, one very important consideration when using this spell: most Conjuration (healing) spells are touch spells, which means that you can’t heal your friends in a fight—or use any other touch spells—without ending the spell.

Fun with Magic: Animate Rope

Keith Abbott — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 12:33:00 GMT

Animate Rope

Transmutation

Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Target: One ropelike object, length up to 50 ft. + 5 ft./level; see text

Duration: 1 round/level

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

You can animate a nonliving ropelike object. The maximum length assumes a rope with a 1-inch diameter.

Reduce the maximum length by 50% for every additional inch of thickness, and increase it by 50% for each reduction of the rope’s diameter by half.

The possible commands are “coil” (form a neat, coiled stack), “coil and knot,” “loop,” “loop and knot,” “tie and knot,” and the opposites of all of the above (“uncoil,” and so forth). You can give one command each round as a move action, as if directing an active spell.

The rope can enwrap only a creature or an object within 1 foot of it—it does not snake outward—so it must be thrown near the intended target. Doing so requires a successful ranged touch attack roll (range increment 10 feet). A typical 1- inch-diameter hempen rope has 2 hit points, AC 10, and requires a DC 23 Strength check to burst it. The rope does not deal damage, but it can be used as a trip line or to cause a single opponent that fails a Reflex saving throw to become entangled. A creature capable of spellcasting that is bound by this spell must make a DC 15 Concentration check to cast a spell. An entangled creature can slip free with a DC 20 Escape Artist check.

The rope itself and any knots tied in it are not magical.

This spell grants a +2 bonus on any Use Rope checks you make when using the transmuted rope.

The spell cannot animate objects carried or worn by a creature.

This spell is usually ignored, but situations exist that can make it very useful. One particularly nasty use is in a shipboard fight. You can’t animate rope that is carried or worn by a creature, but rope is everywhere on a ship and the medium range of the spell allows the caster to reach nearby ships, such as an approaching pirate ship. Not only can it entangle sailors, you can untie ropes that control a ship’s sails, and if this is done during tricky maneuvers around shoals and such, it can prove fatal to the ship.

The spell can also make an instant trap to hinder a pursuit: a tripline that tangles the first creature that touches it or a rope that springs up between two trees to sweep riders from the saddle. Naturally, the spell caster has to be near enough to trigger this effect.

Fun with Magic: Animate Plants

Keith Abbott — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 12:13:00 GMT

Animate Plants

Transmutation

Level: Drd 7, Plant 7

Components: V

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Targets: One Large plant per three caster levels or all plants within range; see text

Duration: 1 round/level or 1 hour/level; see text

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

You imbue inanimate plants with mobility and a semblance of life. Each animated plant then immediately attacks whomever or whatever you initially designate as though it were an animated object of the appropriate size category. You may animate one Large or smaller plant, or an equivalent number of larger plants, per three caster levels. A Huge plant counts as two Large or smaller plants, a Gargantuan plant as four, and a Colossal plant as eight. You can change the designated target or targets as a move action, as if directing an active spell.

Use the statistics for animated objects, except that plants smaller than Large usually don’t have hardness.

Animate plants cannot affect plant creatures, nor does it affect nonliving vegetable material.

Entangle: Alternatively, you may imbue all plants within range with a degree of mobility, which allows them to entwine around creatures in the area. This usage of the spell duplicates the effect of an entangle spell. Spell resistance does not keep creatures from being entangled. This effect lasts 1 hour per caster level.

Call the trees to fight for you—the bigger, the better. Realize they won’t move very fast, so they may not be able to catch the faster foes.

Animated trees can do more than fight: they can live heavy loads, and they are usually pretty tall, so they can get you up on top of things or provide a mobile firing platform for the archers and spell casters in your party that keeps them out of melee.

The second use of the spell shouldn’t be overlooked: an entangle spell with a DC six higher than normal with no spell resistance allowed can be great for pinning large groups of foes that would normally ignore the 1st-level entangle spell. This version of the spell lasts a long time, too: at least 13 hours, and you can’t dismiss it, so be careful how you use it.

Fun with Magic: Animate Objects

Keith Abbott — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 07:23:00 GMT

Animate Objects

Transmutation

Level: Brd 6, Chaos 6, Clr 6

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Targets: One Small object per caster level; see text

Duration: 1 round/level

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

You imbue inanimate objects with mobility and a semblance of life. Each such animated object then immediately attacks whomever or whatever you initially designate.

An animated object can be of any nonmagical material. You may animate one Small or smaller object or an equivalent number of larger objects per caster level. A Medium object counts as two Small or smaller objects, a Large object as four, a Huge object as eight, a Gargantuan object as sixteen, and a Colossal object as thirty-two. You can change the designated target or targets as a move action, as if directing an active spell.

This spell cannot animate objects carried or worn by a creature.

Animate objects can be made permanent with a permanency spell.

Want to make that dreaded gazebo attack? Here’s just the spell to do it. Before you use it, though, choose carefully what you want to animate, since the shape of the object controls its mobility and its attack abilities:

Choose one larger object over several smaller ones. Large objects hit more often and do more damage.
If possible, choose an object with wheels, then with four legs or more, then with at least two legs. These move faster.
If the animated object needs to float, select a wooden object. If it needs to climb, choose a rope, chain or cable. If it has to fly, choose a sheet-like object, but don’t expect it to fight very well.
Choose objects with better hardness: iron, then stone, then wood. If you can make it a large enough iron object, it can perform trample attacks. Some halfling clan priests have enchanted iron warwains for just such a purpose (and to ignore the need for animals to draw such a heavy wagon, if they can afford to cast permanency on it).

Watch out for temples that have big statues of their gods, they might not just be statues…

Fun with Magic: Animate Dead

Keith Abbott — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 07:02:00 GMT

Animate Dead

Necromancy [Evil]

Level: Clr 3, Death 3, Sor/Wiz 4

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Targets: One or more corpses touched

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow your spoken commands.

The undead can follow you, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) entering the place. They remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed skeleton or zombie can’t be animated again.)

Regardless of the type of undead you create with this spell, you can’t create more HD of undead than twice your caster level with a single casting of animate dead. (The desecrate spell doubles this limit)

The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. (You choose which creatures are released.) If you are a cleric, any undead you might command by virtue of your power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.

Skeletons: A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones.

Zombies: A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The corpse must be that of a creature with a true anatomy.

Material Component: You must place a black onyx gem worth at least 25 gp per Hit Die of the undead into the mouth or eye socket of each corpse you intend to animate. The magic of the spell turns these gems into worthless, burned-out shells.

Ah, animate dead, the evil priest’s or necromancer’s first instant minions spell. Players don’t generally use this spell much because of the [Evil] descriptor. Particularly nasty evil priests or necromancers (and when have you seen one that wasn’t?) will cast this spell on fallen comrades—if possible, after casting death knell to finish them off—and reanimate them as skeletons so the surviving adventurers get to watch the flesh fall off the bones of their friends, which then seek to slay them. The morale effect is way out of proportion to the strength of the spell, since skeletons and zombies only pose a problem to inexperienced adventurers. Of course, if they’ve had time to moulder, zombies of fallen friends work well for striking fear and disgust into those pesky adventurers, too.

A quick glance at the spell shows that evil priests will be more likely to use the spell than evil arcane casters: it is lower level for them and they have more ways to buff undead creatures, such as using desecrate spells or an evil cleric’s bolster undead class ability.

Fun with Magic: Animal Trance

Keith Abbott — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 06:53:00 GMT

Animal Trance

Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting, Sonic]

Level: Brd 2, Drd 2

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Targets: Animals or magical beasts with Intelligence 1 or 2

Duration: Concentration

Saving Throw: Will negates; see text

Spell Resistance: Yes

Your swaying motions and music (or singing, or chanting) compel animals and magical beasts to do nothing but watch you. Only a creature with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 can be fascinated by this spell. Roll 2d6 to determine the total number of HD worth of creatures that you fascinate. The closest targets are selected first until no more targets within range can be affected.

A magical beast, a dire animal, or an animal trained to attack or guard is allowed a saving throw; an animal not trained to attack or guard is not.

Another straightforward spell, animal trance can stop a fight in the wilderness against even some dire animals if the 2d6 roll is high enough. (On a 12, even a dire bear is fascinated with no saving throw.) Even animals that do get saves against the spell usually don’t have good Will saves, so it is still useful against them. Many magical beasts have too high an Intelligence score to be affected by this spell: if it talks, cast something else.

Note that fascination does not mean an animal affected by this spell is helpless or obblivious to threats to it. If you approach it with torches and weapons raised, the spell will end, and badly. However, it does get a –4 penalty on Spot and Listen checks, so it makes it easier to sneak up on it.

While it can be used to capture skittish animals (such as wild horses), the spell’s short range makes this difficult. If you have a good enough Hide and Move Silently score to get close enough to use it, you’re probably good enough at those skills to catch them without the spell.

Fun with Magic: Animal Shapes

Keith Abbott — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 05:06:00 GMT

Animal Shapes

Transmutation

Level: Animal 7, Drd 8

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Targets: Up to one willing creature per level, all within 30 ft. of each other

Duration: 1 hour/level (D)

Saving Throw: None; see text

Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

As polymorph, except you polymorph up to one willing creature per caster level into an animal of your choice; the spell has no effect on unwilling creatures. All creatures must take the same kind of animal form. Recipients remain in the animal form until the spell expires or until you dismiss it for all recipients. In addition, an individual subject may choose to resume its normal form as a full-round action; doing so ends the spell for that subject alone. The maximum HD of an assumed form is equal to the subject’s HD or your caster level, whichever is lower, to a maximum of 20 HD at 20th level.

Often, the best use for this spell is to cast on a party of characters to assume forms better suited to fast travel where teleport isn’t possible—and if you do have a druid but don’t have a cleric that can cast wind walk. It’s hard to imagine any combination of animals that will have better fighting abilities than characters in their natural forms, unless you cast the spell on a bunch of high-level commoners. A suggested form for fast travel is eagles for 1 to 3 HD targets, giant eagles for 4-12 HD targets, and rocs for 19 or 20 HD targets. All have a fly speed of 80 feet.

Fun with Magic: Animal Messenger

Keith Abbott — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 04:55:00 GMT

Animal Messenger

Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]

Level: Brd 2, Drd 2, Rgr 1

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target: One Tiny animal

Duration: One day/level

Saving Throw: None; see text

Spell Resistance: Yes

You compel a Tiny animal to go to a spot you designate. The most common use for this spell is to get an animal to carry a message to your allies. The animal cannot be one tamed or trained by someone else, including such creatures as familiars and animal companions.

Using some type of food desirable to the animal as a lure, you call the animal to you. It advances and awaits your bidding. You can mentally impress on the animal a certain place well known to you or an obvious landmark. The directions must be simple, because the animal depends on your knowledge and can’t find a destination on its own. You can attach some small item or note to the messenger. The animal then goes to the designated location and waits there until the duration of the spell expires, whereupon it resumes its normal activities.

During this period of waiting, the messenger allows others to approach it and remove any scroll or token it carries. The intended recipient gains no special ability to communicate with the animal or read any attached message (if it’s written in a language he or she doesn’t know, for example).

Material Component: A morsel of food the animal likes.

A pretty straightforward spell. However, you don’t have to send it to an ally. If you don’t care much what happens to the animal messenger, send a foe one and attach a small message with an explosive rune…

Rangers sent to scout enemy formations in times of war find this spell useful since they don’t have access to better communication spells without the use of magic devices.

Bards can use the spell to send secret messages to their paramours.

Fun with Magic: Animal Growth

Keith Abbott — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 03:58:00 GMT

Animal Growth

Transmutation

Level: Drd 5, Rgr 4, Sor/Wiz 5

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Targets: Up to one animal (Gargantuan or smaller) per two levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart

Duration: 1 min./level

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

A number of animals grow to twice their normal size and eight times their normal weight. This alteration changes each animal’s size category to the next largest, grants it a +8 size bonus to Strength and a +4 size bonus to Constitution (and thus an extra 2 hit points per HD), and imposes a –2 size penalty to Dexterity. The creature’s existing natural armor bonus increases by 2. The size change also affects the animal’s modifier to AC and attack rolls and its base damage. The animal’s space and reach change as appropriate to the new size, but its speed does not change.

The spell also grants each subject damage reduction 10/magic and a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws. If insufficient room is available for the desired growth, the creature attains the maximum possible size and may make a Strength check (using its increased Strength) to burst any enclosures in the process. If it fails, it is constrained without harm by the materials enclosing it—the spell cannot be used to crush a creature by increasing its size.

All equipment worn or carried by an animal is similarly enlarged by the spell, though this change has no effect on the magical properties of any such equipment.

Any enlarged item that leaves the enlarged creature’s possession instantly returns to its normal size.

The spell gives no means of command or influence over the enlarged animals.

Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack.

This spell is most useful to druids, since they can both cast this spell and easily call up animals through the use of summon nature’s ally spells, which they can cast spontaneously as necessary. However, a cleric can prepare summon nature’s ally while a wizard casts the animal growth spell. If you don't think this is worth doing, see what happens to elephants after you increase their size category. The altered stats of the enlarged version are in red.

Elephant: CR 7; Huge Animal; HD 11d8+55; hp 104; Init +0; Spd 40 ft.; AC 15 (–2 size, +7 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +8; Grp +26; Atk +16 melee (gore 2d8+15); Full Atk +16 melee (gore 2d8+15); Space/‌Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA trample 2d8+15 (Reflex (Str) half DC 25); SQ low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +6; Str 30, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 7.
Skills and Feats: Listen +12, Spot +10; Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Listen).
Elephant, enlarged: CR 7; Gargantuan Animal; HD 11d8+55; hp 126; Init –1; Spd 40 ft.; AC 14 (–4 size, –1 Dex, +9 natural), touch 5, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +8; Grp +34; Atk +18 melee (gore 4d6+21); Full Atk +18 melee (gore 4d6+21); Space/‌Reach 20 ft./15 ft.; SA trample 4d6+21 (Reflex (Str) half DC 29); SQ damage reduction 10/magic, low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +18, Ref +10, Will +10; Str 38, Dex 8, Con 25, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 7.
Skills and Feats: Listen +12, Spot +10; Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Listen).

Remember, the spell can affect more than one animal, so if, for example, you use a summon nature’s ally VII or VIII spell to summon multiple elephants, you can affect them all with a single animal growth spell. An instant herd of enlarged elephants, each trampling everything in a swath 20 feet wide by 80 feet long (the double move of an elephant) for a minimum of 25 points, DC 29 Reflex save for half…that’s just nasty. And if you move them up to trample the same critters…that’s just nastier.

I’ll leave the effect of this spell with a group of summoned dire lions as an exercise for evil minds.

The reason that a wizard or other arcane spell caster can’t use this with summon monster spells is that all animals that he summons have either the celestial or fiendish template applied, which changes their type from Animal to Magical Beast. Animal growth only affects creatures of the Animal type.

Fun with Magic: Analyze Dweomer

Keith Abbott — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 14:13:00 GMT

Analyze Dweomer

Divination

Level: Brd 6, Sor/Wiz 6

Components: V, S, F

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Targets: One object or creature per caster level

Duration: 1 round/level (D)

Saving Throw: None or Will negates; see text

Spell Resistance: No

You discern all spells and magical properties present in a number of creatures or objects. Each round, you may examine a single creature or object that you can see as a free action. In the case of a magic item, you learn its functions, how to activate its functions (if appropriate), and how many charges are left (if it uses charges). In the case of an object or creature with active spells cast upon it, you learn each spell, its effect, and its caster level.

An attended object may attempt a Will save to resist this effect if its holder so desires. If the save succeeds, you learn nothing about the object except what you can discern by looking at it. An object that makes its save cannot be affected by any other analyze dweomer spells for 24 hours.

Analyze dweomer does not function when used on an artifact.

Focus: A tiny lens of ruby or sapphire set in a small golden loop. The gemstone must be worth at least 1,500 gp.

Analyze dweomer is identify on steroids. At a bare minimum, it can have the effect of eleven identify spells, but taking less than two minutes to do as opposed to eleven hours, and not costing 1,100 gold pieces in pearls.

In combat, you can quickly single out targets to debuff. (“Debuff” is a term borrowed from MMORPGs—massive multiplayer online role-playing games—that means to remove buffs—temporary performance enhancments—from a target. Here, it means to cast dispel magic or a similar spell with the intent of removing spells that enhance or protect your enemy). At the very least, you will know what spells and attacks not to try on creatures protected by spells.

Remember, once cast, using analyze dweomer each round is a free action.

Fun with Magic: Alter Self

Keith Abbott — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:51:00 GMT

Alter Self

Transmutation [Polymorph]

Level: Brd 2, Sor/Wiz 2

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Personal

Target: You

Duration: 10 min./level (D)

You assume the form of a creature of the same type as your normal form. The new form must be within one size category of your normal size. The maximum HD of an assumed form is equal to your caster level, to a maximum of 5 HD at 5th level. You can change into a member of your own kind or even into yourself.

You retain your own ability scores. Your class and level, hit points, alignment, base attack bonus, and base save bonuses all remain the same. You retain all supernatural and spell-like special attacks and qualities of your normal form, except for those requiring a body part that the new form does not have (such as a mouth for a breath weapon or eyes for a gaze attack).

You keep all extraordinary special attacks and qualities derived from class levels, but you lose any from your normal form that are not derived from class levels.

If the new form is capable of speech, you can communicate normally. You retain any spellcasting ability you had in your original form, but the new form must be able to speak intelligibly (that is, speak a language) to use verbal components and must have limbs capable of fine manipulation to use somatic or material components.

You acquire the physical qualities of the new form while retaining your own mind. Physical qualities include natural size, mundane movement capabilities (such as burrowing, climbing, walking, swimming, and flight with wings, to a maximum speed of 120 feet for flying or 60 feet for nonflying movement), natural armor bonus, natural weapons (such as claws, bite, and so on), racial skill bonuses, racial bonus feats, and any gross physical qualities (presence or absence of wings, number of extremities, and so forth). A body with extra limbs does not allow you to make more attacks (or more advantageous two-weapon attacks) than normal.

You do not gain any extraordinary special attacks or special qualities not noted above under physical qualities, such as darkvision, low-light vision, blindsense, blindsight, fast healing, regeneration, scent, and so forth.

You do not gain any supernatural special attacks, special qualities, or spell-like abilities of the new form. Your creature type and subtype (if any) remain the same regardless of your new form. You cannot take the form of any creature with a template, even if that template doesn’t change the creature type or subtype.

You can freely designate the new form’s minor physical qualities (such as hair color, hair texture, and skin color) within the normal ranges for a creature of that kind. The new form’s significant physical qualities (such as height, weight, and gender) are also under your control, but they must fall within the norms for the new form’s kind. You are effectively disguised as an average member of the new form’s race. If you use this spell to create a disguise, you get a +10 bonus on your Disguise check.

When the change occurs, your equipment, if any, either remains worn or held by the new form (if it is capable of wearing or holding the item), or melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When you revert to your true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on your body they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items you wore in the assumed form and can’t wear in your normal form fall off and land at your feet; any that you could wear in either form or carry in a body part common to both forms at the time of reversion are still held in the same way. Any part of the body or piece of equipment that is separated from the whole reverts to its true form.

The weakest of the polymorph subschool spells, alter self is often overlooked. This is a mistake. It’s a much better disguise spell than disguise self—it’s not an illusion so it’s harder to detect. It lasts much longer than polymorph so it can maintain a simple disguise longer than that spell. If there’s a winged species of your creature type, it’s a cheap fly spell, too.

The spell has several role-playing aspects to it—it’s the ultimate instant makeover spell, since you can use it to alter your hair color and texture, skin color, height, weight and even gender—and that’s as far as I’m going with that line of inquiry, thank you very much.

Fun with Magic: Align Weapon

Keith Abbott — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:37:00 GMT

Align Weapon

Transmutation [see text]

Level: Clr 2

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Weapon touched or fifty projectiles (all of which must be in contact with each other at the time of casting)

Duration: 1 min./level

Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object)

Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object)

Align weapon makes a weapon good, evil, lawful, or chaotic, as you choose. A weapon that is aligned can bypass the damage reduction of certain creatures. This spell has no effect on a weapon that already has an alignment.

You can’t cast this spell on a natural weapon, such as an unarmed strike.

When you make a weapon good, evil, lawful, or chaotic, align weapon is a good, evil, lawful, or chaotic spell, respectively.

This is one of those spells you don’t need very often, but when you do need it, you really need it. It’s a good idea to stash a few scrolls or even a wand with this spell on it for when you run across those tougher outsiders or undead that have damage reduction bypassed by alignment. Fighters should consider having doses of oil (potion) made with this spell—it's not on the treasure tables in the Dungeon Master’s Guide but it is an allowable use of the Brew Potion feat. Remember, the alignment of the oil has to be selected when it is made, so have a few different ones made.

Fun with Magic: Alarm

Keith Abbott — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:26:00 GMT

Alarm

Abjuration

Level: Brd 1, Rgr 1, Sor/Wiz 1

Components: V, S, F/DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Area: 20-ft.-radius emanation centered on a point in space

Duration: 2 hours/level (D)

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

Alarm sounds a mental or audible alarm each time a creature of Tiny or larger size enters the warded area or touches it. A creature that speaks the password (determined by you at the time of casting) does not set off the alarm. You decide at the time of casting whether the alarm will be mental or audible.

Mental Alarm: A mental alarm alerts you (and only you) so long as you remain within 1 mile of the warded area. You note a single mental “ping” that awakens you from normal sleep but does not otherwise disturb concentration. A silence spell has no effect on a mental alarm.

Audible Alarm: An audible alarm produces the sound of a hand bell, and anyone within 60 feet of the warded area can hear it clearly. Reduce the distance by 10 feet for each interposing closed door and by 20 feet for each substantial interposing wall.

In quiet conditions, the ringing can be heard faintly as far as 180 feet away. The sound lasts for 1 round. Creatures within a silence spell cannot hear the ringing.

Ethereal or astral creatures do not trigger the alarm.

Alarm can be made permanent with a permanency spell.

Arcane Focus: A tiny bell and a piece of very fine silver wire

This is the weakest of the “property protection” (trap) spells but a very useful one for all that. Adventurers alerted by an alarm spell can send a rogue to see what disturbed it while the rest of the party dons armor, casts buffing spells, loads crossbows and other combat preparations. Getting a cheap magic item that casts the mental alarm version of this spell a few times a day can save many an adventurer’s life.