Saturday 18 June 2011

A few new illusionist spells

I was just thinking about my idea some time ago of expanding the illusionist spell list to include 8th and 9th level spells, and remembered that I actually had quite a few lying around which I'd meant to post here but forgot about. So here they are: firstly there's a low-level variant of invisibility, which will probably be quite useful, followed by several high-level spells, some of which are Labyrinth Lord re-workings of classics.

So far, here's the spell list I've got for 8th & 9th levels:

8th level
  1. Illusory abode
  2. Memorium
  3. No way
  4. Prismatic beam
  5. Prismatic sphere
9th level
  1. Alter reality
  2. Dream travel
  3. Upper hand
  4. Weird
The rest of this post is designated Open Gaming Content according to the Open Gaming License.

Invisibility, Lesser
Level: 1
Duration: See below
Range: Touch

This spell functions in the same manner as the 2nd level spell invisibility, except that the subject is only invisible when immobile. The subject becomes visible whenever he moves, and invisible when keeping still. The spell's duration, as with the standard invisibility spell, only ends when the subject makes an attack.

Memorium
Level: 8
Duration: See below
Range: 50'

When this spell is cast in a location where a specific event is known to have occurred, the caster and up to one companion per two levels are drawn into a vision of the past, re-experiencing the event in question. The event which is the focus of the spell must be known to the caster, and can have occurred up to 100 years ago per caster level.

In the vision the caster and his companions take on the perspectives of individuals who were present at the historic event, perceiving what happened directly from the point of view of those involved. If an insufficient number of sentient beings were present at the event, additional companions of the caster will perceive a vague retelling of the event as if seen from above.

The duration of the vision is seldom more than an hour, with longer events being reviewed in a kind of "highlights" form. While immersed in the vision the caster and his companions are in a trance state. If any of them are harmed the vision is broken immediately.

Casting this spell optionally ages the caster 3 years.

It is rumoured that an enhanced version of this spell once existed, allowing not merely the viewing of the past, but also the power to alter the flow of history.

Prismatic Beam
Level: 8
Duration: See below
Range: 100' per level

This spell allows an illusionist to create an intensely focussed beam of strobing light energy which can have one of three effects (chosen as the spell is cast).

Firstly, the beam can be used to cause 1d6 points of heat damage per caster level to a single target in range. Secondly, the beam may be used to disrupt matter, functioning in the same manner as the magic-user spell disintegrate (including a saving throw versus death). Thirdly, the beam can be used to exert a powerful pushing force onto a target, causing it to move at a rate of 200' per round directly away from the caster.

The first two uses of the spell have an instantaneous duration, while the third use lasts for one round per level of the caster.

Alter Reality
Level: 9
Duration: See below
Range: Unlimited

This spell, the pinnacle of the illusionist's art, enables the caster to bring forth into reality whatever he can imagine. It works in the same way as the magic-user spell wish, including the (optional) aging effect on the caster. The one difference is that an illusionist must first create an image of what he wishes to become reality, using other spells of illusion. He must then cast alter reality, which causes the created illusion to become absolutely and irrevocably real.

Dream Travel
Level: 9
Duration: See below
Range: 50'

This spell conjures a semi-real vision of a large vehicle of some kind, typically a mighty sailing ship, which the illusionist and up to 100 others may enter. The caster must be conscious in order to cast the spell, but all others to be taken aboard the vessel must be asleep. Unwilling passengers may make a save versus spells to avoid being taken into the dream vessel. In a manner similar to the 8th level spell illusory abode, the dream vessel may take on a recurring appearance if the caster wishes it, and the enhancements to spectral force and major creation apply inside the vessel.

The passengers enter a shared dream of travelling a long distance aboard the conjured vessel through an imaginary landscape, with the caster in control as the helmsman or navigator. The journey usually appears to span several days, and may sometimes even feel like weeks of travel, though the exact amount of perceptual time elapsed is never clear, as is typical of dreams.

While the dream vessel travels through an imaginary landscape, it is actually moving through real space at an incredible rate -- up to 100 miles per hour can be covered, completely unhindered by any real terrain. The spell lasts as long as the caster remains awake and conscious and the passengers remain asleep. This means that generally the duration is approximately 8 hours, but it may be extended by various means (for example if the passengers are in a prolonged, drugged or enchanted sleep).

During the journey the DM should make random encounter checks as normal, and should feel free to come up with bizarre dream-like creatures and happenings along the way. Indeed, the casting of this spell could easily provide material for a whole game session. If any of the passengers is harmed while aboard the dream vessel, he or she will awaken immediately, ending the spell and unceremoniously dumping all passengers in the real world at a point somewhere along their planned course.

Casting this spell is not without cost. It requires an oil distilled from a powerful astral, psionic or dream-related monster, which is consumed during casting. The oil must usually be obtained through adventuring, but may be available for purchase at exorbitant cost. It is possible to cast the spell without use of the oil, but there is a 1% chance per hour of travel (in real-time, not dream-time) that the vessel will become lost in the dream world and never return.

Weird
Level: 9
Duration: 1 round per level
Range: 5' per level

This spell functions in a similar way to the 4th level phantasmal killer, except that it affects all creatures in range (with the exception of the caster, who may simply observe the effects). The phantasmal nemeses created attack as monsters of half the caster's level.

5 comments:

  1. Nice. Illusionists have always got the hard end of the stick. Nice to see someone else likes them as much as I do.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes I've always liked illusionists but they never seem to get much action. I thought they at least deserve some 8th & 9th level spells :)

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  3. Yes, these are just great! Any chance you would add a "Print / PDF" button to your blog to facilitate easy horking of stuff like this? No pressure, but here's the link just in case:

    http://www.printfriendly.com/button

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Carter :)

    I had thought about those buttons before, but somehow never got around to sorting it out. I'd also wondered how useful they are really, as I tend to compile PDFs of stuff when it's completed anyway. For example, I'm sure I'll make an "expanded illusionist" PDF when I feel like I'm done with it.

    I don't know, what do you think?

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  5. If you compile a pdf of your illusionist stuff, that works just as easily for me!

    ReplyDelete

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