New Spells for Karzoug


Rise of the Runelords


I'm enough of a geek that the idea for these spells actually came to me in a dream. How sad is that?

Yeah, I was thinking... Karzoug needs some more exotic spells. He's a 500-year old archmage, surely he had some spells he didn't teach to every 1st-level apprentice he had. And I can definitely see massive halls lined with life-size statues of solid gold creeping my PCs out (and think what would happen if he was really annnoyed... he'd melt you down and turn you into coins). So, without further ado (with very much Karzoug's flavour):

Touch of the Claimer
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
The subject, along with all its carried gear, turns into a mindless, inert statue made of solid gold, increasing its weight by a factor of forty. If the statue resulting from this spell is broken or damaged, the subject (if ever returned to its original state) has similar damage or deformities. The creature is not dead, but it does not seem to be alive either when viewed with spells such as deathwatch.
Only creatures made of flesh are affected by this spell.
Material Component: A gold coin.

Gaze of the Claimer
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One creature/2 levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
This spell functions like touch of the claimer, except it can affect more than one creature.

Thoughts, comments, more spells?


These look reasonable.

First one is Flesh to Stone with a different end product and a range of touch.

Second one is no worse than Wail of the Banshee, so not out of the question for a 9th level spell.

One thing I wonder about: since they are clearly similar to flesh to stone, does stone to flesh reverse it? I assume break enchantment would work.

And is gold really 40 times as heavy as flesh? Ouch. Not going to be easy to drag your friends around until you get them fixed.


Flavor-wise, I like it. It seems like the Rune-Lord of Greed out to have the Midas touch.

Mechanics-wise, I like it. Very similar to Flesh to Stone and reasonable effects for a spell of its level.

There is one glaring problem though -- all of a sudden whomever gets access to this spell looks at the halfling as spare change. Take your average 40-pound grunter, turn him to gold and for the low, low price of 1 gp, you have 80,000 gp (assuming 50 gp per pound).

My suggested fix would be the "all that glitters" addendum. "Should the statue ever be melted down or sold for gold content alone, it is discovered that much of the weight increase is 'dead' weight, and the recoverable gold ends up being only equal to 1/40 of the creature's original weight." Thus, I the above example, one gold piece becomes 50 gp after a lot of work. I think that still retains the flavor and perhaps adds to the nature of greed being hollow in the end, and prevents your players from suddenly being able to buy artifacts.

Liberty's Edge

I think the point is that no one but Karzoug would have access to these spells. Not in any spellbook the players find, nor heard in lost legend. Not a trace. Not really a problem then.

Frog God Games

Steve Greer actually created a spell that is virtually identical to the touch of the claimer above, but it appears not to have made the cut. I used in my adventure's spell list for Karzoug as well. It just seems natural.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Yeah... we cut the "turn target to gold" spell out simply because very few magic spells in the game are allowed to create value. It's one of the cases where an awesome idea simply doesn't work in the game, alas. Otherwise, once you get the Midas touch, you basically "win the game" and destroy economies.


Yeah.. that's probably why they got rid of Bucknard's Everfull Purse in 3rd ed... otherwise people could have the chance to get 26 100gp gems every day for free.


Evil Genius wrote:
Yeah.. that's probably why they got rid of Bucknard's Everfull Purse in 3rd ed... otherwise people could have the chance to get 26 100gp gems every day for free.

Not true, try "Into the Wormcrawl Fissure", Dungeon #134, p62, written by James Jacobs, referencing the Epic Level Handbook, p151.

Frog God Games

Bucknard who? I believe that was Balakarde. ;-)

Contributor

My Touch of Gold spell was great flavor for Karzoug and his most powerful followers. However, I knew at the time I wrote it that it would never make it past editing. It's just too unbalancing and in the hands of players, their DM's would be cursing my name for decades. If there is interest in the one I designed and you don't plan on letting your players get their grubby mitts on it, I'd be happy to post it providing Doc Jacobs is OK with it.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Steve Greer wrote:
My Touch of Gold spell was great flavor for Karzoug and his most powerful followers. However, I knew at the time I wrote it that it would never make it past editing. It's just too unbalancing and in the hands of players, their DM's would be cursing my name for decades. If there is interest in the one I designed and you don't plan on letting your players get their grubby mitts on it, I'd be happy to post it providing Doc Jacobs is OK with it.

Post away, Steve!

Contributor

James Jacobs wrote:
Post away, Steve!

Okey-doke! Take it or leave it. Modify it or whatever. Here you go.

Touch of Gold
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, M, XP
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Target: One Medium or smaller creature or up to 1 cu. ft./2 levels of inorganic material
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (living creature) or none (inorganic material)
Spell Resistance: Yes

By succeeding on a melee touch attack against corporeal creature of Medium size or smaller, the subject, along with all its carried gear turns into a mindless, inert statue of gold. If the statue resulting from this spell is broken or damaged, the subject (if ever returned to its original state), has similar damage or deformities. The creature is not dead, but it does not seem to be alive either when viewed with spells such as deathwatch.

You may also transmute non-magical inorganic material such as stone and iron into gold. For the purpose of determining the gold piece value of material transmuted in this fashion, they are worth half their weight in gold. For example, a 10 lb. stone transmuted into gold is worth the equivalent of 5 lbs. of gold, or 250 gp (see the PHB, Chapter 7, “Wealth and Money”). Note, organic matter transmuted into gold has its weight increased by a factor of 5.

This spell affect can be reversed by a successful break enchantment spell.

Material Component: A pinch of powdered gold worth at least 1 gp.

XP Cost: 250 XP or 1/25 of the gp value of the transmuted object/creature in XP, whichever is greater.

Contributor

Here are two more that didn't make it past editing. Again, take 'em or leave 'em. And if they help you design a few of your own, then great!

Destructive Resonance
Evocation [Sonic]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3, Destruction 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Your weapon
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude half
Spell Resistance: Yes

By casting this spell on a melee weapon, you cause it to vibrate with destructive energy. It is harmless to you and your weapon. However, your next melee attack with it deals 1d6/two levels sonic damage (maximum 10d6). A successful Fortitude save halves the damage. On a failure the creature takes the full damage and is nauseated for 1 round. If you make a Sunder attempt on an opponent’s weapon, shield or other carried item, the object takes the damage instead. The object or creature holding it (whichever has the better save) may attempt a Fortitude save to halve the damage. Sonic energy deals damage to most objects just as it does to creatures.

Thunderous Concatenation
Evocation [Sonic]
Level: Sor/Wiz 6, Destruction 6
Components: S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Targets: One primary target plus one secondary target/2 levels (each must be within 30 ft. of the primary target)
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes

You create a sonic discharge that begins as a single booming bolt commencing from your fingertips. Thunderous concatenation strikes one object or creature and then arcs to other targets.

The thunderous bolt deals 1d6 points of sonic damage per caster level (maximum 20d6) to the primary target. After the bolt strikes, smaller bolts of sonic energy rebound and strike as many secondary targets as you can effect. The secondary damage deals half as much damage as the primary bolt (rounded down). All subjects can attempt Reflex saving throws for half damage. You choose secondary targets as you like, but they must all be within 30 feet of the primary target, and no target can be struck more than once. You can choose to affect fewer secondary targets than the maximum.

Thunderous concatenation cannot damage objects or creatures in an area where sound is suppressed (such as the area within a silence spell).

Material Component: A thunderstone.


Great spells, Steve! Thanks. I'll be sure and let my players know who wrote them after they fail their saves...


Blue_eyed_paladin wrote:
Evil Genius wrote:
Yeah.. that's probably why they got rid of Bucknard's Everfull Purse in 3rd ed... otherwise people could have the chance to get 26 100gp gems every day for free.
Not true, try "Into the Wormcrawl Fissure", Dungeon #134, p62, written by James Jacobs, referencing the Epic Level Handbook, p151.

Well I be damned... I never looked at the epic level stuff, but you're right. I found it in the SRD... The Everfull Purse is right there, alright. It's an artifact now, which luckily means players can't craft it. They also made it so it can only copy gold pieces, and no other coins or gems...


Actually, I was thinking about this during work yesterday, and it occurred to me what would be cooler:

The spell (mine, Steve's, whatever) doesn't just turn you into solid gold- it makes you into a bejewelled statue, with inlays, gems for eyes, etc. When your PCs have been raiding through the aforementioned massive halls, prying out gems from every conceivable place... and then find out that they have a backpack full of statue-eyes, their reactions will be priceless.

And if you happen to get a good roleplaying session going with Karzoug before he attacks, have him 'check out' some of the players. No, he doesn't want to sleep with them, he's making an Appraise check to see how many karats they'll be!


Blue_eyed_paladin wrote:
and then find out that they have a backpack full of statue-eyes, their reactions will be priceless.

Now that I like a whole lot.

Scarab Sages

Agreed. (apologies for the pun).

I REALLY like the flavor of that version, especially with a Good-aligned party or one with a paladin or somesuch.


Blue_eyed_paladin wrote:

Actually, I was thinking about this during work yesterday, and it occurred to me what would be cooler:

The spell (mine, Steve's, whatever) doesn't just turn you into solid gold- it makes you into a bejewelled statue, with inlays, gems for eyes, etc. When your PCs have been raiding through the aforementioned massive halls, prying out gems from every conceivable place... and then find out that they have a backpack full of statue-eyes, their reactions will be priceless.

And if you happen to get a good roleplaying session going with Karzoug before he attacks, have him 'check out' some of the players. No, he doesn't want to sleep with them, he's making an Appraise check to see how many karats they'll be!

THIS is why I come to these boards regularly-getting ideas this creative, ones I would likely never come up with myself...and then my players rave about how much fun this AP is....I want to say I did little of the work, but I don't ;)


The more I think about it the more convinced I am that the most legendary transmuter in the history of Varisia needs mass frog. Adding one more level won't do much to things like hit points and saving throws, but this one spell will still significantly up his threat level.

For my group I think that it'll be okay. We've been playing Burnt Offerings since September and most of them are ECL 5 with one ECL 6. I'm sure they'll continue to roleplay the heck out of everything and as a result stay ahead of the experience curve.

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