For GMs, have you worked with players on spells they have wanted to research?
For players, have you researched spells and added them to your repertoire?
I'd also love to hear whether the spells you've researched were custom spells or were just spells you liked on a different class's spell list.
Now, for those of you who have done it, how easy or hard was it?
Heh, well, judging by the response to this question, I suppose the answer is "nope, we don't."
The few times we researched spells in PF we were doing it in order to port a 3.5 spell or to make a permenent metamagicked spell (for example an acid ball).
Two of the PCs in my campaign who are primary spellcasters have done a fair bit of spell research. They've been custom spells, written by the players (with much input and back-and-forth with me).
How hard was it? Well, it was as hard as researching spells is according to the spell research rules in the DMG. :p
(This is a 3.5 campaign.)
I've done independent development of, I think, five or six spells in my current campaign over the course of several years (OOC). Generally speaking typically a spell as started with a concept and an objective. I've pitched it to the GM, and we've hashed out concerns we each had with how it worked. Then, when we were mostly satisfied with it, we pitched it to the community (at Dicefreaks) to see if there was anything we missed. Once we got general acceptance on them and saw concerns mitigated they were moved to in development, at which point I was able to research them IC (either using spells learned from leveling up, or spending the requisite 1,000gp per spell level and as much time as was deemed needed).
the results
Near the end of Serpent Skull my wizard made a spell that would deafen friendly party members so they would be unaffected by Wail of the Banshee. I think it came out as a first level spell as it could be auto resisted and lasted such a short time. Given that, it cost much more than I expected and took much longer to research.
How hard was it? Well, it was as hard as researching spells is according to the spell research rules in the DMG. :p
Ah, so it took at least a week, cost at least 1000gp per spell level, and required an unspecified number of Spellcraft and Knowledge (Arcana) checks of unspecified DC?
The research rules are very vague.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
We've made a few spells in our time (mostly in v3.5 D&D):
AUST’S ACID WAVE
Evocation [Acid]
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 30 ft.
Area: 30-ft. line
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
As you cast the spell, the black dragon scale in you hand disappears behind the roiling wave of acid that explodes outward from your outstretched fingers.
Aust’s acid wave deals 1d8 points of acid damage per two caster levels, to a maximum of 5d8 points of damage, to each target along its path.
Focus: A black dragon’s scale.
AUST’S ACRID WEB
Conjuration (Creation) [Acid, Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round/3 levels (D)
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
The creature lets out a surprised howl but then switches to cries of pain as it struggles against a green slimy net.
A web of force surrounds the target, entangling it like a net and dealing 1d6 acid damage per 3 caster levels each round, to a maximum of 6d6 points of damage each round for 6 rounds. Flying creatures that are ensnared by this spell immediately fall to the ground, taking falling damage. Creatures that escape the net continue to take this acid damage until the end of the spell’s duration.
An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check against a DC equal to the save DC of the spell. Like a wall of force, this web of force is impervious to most attacks: It is immune to damage of all kinds, cannot be burst with a Strength check, and is unaffected by most spells, including dispel magic. Also, like a wall of force, the web is immediately destroyed by disintegrate, a rod of cancellation, a sphere of annihilation, or Mordenkainen’s disjunction.
BIND LIFE
Transmutation
Spellcraft DC: 73
Components: V, S, XP
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 300 ft.
Target: 1 helpless or willing living creature
Duration: Permanent (D)
Saving Throw: None; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
Development: 657,000gp; 14 days; 26,280 XP. Seed: transform (DC 21). Factors: dismissible by caster (+2 DC), bind target to you (ad hoc +25 DC), harder to dispel (+50 DC), target must be helpless or willing (ad hoc -25 DC), no saving throw (ad hoc +25 DC). Mitigating Factor: burn 2,500 XP (-25 DC)
As you cast this spell you feel as though your very life force is slowly being pinched off. As you finish the last incantations, the feeling subsides and you suddenly feel connected to the creature before you somehow.
This spell binds the life force of a living creature to you. If you are ever killed (or destroyed) the target of this spell is instantly slain as well (no save). Any attempt to dispel this spell (which harms neither target) is extraordinarily difficult; the caster of this spell is treated as 25 levels higher than his actual caster level when checking to beat a foe’s dispel effect.
XP Cost: 3,500
BONE RIP
Necromancy [Death, Evil]
Spellcraft DC: 71
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 300 ft.
Area: 20-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous; see text
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
Development: 639,000gp; 13 days; 25,560 XP. Seed: slay (DC 25), animate dead (DC 23). Factors: 1-action casting time (+20 DC), animate dead (skeleton) (-12 DC), change area to 20-ft. radius (+2 DC), change from target to area (+10 DC), limited target type (ad hoc -15 DC), reduce casting time by 9 rounds (+18 DC).
As you finish the mighty incantation of this deadly spell you feel as though your very bones have become animate. As you look upon victims of your casting however, you realize that your bones aren’t animated at all—just those of your doomed foes.
This spell kills creatures in the area by animating their skeletons inside their bodies, which then try to tear their way out. On a failed save, the subject’s skeleton tears its way out of its former body instantly killing the subject. On a successful save the subject successfully regains control over their skeleton, but still suffers 3d6+20 points of damage in the struggle, which may still kill it. If the subject is killed from the damage alone, you gain control over its skeleton despite the result of the saving throw. If the subject has more than 20 racial hit dice, the skeleton still tears its way out of the subject (killing it), but you don’t gain control of the skeleton nor is it animated. Spell resistance negates all affects including the damage. Just like the animate dead spell, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead per caster level and any living dead under your control count against that limit. This spell does not work on creatures without skeletons such as constructs, oozes, purple worms, etc., nor does it work against undead or any creature with more than 80 hit dice.
CONSUMING RADIANCE
Evocation [Force, Light]
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 80 ft.
Area: 80-ft.-radius burst centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
With a loud shout and a thrust of your fist into the air everything around you disappears in a bright flash of light. As your vision returns to you, nothing stands before you but devastation.
Consuming Radiance creates a searing blue-white jet of all consuming light that originates from you and flashes out in all directions to envelop everything in its destructive blast. Any creatures or unattended objects caught in the area take 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 25d6) as their physical mass is broken down at the molecular level. If this damage reduces a creature or object to 0 or fewer hit points, it is disintegrated. If the damage caused to an interposing barrier shatters or breaks through it, the blast may continue beyond the barrier if the spell’s range permits; otherwise, it stops at the barrier just as any other spell effect does.
The effects of this spell count as a disintegrate spell for the purpose of destroying a wall of force or any other spell or effect specifically affected by disintegrate.
You are completely immune to your own consuming radiance, but you become exhausted at the end of the spell.
DISTORTION
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: 10-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude half
Spell Resistance: Yes
Your barked incantation is lost amidst the sound of a loud boom. The air suddenly ripples strangely as gravity makes its own rules.
Distortion temporarily changes the properties of gravity within the area, causing gravity to bend and twist erratically. Any creatures or unattended objects caught within the area take 1d6 points of damage per caster level, to a maximum of 10d6 damage, as their physical mass is radically altered and then reformed. Creatures with the Elemental or Ooze type are immune to this spell, as are creatures with the Incorporeal subtype.
ETERNAL ECLIPSE
Conjuration [Creation]
Spellcraft DC: 28
Components: V, S, Ritual
Casting Time: 1 day
Range: 200 miles
Area: 5-mile radius, centered on you
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Development: 252,000gp; 5 days; 10,080 XP. Seed: conjure (DC 21), transport (to move disk into position 100 miles up) (DC 27). Factors: harder to dispel (+70 DC), increase mass by 1,000% (+40 DC), spread mass into paper-thin disk (ad hoc +2 DC), permanent (x5 DC). Mitigating factors: Increase casting time by 10 minutes (-20 DC), increase casting time by 1 day (-2 DC), two-hundred-fifty additional casters contributing 2nd-level spell slots (-750 DC).
As the endless chanting of your disciples finally begins to slow to a stop, you fall to your knees in exhaustion. Darkness slowly sweeps over all those present and as you look up into the open sky, you see naught but eternal darkness.
With this spell, you create a permanent limited eclipse, as though a heavenly body moved between the sun and the earth. The landscape within a five-mile radius of your location experiences the dimming of the sun as a disk you create passes in front of it, culminating in a com plete blackout and accompanying coronal ring. The eclipse follows you across the landscape. You do not need to concentrate on the eclipse while it lasts. Attempting to dispel this spell is nearly impossible; the caster of this spell is treated as 35 levels higher than his actual caster level when checking to beat a foe’s dispel effect. This is a ritual spell, requiring two-hundred-fifty other spellcasters, each of whom must contribute a 2nd-level spell slot to the casting.
FALEN’S FIREBIRD
Conjuration (Creation) [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One creature, object, or point in space
Area: 20-ft.-radius spread or single 5-ft. square (see text)
Effect: One flaming bird
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
Your fingertips begin to burn as though they are on fire. When you look down you realize that they truly are aflame. You swing your hand outwards in an attempt to extinguish the painful blaze, only to have it leap from your fingers in the form of an enormous bird aiming to make ash of your enemy’s flesh.
You create a bright, flaming bird which streaks from your outstretched hand to attack a target of your choice within range of this spell. The firebird flies to your target and detonates on impact as if it were a fireball spell. Unlike the fireball spell, however, the firebird suffers no chance of premature detonation.
Alternatively, you can instruct the firebird not to detonate and instead envelop the target in a hellish inferno. If the latter attack method is chosen, the firebird’s maximum damage cap is raised to 15d6 (instead of the fireball’s usual 10d6), the target takes a –4 penalty on its Reflex save, and the area of effect is reduced to a single 5-ft. square.
Regardless of which attack method is chosen at the time of casting, Falen’s firebird is still limited to 1d6 points of fire damage per caster level (up to the aforementioned maximums).
HYDRAFORM
Transmutation (Polymorph)
Level: Sorcerer/wizard 7
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Your body begins to expand and split apart as a dozen snake-like heads explode from your now scaly shoulders. Your form reshapes into that of a terrifying hydra.
You take on the form and abilities of a 12-headed hydra (MM 157). You gain 60 temporary hit points, which disappear at the end of the spell's duration. You do not gain the hydra's ability to grow new heads, but otherwise function as a hydra in all other respects. See the description of the polymorph subschool (PH2 95) for more details.
IDENTITY THEFT
Transmutation (Polymorph)
Level: Sorcerer/wizard 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 full round action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
As you cast this spell your limbs become gangly, your eyes bulge, and your hair falls out and turns to dust. The finer features of your body slowly melt until you resemble the form of the enigmatic doppelganger.
You take on the form and abilities of a doppelganger (MM 67). You gain all the stats and abilities of a doppelganger in place of your own except for hit dice and hit points. See the description of the polymorph subschool (PH2 95) for more details.
If true seeing (or a similar effect) is used against you while using the change shape ability this spell provides, it reveals the form of a doppelganger, not your natural form. If used against you while in doppelganger form, however, it does reveal your natural form.
When the spell's duration ends you regain all of your original stats instantly, but the guise fades over the course of 1d4 rounds (rather than immediately), giving you time to keep your identity hidden by other means. A successful dispel magic cast against identity theft effectively ends the spell and causes the same slow fading. Should you dismiss the spell yourself, you can choose to forego the fade effect entirely.
INCANT SCROLL
Transmutation
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
As you incant the spell's arcane words into the weave of your hands, you feel a small part of your mind unravel as you erase a memorized spell in favor for the one scribed upon the arcane spell scroll.
When you activate a spell scroll after casting this spell, you can substitute a spell slot instead of expending the spell on your scroll. The spell slot must be one you have not used for the day, though you may lose a prepared spell to emulate the casting of the spell scroll (the character may not lose prepared spells from his or her school of specialty, if any). The spell slot lost must be equal to or higher in level than the specific spell scribed on the scroll, including any level-increasing metamagic enhancements.
The spell scroll used in this manner must be on your class spell list and you must provide costly material components and XP costs appropriate for the spell on the scroll you are trying to emulate, otherwise you follow all the normal rules for spell completion items. Thus, you could use this spell to drop your prepared meteor swarm spell in favor of casting the more versatile wish spell from your spell scroll, but you would still have to pay 5,000+ XP to do so. After casting the wish spell, you would be down one 3rd-level spell slot, one 9th-level spell slot, and no less than 5,000 XP—but you would still have your scroll of wish available for a later time.
Focus: A sorcerer/wizard spell scroll.
JORAKANE’S MERCIFUL CLUB
Conjuration (Creation) [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 0 ft.
Effect: A club-like beam of force
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
A warm feeling builds up in the palm of your hand as you cast this spell. Suddenly, a blazing beam of force springs forth from your hand, ready to deliver its “mercy.”
A 2-foot-long blazing beam of force springs forth from your hand. It produces light as if it were a torch. You wield this magical beam as if it were a club. Attacks with a club of mercy are melee touch attacks, and the club deals 1d4 points of nonlethal bludgeoning damage plus 1 point per caster level (to a maximum of +10). Unlike normal clubs or melee touch spells, club of mercy has a critical threat range of 18-20/x2 and stuns opponents on any successful critical hit (no save) for 1 round. If an attacked creature has spell resistance, the resistance is checked the first time club of mercy strikes it. If club of mercy is successfully resisted, this spell is dispelled. If not, club of mercy has its full normal effect on that creature for the duration of this spell.
PROJECT ALTERNATE IMAGE
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Effect: One shadow image
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with)
Spell Resistance: No
With the utterance of a single syllable you feel your senses pulled towards your illusory creation. Suddenly, they snap back into place and the spell is completed.
As project image, except the shadow image can take the form of any creature (including yourself), object, or force as visualized by you while casting. You may also change the image as a standard action.
RELEASE SHADOWS
Necromancy [Death, Evil]
Spellcraft DC: 73
Components: V, S, XP
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: 300 ft.
Target: Up to 50 humanoid shadows belonging to 50 living creatures
Area: 80-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Development: 657,000gp; 14 days; 26,280 XP. Seed: animate dead (DC 23). Factors: animate dead (shadow) (-8 DC), animates shadows instead of corpses (ad hoc +7 DC), cannot control created shadows (ad hoc -10 DC), change area to 20-ft. radius (+2 DC), change from target to area (+15 DC), change from touch to target (+4 DC), create additional 130 HD of undead (+130 DC), increase area by 400% (+12 DC), must be cast in lowlight conditions at night (ad hoc -50 DC), people lose shadows and cannot themselves become shadows (ad hoc -20 DC), reduce casting time by 9 rounds (+18 DC). Mitigating Factor: Burn 5,000 XP (-50 DC)
As you cast this insidious spell the shadows around you begin to leap about wildly, as if trying to escape. With a motion of your final gesture and a prolonged hiss the shadows all around you suddenly break free of their respective sources and rise to form dark monstrosities ready to wreak havoc upon the world.
This spell causes up to fifty humanoid shadows within the area to detach from their respective owners and animate as undead shadows. The undead shadows each appear adjacent to their former owners and attack them to the exclusion of all other targets until they are slain (at which point the undead act like normal undead shadows). You do not initially control any of the undead created via this spell.
A humanoid-shaped creature that has had their shadow “released” by this spell does not project a mundane shadow of any kind, no matter what the prevalent lighting conditions are. Such individuals remain without personal shadows until their respective undead shadow is destroyed (at which point their personal shadow reappears when and where appropriate).
Individuals who have lost their respective shadows due to this spell cannot become undead shadows by any means until their personal shadow is returned to them (or to their corpse if they are already dead). This spell must be cast at night, but since you must have line of sight to a target, this spell only functions in bright moonlight, lowlight, torchlight, or similar lighting conditions in which shadows can be easily seen.
XP Cost: 5,000
REND FLESH
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./ level)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial; see
Text
Spell Resistance: Yes
The terrible feeling in your stomach subsides just as a single, dark syllable emerges from your lips like a loud bark. You can’t help but sigh in satisfaction as your opponent’s own flesh bubbles for a moment, then is explosively removed from his bones.
A creature with Hit Dice less than or equal to your caster level is automatically stunned for 1 round (no saving throw). A creature with Hit Dice greater than your caster level is allowed a saving throw to negate the stunning effect.
In the following round, the target must make a Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 20d6) and be nauseated by the pain for 1d4+2 rounds.
RUNE STORM
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./ level)
Area: Cylinder (40-ft. radius, 120 ft. high)
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes
With a loud boom of thunder and a thrust of your fist into the air everything around you begins to glow as magical runes appear overhead in the sky. Suddenly, everything before you disappears in a bright flash of lightning.
Rune storm brings forth hundreds of magical glowing runes in the sky above your enemies. These runes glow brightly momentarily before exploding into hundreds of deadly lightning bolts which then rain down upon your unfortunate foes. Any creatures or unattended objects of your choosing caught in the area take 32d8 points of electricity damage. Damaged creatures can make Reflex saves for half damage, but they suffer a penalty on their save equal to one-third your caster level (maximum -10 penalty).
If the damage caused to an interposing barrier shatters or breaks through it, the blast may continue beyond the barrier if the spell’s range permits; otherwise, it stops at the barrier just as any other spell effect does.
You and all of your allies are completely immune to your own rune storm.
SEPARATION COLUMN
Conjuration (Creation) [Earth]
Level: Clr 4, Drd 4, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 0 ft.
Effect: An immense stone column of earth and stone centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
With the finishing of the spell you are suddenly launched high up into the air as if by a catapult. When you look down, however, you find that you never left the sturdy ground beneath your feet.
This spell creates an immense column of earth and stone, which then rises from the ground underneath you. The column has a 5-foot radius and a height of 10 feet per caster level (to a maximum of 250 feet tall). The column rises up from the ground rooting itself firmly to the stone foundations within the earth. It is always made of cool earth and stone and is very sturdy and solid. It is capable of supporting its own weight and the weight of whatever else might reside upon its precipice up to a maximum of 5 tons per caster level.
After the column is created, it is stationary and permanent, has a hardness of 8, can sustain 1,800 hit points of damage before toppling, and has a break DC of 120 to “knock down.” The DC to climb the column is 15 as it is made of very rough natural rock with adequate handholds and footholds. Separation column, as its name might imply, is primarily used to separate the caster from surrounding threats.
The spell only functions in open aired natural environments with a sturdy foundation. Any attempt to cast this spell in an inappropriate area or to stack multiple columns upon one another automatically fails.
Material Component: Gem dust worth 500gp mixed with a handful of dirt and pebbles.
SOUL’S FURY
Necromancy [Force]
Level: Clr 9, Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, F/DF, XP
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Personal; see text
Target: You
Effect: A physical manifestation of the caster’s soul; see text
Duration: 1 minute/2 levels (D); see text
Saving Throw: None; see text
Spell Resistance: None; see text
With the last utterance of this spell you collapse as everything fades into darkness. When you next awaken, you feel weightless and everything around you looks much brighter—including your body lying on the ground several feet below you.
You transfer your mind and soul into a deadly projection of yourself. This has several effects as noted below:
• Your body falls prone, becoming helpless.
• You create a magical incorporeal force effect that appears over your fallen body. It is a physical manifestation of your soul—thus it looks just like you except that it glows bright blue with the illumination of a torch. Your projection has the same number of Hit Points and effective Hit Dice as you before the casting of this spell, a base AC of 20 (Deflection +10) modified for your size, Dexterity, and Charisma modifiers, and an Attack Bonus equal to your own Base Ranged Attack Bonus modified by your size and Dexterity modifiers. Your projection can fly up to 120 feet (perfect maneuverability) but cannot otherwise take a run or charge action (your projection is not capable of other forms of movement except flight). It does not have access to any of your spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities, or equipment (any apparent equipment is non-functional). You control the projection and can sense the environment around it as if it were your own body. Since the projection is incorporeal, it has all of the traits of the incorporeal subtype (note that the Charisma bonus to AC does not stack with the +10 deflection bonus already provided by this spell).
• You, in your projected form, gain the supernatural ability to emit an explosive beam or beams of searing blue-white force. The beam deals 1d6 damage per caster level to a maximum 25d6 damage. You may fire multiple beams simultaneously by dividing the damage dice up among any number of beams as you wish (minimum 1d6 per beam for up to 25 beams). You may attack any number of targets (but not more targets than you have beams) so long as they are all within 30 feet of each other. This requires a ranged touch attack to hit and it must overcome any spell resistance to successfully deal damage. You may use this attack form once per round as a standard action. Your beams have a range increment of 50 feet and can reach up to ten increments away (500 ft.). This ability is an exception to the rule of not being able to use supernatural abilities.
There is no limit to where your projection may go so long as it remains on the same plane of existence as your body. Your projection is not a creature, but a magical effect (such as that created by Bigby’s grasping hand) and can’t be the target of spells or effects unless the spell or effect could normally target magical effects (such as disintegrate). If your projection is ever destroyed or your projection or body removed from the same plane, you are considered slain immediately.
Effects on your body (such as poison, disease, and so on) continue while you lay helpless. If your body is destroyed, you die at the end of the spell’s duration. Despite any apparent destruction of your soul’s projection, you may be resurrected normally.
If the projection is dispelled or the spell’s duration runs out, your conscience returns to your body and you may begin to act normally. The returning of your soul in this fashion cannot be prevented by any mortal means (short of destroying your body). If the hit point total of the projection was reduced during the spells duration, your body’s hit points are lowered to reflect the change at the end of said duration.
Arcane Focus: A perfect blue or blue-white diamond worth 8,000gp.
XP Cost: 1,000.
STONE CURSE
Transmutation [Earth]
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 full round action
Range: 40 ft.
Target: One corporeal creature/level
Area: 40-ft.-radius spread centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous (D); see text
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
During the casting the dust at your feet begins to swirl around you in a small funnel. As you complete the spell the swirling dust explodes outwards, turning all caught in its blast to stone.
As the spell flesh to stone, except as noted above and as follows: stone curse works on any creature regardless of its original physical composition. Also, a stone curse cannot be dispelled, nor can it be removed with a break enchantment or limited wish spell. A miracle or wish spell removes a stone curse, as does a remove curse spell cast by a spellcaster of at least 17th level. The caster may also end the effect on one or more of the targets as a standard action. Creatures with the Earth subtype are immune to this spell.
Material Components: Lime, water, and chips of stone from a petrified creature.
STRIP BELONGINGS
Transmutation
Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
You clench your stomach with both hands and bellow loudly with laughter. With the verbal and somatic components now out of the way, you begin laughing in earnest at your naked foe.
This spell causes the target creature to momentarily become incorporeal and then instantly revert back to its normal state. All items worn or carried by the subject fall through its incorporeal form and land on the ground at its feet. Ghost touch items and equipment remain carried, held, or worn as appropriate. This spell can even be used to help someone escape from a grapple, from being swallowed whole, or from a similar situation in which they would otherwise be physically restrained by the target creature (such creatures appear adjacent to the target in a square of their choice).
Nothing prevents the target from picking up its belongings on its turn, but it may only do so one item at a time as a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity (and it may take even longer to equip or utilize the retrieved item).
Despite this spell's effects, the target creature will not fall through whatever surface they happen to be standing on (thus you could not cast this spell in hopes of the target falling through a bridge to its death) nor can it be used to remove a cursed item from their person (such items become incorporeal along with the target). Incorporeal or gaseous creatures are immune to this spell.
Material Component: A children's doll with no clothes.
SUMMONING TRICK
Illusion (Shadow) [see text]
Level: Brd 5, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One summoned creature & three illusory duplicates
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None (see text)
Spell Resistance: No
When you tear up the child's drawing you notice that the picture of the monster fades from the paper. As it fades, four identical monsters come into view surrounding your foe—created from shadow stuff. You order them to attack knowing full well that only one of them is as lethal as the real thing.
This spell works exactly like summon monster I except as listed above and the following: this spell summons only a single creature from the summon monster I, II, III, or IV list or the summon nature's ally I, II, III, or IV list. The creature appears along with three identical illusions which each appear in four separate locations as chosen by you. The three duplicates function as though created by a major image spell and are controlled by you as if they were actual summoned creatures themselves. The duplicates are completely harmless but otherwise look and act exactly like real summoned creatures.
Once per round on your turn you can switch the real creature with one of its illusory duplicates as a move action. Doing so is completely imperceptible to anyone but you, thus your enemies don't know which creature to defend against or to attack in any given round. True seeing defeats the illusions and reveals the real summoned creature. Any creatures interacting with the illusions are entitled to a saving throw (Will disbelief). Success, however, quickly becomes a moot point. If the real summoned creature is killed this spell ends. When you use this spell to "summon" an air, chaotic, earth, evil, fire, good, lawful, or water creature, it is a spell of that type.
Material Component: A child's drawing of the monster to be summoned.
TELEKINETIC TOSS
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./ level)
Target: One creature
Duration: Concentration (up to 1 round/ level)
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes
With an authoritative wave of your hand you order your foe to stop. Your target suddenly freezes in place before being lifted above the ground.
This spell locks your target’s muscles in place preventing movement, effectively duplicating the effects of the hold monster spell. In addition, for the duration of this spell you can lift and move the target (as per the sustained force application of telekinesis with no weight limit) or send it hurling through the air (as per the violent thrust application of telekinesis with no weight limit). You may hurl your victim once per round as a standard action, but any action that would harm the target (by you or by others) causes the target to first get a new save to break the spell’s effect.
UNDEAD MIND
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Target: One skeleton or zombie under your control
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None
Uttering a string of dark syllables into the weave of your hands you feel your senses pulled towards your chosen abomination. Suddenly, you see the world as the dead do.
This spell allows you to transfer your mind into the body of a mindless undead creature within range. You gain absolute control over the target undead just as if it were your own body. The undead creature's stats and abilities do not change and absolutely none of your abilities (class abilities, extraordinary abilities, feats, skills, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities, etc.) carry over. However, you may cast your spells through your chosen undead as if they were spell-like abilities originating from the creature itself (although the casting time remains unchanged, and your natural body must provide all components of the spell in question). Once this spell is cast, you may (in your new body) travel anywhere you wish without hindrance (you are not limited to the range of this spell) so long as you remain on the same plane as your original body.
While this spell is in effect your true body stays in place, helpless and unaware of its surroundings unable to do anything other than provide spell components for your spells. If the target undead is successfully controlled, destroyed, or turned, this spell automatically ends forcing your mind back into your body. If your true body is destroyed while this spell is in effect, you lose the ability to cast spells and you perish when this spell ends. This spell may also be cast upon other forms of mindless undead (other than a skeleton or zombie) under the purview of the DM.
YOGA FIRE
Evocation [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
You utter the incantation just as you suck in a deep breath of air. Your stomach balloons slightly and you complete the final gestures as you pull your head back ready to spit.
As fireball, except this spell causes a 2-foot diameter ball of flame to shoot forth from your mouth instead of a red bead from your hand, and as shown above. It is too large to shoot through any opening smaller than 2 feet across.
YOGA FLAME
Conjuration (Creation) [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 full round action
Range: 30 ft.
Area: Cone-shaped burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: No
You utter the incantation just as you suck in a belly full of air. Your stomach balloons unnaturally and you complete the final gestures as you pull your head back ready to exhale.
Yoga flame creates a cone of intensely hot flame that originates from the caster’s mouth. The fire deals 1d6 points of fire damage per caster level to a maximum of 10d6 damage. Yoga flame does not work underwater.
YOGA REACH
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Casting this spell makes your arms feel longer and wirier than before. Knowing the spell finished, you swing your fist forward in a mighty swing that extends outwards not less than ten feet.
Yoga reach causes your arms, legs, or similar appendages to magically extend and do more damage whenever you make an unarmed strike; this has several effects as follows: you gain free use of the Improved Unarmed Strike feat for the duration if you did not already have it, your natural reach with your unarmed strikes double, and your unarmed strikes deal 1d8+1 points of bludgeoning damage per two caster levels (maximum 1d8+10). You choose to deal either lethal damage or nonlethal damage as you choose at the time of any given attack.
Alternatively, if you have one or more natural attacks stemming from your arms or legs (or similar appendage), you may choose to instead use them at twice your normal reach. Unlike true natural reach, you don’t appear to have longer reach until you actually make an attack.
I can think of two off-hand. One was simply a variant of Produce Flame for a wizard instead of a druid. The other was a variant of Chill Touch that was positive energy instead of negative, so it damaged undead but had no effect on the living.
EDIT: And one cantrip. Casting it made your cape ruffle as if there was a breeze. Used for posing heroically.
My witch recently found out his patron is actually Lamashtu so he's researching a spell that can severe the claim a being can have on a soul.
Thanks for all the responses, especially the actual spells researched.
While the spell research rules are not as explicit as I would like, they are good enough to give some idea of what the DCs are. I personally think the spellcraft DC shouldn't be the same as the knowledge DC since those are vastly different things, but that would just make things even more complicated so I guess it's OK.
Back on the old days my group used to research custom spells all the time. But my current group mostly started with 3.0 or 3.5 and spell research has been quite rare, in fact I think I'm the only one who has attempted it.
Currently I am only researching existing spells from other classes that seem reasonable to me and my GM. I have not yet suggested researching a custom spell. That might come next, but I expect a more difficult sell to my GM on that front.
I do not do it.
If a player wants to have a variant version of a spell, something like Fireball but showers the area with sharp ice shards instead of fire, I let them do that. I don't think that having them spend money and time to make it adds anything to my game.
I'd do more spell research if there was an actual guideline for how to go about it. I had one method for spell research that I, unfortunately, can't find the details for anymore.
There are tons of guidelines in Ultimate Magic. There's an entire section devoted to it.
And I love Paizo for it too!
There are tons of guidelines in Ultimate Magic. There's an entire section devoted to it.
Gotta check that out.
There are tons of guidelines in Ultimate Magic. There's an entire section devoted to it.Gotta check that out.
Me too.
For your reference.
How hard was it? Well, it was as hard as researching spells is according to the spell research rules in the DMG. :pAh, so it took at least a week, cost at least 1000gp per spell level, and required an unspecified number of Spellcraft and Knowledge (Arcana) checks of unspecified DC?
The research rules are very vague.
Are you referring to the spell research rules in Pathfinder? The 3.5 spell research rules were quite specific (note that I mentioned the campaign was 3.5). To wit: the spell research took one week per spell level, cost 1,000 gp per week, and required one Spellcraft check with a DC of 10 + spell level. The research requires access to a well-stocked library.
In any case, here's a spell one of the PCs created:
Nikolai's Curse of Insignificance
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: 1 living creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
You place a foul curse upon the target, causing him to be struck deaf, dumb, and blind. A successful Will save negates this effect.
A creature who is struck dumb can make no sound using its vocal mechanisms. This means it cannot cast spells with Verbal components, activate command word magical items, or communicate using speech, as well as any other natural consequences thereof.
The curse bestowed by this spell cannot be dispelled, but it can be removed with a break enchantment, limited wish, miracle, remove curse, or wish spell.