Conjure up an Army!

Here are some new spells for conjuring up a quick (but not cheap or even necessarily good) army...

Conjure Goblinoid
Level: Magic-user 1
Duration: Instant
Range: 60’
 
This spell transforms one or more normal animals of animal intelligence into kobolds, goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, gnolls, or bugbears. The magic-user can conjure one “point” worth of goblinoids per caster level; a kobold (1/2 HD) or goblin (1-1 HD) costs 1/2 point; an orc (1 HD) costs 1 point; a hobgoblin (1+1 HD) costs 1 1/2 points; a gnoll (2 HD) costs 2 points; and a bugbear (3+1 HD) costs 3 points; “leader types” can also be conjured for the base cost of the goblinoid type plus 1 point per additional hit die, though goblinoids with class levels cannot be conjured in this way.
 
Multiple kobolds may be conjured from a single canine, including coyotes, dogs, foxes, or jackals; a single canine may be used to conjure as many kobolds as it has hit points. Goblins must be individually conjured from tiny or small lesser creatures, such as badgers, birds, cats, dogs, foxes, frogs, lizards, monkeys, piglets, rats, toads, weasels, etc. Orcs are conjured exclusively from adult swine – wild swine, domesticated pigs, or warthogs. Hobgoblins must be conjured from small to medium-sized carnivores or omnivores, such as black bears, large birds, baboons, chimpanzees, crocodiles, large dogs, goats, panthers, and so forth. Gnolls must be conjured from hyenas. Bugbears must be conjured from medium to large carnivores or omnivores, such as brown bears, polar bears, lions, tigers, wolverines, wolves, and so on.
 
Conjured goblinoids have goblin-level intelligence, fully understand goblin “culture,” can speak their dialect of Goblinish and Common, and are obedient to their creator (+2 Morale). They can reproduce among themselves by type (provided there are males and females), often mixing the characteristics of their founding animals into strange and unusual combinations. They do not have armor or weapons when conjured. Once conjured, the goblinoids are permanent, and cannot be dispelled.

Each individual target gets a saving throw versus Spells; if an animal’s saving throw succeeds, that animal is not transformed, and flees thereafter at maximum speed for one round per caster level.

The material component is gem dust, sprinkled on or toward the target animal(s), requiring 10 gpv per point used, which is expended in the casting of the spell.
 
Conjure Light Panoply
Level: Magic-user 1
Duration: Instant
Range: 60’
 
With this spell the caster creates a suit of armor and weapons out of thin air, up to one additional panoply per level. The spell conjures a suit of studded leather armor, plus one one-handed melee weapon and a shield or a short bow with a quiver of 20 arrows or a light crossbow with a case of 10 quarrels, plus a dagger or hand axe. The panoply appears on a willing target within range. Once conjured, the armor and weapons are permanent, and cannot be dispelled. The material component is gem dust, sprinkled on or toward the target, worth no less than 50 gp per panoply conjured, which is expended in the casting of the spell.
 
Conjure Medium Panoply
Level: Magic-user 2
Duration: Instant
Range: 60’
 
With this spell the caster creates a suit of armor and weapons out of thin air, one panoply at 3^rd level and up to one additional per level thereafter. The spell conjures a suit of chain mail armor, plus one one-handed melee weapon and a shield or a two-handed melee weapon or a short or long bow with a quiver of 20 arrows, or a light or heavy crossbow with a case of 10 quarrels, plus a dagger or hand axe. The panoply appears on a willing target within range. Once conjured, the armor and weapons are permanent, and cannot be dispelled. The material component is gem dust, sprinkled on or toward the target, worth no less than 100 gp per panoply conjured, which is expended in the casting of the spell.
 
Conjure Heavy Panoply
Level: Magic-user 3
Duration: Instant
Range: 60’
 
With this spell the caster creates a suit of armor and weapons out of thin air, one panoply at 5^th level and up to one additional per level thereafter. The spell conjures a suit of plate mail armor, plus one one-handed melee weapon and a shield or a two-handed melee weapon or a short or long bow with a quiver of 20 arrows, or a light or heavy crossbow with a case of 10 quarrels, plus a dagger or hand axe. The panoply appears on a willing target within range. Once conjured, the armor and weapons are permanent, and cannot be dispelled. The material component is gem dust, sprinkled on or toward the target, worth no less than 250 gp per panoply conjured, which is expended in the casting of the spell.
 
Conjure Knight’s Panoply
Level: Magic-user 4
Duration: Instant
Range: 60’
 
With this spell the caster creates a suit of armor, weapons, and a steed out of thin air, one panoply at 7^th level and up to one additional per level thereafter. The spell conjures a suit of shining plate mail armor, shield, lance, long sword, and dagger, plus a mace, flail, or pick, and a warhorse complete with barding. The tabard, shield, and great helm have coat of arms, badge, and/or crest as appropriate. The panoply appears on a willing target within range, who is also instantly seated upon the warhorse. Once conjured, the armor and weapons are permanent, and cannot be dispelled. The material component is gem dust, sprinkled on or toward the target, worth no less than 500 gp per panoply conjured, which is expended in the casting of the spell.

[New Spell] Manipulate Landscape -- New 6th Level MU Spell List

I’ve never much liked a few of the 6^th level spells included in the Expert rules – I always felt that lower water, move earth, and part water were kind of all the same spell in many ways, and so I have combined them into a single spell, manipulate landscape. I then added two higher-level spells to the 6^th level spell list – polymorph any object and shape change.

This has become a serious consideration of late as I am likely, going forward, to limit class levels – and thus magical spells – to 14^th, as per the Expert rules, and thus 5^th and 6^th level spells for clerics and magic-users, respectively.

1. Anti-Magic Shell

2. Control Weather

3. Death Spell

4. Disintegrate

5. Geas*

6. Invisible Stalker

7. Manipulate Landscape (NEW)

8. Polymorph Any Object**

9. Projected Image

10. Reincarnation

11. Shape Change**

12. Stone to Flesh*

* Reversible Spell

** Refer to Labyrinth Lord for these spells

Manipulate Landscape

Level: Magic-user 6

Duration: 12 turns

Range: Line of sight to one mile

This spell enables the caster to manipulate the nearby landscape as though she were playing with a sandbox or with modeling clay. The caster chooses one type of landscape and area to be manipulated, and during the duration she can play with and mold it as she wishes, even defying the laws of nature -- temporarily. The area that can be affected is as follows:

Water: An area 100’ by 100’ by 100’ or 1,000 10’ cubes

Soil/Sand/Gravel/Mud: An area 60’ x 60’ x 60’ or 216 10’ cubes

Stone: An area 30’ x 30’ x 30’ or 27 10’ cubes

Any form that works within the natural laws of the caster’s world remains permanent (when dealing with soil, sand, gravel, mud, or stone); otherwise when the spell ends the landscape quickly – and dangerously – re-conforms to the laws of gravity and nature. Note that the caster does not need to concentrate at all times during the spell, only when she is making changes; these remain until the end of the spell, or until the caster ends the spell. The caster may cast other spells while this spell is still in effect.

If the caster creates a bridge of sand and gravel spanning a canyon, it falls back into piles of sand and gravel at the bottom of the canyon (along with anyone still on it) at the end of the spell. A 20’ wide x 500’ deep by 1,000’ long canyon through a river would instantly collapse when the spell ends, as would a 20’ x 20’ x 510’ causeway made of mud and gravel, or a 50’ x 50’ x 400’ “statue” of water. Tunnels carved in solid stone, a new configuration of hills and valleys, a new bed for a river, or a ford created across a river from native stone -- these would remain in place provided they are not gravity-defying, and of course, are thereafter subject to natural erosion. Permanent effects cannot be undone by dispel magic or anti-magic effects, as the new landscape is “natural.”

Aliban's Tower by Jeff A. Menges

This spell is often used to create a permanent stone tower, complete with outer walls, inner walls, floors, stairways, doorways, and windows. One application can create a 30’ diameter round tower five stories tall (each 15’ tall counting stone floors, with 5’ thick outer walls). Multiple applications of the spell can be used to seamlessly build larger towers with thicker walls, dig dungeons through stone, or built permanent stone walls. A permanent stone wall 10’ thick by 20’ high by 100’ long (the missing area goes into merlons, crenellations, and machicolations) can be created with a single casting of the spell.

The spell can also be ended at any time by the caster before the duration is over.

[New Spell] Improved Magic Missile

Improved Magic Missile

Level: Magic-user 2

Duration: 1 turn per level

Range: 150’

This spell creates one magic missile per level of the caster. These missiles take the form of motes of dancing magical force of whatever color the caster wishes; they dance around her head in an orbit much like Ioun stones. These magic missiles remain orbiting until the caster chooses to use them.

Elrond was always ready to throw down...

Each missile may be used for the following:

On the caster’s turn, may be used to unerringly strike a target within 150’, dealing 1d6+1 points of damage each. The caster may use one, several, or all in the same turn as she wishes. This counts as the caster’s attack for that round.

On an opponent’s turn, the caster may throw one or more at any attack that has hit the caster or an ally within 150’, after the roll to hit has been determined but before damage is rolled. Each missile so used reduces the damage dealt by the attack by 1d6+1 points of damage. Damage from attacks may be reduced to zero, but any points from the missile(s) so used greater than the damage dealt are lost. No damage is dealt by the missiles even if the attack is a natural attack (claws, bites, etc.). These missiles can even counter other magic missiles, dragon breath, and other magical attacks that deal hit point damage.

Three or more missiles may be expended together to target a single human, demi-human, or humanoid creature, which will be affected as though by the spell hold person. The target gets a saving throw at normal chances to negate the effect. This “hold” is more limited, taking the form of magical shackles on arms and legs, a rope wrapped around the body, or even a cage of magical force. Those affected can speak, but cannot move, attack, cast spells, or take any other action. They can break the bonds, however, doing so causes them to instantly suffer the damage they would have suffered had they been targeted by the missiles normally. Maximum duration is equal to the remaining duration of the spell.

Five or more missiles may be expended together to target a single monster, which will be affected as though by the spell hold monster. Effect is the same as per above, plus creatures with breath weapons will be muzzled, those with gaze attacks will have a magical cover over their eyes, and so forth.

Any magic missiles not used by the time the spell duration ends simply fade away.

Simple Vancian Magic

Of late there has been a bit of chatter about Vancian style magic in D&D, as in, how much magic in D&D actually resembles the magic portrayed by Jack Vance in his Dying Earth series.

 

Short answer, "sorta-kinda." Longer answer, it is similar to Dying Earth magic in that it is "fire and forget," but in practice, there is a lot more granularity to the D&D system than there is to magic as portrayed in Dying Earth. That of course does not take into account the later appearance of Sandestins (effectively, re-skinned genies), which Vance introduced in his later Dying Earth stories. D&D magic-users can cast a LOT more spells at higher levels than any wizard of Dying Earth (or even of Lyonesse); however, D&D magic is a lot less "colorful" than that found in Dying Earth, but that is really more of a function of rules versus literature. If a judge wanted to, she could make D&D magic just as colorful as that found in the Dying Earth.

 

Also, in Dying Earth, wizards had to get by a lot more on their wits than most magic-users seem to do in games these days (or even back in the day). A truly Vancian magic-user would have Charisma as his second-highest stat, merely to take advantage of reactions, bargaining, intimidation, and simple bluster and bluff, and in combination with his Intelligence, wit and repartee. Most D&D magic-user players, at least, from being on the other side of the screen as I have, seem to just fade behind the meatshields after they have used their spells, or at best, fall back on flaming oil, caltrops, and other such more physical "bags of tricks."

 

That said, the brief and simple system to make D&D magic more "truly Vancian," is simple.

 

A magic-user can memorize a number of levels of spells equal to her level plus her Intelligence bonus. The magic-user cannot memorize the same spell twice. Memorization requires an hour of rest and then one round per spell level to impress the spell in the mind. Once the spell is cast (or miscast, or lost), the spell is gone from the mind. 

 

Note that no magic-user in their right mind would ever bring their spell books (plural, one to six spells per spell book, no more) with them into the dungeon, as they are far too rare and valuable. Any foolish magic-user who does this deserves everything she gets (or rather, loses) when Something Bad happens to her spell books.

 

The Cugel Corollary: Anyone who wishes to may attempt to cast a spell from a spell book, if they can read the language (this presumes that spells are written in a readable language rather than a magical cipher). Use the character's "Spell Learning Probability" based on Intelligence and subtract 10% per level of the spell to be cast. ANY failure indicates that Something Bad happens to the attempted spell-caster...

 

For a longer, more involved version of the system, read my Jack Vance Dying Earth-inspired Adventurer class.

[New Spell] Investiture of Eternal Guardianship

Investiture of Eternal Guardianship
3rd-level transmutation
Casting Time: 8 hours
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (gems worth at least 10,000 gp, which are consumed in the casting; plus, a single solid object of any value made of any material as the focus of the spell)

 

You transform a living creature into an immortal guardian of a single place; an intelligent creature must be willing (not under any sort of magical duress). So long as the creature so affected does not leave this place, it will not age or die of natural means, though it can be killed normally. It also need not eat, drink, breathe, or sleep (though it may do so if it wishes). It heals normally, even without eating or drinking, and it need not sleep during its long rest, merely rest. The creature also never advances in levels or hit dice, and gains no experience points while thus enchanted. The creature can learn new languages, and can learn new knowledge from willing teachers or from books, though none of this can cause it any improvements in abilities or statistics.

 

I know he aged, so the comparison isn't quite perfect, but it is apt...

The area the guardian tends and must remain in may be no larger than a sphere 10 feet in radius per level of the caster; thus 20th-level caster allows for a sphere up to 200 feet in radius. Often the area the guardian must reside within is smaller, as set by the caster during the casting of the spell, perhaps a single room or cavern or small system of rooms or caverns, and the border is delineated by some design or motif, such as differently-colored bricks or stones, a painted line, a fence, or even a hedge of shrubs.

 

The creature innately knows where the boundary is, and never willingly passes the boundary, knowing it can mean instant destruction. Low-intelligence creatures cannot reason beyond their fear of the boundary, while intelligent creatures might determine that there is no ill effect… within their natural lifespan. Should the creature ever be forced to leave the defined area that it guards, for any reason, the spell ends, and it instantly ages all the years that have passed since the spell was cast. Should it age past its natural lifespan, its body will wither, turn to dust, and the dust will blow away.

 

The creature knows of any being that passes into its guarded area; by concentrating for a round it can view the being(s) remotely, as though present and within 10 to 30 feet. When so concentrating it can also hear the being(s) clearly, as though it were present, though it only understands any languages it already knows. If it is intelligent, it may also speak to the being(s), as though from the air or, perhaps, from some appropriate bit of décor within the area. The creature can always see clearly within its area as though it were perfect daylight, even through magical darkness.

 

Casting dispel magic on the creature or the entire area is inefficacious; the spell can be dispelled only by casting dispel magic (or other such spell) specifically, intentionally, and directly on the singular item that acts as the focus of the spell. This focus item cannot be removed from the area of effect; any attempt to do so merely causes the item to disappear from the hands or pockets of whomever attempts to remove it and causes it to reappear elsewhere within the area of the spell. The spell is also dispelled if the object is ever destroyed (thus the object is usually of some strong metal). Note that the object cannot be enchanted against destruction, nor with any other magical ability; the item detects as magical, while the area and the enchanted creature do not detect as magical or enchanted.

 

If the focus item is destroyed, or if the spell is dispelled, the guardian creature does not age instantly, and merely continues aging as normal, no longer having any benefits of the spell.

At Higher Levels. The spell cast with a 3rd-level spell slot only affects beasts, oozes, and plants. The spell affects low-intelligence (Intelligence 6 or less) elementals and monstrosities when cast with a 5th-level spell slot. A spell cast with a 7th-level spell slot affects higher-intelligence elementals and monstrosities, as well as low-intelligence aberrations, celestials, dragons, and fiends. A spell cast with a 9th-level spell slot affects high-intelligence aberrations, celestials, dragons, and fiends, as well as fey, giants, and humanoids.

 

Designer Note. I thought of this spell while playing the other day, wondering just how certain living creatures guarding a treasure remained alive and whole after centuries of being locked away in a dungeon with no "natural ecology" on which to survive...

[New Spell] Finally got introduced to Samurai Jack, so here is a spell...

Portal into the Future

Level: 5

Duration: Instant

Range: 10’

                           

This spell enables the magic-user to get rid of a meddlesome foe by flinging the target into a one-way portal into the future. If the target fails a saving throw versus Spells, the target is flung into the future… it is a one-way trip, though the victim can find another way back in time, if such exists. If the target makes the save, he or she jumped out of the way of the portal, and the spell fails.

The victim, if flung into the future, arrives at a random safe point on the same planet, d100 miles distant from the original point of the spell per level of the caster, in a time one century in the future per level of the caster, +/- d100 years. The caster does not know when the target will arrive in the future; similarly, if the caster is alive when the victim arrives, the caster has no clue, until this is discovered through normal means.

The caster physically ages one year per century the target is flung into the future, rounded up. For a human caster, this can be quite dangerous, if he does not have access to potions of longevity; for elves and other long-lived beings, such as shape-shifting masters of darkness, such effects are of little note.

First Level Death Spell!

   The door was locked and bolted, but it swung silently open and Xaltotun stood before them, calm, tranquil, stroking his patriarchal beard; but the lambent lights of Hell flickered in his eyes.

   “I have taught you too much,” he said calmly, pointing a finger like an index of doom at Orastes. And before any could move, he had cast a handful of dust on the floor near the feet of the priest, who stood like a man turned to marble. It flamed, smoldered; a blue serpentine of smoke rose and swayed upward about Orastes in a slender spiral. And when it had arisen above his shoulders it curled about his neck with a whipping suddenness like the stroke of a snake. Orastes’ scream was choked to a gurgle. His hands flew to his neck, his eyes were distended, his tongue protruded. The smoke was like a blue rope about his neck; then it faded and was gone, and Orastes slumped to the floor a dead man.

-- Hour of the Dragon, Robert E. Howard 

So you want to pump up the magic-user class?

How about a 1^st level Death Spell!

Herein I am using Labyrinth Lord stats and descriptions…

Think about it. Magic Missile is a 1^st level spell. It has a range of 150’, deals 1d6+1 hit points of damage (average 4.5), and always hits its target. That’s powerful enough to kill most 0-level Normal Men and even powerful enough to kill most 1^st level characters and 1 HD monsters.

Death Spell is a 6^th level spell (can be used as early as 11^th level). It has a range of 240’ and kills 4d8 HD of creatures of 8 HD or less (essentially, Name Level characters are immune), though all the targets get a saving throw versus Death.

Poisons… all characters of all levels fear poison, as all characters of all levels can still be slain by the same simple poison…

So let’s just up the ante a little bit, and give everyone a reason to fear magic-users… because no one fears low-level magic-users once they have reached 5^th level (no more sleep effects on you, right).

Try this on for size…

Death Spell

Level: 1

Duration: Instant

Range: 40’ plus 20’ per level

When this spell is cast a ray of black, coruscating energy emits from the caster’s finger, directed at a single target within range. The target must then make a saving throw versus Death; failure indicates instant death. If the target is of a higher level or hit dice than the level of the caster, the target gets a +4 bonus to their saving throw. If the saving throw succeeds, and the target is of higher level or hit dice, nothing happens. If the target is of equal or lower level or hit dice, the target suffers 1d6 points of damage plus 1 point of damage per level of the caster.

The appearance of the spell can vary from caster to caster, though once a magic-user learns the spell it will always have the same appearance (d10):

1. Arc of Black Lightning

2. Sickly Purple Ray

3. Coiling Indigo Tendril of Smoke

4. Flash of Blue Flames

5. Whip of Green Energy

6. Staccato Bursts of Yellow Beams

7. Scintillating Orange Beam

8. Scorching Red Ray

9. Blinding White Flash of Light

10. Invisible

If you want to limit the use of this spell, have each casting require the use of a material component, such as black lotus, or demon ichor, or some other such material rare and expensive (say, 1,000 gp per casting). Or perhaps the magic-user must craft a special wand to use as a focus, costing 1,000 gp; without the wand, the caster cannot cast the spell.

   Bellatrix laughed, the same exhilarated laugh her cousin Sirius had given as he toppled backward through the veil, and suddenly Harry knew what was going to happen before it did.

   Molly’s curse soared beneath Bellatrix’s outstretched arm and hit her squarely in the chest, directly over her heart.

   Bellatrix’s gloating smile froze, her eyes seemed to bulge: For the tiniest space of time she knew what had happened, and then she toppled, and the watching crowd roared, and Voldemort screamed.

-- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling