necromaticspells.tex

\section{The Necronomicon: Necromantic Spells}

Necromancy as a school is possessed of some of the most powerful and game defining spells ever imagined in the worlds of Dungeons and Dragons. \spell{Magic Jar}, \spell{Wail of the Banshee}, and \spell{Clone} can practically be a world threatening plan for a BBEG all by themselves. In fact, that's been done several times. But Necromancy as a school suffers greatly for this attention. Though the earth shaking power for dark lords is well represented, the low levels of necromancy have been largely ignored by generations of authors. It is our intention to produce a short list of spells that allow a low level Necromancer to be memorable and effective without constantly falling back on the old stand-by of having Spell Focus: Conjuration.

The [Healing] subschool:
The spell \spell{cure light wounds} has no business being in the school of Conjuration. It's not that you can't make an acceptable argument for the existence of "conjuration" that makes people feel better -- that's actually pretty easy to rationalize. It's that \spell{cure light wounds} doesn't work the way a spell that was in Conjuration would work. It doesn't create healthy flesh to fill up wounds -- it channels Positive Energy into the creature and makes them feel better or worse depending upon how they react to that sort of thing. As described, the [Healing] subschool needs to be in the same school as \spell{inflict light wounds}, because it does the same thing. Logically speaking, that could be Evocation (because Evocation handles any Energy Channeling), or it could be Necromancy (because Necromancy can do pretty much anything with Positive or Negative Energy). We suggest having the [Healing] subschool in Necromancy, but only because this isn't The Tome of Evocation. If you decide to make these spells Evocation spells for your home game, we won't stop you.\\

\begin{quote}

\featname{Congealing Consumption}
\begin{small}
\shortability{Necromancy}{}
\shortability{Level:}{Sor/Wiz 2}
\shortability{Components:}{V, S}
\shortability{Casting Time:}{1 Standard Action}
\shortability{Range:}{Medium}
\shortability{Area:}{10 foot radius burst.}
\shortability{Duration:}{Instantaneous, and 1 round/level (see below)}
\shortability{Saving Throw:}{Willpower Negates}
\shortability{Spell Resistance:}{Yes.}
\end{small}
\emph{As the necromancer finishes the final incantations, a dark cloud arises and envelopes the souls of those within.}

Any creature within the area when the spell is cast must make a Willpower save or be nauseated for one round per level of the caster.\\

\featname{Curse of Crumbling Conviction}
\begin{small}
\shortability{Necromancy}{}
\shortability{Level:}{Sor/Wiz 4}
\shortability{Components:}{V, S}
\shortability{Casting Time:}{1 Standard Action}
\shortability{Range:}{Medium}
\shortability{Target:}{One Creature.}
\shortability{Duration:}{Instantaneous}
\shortability{Saving Throw:}{Willpower Negates}
\shortability{Spell Resistance:}{Yes.}
\end{small}
\emph{The avenging angel glared down with menace at the necromancer. She raised her flaming sword even as he completed his spell. He met her smoldering gaze levelly. "Why?" he asked. It was a question she could not answer\ldots}

If the target fails their save they no longer feel strongly about people, ideals, or things. The target's alignment becomes neutral if it wasn't already, and the creature becomes indifferent to everyone, including the caster. This effect is an instantaneous shift, and in no way prevents a creature from responding to subsequent diplomacy or threats. This lack of purpose is an oppressive feeling for intelligent creatures, who will gladly adopt the alignment of whatever creature next persuades them to being helpful. Creatures with an alignment subtype will gradually find their purpose again -- regaining the alignment of their subtype in a d4 days unless they already have a new one.\\

\featname{Dark Symmetry}
\begin{small}
\shortability{Necromancy}{}
\shortability{Level:}{Sor/Wiz 2}
\shortability{Components:}{S}
\shortability{Casting Time:}{1 Standard Action}
\shortability{Range:}{Medium}
\shortability{Target:}{One Creature.}
\shortability{Duration:}{Concentration}
\shortability{Saving Throw:}{Willpower Negates}
\shortability{Spell Resistance:}{Yes.}
\end{small}
\emph{Her hands slow down from the frenzied pace and the necromancer's shadow extends into the target's. The warrior's sword arm slows and holds fast. A smile flashes across her face, and she takes a step forward. The warrior unsteadily takes a step backwards, a look of panic crossing his face.}

If the victim fails their saving throw, they are helpless and unable to voluntarily move until the spell is terminated. Further, if the caster moves while concentrating upon the spell, the victim simultaneously moves an equal distance in the same direction. If the victim is moved into an occupied space, he falls prone. If the victim is moved off a cliff, he falls.\\

\featname{Form of Death}
\begin{small}
\shortability{Necromancy}{}
\shortability{Level:}{Sor/Wiz 2}
\shortability{Components:}{S}
\shortability{Casting Time:}{1 Standard Action}
\shortability{Range:}{Touch}
\shortability{Target:}{One Living Creature.}
\shortability{Duration:}{24 hours}
\shortability{Saving Throw:}{Fortitude Negates (Harmless)}
\shortability{Spell Resistance:}{Yes (Harmless).}
\end{small}
\emph{The final incantations completed, the necromancer's skin turned gray, his lips became cold and dry.}

A creature affected by Form of Death becomes very much like an undead creature. The target gains [Undead] as a subtype and is affected by any spell or effect that targets Undead specifically. The target is also cured by negative energy and damaged by positive energy. The target is immune to negative energy levels, ability damage, and ability drain. The character will be treated as an undead by those around him, which is both a boon and a bane -- while mindless undead won't attack the target unless specifically ordered to and the character gains a +4 profane bonus on all charisma related checks when used on undead creatures, the target also suffers a -4 penalty on Charisma related checks for dealing with living creatures.\\

\featname{Puppet Dance}
\begin{small}
\shortability{Necromancy}{}
\shortability{Level:}{Sor/Wiz 3}
\shortability{Components:}{S}
\shortability{Casting Time:}{1 Standard Action}
\shortability{Range:}{Close}
\shortability{Target:}{One Corporeal Creature.}
\shortability{Duration:}{Concentration}
\shortability{Saving Throw:}{Reflex Negates}
\shortability{Spell Resistance:}{Yes.}
\end{small}
\emph{The necromancer holds her hands up with fingers apart, shadowy tendrils hang down from each finger, tapering into nonexistence before reaching her waist. As the spell reaches completion, larger tendrils appear above the target and hang down to anchor themselves in the victim's flesh.}

If the victim fails their saving throw, they are helpless and unable to move voluntarily until the spell is terminated. This spell only affects creatures with a physical body. When the caster spends a standard action to concentrate on the spell, she may opt to have the victim move and perform a physical standard action. The caster cannot force the victim to use their spell knowledge (if any), and any attacks made by the victim use the caster's Base Attack Bonus rather than their own.\\

\featname{Sobering Skeletal Stillness}
\begin{small}
\shortability{Necromancy}{}
\shortability{Level:}{Sor/Wiz 1}
\shortability{Components:}{V, S}
\shortability{Casting Time:}{1 Standard Action}
\shortability{Range:}{Medium}
\shortability{Target:}{One Creature with Bones.}
\shortability{Duration:}{Concentration}
\shortability{Saving Throw:}{Fortitude Negates}
\shortability{Spell Resistance:}{Yes.}
\end{small}
\emph{Chortling like a man possessed, the necromancer contorts his hands into unnatural positions, emitting dreadful crackling sounds of bones grinding against one another. A black aura surrounds his victim, and the sounds of crepitace now come from two\ldots}

If the victim fails their saving throw, they are helpless and unable to move until the spell is terminated. This spell only affects creatures who have a skeletal structure, although an exoskeleton does count. Creatures normally immune to paralysis, necromantic effects, or effects requiring a fortitude save that do not affect objects are still affected by this spell if they have a skeleton (so a zombie ogre is affected, but an iron golem is not).\\

\featname{Tasha's Tomb Tainting}
\begin{small}
\shortability{Necromancy}{}
\shortability{Level:}{Sor/Wiz 1}
\shortability{Components:}{V, S, M}
\shortability{Casting Time:}{10 minutes}
\shortability{Range:}{Touch}
\shortability{Area:}{40-ft. radius emanating from the touched point}
\shortability{Duration:}{Instantaneous}
\shortability{Saving Throw:}{See text}
\shortability{Spell Resistance:}{No.}
\end{small}
\emph{The graveyard has a serene feeling; the dead have lain here undisturbed for generations. Above the gate a sign in ancient Dwarven earnestly proclaims that the heroes interred within shall lie in peace forever. The necromancer puzzles through the faint and archaic runes and chuckles to himself. "Not hardly?" he mutters, and begins fishing through his spell component pouch for a black pearl\ldots}

Upon spell completion, the area is free of any consecration, desecration, Forsaken Graveyard, hallow, Tomb, or unhallow effects. If the caster chooses, the area can be considered desecrated for the next 24 hours (the effects are increased as if there had been a permanent altar to an evil god or pantheon in the area).

\shortability{Material Component:}{One Black Pearl, worth at least 500 gp.}

\featname{Tasha's Tomb Transport}
\begin{small}
\featname{Necromancy}
\shortability{Level:}{Sor/Wiz 3}
\shortability{Components:}{V, S}
\shortability{Casting Time:}{1 minute}
\shortability{Range:}{See Text}
\shortability{Target:}{You and objects and willing creatures.}
\shortability{Duration:}{Instantaneous}
\shortability{Saving Throw:}{See text}
\shortability{Spell Resistance:}{No.}
\end{small}
\emph{The caster finishes the droning incantations and places her hand on the ground, where dark red runes appear in a circle around it. Eerily dark tendrils rise from the shadows and consume everyone and everything within the area. Far away, a black portal opens on the ground and the travelers rise from it covered in a thin sheen of cold sweat.}

This spell can only be cast in a Tomb, and it transports the targets to another Tomb of the caster's choice. The caster has no ability to determine where in the Tomb she will end up, but all targets appear together. The target Tomb need not be on the same plane of existence, but the caster must know where the target Tomb is to within one mile. The spell fails if either Tomb is cut off from the Negative Energy Plane (including effects like dimensional interdiction). Total transported creatures and objects cannot exceed 500 pounds per caster level in weight.\\

\featname{Tomb Tile Tessellation}
\begin{small}
\shortability{Necromancy}{}
\shortability{Level:}{Sor/Wiz 2}
\shortability{Components:}{V, S, M}
\shortability{Casting Time:}{10 minutes}
\shortability{Range:}{Touch}
\shortability{Area:}{One ten-foot cube}
\shortability{Duration:}{Instantaneous}
\shortability{Saving Throw:}{No.}
\shortability{Spell Resistance:}{No.}
\end{small}
\emph{Who knew how long the dead had lain in repose, unmolested and forgotten? Judging by the state of the remains, it was long enough -- so the necromancer brought out the charts and began planning out how to make sure it stayed that way.}

This spell can only be cast in a place where the dead have lain for at least 50 years without being returned as undead. Each casting makes one ten foot cube eligible to become a Tomb. Once the entire area is eligible to become a Tomb, the entire area becomes a Tomb.

\shortability{Material Component:}{One vial of Holy Water or one vial of Unholy Water.}
\end{quote}