Concerning the wizard and her spells

[Edena_of_Neith]

Edena_of_Neith here. Greetings to one and all. I hope Origins went well, and I hope you'all enjoy Gen Con.

When 3rd Edition came out, I made a simple decision concerning spells, and this made a hard job very easy.
I decided that, as DM, I:

1. Would allow conversion of all existing 1st and 2nd edition spells to 3rd edition.
2. Would allow all 3rd edition spells and 3rd edition spells from d20 supplements.
3. The player would be allowed to choose which spell version he wanted to take: the converted 1st/2nd edition spell, or the 3rd edition spell. Certainly my NPCs might well take the more powerful version of the spell, so the player might as well also do so.

Concerning conversions, I went with the following:

1. All 1st and 2nd edition spells have their casting time reduced to 1 standard action (or, less than 1 standard action if the 3rd edition version specified that) in 3rd edition.
2. The saving throw requirements - or lack of a saving throw allowed by the 1st/2nd edition spell - is not changed in 3rd edition.
3. All parameters of the spell that need to be modified due to the new 6 second combat round, are modified in favor of increasing the power of the spell, in 3rd edition.

Here is an example (taken from the original text and modified)

1st Edition Chromatic Orb: As per the spell

3rd Edition Chromatic Orb (Alteration, Evocation)
Range: Short, see below - Components: V, S, M - Duration: Special
Casting Time: 1 standard action - Area of Effect: One creature - Saving Throw: Reflex negates and see below

The chromatic orb spell enables the 3rd edition spellcaster to create a small globe of varying hue in his or her hand and hurl it at any opponent he or she desires, providing there are no barriers between him and the target creature, and that the target creature is within 30 yards. 30 yards is the farthest distance the chromatic orb can be hurled.
Spell resistance withstands this spell as per the 3rd edition rules. The chromatic orb ignores damage reduction up to + 5 / 20.
At 10 yards or closer, there is a + 3 BAB, to 20 yards a + 2 BAB, and to 30 yards range a + 1 BAB. If a chromatic orb misses a target, it dissipates without further effect. The color of the globe determines its effect when a subject is struck. Low spellcasting level 3rd edition characters are restricted as to what color orb they can bring into existence by means of this spell, although the hues below their spellcasting level are always available should the choice be made to select a color not commensurate with spellcasting level of experience. Colors and effects are shown on the table below.

Minimum / Color of Orb / HPs of damage / Special effects of the orb
Spellcasting
Level

1st / Pearly /1 - 4 / light / Note 1 below
2nd / Ruby / 1 - 6 / heat / Note 2 below
3rd / Flame / 1 - 8 / fire / Note 3 below
4th / Amber / 1 - 10 / blindness / Note 4 below
5th / Emerald / 1 - 12 / stinking cloud / Note 5 below
6th / Turquoise / 2 - 16 / magnetism / Note 6 below
7th / Sapphire / 2 - 8 / paralysis / Note 7 below
10th / Amethyst / (slow) petrification / Note 8 below
12th / Ashen / (paralysis) death / Note 9 below

Special Powers:

Note that the special powers of the chromatic orb always manifest upon impact, whether the target is hit or not.
If the target is hit, it sustains the damage shown above on the chart (no Saving Throw is allowed against this effect of the Chromatic Orb spell) and the target must Save or be affected adversely by the orb, as described below. Possibly, others near the target could also be affected, as well.
If the target is missed, the 3rd edition rules for thrown objects are used to determine where the orb goes, and what (and perhaps who) it hits, instead.

1. The chromatic orb creates light equal to a Light spell upon impact (impact with the target, if the wizard hits, or somewhere else, if he misses) which lasts for 1 turn per spellcaster level.
If the target makes a Reflex Save, the Light effect has no effect on it (unless it, and perhaps others nearby, are vulnerable to bright light.) The Light effect centers on where the target is standing when hit, and remains stationary thereafter.
If the target fails it's Reflex Save, it is blinded for the entire spell duration, and the Light effect centers on it and moves with it until the spell duration expires.

2. The chromatic orb generates a burst of severe heat upon impact. This heat is sufficient to melt 1 cubic yard of ice, or to cause equivalent effects, on everything within several feet of it's impact point.
If the target makes it's Reflex Save, it is not directly affected by this heat effect (although indirect effects are possible. For example, if the target were standing on an iced over lake, that ice might melt or at least weaken and the target fall through it into the frigid water below.)
If the target fails it's Reflext Save, it loses 1 point of Strength and 1 point of Dexterity, and suffers - 1 to it's BAB and - 1 AC, for 1 turn. All ill effects to the target stack.

3. The chromatic orb generates a brief, small burst of magical flame upon impact.
If the target makes it's Reflex save, it manages to dodge aside as a Free Action and takes no ill effects from these flames.
If the target fails it's Reflex Save, it sustains 2 additional points of fire damage.
In addition, all beings touching or within 1 foot of the target also must make Reflex Saves or sustain this fire damage.
Anyone wearing and/or carrying items, that fails it's Reflex Save against this magical flame, must make Item Saves against Magical Fire for each and every item worn and/or carried. (As per the 1st edition rules.) Any failed Save means that particular item is destroyed, that being is now on fire and sustains 2 - 12 points of damage each and every round thereafter until the fire is extinguished, and all carried and/or worn items on that being must Save versus Normal Fire each and every round thereafter or be destroyed, while the fire lasts. (As per the 1st edition rules, with a vengeance.)
Any magical protection against fire negates the extra 2 points of damage, negates the need for Item Saves, and prevents any possibility of the target creature immolating.
If the target is standing in heavy rain, or is already drenched, or is standing mostly submersed within a body of water, the magical fire effect still requires Reflex Saves (and Item Saves if failed), but the target creature will not immolate thereafter, will not take further damage, and will not have to make further Item Saves.
Complete submersion in water acts as per magical protection against fire. Note that the chromatic orb can still strike the target, passing through the water as if it were air.

4. The chromatic orb causes blindness upon impact.
If the target makes it's Reflex Save, it is unaffected by this blindness.
If the target fails it's Reflex Save, it is blinded for 5 to 8 turns. This blindness remains until the spell expires or it is magically dispelled.


5. The chromatic orb creates a 10 foot diameter Stinking Cloud (as per the spell) upon impact.
The target must make a Fortitude Save. Success indicates the target leapt clear of the Cloud as a Free Action (move the character 10 feet in a direction of the player's choosing.) The Stinking Cloud remains centered where the target was, and is stationary thereafter. The Cloud's duration is as per the regular Stinking Cloud spell.
If the Fortitude Save is failed, the Stinking Cloud centers on, and moves with, the target. The target remains conscious but is otherwise completely incapacitated, until someone successfully employs magical means to dispel the Stinking Cloud, or until it fades away when the spell's duration expires.
Anyone touching or standing within 5 feet of the target must also make a Fortitude Save. Success indicates they leap clear as a Free Action. Failure indicates they are afflicted as per the Stinking Cloud spell.
Note that Stinking Clouds are explosive. Any spark or fire brought within the Cloud will instantly cause it to detonate, inflicting 2 to 12 points of fire damage to everyone within it (Reflex Save for half) and possibly forcing Item Saving Throws against Fire as well. Blast damage of 1 to 6 points will occur out to 20 feet, and smoke will obscure vision for possibly several turns thereafter.

6. The chromatic orb causes an electrical blast upon impact.
If the target makes it's Reflex Save, it dodged as a Free Action, and the electrical discharge dissipates (if the target is standing in water or within heavy rain, the blast might rebound through the water into the target anyway, and/or into other beings nearby.)
If the target fails it's Reflex Save, all worn and/or carried items must Save versus Electricity or be destroyed. A single failed save means that item is destroyed, the target creature is on fire and sustains 2 to 12 points of fire damage each and every round until the fire is extinguished, and all other worn and/or carried items must save each and every round the fire burns, or be destroyed.
If the target is wearing ferrous metal and fails the Reflex Save that metal will be magnetized (whether it is damaged or not by the electrical discharge.) If the target was in full armor, that target will be paralyzed. Lesser armor will cause varying levels of debilitation. Weapons made of ferrous metal cannot be drawn or used. This effect will last for 30 to 120 turns! (And, of course, if the target is magnetized and immolated, it is in real trouble ...)

7. The chromatic orb paralyzes upon impact. Creatures normally immune to paralysis are immune to this effect.
If the target makes it's Reflex Save, it is not paralyzed.
If the target fails it's Reflex Save, it is paralyzed for 5 to 20 turns. As per 1st edition, paralyzed creatures may be automatically slain at the rate of one per slayer per round, unless some extraordinary circumstance exists (such as being unable to cut through dragonscales, or trying to chop apart a paralyzed black pudding, and so on.)

8. The chromatic orb petrifies upon impact. And even if the save is made, there are adverse effects.
If the target make's it's Reflex Save, it is Slowed (as per the spell) for 2 to 8 turns.
If the target fails it's Reflex Save, it is turned to stone. If the petrified target is then overturned and shattered, it is killed. Otherwise, it remains as a stone statue, and any damage to this statue remains when and if the target is returned to flesh and blood (breaking an arm off the statue will mean quite a problem for the restored being ...)

9. At this level, the Chromatic Orb is an Autokill Spell. Even if the target makes it's save, it is likely to die anyways as a result of the spell.
If the target makes it's Reflex Save, it is paralyzed for 2 to 5 turns.
If the target fails it's Reflex Save, it is instantly killed as the magical evocation literally blasts the life force out of it's body, sending it's soul reeling and yelping into the Afterlife.

The material component of the spell is a gem of the appropriate hue, or else a clear crystal one (such as a diamond). The gem can be as small (in value) as 50 gold pieces as long as its color is appropriate.

 

[S'mon]

When 3rd Edition came out, I made a simple decision concerning spells, and this made a hard job very easy...

Edena you're a hoot.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

(chuckles)

Wait until I put up my 3rd edition version of the Mantle Spell ...

 

[Anabstercorian]

I say this without having actually yet read the post: when you open your mouth, interesting things usually come out, and I look forward to whatever this is.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Well, in the magic weakened world of D&D 3.5, you probably won't find my version of Chromatic Orb laying around in the local library for everyone to access.
But you might find it in lost tomes, in the minds of liches, and in arcanely powerful and unfathomable societies like Halruaa and Dambrath it might be commonplace!

As always, it is a pleasure to hear from you, Anabstercorian. My old friend, it is good to see you.
By the way, I love your sig. I know it comes from the 3rd IR. Always keep it, will you? A personal request.

Chromatic Orb, at 12th level, creates a scenario right out of the film The Quick and the Dead: the film with Sharon Stone. Literally the first mage to fire, wins ... if he hits and if the opposing mage does not have some magical protection up (the equivalent of John Waynes' metal plate, which he wore in the film shown in Back to the Future Part Two.)

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Fireball, 3rd Edition

Here is how I modified Fireball for 3rd edition:

I employed the 1st edition rules which allow for unlimited dice of damage (1d6 per caster level.) The single exception is the 2nd edition world of FR, where Mystra placed a 10 dice cap on Fireball and many other spells ... but this would assume we were playing a Canon FR game.
All feet convert to yards, for range purposes. The range is otherwise standard.
Casting time reverts to one standard action.
Area of effect remains a 40 foot sphere, or 33,000 cubic feet, and the fireball still expands (in seconds) to cover that entire area in seconds. The fireball still produces no blast wave or radiant heat (amazing!) and still is heard as a low roar (audible faintly at a mile away at 5d6. Audible faintly at 10 miles at 30d6.)
Components remain the same (in games that use components.)
Spell schools remain the same.

The powerful 3rd level Fireball spell begins as the wizard points her finger and mentally designates a target point.
A point of brilliant light streaks out in a flash from her finger to the target point in a split second, and erupts instantaneously into a 40 foot diameter conflagration of dazzling blue-white light and incredible heat. If underground, the explosion races down scores of feet of tunnel in seconds, an onrushing wall of dazzlingly brilliant incineration. (A good analogy to this effect is napalm going off. Some creatures might even have a second or two to think about what is coming before they are hit by the onrushing infernal.)
Because the Fireball has little blast force, it will not force open dungeon doors or blow walls out, or cause other effects of this sort per se. But it's incredible heat makes up for that.

At the end of the first round (6 seconds) the heat of the Fireball diminishes from blue and white to brilliant orange and red, then quickly fades out. No heat damage is inflicted by the Fireball after the first round.
The Fireball itself leaves no smoke afterwards. But of course, target creatures, objects, and areas are another matter: they may be producing quite a lot of smoke afterwards, for quite a lot of time.

All things within the Fireball's area of effect must save. Characters and NPCs make Reflex Saves, items mundane and magical Save (as per 1st edition) against Magical Fire.
If target beings make their Reflex Saves, they take half damage from the Fireball. They are assumed to have fallen flat, dived out of the way, were saved by divine luck, or perhaps their own magic arose unconsciously and protected them ... whatever the case may be, they may yet be alive. Their items need not make Item Saves, and they are not considered to be on fire. (They may still be in danger. See below.)
Targets who fail their Reflex Saves are not so fortunate. They take full damage, and all their worn and/or carried items must make Item Saving Throws against Magical Fire (as per 1st edition.) Any item that fails it's save is completely destroyed (not damaged: destroyed.) If even one item fails the save, the target creature is immolated, taking 2 to 12 points of damage each and every round thereafter until the fire is put out, and all carried and/or worn items must make Item Saving Throws against Normal Fire each and every round the fire burns.
A target wearing full armor of metal who fails his Reflex Save is in serious trouble. The armor heats to the glowing point, and becomes a death trap for whoever is wearing it. Unless removed or doused with enormous amounts of water, the scalding armor will inflict an additional 2 to 12 points of damage on the wearer each and every round until he somehow removes it. The target in question is most unlikely to be able to take any normal action while being roasted alive within red hot armor.

The Fireball's effects are terrifying and astounding to those who have never witnessed such theurgy before.
Humans, demi-humans, and humanoids melt into puddles of burning fat in seconds, their bones charring and crumbling to ash. Armorplated monsters roast as their armor glows cherry red. Supposedly lucky creatures who made their Save but are still killed by the damage are charred beyond recognition.
Wooden walls char instantly, then evaporate. Huge beams and solid planks burst into flames, char, then collapse in an avalanche of burning embers. The surface of rivers and lakes boil. Large tree trunks burn and char, while smaller tree trunks evaporate. The ground itself melts and fuses. Dungeon hallways of stone glow a dull red, while dungeon doors burn and char.
Metals with low melting temperatures, such as gold, melt from the heat into puddles, which then congeal and solidify into messy metal masses that are sometimes impossible to move.

Buildings can thus be made to collapse, killing or injuring everyone within them even if the Fireball did not touch most of them (see the 3rd edition rules for collapse, falling, and crushing damage.) Trees whose trunks were charred or vaporized will fall, crushing what lies underneath, while a forest fire begins (even in drenched woodland, although an immediate heavy rain will put out the fire.)
Anyone so foolish as to enter into an area struck by a Fireball is likely to be affected by extreme heat. Walking on stone heated red hot, or on fused ground, or into burning buildings, is typically unwise. Reflex Saves are required, and if failed Item Saves against Normal Fire as also required, with the usual chance the creature in question will be immolated.
Of course, ANY creature that was within the Fireball's area of effect is, by definition, within this superheated area, and must immediately leave it as a Free Action if possible ... or another Reflex Save is called for, with perhaps more Item saving throws and immolation possible. If the creature cannot Move far enough in one round to leave the affected area, Reflex Saves must be made each and every round until the creature does manage to escape the affected area.

Obviously, this is a popular spell among wizards.
Unfortunately, every now and then, a wizard misjudges the space she is in, the Fireball has too little room to expand in, and then the Fireball rushes back to envelop the mage and her party. The charred remains of entire adventuring companies bear gruesome testimony to these mistakes in judgement.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Mad's Bane

During the Golden Age of Netheril, an archwizard by the name of Mad rose to power and created his own Flying Enclave.
Mad was quite insane, and indeed the modern term madness is derived from him. He invented many spectacular, strange, and bizarre spells in his day, from 1st through 10th level. His greatest and final spell was Mad's Challenge Temtemptuous, which he cast immediately after he created it.
Everyone else but Mad called it Mad's Bane, after it's first and only casting by said archwizard. Everyone speculates Mad must have been bored. And everyone in Mad's Enclave was terrified of Mad's boredom. When Mad became bored, he looked for challenges. If he could not find challenges worthy of his power, he artificially created challenges that were worthy. Thus this spell.
Mad's Bane was an 11th level spell (in 3rd Edition, it would be an Epic Spell with at least a DC of 200.)

Mad's Bane (Alteration, Evocation)
Range: Worldwide
Area of Effect: One hurricane, see below
Casting Time: 1 hour, with one day of preparation required
Duration: See below
Saving Throw: Not applicable to this spell
Development: For a typical modern mage, about 10 years and several million gold pieces

This spell imbues a hurricane that is currently in progress somewhere on the mage's world with full sentience, genius intelligence, a chaotic evil spirit, and the hurricane in question is then taunted by the magic into an absolutely insanely violent rage which cannot be appeased by anything short of complete eradication of the spellcaster from existence.
The hurricane, regardless of it's location, will immediately change directions and begin moving across the world towards the spellcaster, in order to kill him or her. It will not veer around any obstacle of any sort, nor will any obstacle that normally stops hurricanes stop this hurricane. The hurricane travels fast, at 60 miles per hour, and does not slow down for any reason.
If the hurricane remains over water over 80 degrees, it will strengthen to a strong category 5, with winds of 180 miles per hour, gusting to 200 miles per hour. It will have a narrow eye of 7 miles in diameter, hurricane force winds (74 mph sustained or greater) out to 100 miles from the eye, and tropical storm force winds (39 mph or greater) out to 200 miles from the eye. Needless to say, anything in it's direct path is likely to be destroyed, as the evil and angry hurricane deliberately whelms coastal areas, levels forests, floods whole regions, and what it cannot destroy with water and wind will be assailed by swarms of tornadoes and endless barrages of lightning.
If the hurricane passes over areas that cannot sustain hurricanes or would break up hurricanes - such as a large stretch of dry land, continental landmasses, cold ocean, arctic regions, or mountain ranges - the hurricane draws magical energy directly from the Weave to sustain itself. Even so, it weakens to 100 miles per hour with gusts to 120 mph in it's core, it's hurricane force winds extend out only 40 miles from the eye, and tropical storm force winds only extend out 80 miles from the eye. It's outer spiraling bands of thunderstorms remain potent, though, producing heavy rain and occasional tornadoes out to 200 miles from the center.
The hurricane retains it's heat if it moves into cold regions. It's rain will be warm rain, and the temperature within the eyewall out to 100 miles in all directions (near the surface) will be in the upper 70s or warmer. Over the arctic, this sudden warmth could cause quite a mess.

Once the infuriated hurricane reaches the spellcaster, it will center over him, the eyewall will close completely (but the hurricane will not weaken) and it will throw every possible form of climatic destruction at him at it's disposal: rain, hail, wind, tornadoes, and lightning in mad succession until the wizard is utterly erased from existence.
After the wizard is killed and his body completely obliterated, the hurricane will seek out any stasis clone or clone that suddenly activated, knowing immediately the exact location of such a stasis clone or clone. The hurricane will form an eye again as it moves, but the eye will close over the clone, and the hurricane will extirpiate that clone from existence. This wretched process will go on for as long as it takes to destroy every stasis clone, clone, simulacrum, and other duplicate of the wizard (even one created by a Mirror of Opposition!)
The infuriated and evil hurricane will travel all over the world, over and over, for as long as it takes, to accomplish the extirpation of the mage from existence. It will never stop as long as one scrap of his lifeforce exists anywhere on the planet.

At the beginning of every day the hurricane is over an area that would not sustain hurricanes or would break them up, the hurricane must make a DC roll. One the first day, this DC is 1, and every day the hurricane REMAINS over a region that could not naturally support hurricanes the DC increases by 1.
So, if the hurricane spent 15 days over continental Faerun, for instance, it would have to make 15 DC checks, the first at DC 1, and the 15th at DC 15.
A failed DC check ends the spell. The hurricane immediately loses all sentience, alignment, and intelligence, becoming a mundane weather system. It then dissipates as a hurricane normally would, over the area in question.
However, if the hurricane reemerges over a sizeable body water of 80 degrees or warmer, the DC difficulty is RESET to 1, and the progression must start all over again.
Thus, the hurricane - moving at 60 miles per hour - could cross a continent, then a warm ocean, then move to the center of another continent to kill the mage. After doing that, it could recross that continent, cross another warm ocean, then assail a clone of the mage on yet another continent. And so on, until either the spell is broken (the DC check fails) or the caster of Mad's Bane is extirpated from existence upon that world.

Rendering unconscious or imprisoning the caster will do no good: the hurricane will keep coming (it will most certainly NOT be appeased by the actions of others angry at the caster for casting this spell!)
Killing the caster will only dispel the magic if the caster has no stasis clones, clones, or the like. If any of these exist, the hurricane will redirect towards the one that activates.
Trapping the caster's soul will not end this spell. The hurricane will 'know' where the receptacle of the caster's soul is, and move towards it.
Killing the caster's soul will end the spell.

If the caster moves or teleports around, the hurricane will 'know' this and 'know' his new location, and change direction, heading directly towards the new location.
If the caster hides underground, the hurricane will move to the point on the surface directly above where he is belowground, and pound the surface until the spell ends or the caster is drowned.
If the caster worldwalks to another planet, crystal sphere, or plane, the hurricane will stop where it is (unfortunately for those who happen to be under it) and remain there, waiting for the mage to return. If this is over land or cold water, the spell might well end before the mage returns.

Epic Dispel Magic might break this spell. Under the 3rd edition rules, breaking this spell is an epic feat in itself (the DC of 120 to balance one's self on a cloud comes to mind here.) Divine intervention will not occur to halt this spell, for some reason, despite the pleas of desperate clerics and druids to summoned Planars (although the Planars might attempt to protect local areas from the hurricane.)
Perhaps the wisest idea is to kill the mage who cast the spell. However, it was shown that Mad could not easily be killed: he had too many Contingencies, Stasis Clones, Clones, and other backups to protect him. His soul he had stored away where nobody could find it, and never did find it later on, so it remains hidden to this day.

Mad was imprisoned in a Temporal Stasis by his fellow archwizards after a truly epic battle between himself and the hurricane in which Mad won the day.
Mad's spells mostly survive in hardcopy to this day, in undiscovered tomes. Mad's Bane is among them.
And Mad himself is still out there, in Temporal Stasis, and one day some group of adventurers is bound to find him and awaken him.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Fire Shield, 4th level, 3rd Edition

Here is my take on Fire Shield for 3rd Edition:

Fire Shield (Elemental Fire, Alteration, Invocation/Evocation)
Range: Self - Components: V, S, M - Duration: 2 turns + 1 turn per level
Casting Time: One standard action - Area of Effect: The caster - Saving Throw: None

The 3rd Edition wizard employs this spell to wrap the sheer essence of magic around her, like a cloak or mantle. The magic protects the mage from either heat or cold, and lashes out at anyone injuring the caster (indicating a possible necromantic connection with the spell, since it seems to react to the damage caused to the caster's life force. The magical cloak may be melded with the caster's life force in some way.)

The caster must choose which version of the spell - the shield against cold, magical and mundane (known as the Warm Shield) or the shield against heat, magical and mundane (known as the Chill Shield) - when she memorizes the spell.
If the caster chooses the Warm Shield, the magic manifests around her as wispy flames of violet or blue. She and everything worn/and or carried is immolated in these flames, which give off a warmth that harms neither her nor anyone else who touches them. The flames give off light equal to half that of the light of a torch. (They make a great target out of the caster, though ...)
If the caster chooses the Chill Shield, the magic manifests around her in wispy flames of blue or green. These flames feel cool to the touch.

The Warm Shield grants a + 2 to all saves involving cold-based attacks and cold based situations. Damage from those attacks and situations is quartered if the caster makes her save, or halved if she fails her save.
If the caster is subject to a heat based attack or heat situation that requires a saving throw, she sustains normal damage if she makes her save, double normal damage if she fails her save.
The shield against heat (known as the Chill Shield) works the same way as the Heat Shield, except in reverse.

Attacking someone protected by a Fire Shield spell (Warm or Chill Shield) with hand-held, natural weapons, or open hand attacks is foolish (this applies to anything that could be conscrued as a physical attack, even if accidental: a boulder rolling down a hill and striking the caster, would be subject to the spell's counterstrike as described below.)
Any attack against the caster which causes damage directly, causes the magic cloak or mantle around the caster to retaliate against the attacker with a counterstrike of pure magical force. There is no saving throw against this counterattack, although spell resistance can stop the damage and shatter the Fire Shield spell simultaneously. Damage Reduction is useless against the counterstrike. The magical cloak or mantle will retaliate as many times per round, as there are successful attacks upon the caster that cause damage to her.
With any successful attack, the attacker scores his normal damage against the protected mage, but that attacker takes double the damage inflicted! Inflict 5 points of damage, take 10 points of damage back. Inflict 50 points, take 100 back. Inflict 500 points, take 1,000 back!
Undead, constructs, planars, incorporeal beings, out of phase beings, are all subject to this doubled damage, as the counterattack strikes at their undead essence, magical essence, life essence, strikes as a kinetic force, or otherwise manifests as needed to damage the attacker.

The Fire Shield does not protect against missile attacks. The magical counterstrike will probably destroy the missile, but will not travel back to the archer.
The Fire Shield gives no protection, likewise, against any other kind of ranged attacks, since it counterstrikes only against the object hurled.
The Fire Shield grants no protection against spell or psionic attacks of any kind, except those involving heat or cold, unless they are delivered by touch. In this case, the counterattack is equal to the damage caused by the spell. If the spell is not a type that causes physical damage, no damage or effect will be returned to the attacker.
For example, a Cause Serious Wounds touch attack might damage the mage for 15 points of damage. This would result in the attacker taking 30 points. However, a Temporal Stasis spell could trap the mage, and the attacker would suffer no counterstrike whatsoever.

The Warm Shield will not work if the caster is underwater, barring an Airy Water spell or the like. The Chill Shield will always work normally underwater. Both will work in Wildspace or the Phlogiston normally. Both are known to work normally on Aebrinis, Athas, Krynn, Oerth, Toril, most other known Crystal Spheres, the settings of Kalamar and Eberron, the Ethereal and Astral Planes, and Sigil. Alteration of, or even lack of, an atmosphere will not hamper either the Warm or the Chill Shield.
On the Inner, Outer, Elemental, and Energy Planes, the Fire Shield spell is drastically affected and altered, depending on the Plane in question. It is up to the mage to discover what alterations could occur: she uses the spell at her own risk, if she must venture out to the far reaches of the Multiverse!
It has been demonstrated that this spell works normally in Ravenloft. Then again, a lot of things work normally in Ravenloft, but the results are grim nonetheless. The wise wizard takes nothing for granted, and especially takes nothing for granted in the Demiplane of Dread.

The material component for the Warm Shield is a bit of phosphorus (if material components are used in the game) and for the Chill Shield a live firefly or glow worm, or the tail portions of four dead ones. Note that material components vary from world to world, plane to plane, underground to up in Wildspace.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Cone of Cold, 5th level, 3rd Edition

CONE OF COLD (Elemental Water / Ice, Invocation/Evocation)
Range: As per 3rd edition (probably Medium) - Components: V, S, M - Duration: Instantaneous - Casting Time: One standard action -Area of Effect: Special - Saving Throw: Reflex 1/2

There are certain metamagic feats that allow a spellcaster to change spells from one form of energy to another. For example, a Fireball could become a Frostball, or a Sonic Ball, or the like.
But it would take a mightier 3rd edition feat than any of those to duplicate the cold caused by a Cone of Cold. No mere mundane Frostball can equal it. Because the Cone of Cold spell calls upon Elemental Cold: Cold Fire. The cold created by this spell is wondrously beautiful, appallingly horrible, and ultimately devastating against the mage's foes.

The spellcaster opens her hand, and from it a blast of elemental cold springs forth, a white beam of frigid death, 1 foot in diameter and 5 yards long per spellcasting level of the caster (thus, a 10th level caster would produce a Cone of Cold 10 feet in diameter and 50 yards long.)
The cone is initially only an inch wide as it leaves the caster's fingertips. Her Cone of Cold then slowly widens until it reaches it's maximum diameter at the limit of it's range. The mage can choose to throw a Cone of Cold of shorter range, in order to catch targets that would be missed by a longer, more slender Cone.

Any and all creatures, and any and all objects, caught within the Cone of Cold must make Reflex Saves or Item Saves (ala 1st edition.) Only undead other than skeletons and zombies are exempted, and only then because of the Negative Energy sustaining them (not because they are normally immune to cold.)
Success on the Reflex Save indicates the creature takes 1d4 + 1 points of damage per spellcasting level of the caster, halved, fractions rounded up. (Thus, a caster of 30th spellcasting level inflicts 30d4 + 30 points of damage, and this would be halved.) Those who made their Reflex Saves need not make Item Saving Throws for their worn and/or carried items. If targets are so lucky as to have made their Reflex Saves, they may still be in danger (see below.)
For Items, success indicates the items somehow survive the Cone of Cold, and take no further direct damage from the spell. However, those items might still be in great danger (see below.)
Failure on the Reflex Save indicates great misfortune for the targets. Those targets take the full 10d4 + 1 per spellcasting level of the caster, and all items carried and/or worn must make Item Saving Throws Against Magical Fire (using 1st edition, substituting Fire for the cold.) Any failed Save indicates that particular item is destroyed. And if even a single item worn and/or carried by a target creature is destroyed, the target is immolated in cold flames, sustains 2 to 12 points of damage each and every round thereafter until the flames are extinguished, and the target's items must Save again (against Normal Fire) each and every round the cold fire burns or be destroyed and immolate the target all over again.
Anyone so unfortunate as to be wearing full or partial metal armor, who is struck by a Cone of Cold and fails his or her Reflex Save, must make an Item Save against Magical Fire for their armor. Failure indicates immolation and an additional 2 to 12 points of damage per round from the now superchilled, bluish-purple glowing armor. This effect is exactly like someone stuck in superheated armor, really: the person is unlikely to be able to do anything other than attempt to remove the chilled armor, assuming they can do anything at all.

This spell generates Cold Fire.
Cold Fire, works much like normal fire. Anything subject to normal fire is subject to cold fire. Treat the two kinds of fire as being exactly the same in terms of what they can and cannot do.
Treat the direct blast of the Cone of Cold as a normal fire of ten thousand degrees, with everything caught in the Cone exposed for three seconds to this temperature, for purposes of how the direct blast affects creatures and objects. Except, of course, that this is cold fire, not normal (hot ... ten thousand degrees would be a REALLY HOT) fire.
After the Cone of Cold has done it's work and disappeared, treat the area struck as any normal area subjected to ten thousand degree heat for several seconds, as it slowly 'warms' up from the effects of the blast.
Do not think in terms of normal extreme cold (200 below zero, etc.) for the purposes of the cold fire from a Cone of Cold. Something warming up from 200 below zero to 70 degrees would warm 270 degrees. Something 'warming up' from being 'chilled' one thousand, three thousand, five thousand degrees, would have to 'warm up' one thousand, three thousand, five thousand seventy degrees to reach that normal 70 degrees!
That much 'warming' going to take awhile, and meanwhile that object is going to radiate great 'cold', just as an object at three thousand degrees radiates great heat.

Creatures caught in cold fire turn bluish as their flesh is damaged by the cold fire. Then their flesh melts from the cold fire, finally turning to blue and purple ash, while smoke of green and blue, purple and black, swirls up into the air. Items of paper, wood, cloth, and leather suffer a similar fate. Metal turns bluish (instead of blackening), glows green and then blue and then purple, then melts into cold purple glowing lava. Rock subjected to the effects of cold fire would turn very cold, then glow greenish, bluish, and finally purplish, then melt into bluish-purple lava.
The blast from a Cone of Cold is more powerful than the blast of a Fireball. The effects are more spectacularly overawing and gruesome. Humans, demi-humans, and humanoids melt and evaporate into cold mist. Trees trunks, even large ones, slump into burning goo and vaporize. The ground melts and fuses. Rock caught in the Cone glows bright bluish-purple from the momentary exposure and softens. A cliff at the end of the Cone will glow wherever the diameter of the Cone touched it, and softens for several feet inward. Armor glows brilliant purple, soft metals melt, swords are ruined as the temper is taken out of them, and even strong supportive beams and posts of iron, steel, and stone are ruined, unstructurally sound afterwards. Dungeon doors of stone soften and melt, while wooden doors melt and evaporate.

A Cone of Cold is likely to start a cold fire, just as a Fireball is likely to start a normal fire.
Cold fire spreads just as normal fire would. Thus, a cold fire forest fire, or cold fire structural fire or room fire, or even a cold fire city fire are all possibilities. Unfortunately, though, water will not normally put out cold fire.
The reason water does not stop cold fire is because cold fire is the elemental opposite of hot (normal fire) and hot fire IS stopped by water. Cold fire is stopped by the elemental opposite of water, which is ... hot fire! Hot fire will put out cold fire just as water will douse hot fire.
Cold fire can be smothered (it seems to need oxygen just as hot fire does.) Thus sand, or a literal flood of water - which would then smother like sand would - or immersion in certain other liquids (oil is not one of them), will smother cold fire.
Cold fire also will not burn across barren soil or rock, or along stone dungeon corridors, or anywhere else normal fire wouldn't go: the radiant cold from cold fire WILL start more cold fires, though (if you are standing on the other side of a door from a cold fire, and you touch the door, you may well receive a cold burn on your hand. Eventually, your side of the door will burst into cold fire, as the cold reaches the 'combustion' point on your side.)
Note that someone on cold fire could jump into a river or lake, and this would smother the cold fire as cold fire seems to need oxygen like hot fire does. However, the 'cold' from the cold fire would not be mitigated immediately, since water does not otherwise affect cold water (anymore than sand will immediately cool an overheated person or object.) Characters in armor would still 'fry' from the cold, 'cold' clothing would still inflict damage on the character, 'cold' monster hide or scales would still damage the monster, and objects no longer burning would still take damage from the 'cold' until they 'warmed up.'

The Cone of Cold leaves a large chilled area in it's wake, and likely one or more cold fires burning in that area.
Characters and creatures caught in this perilous area are allowed to leave it immediately as a Free Action (place the character out of the area, just beyond it, in a direction of the player's choice.) If creatures in the area cannot leave in one round, they must make a Reflex Save for each and every round they remain in the area. Those who fail sustain 2 to 12 points of damage, are immolated in cold flames, and take 2 to 12 points of damage each and every round thereafter until the cold flames are extinguished. Their items must also make Item Saving Throws versus Normal Fire that round and all subsequent rounds, or be destroyed and once more immolate the hapless creature in cold flames.
It is unwise to stick around on stone chilled by cold flames, or on soil melted and fused by the cold flames of a Cone of Cold, or among the burning ruins of buildings on cold fire, or in cold burning brush and grass. To deliberately remain in, or to enter into, such areas requires the requisite Reflex Save as described above, with the consequences of failed Saves being swift and painful.

Items, spells, and psionic abilities that protect against magical cold will aid a creature against the Cone of Cold and it's cold flames, protecting life and property. Items and spells that merely protect against normal cold, however, will be completely useless ... and hopefully potential victims won't have to find this out the hard way.
Note that cold flames melt objects and people and turn them to ash. They do not freeze them solid and shatter them, as normal cold would do. The cold produced by cold flames is treated as cold fire itself (a cold wall, though not burning, would damage someone touching it as if it were on cold fire.) UNTIL THEY WARM UP TO NORMAL TEMPERATURES, ALL CREATURES AND ITEMS CHILLED BY COLD FIRE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE COLD FIRE HAZARDS, NOT NORMAL COLD HAZARDS.
Any creature or object on cold fire who is hit with normal fire by a being trying to put out the cold flames, will suffer all the effects of the normal fire AND the cold fire that round. The cold fire may or may not be put out. The normal fire may or may not ignite something on the creature.
It is possible for one part of a creature to be on cold fire, and another part to be on (normal) fire, at the same time ... at least briefly!

There are non-epic level feats that allow higher level mages to convert spells from magical flame or other energies to cold fire. Many bright and ruthless mages have discovered the requisite feats, and wield cold fire with a vengeance.
Cone of Cold is one of the early spells invented for the specific purpose of harnessing the frigid power of cold fire.

The material component for Cone of Cold is a crystal or glass cone of very small size.

 

[Melkor Lord Of ALL!]

Hello Edena! Nice to see you are still here, I am lurking sometimes but I haven't played anything d20 for a long time, I am afraid. It is pity Seprenteye's game didn't last long, I loved playing my vampire King. Do you know what happened with Serpenteye, is he okay?