Post Your Favorite Custom Spells

[shadowthorn]

I'm playing a halfling wizard in a 3.0 campaign, and I'd love to see some customer spells that other folks have created (I'm assuming this is the right forum for this post; mods, please relocate if not - thx). So, if you don't mind sharing, please post your favorite custom spells. Thanks!

 

[shadowthorn]

Wow. Even I didn’t expect this level of response. What’s the deal? Too last week? Too good to share? Wrong forum? Wrong boards?

Ehhh, I know I’m not well-known around here, but sheesh.

Well, the offer’s still open if ya care to share. I’d start, but I have no custom spells to disclose.

 

[Henry]

It could also be that not that many people do their own custom spells anymore, instead taking from the THOUSANDS of spells in d20 and OGL products on the market. Couple that with the spiffiness of Metamagic feats, and the need for custom spells is at an all-time low in the gaming community.

It's a toss-up between this forum and House Rules for "most appropriate." You might want to post a thread in House rules, with an link inside it leading to THIS one.

 

[Davelozzi]

You might have better luck in the House Rules forum. I'd share with you if we had any custom spells in my current (3e) campaign, but we don't. Don't let the lack of response get you though, it may be that not many people are using custom spells, but either way, the boards haven't been working so well in the past day or so and as a result traffic seems to be down.

Back on topic, on my old 2e campaign, one of my players researched a spell called Elyssa's Nether Blade. It was similar to magic missile but rather than shooting off missiles at time of casting, it was an enchantment that was placed on a finely made dagger that lasted until the blade was thrown once. Unfortunately I can't remeber the exact details as it's been several years.

 

[Zappo]

I agree with Henry. In my group, simply noone felt the need for custom spells. Everything that you can conceivably want to do has already been printed somewhere. I mean, there are a half dozen spells just for contraception! Occasionally, I write a custom spell for an NPC, but they are always simple variants of existing spells with a couple parameters changed, and often I just do them to justify something in the adventure.

 

[EricNoah]

Since this forum didn't produce results, I'll slide this over to House Rules where maybe you'll get a bite.

 

[Henry]

I just remembered, I have a few spells that might be handy!

These spells are spells I came up with in 2nd edition AD&D, and are written in 2nd edition format. They should be relatively easy to convert, however. For your own personal use, I wouldn't mind if they came in handy to you. All four are wizard spells.

Enjoy!

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Bone Club (Necromancy)
Level: 3
Duration: 1 round / level
Range: 0
Area of Effect: 1 bone
Components: V,M
Save: None
Casting Time: 1 round
This spell allows the caster to enchant a normal leg or arm bone from any mammal to cause to become a magical club. This spell confers proficiency with the club for the duration of the spell, and anyone may wield the club. Against undead, it acts as a club +4, causing 1d6+4/1d3+4 plus any other appropriate bonuses. Against all other opponents, it performs as a club +1, causing 1d6+1/1d3+1 plus any other appropriate bonuses. At the end of the spell’s duration, it reverts to a normal bone, and may be used in subsequent castings.
The material components for this spell are an appropriately sized bone (12 inches length or longer) and a pinch of dirt from a grave.
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Chains of Mortality (Necromancy)
Level: 5
Duration: Special
Range: Touch
Area of Effect: 1 Creature
Components: V,S,M
Save: None
Casting Time: 1 round
This spell compels the life force of the creature touched by the caster to remain in the body, even after the point that the body can sustain life is past. The creature under the effect of this spell will be able to function even after they have dropped below 0 hit points.
The spell is triggered when the affected creature is reduced to –1 hit points or less. The creature will be able to function, although the duress of remaining alive will cause the creature to be at a –3 penalty to hit and to damage, and will have a +3 penalty to initiative. The creature will be in constant agony, but can function no matter how low the hit points go. However, at a negative hit point total equal to (10 x the creature’s CON score), there will no longer be enough of the creature to take any effective actions, even though the life will still be in the body.
Unless triggered, the spell’s effect will last for 1 turn per level of the caster. When triggered, the spell will sustain the creature for 1 round per level of the caster, rounded down.
The material component is a small silver chain (worth 15gp value) wrapped around a small piece of the victim’s flesh.
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Force Trueform (Alteration)
Level: 5
Duration: Special
Range: Touch
Area of Effect: 1 Creature
Components: V,S,M
Save: None
Casting Time: 1 round
This spell will force any shapechanger to revert to their true original form (their birth form). This spell can affect mages using shape-altering spells (e.g. polymorph other, polymorph self, alter self, but not change self), it can affect shapechanged dragons, lycanthropes, vampires, etc. The target will then automatically revert to its true form (no save, but magic resistance still applies). This will cause wracking agony in the creature as they revert, causing 2d8 damage, taking 1 round, and causing the creature to take no other actions in that round.
The material components for this spell are a pinch of hair from a lycanthrope, which is scattered by a puff of breath from the caster upon completing the spell.
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Time Travel (Enchantment, Alteration)
Level: 9
Duration: 48 Hours
Range: 0
Area of Effect: 10 ft. radius sphere centered on caster
Components: V,S,M
Save: Neg.
Casting Time: 1 turn
By means of this spell, the caster, all living beings, and all objects within the spell’s area of effect (referred to as the “payload”) are transported forwards or backwards in time to a specific year. The destination is determined by the spellcaster in terms of years only; a specific date cannot be “homed in on.” The month, day, hour, minute, etc. in the destination year exactly corresponds to the moment that the spell is completed in its casting in the present. Furthermore, no physical distance is traveled, so the caster arrives at the same spot that the spell was cast, in the destination time. However, if there is solid matter in the destination time and location, the spell will slightly shift the “payload” to the nearest, safest location instead. The same is true of the return trip. This safety measure is not without cost, however. All living beings will lose 1 hp per 10 feet shifted in space, and all non-living objects in the payload must make a (save vs. fall at +3), with a –1 penalty per 10 feet shifted.
The “payload” will stay in the destination time for precisely 48 hours, a period that cannot be lengthened or shortened. This spell is instated on the “payload” at all times, and causes all affected material to be unable to make any other magic-induced temporal or spatial adjustments. No other time travel spells or teleport, dimension door, ethereal, astral or planar travel, etc. will function for them, as they are “linked” to the destination time with this spell. (Travel using magical conveyances, such as flying carpets, etc. are not affected). At the spell’s conclusion, the entire contents of the original “payload” return to the time from which they started. 48 hours will have passed in the present since the spell’s casting, and the “payload” will be at its location that it was before the spell wore off. Nothing can be taken back to the present by means of this spell, or left in the past or future.
Unwilling recipients of this spell must make a save vs. spell at –2 to avoid being transported at this time; all adjustments for magic resistance and wisdom adjustments apply, but not dexterity; only sheer “force of will” will help here.
The components of this spell are rare and exacting. First, the mage needs a very finely constructed hourglass, filled with a mixture of powdered sapphire and jacinth, for a total of 13,000 gp (1,000 gp hourglass plus 6,000 gp each of sapphire and jacinth). Also, a special “poem” must be constructed, using a specially crafted ink and written on fine vellum paper (5 gp per sheet, 30 poem lines will fit on one sheet). A mage must construct his own poem; hiring another to do so will not work. The poem must have one line for each year (specifically forward or backward) to be traveled. The spell ink must be a special concoction, using these ingredients:
• 1 oil of timelessness
• 1 ounce of ashes from a creature of 10+ HD and capable of existing 1,000 years or more (e.g. liches, dragons, vampires, immortal avatars.)
• 1 ounce of a time elemental’s blood
• 1 potion of either speed or longevity (forward or backward, respectively)
One “batch” of ink will create 412 lines of poetry. There is a slight chance, however (equal to 100% - the caster’ s intelligence x 5), that some of the poetry will be botched, and the entire poem must be scrapped and begun anew.

 

[Ferret]

I have some:

Fetid skin (Necromancy, transmutation)
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Personal
Target: Caster
Duration: 5 minute/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

This gruesome spell, summons a hand, pulled from the abyss. It will scratch and scathe the skin of the caster, who sustains 2d4 subduel damage. After nearly half an hour the hand will retract, the silver circlet will fall and turn to dust, this arcane powder must be spread into the skin, cracking the wounds, finally forming crusty plates, of a rotten looking skin, and hard to the touch. The user gains +8 Natural armour class, and 5/-- DR.

Material: A silver circlet worth 100gp

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Naerl's Wailing Shriek
Transmutation (Sonic)
Level: Wiz/Sor4
Components: V
Casting Time: 2 actions
Range: personal
Target: Self
Area: Cone 30ft
Duration: Special (D)
Saving Throw: Yes
Spell Resistance: No

When the spell is cast (1st round) the caster inhale a large amounts of air (2nd)round and screams for a number of rounds equal to double their constitution. The Spell delivers 1d6 points of sonic damage per round, and has a chance of deafening to them unless they succeed a Fort save. The save rises by 1 every 2 rounds. The caster suffers 1 point of subdual damage each round. Once the spell has ended, if the caster had screamed for more then half the time allowed (the casters Con score) the caster falls unconscious, for half as many rounds as the spell had been active.

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Planar Harness
Abjuration
Level: Clr, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Targets: You
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: None

You create a ring of blue light that rest around your waist that protects against all attempts to move the caster off their plane against there will. This only works against spell of 5th or lower level. If a will save is allowed for unwilling creatures they immediately succeed.

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Planar Harness, Greater
Abjuration
Level: Clr, Sor/Wiz 8

This spell functions as Planar Harness except that it affects spells of 7th level and lower, it also counter acts any bonus that a feared object would grant against the caster in a banishment spell.

 

[ThorneMD]

Here are a few that I have made up. I don't get how others don't make personal spells. It gives a feeling of accomplishment and worth.

Taka’s Flames of the Orient
Transmutation [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Personal (50 feet max for thrown fire)
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None (harmless)
Spell Resistance: no

This spell sheathes the wizard in hot yellow/orange flames and blurs the wizard's features somewhat, causing them to assume a smooth and somewhat indistinct shape, also turning a dark red color. The flames shed light illuminating the area 15 feet.
Any creature striking the wizard with a melee weapon (claw, bite, weapon, etc.), but not reach weapon (i.e. 10-ft), suffers 2d6 points of fire damage. The caster is able to make unarmed attacks with the fire, dealing 2d6 points of damage in addition to normal unarmed damage, on a successful unarmed strike. The caster may also attempt to hurl balls of fire at his opponents, using his own base attacks, with a range increment of 10 feet, doing 2d6 points of damage.
The fire can be extinguished (and the spell canceled), by a quench spell, immersion in water, or a wind of hurricane or greater force.
Note: the spell does not prevent damage done to the caster.
Arcane Material Component: A flask of oil, poured over the wizard's head, which you must burn during the casting of the spell.

Taka’s Spiritual Protector
Abjuration
Level: 4
Component: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25-ft.+ 5 ft/2 levels)
Effect: Phantom Protector
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: none
Spell Resistance: no

The spell creates a ghostly figure, which may resemble anything the caster has seen. The figure is always a medium creature and wields a weapon provided by the caster. The spiritual protector intercepts melee attacks against the caster. The spiritual protector may only parry; it can never attack. In order to parry the spiritual protector makes an opposed attack roll using the casters base attack bonus + Int modifier. If the phantom protector ever moves more than 30-ft from the caster the spell ends.
Arcane Focus: Some sort of weapon

Ghostly figure
Hp: Equal to caster (10/caster level)
AC: 10 + ½ casters level + Int modifier

Taka’s Rusting Ball
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Compnents: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Long (400ft + 40ft/level)
Area: 10-ft-radius spread
Target: Nonmagical ferrous objects and/or ferrous creatures
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: No

You point your finger and determine the range (distance and height) at which the rusting ball is to burst. A glowing, pea-size bead streaks from the pointing digit and, unless it impacts upon a material body or solid barrier attaining the prescribed range, blossoms into the rusting ball at that point (an early impact results in early detonation). If you attempt to send the bead through a narrow passage, such as through an arrow slit, you must “hit” the opening with a ranged touch attack, or else the bead strikes the opening and detonates prematurely.
Any iron or iron alloy caught in the area of the spell instantly becomes rusted, pitted, and worthless, effectively destroyed. This attack instantly destroys 1d6 points of Armor Class gained (+1d6 every 3 levels; max 5d6) from metal armor (up to the maximum of protection the armor offered) through corrosion. For example, full plate armor (AC +8) could be reduced to +7 or as low as +2 in protection, depending on the die roll.
A metal weapons caught in the burst are instantly destroyed. Magic metal items are immune to this spell.
Against ferrous creatures, rusting ball instantaneously deals 3d6 points of damage +1 per caster level (maximum +15) per successful attack.
Material Component: a tiny ball of filled with small pieces of iron and water

Use as you wish but give a little mention that you took from someone else.

 

[SylverFlame]

I didn't name it, so that's why it's a little vain.
____________________________________
Sylver's Salt Missile
Transmutation
Level: Wiz/Sor 2, Clr 1
Components: V, S, M
Range: 25 ft + 10ft/lvl
Saving Throw: None

You fire a single missile which requires a touch attack roll against the main target. Upon striking the target the missile functions as a grenade-like weapon with five parts scattering (no two go in the same direction, and the main target cannot be hit by this effect).

All damage caused by this spell is bludgeoning damage. The damage dealt is 1d4 + 1d4/3 levels (max of 4d4). And grenade damage has the same breakdown, except d3 replaces d4.

As a bonus, the spell affects zombies in a special way. The damage is considered to bypass any DR the creatures have, and functions as acid damage applying an additional 2d6 damage/round and lasts 1 round + 1 round/3 levels (max of four rounds).

Material Components consist of a pinch of salt sanctified by a bless spell, which is blown from the palm of the caster's hand at the target.

(Special Note: This spell has not been game tested, so it may require a lot of reworking.)

************

Calper's Combat Companion
(Illusion, ?)
Level: Sor/ Wiz 2, Clr 2, Pal 1
Material: V,S
Range: Caster
Casting Time: Special
Duration: Instantious
Save: Will, see below

Description:
When engaged in melee combat you may cast this spell as if it is Quickened (counts as your one Quickened spell per round). Also, it does not draw an AoO, except as below.

At the completion of this spell an image of you appears where you were standing.The illusion gives all the signs of life (breathing, smell, body heat, motion, etc.). At the same time you become etheral and move to another position to flank (with respect to the image) to the person you are in melee with. The space you enter must be vacant or you fall prone after your movement. You recieve an immediate attack against that opponent as if they were flanked by you and the image. After this attack, the image disappears.

Save: A will save is made against a DC of (caster level + int/cha/wis[as appropriate for class] + 10). If the opponent saves, you do not recieve the flanking bonus on your attack (as the illusion is disbelieved) and the opponent recieves an AoO against you. This AoO is counted against the opponents number of AoO's for that turn.

(SPECIAL NOTE: As above, this spell has not received game testing, and likely needs it.)