Pounding Pavement
As you are no doubt already aware, we recently released a new book, The Ebon Vault: Fantastic Footgear, which contains over 50 new feet-slot magic items, as well as a whole lot of other things, such as new magic horseshoes, cursed boots, intelligent boots, and more. I won’t bore you with the details, because we already gave you the grand tour in yesterday’s article. I just bring it up because this is Boot Week, and, naturally, that means that today’s spells are going to be all about boots, sandals, slippers, shoes, and the like. Well, okay, perhaps that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but these spells definitely all have a foot-related theme, and are sure to prove a smashing success in any wizard’s arsenal.
LEADFOOT
School transmutation; Level alchemist 2, cleric 2, druid 2, inquisitor 2, paladin 1, ranger 1, sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F (a 1-inch cube of lead)
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 10 min./level
Saving Throw Fortitude negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes
You transmute the target’s foot into solid metal, though it is still as dexterous and lightweight as when it was flesh. At the same time, you strengthen the target’s leg muscles, allowing him to make powerful kicks. The target gains a +5 bonus on all Strength checks made to burst or break objects (such as doors or walls), as long as he could conceivably use his foot to do so. Additionally, for the spell’s duration, the target can make unarmed strikes with his foot, which deal 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage on a successful hit (assuming the transmuted creature is Medium-sized). Attacking in this fashion does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if the target does not have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat.
SOCK KNOCK
School transmutation; Level magus 4, sorcerer/wizard 5
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex negates and Reflex partial, see text; Spell Resistance no
You cause anything that the target is wearing on his or her feet to remove themselves and fly off 1d8 x 5 feet in a random direction. This deprives the target of any and all footgear (magic or otherwise) that he was wearing. This affects all items worn on the target’s feet, even if he has more than two legs. Additionally, if the target fails his initial Reflex save and is affected by the spell, he must succeed on a secondary Reflex save (same DC) or fall prone, as the force of having his footwear removed knocks him down to the ground.
STOMPING FOOT
School evocation [force]; Level sorcerer/wizard 8
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F (a leather boot with an iron toe)
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect 10-ft. foot
Duration 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
A lesser-known variation of the popular clenched fist spell, stomping foot functions identically to that spell in most ways. Creatures struck by the effect do not need to make a saving throw to avoid being stunned, however. Instead, if the stomping foot successfully hits any creature of Large size or smaller, it may make a special combat maneuver check (with a bonus equal to your caster level + your primary spellcasting ability score modifier +11 for the foot’s Strength score +1 for being Large). If the combat maneuver check is successful, the target is knocked prone by the stomping foot.
When the stomping foot knocks a creature prone, you can choose to have it hold the creature down, grinding it into the ground. If you do, treat the stomping foot as grappling the creature (it has a CMD equal to 10 + its CMB bonus, above, for the purposes of conducting the grapple). Each round that the stomping foot successfully maintains the grapple, it deals an additional 1d8+11 points of damage, as though it had successfully hit the target. Creatures that are capable of burrowing or otherwise moving through the ground that they are being pressed into can escape the grapple by doing so, and do not need to make a grapple check to get free.
A stomping foot cannot interpose itself or perform a bull rush as a clenched fist can.
SUPERHUMAN SPEED
School transmutation; Level alchemist 3, bard 3, inquisitor 4, magus 4, sorcerer/wizard 5, summoner 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 hour/level (D)
This functions as expeditious retreat, except as indicated above. Additionally, for the spell’s duration, you gain a bonus equal to 1/2 your caster level (to a maximum of +5 at 10th level) on all Constitution checks made to be able to continue running, or to resist the effects of a forced march.