Falling For Magic
This is Autumn Week, and, well, autumn is a bit of an odd-ball season. It’s cold and dark, but not as cold and dark as winter. It’s rainy and wet, but so is spring. In fact, for the most part, autumn seems to be defined more by a string of holidays than anything else. But, nonetheless, I was able to put together enough essence of fall to create three exciting new spells. Are we a bit heavy on pumpkins? Perhaps. But what says autumn more than blowing leaves and giant gourds?
PUMPKIN BOMB
School conjuration; Level bard 2, cleric/oracle 2, druid 2, sorcerer/wizard 2, witch 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a piece of candy that is at least a year old)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect one pumpkin bomb
Duration 1 hour/level, or until expended, see text
Saving Throw Reflex half, see text; Spell Resistance yes, see text
You conjure a small pumpkin, roughly two feet in diameter, in a single unoccupied square within range. The pumpkin glows with a sickly green aura, and floats roughly one inch off the ground. When the spell is cast, you must choose whether you would like the pumpkin to contain a “trick” or a “treat.” The GM then rolls secretly to determine the result: there is a 75% chance that it contains the desired result, and a 25% chance that it contains the opposite. It is not possible to tell whether the pumpkin contains a trick or a treat by examining it. If left to its own devices, the pumpkin remains for up to 1 hour/level, before dissolving into mush.
If the pumpkin is conjured within 10 feet of a creature, or a creature moves within 10 feet of the pumpkin, it explodes. If the pumpkin contained a treat, then this explosion heals 6d6 points of damage to each creature within 20 feet of the pumpkin. Undead, constructs, and other creatures not healed by positive energy are unaffected by this. If the pumpkin contained a trick, the explosion instead inflicts 6d6 points of acid damage to each creature within 20 feet of the pumpkin. A successful Reflex save halves this damage. Spell resistance applies to the trick effect, but not to the treat effect.
PUMPKIN DROP
School conjuration (creation); Level druid 4, sorcerer/wizard 4, witch 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a miniature gourd)
Range close (25 ft. +5 ft./2 levels)
Target one creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex negates; Spell Resistance no
You conjure an oversized, hollow pumpkin directly on the target’s head, encasing them it within the mushy gourd. If the creature succeeds on its Reflex save, the pumpkin falls harmlessly to the ground, where it dissolves into mush. Otherwise, the target is blinded, and is unable to breathe, although he can hold his breath normally. Further, the target suffers a -2 penalty on ability checks, attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks, as well to AC, CMB, and CMD, due to the awkward weight of the pumpkin on its head.
The target can attempt to remove the pumpkin as a full-round action. Doing so requires that the target have two free hands, and succeed on a Strength check (DC 10 + your primary spellcasting ability score modifier + 1 for every 5 caster levels you possess), and provokes attacks of opportunity. Succeeding on this check end’s the spell’s effect entirely. Alternatively, the pumpkin can be sundered. It has AC 5 (plus any bonus that applies to the target’s touch AC, unless the target willingly stands still for the attempt), hardness 2, and 1 hit point per caster level you possess. Any damage dealt to the pumpkin in excess of its hit points is dealt to the target. Reducing the pumpkin to 0 hit points also ends the spell’s effect.
SHIELD OF LEAVES
School abjuration; Level druid 2, ranger 1, sorcerer/wizard 2, witch 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 round/level
You surround yourself with a flurry of brightly-colored leaves, which protect you against incoming attacks. These leaves grant a +2 deflection bonus to AC, and also grant you concealment against all creatures (providing you with 20% miss chance). While the leaves serve as a potent defense, they are themselves somewhat fragile: the spell ends immediately if you are exposed to moderate or stronger winds, or if you are subject to a spell or ability with an area of effect which deals fire damage.