Underwater Arcana
While not every adventure will take its heroes underwater, it seems a shame that there are so few options for mighty heroes who do get dragged beneath the ocean’s depths. While spells like water breathing and freedom of movement can help your heroes live a more ordinary existence while underwater, they don’t offer any kind of advantage to being under the waves. This week’s new spells seek to change that, offering powerful alternatives to those under the ocean’s depths.
FEAST OF SHARKS
School conjuration (summoning); Level druid 4, ranger 4, shaman 4, sorcerer/wizard 4, summoner 4, witch 4
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect 1d4 summoned sharks
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
This spell can only be cast underwater in a wholly aquatic environment. You create a powerful supernatural beacon that calls sharks to the area. When you cast this spell, you summon 1d4 advanced sharks, which appear in the chosen location. The sharks do not obey you, but attack the nearest living non-shark creature each round to the best of its ability. Additionally, each round the spell is active, any shark within a 1-mile radius is called to the point where the spell was cast. Unless a shark within that area succeeds on a Will save, it must do its best to move to the point where this spell was cast. Once the shark is within 100 feet of that area, it is freed of this compulsion and may act normally, but cannot leave the 100-foot radius area surrounding the point where this spell was cast.
CREATE JET STREAM
School transmutation; Level cleric 6, druid 6, shaman 6, sorcerer/wizard 6
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range 1 mile/level
Effect strong current
Duration concentration, up to 1 minute/level
Saving Throw Reflex negates; Spell Resistance yes
This spell can only be cast underwater in a wholly aquatic environment. You create an extremely powerful magical current underwater that rapidly transports creatures from the point you cast this spell to a point you designate within the spell’s range. The current is 30 feet in diameter and is visible to the eye by means of rapidly moving bubbles and foam. Any creature or object of Colossal size or smaller that enters this area moves at a rate of 1,000 feet per round towards the end point you designated. When it is created, the current moves slightly to avoid any creature that might be in its path, but otherwise takes the most direct path to its destination. Any character that moves into the current is caught up in it unless she succeeds on a Reflex save. Movement in the opposite direction along the current is impossible, but a character can attempt a Reflex save at any time to escape the current.
UNDERTOW
School evocation; Level antipaladin 4, cleric 4, druid 4, psychic 4, ranger 4, shaman 4, sorcerer/wizard 4, witch
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./ levels)
Target one creature or object
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex negates; Spell Resistance yes
This spell can only be cast while underwater. This spell creates a powerful current surrounding a single creature or object swimming or floating on the surface of a body of water in which you are submerged. The magical force drags the target downwards under the water at high speeds, pulling it down 10 feet per caster level. The movement caused by this spell is incredibly harsh and it inflicts 1d6 points of damage per caster level to the target. If this spell targets a ship, a Profession (sailor) check may be substituted for the Reflex saving throw, if the ship has a helmsman or captain capable of steering the ship at the time the spell is cast. Generally, creatures on deck a ship affected by this spell are deposited harmlessly on the water’s surface, while characters below decks are dragged below the waves with the ship, but also suffer no damage as a result of the spell, as the ship itself suffers the brunt of the spell’s damaging effects.