Blowing Smoke
Ever since my first time reading The Hobbit, I have often been fascinated with the idea of smoke as a source of magic. As a substance, it makes for good inspiration for magical effects. It is formless, lethal, obscuring, and serves as a dire warning of terrible things to come, be it ill health effects that kill slowly, or deadly fire that kills without mercy or permission. Because smoke can be so many different things, it makes for a fine choice of topic for spells covering a wide variety of effects and aesthetics. In this article, we present you with smoke that serves as a warning of a danger yet to come (and the circumstances of that danger), a smoke that slowly destroys the body with magical toxins and curses, and finally, a smoke that kills on its own merit, surrounding the target and depriving him of needed oxygen while scorching his lungs. Each of these spells adheres to a core area of smoke’s influence.
CURSE OF SMOKE
School necromancy (curse); Level cleric 8, shaman 8, sorcerer/wizard 8, witch 8
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect 40-ft. radius of necromantically-charged smoke
Duration 1 round/level and special; see text
Saving Throw Fortitude negates, Will partial, see text; Spell Resistance yes
This spell creates a field of midnight black smoke that obscures all vision within the cloud. The cloud also deals 1d4 points of Constitution damage to any creature that begins its turn within the smoke; a successful Fortitude save negates this effect. A creature that suffers Constitution damage in this way must succeed on a Will save or suffer a like penalty to all of her other ability scores. This effect is permanent and imposes its penalty regardless of what the source of the Constitution damage is. This effect can be ended with a break enchantment effect, or more powerful magic. In addition to these effects, while a creature is within the clouds, she is affected as by normal smoke. For more information on smoke, see the environmental rules in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook.
SMOKY GRASP
School evocation (air, fire); Level bloodrager 2, magus 2, sorcerer/wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Reflex negates; Spell Resistance yes
Your hand becomes incased in flaming smoke, which you can transfer to another creature with a successful melee touch attack. If you successfully touch the target, he suffers 3d4 points of fire damage each round, for a number of rounds equal to your caster level (maximum 10). The target also suffers the normal effects of smoke during this time. The smoke lingers around the target’s head for the duration of the spell, getting in his mouth, nose, and eyes. If he holds his breath and closes his eyes, he suffers only 1d4 points of fire damage each round. As a move action, the target can attempt a Reflex save to escape the spell’s effects early. For more information on smoke, see the environmental rules in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook.
SUMMONING SMOKE
School conjuration; Level druid 1, sorcerer/wizard 1, summoner 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect cylinder of smoke 5 ft. in diameter and 100 ft. high
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
This spell creates a 100-foot tall column of smoke that fills a 5-foot square, and the voices of strange otherworldly creatures echo within it. A creature that enters the area or ends her turn in the smoke column becomes affected as by natural smoke, except that any saving throw DCs are based on the saving throw DC of this spell. Any creature that is summoned in the smoke by a spell or spell–like ability of the summoning subschool is greatly empowered, gaining immunity to the ill effects of smoke as well as a +1 luck bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls for each level of the spell used to summon the creature. Creatures summoned in this way cannot stray more than 30 feet from the smoky pillar. A wind of at least 35 mph is sufficient to disperse the smoke cloud, ending all of its effects. For more information on smoke, see the environmental rules in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook.