Hashmalum
Explorer
Recently, I've been creating some "white necromancy", protective and healing spells that use necromantic magic. My take on things is that arcane magic, as wielded by a sorcerer or wizard, cannot do away with afflictions, but it can transfer them to somebody else (see vampiric touch, for example)--and even then, not usually with 100% efficiency.
Some of these spells have HP components, which are exactly what you would expect from the name. I chose to implement the HP cost as a component rather than part of the spell's effect so that wizards could create the various absorb wounds spells in potion form.
Please tell me what you think of the individual spells and of the whole idea behind them. Also, if these spells are allowed, should necromancy be bumped up from a bottom tier specialist school? I'm inclined to think that it should be bumped up at least to second tier (abjuration, enchantment, and illusion) status.
Absorb Critical Wounds
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M, HP
If the caster is living, as per cure critical wounds, except as noted above. If the caster is undead, as per inflict critical wounds instead. If the caster is a construct, the spell cannot be cast.
Material components: A strip of cloth and an empty bottle.
HP Cost: Equal to the maximum amount that the spell can cure (or inflict).
Absorb Disease
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
This spell allows the caster to cure disease in another living creature by transferring it to himself. The spell merely removes the disease and does not undo ability damage or other damage already caused by it. The spell cannot transfer parasitic infestations such as fleas, lice, worms, ticks, or green slime. Neither can it cure diseases such as lycanthropy that are the result of a curse. However, it can cure supernatural diseases such as demon fever, devil chills, and mummy rot. A disease cannot be transferred to the caster if he already has the same disease. Only one disease can be transferred at a time; the disease is chosen by the DM at random from among the diseases the target is infected with if there is more than one.
Material component: A needle.
Absorb Light Wounds
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M, HP
If the caster is living, as per cure light wounds, except as noted above. If the caster is undead, as per inflict light wounds instead. If the caster is a construct, the spell cannot be cast.
Material components: A strip of cloth and an empty bottle.
HP Cost: Equal to the maximum amount that the spell can cure (or inflict).
Absorb Minor Wounds
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 0
Components: V, S, M, HP
If the caster is living, as per cure minor wounds, except as noted above. If the caster is undead, as per inflict minor wounds instead. If the caster is a construct, the spell cannot be cast.
Material components: A strip of cloth and an empty bottle.
HP Cost: Equal to the maximum amount that the spell can cure (or inflict).
Absorb Moderate Wounds
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, M, HP
If the caster is living, as per cure moderate wounds, except as noted above. If the caster is undead, as per inflict moderate wounds instead. If the caster is a construct, the spell cannot be cast.
Material components: A strip of cloth and an empty bottle.
HP Cost: Equal to the maximum amount that the spell can cure (or inflict).
Absorb Poison
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
You neutralize poison in the spell's target by absorbing it into yourself. You can only absorb one type of poison at a time; the type of poison absorbed is determined randomly if more than one type of poison afflicts the target. The spell only removes poison and does not undo ability damage or other effects already caused by the poison.
Material component: A leech (living or dead).
Absorb Serious Wounds
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M, HP
If the caster is living, as per cure serious wounds, except as noted above. If the caster is undead, as per inflict serious wounds instead. If the caster is a construct, the spell cannot be cast.
Material components: A strip of cloth and an empty bottle.
HP Cost: Equal to the maximum amount that the spell can cure (or inflict).
Little Death
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: Living creature touched
Duration: 10 minutes/level or until discharged
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
When this spell is cast, the caster splits off a portion of the target's life force into a gem (the spell's material component), which then begins to glow and orbit the target's head 1d3 feet away in the manner of an ioun stone. (The glow is the same color as the gem, as bright as a candle, and pulsates in time with the target's heartbeat. A black gem such as an onyx stone has a pulsating aura of darkness that is noticeable but doesn't significantly affect adjacent illumination levels.)
The target loses 2d4 hit points that return when the spell ends (even if it is dispelled), but not if the spell's protection triggers. (The hit points may be healed as normal.) If the target is subjected to a death effect, the spell protects against it but ends immediately thereafter (the gem's glow dies and it falls to the ground and crumbles to dust). If the target dies, the spell ends immediately.
While under the effect of the spell, the gem has the stats of an ioun stone (AC 24, 10 hit points, and hardness 5). If the target grabs the gem, the gem is destroyed, or the gem is forcibly removed from its orbit in any other manner, the spell immediately ends (and the target regains its lost hit points). Whenever the spell ends (no matter how it ended), the gem crumbles to dust.
Material component: A gem worth at least 100 gp.
Some of these spells have HP components, which are exactly what you would expect from the name. I chose to implement the HP cost as a component rather than part of the spell's effect so that wizards could create the various absorb wounds spells in potion form.
Please tell me what you think of the individual spells and of the whole idea behind them. Also, if these spells are allowed, should necromancy be bumped up from a bottom tier specialist school? I'm inclined to think that it should be bumped up at least to second tier (abjuration, enchantment, and illusion) status.
Absorb Critical Wounds
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M, HP
If the caster is living, as per cure critical wounds, except as noted above. If the caster is undead, as per inflict critical wounds instead. If the caster is a construct, the spell cannot be cast.
Material components: A strip of cloth and an empty bottle.
HP Cost: Equal to the maximum amount that the spell can cure (or inflict).
Absorb Disease
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
This spell allows the caster to cure disease in another living creature by transferring it to himself. The spell merely removes the disease and does not undo ability damage or other damage already caused by it. The spell cannot transfer parasitic infestations such as fleas, lice, worms, ticks, or green slime. Neither can it cure diseases such as lycanthropy that are the result of a curse. However, it can cure supernatural diseases such as demon fever, devil chills, and mummy rot. A disease cannot be transferred to the caster if he already has the same disease. Only one disease can be transferred at a time; the disease is chosen by the DM at random from among the diseases the target is infected with if there is more than one.
Material component: A needle.
Absorb Light Wounds
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M, HP
If the caster is living, as per cure light wounds, except as noted above. If the caster is undead, as per inflict light wounds instead. If the caster is a construct, the spell cannot be cast.
Material components: A strip of cloth and an empty bottle.
HP Cost: Equal to the maximum amount that the spell can cure (or inflict).
Absorb Minor Wounds
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 0
Components: V, S, M, HP
If the caster is living, as per cure minor wounds, except as noted above. If the caster is undead, as per inflict minor wounds instead. If the caster is a construct, the spell cannot be cast.
Material components: A strip of cloth and an empty bottle.
HP Cost: Equal to the maximum amount that the spell can cure (or inflict).
Absorb Moderate Wounds
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, M, HP
If the caster is living, as per cure moderate wounds, except as noted above. If the caster is undead, as per inflict moderate wounds instead. If the caster is a construct, the spell cannot be cast.
Material components: A strip of cloth and an empty bottle.
HP Cost: Equal to the maximum amount that the spell can cure (or inflict).
Absorb Poison
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
You neutralize poison in the spell's target by absorbing it into yourself. You can only absorb one type of poison at a time; the type of poison absorbed is determined randomly if more than one type of poison afflicts the target. The spell only removes poison and does not undo ability damage or other effects already caused by the poison.
Material component: A leech (living or dead).
Absorb Serious Wounds
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M, HP
If the caster is living, as per cure serious wounds, except as noted above. If the caster is undead, as per inflict serious wounds instead. If the caster is a construct, the spell cannot be cast.
Material components: A strip of cloth and an empty bottle.
HP Cost: Equal to the maximum amount that the spell can cure (or inflict).
Little Death
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: Living creature touched
Duration: 10 minutes/level or until discharged
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
When this spell is cast, the caster splits off a portion of the target's life force into a gem (the spell's material component), which then begins to glow and orbit the target's head 1d3 feet away in the manner of an ioun stone. (The glow is the same color as the gem, as bright as a candle, and pulsates in time with the target's heartbeat. A black gem such as an onyx stone has a pulsating aura of darkness that is noticeable but doesn't significantly affect adjacent illumination levels.)
The target loses 2d4 hit points that return when the spell ends (even if it is dispelled), but not if the spell's protection triggers. (The hit points may be healed as normal.) If the target is subjected to a death effect, the spell protects against it but ends immediately thereafter (the gem's glow dies and it falls to the ground and crumbles to dust). If the target dies, the spell ends immediately.
While under the effect of the spell, the gem has the stats of an ioun stone (AC 24, 10 hit points, and hardness 5). If the target grabs the gem, the gem is destroyed, or the gem is forcibly removed from its orbit in any other manner, the spell immediately ends (and the target regains its lost hit points). Whenever the spell ends (no matter how it ended), the gem crumbles to dust.
Material component: A gem worth at least 100 gp.
