Spells
Notes from the Nails: All of these are 5e updates/reboots of old spells to fill in some niches that were making me uncomfortable. These are for all you wizards who have found yourselves wondering “why on Oerth isn’t there a spell for that?”
Amanuensis
Transmutation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a quill or pen, which is animated by the spell)
Duration: 10 minutes
You touch a quill or pen and cause it to copy writing from one source (such as a book) into a blank book, paper, or parchment. This spell copies up to 2500 words, creating a perfect duplicate of the original. The spell copies only non-magical text, not illustrations or magical writings (such as the text of a spellbook or a spell scroll). If the source contains normal and magical writing (such as a letter with explosive runes), only the normal text is copied, leaving blank space in the copied text where the magical writing would be expected. Likewise, if the source contains both text and illustrations, only the text is copied. The spell does not translate the copied writing. If you do not understand the original, you have no additional ability to understand the copy.
The spell triggers (but does not copy) writing-based magic traps in the material being copied.
Blank paper, parchment, or a book must be provided for the spell to write upon. If more pages in the source exist than blank pages are available, the spell copies the original until it runs out of blank pages. At any time during the spell’s duration you can redirect the magic to copy from another source, copy onto a different set of blanks, or resume a duplication that was interrupted by a shortfall of blank pages.
Invisibility Purge
4th-level abjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (powdered silver worth at least 100 gp)
Duration: Instantaneous
You purge magical invisibility effects within 120 feet of you. Any creature, object, location or effect within 120 feet of you that is hidden by magical invisibility is revealed and the effect dispelled.
This spell applies to innate abilities such as an imp’s Invisibility or a faerie dragon’s Superior Invisibility (as long as they are magical in nature) but it does not affect creatures on other planes (such as the Ethereal Plane), nor creatures that are naturally invisible. Items that grant magical invisibility (such as a ring of invisibility) have their effects suppressed for 1 minute.
Nahal’s Reckless Dweomer
2nd-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Special
Components: V
Duration: Special
You draw upon the power of raw chaos to create unpredictable effects. This spell duplicates the effects of a 1st-level spell of your choice from any class’ spell list. Any material components required for the spell appear magically in your hands when you cast the dweomer, only to disappear once they have been used. The effects of the spell are then applied instantly.
After you cast this spell, you must immediately roll a d20 and apply the result from the table below.
- You cast the fireball spell centered on yourself.
- You cast the grease spell centered on yourself.
- You are transported to the Astral Plane until the end of your next turn, at which point you return to the space you previously occupied or the nearest unoccupied space if it is occupied.
- Roll a d10. You age by a number of years equal to the roll.
- You can’t speak for the next minute. Whenever you try, pink bubbles float out of your mouth.
- You burst into flame, taking 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of your turns, until you or another creature uses an action to put out the flames.
- You become frightened of the nearest creature until the end of your next turn.
- You have vulnerability to all damage until the start of your next turn.
- You cast the polymorph spell on yourself. If you fail the save, you become a frog for the spell’s duration.
- Your base movement speed is halved for 1 minute.
- You are accompanied by the sound of birdsong for one minute.
- You are immediately teleported to a random unoccupied location within 30 feet.
- You have disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws for 1 minute.
- You compulsively shout nonsense for 1 minute; you automatically fail all Dexterity (Stealth) checks for this duration.
- You are blinded until the end of your next turn.
- You cannot take reactions for one minute.
- You cast the darkness spell centered on yourself.
- For the next minute, whenever you move, you must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone.
- The contents of your bags, backpacks, pouches, quivers and any other worn containers instantly spill on the floor, spreading their contents in a 10-foot radius around you.
- All of your hair falls out. It regrows in 1d4 days.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the potential set of spells that can be duplicated expands to include all of those up to one level lower than the slot from which the dweomer is cast, up to a maximum of 5th. There is no additional benefit from casting the dweomer at 7th level or higher. The spell then counts as being cast at the level that was used for the dweomer minus one, also to a maximum of 5th level.
Shrink Object
2nd-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 day
You touch an object that is not being worn or carried and cause it to grow smaller for the duration. The target’s size is halved in all dimensions, and its weight is reduced to one-eighth of normal. This reduction decreases its size by one category – from Medium to Small, for example – unless it would still be Gargantuan after shrinking. If the target is a weapon, the weapon loses the Heavy property, if it has it, and attacks with it deals 1d4 less damage (this can’t reduce the damage below 0).
This spell can affect an assembly or collection of objects, as long as they form a single cohesive entity, such as a ship or building. Contents of the collection or assembly which are not creatures are also shrunk. If there is not enough space inside the collection or assembly for a creature, it is magically shunted to the nearest available space outside the object.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the object’s dimensions are halved again, its weight is divided by 8 again, and its size is decreased by one additional category for each slot level above 3rd, to a minimum of 1/16th the original object’s dimensions at 5th level. A weapon that is shrunk deals 1d4 less damage for each level above 1st.
Zone of Sweet Air
2nd-level abjuration (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a silk handkerchief)
Duration: 10 minutes
You create an invisible magical zone that eliminates noxious airs in a 15-foot radius sphere centered on a point of your choice within range.
All poisonous or otherwise damaging gases of natural or magical origin, except those created by breath weapons, are blocked by this spell and cannot enter the zone. Fresh air passes into the zone without hindrance. If any fumes are present when the spell was cast, or created inside the area of protection, they are instantaneously purged from it.
Changelog
6/13/2017: Nahal’s Reckless Dweomer: Upcasting changed to dweomer level minus 1.
9/3/2017: Nahal’s Reckless Dweomer: Material components disappear after use.
