Spells
Notes from the Nails: Power word spells have always struck me as the purest manifestation of magic in d&d. A wizard takes up magic in order to tell the universe what to do – no ifs, no buts, no silly hand waving, no saving throws. So imagine my shock when there were only three in the PHB! Here’s my attempt to remedy that.
Power Word: Annihilate
9th-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
You utter a word of extreme and terrible power that can completely destroy one creature, object or creation of magical force you can see within range. If the creature or object you choose has 150 hit points or fewer, it dies or is destroyed. Otherwise, the spell has no effect.
When killed by this spell, a creature and everything it is wearing and carrying, except magic items, are reduced to a pile of fine grey dust. The creature can be restored to life only by means of a true resurrection or a wish spell.
This spell automatically disintegrates a Huge or smaller nonmagical object or a creation of magical force. If the target is a Gargantuan or larger object or creation of force, this spell disintegrates a 15-foot-cube portion of it. Magic items are unaffected by this spell.
Regardless of whether this spell has any effect on the target, the amount of energy required to cast it is immense, and very harmful to the caster. When you cast this spell, you take 10d6 psychic damage, which cannot be avoided or resisted in any way.
Power Word: Blind
7th-level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
You speak a word of power that can overwhelm the mind of one creature you can see within range, leaving it blind. If the target has 150 hit points or fewer, it is blinded. Otherwise, the spell has no effect.
The blinded target must make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, this effect ends.
Power Word: Deafen
5th-level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
You speak a word of power that can overwhelm the mind of one creature you can see within range, leaving it deafened. If the target has 150 hit points or fewer, it is deafened. Otherwise, the spell has no effect.
After 1 minute, the deafened target must make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, this effect ends.
Power Word: Distract
6th-level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
You speak a word of power that can overwhelm the mind of one creature you can see within range, leaving it distracted. If the target has 150 hit points or fewer, all attacks against the creature have advantage. Otherwise, the spell has no effect.
The distracted target must make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, this effect ends.
Power Word: Fatigue
5th-level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
You speak a word of power that drains the body of one creature you can see within range, leaving it tired and fatigued. The target gains one level of exhaustion, up to a maximum of five levels.
Power Word: Pain
7th-level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
You speak a word of awful power that can overwhelm the mind of one creature you can see within range, leaving it in intense pain. If the target has 150 hit points or fewer, it is incapacitated. Otherwise, the spell has no effect.
The incapacitated target must make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, this effect ends.
Power Word: Scan
5th-level divination
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
You speak a secret word of power that reveals to you details about one creature you can see within range. Choose one of the following pieces of information: armor class, current hit points, damage immunities, damage resistances, damage vulnerabilities, enchantments. The DM must share with you the requested information (enchantments reveals any spells that are currently affecting the target creature, such as bless or haste).
Power Word: Sicken
6th-level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
You speak a word of disgusting power that can overwhelm the body of one creature you can see within range, leaving it sickened. If the target has 150 hit points or fewer, it is poisoned. Otherwise, the spell has no effect.
The sickened target must make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, this effect ends.
Power Word: Silence
7th-level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
You speak a word of power that can overwhelm the mind of one creature you can see within range, leaving it silenced. If the target has 150 hit points or fewer, it is unable to speak or perform the verbal components of spells. Otherwise, the spell has no effect.
After 1 minute, the silenced target must make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, this effect ends.
Changelog: 05/17/2019: power word: fatigue limited to 5 levels of exhaustion.
