Comments from the Author: In the next few posts, we’ll be showing off some of the new and revised spells in Dark Matter—expect more Hardlight coming down the line shortly, followed by our experimental Spellhacks.
Hardlight Blade
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (5-foot radius)
Components: S, M (a melee weapon and an emerald ring worth 30 gp)
Duration: 1 round
As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell’s range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the attack does damage as normal, except that the attack deals force damage instead of its normal damage type. Additionally, a hardlight duplicate of your weapon hovers around you, ready to strike. If the target deals damage to you before the start of your next turn, you can use your reaction to deal 1d8 force damage to the target, ending the spell.
At 5th level, the melee attack and secondary damage each deal an additional 1d8 force damage. Both damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level (2d8 and 3d8) and 17th level (3d8 and 4d8).
Hardlight Blaster
1st-level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (an emerald ring worth 30 gp)
Duration: Instantaneous
You wave your hand and conjure a sophisticated arcane weapon, constructed of brilliant compressed light, which hovers in the air in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of you. The weapon fires a crackling beam of energy at a target you choose within 60 feet of it, making a ranged spell attack using your spell attack bonus. The weapon is the point of origin for this attack; therefore, the attack can target a creature that isn’t within your line of sight, as long as it is within the weapon’s line of sight. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 force damage. After this attack, this weapon dissipates.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you deal an additional 1d6 force damage for each slot level above 1st.
Hardlight Chains
1st-level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (an emerald ring worth 30 gp)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Entwining threads of light into shimmering chains, you attempt to bind a creature you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained by hardlight chains until the spell ends. A creature restrained by the spell can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC, freeing itself on a success.
The chains have AC 15, 10 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. Reducing the chains restraining a creature to 0 hit points destroys them and frees the creature.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2rd level or higher, you can target one additional creature within range for each slot level above 1st.
Hardlight Construction
3rd-level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (an emerald ring worth 30 gp)
Duration: 10 minutes
You compress waves of light into a solid, shimmering structure composed of hardlight within range. You can create a Huge or smaller object (contained within a 15-foot cube, or 27 connected 5-foot cubes) which persists for the duration. For example, you can build a bridge crossing a chasm, a tower to see over a treeline, or a patch for the hull of a starship. This object can’t have moving parts or directly harm anyone. No matter what object you build, it has AC 10 and HP equal to 30 + your spellcasting modifier. The object collapses into nothingness and the spell ends if it drops to 0 hit points.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, its HP increases by 10 per slot level above 3rd. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can use your action to change the object created into any other object you choose which fits the criteria. Doing so doesn’t restore the object’s HP.
