Campaign Design - Spells: Death Blade

Death Blade (adapted from Relics & Rituals)
Transmutation [Force]

Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch

Target, Effect, or Area: One dagger

Duration: Discharge, maximum 1 hour per caster level and 1 round per caster level (D)

Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object) and Fortitude negates (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object) and Yes

This spell turns any masterwork dagger into a death blade. When a creature is struck by a dagger enchanted to be a death blade, the blade strikes as normal but then breaks off from the hilt and stays within the victim. Opponents with damage reduction or who are incorporeal may not be injured by the blade's initial stroke. Once the blade breaks loose fits transmutes into magical force and houses itself in the victim. The blade will continue to damage virtually any foe and cannot be removed by physical means. Victims with spell resistance have one chance to resist the blade entering their body and if the spell resistance fails, they will take damage as described below.

Each round the blade is within the victim, he is allowed a Fortitude save against the DC of the spell to expel the blade and end the spell. If the save fails, the blade delivers 1d6 damage that round. On the first round of magical damage, the victim's save is penalized by -1 for every two caster levels of the caster. On each successive round, the penalty is decreased by 1. The spell ends when the blade is expelled, when the duration expires, or when the victim dies.

Once created, the death blade can be wielded by anyone.

Material component: A masterwork dagger.

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