Campaign Design - Spells: Confession (I Shouldn't Tell You This)

Confession (I Shouldn't Tell You This) (found in the Book of Roguish Luck)

Enchantment (Charm)

Level: Bard 1, Gutter Mage 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch

Target, Effect, or Area: Creature touched

Duration: 1d6 minutes

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell makes the subject feel talkative, understood, and confessional, and makes you seem trustworthy and empathetic in the subject's eyes. When cast successfully, the spell typically results in the subject spilling secret information about past crimes, lovers, political intrigues, and so forth. The information provided can be sometimes prompted by you, though doing so requires a Diplomacy check (DC 10 + the subject's Sense Motive modifier).

The target suffers a -2 circumstance penalty on her save if she is drunk or otherwise intoxicated and an additional -4 penalty if she is under the influence of a charm spell. A successful save makes the target even more than usually suspicious of you. A target that succeeds on her save cannot be targeted by you with this spell for at least one day plus one additional day for each 5 points by which the save result exceeded the Difficulty Class.

Arcane material component: A set of wooden prayer beads worth 10 shillings.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Torment

Torment (from Gods)
Enchantment

Level: Cleric/Favored Soul 6, Pain (Torture) 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 feet per caster level)
Target, Effect, or Area: One target creature

Duration: One round per caster level

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell links the target and his victims. Should the target fail his Fortitude save, every point of damage he inflicts during the spell's duration harms him as well. This spell has no effect on continuous damage caused by the subject (such as with certain types of poisons or feats), nor does it harm the target if he indirectly causes another harm (such as by pushing someone into a trap).

Material component: A barbed vine or wire.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Compelling Question (Shakedown)

Compelling Question (Shakedown) (found in the Book of Roguish Luck)

Enchantment (Compulsion)[Language-Dependent, Mind-Affecting]

Level: Gutter Mage 1, Shadowsworn 1
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 caster levels)

Target, Effect, or Area: One creature

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

You ask another creature one simple question that it can answer with a single word. On the subject's next turn, as a free action, it answers you as truthfully as possible. The DM is free to assign modifiers to the saving throw based on how important the target considers the information to be. Asking someone whether she is the king's murderer, for example, involves a closely guarded secret, and may earn a trained assassin a +4 competence bonus on the save.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Shroud of Sleep

Shroud of Sleep (from Relics & Rituals: Excalibur)

Enchantment (Compulsion)[Mind-Affecting]

Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 feet per caster level)
Target, Effect, or Area: One or more living creatures within a 15-foot radius burst

Duration: 5 minutes + 3 minutes per caster level

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell creates a low, creeping fog that covers a large area. Anyone within that area must save against the spell or fall into a comatose slumber. 4d6 Hit Dice of creatures plus 1d4 Hit Dice per caster level are affected, and creatures with the fewest Hit Dice are affected first. Among creatures with equal Hit Dice, those closest to the spell’s center are affected first. Hit Dice that are not sufficient to affect a creature are wasted. Sleeping creatures are helpless, and are not awakened by normal noises, though slapping or wounding awakens them. Awakening a creature is a standard action.

Material component: A pinch of fine sand and a bit of moss.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Charming Lie (Trust Me, Boys)

Charming Lie (Trust Me, Boys) (found in the Book of Roguish Luck)
Transmutation

Level: Bard 2, Gutter Mage 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 30-foot-radius

Target, Effect, or Area: One or more creatures in range

Duration: 1 round

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

You tell a lie so convincingly that no one doubts you. You can make the subjects of this spell believe almost anything that their senses don't directly contradict. If it is something they especially want to believe, the targets suffer a -4 circumstance penalty on their saves.

Because this spell is particularly surreptitious and entirely verbal, it is not always apparent when it has been cast. A target that makes its saving throw is entitled to a Spellcraft check (DC 12). If this succeeds, the target creature realizes the spell was cast; otherwise, it merely brushes off the caster's blather as a bunch of unbelievable nonsense.

The charming lie changes beliefs, but it does not allow the caster to give orders. Any statement of fact - "I'm a messenger for the king" or "These aren't the bandits you're looking for" - is pretty much accepted at face value. Any impossible or ridiculous statement entitles a target to a second Will save.

This spell does not allow you to suggest a course of action to the targets; inaction is fine, but you cannot directly tell the targets to do a particular thing. The targets may come to a conclusion on their own (such as confronting a corrupt official if they are told he is robbing them, or going in search of water if they are told they are thirsty) but there is no guarantee of that.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Unseen Marker

Unseen Marker (from Gods)
Enchantment

Level: Bard 3, Cleric/Favored Soul 4, Knowledge 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch

Target, Effect, or Area: Creature touched

Duration: 1 day per caster level

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell subtly marks its subject, making the target a beacon for Scrying checks. Unless the target makes its save, Scrying checks targeting him receive an enhancement bonus equal to the caster level of the caster who cast unseen marker.

Material component: A tiny amount of phosphorescent powder. Its residue can be spotted on the subject by means of detect magic or similar effects.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Dolorous Motes

Dolorous Motes (from the Book of Exalted Deeds)

Enchantment (Compulsion)[Mind-Affecting]

Level: Bard 4, Sorcerer/Wizard 3

Components: V, S, Sacrifice
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 feet + 40 feet per caster level)
Target, Effect, or Area: One 10-foot cube per caster level

Duration: 1 round per caster level (D)

Saving Throw: Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell creates flickering motes of light that cause intense mental anguish. Creatures inside or passing through a cloud of dolorous motes must succeed on a Will save or be dazed for 1 round. A new save may be made each round. Leaving and then reentering a cloud of motes forces a new save.

The caster can create one large cloud of flickering motes or several smaller clouds. The affected cubes need not be adjacent to one another, but each cloud is stationary once placed.

Sacrifice: 1d3 points of Wisdom damage.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Gossip

Gossip (found in Spells & Spellcraft)
Enchantment (Compulsion)[Mind-Affecting]

Level: Bard 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 caster levels)

Target, Effect, or Area: One humanoid

Duration: 1 minute per caster level

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell causes the target to begin gossiping relentlessly, unable to reveal the most personal information fast enough. The caster may encourage the target to gossip about any subject that he pleases, including secret passwords, the strength and number of the king's entourage, or the location of traps in the area. There is no limit to the information that the subject is willing to give out while under the influence of this spell.

Unlike charm person, the subject does not regard the caster as a friend any more than he did before gossip was cast. He merely sees the caster as someone who will listen to a good story or two. He will not take orders or commands, and will take no actions that he would not normally take except for revealing secrets that he knows.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Dominion

Dominion (from Gods)
Enchantment (Mind-Altering)

Level: Cleric/Favored Soul 9, Conquest 9, Sorcerer/Wizard 9
Components: V, S, M, XP
Casting Time: 1 day
Range: Touch

Target, Effect, or Area: Creature touched

Duration: 1 day per caster level (D)

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

Upon completion of the spell, the target effectively becomes an automaton under your control. The target follows any and all of your commands to the letter. The subject otherwise acts normally and does not notice anything unusual about their own behavior.

Material component: A complete spider web dipped in platinum containing at least one fly. This costs at least 1,000 shillings to make. This spell costs 500 experience points per hit die of the target to cast this spell.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Lover's Curse

Lover's Curse (from Nyambe: African Adventures)
Enchantment (Charm)[Mind-Affecting]

Level: Bard 5, Love 7
Components: V, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 feet per caster level)

Target, Effect, or Area: One creature

Duration: Permanent

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

Lover's curse is a "backwards" charm spell, causing other individuals to regard the subtect as a hated enemy. All Charisma checks and Charisma-based skill checks used by the target suffer a -10 circumstance penalty while under the influence of this spell. In addition, no creature can have a reaction better than "friendly" toward an individual so cursed. Individuals who have a "hostile" reaction will usually attack the cursed individual on sight.

Remove curse will not remove this spell, but break enchantment will work normally.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Imprint

Imprint (found in Spells & Spellcraft)
Enchantment [Mind-Affecting]

Level: Bard 2, Sorcerer/Wizard 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch

Target, Effect, or Area: Object touched (see text)

Duration: See text

Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes

When this spell is first cast, the caster touches any printed page or other surface. All the words or images on that surface are then stored in her mind. Later, she may transfer the words or images to any blank surface by merely touching it. This transfer must take place within 1 hour per caster level or the information is wiped from her mind. The transfer is verbatim, and no words or portions of the image can be lost.

The caster can imprint a number of pages equal to her caster level. She cannot recall any of the contents of the page from memory to write them down during this time.

Note that some items (such as strange runes carved on a dungeon wall) do not come on pages. In this case, the spell will affect roughly a 1 foot by 1 foot area for each page allowed by the spell.

Magic tomes touched in this manner are allowed a saving throw to avoid being imprinted (see Damaging Magic Items in the Dungeon Master's Guide, page 214). The caster level of a spellbook is considered the lowest possible level to cast the highest level spell in the book.

Arcane material component: A bit of ink rubbed on the caster's palm.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Dominate Living Construct

Dominate Living Construct (from Races of Eberron)
Enchantment (Compulsion)[Mind-Affecting]

Level: Artificer 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 caster levels)
Target, Effect, or Area: One living construct

Duration: 1 day per caster level

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

You can control the actions of any living construct through a telepathic link that you establish with the subject’s mind.

If you and the subject have a common language, you can generally force the subject to perform as you desire, within the limits of its abilities. If no common language exists, you can communicate only basic commands, such as “Come here,” “Go there,” “Fight,” and “Stand still.” You know what the subject is experiencing, but you do not receive direct sensory input from it, nor can it communicate with you telepathically.

Once you have given a dominated creature a command, it continues to attempt to carry out that command to the exclusion of all other activities except those necessary for day-to-day survival (such as sleeping, eating, and so forth). Because of this limited range of activity, a Sense Motive check against DC 15 (rather than DC 25) can determine that the subject’s behavior is being influenced by an enchantment effect (see the Sense Motive skill description).

Changing your instructions or giving a dominated creature a new command is the equivalent of redirecting a spell, so it is a move action.

By concentrating fully on the spell (a standard action), you can receive full sensory input as interpreted by the mind of the subject, though it still can’t communicate with you. You can’t actually see through the subject’s eyes, so it’s not as good as being there yourself, but you still get a good idea of what’s going on.

Subjects resist this control, and any subject forced to take actions against its nature receives a new saving throw with a +2 bonus. Obviously self-destructive orders are not carried out. Once control is established, the range at which it can be exercised is unlimited, as long as you and the subject are on the same plane. You need not see the subject to control it.

If you don’t spend at least 1 round concentrating on the spell each day, the subject receives a new saving throw to throw off the domination.

Protection from evil or a similar spell can prevent you from exercising control or using the telepathic link while the subject is so warded, but such an effect neither prevents the establishment of domination nor dispels it.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Debilitating Decrescendo

Debilitating Decrescendo (from Spells & Spellcraft)
Enchantment [Mind-Affecting, Sonic]

Level: Bard 3
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 feet per caster level)

Target, Effect, or Area: One creature per caster level

Duration: 1 minute per caster level

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

The caster of this spell sings forth a powerful clear note. The note starts strong and pure, but degenerates into a weak, discordant gasp directed at one enemy per caster level within range. If the targets fail a Will save, they suffer a -2 morale penalty to attack rolls, Armor Class, and saving throws for the duration of the spell.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Alibi

Alibi (from Relics & Rituals)
Enchantment (Charm)[Mind-Affecting]

Level: Bard 2, Sorcerer/Wizard 2, Warden 2
Components: S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 caster levels)
Target, Effect, or Area: A number of creatures equal to your caster level

Duration: One day per caster level

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

Upon casting this spell, those affected by it will believe that you were in their company for a period of time equal to your caster level in hours (or less, if you so desire at the time of casting). These vague memories will last for a period of days queal to your caster level. After this time passes, the false memories will fade, as minor details often do. Those individual unaffected by the spell will have no idea that the spell was cast, but their memories of your presence will conflict with the memories of those you've enchanted.

Material component: A small mirror left with one of the spell's targets or in the location of your alibi's presence.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Beggar's Charm (Fly a Flag)

Beggar's Charm (Fly a Flag) (found in the Book of Roguish Luck)
Enchantment (Compulsion)[Mind-Affecting]

Level: Gutter Mage 1, Sorcerer/Wizard 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 60 feet

Target, Effect, or Area: 60-foot-radius emanation, centered on you

Duration: 1 hour

Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell draws the eye of those within its area, making you more visible and (often) more sympathetic - and also increasing your value as a distraction when trying to draw the eye of guards, sentries, or scouts. You become easier to discern (+4 enhancement bonus on viewer's Spot checks) and provide a better distraction (+10 on the Wisdom check DC of any guards responding to an alarm).

The spell is also used to help beggars draw attention to themselves when plying their trade, adding a +4 competence bonus to Profession: Beggar checks.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Battle Rage

Battle Rage (adapted from the Shaman's Handbook)
Enchantment

Level: Druid/Spirit Shaman 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target, Effect, or Area: Creature touched

Duration: 1 round per caster level

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

Battle rage incites a blood frenzy in a target almost identical to a barbarian's rage ability. The subject of the spell (who may be the caster) gains all the benefits and drawbacks of barbarian's brutal strikes barbarian rage, temporarily gaining a +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a +2 morale bonus on Will saves, and taking a -2 penalty to Armor Class. The increase in Constitution increases the target’s hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the rage when his Constitution score drops back to normal. (These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.) While raging, a the target cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can he cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. He can use any feat he has except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats.

The target may not prematurely end the battle rage before the spell has run its course. This may mean trouble if the combat ends before the battle rage does, requiring the subject to make Will saves (without the +2 morale bonus) against DC 14 to avoid attacking allies or neutral parties. When the spell ends, the target loses the rage modifiers and restrictions and becomes fatigued (-2 penalty to Strength, -2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter.

A barbarian can benefit from battle rage normally, but its effects do not stack with their rage class ability. A barbarian can end the effects of battle rage at will, just like their normal rage ability.

Material component: A special infusion of wine, blood, and rare herbs that the subject must drink, costing 50 shillings per dose.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Tasha's Tickle Finger

Tasha's Tickle Finger (found in Spells & Spellcraft)

Enchantment (Compulsion)

Level: Bard 1, Sorcerer/Wizard 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 caster levels)

Target, Effect, or Area: One humanoid

Duration: 1d3 rounds

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell creates a small finger of magical force that speeds towards the target of the spell. If the target fails his save, he suffers a -2 penalty to all attack rolls and saving throws for the duration of the spell as he attempts to ward off the phantom tickler.

Arcane material component: Dried ants soaked in ale.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Dirge of Woe

Dirge of Woe (adapted from Relics & Rituals)
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting, Sonic]

Level: Bard 3
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal

Target, Effect, or Area: All creatures within a 30-foot-radius centered on the caster

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute per caster level

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

All creatures within 30 feet of you that fail their saving throws will lapse into a deep depression. Despairing creatures will stop what they are doing and are 50% likely to drop whatever they are holding. All affected creatures will take no action other than to lament their misfortune for as long as you are playing.

The spell is immediately broken if any of the victim's are attacked. Additionally, any action to which a depressed creature would normally react violently allows it another Will save to break the spell. For example, someone trying to steal the treasure guarded by a despairing sentinel would grant the sentinel an additional save against the effect of dirge of woe.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Utter Thrall

Utter Thrall (found in the Book of Eldritch Might II)

Enchantment (Compulsion)[Mind-Affecting]

Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 8

Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 feet per caster level)

Target, Effect, or Area: One Medium or smaller humanoid

Duration: Permanent (D)

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

As a more powerful version of dominate person, this spell allows you to completely enslave any humanoid of Medium or smaller size. You establish a telepathic link with the subject's mind and can convey your wishes even if you share no common language. You know what the subject is experiencing, but you do not receive direct sensory input from him.

Subjects cannot resist this control and always act in the best interests of their controller, even if not commanded to do so. The subjects truly believe you are their rightful master and serve you lovingly with utter devotion. They carry out even self-destructive orders - in fact, thralls will give their lives willingly for the good of their controller, even if not commanded to do so. Once the caster establishes control, he can exercise it at unlimited range. You need not see the subject to control it.

Protection from evil or a similar spell can prevent you from exercising control or using the telepathic link while the subject is so warded, but it does not prevent the establishment of utter thrall or dispel it.

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Campaign Design - Spells: Hesitate

Hesitate (found in Spells & Spellcraft)
Enchantment (Compulsion)

Level: Duskblade 1, Sorcerer/Wizard 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 caster levels)

Target, Effect, or Area: One creature

Duration: 1d4 rounds

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell causes the subject to second-guess their actions, resulting in the victim only being able to take one partial action per round for the duration of the spell. This spell does not counter haste or similar magic.

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