
                                   - 003 -

  Foreword

    Utter the words "high-level character" to just about any group of AD&D
  game fans and you are certain to get a strong  reaction.  Veteran  players
  often shake their heads in disgust, but there are a few whose  eyes  gleam
  with fond memories. Referees often look pained or confused.  Everyone,  it
  seems, has an  opinion  about  high-level  play.  If  you  are  a  fan  of
  high-level campaigns, there is very little I can say about this book.  You
  have probably already  thumbed  through  the  pages,  lingering  over  the
  choicest bits. Perhaps you've studied the rules and  tables  of  legendary
  monsters in Chapter  2  or  considered  the  possibilities  that  the  new
  character powers from Chapter 7 can bring to your  game.  Enjoy!  If  your
  opinion of high-level play is lukewarm or worse, you  might  be  wondering
  why I wrote this book at all. I'll share  a  secret  with  you.  Before  I
  started this book, I wasn't any too fond of  high-level  play  either.  My
  mind began to change, however, as I began planning the book and talking to
  people about what it should  contain.  Although  high-level  play  can  be
  difficult, I learned that there have been plenty of successful  high-level
  campaigns over the years. Along the way, I began  thinking  about  an  old
  character I  once  played:  Ellis  Strongheart.  Ellis  began  life  as  a
  1st-level ranger full of spunk, and he wound up as a the lord  of  a  huge
  castle. Ellis had a list of powerful enemies as long as your  arm  and  an
  equally long list of allies, including a time-traveling dragon and a  host
  of servants and retainers. The campaign that gave birth to Ellis  is  long
  gone, but Ellis is now firmly ensconced in my own campaign as an NPC.  The
  players in my game are strangely attracted to Ellis (lesser  mortals  call
  him Lord Strongheart). Ellis is very much a viable character, with a  long
  history and an enigmatic reputation. To me, Ellis is proof that high-level
  play can be worthwhile, even if it does get rather wild. This book's first
  chapter, The Seven Maxims, discusses what DMs have  to  do  to  make  sure
  their campaigns stand up to the rigors of high-level play.  All  campaigns
  require work, but highlevel games require a special touch, and it  is  the
  lack of that knowledge that causes many high-level games to go astray.  If
  you have tried a high-level game and failed, the material in the first two
  chapters should help you avoid critical mistakes. The  rest  of  the  book
  provides ideas for keeping a game - and its  player  characters  -  fresh.
  There are rules and suggestions for  building  adventures  and  whole  new
  worlds, conducting magical duels, and making magical items.  Two  chapters
  are worth special note: Chapter 6, True Dweomers, and Chapter 7, HighLevel
  Characters. Both of these chapters introduce new powers into the game.
    True dweomers are essentially 10th-level spells.  I  included  them  not
  just to satisfy power gamers, but  to  allow  high-level  spellcasters  to
  create world-shaking magic. When the rules are used properly, the  casting
  of a single true dweomer can keep a group of PCs busy  for  a  long  time.
  Chapter 7 includes some hard-and-fast rules about what characters can  do.
  In it there is a revised rule for automatic failure  of  saving  throws  -
  something that places a little fear back into high-level character's lives
  - and a host of new powers. Don't be put off by these new abilities; their
  purpose is twofold: First, they give players something to look forward to.
  No longer do high-level characters simply accumulate more hit points  once
  they reach 9th or 10th level. Second, they put truly epic  abilities  into
  the hands of player characters. These new powers are 3 not going to  allow
  PCs to lay waste to the countryside, but using one  indisputably  marks  a
  character as a legendary figure. That's what high-level play is all about.

  Skip Williams
  April, 1995

                                   - 006 -

  Chapter 1: The Seven Maxims

    High-level AD&D campaigns pose some special problems  for  the  referee.
  Encounters are more difficult to construct because the  DM  cannot  simply
  throw monsters at characters whose prowess are equal to those of Hercules,
  Merlin, and other heroes of myth and legend. Keeping a high-level campaign
  on-track and exciting can be so difficult that many players and DMs prefer
  to retire their high-level characters and start over at 1st  level  rather
  than continue the campaign.
    Retiring powerful characters and starting over is  not  an  unreasonable
  course of action. Indeed,  Chapter  Three  of  the  Dungeon  Master  Guide
  explains that retirement is inevitable once characters exceed level 20. If
  you  are  reading  this,  however,  you've  decided  to  forge  ahead  and
  experience what truly powerful AD&D characters can do.
    The book you hold in your hands contains rules and campaign  suggestions
  for characters of up to 30th level. For our  purposes,  any  character  of
  level 10 or more is high-level.
    It is possible to have a successful high-level campaign, but only if the
  participants are willing to put forth extra effort to build  a  game  that
  works. This chapter presents seven basic principles that anyone who runs a
  high-level campaign should understand:

    Don't depend on the dice.
    Use adversaries intelligently and inventively.
    Control magic.
    Be aware of demographics.
    Think on an epic scale.
    Plan ahead.
    Share responsibility with your players.

    Following these principles does not guarantee  a  great  game,  but  all
  successful high-level AD&D campaigns use them to one degree or another. If
  you keep these maxims firmly  in  mind,  your  campaign  can  continue  to
  provide you and your players with many hours of enjoyment even  after  the
  player characters have achieved fantastic levels of power.

                                   - 007 -

  1. Don't Depend on the Dice

    Every AD&D campaign requires a  certain  level  of  tension  -  a  great
  adventure includes  something  glorious  to  gain  and  something  equally
  important to be lost. It's a good idea to play a light adventure just  for
  laughs from time to time, but the game is at its best when  the  PCs  find
  themselves poised between grand success and dismal failure.
    Early in a campaign, just rolling the dice provides  enough  uncertainty
  to keep everyone on the edge  of  their  seats.  Fighters  hack  at  their
  opponents, hoping  their  attacks  hit.  Even  against  lowly  goblins,  a
  1st-level fighter misses with a melee attack about  half  the  time  (more
  than that if the character doesn't enjoy combat bonuses from Strength  and
  weapon specialization). All players wince inwardlysometimes visibly - when
  the DM calls for a saving throw; a simple poison has an  excellent  chance
  to slay or initiative roll tate a 1st-level character. Likewise, when each
  player character has only a handful of hit points, even the initiate  roll
  is crucial because a single blow from a sword often  spells  death  for  a
  novice adventurer.
    In each of the preceding examples, the chance of failure is  significant
  for the PC, and the consequences of  not  succeeding  are  grave.  As  the
  campaign matures and the PCs become more powerful, however, players  learn
  not to dread the dice so much. Fighters of 4th to  6th  level  can  expect
  their attacks to hit more often than  they  miss,  and  even  priests  and
  rogues can expect to hold their own in a short fight.  All  characters  at
  this level have more staying power than 1st-level characters, and they can
  afford to take a little abuse when they face dangerous opponents.  The  DM
  still can make the players fear for their characters' lives,  however,  by
  confronting them with increasingly poweful enemies.

                                   - 008 -

    Increasing the foes' strength is a good  thing  for  low-  to  mid-level
  campaigns for two reasons. First, it helps maintain the level  of  tension
  by making things more difficult for the heroes. Mid-level  characters  can
  expect to hit goblins more often than they miss, but they  have  a  harder
  time dealing with wyverns. Second, it helps maintain the level of  reward.
  The tougher the foe, the more experience you can award. This is  important
  for maintaining a steady rate of advancement because a PC  advancing  from
  1st to 9th level must earn an increasing amount of experience between each
  level, as even a cursory glance at Figure 1 reveals. Figure  2  shows  the
  increasing rewards for more powerful foes.
    The cycle of escalating power begins to break down  as  the  PCs  exceed
  level 9. First, the PCs' THAC0 and saving throw numbers become so low that
  success is virtually assured, especially when the effects of high  ability
  scores and magical items are factored in. Likewise, PC Armor Classes  tend
  to become so good (again due to magical items  and  high  ability  scores)
  that many monsters can't damage the PCs in combat. Second, the  experience
  required to gain the next level no longer increases geometrically once the
  PCs reach 9th level - there  is  a  flat  increase  from  level  to  level
  instead. Figures 3 and 4 help illustrate the problem.

                                   - 009 -

    Combat, once the most dramatic activity in the game, can become  a  dull
  routine of hack, inflict damage, and hack again -  especially  if  the  DM
  allows the players to think their characters are  invincible.  Of  course,
  you  can  restore  the  level  of  tension  by  presenting  the  PCs  with
  increasingly powerful foes. However, simply bringing  the  antagonists  to
  the PCs' level of power is not a good  idea  -  it  cheapens  the  heroes'
  accomplishments. Tension in the game  is  a  positive  element,  but  many
  players despair when they realize that their characters are always in some
  kind of peril. Players often feel their characters are pushing their  luck
  with each new adventure and opt to retire their favorite characters before
  they are killed. Stiffening  the  opposition  also  brings  the  PCs  more
  experience, which accelerates level advancement, and  in  turn  makes  the
  whole problem even worse.
    The key to maintaining tension in the game without inflating  the  level
  of power is to create situations where the players must rely on their  own
  memories and reasoning skills. Rather than confronting  high-level  player
  characters with huge numbers of powerful  foes,  try  smaller  numbers  of
  weaker foes who attack according to a plan. Also, not every encounter  has
  to be a fight. Give your players  problems  that  require  them  to  think
  rather than roll dice - complex political struggles,  mysteries,  puzzles,
  and the like challenge the players directly. To keep the game centered  on
  the characters, present the players with situations that make them  search
  for new ways to use their characters' abilities. See Chapter Two for  more
  suggestions.
    Do not try to eliminate dice rolling altogether, however. Everyone likes
  to trash something once in awhile, and players expect to  be  able  to  do
  something with their high-level characters' newfound powers. The key is to
  not allow the PCs to become so dominant that every situation descends into
  a dierolling extravaganza where the only fun involved  is  in  determining
  the number of casualties the party can create in one round.

                                   - 010 -

  2. Intelligent Adversaries

    You can challenge your campaign's high-level player  characters  without
  making every monster and villain in your world a  killing  machine.  In  a
  well-run game, what you decide to do  with  your  bad  guys  is  far  more
  important than their raw power. Try to think  beyond  the  simple  all-out
  assault by a mass of expendable foes. Highlevel characters have little  to
  fear  from  such  attacks,  and  their  players  generally  expect  more
  originality and ingenuity from their DM. This section contains a few  tips
  for getting the most out of any adversary your PCs face.

  Consider the Opponent's Intelligence

    Make sure the opponent acts as smart as it should. Any foe worthy enough
  to challenge high-level PCs didn't get that way through  foolish  actions.
  This does not mean that  only  foes  with  genius-level  intelligence  are
  suitable in high-level play. Even  opponents  with  low  intelligence  can
  learn from experience and are not necessarily foolish. A man-eating tiger,
  for example, has an Intelligence rating of  2-4,  but  its  experience  in
  stalking people can make it a canny and  unpredictable  opponent  for  any
  group. An opponent doesn't have to be brilliant  to  challenge  high-level
  characters: It has to avoid obvious mistakes.
    Many DMs tend to think of very  weak  creatures,  such  as  goblins  and
  kobolds, as prone to foolish and unintelligent behavior; this is an error.
  Kobolds and some goblins have average Intelligence,  which  make  them  as
  smart as a typical human. Humans are pretty inventive creatures. They have
  survived an ice age  and  have  produced  and  maintained  our  incredibly
  complex and technical culture. Creatures with average  intelligence  might
  blunder when making split-second decisions,  but  they  learn  from  their
  mistakes and prepare for the worst. For a more complete discussion of  how
  intelligence affects a creature's actions in combat, see Chapter 10 of the
  Player's Option Combat & Tactics book.

                                   - 011 -

  Review the Creature's Weaknesses

    No matter how intelligent the creature is, any  opponent  of  high-level
  PCs should be as prepared as possible to  face  the  party.  Unintelligent
  creatures undoubtedly have another force that tells them what to  do,  and
  this  behind-the-scenes  antagonist  makes  sure  that  any  discernible
  weaknesses have been minimized. Against  highlevel  PCs,  few  allies  are
  expendable - the villain must make sure that each ally has a specific
  purpose.
    As DM, it is your responsibility to make sure that the  PCs'  enemy  has
  adequately prepared for any confrontation. Obvious weaknesses, such  as  a
  rakshasa's susceptibility to a blessed crossbow  bolt,  should  should  be
  shielded from  the  PCs.  Perhaps  the  rakshasa  has  read  a  scroll  of
  protection from magic or is protected by a minor globe of  invulnerability
  when the PCs attack. Some additional examples follow:

    * Fire and acid are troll's worst enemies because they prevent the troll
  from regenerating (see the troll entry in the Monstrous Manual). A troll's
  regeneration ability also has a delay; the creature regains no hit  points
  until three rounds after it suffers its first wound.
    * Trolls that have each consumed a potion of fire resistance and covered
  themselves with oil of acid resistance might prove quite a  challenge  for
  PCs who are accustomed to chopping up trolls and dousing them with flaming
  oil.
    * A cavern filled  with  pockets  of  explosive  gases  would  make  any
  fire-based spell hazardous for the PCs.
    * Player characters might hesitate to attack trolls with  fire  after  a
  trap douses them with flammable oil.
    * A troll that spends a few rounds hurling missiles at  a  party  before
  closing  to  melee  might  just  suffer  an  arrow  hit  that  starts  its
  regeneration before it begins  suffering  really  heavy  damage  from  the
  party's warriors.
    * Vampires suffer from diverse vulnerabilities that players know all too
  well: sunlight, garlic, mirrors, holy  symbols,  turning  by  priests  and
  paladins, and running water.
    * Living deep  underground  and  keeping  a  few  items  enchanted  with
  continual darkness spells effectively eliminates the threat of sunlight.
    * Smart vampires keep charmed minions on hand to break mirrors,  destroy
  garlic, and snatch away holy symbols.
    * A well-placed wall of ice, Otiluke's freezing sphere, or  lower  water
  spell makes immersing a vampire in running water difficult if not
  impossible.
    * Remember that it is running water that harms vampires. Stagnant  water
  doesn't hurt them at all, and a clever vampire might use standing water as
  a hiding place to ambush overconfident PCs.
    * A vampire employing a disguise might not be recognized  as  an  undead
  creature until after it attacks, providing hefty surprise penalties to the
  PCs. A nondetection spell would prevent its discovery by detect undead  or
  similar spells.
    * A vampire living in a particularly unhallowed place might be resistant
  to turning attempts.
    * Giant slugs are wildly inaccurate when they  first  use  their  acidic
  spit in an encounter, and they have a terrible Armor Class.
    * A giant slug might automatically hit with its initial, attack  if  the
  party must approach it through a narrrow opening or constricted passage.
    * The slug's poor Armor Class is irrelevant if the party  cannot  attack
  it. Perhaps it lies on the far side of a crevasse or behind  a  portcullis
  or other barrier.

    In many cases, you also have to find ways  to  explain  why  a  creature
  enjoys the advantages it has for the situation tion you have  constructed.
  Remember that the PCs m want to incorporate some  of  your  ideas  into  a
  defensive aid for their own keeps and castles. Keeping the PCs' alignments
  in mind, your rulings - for or against - should be consistent.

    * Perhaps a member of the troll's group is a polymorphed or reincarnated
  wizard who is making the best of a bad situation by  brewing  potions  for
  her companions.
    * The explosive gases are a naturally occurring  even  that  region.  An
  alchemist could reproduce the explosive for the PCs, but it would be
  expensive.
    * Vampires have the intelligence and longevity to dream up all manner of
  special defenses and contingency plans. Did someone say contingency?
    * Perhaps the giant slug is another  creature's  pet  or  guardian.  The
  portcullis, which the slug might easily batter  down,  is  coated  with  a
  thick layer of salt that discourages the monster from pushing  against  it
  except in one place that is just large enough to accommodate its head.

  Review the Creature's Strengths

  Pay equal attention to the creature's  strong  points  and  find  ways  to
  maximize them. Intelligently played monsters can wreak havoc on  even  the
  most well-prepared group of high-level heroes. Start by identifying  their
  strengths and then formulate plans to take advantage of them. For example.

                                   - 012 -

    * Trolls boast regeneration, multiple attacks, and respectable Strength
  scores.
    ** A goup of trolls might attack in waves so  that  damaged  individuals
  can retreat and regenerate lost hit points while the  fresh  troops  press
  the fight.
    ** A troll attacks three times each round; a haste spell icreases this
  to six.
    ** A troll's great strength allows it to employ a  variety  of  indirect
  attacks, such as rolling boulders onto opponents from atop a cliff.
    ** Trolls armed with magical weapons, such as  twohanded  swords,  could
  successfully attack characters with low Armor Classes and do  considerable
  damage in the process (their damage bonus when using weapons is +8).
    * Everybody knows that vampires drain life energy, but they have a  vast
  repertoire of powers including high mobility,  various  spell  and  weapon
  immunities, high  Strength  scores,  formidable  charm  ability,  and  can
  conceal themselves by posing as normal humans or demihumans.
    ** A vampire is at its best when it can attack  a  lone,  highlevel  PC.
  One-on-one confrontations give the vampire a chance to use its charm  gaze
  and attempt melee  without  fear  of  an  overwhelming  spell  assault  or
  clerical turning attempt.
    ** A vampire can only be hit by magical weapons,  so  protecting  itself
  with spells like invulnerability to magical  weapons  or  antimagic  shell
  allow the vampire to wear down high-level warriors  without  fear  of  the
  PCs' blades slicing through it.
    ** In high-level campaign, mobility is  the  vampire's  greatest  power.
  (Scarabs of protection and spells such as negative  plane  protection  and
  restoration make level-draining undead considerably less  formidable  than
  they are in campaigns where the PCs have fewer resources.)

    Gaseous form allows the  vampire  to  move  through  barriers  that  are
  impassable to the PCs. A few pinholes in a wall, floor,  or  ceiling  that
  has been reinforced with metal bars (to defeat passwall spells)  allows  a
  vampire to come and go as it pleases.

    ** Time is also a vampire's ally, especially if it is  deep  underground
  where it doesn't have to  worry  about  natural  sunlight.  If  forced  to
  retreat, a vampire can spend some time regenerating, then return - at full
  hit points to harry its enemies from a new angle.
    ** The vampire might pose as a resident from a  nearby  village  who  is
  here to slay the vampire. Players are not likely to  recognize  a  vampire
  for what it is if the monster is running round with  a  wooden  stake  and
  mallet in hand.
    * Giant slugs have endless supplies of acidic spittle, immunity to blunt
  weapons, and boneless bodies that can fit through small openings.
    ** Repeated acid attacks can wear down even  the  strongest  characters,
  and the acid has a chance (however small) to  destroy  magical  items  and
  make highlevel PCs a little less formidable.
    ** Stoneskin can protect the slug from weapon attacks for a brief  time,
  giving it more time to wear down the PCs. A spell engine  could  be  setup
  nearby to absorb spells, or a chain contingency could be in place  on  the
  slug to activate spells like fire shield (cold version),  lightning  bolt,
  and other unexpected surprises.
    ** A giant slug's ability to squeeze into small places allows it to  lie
  in wait for the PCs in a place that appears empty at first glance.

    Minimizing weaknesses and maximizing strengths allows you  to  challenge
  the PCs and maintain tension without power inflation; foes become slightly
  harder to kill and a little more challenging in a fight.
    There are other advantages as well. Players  with  highlevel  characters
  often are veteran players who  are  very  familiar  with  most  AD&D  game
  monsters. Their encyclopedic knowledge allows them to  strike  immediately
  at a monster's weak point, easily defeating  the  creature.  If  you  take
  pains to minimize monsters' weaknesses and exploit  their  strengths,  you
  encourage your players to think creatively by providing  a  new  challenge
  (thinking of a way to exploit the shielded weakness or avoid the amplified
  strength). You also restore some freshness to your campaign,  because  the
  players quickly learn that all monsters are not exactly alike.  Since  the
  players are no longer certain how much danger they  face,  they  learn  to
  respect the offensive  capabilities  of  any  creature  they  meet,  which
  encourages them to consider alternatives to fighting.

  Handling Defeat

    The easiest way to decide what a creature does in the face of  impending
  defeat is to check its morale rating and roll the dice to see if  it  runs
  away. Don't handle every foe this way. Player  characters  don't  have  to
  check morale, and neither should important nonplayer characters, monsters,
  or other foes. Rank-and-file troops, however, are part of  an  encounter's
  setting and should follow the  morale  rules.  Very  few  leaders  are  so
  charismatic that all their followers march to  their  deaths  all  of  the
  time. Likewise, the PCs' own allies and henchmen might quit the  field  at
  times when the heroes find it inconvenient for them to retreat.

                                   - 013 -

    In many campaigns, the DM follows the forgoing advice at least in  part;
  monsters and villains usually slug it out with the PCs  until  the  bitter
  end. Fighting to the death isn't such a bad idea,  because  most  PCs  can
  obliterate fleeing opponents before they have a chance  to  get  away.  If
  death is inevitable, one might as well do as much damage to the  enemy  as
  possible before dying.
    Defeat need not always mean death or retreat, even in a pitched  battle.
  Real battles, for  example,  have  much  lower  kill  rates  than  fantasy
  battles. Picket's infamous charge during the Battle of  Gettysburg  killed
  50% of the attackers; that means half the people who participated  in  the
  attack survived. There are basically four options open to an opponent  who
  is staring defeat in the face:

    * Surrender: The creature simply gives up - or appears to give up.
    * Flee: A retreat from battle need not be a mindless rout. The  opponent
  might choose to withdraw and fight again under  better  circumstances.  In
  any case, leaving a battle and surviving the attempt is a fine art (see
  below).
    * Reversal: If the opponent's first plan  of  action  isn't  leading  to
  victory,  it  might  try  another  approach.  Since  defeat  is  looming
  ever-closer, this tactic is usually the most daring.
    * Fight: The creature simply continues the fight and hopes for the best.

  Motivations

    Exactly which option an opponent takes should depend on  the  creature's
  motivations, knowledge of the enemy,  and  resources.  Start  by  thinking
  about why the opponent is attacking in the first place.

  Coercion: Opponents who attack because a stronger creature has forced them
  into it might very well fight to the death. For these  creatures,  fleeing
  the battle might be worse than dying at the hands of  the  PCs.  Creatures
  that have been forced to  attack  usually  don't  have  the  resources  or
  creativity to regain the upper hand through some bold action  when  things
  begin to go bad - they stick with the original strategy  against  the  PCs
  unless told otherwise.
    If the PCs have a reputation for showing mercy, foes who are too fearful
  of their masters to run away might surrender instead. If the  PCs  have  a
  reputation for killing every opponent who crosses swords  with  them,  how
  ever, no foe is likely to surrender under any circumstances.

  Magical Motivations: Opponents who attack because they have been magically
  charmed or are under some other kind of externally imposed  compulsion  to
  attack might literally be unable to preserve themselves through flight  or
  surrender. Likewise, their clouded mental state often prevents  them  from
  winning a victory through some inspired action.

  The Home Front: Opponents who are defending their homes or a fortification
  usually do not quit the field altogether. Instead, they most often try  to
  fall back so they can attack again. If unable  to  retreat,  the  opponent
  might surrender in hopes of delaying the attacker (prisoners can  be  such
  an encumbrance) or for the chance to break free and  attack  again  at  an
  opportune moment.

  Looting:  Opponents  seeking  loot  or  who  attack  during  an  unplanned
  encounter flee at the first hint of difficulty.  Brigands  and  cutthroats
  who commit crimes when the opportunities present themselves fall into this
  category.

  Pride: Opponents who  have  attacked  out  of  sheer  bravado,  spite,  or
  aggressiveness usually do not flee from a  battle  except  as  part  of  a
  calculated plan of hit-and-run attacks. When faced with utter defeat, this
  type of oppornent tries something dramatic, such as a  retributive  strike
  with a staff of power, rather than surrender or flee.

  Leaving the Field

    An effective retreat, like an effective attack,  requires  some  advance
  planning and a grasp of  the  current  situation.  To  flee  an  encounter
  successfully, a creature has to accomplish three things: outrun  the  PCs,
  survive or foil the PCs' ranged attacks, and elude any  long-term  pursuit
  the PCs might attempt.
    Of course, what looks like flight can easily be a rush to higher  ground
  or the beginning of a series of hit-and-run attacks against the party.

  Running Away: Outrunning the PCs is best  accomplished  by  moving  faster
  than the heroes. Failing that, the fleeing creature  should  go  somewhere
  that the PCs cannot fol low. For example, a horde of kobolds has no chance
  to outdistance a company of mounted knights on a road or in clear terrain,
  but they probably could get away if they fled down a steep,  wooded  slope
  where horses could not follow. It is always best to have an  escape  route
  in mind before a battle starts, and most intelligent  combatants  (except,
  perhaps, PCs) do so.

                                   - 014 -

    The surest way to flee a battle is  through  spells  such  as  teleport,
  dimension door, word of recall, phase door, plane shift,  and  items  with
  similar effects, such as cubic gates and  amulets  of  the  planes.  These
  spells and devices work quickly and whisk the users far away,  leaving  no
  real clues as to their whereabouts.
    If the opponent is too slow to get away and doesn't have a magical means
  to escape quickly, the best bet is to misdirect or divert the  PCs.  There
  are many ways to create successful diversions. Powerful magical illusions,
  such as a programmed illusion triggered by a command word, or invisibility
  tend to work the best. Reinforcements are great for shifting an attacker's
  attention away from an all-but defeated opponent. If neither of these  are
  available, an opponent can try something desperate, such as throwing  dust
  or red-hot embers in the PCs' eyes. Spells such as wall of fog, fog cloud,
  mount, or rope trick are ideal for a personal escape.
    If the PCs cannot be distracted, the next best thing is to do  something
  that slows them down. A  few  caltrops,  a  raging  brush  fire,  or  some
  tripwires can discourage direct pursuit, as can spells such as web or
  entangle.

  Foiling Ranged Attacks: Opponents  who  have  put  some  distance  between
  themselves and the  PCs  are  still  not  entirely  out  of  danger.  Many
  characters can deal out impressive amounts  of  damage  from  considerable
  distances with missile fire or spells.
    The best way to deal with distance attacks is to get  out  of  range  as
  quickly as possible. Sometimes the method of  escape  takes  care  of  the
  problem - teleportation outdistances just about anything instantaneously.

                                   - 015 -

    If the opponent cannot get out of range quickly, the next best thing  to
  do is take cover or hide. Even a little bit of concealment from a hedgerow
  or orchard can make missile attacks harder to  use.  Simply  hiding  makes
  some highly useful spells impossible to use because these attacks must  be
  directed at something the caster can see (see PHB, Chapter 7). An opponent
  who shuffles his feet to create a cloud of dust or employs spells such  as
  wind wall or obscurement can live to fight another day. An antimagic shell
  makes a great  mobile  shield  against  spell  attacks.  The  spell's  big
  disadvantage is that it neutralizes the caster's  own  magic,  but  that's
  usually not a problem when the user is running away. Magical items such as
  cubes of force are very useful for defeating ranged attacks.
    Sometimes it is useful to delay flight for a few rounds and cripple  the
  PCs' ability to use ranged attacks. A warp wood spell on a  warrior's  bow
  or a called shot that breaks a ranged weapon can  save  a  lot  of  future
  trouble. Wizards and priests might have a little difficulty  concentrating
  on spells if their opponents have splashed them with acid or  flaming  oil
  before they flee.

  Foiling Long-Term Pursuit: Once a fleeing opponent has broken away from an
  encounter and gotten out of the PCs' sight, the  opponent  isn't  entirely
  safe. A determined party can track an opponent back to his lair,  striking
  again while the foe is weak. If the PCs succeed, they also  gain  whatever
  treasures the opponent has stored in the lair.
    The surest way to discourage long-term pursuit is  to  leave  behind  no
  trail; the PCs can't follow if they don't  know  where  the  opponent  has
  gone. Teleportation magic is excellent for this  purpose.  Flight  is  the
  next best mode of escape, as it allows for quick travel over any  kind  of
  terrain and leaves behind no tracks. The pass without trace spell  can  be
  useful for hiding a trail, but it also allowsresourceful PCs to track  the
  fugitive magically for a short time (1d6 turns, see the spell  description
  in the PHB), which makes it unsuitable for opponents who wish to flee only
  a short distance.
    Opponents who cannot avoid leaving a trail should try to  leave  a  very
  faint trail. Rocky areas make better escape routes than muddy ones. If the
  PCs are tracking the fugitive by scent, the opponent can  throw  them  off
  the trail by crossing a river or leaving behind  something  to  cover  the
  scent, such as pepper or another pungent spice.
    Making the PCs think they have lost the trail can be an effective  ploy.
  A polymorph self or alter self spell can allow a fugitive to take  flight,
  which makes the trail appear to end abruptly. If flying is impractical (as
  might be the case if the PCs  can  fly),  polymorphing  into  a  new  form
  changes the tracks and might confuse trackers, especially if the change to
  a new form takes place in a location where tracks are hard  to  find.  For
  example, a party might have a fairly easy time  tracking  a  fleeing  ogre
  mage. They might be very confused, however, when they follow the trail  to
  a busy road and the only tracks they find on the other side were  made  by
  an elf. A delayed use of the pass without trace spell also is  useful  for
  this purpose. A party of trackers might not think to check the area with a
  detect magic spell when the trail  they've  been  following  for  an  hour
  suddenly disappears.
    A fleeing opponent can confuse pursuers by changing his mode of  travel.
  Keeping a mount hidden near the battlefield allows  for  an  unanticipated
  burst of speed; it also helps protect  the  mount  from  injury  or  death
  during the battle. A  hidden  cache  of  potions  such  as  speed,  flying
  polymorph self, gaseous form, and oil of etherealness can  accomplish  the
  same thing.
    Terrain can be a fugitive's ally. The  earlier  suggestion  about  going
  where the PCs can't works in the  long  term,  too.  Disappearing  into  a
  monster-infested swamp can  slow  down  even  the  best-equipped  PCs.  An
  armored paladin might have great deal of  difficulty  tracking  a  fleeing
  assassin up the side of a mountain.

  The Perils of Withdrawing: Opponents  seeking  to  withdraw  to  a  better
  position rather than fleeing altogether face a set of  problems  different
  from creatures who wish to simply escape.
    The biggest problem is to avoid an overwhelming attack while moving;  if
  the PCs vigorously press the attack, an orderly withdrawal becomes a rout.
  Speed is also important - it doesn't do any good for an opponent  to  fall
  back if the PCs get to where the opponent is going first.
    The best way to ensure  a  safe  withdrawal  is  to  restrict  the  PCs'
  movement. A large force of opponents might  withdraw  in  smaller  groups,
  leaving behind a team to keep the PCs engaged in melee while the remainder
  fall back and prepare to support the team's withdrawal. Many other  things
  can  hinder  an  attacker's  ability  to  follow  and  harass  withdrawing
  opponents: the various wall spells; prepared traps such as  covered  pits;
  spells such as slow, entangle, repulsion, and solid fog; natural  terrain,
  such as hillsides; and fortifications, such as ditches and walls.
    It never hurts to have support  waiting  when  making  a  withdrawal.  A
  hidden group of archers or spellcasters can do a  lot  to  discourage  PCs
  from following withdrawing troops too closely.
    The preceding comments about dealing with the PCs' ranged  attacks  also
  apply here. A prearranged escape route or a plan designed to minimize  the
  effects of the PCs' spells and missiles can make a withdrawal much  easier
  to complete.

  Hit-and-Run Tactics: Opponents who have  decided  to  wear  the  PCs  down
  through a series of hit-and-run attacks advance and withdraw according  to
  some kind of prearranged plan (though they might concoct the plan  at  the
  spur of the moment). Generally, the opponent should hit the PCs  hard  and
  be gone before they effectively react. Some useful ideas include:

                                   - 016 -

    * Hitting the PCs from concealment is an excellent way to cause  maximum
  damage in minimal time. Attacking from two or more directions at once  can
  be especially devastating.
    * Missile weapons and other ranged attacks, such as  spells,  work  best
  for this strategy because they allow for a more speedy escape.
    * Concentrate attacks on the people who are a threat and leave the  rest
  alone. Spellcasters and mounted characters are the prime  targets  because
  they  can  most  readily  make  counterattacks  and  interfere  with  the
  opponents' withdrawal.

  Surrender

    Opponents choose surrender as a last resort. A creature that  surrenders
  has made a conscious decision however hastily - that becoming  a  prisoner
  is preferable to risking death by continuing the fight or running away.
    It's always helpful to  have  a  bargaining  chip.  Opponents  who  have
  something the  PCs  might  think  is  valuable,  such  as  information  or
  treasure, have more motivation to surrender than  opponents  who  do  not.
  Most opponents do not  give  up  their  bargaining  chips  easily  -  they
  withhold them until they can be sure of reasonable treatment.
    There is no reason why an opponent  should  be  a  model  prisoner.  The
  creature might do whatever it can to hinder the PCs and might  try  escape
  or attack if not properly guarded.

  Reversal

    Opponents for whom flight or  surrender  is  unthinkable  often  try  to
  change the situation when defeat looms over them. The  opponent  does  not
  always try to win the battle with a single act of desperation or  luck.  A
  subtle change in tactics or shift in position can lead to victory
  eventually.
    The surest and often the most dramatic  way  to  turn  the  tide  is  to
  exploit an opportunity unique to the current situation. Things that  might
  put an enemy in peril can provide opportunities. Are there bridge supports
  to cut? Is the  encounter  occurring  in  a  building  full  of  flammable
  materials? Is there loose snow or rock overhead that might cause an
  avalanche?
    If  the  opponents  can  take  advantage  of  the  opportunity  without
  significant risk or consequence,  they  should  do  so  immediately.  Very
  often, however, opponents initially opt for a normal fight or  negotiation
  to avoid undue danger to themselves.
    If the ultimate goal of the battle is to take magical  items  and  other
  treasures from the PCs, it's unlikely that the opponents take actions that
  might damage or make  those  items  inaccessible.  Spells  of  destruction
  (fireball meteor swarm, and cone of cold) are replaced  with  spells  that
  neutralize the PCs (slow, time stop, and chaos).
    Many opponents hold back their most  potent  weapons,  such  as  magical
  items or spells, and use them only when all else fails. This might seem to
  contradict the prior point, but it is usually best to hold something back.
  An opponent who reveals the full extent of his strength at  the  beginning
  of a confrontation puts himself at a disadvantage because the PCs can plan
  and react accordingly. Also, some powerful weapons (such as a staff of the
  magi's retributive strike, a  potion  of  storm  giant  strength,  or  the
  opponent's only 9th-level spell) can be used only once.
    Knowledge can be a potent reserve weapon. Opponents  who  know  the  PCs
  well might try to break off a fight and negotiate. Perhaps the PCs can  be
  bluffed by playing on their  fears.  Perhaps  they  can  be  persuaded  to
  redirect their aggression toward a common foe who is (or  appears  to  be)
  more dangerous than the their current enemy.
    Desperate opponents might attempt risky  maneuvers,  such  as  a  called
  shots aimed at crippling or disarming the enemy's lead  warrior,  charging
  through the front rank to attack spellcasters in the rear, or  just  plain
  bluffing. These tactics tend to be dangerous for the person  who  attempts
  them, but they have spectacular results when they work.

  Minimizing Personal Risks

    Tangling with PCs of any level is  hazardous  to  a  creature's  health.
  Player characters tend to win fights; after all, they are  the  heroes  of
  the story.
    Smart opponents recognize the danger that adventurers represent and take
  steps to protect themselves. Minimizing risks is  different  from  dealing
  with defeat - it involves limiting the consequences of defeat and reducing
  the chance to get hurt during a victory or a draw.
    This approach is not only reasonable from the opponent's point of  view,
  it also means the PCs have to work a bit before  they  can  root  out  the
  campaign's true villains. This also keeps them from becoming overconfident
  since they know that the truly  formidable  opponents  still  await  them.
  Making sure the campaign's most powerful foes don't take unnecessary risks
  has  another  benefit  for  the  campaign.  As  the  demographics  section
  explains, powerful creatures are rare. The DM has to be careful  lest  the
  PCs kill off everything that has a hope of challenging them.

                                   - 017 -

    The best way to minimize personal risk is  not  to  go  anywhere  or  do
  anything dangerous. The opponent might use his powers to learn all he  can
  about the PCs and then send henchmen or mercenaries to do the dirty  work.
  The heroes can't slay a villain they have not met unless they, too, employ
  indirect attacks.
    Opponents who take an active hand in attacks on the PCs  have  a  better
  chance to survive unhurt if they can manage to  be  somewhere  other  than
  where the PCs think they are. Spells such as project image are  great  for
  this ploy. A magic jar spell is riskier, but apt to confuse PCs who expect
  to meet a wizard and instead find a warrior  or  other  character.  If  an
  opponent leaves the magic jar in the hands of a servant who hides  nearby,
  his escape is almost assured if  things  go  wrong  -  especially  if  the
  servant is equipped with teleportation magic. The opponent also might pose
  as a bystander or rank-and-file  foot  soldier,  relaying  commands  to  a
  subordinate telepathically. If the PCs  triumph,  they  might  unwittingly
  make their rival a prisoner and never  know  that  they  are  harboring  a
  deadly enemy.
    A safe and often effective strategy is to  strike  where  the  enemy  is
  vulnerable, but not on hand to defend. The  opponent  might  raid  a  PC's
  castle when the party is out adventuring. The opponent also  might  attack
  the PCs' friends, family, and business associates. A clever opponent might
  plan his attacks so carefully that the PCs don't even  suspect  that  they
  are his true targets.

  Bad Guys Don't Fight Fair

    Two of the things that make bad guys truly evil is their desire  to  win
  at all costs and their determination to make someone else pay those costs.
  There is no trick too low, dirty, or mean for a truly dishonorable
  villain.
    Many times, the villain makes sure that there  are  innocent  bystanders
  milling around before a battle starts. Not only does this prevent the  PCs
  from using their powerful area of  effect  spells  against  the  villain's
  henchmen, it also confuses  the  PCs'  ability  to  determine  their  true
  enemies. Of course, the villain cares little  for  the  innocents  in  his
  midst; they only serve as a shield against the PCs. Meeting the heroes  in
  an empty dungeon chamber or in a deserted street for the equivalent  of  a
  fantasy gunfight allows the high-level party to bring all of their guns to
  bear, spelling almost certain defeat for the villain.

  Diversions

    The opponent might create a diversion that forces the PCs to abandon the
  fight. For example, if a battle is taking place in a  town,  the  opponent
  might set a fire. The PCs must  choose  between  pressing  the  attack  or
  saving the town. They are likely to become very unpopular if  they  choose
  the former. They might even be accused  of  setting  the  blaze.  Innocent
  Bystanders
    Particularly villainous opponents have  no  compunctions  against  using
  missile weapons and area of  effect  spells  against  PCs  when  they  are
  surrounded by innocent bystanders.  A  panicking  crowd  might  very  well
  hinder the PCs by blocking vision, disrupting spellcasting, and restricing
  movement.
    Villains might even set up a passerby  so  the  heroes-in  the  heat  of
  battle - mistake an innocent person as part of the  villain's  band.  Even
  low-level illusions are quite effective at misleading a party in the midst
  of a battle, and it's unlikely that the PCs take time to verify  each  and
  every target of their attacks. Once the battle is  over,  the  townspeople
  might accuse the PCs of murder, since all of the other bystanders saw  the
  PCs attack without provocation.

  Sentimental Targets

    The opponent might attack a target that has sentimental value but little
  strategic or tactical value, such as a family home. The attack  might  not
  do a great deal of harm but it can goad  the  PCs  into  making  decisions
  based on emotion instead of careful thought. For example,  the  PCs  might
  expend a great deal of time and  resources  guarding  their  family  homes
  while bandits stalk the countryside.

  Contingency Plans

    Intelligent opponents, and especially major villains, don't meet the PCs
  in a fair fight. Villains always have escape routes and they use them when
  needed. Most villains do not risk even the chance of meeting the heroes in
  combat unless they have an advantage the PCs don't know about.

  3. Control Magic

    Magic  in  an  AD&D  campaign  is  a  splendid  thing.  It  opens  new
  possibilities for play and, more  importantly,  it  provides  a  sense  of
  wonderment for the players. Piles of gold and  gems  might  make  players'
  eyes sparkle, but magic is different because it gives PCs the power to  do
  wondrous things. Magic puts a little bit of fantasy into the players'
  hands.
    Too much magic, however,  ruins  play  at  any  level.  Excessive  magic
  destroys game balance by giving the heroes too much power too quickly; the
  PCs cease to be heroic personas struggling in a hostile world  and  become
  high-powered exterminators who magically fumigate  castles  and  dungeons,
  cleaning out the monsters and treasure before  moving  on  to  their  next
  clean-up job.
    Overabundant pluses also exacerbate the breakdown of game  mechanics  at
  high levels. Look at figures 3 and 4 again. Every plus a  character  gains
  (whether from magic, high ability scores, or special  abilities)  shortens
  each bar by one unit. The shorter the bar, the less risk  of  failure  and
  the lower the level of tension in any particular encounter.  Less  tension
  means that every game situation is more commonplace and less satisfying to
  complete.

                                   - 018 -

    When magic is common, it loses its ability to evoke a sense of wonder in
  the players. If magic is fairly rare, even a minor item such as  a  potion
  can be a  momentous  find.  Players  tend  to  appreciate  whatever  their
  characters can get when magical items are  hard  to  find,  and  even  the
  short-term boost a potion grants to a PC is significant. In contrast, even
  a holy sword is no big deal if every PC in the game  already  has  two  or
  three magical weapons. The more magic the PCs have, the less  likely  they
  are to be impressed with any single item. In the latter example,  the  PCs
  are undoubtedly much more powerful than the  magic-starved  characters  in
  the former campaign, but magic in  the  former  campaign  actually  has  a
  greater impact on play.
    Magical armor has perhaps the greatest impact on play. Every paladin  on
  the block would love to have his suit of full plate +5 and  a  shield  +5,
  but this presents some serious problems for encounter design. Not only  do
  you have to create an encounter that builds  on  strengths  and  minimizes
  weaknesses, but now you must also provide opponents capable of striking  a
  -10 Armor Class. Once characters get below an Armor Class of -4,  a  great
  deal of the tension dissipates. The heroes are virtually  immune  to  most
  physical attacks. Proficient use of rust monsters and  other  armor-eating
  beasties are highly encouraged.
    Bracers of defense and even mid-level rings  of  protection  create  the
  same problems as a suit of full plate +5. Bracers of defense AC2 grant  an
  effective Armor Class bonus of +8  and  should  be  more  rare  than  even
  magical plate - bracers of defense AC0 should be viewed as gifts from  the
  gods! When introducing protective magical items, remember  that  a  little
  bartering or loaning of magical items within a party can  allow  a  single
  character to attain an unbelievably low Armor Class.  The  characters  who
  give up their magical items to protect a comrade make themselves a  little
  easier to  be  attacked,  while  their  friend  is  virtually  cloaked  in
  protective magic.
    It is important to remember that campaigns can have  too  little  magic.
  Finding magical treasure is an important award for PCs who have done well.
  Players become disheartened and cynical if their characters do  not  enjoy
  rewards commensurate with the risks they take.  Consequently,  giving  out
  few or no magical treasures is not an appropriate way to control magic  in
  the campaign. Workable - and fair - controls are discussed below.

  Use Magical Items

    When intelligent opponents have magical treasures, they should use  them
  against the PCs. If faced with defeat, an intelligent opponent who owns  a
  charged magical item should expend charges freely; if the  PCs  capture  a
  charged item with lots of charges left, the opponent probably wasn't using
  the item properly.
    If the PCs seek favors, information, or services from, NPCs  -  or  even
  from their own henchman - they should expect to  offer  magical  items  in
  payment, especially if  the  task  set  before  the  NPC  is  particularly
  demanding. Note that even the most loyal henchman is  going  to  become  a
  little surly if the PCs start carrying around (or storing)  magical  items
  they never use.
    Don't forget to roll those item saving throws when a PC fails  a  saving
  throw, and remember that magical  protections  a  character  enjoys  don't
  extend to his equipment once a saving  throw  fails.  For  example,  if  a
  high-level character wearing a ring  of  protection  +5  and  a  cloak  of
  protection +5 fails a save vs. a disintegrate spell, the character's items
  do not enjoy a +6 saving throw bonus. Each item saves individually.

  Magic is Tempting

    Remember that the bad guys want the PCs' magic as much as the  PCs  want
  theirs. Villains are prone to demand magical items for ransom when a PC or
  henchman is captured, and  hire  thieves  to  pick  the  PCs'  pockets  or
  burglarize their homes.

  Remove Unwanted Magical Items

    Create situations where the PCs have saving throw penalties so that item
  saves become more common. A few pesky leprechauns are.great  for  removing
  unwanted items from a campaign, either by stealing  them  or  polymorphing
  them  into  bizarre  shapes  (or  both).  It's  also  possible  to  create
  situations where PCs might accidentally lose items.
    For example, characters who fall overboard during a storm at  sea  might
  have a hard time holding onto all their equipment, and the bottom  of  the
  ocean is not terribly easy to search. Characters who annoy  deities  might
  suddenly find that their  favorite  items  no  longer  work  properly.  Be
  careful not to overdo it. Offhandedly zapping a character's favorite sword
  is churlish, but a closet full of long swords +1 is fair game.

  Spell Memorization and Acquisition

    Magical items aren't the only source of magical inflation in a campaign.
  High-level spellcasters can become unstoppable engines of  destruction  if
  the DM allows them to simply dump out  their  full  complement  of  spells
  every adventure. Remember that memorizing a spell requires a good  night's
  sleep and 10 minutes of  prayer  or  study  per  level  of  the  spell;  a
  20th-level wizard requires 18 hours of  study  time  to  memorize  a  full
  complement of spells. By contrast, it only takes 37 minutes for  the  same
  wizard to cast every spell in memory.

                                   - 020 -

  Magic's Limitations

    This point goes  hand-in-hand  with  the  previous  one.  The  5th-level
  teleport spell requires 50 minutes of memorization time,  which  makes  it
  impractical for almost any trip that can be made in less than an  hour  by
  other means. Further, teleport is  risky;  even  if  the  caster  is  very
  familiar with the destination there is a 2% chance per use for at least  a
  minor accident (arriving too high) and a 1% chance for a potentially fatal
  accident (teleporting low).
    It's important to remember that magic is unlike technology in that  most
  spells do one thing and one thing only. Magic missile, for example,  harms
  creatures but has absolutely no effect on  inanimate  objects;  knock  can
  force open doors and locks, but it can't bowl  creatures  over  or  effect
  portals such as portcullises and drawbridges. Players tend to have  modern
  minds and they often expect their character's magic to be as adaptable  as
  technology. Make sure that they don't get away with doing that.

  Magic Shoops

    Do not let magic become a  commodity.  Magical  items  should  never  be
  bought and sold like milk and eggs. Allowing PCs of any  level  to  simply
  purchase magical items, or even  to  purchase  magical  supplies  such  as
  quills and inks for writing scrolls, takes some of the mystique away  from
  magic and makes the whole world seem a little more commonplace.
    It is not necessary to stubbornly  forbid  the  buying  and  selling  of
  magic; the key to  keeping  magic  fanciful  is  to  make  sure  that  any
  transaction is an adventure of a sort.
    Magical supplies should never have clearly marked  prices  and  be  sold
  from neatly arranged shelves - that's too such like a modern  supermarket.
  Instead, things such as spell components, quills, and exotic  inks  should
  be available only at specialty shops run by would-be  wizards  or  retired
  adventures. Barter or intense haggling should be the norm. Of course,  the
  only guarantee as to what the PCs are actually getting  is  based  on  the
  proprietor's reputation. (Is that really a cockatrice quill or did it just
  come from a large chicken?) A PC who needs a  specific  ingredient  for  a
  potion or scroll ink might have to choose between several  similar  items;
  only a series of careful  questions  about  how  each  item  was  acquired
  reveals which one the PC should choose.
    When  it  comes  to  purchasing  magical  items,  make  the  PCs  buy
  "pig-in-a-poke." Characters generally sell only magical items they  cannot
  use, so they really have no idea what they do. In most cases, mere cash is
  not sufficient. The seller wants a service of  some  kind,  or  wishes  to
  barter for another magical item the character can use.
    Player characters might occasionally wish to sell an item  for  cash.  A
  harried DM can find gold piece values in the  ENCYCLOPEDIA  MAGICA  books,
  however, the values given there are more useful  as  a  way  to  establish
  relative values between items. The market value for something as  powerful
  and useful as a magical item is highly variable and hard to calculate.
    Finding the right buyer should be an adventure in itself. A magical item
  for sale draws thieves like flies, and those thieves could range  anywhere
  from the neighborhood fiend to the local tax collector. Perhaps a  vampire
  drops by one evening and tries to charm the item out of the PC's hands. In
  most cases, the buyer is wary, because determining an item's  true  powers
  is a difficult task, and the buyer can never be sure exactly  what  he  is
  getting.
    Shops that sell magical items are a bad idea for several reasons. First,
  the quest for magical treasures is what drives the game.  It's  true  that
  high-level characters tend to have more magical  items  than  they  really
  need, but such characters often  desire  specific  items  to  assist  with
  whatever task happens to be at hand.
    For example, it is known that Lord Mayor Charles Oliver O'Kane of Ravens
  Bluff (in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting)  is  seeking  a  cube  of
  force so he can deal with a troublesome dragon. The  DM  could  allow  the
  character to walk down to the local magic shop, hand over a pile  a  coins
  and gems big enough to choke the dragon, and get his cube of force, but  a
  clever DM seizes upon the character's desire as an opportunity  to  create
  an adventure. Several different adventures could arise from the mayor's
  search:

    * A charlatan might appear and offer the mayor a  fake  cube  of  force;
  some well-placed illusions might convince even the  most  skeptical  buyer
  that the false item is genuine.  Even  if  the  mayor  detects  the  hoax,
  actually catching and punishing the charlatan could prove to be difficult.
    * The character might locate a damaged cube of force. The cube might  be
  completely inoperative, but repairable under some special  condition  that
  the owner might be able to bring about. Alternatively, the cube  might  be
  partially functional; perhaps it works at less than full power or randomly
  deactivates itself. The new owner might learn the  cube's  quirks  through
  trial and error.

                                   - 021 -

    * Someone might have a cube of force he can  live  without.  The  owner,
  however, refuses to sell the cube for mere cash and wants another powerful
  magical item in trade. Perhaps the cube's owner knows where the other item
  can be found, but believes getting it would be too risky. The cube  owner,
  however, would gladly reveal the other item's location  in  return  for  a
  promise to trade the item for the cube.
    * The dragon might learn about the mayor's search for a  cube  of  force
  and decide to pay the mayor a visit. Perhaps the dragon would  be  willing
  to negotiate, or perhaps the dragon opens hostilities before the mayor  is
  ready.
    * Another powerful character, perhaps a political rival, offers to  loan
  the mayor a cube of force, for a favor to be named  later.  If  the  mayor
  accepts,  repaying  the  favor  might  prove  especially  difficult  or
  embarrassing.  Refusing  the  loan  might  prove  equally  difficult  or
  embarrassing, especially if the dragon damages the city and the rival lets
  it be known that the mayor refused an offer that might have  defeated  the
  dragon.

  4. Be Aware of Demographics

    High level characters don't just spring  into  existence  overnight.  It
  takes an exceptional person just to survive the rigors of  an  adventuring
  life, and characters who make it to the top should be both rare and
  famous.
    Just how rare are high-level characters? Let's assume, for  purposes  of
  this example, that the minimum requirement for an adventurer is having  an
  ability score of 15 or better in a prime requisite  in  one  of  the  four
  character classes  (Strength,  Dexterity,  Intelligence,  and  Wisdom),  a
  Constitution score of at least 9, and no other  score  lower  than  an  8.
  About one person in 10 meets these  requirements  if  ability  scores  are
  rolled using the standard method of rolling  3d6  once  for  each  ability
  score. (If your campaign uses an  alternate  method  for  rolling  ability
  scores, what you're really doing is making sure your PCs fall into the top
  10%, non-adventurers are still assumed to use the standard  method).  Now,
  let's assume that out of every group of adventures only half actually make
  it to the next level (the remainder either die, retire,  or  just  haven't
  yet accumulated enough experience to advance). This last assumption is  an
  oversimplification, of course,  but  a  little  arithmetic  produces  some
  instructive results:

                                   - 022 -

    There is only one 10th level character in a general population of 5,000.
  The actual numbers are summarized in Table 1.
    An 18th level character of any class is truly a one-in-a-million
  individual.
    Only 2% of the population (1 in 500) qualifies to be  a  paladin.  Other
  subclasses with strict ability score requirements (such as bards, rangers,
  and druids) are equally rare.

    Keep these numbers in mind when creating NPCs for  your  campaign.  Your
  world not only becomes more believable if  it  isn't  overrun  with  super
  characters, but your players have a greater sense of  accomplishment  when
  they realize just what they have achieved. Be sure to keep important  NPCs
  alive when possible - it can take a generation  to  replace  a  high-level
  character.

  5. Think on an Epic Scale

    It's easy to think of low-level characters as people who have  dangerous
  jobs. Depending on your campaign style, low-level player characters  might
  frequently be called upon to do heroic things, and well-played  characters
  often  have  goals  more  complex  than  merely  slaying  monsters  and
  accumulating treasure, such  as  social  recognition,  romance,  political
  power, and the like. No matter how well-developed  a  low-level  character
  is, the character's chief goal essentially remains  making  a  living  and
  surviving to enjoy the fruits of his labor.
    High-level PCs, as the proceeding section on demographics shows, are the
  foremost heroes of their age. They are the people who bards sing about and
  who poets write about. Stories of their adventures are told and retold for
  generations after the PCs are gone. Whether they like it or not,  the  PCs
  are larger than life. They have larger-thanlife friends,  larger-than-life
  foes, and larger-than-life problems. Practical details such as  where  the
  character's next meal is coming from or how the hero is going to get armor
  or weapons repaired become petty when compared to the real issues  of  the
  character's life.

    Table 1: Demographics

        General         Character         Approx. No.
      Population          Level          in 1,000,000
          10              1 1st            133,120
          20              1 2nd             66,560
          40              1 3rd             33,280
          80              1 4th             16,640
         160              1 5th              8,320
         320              1 6th              4,160
         640              1 7th              2,080
        1,380             1 8th              1,040
        2,560             1 9th               512
        5,120             1 10th              256
        10,240            1 11th              128
        20,480            1 12th               64
        40,960            1 13th               32
        81,920            1 14th               16
       163,840            1 15th                8
       326,680            1 16th                4
       655,360            1 17th                2
      1,310,720           1 18th                1

  Heroes Are Not Anonymous

    Other mortals pay attention to what heroes say and do. Weaker characters
  seek out their advice, but usually try to stay  out  of  their  way.  Some
  low-level characters might idolize them or  seek  to  emulate  them.  More
  powerful characters watch  what  the  PCs  do  to  anticipate  perils  and
  opportunities; some of these characters might become jealous and resentful
  of a PC's successes. Deities also begin watching the heroes; they seek  to
  help and encourage characters who promote their interests  and  to  hinder
  characters who might oppose them.

  Heroes Deserve Heroic Tasks

    High-level  PCs  have  progressed  beyond  the
  find-the-monster-take-the-treasure mode, and the DM  must  find  herculean
  tasks for them. For example, a group of PCs might find themselves  charged
  with rescuing a prince or princess  early  in  their  careers.  At  higher
  levels, the PCs might find that the fate of an  entire  kingdom  rests  in
  their hands - that kingdom may very well be  their  own.  Later,  the  PCs
  might find themselves saving the entire world, and in  the  meantime  they
  probably function as agents of the gods themselves.

                                   - 023 -

  Far-reaching Impact

    Even a simple expedition to slay a monster can send tremors through  the
  world. For example, consider the aftereffects when the PCs  search  out  a
  venerable red dragon's lair, slay the beast, and return with heaps of
  treasure.
    First, the dragon is a fearsome creature,  probably  the  most  powerful
  monster within several hundred miles of its lair. The dragon's death  most
  likely produces a local power vacuum. Many types of evil  creatures,  from
  ambitious giants to upstart younger dragons, could become embroiled  in  a
  struggle to occupy the dragon's former position  in  the  power  structure
  (not to mention fighting over possession of the abandoned  lair).  Perhaps
  one or more fairly powerful groups of  lesser  creatures  become  free  to
  expand now that the dragon is no longer around  to  keep  them  in  check.
  Anything from a community of mountain dwarves to a horde of  trolls  might
  take over the area after a few years.
    Second, the PCs can set all kinds of things in motion just  by  enjoying
  the spoils of victory. A treasure as large as a dragon's hoard is bound to
  attract attention, perhaps even before the PCs begin spending it. If  they
  carry it off by normal means, thieves  and  brigands  are  bound  to  take
  notice. Once the PCs begin to spend their money, the local  economy  might
  boom from the influx of cash - especially if the PCs spend  it  on  things
  like castles, land, or businesses. The local economy might suffer  ruinous
  inflation. Eventually, thieves and other adventurers learn about  all  the
  neat gems and magical items the PCs have recovered, and they may  plot  to
  steal some of it for themselves.

                                   - 024 -

    If the characters distribute magic  to  their  henchmen,  their  enemies
  suddenly have a problem - the competition just got a lot tougher.  If  the
  PCs don't share their spoils, they're going to have unhappy henchmen.
    All of the foregoing assumes that the DM hasn't put any  special  effort
  into the dragon's  lair.  Some  of  the  items  from  the  lair  might  be
  significant to the campaign. For  example,  what  do  the  people  in  the
  neighboring kingdom do if they  learn  that  a  legendary  sword  lost  in
  antiquity shows up in a PC's hands. The character might be in for  a  wild
  ride; the holder of the sword might inherit anything from  a  claim  to  a
  throne to an ancient blood feud. Now consider what might happen if a deity
  or dragon ruler starts wondering who it was that slew the  mighty  dragon?
  Remember also that dragons have offspring and long memories.

  6. Plan Ahead

    Any successful AD&D campaign requires a great deal of  preparatory  work
  on the DM's part. If you intend to play a high-level  game,  however,  you
  also must prepare your campaign for PCs who have the  power  to  radically
  alter it, and you have to be sure your campaign can provide  a  continuing
  challenge.
    The best time to prepare for high-level play is during  low-level  play,
  when the PCs are just learning about the world and you have  had  time  to
  see how things are working. If you wait too long, lots  of  details  about
  your world become fixed in the players' minds,  and  you  won't  have  the
  flexibility you need to make changes. If you start too soon, you may  burn
  yourself out before you ever run an adventure (all work and no play  makes
  the DM dull), and you run the risk of over-planning and  trying  to  force
  the campaign's action in directions the players don't want to go. In other
  words, get your campaign going at low-level, see what you're  players  are
  going to do with it, and then start laying the groundwork for high-level
  play.

  Create Villains Who Learn

    Create villains that can grow with the  PCs.  A  growing  villain  is  a
  character who has personal ambitions and achieves them over the course  of
  play, just as the PCs do. The  villain  also  becomes  more  powerful  and
  accumulates his own hoard of magical  items,  associates,  and  followers.
  This approach reminds the players that their characters are not  the  only
  people who are making a difference in the world. It heightens the sense of
  urgency the players feel when the PCs confront  a  threat  or  opportunity
  because they know there are NPCs who are just as determined  and  powerful
  working toward results that the heroes won't like.
    Backgrounds  are  important  for  NPC  villains.  The  heroes  have  the
  advantage of constant molding and shaping by their own actions as well  as
  the plot twists that the DM throws at them. The  villain  needs  the  same
  benefits in order to be truly challenging to the PCs.  Some  examples  are
  included below, but the list is by no means exhaustive.

  Source of Power: What is it that allows the NPC to be villainous? Does the
  villain merely depend on spells and character  skills,  or  does  he  also
  command an army, run a government, or control a business?

  Objectives: What vile thing does  the  villain  want  to  accomplish?  The
  emphasis here  is  on  the  word  vile.  The  NPC's  objective  should  be
  objectionable  to  the  heroes  at  the  very  least,  if  not  outright
  detrimental. The villain might wish to destroy or enslave the nation where
  the PCs live, wipe out an entire race, or even destroy the world.

  Motives: Why does the villain wish to do vile things? He might  simply  be
  highly aggressive, have a compulsive need for power, or a thirst for
  revenge.

  Personality: What is the villain like in person? Decide what the NPC looks
  like, how the character acts, where the character lives, and so on.  Great
  villains are never flat characters; if your villain is simply a collection
  of statistics, the players look at the evildoer as  just  another  monster
  rather than someone they love to hate.

  History: How did the villain come to be? Decide where he  was  born,  what
  significant things he has accomplished in  the  past,  what  failures  the
  villain has suffered, and so on. Great NPCs are shaped by their past.

  Allies: What other NPCs does the villain  use  or  abuse?  Decide  if  the
  heroes' nemesis has henchmen or servants to carry out plans and decide who
  those servants are. Perhaps the villain serves an even more powerful
  master.

  Consequences

    Consider the consequences that can arise from your low-level adventures.
  Remember that adventurers don't live in a vacuum,  and  your  world  is  a
  bigger place than the small area the PCs happen to  be  in  at  any  given
  time. When the PCs finish an adventure, you still have work to do.
    Start by thinking about  what  could  happen  when  the  PCs  leave  the
  adventure site. Ask yourself who's still hanging around  to  pick  up  any
  goodies the PCs might have left behind. More  than  one  villain  got  his
  start by collecting the remnants of his  slain  master's  treasure  hoard.
  Consider what that survivor might do. Does he flee or retreat and fortify?
  Would he seek protection from a more powerful creature?

                                   - 025 -

    Now think about how much time might pass before creatures that were  not
  directly involved in the adventure discover  what  the  PCs  did.  If  the
  heroes are given to boasting about their accomplishments,  it  won't  take
  long for word to spread.  If  witnesses  escape,  or  the  adventure  site
  receives regular visitors, word of the deed spreads quickly. It might be a
  very  long  time  before  anyone  notes  the  disappearance  of  a  small,
  independent band of goblins, but a royal messenger's demise is going to be
  noticed very quickly.
    Consider who might care about what the PCs did. Is anyone helped? If so,
  how can they take advantage of the opportunity? Is anyone hurt? If so, how
  can they minimize or repair the damage? Take the preceding example of  the
  slain red dragon. Perhaps the dragon has a charmed servant  lurking  in  a
  village nearby. The servant is responsible for informing  the  dragon  how
  much wealth the villagers have hidden and keeping track of  the  village's
  maidens and would-be dragon slayers. As one of  the  dragon's  confidants,
  the servant is hated and feared, but the  charm  keeps  the  servant  from
  thinking too hard about how unpopular he has become. When  the  dragon  no
  longer visits the village to collect  its  annual  toll  of  maidens,  the
  servant is forced to flee.
    The servant might make his way to the dragon's abandoned lair. If he  is
  the first to reach the lair, he might collect a few left over coins and an
  overlooked magical item or two and go off to start an adventuring  career.
  If something else got to the lair first, the servant might be captured  by
  the lair's new resident. The servant could be killed, which ends the story
  line, or he might betray the village in an attempt to reestablish  himself
  as someone to be feared. You don't have to  have  all  of  this  in  place
  before the adventure starts, just be prepared to use every adventure as  a
  springboard for new ideas.

                                   - 026 -

    Not all consequences have to be bad. For example, the PCs might  acquire
  a follower or henchman when a freed prisoner decides to follow them  home.
  Nor do all consequences have to fall directly onto the PCs.  For  example,
  if the party infiltrates a building by using stone shape spells  to  force
  an entry, many stone buildings in the area  might  hastily  be  reinforced
  with metal bars, and the PCs might not be affected until they,  too,  wish
  to build something.
    In many cases, however, simple adventures  might  have  multiple  layers
  that the PCs peel away one-by-one. In the classic  adventure  Against  the
  Giants, the party begins by dealing with a single group of marauding  hill
  giants but discovers clues that lead to a conspiracy that  ultimately  was
  hatched deep in the bowels of the  earth.  Ultimately,  a  resolute  party
  follows the trail into the Abyss itself.
    Simple, seemingly harmless incidents that the PCs dismiss with  a  laugh
  might have far-reaching implications. Bosamp, the villain in the TSR novel
  Captains Outrageous, began as a fairly harmless young wizard who  suffered
  from an unfortunate love affair and ultimately threatened to destroy the
  world.

  Fame and Infamy

    Keep track of PC fame and infamy. It's fun to watch players' faces  when
  they hear  exaggerated  accounts  of  their  characters'  early  exploits.
  Imagine the roleplaying possibilities when they encounter a  blowhard  who
  claims to have known them way back when - imagine the  possibilities  when
  they encounter a blowhard who actually did know them way back when!
    Fame and infamy should have an effect on how PCs are received  later  on
  in their careers. For example, characters who break their word  too  often
  find it difficult to get land grants or  honorifics  such  as  knighthoods
  later in their careers.

                                   - 027 -

  Balancing Act

    Remember that it is easier to build a balanced campaign than to fix  one
  that's out of control. A campaign that is  in  control  has  a  reasonable
  balance between the hazards the PCs face and  the  rewards  they  gain.  A
  controlled campaign also has a reasonable survival rate  among  characters
  who are played well.
    To build a balanced game, start by reading Chapter  Eight  in  the  DMG.
  Decide how quickly you want your player characters to advance, and set  up
  your campaign's experience point awards accordingly.
    You also need to keep an eye on the treasure and magic you give out. You
  should decide in advance how much magic you want the  PCs  to  have,  then
  carefully place it, making sure that the  PCs  have  to  take  appropriate
  risks to get it. Killing an ore to get a long sword +5,  holy  avenger  is
  too much reward for too little risk. If the PCs seem  to  be  finding  too
  much magic, make it harder to find by removing some  undiscovered  magical
  treasures or making sure that unattended magical items are well-hidden and
  defended by traps, curses, or spells. Remember to  regularly  take  excess
  magic out of circulation.
    How much magic is enough? That's up to you to decide. If you've  decided
  that magic is going to be fairly rare, a PC should expect  to  find  about
  one permanent or rechargeable magical item for every two or  three  levels
  of experience, plus one or two additional consumable items for  every  two
  levels of experience. This  means  that  if  you're  following  the  DMG's
  suggestion of three to six adventures between character levels, a party of
  six characters should find only about one item every adventure (after  six
  to twelve adventures, all six characters have at least one magical  item).
  Note that a character might own considerably fewer magical  items  because
  they are used up or destroyed during play.

  7. Share Responsibility

    A high-level campaign's vast scope is enough to  overwhelm  anybody  who
  tries to handle the task of keeping it running without help.  Fortunately,
  high-level campaigns usually come equipped with a cadre  of  talented  and
  resourceful advisors who can help - the players. In  many  cases,  players
  are willing to help the DM handle some of the basic background work,  such
  as detailing unexplored areas, developing histories and myths, and  taking
  charge of NPC actions that don't directly involve their characters. At the
  very least, the players can help you focus your creative energies so  that
  you don't waste time and effort on things that don't advance the campaign.

  Garner Interest

    Find out what the players are interested in doing.  It  doesn't  do  the
  campaign any good if you spend three weekends laying out  territories  for
  the PCs to develop if the players are interested in going artifact
  hunting.
    Unanimity among  players  is  a  rare  thing,  so  be  prepared  to  run
  adventures that encompass several different player interests at once.  For
  example, if your group includes a thief interested in artifact hunting,  a
  paladin interested  in  establishing  a  dominion,  a  priest  seeking  to
  eliminate or diminish an opposing religion, and  a  wizard  interested  in
  spell research, there are several story lines you might introduce into the
  campaign. One might go like this:
    The paladin and the priest decide to search the countryside. The paladin
  hopes to survey potential sites for a castle while  the  priest  questions
  peasants and travelers about the rival church's recent activities.
    Meanwhile, the thief consults a sage, who  complains  that  someone  has
  broken into his library and stolen several pages from one  of  the  books.
  The sage relates several vague legends about a lost  artifact,  but  gives
  few details. The wizard has been busy, too, consulting with fellow wizards
  about a new spell. Unfortunately, the  local  expert  on  such  magic  has
  vanished, apparently kidnapped.
    While the thief and the wizard investigate the twin crimes,  the  priest
  and the paladin break up  a  group  of  brigands  and  take  two  of  them
  prisoner. Among their treasure is a traveling spellbook.
    When the priest and the paladin return to town, they show  the  captured
  spellbook to the wizard, who immediately-recognizes the book as  belonging
  to the missing wizard. Questioning reveals that the brigands work  for  an
  evil priest who sought the wizard's advice about a strange sigil  recently
  discovered in an ancient ruin. The thief recognizes the sigil  as  a  ward
  used to seal away an ancient artifact.
    The PCs stage a rescue attempt,  freeing  the  wizard  and  routing  the
  priest's servants. The paladin realizes that the site is  entirely  suited
  to his needs. The evil priest, however, has fled with  the  artifact.  The
  party hires a team of mercenaries and laborers to clear the ruins for  new
  construction while they pursue the villain.
    Later, the villain might strike  back  by  ransacking  the  construction
  site, attacking the NPC wizard, or both. If one of the players develops an
  interest in politics, diplomacy, or warfare, the evil priest might turn up
  in a neighboring kingdom's court, perhaps openly functioning  as  an  evil
  priest or perhaps in disguise.

                                   - 028 -

  Goals

    Encourage the players to develop long-term goals for  their  characters.
  High-level characters need more motivation  than  the  simple  pursuit  of
  wealth and experience. If a character has some intangible  goal,  such  as
  political power, social status, or enduring fame, the campaign  can  offer
  more rewards for clever  play.  In  some  cases,  the  PCs  might  end  an
  adventure weaker and poorer than they started, and the players still  feel
  a sense of accomplishment if they make some progress toward a personal
  goal.
    Not every goal is realized in a campaign,  especially  in  the  case  of
  far-reaching requests. Characters desiring to control  vast  stretches  of
  the world under a distinct rule probably spend their entire  lives  trying
  to accomplish it.
    Campaigns should be built around character goals and ambitions,  but  it
  should never be ruled by overzealous or selfish desires.

  Allies and Enemies

    Keep track of who the PCs' friends and enemies are. Pay attention to the
  way player characters interact with important nonplayer characters in your
  world. Rivalries, favors, and even romances  can  be  a  great  source  of
  information.
    Remember too that friends sometimes call in favors as well as grant them
  to the PCs. Heroes who constantly called  upon  favors  earlier  in  their
  careers may spend many years repaying those acts of kindness.

                                   - 029 -

  Personality

    Have each player put together a personality profile  for  all  of  their
  characters. This goes beyond ability  scores,  equipment,  and  statistics
  listed on the character record sheet.
    Get as much detailed information about the hero as possible. The process
  helps the player concentrate on . aspects  of  the  character  that  might
  otherwise be  overlooked,  and  the  player  can  probably  role-play  the
  champion more convincingly  and  consistently  afterward.  Your  increased
  knowledge of the character allows you not only to  tailor  adventures  for
  the hero but it gives you a clearer picture of how an NPC  might  perceive
  that champion, which improves your role-playing as well.  A  good  profile
  should contain the information described below. You can make up a form for
  your players to fill out, or you can ask the player a series of  questions
  and record the answers yourself. It doesn't matter  how  you  collect  the
  information, as long as you get it in a form you can use.

    Occupation: Most people define themselves by what they do. A player  who
  lists a character's occupation as semi-retired  adventurer  has  a  mental
  image different from a player who sees the same  character  as  a  country
  squire. Occupation also helps determine what the character does  when  not
  adventuring. A semi-retired adventurer  probably  spends  a  lot  of  time
  swapping tales about old adventures and listening for  rumors.  A  country
  squire probably spends a reasonable amount of time managing  property  and
  pursuing outdoor activities, such as riding or hunting.
    Personality:  This  refers  to  the  character's  general  behavior,
  temperament, wit, sense of humor, and other non-physical traits.  Ask  the
  player to sum up the character  in  a  few  paragraphs.  This  information
  should give you a clearer picture of what the player is trying to do  with
  the character.
    General Appearance: This is what the character looks  like.  The  player
  should note the character's hair, eye, and skin color, favorite  clothing,
  height, weight, favorite equipment, and so on. The list should start  with
  what a person might see when glancing at the  character  and  finish  with
  what might be seen if a person studies the character for awhile.
    Distinguishing Features or  Habits:  These  are  personal  oddities  and
  quirks that might not be immediately visible. A fighter's  buck  teeth  or
  funny cowlick won't be noticed while the warrior is wearing a helmet. This
  category includes things such as birthmarks, scars, tattoos, and the like.
  It also includes favorite expressions, nervous  habits,  speech  patterns,
  and anything else that make the character unique.
    Tastes and Preferences: Note the character's hobbies and  other  leisure
  pursuits, favorite foods, favorite color, collections, pets, and the like.
  Also note things the character  doesn't  like;  activities  the  character
  finds particularly distasteful or boring, foods the character  refuses  to
  eat, least favorite animals, etc.
    Residence: This is where the character lives. At the minimum,  note  the
  place's location, size, and state of repair. It is best, however, to  have
  the  player  make  up  a  detailed  floor  plan  and  description  of  the
  character's home. Also make a  few  notes  about  the  surrounding  area's
  geography and politics.
    Ideally, this should be a miniature dungeon complete with room  by  room
  descriptions, specific spell effects, guard  strengths,  wards  in  place,
  etc. As DM, you'll need to look this over  very  carefully.  Not  only  do
  0-level servants probably work here, but it has to be a livable  space  as
  well. If the villain comes to visit, the PC  might  be  thankful  for  the
  emergency exit installed during the construction.
    History:  This  includes  the  character's  race,  when  and  where  the
  character was born, and where the character was raised and educated.  Note
  the role that parents or other relatives played in the  character's  early
  life. If the character is an orphan, find  out  who  filled  the  parental
  role. Make a list of the hero's living relations, children, and spouse (if
  any).
    Friends and Allies: Note an influential acquaintance the character might
  have. List the PC's close friends and long-time associates. Include all of
  the hero's important employees and henchmen (unless  they  belong  on  the
  enemies list). Make  special  note  of  anybody  the  character  meets  or
  interacts with on a regular basis.
    Enemies: List the character's enemies. Start with  personal  enemies  of
  the character. Note the  reasons  for  the  animosity.  List  anyone  with
  interests or desires that are contrary to those of the character, and note
  the source of the contention.
    Short-Term Goals: Consider what the character hopes to accomplish in the
  near future. Find out what problems or opportunities  currently  loom  the
  largest in the character's mind (this requires frequent updating).
    Long-Term Goals: Consider the character's plans and  ambitions  for  the
  distant future. Find  out  what  the  character  does  if  his  goals  are
  achieved. Find out what the character does if the goals cannot be
  achieved.

                                   - 030 -

  Chapter 2: Adventures

    No matter how you construct your campaign, adventures remain  the  heart
  of the action; adventures are the way player characters interact with  and
  shape the world. The player characters might build  mighty  empires,  take
  the first steps toward divine ascension, and  wield  legendary  artifacts,
  but if they  don't  have  adventures  that  stimulate  and  entertain  the
  campaign is doomed.
    This chapter assumes that you are already familiar with  the  basics  of
  adventure design. As a reminder, a good adventure:

    * Begins with a hook - something that piques a player's curiosity,
    * Unfolds like a novel or short story, plunging the characters  into  an
  ongoing web of activities.
    * Tests the skills of both player and character,
    * Contains plenty of excitement, especially at the beginning and the
  end, and
    * Changes the world, perhaps only in  a  small  way,  but  always  in  a
  discernible way.

    This chapter considers some difficulties you  are  likely  to  encounter
  when designing adventures  for  high-level  characters  (and  the  veteran
  players who run them).

  Common Mistakes

    In the surge of excitement - or panic - that precedes a gaming  session,
  it is easy for a DM to overlook important elements  or  to  try  shortcuts
  that ultimately cause problems that detract from  the  adventure.  With  a
  little care, you can avoid these errors and make all  of  your  adventures
  memorable.

                                   - 031 -

  Don't Tell - Show.

    Get into the habit of creating brief descriptions for most of the scenes
  in your  adventure.  Include  sensory  details  such  as  colors,  smells,
  textures, sounds, and the like. The sensory information  helps  make  your
  world more believable and  tangible  to  your  players.  Once  you  become
  skilled in describing your world in sensory terms, it is  easier  to  slip
  subtle clues about the adventure to your players.
    The same rule applies to spells. Instead of telling the player  what  he
  sees with his detect magic spell, explain  the  varying  hues  and  colors
  associated with the magic he  is  viewing.  Detect  undead  could  produce
  nausea, and that immense globe of fire hurtling toward the party could  be
  either a fireball or a delayed blast fireball
    Adding sensory details also makes it much easier to control the mood  of
  the adventure. Not only do players feel the  sense  of  urgency  building,
  they are able to smell the ozone from the last chain lightning spell  that
  tore into them.

  Don't Over Plan - Prepare.

    Thorough preparations are a must for successful adventures at any  level
  of play. High-level characters, however, usually have the resources to set
  their own agendas, and you should avoid spending too much time and  effort
  on adventures and encounters the players might choose to ignore.
    Effective preparations start with  an  adventure  plot  (see  the  Plots
  section on page 35). Once you have  decided  on  a  plot,  gather  up  all
  statistics, maps, and other materials needed  for  your  encounters.  Make
  some notes about what each encounter area in the adventure is like.  Stick
  to the basics for now; note what the areas look, smell,  feel,  and  sound
  like, and who or what is in them. Design any random events or  rumors  the
  player characters might encounter. If you're generating events  or  rumors
  from a table, roll the dice ahead of time and record the results.
    Your preparations should be aimed at making sure you have what you  need
  in terms of hard data - monster statistics,  NPC  personalities,  treasure
  lists, and so on - in a form that you can  locate  and  use  quickly.  You
  should not be trying to choreograph every moment in the game; instead, you
  should be trying to have everything you need readily at hand so  that  the
  action doesn't stall while you decide what happens next.

  Don't Force the Action

    Consider contingencies that can preserve your plot. Treat your adventure
  as a story with an unwritten ending, and be willing to  let  your  players
  write it. If you have overplanned, you must fight the desire to lead  your
  players around by the nose.
    This doesn't mean that high-level characters are the deciding  force  on
  your campaign world for every event, but they probably have the  power  to
  shape events around them. A high-level nemesis can aid in pushing the  PCs
  in the direction you want them to go, but it's doubtful the villain is  so
  ingenious that he never gets foiled. After all, if the heroes of the  land
  cannot successfully oppose the villain, who can?
    A common justification for forcing the action is  designing  plots  that
  turn on single events, such as the actions of a single  villain:  "But  if
  the Count doesn't get away, he won't be around to set fire to  the  bridge
  in the final encounter."
    High-level player characters have a way of upsetting well-laid plans, so
  build plots that can stand up to PC tinkering. If something doesn't go the
  way you planned, have a backup plan. In most cases, the player  characters
  should find it easier to complete the adventure if they cause a  break  in
  the plot, but not always.
    For example, suppose a particular NPC is supposed  to  escape  the  PCs'
  clutches and then travel to a distant city where  the  villain  is  highly
  respected. When the player characters arrive at the city, they are  framed
  for a crime and earn the local ruler's wrath.
    The plans begin to  unravel  when  the  player  characters  capture  the
  villain with a rope of entanglement, an item the DM forgot the party  had.
  Rather than concocting some feeble  reason  why  the  villain  escapes,  a
  thoughtful DM puts a backup plan into effect.
    When the player characters interrogate their prisoner, the villain  lies
  - of course - about what is really going.  The  player  characters  easily
  discover the lie, but they also uncover the villain's  travel  plans.  The
  heroes might travel to the city, hoping to discover  what  the  blackguard
  was up to. The villain's agents might frame the player characters  anyway,
  but the heroes, having sifted a few essential  facts  from  the  villain's
  lies, are slightly better off than they otherwise would have been.
    The DM might  put  a  similar  backup  plan  into  play  if  the  player
  characters slay the villain. Perhaps the villain's agents  convince  their
  ruler that the heroes are bandits,  spies,  or  assassins.  When  the  PCs
  arrive, they become embroiled in a diplomatic crisis.

  Encounters

    Don't use just one type of encounter, offer a variety of challenges.  In
  this case, type refers to the main kind of action  the  encounter  offers:
  combat, trick/trap, negotiation, and so on. The actual  mix  of  encounter
  types varies from campaign to campaign. The bulk of your encounters should
  be the kind your players like best, but a mix keeps them on their toes and
  keeps boredom from setting in.

                                   - 032 -

  Combat vs. Creativity

    Don't encourage combat, encourage creativity. Fighting  isn't  the  best
  solution to every problem, even for characters as wise as  Merlin  and  as
  strong as Hercules. Also, as Chapter One points out, most combat rolls are
  moot for high-level characters, so fights can be pretty unsatisfying.
    Give the player characters some problems they just can't  solve  through
  combat. A raging forest fire, for example, won't succumb to sword  strokes
  and death spells, nor is it intimidated by a powerful hero in its path.
    Even combat encounters can require a little brain power  on  the  player
  characters' part. For example, an insane fire elemental might have started
  the forest fire in the previous example, but the PCs might  be  unable  to
  locate or attack it until after they quench the blaze.

  Don't Inflate - Enhance

    Chapter One points out the detrimental effects power inflation has on  a
  campaign. Resist the temptation  to  create  bizarre  new  creatures  with
  mind-boggling power, to introduce legions of high-level  villains,  or  to
  place high-level player characters in direct conflict with deities.
    Enhancement means finding ways to  challenge  PCs  without  overpowering
  them. Chapter One's discussion  of  maximizing  strengths  and  minimizing
  weaknesses describes one type of enhancement.

  Gifts vs. Rewards

    A gift is anything the PCs haven't truly earned. For example, if the PCs
  blunder into a narrow cavern  and  defeat  a  dragon  that  can't  fly  or
  maneuver to use its breath weapon, that's a gift - even  if  the  dragon's
  treasure lies elsewhere. Not all dragons are geniuses, but  they  are  all
  sufficiently cunning to avoid obvious  death  traps.  Any  battle  with  a
  really big dragon should be an epic conflict, with the dragon making  full
  use of its mobility and special abilities.

                                   - 033 -

    Gifts commonly come in the form of powerful magical items. An item  such
  as a vorpal blade, staff of power, or robe of the  archmagi  is  a  reward
  only if the player characters find it after a long and epic quest. If  you
  drop one of these items into your campaign as part of a randomly generated
  treasure, you are probably giving the players a gift.

  Creating Multiple Threats

    A threat is anything that can damage the player characters or keep  them
  from reaching  their  goals.  It  is  what  provides  tension,  and  hence
  excitement, in an adventure. If there is only one source of  threat,  such
  as a single villain, the adventure coasts to a halt if the heroes overcome
  the threat. Even if the PCs merely hold their own, the  adventure  usually
  lacks variety. A single source of threat usually generates only  one  type
  of challenge.
    Adventures with multiple threats tend to be more flexible and  resistant
  to player character successes. They also offer more variety. For  example,
  consider  an  adventure  where  the  player  characters  are  pursuing  a
  kidnapper. If the kidnapper is the  only  element  actively  opposing  the
  heroes, the adventure becomes a mere chase with the villain trying various
  tricks to slow the player characters or to throw them off  the  scent.  No
  matter what the villain's resources, there is a limit  to  the  number  of
  tricks and ploys the kidnapper can throw into the  PCs'  way.  The  heroes
  might end the adventure prematurely through  the  use  of  items  such  as
  crystal balls in conjunction with spells such as teleport without error.
    Suppose, however, that a rival party also is pursuing  the  villain  and
  hoping to beat the player characters to the prize. Let's  also  place  the
  adventure in a dark jungle  filled  with  deadly  creatures,  including  a
  tanar'ri who remained here after an unsuccessful summoning by a  long-dead
  wizard. Now, the heroes have numerous problems to deal with
  simultaneously.
    They still must track and overtake the villain, but they also must  deal
  with their rivals' attempts to foil their efforts.  The  party  must  deal
  with tropical heat that makes heavy armor impractical,  dampness  that  is
  baneful to spellbooks and scrolls,  swarms  of  biting  insects,  and  the
  tanar'ri and his minions. Even if the player characters catch  and  defeat
  the villain, they still must get out of  the  jungle  with  their  rescued
  kidnap victim. After they escape, the party  must  be  on  the  alert  for
  reprisals from their rivals.

  Don't Kill - Scare

    Grinding down a high-level character is difficult, and the task is often
  monotonous for the DM and frustrating for the player. It is much better to
  look for ways to undermine player confidence and to keep them from feeling
  cocky.
    The best way to take  players  down  a  notch  is  to  get  personal  by
  attacking specific player character strengths. The lowly 2nd-level  priest
  spell silence 15' radius is a great way to remind high-level  spellcasters
  that they don't run the world. Antimagic  shells,  scrolls  of  protection
  from magic, and the occasional magic dead zone are  more  potent  ways  to
  keep spellcasters in line. In a similar vein, thieves can find magic mouth
  spells very annoying and fighters often have difficulty acting heroic when
  their weapons and armor have been subjected to heat metal spells and  rust
  monster attacks.
    Players can be their own worst  enemies  when  it  comes  to  inflicting
  mental anguish on themselves. The simple ploy of presenting a party with a
  foe they cannot detect often has players assuming the worst. For  example,
  a few bow specialists who have used dust of  disappearance  on  themselves
  and consumed potions of speed can send a hail  of  missiles  at  a  party,
  leading the players to assume they are surrounded and outnumbered when, in
  fact, they're simply the targets of harassment.
    Trying to design lethal adventures can be harmful  to  the  campaign  in
  other ways. As Chapter One pointed  out,  increasingly  lethal  adventures
  tend to make players want to retire their  characters  before  their  luck
  runs out. Also, remember that outrageously  powerful  magical  items  used
  against the PCs in one adventure are going to be used on the monsters  who
  oppose them all too soon.

  Character Knowledge

    Don't waste  time  with  minor  details  or  arguments  about  character
  knowledge - find an efficient way to deal with them. Smart players  expect
  their characters to have  some  basic  knowledge  about  the  places  they
  frequent. They also expect their characters to have some  ability  to  lay
  their hands on information about places they visit.
    It is a good idea to prepare reference materials about  your  world  and
  always keep them on hand.  Include  things  such  as  geography,  climate,
  political divisions, and similar information  that  is  common  knowledge.
  Likewise, prepare a list of rumors and other easily obtainable information
  about the current adventure, and pass it around at the  beginning  of  the
  game. Doing so not only saves time, it also helps make players  feel  that
  their characters are part of a living world.
    Of course, high-level characters  are  specialists  in  their  areas  of
  expertise. If the adventure is going to be an indepth investigation  of  a
  new twist on an old spell, the archmage of the party  probably  knows  all
  about the spell. It's perfectly understandable  that  the  wizard  doesn't
  know about the spell's new use, but common  knowledge  should  be  readily
  available.

                                   - 034 -

  Don't Ignore the Rules

    Rules should be used creatively. It is important to  remember  that  the
  AD&D game rules (or whatever version of the rules you happen to  be  using
  in your campaign) help define reality for PCs, just as the laws of physics
  help define reality for real folks.
    Players, especially experienced gamers, use their knowledge of the rules
  to help them interpret what is going on  around  them  and  to  help  them
  decide.how their characters react when it's time to take action. If the DM
  interprets the rules inconsistently, or applies one set of  rules  to  the
  player characters and another set to the monsters and NPCs, players  often
  have no firm basis for making decisions about their characters. Uninformed
  decisions aren't terribly  meaningful.  The  players'  inability  to  make
  meaningful  decisions  ultimately  robs  them  of  control  over  their
  characters, and frustration quickly sets in.
    The rules themselves can provide a creative  springboard  for  designing
  adventures and describing NPCs. For example, suppose the PCs are searching
  a vast dungeon complex to locate a lich. The group discovers  a  block  of
  prison cells and frees the inmates, which include a  sharpeyed  woman  who
  seems to have fairly good knowledge of the complex. The  woman  offers  to
  guide the party as far into the complex as she can take them.  The  woman,
  in fact, is the lich, using a polymorph self spell.
    Assuming that the PCs don't immediately  detect  the  masquerading  lich
  with a true seeing spell, the "woman" might  display  a  few  quirks  that
  clever PCs can detect. From a rules standpoint, polymorph self lasts  only
  two turns per caster level, 60 turns (10 hours) if the lich is 30th level.
  So, if the lich has spent several days in the cells, her  neighbors  might
  have noticed her renewing the spell from  time  to  time.  A  particularly
  sharp-eared neighbor might note that the woman is in the habit of mumbling
  to herself once in awhile.
    If the party allows the woman to accompany them, she must find an excuse
  to be by herself at least once every 10 hours or her ruse is revealed.  If
  you're already in the habit of requiring moving characters to take regular
  rest periods, this shouldn't be hard to arrange, but it should provide the
  PCs an opportunity to notice the spellcasting. If rest periods aren't part
  of your normal game routine, you need to find some other way to  regularly
  separate the polymorphed lich from the party. Perhaps she  just  moves  on
  ahead while the PCs talk among themselves, or periodically makes an excuse
  for leaving the party. Such ruses can make for lively role-playing.
    A polymorph self spell also  does  nothing  to  eliminate  the  aura  of
  magical power and cold that surrounds the lich (as the DM,  you  can  rule
  otherwise, but remember to use your rule consistently for the remainder of
  the campaign). High-level characters are unaffected by  the  magical  aura
  and might not even notice it, but the polymorphed lich must be careful  to
  stay out of lesser creatures' sight lest they flee in fear.  In  addition,
  the lich's chilling touch continues to function as well, and the  creature
  would have to avoid touching and paralyzing anyone. Thick gloves might  do
  the trick. Of course, sharp players might wonder what a prisoner is  doing
  with a set of gloves, but that is exactly what they should be doing.

  Proactive - Not Reactive

    Foes capable of challenging high-level adventurers are not  stay-at-home
  types who sit in their bedchambers waiting for groups of PCs to come along
  and attack them. They make plans  and  actively  try  to  implement  them.
  Particularly alert foes might notice PCs encroaching  on  their  territory
  and take steps to discourage or defeat them before they  can  inflict  too
  much damage.
    Even foes who have no immediate plans for sweeping conquests should have
  a personal agenda to follow.

  Responsive - Not Passive

    When PCs arrive on the scene of an adventure,  they  represent  a  major
  disruption in the normal course of activity. Foes should respond  to  this
  disruption in a manner consistent with their  intelligence  and  level  of
  organization. Plans and activities already set in motion should be dropped
  or altered to meet the situation.
    The worst example of this kind of mistake is the keyed  dungeon  complex
  or castle where  the  player  characters  can  move  from  room  to  room,
  defeating the occupants one by one. Such adventures are simple to run, but
  they lack the depth needed to challenge  high-level  characters  and  keep
  players entertained. Make sure the locals react to what the heroes do.
    Start by deciding what goes on while the PCs are not present.  Note  the
  major NPC's daily  actions  and  the  general  activities  of  the  lesser
  characters (guards, servants, visitors). This allows you  to  establish  a
  routine for the area and can help determine a proper reaction.  An  attack
  during a typical midafternoon, when the guards are very alert but most  of
  the locals are scattered about the  countryside,  is  going  to  create  a
  reaction quite different from that of an attack  made  during  the  week's
  major religious observance.

                                   - 035 -

  All Failures are Not Catastrophic

    The occasional adventure to save the world from immediate,  irrevocable,
  and utter destruction is fine, but not every situation high-level PCs find
  themselves in should be an all-or-nothing  proposition.  After  all,  what
  happens to your campaign world - the one you put all that work into  -  if
  they fail?
    The PCs have earned a little resiliency; if they  fail  in  a  task  but
  manage to survive the attempt, allow the world to change  for  the  worse,
  just a little, and then allow the  party  another  chance  to  set  things
  right. For example, if the player characters cannot stop an  assassination
  attempt against an important NPC, such as a king  or  high  priest,  there
  should be a general cry of dismay among the  people  loyal  to  the  slain
  individual. A dead king might also cause a valuable military  alliance  to
  break down, and the passing of the high priest could bring about a deity's
  wrath.
    Use failure to create additional opportunities for adventure as the  PCs
  scramble to limit the damage. Plots
    A simple list of encounters, foes, sundry perils, and treasures is  just
  a catalog of obstacles the player characters must  face.  This  is  seldom
  enough for a successful high-level adventure. Players need to feel a sense
  of purpose and revealed destiny as their  high-level  characters  struggle
  against the opposition.
    A plot provides a unifying theme or story to  the  adventure;  it  deals
  with the adventure's who, what, when, where, why, and how. The  plot  sets
  an adventure's tone and  form  and  helps  provide  the  epic  scope  that
  separates a simple "monster and treasure hunt" into a heroic venture.
    To construct a superior plot, think about the events that lead up to the
  adventure's first incident or encounter and then create a  description  of
  the state of affairs when the player characters get involved. This kind of
  groundwork allows you to create an adventure that seems believable to  the
  players and gives them a sense that there is more to be discovered if they
  just dig a little deeper. The best adventure plots seem simple  at  first,
  but often prove to be very complex. A good plot also gives the  players  a
  clear idea of what their characters might stand to gain  if  they  succeed
  and what they might lose if they fail.
    In high-level campaigns, it is  important  that  your  plot  relate  the
  adventure to the rest of the campaign in some  way.  Not  every  adventure
  must relate directly to the campaign's major theme,  but  every  adventure
  should logically arise from some element in the campaign's structure.
    A high-level adventure's plot should also be based on  player  goals  or
  include subplots that incorporate those goals.  See  Chapter  One  for  an
  example of a plot that accomplishes this.
    Something in the plot must grab the player characters' attention and get
  them interested in the action; this is called  the  adventure  hook.  When
  dealing with high-level characters, the most effective hooks  involve  the
  player characters' personal goals or  quirks.  For  example,  a  character
  interested in  romance  might  become  embroiled  in  an  adventure  after
  learning of a potential  NPC  mate  or  companion  who  has  difficulties.
  Perhaps the NPC has  been  kidnapped  (a  bit  overused,  perhaps,  but  a
  classic), faces financial ruin, or requires a  champion  to  perform  some
  errand. Likewise, a character with an interest in music might  be  willing
  to go to extreme lengths to learn a new song or acquire a rare instrument.
    A good plot is not rigid. Adventures for high-level  characters  require
  flexible plots that keep the story going and allow  PCs  to  move  on  and
  resolve the main  conflict  even  if  they  do  something  unexpected.  An
  excellent way to keep a plot  flexible  is  to  concentrate  on  what  the
  players decide to do, not what their characters can accomplish.
    Even simple adventures  can  benefit  from  flexible,  decision-oriented
  plots. For example, let's suppose the player characters become involved in
  a dispute between two NPCs over a magical item.

    * The adventure might begin when one of the  antagonists  (the  one  who
  currently owns the item) settles down  in  the  PCs'  area  without  their
  knowledge. Perhaps one of the PCs is the area's ruler.
    * The first incident occurs when the villain sends a  raiding  party  to
  steal the item. The other NPC goes into hiding, leaving the  PCs  to  deal
  with the raiders.
    * After dealing with the raiders, the player characters track them  back
  to their lair and ultimately confront the villain, who either is killed or
  forced to flee.

    The adventure has reasonable  potential.  The  party  is  faced  with  a
  variety of difficulties, including dealing with the  raiders  quickly  and
  with minimal damage to the countryside. They also must  deduce  where  the
  raiders are coming from, and  they  face  a  difficult  fight  against  an
  entrenched  foe.  The  plot,  however,  fails  to  consider  actions  that
  thoughtful players might choose to take. A flexible plot that  offers  the
  players more choices might go something like this:

    * The player characters are going about their normal  business  one  day
  when a newcomer arrives in the area and stops to pay his respects.  He  is
  very pleased to meet such famous heroes, and he  presents  each  character
  with a small, but fairly valuable, gift. Perhaps the  stranger  shares  an
  esoteric hobby with one of the player characters. In general, the newcomer
  proves to be a very agreeable person.

                                   - 036 -

    * The newcomer discovers a team of spies or burglars snooping around his
  home. A  spectacular  battle  ensues,  creating  damage  that  the  player
  characters must clean up.
    * The newcomer confesses that he has something the  villain  wants.  The
  player characters now have several choices to make.  They  can  drive  the
  newcomer away, take  the  disputed  item,  offer  protection  from  future
  attacks, tell the newcomer to deal with the problem himself,  or  confront
  the villain.
    * The adventure continues in one form or  another  no  matter  what  the
  player characters do. If the item stays in the  PCs'  area  (because  they
  took it away or allowed the newcomer to  stay),  the  raids  continue  and
  begin to grow in strength. If the characters seized the item  (or  offered
  to guard it), they become the subject of the villain's attention.
    If the PCs told the newcomer to scoot, they're  still  in  for  trouble.
  Perhaps the newcomer pretends to leave - but goes into hiding instead - or
  escapes to another plane, leaving behind a replica of the item to distract
  the villain. In either case the raids continue.

    One way or another, the PCs must locate the villain's lair and  confront
  him. If they don't wish to fight,  they  can  surrender  the  item  -  and
  perhaps the newcomer - to the villain. This approach  isn't  very  heroic,
  but it's an option.
    If the newcomer has fled, the PCs might convince the  villain  to  leave
  them alone, but the villain might demand a humiliating service or  payment
  in return for the favor.
    If the PCs favor a more active approach, they  can  attack,  killing  or
  driving away the villain. In either case, they acquire  some  new  enemies
  but also gain some treasure, enhance their reputation as heroes, and maybe
  gain a valuable ally or henchman in the form of the grateful newcomer.

  Types of Encounters

    Once  you've  created  a  workable  plot  for  an  adventure,  you  need
  encounters to flesh it out.  Encounters  set  the  stage  for  the  player
  characters and give them a chance to function as heroes. As this chapter's
  first  section  points  out,  a  welldesigned  adventure  offers  several
  different types of encounters. Twelve different types  of  encounters  are
  described below. The categories are not definitive,  and  there  often  is
  considerable overlap between them. Their purpose  is  not  to  force  your
  encounters into inflexible molds,  but  to  help  you  consider  the  many
  options open to you when planning them.

  Combat: The encounter  is  intended  to  deplete  the  party's  resources,
  particularly hit points and spells, through some form of  attack.  Combats
  can be pretty dull for high-level characters unless the opposition follows
  a logical tactical plan that allows them to challenge the party and create
  the illusion of danger. See the Planning Combats section for some tips.

  Deception: The encounter is not what it appears to be. A  common  form  of
  deception is one type of encounter masquerading as another.  For  example,
  the player characters are traveling along a road and meet an  old  peddler
  who evades their questions and tries to sell them her goods. The encounter
  appears to be an interaction until bad guys spring out of  the  woods  and
  attack. Surprise!
    An encounter that includes a disguised or delayed danger falls into this
  category. The peddler from the previous example  might  lie  to  the  PCs,
  complicating future matters if the PCs fall  for  the  ruse.  The  peddler
  might be a villain or monster. Perhaps the impostor  is  biding  her  time
  until she can attack the party, or perhaps she simply wants to  get  close
  to the party so she can learn something about them.
    Another form of deception is the misdirection or red herring; the player
  characters discover an apparent clue that leads to a false  conclusion  or
  throws them off the scent.  For  example,  in  Poe's  classic  story,  The
  Murders at Rue Morgue, a witness reports that the criminal  spoke  German.
  In fact, the criminal, being an ape, didn't speak at all. The hero of  the
  story eventually detected the red herring by  noting  that  every  witness
  thought the criminal was speaking a different language, but players  in  a
  heroic fantasy game might be completely fooled.
    Deceptions don't often work unless the DM uses a variety of  encounters.
  For example, if a campaign doesn't use many  interaction  encounters,  the
  sample deceptions described here are probably not going  to  work  because
  the player  characters  tend  to  be  suspicious.  Parties  accustomed  to
  fighting everything they meet would probably attack  the  peddler  at  the
  outset and expose the deception or make it irrelevant.
    Deceptions also tend to fail when they are  overused.  Players  who  are
  constantly on the  lookout  for  deceptions  not  only  detect  them  more
  readily, but their distrust makes it harder to pick  up  legitimate  clues
  and hints during the game. Frustration sets  in  quickly  if  the  players
  conclude that every NPC is a liar and every clue is a red herring.

                                   - 037 -

  Delay: The encounter retards the party's progress and consumes their  time
  without offering any real dangers or rewards. Anything that can  grab  the
  party's attention and hold it for a time can make an effective delay, even
  an empty room in a castle or dungeon complex. Delays  might  seem  like  a
  general waste of time and a source of player frustration at first  glance,
  and that is just what they are when they're overused. However, they can be
  very effective if used sparingly and thoughtfully.
    Delays are very useful for controlling magic in the campaign;  they  eat
  up game time and exhaust the durations of nonpermanent magical effects the
  party might be using. To keep players from becoming bored, it is  best  to
  introduce delays that consume lots of game  time,  but  very  little  real
  time. For example, searching a 10' x 10' section of wall for a secret door
  requires a full turn (10 minutes) of game time; most  other  searches  and
  close inspections proceed at similar rates. However, it only takes  a  few
  seconds of playing time to resolve the search.
    Delays also are useful for keeping players on their toes. If  everything
  the party encounters is valuable, dangerous, or significant to  the  plot,
  the players don't have to give much thought to their actions - going  over
  everything they find with a fine-toothed comb is the prudent thing to  do.
  If, however, most intriguing things the party finds turn out to be nothing
  special, the players quickly learn to use some judgment about how they use
  their game time.
    Delays also serve to vary an adventure's pace. A few innocuous breaks in
  the action give players and their characters time to relax  a  bit.  These
  pauses also tend to encourage role-playing by giving players opportunities
  to explore aspects of their characters that are  not  directly  linked  to
  success or survival. Even the most ardent mineral collector, for  example,
  isn't going to be terribly interested in the surrounding rocks if an  army
  of 1,000 ores is descending on his location.

  Dilemma: The encounter forces the player characters to choose between  two
  or more alternatives, both equally attractive or equally undesirable.
    A dilemma can really get players' hearts pounding when they have to make
  a decision quickly and  with  minimal  forethought.  It  is  best  if  the
  potential rewards and consequences are immediately apparent - such as life
  or death for the  PCs  or  an  important  NPC.  For  example,  the  player
  characters find themselves on a demiplane where their spells  and  magical
  items work erratically and sometimes misfire dangerously. While exploring,
  they are caught in a small room with a sphere of annihilation in  pursuit.
  Do the PCs try to control the  sphere  (not  always  a  safe  task),  exit
  through a magical portal to an unknown destination,  or  teleport  out  of
  danger (and risk a misfire)?
    A moral dilemma can help shape the players' views of the campaign  world
  and force them  to  examine  their  characters'  deepest  convictions  and
  emotions. For example, consider what might happen if the  party  finds  an
  orphaned drow child in the wilderness. As DM, you know  if  the  child  is
  born. to be evil or if alignment is something that has to be nurtured over
  time; perhaps the child is naturally inclined to become chaotic  evil  but
  can learn to follow another alignment. What does the  party  do  with  the
  child? Abandon it? Adopt it? Kill it? The  choice  could  spark  a  lively
  debate among characters of different alignments.
    Note that high-level player characters might frequently be  called  upon
  to  make  determinations  that  fall  within  the  gray  areas  of  their
  experience. Right or wrong, the  PCs'  decisions  could  profoundly  shape
  commoners' attitudes toward the world. Other powerful mortals and even the
  gods themselves also note the heroes' decisions and judge the PCs
  accordingly.

  Event: The  player  characters  witness  something  noteworthy  occurring.
  Anything that happens more or less on its own, without direct  involvement
  from the PCs or obvious involvement from the adventure's villain,  can  be
  considered an event: storms, celebrations, vast natural disasters,  brawls
  between minor NPCs, etc. The PCs might be swept up in the event  in  spite
  of themselves, or they might be observers who can choose to  stand  aloof;
  however, it is best to avoid events where the player characters are forced
  to be passive observers.
    Events are useful tools for advancing an adventure's plot.  The  DM  can
  use them to provide clues and warnings to the PCs.  For  example,  if  the
  party has stumbled into an area where magic no longer  works  properly,  a
  simple event such as an avalanche or blizzard might prompt them to  employ
  a spell or magical item which fails, which in turn gives them fair warning
  that they must depend on their wits for the rest of the adventure.
    Events'-are also useful for providing  a  little  terror  or  excitement
  during an otherwise dull stretch in an adventure. For example, a party  of
  high-level characters flying over a desert  might  believe  they  have  an
  uneventful trip ahead of them until a killer sandstorm forces them to take
  shelter.
    A swift stream of events can  disguise  a  single  crucial  incident  or
  interaction, leaving the PCs mired in a situation before they know it. For
  example, the party is attending a fair when they witness a  brawl.  Cooler
  heads prevail and a singing  contest,  with  the  PCs  as  contestants  or
  judges, gets started. The music prompts a few onlookers to begin  dancing,
  and several comely locals offer to shake a leg with  the  PCs.  Afterward,
  one of the locals spins a tall  tale.  Some  time  during  the  string  of
  events, perhaps during the brawl or  the  dance,  a  pickpocket  steals  a
  crucial item from the party. The search for the culprit is on when the PCs
  finally notice the loss.

                                   - 038 -

  Guardian: The encounter features a creature or trap  that  must  be  dealt
  with before the party can proceed. Cerberus,  the  multi-headed  dog  that
  guards the underworld in Greek mythology, is the quintessential  guardian.
  Sometimes bypassing or ignoring a guardian is the best way to deal with
  it.
    To be effective against high-level  player  characters,  guardians  must
  have defenses powerful enough to withstand at least  a  few  rounds  of  a
  major offensive and enough firepower to make  players  think  twice  about
  attacking in the first place. The ability to detect invisible or disguised
  intruders is very useful for guardians.

  Interaction: This encounter turns on the ability of the party to have some
  sort of dialog with an NPC. The player characters might need to conduct  a
  negotiation, ask directions,  or  otherwise  establish  communication.  An
  interaction creates a good role-playing opportunity for the DM - who  gets
  to play the NPC and might have an excellent chance to really ham it  up  -
  and tests players' communication skills.
    Interactions are an excellent way to impart  information  that  a  party
  needs to continue with an adventure or solve a mystery. However, there  is
  no reason why getting the necessary information has to  be  easy.  At  the
  very least, the player's should have to be shrewd enough to ask the  right
  questions. More difficult interactions might require the player characters
  to bribe, intimidate, or trick the NPC.
    Interactions often go awry if the player characters are inclined  to  be
  distrustful or to attack everything they meet.

                                   - 039 -

  This is not necessarily a bad thing if the DM wants  to  break  aggressive
  PCs of their bloodthirsty habits. The local wise woman, for example, might
  be a disagreeable old wizardess who has a sweet tooth and who  knows  that
  some nearby ruins are infested with olive slime creatures.
    A gift of honey  or  some  ripe  fruit  is  enough  to  get  the  lady's
  information. Parties who  fail  to  win  her  over  must  face  the  slime
  creatures  unawares.  Parties  who  kill  her  discover  the  old  woman's
  60-year-old journals, which mistakenly report that the slime creatures are
  normal zombies. Characters who wade into combat with the  slime  creatures
  expecting to encounter normal zombies are  in  for  shock  no  matter  how
  powerful they are.

  Obstacle: This encounter features a barrier of some sort  that  the  party
  must bypass or cross before they can  proceed.  Common  obstacles  include
  natural barriers such as chasms, mountains, rivers of molten lava, and the
  like. Passive wards and protective spells, such as walls of force  can  be
  considered obstacles.
    Obstacles are not  usually  effective  when  high-level  characters  are
  involved, because they usually have access to enough spells and  abilities
  to deal with them quickly. Obstacles, however, serve to use up  a  party's
  resources and are very effective when combined with a combat encounter.  A
  mile-deep chasm might not pose much of a threat to a party  of  15th-level
  characters all by itself, but it could prove quite a  hassle  if  the  far
  side were occupied by a tribe of stone giants hiding  behind  cover  while
  they hurl rocks at the PCs. A pair  of  beholders  lurking  in  the  chasm
  effectively negate magical means to cross the crevasse, though  the  first
  character who makes the attempt is likely to discover this the hard way.

  Puzzle: This is a noncombat  encounter  that  tests  the  players'  mental
  skills in some fashion. Most puzzles involve logic, memory, or creativity.
  The riddle game included in J.R.R. Tolkien's novel, The Hobbit, represents
  one kind of puzzle encounter.
    Puzzles are an excellent way to make players rely on  themselves  rather
  than on their characters' abilities. The  best  puzzles  fit  your  game's
  atmosphere; word plays on pop music lyrics or Disney movie titles aren't a
  good approach to puzzle making unless you are playing the adventure for
  laughs.
    You can add some tension to a puzzle encounter by combining  it  with  a
  trap - the characters suffer damage or a magical effect if  they  give  an
  incorrect response - or guardian - which attacks if the correct answer  is
  not provided.

  Skirmish: A short combat encounter (20 -  30  minutes  of  play  time)  is
  designed to consume time and inflict minor  damage.  Skirmishes  are  best
  used to break up dull stretches and to keep players on their toes.
    Intelligent foes employ skirmishes to soften up  the  party  and  get  a
  clearer picture of their abilities before committing themselves to a major
  combat encounter.

  Surprise: This is typically a combat  encounter  that  tests  the  party's
  ability to react quickly to an unanticipated situation. Surprises  usually
  are difficult to avoid because the player characters don't know  where  or
  when they are going to occur.
    Surprises should be used very  sparingly;  player  frustration  sets  in
  quickly if the heroes are constantly getting  ambushed.  When  planning  a
  surprise encounter, consider a few things the player characters  might  do
  to uncover the surprise before they blunder into it. For  example,  if  an
  ogre mage and its band of mercenary trolls await the PCs around a bend  in
  a forest road, an alert party  might  spot  the  group's  gargoyle  scouts
  hiding in the trees and signaling to their comrades.

  Trap: This is a noncombat encounter that employs a magical  or  mechanical
  device (or both) designed inflict damage or impede the party in some
  fashion.
    When designing any trap, consider  how  the  device  is  triggered,  how
  potential victims might detect the trap before  triggering  it,  and  what
  parties can do to deactivate it. You should  also  consider  what  happens
  when an attempt to deactivate the trap fails.
    When designing traps for high-level player characters,  it  is  best  to
  avoid devices that inflict large amounts of damage. Damage  often  can  be
  ignored - an 18th-level fighter with 120 hit points often doesn't have  to
  worry about suffering 20 or 30 points of damage from a trap. In any  case,
  damage is usually easily healed if there is a priest  or  paladin  in  the
  party. Also, keep in mind that hit point totals can vary widely within  an
  adventuring party. A trap  that  can  inflict  enough  damage  to  make  a
  highlevel fighter or cleric take notice can be deadly if the  party  thief
  or mage stumbles into it.
    Instead of dealing out damage in large  doses,  concentrate  on  special
  effects that hinder victims in some fashion.  For  example,  a  collapsing
  staircase that dumps the PCs into individual, sealed chambers might  cause
  great consternation and should force at least  some  characters  to  think
  hard before they can get free. A magical trap that turns the victim into a
  small elephant might resist the party's attempts to dispel the effect  for
  quite some time. Meanwhile, the character suffers from a fear  of  rodents
  and must eat and drink prodigiously. Clever players  might  discover  that
  the elephant's trunk is useful for wielding tools or weapons, but not  for
  spellcasting.

                                   - 040 -

  Linking Adventures

    The best way to establish an epic flavor to your campaign is  to  create
  adventures that are related, one flowing from another.
    Linked adventures give the impression of unseen forces at work  at  work
  in the  campaign.  They  also  give  player  characters  chances  to  help
  determine their own fates as their accomplishments -  or  lack  thereof  -
  carry forward from one adventure to the next.
    All that is required to link adventures together is an overall theme  or
  extended plot that runs through all the adventures. A careful look at  any
  set of adventures usually reveals several such themes or plots.  Likewise,
  there  are  several  different  methods  you  can  use  to  turn  separate
  adventures into a series.

  Chained Adventures: The easiest way  to  create  a  continuing  series  of
  adventures is to find ways  to  connect  two  or  more  of  them.  Chained
  adventures don't require continuing plots, just some kind  of  superficial
  relationship that can lead the player characters  from  one  adventure  to
  another. Usually, it is not important how or where the  player  characters
  enter the chain, as one adventure's outcome rarely impacts on another.
    The links can be clues that point the group in the right direction, such
  as maps showing another adventure's location or statements from  NPCs  who
  have information to impart. A link between two adventures  can  be  purely
  incidental. Perhaps the site of one adventure just happens to be close  by
  or the group stumbles upon an adventure while traveling on another errand.
  Here's an example of how three otherwise  unrelated  adventures  might  be
  linked in a chain:

    A  fabled  magical  sword  (perhaps  a  holy  sword)  lies  in  an
  extra-dimensional  labyrinth  filled  with  deadly  traps,  puzzles,  and
  ever-vigilant guardians. The labyrinth can  be  entered  only  at  certain
  times, and then only by heroes who know the secrets of the portal. If  the
  PCs find their way in, they  battle  their  way  into  the  heart  of  the
  labyrinth using steel and reasoning to claim the sword.
    The home of a semi-retired wizard has  recently  been  burglarized.  The
  thieves made a colossal mess, smashing  and  looting  everything.  Several
  valuable magical items have obviously been stolen, but  the  place  is  in
  such disarray that the wizard isn't exactly sure what has been  taken  and
  what is lost in the current mess. If the PCs  investigate,  they  discover
  that a rival wizard employed a gang of  dopplegangers  to  infiltrate  the
  house and strip it. The rival took the magical items and the dopplegangers
  got the money and jewels.
    Two noble families are conducting a feud in a  remote  mountain  valley.
  Commoners who let themselves get involved often disappear, and even  those
  who lie low often suffer due to the incessant raids the  families  conduct
  against each other. The situation flares into a fullscale war when the PCs
  arrive in the valley, as each family concludes that the party has  arrived
  to help the other side.
    Each adventure can be superficially linked to the other two as follows:
    The entrance to the labyrinth  is  not  far  from  the  town  where  the
  burglary took place. If the player characters enter town, they hear plenty
  of rumors and speculation about the crime. Even if they  don't  enter  the
  town, groups of would-be detectives harass  the  party  because  they  are
  suspicious strangers.
    The sword is an intelligent weapon and expresses a  desire  to  slay  an
  evil creature living nearby. The creature is a vampire masquerading as the
  head of one of the warring families.
    One of the items stolen from the wizard's home is  a  map  of  the  area
  surrounding the town; the thieves took it because it radiated magic.  When
  examined with a  true  seeing  spell,  the  location  of  the  labyrinth's
  entrance is revealed along with dues to opening the portal.
    Among the papers scattered around the wizard's library are two  sets  of
  letters, one from each of  the  warring  families.  Both  groups  wish  to
  purchase the magical map.
    Members of one of the warring families tell the PCs  about  a  legendary
  magical weapon whose appearance in town is reputed to signal the  downfall
  of the opposing family.
    A search of either  family's  headquarters  reveals  several  copies  of
  letters drafted to the wizard. Both families also  have  received  letters
  reporting the map's theft.
    An adventure chain has the advantage of  allowing  players  considerable
  freedom of action. They can ignore the  hooks  that  link  the  adventures
  together or follow them up as suits their fancy. The freedom goes  a  long
  way toward making the players feel as though they are the masters of their
  characters' fates. Because the adventure's plots are  not  intertwined  in
  any serious fashion, the DM need not take steps to force  the  group  back
  into the story line.

  Ripples in a Pond: Every adventure changes the world in some fashion, even
  if the only change  is  a  temporary  reduction  in  the  orc  population.
  Sometimes, however, even a simple adventure can have far-reaching effects.
  Chapter One explored this concept in some detail.

                                   - 041 -

    This  method  uses  the  consequences  that  arise  logically  from  one
  adventure as a springboard  for  further  adventures.  Often,  the  linked
  adventures occur in a specified order, but it is possible to create a  set
  of adventures that can be played in any order.  The  latter  task  can  be
  difficult, and it usually requires the DM to make alterations in the  plot
  to account  for  what  the  party  already  has  accomplished.  The  three
  adventures from the previous example might  be  linked  in  the  following
  ripple sequence:

    The player characters discover a clue to the sword's  whereabouts.  With
  help from an NPC wizard, they enter the labyrinth and recover the sword.
    As part of the price for his help, the PCs  have  agreed  to  allow  the
  wizard a chance to examine the blade. On the way  to  his  home,  however,
  they are ambushed and nearly lose the weapon.  When  they  arrive  at  the
  wizard's home, they discover it has been burglarized.
    The burglars are a group of dopplegangers hired  by  the  vampire  whose
  downfall the sword's reappearance  is  supposed  to  herald.  False  clues
  implicate the family opposing the vampire, and the PCs must determine  the
  truth before the villains can be defeated.

    A more complex ripple  sequence  might  begin  with  any  of  the  three
  adventures. For example, if the PCs recover the  sword  first,  they  draw
  quite a bit of attention to themselves. The  wizard  approaches  them  and
  offers to pay handsomely for a chance to examine the weapon.
    Meanwhile, the two families are anxious to get their hands on the sword.
  One family would like to buy it or to convince the  PCs  to  attack  their
  rival with it. The other family wants to make sure the blade is  not  used
  against them under any circumstances. They might try to buy it, steal  it,
  or exile the PCs to a distant world or another plane.
    The wizard is impatient to examine the sword, but  he  waits  until  the
  party is finished with their other business. Nevertheless,  the  vampire's
  family is anxious to learn all it can about the sword  and  helps  arrange
  the burglary at the wizard's home. If the PCs visit the wizard first, both
  families harass the wizard and the PCs  while  they  try  to  unravel  the
  mystery of the burglary.

  Interlocking Adventures: It is possible for one or more adventures to take
  place entirely within the context of another, larger adventure. It also is
  possible for a single adventure to leave enough loose ends  laying  around
  that one or more subsequent adventures are required before  they  are  all
  tied up.  The  three  adventures  from  the  previous  examples  might  be
  interlocked as follows:

    The  player  characters  become  embroiled  in  the  feud,  perhaps  as
  mediators. In the process  of  defending  themselves,  they  discover  the
  legend of the sword.
    The party seeks out the wizard to get more information about the weapon.
  Before they can learn anything, however, they must solve  the  mystery  of
  the burglary. The crime might be related to the overall plot, or it  might
  be incidental.
    The party ventures into the labyrinth to  recover  sword.  If  they  are
  successful, they can return and settle the feud.

  Multi-layered Adventures: In this  type  of  series,  the  adventures  are
  arranged like the layers of an onion. When the player characters  complete
  one adventure, they peel back a layer and reveal  another,  deeper  layer.
  The party gets closer and closer to resolving a final,  ultimate  conflict
  as they continue to peel away layers. Usually, the final  conflict's  true
  nature is not obvious at the beginning, and the  player  characters  might
  stumble across several hints and clues before  they  realize  where  their
  adventures are leading. The three adventures from  the  previous  examples
  could be arranged in layers as follows:

    The  player  characters  learn  about  a  series  of  daring  raids  and
  burglaries in which the criminals wreak havoc. Perhaps a home  of  one  of
  the heroes is raided.
    A particularly methodical wizard who is a burglary victim notes  that  a
  set of maps and commentary about a legendary sword  are  among  the  items
  taken from his home. If the PCs follow up the lead, they discover that the
  gang of dopplegangers responsible for the crimes have  been  turning  over
  information about the sword to their mysterious  employer.  The  PCs  also
  encounter an NPC who also is seeking the sword, but is not  implicated  in
  the burglaries.
    With the NPC's help, the heroes locate the labyrinth where the sword  is
  hidden. After enduring the puzzles and traps that  guard  the  sword,  and
  several hit-and-run raids by mysterious attackers,  the  PCs  recover  the
  blade. There are several attempts to steal the weapon, maybe even one from
  the PCs' erstwhile ally.
    Information gathered from captured foes - and from the  sword  itself  -
  indicates that an ancient vampire fears  the  sword,  which  has  remained
  hidden for centuries. The PCs and the vampire become locked  in  a  deadly
  struggle that continues until the party destroys the vampire or  gives  up
  the blade.

  Revisited Adventures: Some adventure sites offer potential for  continuing
  play even after the player characters have resolved the original conflict.
  Two or three adventures from the previous examples might offer sites  that
  can be used over and over again. The city where the wizard lives  and  its
  criminal underworld - with its-den of dopplegangers - could generate  many
  other adventures', especially if  a  player  character  rogue  decides  to
  operate the  local  thieves'  guild.  Likewise,  the  valley  -  with  its
  simmering feud - could spawn additional adventures as the feud  flares  up
  from time to time. Perhaps the defeated family's vampire leader has hidden
  a few servitor vampires in the opposing family.

                                   - 042 -

  Planning Combats

    Nothing takes the joy out of a rousing adventure more  quickly  than  an
  important combat in which the bad guys go down with a whimper rather  than
  a snarl. All of the careful thought  and  brilliant  inspiration  used  in
  creating an interesting plot is lost when  the  characters  mow  down  the
  opposition without even raising a sweat. Like creating a good plot,  there
  are proper ways to plan for a confrontation with high-level heroes.
    Chapter One included suggestions for getting the most out of  a  foe  by
  considering the creature's intelligence,  maximizing  its  strengths,  and
  minimizing its weaknesses. This section looks at some additional  elements
  that you should consider when planning and conducting a battle.
    How much combat planning you ought to do depends  on  two  factors:  the
  opposition's intelligence and how important the encounter is to your plot.
    Plan less when dealing with  unintelligent  creatures.  These  creatures
  tend to react rather than to plan ahead.  Quickly  run  through  the  five
  points outlined, noting obvious things, such as  the  terrain,  the  foe's
  general situation (hungry, fearful, etc.), and its major combat abilities.
    Always carefully plan encounters with major  foes,  even  fairly  stupid
  ones - your plan can take the foe's lack of intelligence into account. Pay
  attention to each point  and  carefully  look  ahead  to  make  sure  your
  villains don't make silly mistakes; for  example,  a  vampire  starting  a
  melee combat over a rushing river or giants crawling on  their  hands  and
  knees through corridors less than 10 feet high. As  this  chapter's  first
  section pointed out, it is best to avoid giving your players gifts in  the
  form of combat victories they haven't earned.
    Likewise, if you're hoping for a special result from a  combat,  prepare
  accordingly. For example, if you  intend  to  reveal  information  to  the
  player characters via a prisoner, you should plan the battle so that it is
  likely that the player  characters  take  prisoners.  Perhaps  a  creature
  misinterprets its orders and is forced to surrender when it  finds  itself
  surrounded by the heroes.
    A combat plan should consider  the  following  elements:  attack  power,
  mobility, organization, information, and terrain.

  Attack Power: The purpose  of  combat  is  to  kill  or  incapacitate  the
  opponent before he can escape or do the same thing to  you.  An  effective
  combat plan finds a way to use whatever forms of attack are  available  in
  the most efficient manner.
    It usually is best to concentrate whatever attacks are available against
  as few enemies as possible. Wounding an opponent has little effect in  the
  AD&D game, because creatures generally function just as well when  reduced
  to a fraction of their original hit points  as  they  do  when  completely
  healthy. It is better to reduce the opponent's numbers quickly and in turn
  reduce the opponent's ability to counterattack. Note, however, that  being
  under  attack  tends  to  interfere  with  spell  casting.  Neutralizing
  spellcasters  by  disrupting  their  spells  is  a  great  way  to  limit
  counterattacks, even if the spellcasters are  only  wounded.  Also,  don't
  overlook nonlethal  attack  forms,  such  as  magical  charms,  wrestling,
  entanglement, disarming, and the like. These modes of attack  often  limit
  counterattacks more effectively than raw damage. The party's lead  fighter
  might be a terror, but the character becomes considerably less  terrifying
  when deprived of a weapon.

  Mobility: The ability to move freely is  an  asset  that  is  often  under
  appreciated. Creatures that are free to move or make  ranged  attacks  can
  concentrate their offensive power where they wish, provided they are  more
  mobile than the enemy. Freedom of movement also allows for  some  tactical
  flexibility, especially when dealing with the unexpected or fleeing from a
  bad situation.
    Superior mobility can bring all manner  of  advantages.  Simply  running
  around a slower opponent's front line and attacking a weak spot  can  have
  tremendous impact.
    A foe does not necessarily have to be faster than the player  characters
  to have superior mobility. If the heroes are attacked from  two  or  three
  directions at once, the party is faced with staying put or risking leaving
  someone behind if they move. Spells  such  as  the  various  walls,  slow,
  entangle, and transmute rock to mud can hinder or even stop a  party  dead
  in its tracks. Spells such as darkness, stinking cloud, and fog cloud  can
  disrupt and confuse a party at least temporarily.
    Creatures do not willingly give up natural  mobility  advantages  unless
  they are exceedingly stupid or have been  cleverly  tricked.  A  tribe  of
  lizard men, for example, is probably not going to emerge from a  river  or
  swamp to attack player characters on a paved road. Likewise, a  dragon  is
  not going to make it's lair in a cavern too small to allow it to fly.
    Mobility is not always a function of an  opponent's  movement  rate.  As
  noted above, the ability to  fire  missiles  is  a  great  enhancement  to
  mobility. Superior numbers also enhance mobility, especially when a  small
  group such as a party of adventurers - faces a single creature. The  group
  is inherently more mobile than their lone opponent  because  the  task  of
  concentrating their attacks is already done for them (there  is  only  one
  enemy to fight), and any single form of attack  does  not  immobilize  the
  whole group.

                                   - 043 -

    A  lone  creature  facing  an  adventuring  company  is  at  a  severe
  disadvantage unless it can stay  out  of  the  party's  .  reach,  isolate
  individual characters, or deliver attacks that affect all  the  characters
  at once. A monster engaged in melee with the party's lead fighter has very
  few movement options. The fighter's movement is restricted, too,  but  the
  rest of the characters are under no such limitations.

  Organization: If a combat involves multiple foes, decide who is in  charge
  and how the group works together. Even disorganized groups usually contain
  one individual that the rest of the group looks up to. Remember  that  you
  don't have to have legions of Einsteins to fight well, just one clever  or
  experienced leader.
    Groups without strong leaders tend to have difficulty working  together,
  though they still can be effective in combat if the individuals are fairly
  bright and spirited. Coordinated actions usually give better results  than
  individual actions. For example, pairs of creatures or small subgroups can
  watch each other's backs and divide up  tasks  such  as  guarding  against
  flanking maneuvers and keeping  the  pressure  on  the  foe's  commanders,
  spellcasters, and missile users.

  Information:  This  element  of  combat  planning  is  the  one  DMs  most
  frequently ignore or misuse. Opponents should fight  based  on  what  they
  know and what they can discover about the heroes' numbers, abilities,  and
  plans.
    Obviously, it is inappropriate for the DM to  ignore  what  an  opponent
  knows. It is equally inappropriate, however, to assume that every opponent
  knows as much about the player characters as the DM does. Note that attack
  is not a natural reaction to the unknown. An opponent who  does  not  have
  any clear knowledge of the enemy is apt to retreat or negotiate.
    Start by considering what the opponent can  reasonably  know  about  the
  party. If the opponent has never fought the player characters  before  and
  didn't notice them approaching, then he knows  almost  nothing  about  the
  party.  The  opponent  might  guess  each  PC's  class  by  observing  the
  characters and their equipment. A vampire, for example, might have a great
  attack plan, and if he is observant he might note any elves or half  elves
  in the party and  avoid  directing  his  charm  at  those  characters.  He
  probably does not know  which  characters  have  received  negative  plane
  protection spells from the party cleric.
    On the other hand,  bad  guys  remember  player  character  drills.  Any
  opponent who has fought groups of adventurers has a basic idea  about  how
  parties generally act. An opponent who  has  seen  the  player  characters
  fight - or who has survived a previous encounter with the heroes is  bound
  to have a very clear idea about how a party functions.
    In any case, plans for a combat are not complete until you consider  how
  the foe is gathering information. Everyone except the supremely  stupid  -
  or  supremely  confident  -  keeps  an  eye  out  for  trouble.  The
  informationgathering effort need  not  be  elaborate;  foes  who  have  no
  particular reason to expect a fight might simply observe things as they go
  about  their  business.  More  careful  groups  might  employ  scouts  or
  divination spells. Anyone can pick up quite a bit of information  just  by
  questioning the locals. Note that  the  locals  can  include  animals  and
  plants if the right spells are available.
    Don't  overlook  the  possibility  that  a  foe's  efforts  to  gather
  information might reveal something about the foe to the player characters.
  If a vampire assumes bat form to observe a party,  the  player  characters
  should have a chance to notice the bat, especially if it remains near  the
  party for any appreciable amount of time. Likewise, crystal  balls  create
  magical sensors that creatures can detect.
    Remember that information is only as good as the opponent's  ability  to
  assess it. A giant bird of prey might be able observe a party for  a  long
  time as it soars over an open plain, but its animal intelligence  doesn't,
  allow it to analyze what it sees very well. On the other hand, a highlevel
  wizard or druid in bird form might deduce a great deal from a long look at
  a party.
    It's also worth remembering that most careful groups also tyke pains  to
  conceal information about themselves; after all, the PCs are going  to  be
  gathering information, too. For example, there's no reason why a  band  of
  villains has to look like an evil horde. They  might  choose  to  pose  as
  merchants or pilgrims, which makes it  harder  for  player  characters  to
  trace their movements by questioning creatures about who  they  have  seen
  recently. Spells such  as  invisibility  and  change  self  can  be  quite
  effective in keeping player characters guessing about exactly what they're
  up against.

  Terrain: Most foes try to make some use of the local terrain, even if  all
  they do is hide behind trees. However, the lay of the land determines what
  is possible during a combat and what's not. A  forest  choked  with  thick
  undergrowth offers lots of cover and concealment, which generally makes it
  a good place for ambushes. A forest's trees and undergrowth also tends  to
  restrict movement -  especially  mounted  movement  -  and  missile  fire.
  Likewise, a group of 10 archers can't  line  up  shoulder-to-shoulder  and
  deliver  a  devastating  volley  if  the  battle  is  taking  place  in  a
  five-foot-wide dungeon corridor.

                                   - 044 -

    Terrain is usually beyond the control of the participants,  except  that
  magic can alter terrain or appear to alter it. A  move  earth  spell,  for
  example, can allow a commander to create just about any battlefield layout
  desired. A hallucinatory terrain spell can prompt opponents to do  foolish
  things, such as maneuvering to avoid a marsh that really  isn't  there  or
  coming to a halt behind a pile of illusory boulders that appear  to  offer
  good cover.
    Even without magic, creatures who are prepared for a battle  can  choose
  where to fight. The best possible defensive terrain offers  the  defenders
  cover while forcing the attacker to approach in the  open,  preferably  to
  spend a long time exposed to attack before  they  can  attack  themselves.
  Castles are built the way they are to exploit this  concept:  The  cleared
  area around the castle offers little or no cover. The  castle's  moat  and
  walls keep the attackers outside where there is no cover,  and  the  walls
  provide cover for the defenders.
    Smart foes stay alert for opportunities that the  terrain  creates.  The
  old trick of hiding atop a cliff and rolling boulders  down  upon  hapless
  travelers below is a good example of this type of tactic.  Player  actions
  often create less-obvious opportunities, however. For example,  characters
  who decide to climb to a canyon's rim - to avoid having rocks  dropped  on
  them later - just might find themselves attacked while they literally hang
  on for dear life.

  World Hopping

    A visit to a foreign land, long or short,  is  seldom  routine.  Dealing
  with strange customs, unfamiliar laws, and unusual  foods  can  give  even
  hardened travelers fits. Now imagine what it might  be  like  to  visit  a
  place where the very underpinnings of reality  are  different  from  home.
  That's what world hopping is like.
    Staging adventures on unfamiliar  worlds  is  a  great  way  to  keep  a
  high-level campaign fresh and challenging. Players become  very  attentive
  once they find they can take nothing for granted,  and  even  fairly  weak
  creatures can challenge the party when the PCs' spells and  magical  items
  begin to act in unanticipated  ways.  This  section  presents  some  quick
  guidelines for creating alternate worlds for your adventures. This section
  is by no means complete - the  possibilities  are  limited  only  by  your
  imagination.

  Types of Worlds

    For purposes of this discussion, a world is any place in the  multiverse
  with its own form of reality separate from the rest of the  multiverse.  A
  world can be as large as a universe or as small as a single  room.  Worlds
  in the current AD&D game fall into one of three different types:

  Plane: A plane is an infinitely large space. A plane has no clear form  or
  dimensions, though there are border areas where it meets other planes.  As
  explained in Chapter 15 of the Dungeon Master Guide, there are three types
  of planes and two planes that defy categorization.
    Inner Planes are places filled with the fundamental  components  of  the
  multiverse. There are 18 inner planes. They are subdivided into  elemental
  (basic matter), paraelemental (compound forms of matter), energy (positive
  and negative), and quasi-elemental (where  planes  of  matter  and  energy
  meet). If there are any  undiscovered  inner  planes,  they  likely  exist
  between known planes.
    Outer Planes are places where the powers  (deities)  reside.  A  certain
  philosophy holds sway on each outer plane, and that philosophy  influences
  everything on the plane, including reality  itself.  There  are  17  known
  outer planes, each corresponding to a major division in the AD&D alignment
  system. Sixteen of these planes form a  great  ring,  with  the  plane  of
  Concordant Opposition - the neutrality plane known as the  Outlands  -  in
  the middle. New outer planes would  probably  form  between  two  existing
  planes on the great ring or as additional "layers" on an existing plane.
    The Prime Material Plane is where the base  campaign  and  many  similar
  worlds are located. There is a widespread  misconception  that  there  are
  multiple Prime Material Planes, sometimes referred to as  Parallel  Primes
  or Alternate Primes. In fact, there is  only  one  Prime  Material  Plane.
  Within that plane, there are an infinite number of discrete  worlds,  each
  contained within a crystal sphere. A crystal sphere can contain  a  single
  planetary body, a whole solar system, or anything in between.
    The Astral and Ethereal Planes act as highways between the other planes.
    The Ethereal Plane connects the Prime Material with the Inner Planes. It
  resembles an infinite ocean  whose  "shores"  lap  against  other  planes.
  Curiously enough, ethereal travelers always find themselves moving  toward
  the Inner Planes or their home world in the Prime Material.  There  is  no
  known method of using the Ethereal Plane to travel from one Prime Material
  World to another.
    The Astral Plane is an infinite, silvery void that  connects  the  Prime
  Material Plane to the Outer Planes. Astral travel between  Prime  Material
  Worlds is possible.
    Both the Astral and the Ethereal contain bits of solid matter  in  their
  depths. On the Astral, these form islands similar to asteroids floating in
  deep space where creatures make their homes. The  Ethereal  also  contains
  islands, but they are called Demiplanes (see below) that exist  as  worlds
  in their own right.

                                   - 045 -

  For more information on the known planes, see the Planescape boxed set.
    A Pocket Dimension is a discrete world attached to another world.  These
  are usually very small, and most of their properties mirror those  of  the
  parent world. A Pocket Dimension can be created artificially.
    A Demiplane is a discrete world floating in the depths of  the  Ethereal
  Plane. Like Pocket Dimensions, Demiplanes  can  be  created  artificially.
  Conditions on Demiplanes vary widely, and it is believed  that  large  and
  well-populated  Demiplanes  can  become  full-fledged  planes.  The  exact
  process for accomplishing this feat is not known to any mortal.

  Properties of Worlds

    Each world has four different aspects that combine  to  define  its  own
  unique reality. These are chronology, magic, technology, and  environment.
  Each aspect is rated on a scale ranging from  2  to  20.  Ratings  can  be
  generated randomly by rolling 2d10. The lower the rating, the  weaker  the
  aspect is; ratings from  10  -  12  reflect  conditions  on  typical  AD&D
  campaign worlds. Though a rating of 10 is weaker than a rating of  12  the
  differences between  the  two  are  imperceptible  to  player  characters.
  Ratings higher than 20 and lower than 2 are possible, but all known planes
  fall within these extremes.
    A world's rating is usually fixed, but the ratings on some worlds  shift
  slowly over time. These shifts are so gradual  that  the  residents  don't
  realize they are occurring. An abrupt shift - even for the better - brings
  cataclysmic change to a world.

                                   - 046 -

  Chronological Aspect

    Time flows at the  same  rate  throughout  the  known  multiverse.  This
  section, however, deals with newly discovered worlds. Table  2  shows  the
  rate of local time flow compared to that of the base  campaign  world.  In
  worlds with ratings of 9 or less time flows more quickly than in the  base
  campaign, allowing travelers to make extended visits and  return  home  to
  find that almost no time has passed at all. In worlds with ratings  of  13
  or more time flows more slowly than in the base  campaign,  and  travelers
  might return home to find their world greatly changed after even a short
  visit.

  Chronological Notes

    Characters are governed by the local time no matter where  they  are  or
  what world they call home. For example, characters who visit  a  C2  world
  and stay a year return home to find that less than a minute has  gone  by,
  but they are still a year older. Characters who visit a C18 world and stay
  two weeks return to find that 20 years have passed, even though they  have
  aged only two weeks.  Likewise,  the  durations  of  magical  effects  are
  governed by local time, a spell that lasts 10 rounds on a C11  world  also
  lasts 10 rounds on a C20 or a C2 world.
    There is no simple way to judge the local time flow - it always seems to
  be  normal.  Time  is  pervasive;  even  the  interiors  of  closed
  extra-dimensional spaces (such as portable holes,  bags  of  holding,  and
  rope trick spells) experience local time. The shift from one time flow  to
  another is imperceptible by itself, but clues are sometimes obvious - such
  as when a character steps through a portal at noon and steps  out  into  a
  moonlit night.

  Nagical Aspect

    A  world's  magical  rating  determines  many  of  its  characteristics,
  including how much sway scientific laws have over reality. The higher  the
  rating, the less relevant the laws of  science  are.  Magic  becomes  more
  readily available as the magical rating rises, increasing  the  likelihood
  that fantastic creatures exist on the world. Psionics are also more common
  and work better on high-magic worlds. Table 3  shows  relative  levels  of
  magical power; a rating of 2 indicates no magical power, a rating of 10  -
  12 indicates the level of power in  a  typical  AD&D  campaign.  The  most
  magical of the known planes (the Abyss, the Outlands) have ratings of  17.
  No known plane has a rating of 18 or higher.

  Table 2: Chronological Ratings

   World             Local          Base Campaign
   Rating            Time               Time
     2               1 Week         = 1 Second
     3               1 Week         = 15 Seconds
     4               1 Week         = 1 Minute
     5               1 Week         = 10 Minutes
     6               1 Week         = 30 Minutes
     7               1 Week         = 1 Hour
     8               1 Week         = 6 Hours
     9               1 Week         = 1 Day
   10-12             1 Week         = 1 Week
    13               1 Week         = 1 Month
    14               1 Week         = 3 Months
    15               1 Week         = 6 Months
    16               1 Week         = 1 Year
    17               1 Week         = 5 Years
    18               1 Week         = 10 Years
    19               1 Week         = 30 Years
    20               1 Week         = 100 Years

  Magical Aspect Notes

    Characters using magic or psionics are often at great  risk  until  they
  learn the rules governing magic locally. Strongly magical  worlds  can  be
  more dangerous than worlds where magic is weak.

  Spell Casting: Any spellcaster can attempt spells on worlds  rated  M3  or
  higher, but he is limited to what is possible locally or what is  possible
  on their home worlds, whichever is  less.  For  example,  characters  from
  M10-12 worlds must study their spellbooks even on M20  worlds,  where  the
  natives have no such restrictions. Characters from an M19 world visiting a
  M10-12 world cannot regain spells unless they return to their  home  world
  or acquire spellbooks. No character can cast a 9th-level spell on a  world
  rated M8 or lower.

                                   - 047 -

  Table 3: Magical Ratings

   Rating   Magical Effects

     2      No spell, spell-like ability, magical item, artifact, or psionic
            power functions, and travel into or out of the area is possible
            only through a pre-existing gate. Land creatures  are not  more
            than 10 feet tall, and there are no flying creatures. Demihuman
            and fantastic creatures do not exist.
     3      Potions, wands, rings, and miscellaneous magic is ineffective,
            and from  6-9 schools of magic are modified in some way. Spell
            casting times and PSP requirements are quintupled, and 4th-10th
            level spells can't be cast. Land creatures are not more than 10
            feet tall, and flight is limited to creatures less than six
            inches tall. There are no demihumans or fantastic creatures.
     4      Potions, wands, and rings are ineffective and from 4-9 schools
            of magic are modified in some fashion. Spell casting times and
            PSP requirements quintupled; 5th-10th level spells impossible;
            land creatures are not more than 10 feet tall; flight is limited
            to creatures less than 1-foot-tall. There are no demihumans or
            fantastic creatures.
     5      Potions and wands ineffective; 3-9 schools of magic modified.
            Spell casting times and PSP requirements are quintupled, and
            6th-10th level spells can't be cast - native spellcasters are
            almost unknown. Land creatures are not more than 10 feet tall,
            and flight is limited to size T creatures (two feet tall or
            less). There are no demihumans or fantastic creatures.
     6      Potions are ineffective and from 3-9 schools of magic are
            modified. Spell casting times and PSP requirements quadrupled,
            and 7th-10th level spells can't be cast. Native spellcasters are
            very rare and have supra-genius Intelligence. There are no land
            creatures more than 15 feet tall, no bipedal creatures more than
            10 feet tall, and flight is limited to size S or smaller creatu-
            res.
     7      Most spells, magical items, and psionics function normally, but
            2-7 schools of magic are modified. Spell casting times and PSP
            requirement are tripled, and 8th-10th level spells cannot be
            cast. With long and difficult training, a few creatures of at
            least genius intelligence can learn to cast spells. There are no
            land creatures more than 20 feet tall, no bipedal creatures more
            than 15 feet tall, and flight is limited to size M or smaller
            creatures.
     8      Most spells, magical items, and psionics function  normally, but
            2-5 schools of magic are modified. Spell casting times and PSP
            requirements are doubled, and 9th-10th level spells can't be
            cast. With training, a few creatures of at least exceptional
            Intelligence can learn to cast spells. There are no land
            creatures more than 25 feet tall, no bipedal creatures more than
            20 feet tall, and flight is limited to size L or smaller
            creatures.
     9      Most spells, magical items, and psionics function normally, and
            only 1-4 schools of magic are modified. True Dweomers
            (10th-level spells) are not available, but creatures with at
            least average intelligence can learn to cast spells if properly
            trained. There are no land creatures more than 30 feet tail, no
            bipedal creatures more than 25 feet tall, and flight is limited
            to size H or smaller creatures.
   10-12    Spells, magical items, and psionics function normally, and most
            creatures of at least average Intelligence can learn to cast
            spells with adequate training. There are no practical limits on
            the size of land or of flying creatures, and demihumans and
            fantastic creatures are fairly common.
    13      Spells, magical items, and psionics function normally, and major
            races have minor spell-like abilities or psionic wild talents.
            Some individual spells are modified.
    14      Most spells, magical items, and psionics function normally, and
            major races have minor and major spell-like abilities or
            multiple psionic powers. Some elemental spells and from 1-4
            schools of magic are modified.
    15      Most spells, magical items, and psionics function normally, and
            major races have minor, major, and extraordinary spell-like
            abilities or full psionic. Some elemental spells are modified.
            From 2-5 schools of magic are also modified with possibly
            catastrophic effects.
    16      Same as above, except that from 2-7 schools of magic are
            modified with possibly catastrophic effects.
    17      Same as above, except that from 3-9 schools of magic are
            modified with possibly catastrophic effects.
    18      Same as above, except that most beings of at least average
            intelligence have minor spellcasting abilities.
    19      Same as above, except that beings of average intelligence have
            minor spellcasting abilities, and those with at least high
            intelligence have major spellcasting abilities. Wizard
            characters do not need to study spellbooks.
    20      Same as above, except that beings of average intelligence have
            major spellcasting abilities, and those with at least high
            Intelligence have extraordinary spellcasting abilities. Wizard
            characters do not need to study spellbooks, and no spellcaster
            needs to memorize spells.

                                   - 48 -

    Low magic worlds impose a multiplier (x2 to x5) on casting  times.  Most
  casting times are given as simple numbers that are added to  the  caster's
  initiative roll (see Player's  Handbook,  Appendix  2).  If  the  adjusted
  casting time is 10 or more, the spell requires one or more full rounds  to
  cast. A casting time of 10 means the spell is completed at the end of  the
  round when it is begun. A casting time of 20 means the spell is  completed
  at the end of the second round after it has  begun,  and  so  on.  If  the
  adjusted casting time is not an even multiple of 10, subtract the  nearest
  multiple of 10 from the adjusted casting time.  The  spell  requires  that
  many full rounds of casting, and is completed on the next succeeding round
  with an initiative  modifier  equal  to  the  remainder.  For  example,  a
  fireball spell (which has a normal casting time  of  3)  has  an  adjusted
  casting time of 12 on an M6 world. The spell requires one full  round  and
  is completed during the second round with an initiative modifier of 2.

    Worlds rated M8 and lower restrict the levels of spells available.  When
  a spell level becomes impossible, no spell of  that  level  can  be  cast.
  Magical items and stored spells are an exception (see below).

    Spells  are  modified  on  some  worlds.  Modifications  can  apply  to
  individual spells, entire schools  of  spells,  or  classes  of  elemental
  spells. Possible modifications include:

  Enhanced: The spell or school functions as  though  the  caster  were  one
  level higher than he actually is. Spells  are  never  enhanced  on  worlds
  rated M9 or lower.

  Diminished: The spell or school functions as though the  caster  were  one
  level lower than he actually is.

  Nullified: The spell or school does not function at all. This is a  fairly
  common modification on worlds rated M9 or  lower.  It  is  rare  on  Prime
  Material Worlds rated M10 or higher, but it often occurs  on  even  highly
  magical outer planes, demiplanes, and pocket dimensions.

  Altered: The spell or school  of  spells  functions  differently  on  this
  world. Changes can be superficial, minor, or catastrophic.

    Superficial alterations usually change a spell's form, but not  the  way
  it works. For example, fireballs might create scalding  steam  or  intense
  light on some planes.

    Minor alterations are more spectacular and potentially dangerous but  do
  not change the way the spell works. For  example,  a  clairaudience  spell
  might cause the caster's ears to grow very large  and  sensitive,  causing
  the caster to suffer a saving throw penalty vs. sound-based attacks (harpy
  songs, shout spells, etc.) until the spell ends.

    Catastrophic alterations cause the spell  to  go  completely  awry,  and
  their effects are totally unpredictable. Conjured  or  summoned  creatures
  might go berserk, a meteor swarm might center itself on the caster,  or  a
  death spell might target other player characters or their henchmen.

    In many cases, native spellcasters are not subject  to  the  alterations
  because their magic is naturally compatible or because they  take  special
  precautions. Player characters might learn to use the latter.
    It is possible for the same alteration to affect several types of spells
  in the same way. For example, on Limbo, an outer plane of  pure  chaos,  a
  spellcaster must pass an Intelligence check  or  any  spell  attempted  is
  negated, a catastrophic alteration that affects all types of spells.
    Any change to a spell or school of  spells  should  reflect  some  local
  characteristic. For example, an unseen servant spell cast on an M13  world
  that also has a high technological rating might suffer a minor  alteration
  and create a visible creature with a mass of robot-like arms  (in  keeping
  with the world's technological nature).

    Priests depend on their deities for their spells and suffer  some  extra
  difficulties when leaving their home worlds. Any priest spell  is  subject
  to whatever local modifications apply to the spell's school. In  addition,
  a priest's  ability  to  cast  spells  depends  on  his  position  in  the
  multiverse relative to his deity.
    Priest spells work best when the caster is on the plane where his  deity
  resides because the deity has undisputed influence over  priest  magic  on
  his own plane. Deities that keep multiple residences  make  things  a  lot
  easier  for  their  priests.  When  priests  go  traveling  through  the
  multiverse, however, they enter realms  where  the  interests  of  several
  deities might conflict. One of four things happen  to  a  priest's  spells
  when the character enters a new world:
    On an open world, the  priest  loses  caster  levels  according  to  the
  distance to the deity's home plane (see page 49). All the Outer Planes are
  open.
    On a closed world, the priest can use any spell  he  has  memorized  but
  cannot regain spells higher than 2nd level. Many  Prime  Material  Worlds,
  Pocket Dimensions, and Demiplanes are closed.
    On a restricted world, the priest loses all  spells.  Restricted  worlds
  are very rare.
    On an unrestricted world,  all  priests  function  at  full  power.  The
  Astral, Ethereal, and all known Inner planes are unrestricted, as are many
  Prime Material worlds and Demiplanes.
    By general divine agreement, priests on open worlds lose  one  level  of
  spell casting ability for every plane they are removed from their  deity's
  home plane. For example, a 10th-level priest one plane  from  his  deity's
  plane can cast spells only  as  a  9th-level  priest,  although  he  still
  functions as a 10th-level character in every other way.
    Figuring the distance between a priest and his deity  can  be  a  little
  tricky, because priest spells use different rules for  counting  depending
  on the priest's location. A priest whose deity resides on an  Inner  Plane
  is four planes removed when he visits  an  Outer  Plane  (Inner  Plane  to
  Ethereal to Prime to Astral to Outer Plane). Priests on the Outer  Planes,
  however, must trace the path to their deity  along  the  great  ring  (see
  below), but only planes between the priest and deity's home plane count.

                                   - 049 -

    For example, if a priest whose deity resides on  Mount  Celestia  visits
  The Abyss, the character loses seven levels of spellcasting ability.  This
  effect has nothing to do with the properties of the planes themselves,  it
  arises from a mutual agreement that prevents the  entire  multiverse  from
  erupting into an interplanar war.
    There are numerous divine agreements  of  a  more  limited  nature  that
  govern specific locations on the  planes.  The  Prime  Material  Plane  is
  subject to many such agreements. Each Prime Material world is the focus of
  one or more deities; these deities are allowed to treat the world as if it
  were home (at least insofar as granting spells is concerned).  This  gives
  any priest who worships these deities full powers on  that  world,  though
  outsiders might find the world closed or restricted.
    Demiplanes also are notorious  for  operating  under  their  own  rules,
  though most of them are either closed or unrestricted.
    A priest's granted abilities generally function at full power by general
  divine agreement, but local conditions prevail, especially for  spell-like
  granted abilities. Calling down a flame strike just doesn't  work  on  the
  Plane of Elemental Water.
    Note that divine agreement can circumvent a world's magical rating. If a
  deity wants to grant priests a full range  of  spells,  then  that's  what
  happens, even if magical items, psionics, and  wizards  spells  are  weak.
  Such worlds are extremely rare, but possible.

    Intelligent  creatures  native  to  high-magic  worlds  have  natural
  spellcasting abilities as spellcasters of the indicated level:

    Minor Spellcasting: 1st-3rd
    Major Spellcasting: 4th-7th
    Extraordinary Spellcasting: 8th-11th

  Natural spellcasting abilities are retained if the creature visits  worlds
  with lower magical ratings, but  casting  times  are  still  extended  and
  high-level spells still become unavailable as shown on  Table  3.  Natural
  spellcasting abilities are in addition to any abilities the  creature  has
  due to class and level  and  can  be  freely  combined  with  other  class
  abilities. For example, a fighter from an M20  world  could  cast  natural
  spells even in metal  armor;  a  wizard  from  the  same  world  is  still
  restricted from wearing armor but might enjoy extra wizard spells or  have
  the ability to cast priest spells.

                                   - 050 -

    On worlds rated M19 or higher, wizards don't require spellbooks. After a
  good night's sleep, spellcasters can meditate and acquire any spell  of  a
  level normally available to them, just as priests do.
    On worlds rated M20, wizards and priests do not require  study  time  at
  all. If they get a good night's sleep, they can call their spells to  mind
  as needed, though they are still limited to the number of spells they  can
  employ each day. Casting time and required components  for  spells  remain
  unchanged. For example, an 11th-level wizard from an M20 world could  call
  a lightning bolt to mind if he wished, but not if he had already cast four
  3rd-level spells that day. The wizard would also need to have  the  proper
  material components on hand.

  Psionics:  Psionicists  generally  suffer  less  than  spellcasters  when
  traveling between worlds. Psionics  depend  on  the  character's  personal
  energies, which the character  carries  with  him  wherever  he  goes.  On
  high-magic worlds (M13 or greater), psionics are unaffected,  though  some
  worlds - such as the Demiplane of Ravenloft - have quirks that affect even
  psionics. On low-magic worlds (M9 or less), psionics  work  normally,  but
  PSP costs increase because more personal energy is required to manifest  a
  particular effect.
    Increased PSP requirements apply  to  both  initiating  and  maintaining
  powers. If a psionicist does not have enough PSPs to pay  the  local  cost
  for a power, he cannot use that power. Local conditions only increase  the
  PSP cost, never the damage dice,  duration,  range  or  any  other  factor
  associated with a PSP expenditure. In other words, increased psionic  cost
  is never an advantage for the character using the power.

                                   - 051 -

    A major race dominates the world in the same  fashion  that  humans  and
  demihumans dominate standard campaign worlds. The tanar'ri  of  the  Abyss
  and the githyanki of the Astral  Plane  are  major  races  in  their  home
  worlds. Members of major races native to high-magic worlds always have one
  or more spell-like abilities, as follows:
    Minor  abilities:  Similar  to  1st-2nd  level  spells,  each  of  these
  abilities is usable 1-3 times a day. They function on worlds rated  M7  or
  higher.
    Major abilities: Similar to 3rd-5th level spells, each ability is usable
  1-3 times a day. The creature also has 4-6  minor  abilities  each  usable
  once a turn or once an hour. The abilities function on worlds rated M8  or
  higher.
    Extraordinary abilities." Similar to 6-7th level spells, each is  usable
  once a day. The creature also has 6 - 10 minor abilities  usable  at  will
  and 4-6 major abilities usable once a turn or once an hour. The  abilities
  function on worlds rated M9 or higher.
    Spell-like abilities  are  subject  to  whatever  magical  modifications
  prevail locally, except that natives always ignore any detrimental effects
  their home world might have on their abilities.

  Magical Items: Because they are portable  containers  for  magical  power,
  enchanted items can often function in low-magic  worlds  where  the  spell
  effects they duplicate  cannot  be  cast.  Otherwise,  magical  items  are
  subject to the same limitations and modifications as spells. For  example,
  a staff of the magi can produce a wall of fire effect, even on  M3  worlds
  where 4th-level spells are impossible. However, the staff cannot produce a
  wall of fire on a world where evocation spells are nullified or on a world
  where fire spells don't work.
    If a school of spells is modified on a world,  all  magical  items  that
  duplicate or simulate effects from that school are affected as  well.  For
  example, if conjuration/summoning spells are catastrophically altered on a
  world, items such as Bucknard's everfull purse and a bag of tricks can  be
  dangerous to use.

    Magical weapons,  armor,  and  protective  devices,  such  as  rings  of
  protection and bracers of defense, are attuned to  the  world  where  they
  were made. They lose one plus per plane removed from  home,  but  remember
  that all Prime Material worlds are on  the  same  plane.  The  Astral  and
  Ethereal planes are one plane removed from the Prime Material.  The  Inner
  and  Outer  Planes  are  two  planes  removed  from  the  Prime  Material.
  Demiplanes are part of the Ethereal Plane and Pocket Dimensions  are  part
  of the plane to which they are  attached.  The  maximum  distance  between
  planes is four (Inner Plane to Ethereal to Prime  Material  to  Astral  to
  Outer Plane). For example, a cloak  of  protection  +5  made  on  a  Prime
  Material world functions normally everywhere on the Prime Material  Plane.
  The cloak's bonus falls to +2 in the Astral or Ethereal planes, and  falls
  to +1 on any Outer or Inner plane. Unlike  priest  spells,  magical  items
  always trace the shortest possible path to their home planes.
    Magical items that become inert because of the local magical  rating  or
  because of the distance between planes cannot produce any magical  effects
  but still function as normal items - an inert suit  of  magical  armor  is
  still armor. The items continue  to  have  a  magical  aura  that  can  be
  discerned with a detect magic or similar spell, and they function normally
  again once brought to a world where conditions are more favorable.

  Creatures: A world's magical factor determines  what  kinds  of  fantastic
  creatures can be found within it, as noted on Table 3. The  local  magical
  factor can make a world untenable for some visitors.

    Humans, normal  animals,  and  other  non-fantastic  creatures  are  not
  directly affected by the local magical rating.

    Other creatures are dependent on their home world's magical  nature  and
  can suffer from deprivation when visiting low-magic worlds.
    Demihumans, such as elves, gnomes, dwarves,  orcs,  ogres,  and  similar
  humanoid creatures, must save vs. death magic  immediately  when  entering
  worlds rated M5 or less, failure results in  death.  Even  if  the  saving
  throw succeeds, the creature loses one hit point per hit die  -  but  each
  hit die still gives the creature a minimum of one point - and suffers a -1
  penalty on all attacks, saving throws, and  ability  score  checks.  These
  penalties increase an additional point for every magical rating  below  5,
  to a maximum penalty of -4 on an M2 world.
    Fantastic  creatures,  such  as  centaurs,  dragons,  chimeras,  pixies,
  tanar'ri and others, have similar penalties beginning at M6 and increasing
  to a maximum of -5 on M2 worlds.

  Technological Aspect

    A world's technological rating determines its general level of  cultural
  development, scholarship,  and  practical  application  of  knowledge  and
  invention. The lower a world's technological rating, the less obvious  the
  trappings of civilization are. A rating of 2 indicates  no  technology  at
  all. A rating of 10-12 indicates a medieval technology common to most AD&D
  campaigns. Ratings of 13 or higher indicate worlds that are  progressively
  more urban, institutional, and mechanized. It is entirely possible  for  a
  world to have both a high magical rating and a high technological  rating.
  On such worlds, magical devices replace machines.

                                   - 052 -

  Technological Notes

    Sample items appear on the table when they become affordable or  are  in
  common use. Some items may be present,  but  very  rare,  on  worlds  with
  technological ratings  too  low  to  support  their  widespread  use.  For
  example, some brilliant thinker might be busy inventing algebra  on  a  T5
  world, but she might be the only one who understands it.  Likewise,  items
  on the table  are  not  necessarily  household  items.  For  example,  not
  everyone on a T17 world owns a jet airliner, but they are common enough to
  be in general use.
    Technological devices cannot be carried freely between  worlds.  Devices
  from low-technology worlds function normally when carried to  worlds  with
  higher technology ratings. Devices carried from high-technology worlds  to
  low-technology worlds do not operate if they have moving parts, electronic
  circuitry, or depend on chemical reactions.  Even  simple  devices  suffer
  somewhat. For example, a flashlight (T16) carried to a  T8  world  becomes
  inert. A stainless steel hand ax (also T16) carried to a  T8  world  still
  functions as an ax, but it loses its  extra  hardness  and  resistance  to
  rust. A club (T2) remains a club no matter where it is.
    Sufficiently advanced technology, however, works just like magic. If  an
  item's technological rating exceeds the local technology rating  it  still
  works if it also exceeds the local magical rating by at  least  five.  For
  example, steam engines require a local technology rating of T15 or  higher
  or a magical rating of M10 or lower. A steam engine would not  work  on  a
  world with a magical rating of M11 or more and a technological  rating  of
  T14 or less.

  Ecological Aspect

    A world's ecological rating determines how benign or hostile the overall
  environment is as well as the similarities of landscape, flora, and  fauna
  as compared to the base campaign. A rating of  2  indicates  a  completely
  hostile environment while an E20 world represents a paradise. A rating  of
  10-12 indicates  a  generally  earth-like  environment  that  may  contain
  hazardous extremes, such as deserts, ocean depths,  low  air  pressure  at
  high altitude, etc.

  Ecological Notes

  Table 4: Technological Ratings

  Rating    Elements of Civilization
    2       Tools are unknown; fire has not been harnessed.
    3       Simple stone tools end weapons; campfires.
    4       Complex stone tools, some soft metal tools and weapons (copper);
            domesticated animals; simple agriculture; ovens; pottery.
    5       Soft metal tools and weapons (copper and bronze); arithmetic;
            complex agriculture and irrigation; hierographic writing; boats;
            cities; sundials and water docks; coins.
    6       Hard metal tools and weapons (iron); small ships; alphabetic
            writing; small land vehicles; simple locks; siege machines.
    7       Water mills; furnaces; cast iron; large oared ships; advanced
            mathematics and philosophy.
    8       Civil engineering; roads; blown glass; wagons; medicine.
    9       Compass; windmills; universities; surgery.
  10-12     Steel tools and weapons; coal mining; trade and craft guilds;
            slow sailing ships, feudal goverments; extensive trade
    13      Cannons; ocean-going sailing ships; mechanical clocks; national
            governments.
    14      Firearns; printing; intercontinental trade.
    15      Steam engines; blast furnaces; mechanical calculating machines.
    16      Internal combustion engines; light aircraft; steamships;
            railroads; labor unions.
    17      Nuclear power; civil and military aircraft; electronic computers.
    18      Fusion power; commercial spacecraft; laser weapons; genetic
            engineering; intercontinental governments.
    19      Sentient robots and computers; solar power; portable nuclear
            power.
    20      Faster-than-light space travel; matter transmission; matter
            replication; interplanetary governments.


                                   - 053 -

    Worlds rated E6 or less inflict one of more of the effects (DM's choice)
  from the table below upon visitors from the base  campaign.  The  type  of
  effect should reflect the nature of  the  environment.  For  example,  one
  world's  acidic  atmosphere  might  inflict  damage  and  another  world's
  polluted air might reduce Constitution.

  Condition          Severe    Hostile    Deadly
  Constitution
  Loss               1d6/Day   1d6/Hour   1d6/Round
  Damage             2d4/Day   2d4/Hour   2d4/Round
  Poison Save*         1/Day     1/Hour     1/Round

  * The saving throw must be attempted at the end of each  exposure  period;
  failure results in immediate death.

  Severe Conditions: The environment poses a danger if  exposure  lasts  too
  long. The intensity is similar to a  desert  or  polar  ice  cap.  Mundane
  precautions - drinking extra water, wearing a heavy coat - can  negate  or
  reduce the damage.

  Hostile Conditions: The environment poses an immediate  threat  to  normal
  humans. The intensity is similar to immersion in arctic water or  exposure
  to volcanic gases. Mundane precautions might reduce the effects to  severe
  or be entirely ineffective. Minor protective  magic,  such  as  an  endure
  cold/heat spell, ring of fire resistance, or ring of warmth,  negates  the
  effects.

  Deadly Conditions: The environment can kill normal humans within  minutes.
  Intensity is similar to the surface of the  moon  or  the  interior  of  a
  volcano. Mundane precautions are ineffective, and some  magical  items  or
  spells might prove too weak to provide effective  protection.  The  deadly
  effects listed on the table are the minimums, and they can be much greater
  if conditions are particularly intense. For example,  the  flames  on  the
  Plane of Elemental Fire require unprotected creatures to save  vs.  breath
  weapon or die immediately. A successful save still inflicts 5d10 points of
  damage each round.

    Worlds rated E18 or higher seem like paradises to visitors  from  worlds
  rated E12 or less. At the DM's option, certain actions can be perilous  on
  such worlds. For example, characters who go to sleep on  such  worlds  may
  slumber until attacked or awakened. Smelling  a  flower  might  produce  a
  state of euphoria similar to a confusion spell,  although  random  actions
  tend to be non-violent; if the dice roll indicates an attack the  affected
  character sings and dances, perhaps urging other nearby creatures to join
  in.
    Natives  of  worlds  rated  E16  or  higher  generally  cannot  tolerate
  conditions on less benign worlds. They  suffer  the  effects  from  severe
  conditions on worlds rated five  less  than  their  home  worlds,  hostile
  penalties on worlds rated six less, and deadly penalties on  worlds  rated
  seven or more less.

  Quirks

    In addition to the four aspects - chronological, magical, technological,
  and environmental - some worlds have additional properties that help  make
  them unique and unpredictable. These properties - quirks - are not  easily
  categorized. Quirks can be part of a world's essential makeup,  completely
  serendipitous, or temporarily imposed from  outside.  In  the  latter  two
  cases, the player characters might be able to change them. The local rules
  governing priest spells described on page 49 can be  considered  essential
  quirks. A few known quirks are listed below:

    The world is infused with some overwhelming force or energy that  twists
  everything, including  magic  and  psionic  abilities.  For  example,  the
  Demiplane of Ravenloft is infused with evil. No spell, granted ability, or
  psionic power can distinguish the alignment of any creature or  object  on
  Ravenloft, and many magical effects and psionic powers are corrupted.
    Other worlds might be infused with good, light, magic,  electricity,  or
  anything else that can be detected or manipulated under the AD&D game
  rules.
    If this quirk  exists  on  a  Prime  Material  world,  it's  probably  a
  temporary  effect  that  can  be  removed  if  the  source  is  destroyed.
  Otherwise, it cannot be altered or removed except by destroying the entire
  world.

    A particular type of material is difficult or  impossible  to  magically
  conjure or duplicate on the world. For  example  metal  is  very  rare  on
  Athas, the world of the Dark Sun  setting.  Metal  cannot  be  permanently
  created on Athas, and the normally permanent wall of  iron  spell  quickly
  falls to pieces.

    Spells that have been named after their creators (such as Melf's  minute
  meteors) are unknown and unavailable unless brought  in  from  outside  or
  researched from scratch.

    Leaders of the world's dominant race are able to detect and  immediately
  retaliate against magical or psionic attacks directed against  members  of
  the race. This quirk is possible only  on  worlds  rated  M14  or  higher.
  Retaliation can take whatever form the DM feels is appropriate:  a  simple
  spell turning effect, one large venomous insect attacks the  offender  for
  every point of damage inflicted on the target, a random spell is  directed
  at the offender, etc.

                                   - 054 -

  Table 5: Ecological Ratings

  Rating  Ecological Elements
    2     The ecology is wildly different from the base campaign in almost
          every way; the environment is deadly (poisonous, airless, acidic,
          etc.). Living creatures, if they exist at all, are barely
          recognizable as such.
    3     The ecology is different from the base campaign in most ways; the
          environment is hostile (very cold, waterless, flooded with x-rays,
          etc,). Living creatures have completely alien forms.
    4     The ecology is similar to the base campaign. The environment is
          fairly livable, but some vital element is absent or incompatible.
          The PCs cannot survive over the long term without a large stock of
          supplies from their home world or magical aid (can't eat the food,
          water makes PCs drunk, etc.). Overall conditions may be hostile,
          such as boiling daytime temperatures, subzero nighttime
          temperatures, acid rain, etc. One or more intelligent races
          resemble some nonhumanoid or monstrous species (insects, serpents,
          fungi, etc.).
    5     The ecology is similar to the base campaign. The environment is
          livable, but some vital dement is absent or incompatible. The PCs
          cannot survive over the long term without a targe stock of
          supplies from their horne world or magical aid (can't eat the
          food, water makes PCs drunk, etc.). Overall conditions may be
          severe, such as a global desert, ice age, endless rain, etc. One
          or more intelligent races resemble some nonhumanoid or monstrous
          species (insects, felines, fungi, etc.).
    6     The ecology is similar to the base campaign. The environment is
          livable, but some important element is absent or incompatible. The
          PCs may find the conditions inconvenient, but their long-term
          survival is not in jeopardy (little or no metal, thin atmosphere,
          sunless sky, etc.). Overall conditions may be severe, such as a
          global desert, ice age, endless rain, etc. One or more intelligent
          races resembles some nonhumanoid or monstrous species (insects,
          felines, dragons, etc.).
    7     Ecology is similar to the base campaign. Some familiar races and
          species are present, though they have slightly different
          appearances and abilities. Races and species entirely unknown in
          the base campaign are present. At least one intelligent race
          resembles some nonhumanoid species (lizards, felines, avians,
          etc.).
    8     Ecology is very similar to the base campaign, and the environment
          is generally benign. Many familiar races and species are present,
          though they have slightly different appearances and abilities.
          Races and species entirely unknown in the base campaign are
          present.
    9     Ecology is very similar to the base campaign. Most familiar races
          and species are present, though some may have slightly diffeent
          appearances or abilities.
  10-12   Ecology, environment, and inhabitants are almost identical to the
          base campaign.
   15     Ecology and environment is almost identical to the base campaign.
          Alt major races and species are present, but the world is ruled by
          elves, gnomes, dragons, or other race that is not dominant in the
          base campaign.
   14     Ecology and environment is almost identical to the base campaign.
          All major races and species are present, but not all races have
          the same level of Intelligence and culture as they do in the base
          campaign (humans with only animal intelligence, talking horses,
          ogre artists, etc.).
   15     Ecology and environment are almost identical to the base campaign.
          All major races and species from the base campaign are present,
          but some general characteristic is vastly different worldwide
          (everything is giant-sized, colors are reversed, world is flat,
          etc,).
   16     Ecology is very similar to the base campaign, and the environment
          is generally favorable (completely tropical, rains according to a
          predictable schedule, most plants edible, etc.). Most races and
          species from the base campaign are present, but local species tend
          to be exotic, such as flightless giant parrots, feathered snakes
          with iridescent plumage, or birds who sing highly musical songs.
   17     The ecology is similar to the base campaign, and the environment
          is favorable (tropical with temperate nights, never rains, all
          plants edible, etc.). At least one intelligent race resembles some
          nonhumanoid species, such as elves that look like felines.
   18     The ecology is slightly similar to the base campaign, and the
          environment is favorable (drinking the local water provides
          nourishment; sleeping is not necessary, equipment grows on trees,
          etc.). One or more intelligent races resemble some nonhumanoid or
          monstrous species (insects, serpents, fungi, etc.).
   19     The ecology is different from the base campaign in most ways, and
          the environment is very favorable (constant temperature, breathing
          supplies nourishment, sunlight heals wounds, etc.). Living
          creatures have completely alien forms.
   20     The ecology is wildly different from the base campaign in almost
          every way, and the environment is completely favorable (eating,
          sleeping, and drinking unnecessary). Living creatures exist, but
          are barely recognizable (pure energy, rocklike, microscopic).

                                   - 055 -

    Magical items brought into the world are not affected by the distance to
  their home planes but are subject to  other  local  effects.  Such  worlds
  usually are unrestricted (see page 49) and have a magical rating of 13  or
  higher.

    The world traps visitors. Exit is  possible  only  through  pre-existing
  gates. This quirk is possible only in Demiplanes and Pocket Dimensions.

    The world and some or all of its residents are analogs to beings in  the
  base campaign. If the two world's ratings are generally similar, analogous
  beings  from  the  two  worlds  are  virtual  twins,  having  appearances,
  occupations, skills, and alignments similar to their twins'. The more  the
  two world's aspects diverge, the more dissimilar the analogs are.
    Worlds that contain  player  character  analogs  present  all  sorts  of
  difficulties and opportunities for the PCs:
    Same  Book,  Different  Cover:  Analogs  have  completely  different
  appearances, but identical mannerisms and similar histories. How long does
  it take the group to realize that the arrogant lizard man they are dealing
  with is just another version of a PC wizard?
    Don't Judge a Book by its Cover: Analogs look and act pretty  much  like
  their counterparts, but  they  have  different  dispositions  and  skills.
  Perhaps the player character analogs on this world are notorious  villains
  or perhaps the PCs' chief rival is a great and revered hero here.
    Deja Vu: The world might contain analogs whose counterparts have died in
  the base campaign, both foes and allies. Also, the  current  situation  on
  this world might mirror an adventure the PCs have already  completed,  but
  the villains have made different plans this time.

    The world parallels the base campaign and is actually a version  of  the
  base campaign's past or future.

    Some mundane item from the base campaign is the focus for power on  this
  world. For example, powdered dragon horn  explodes  like  gunpowder,  gold
  jewelry grants a spell-like power, etc.

                                   - 056 -

    The world is isolated from other  dimensions.  Extradimensional  spaces,
  such as those created by portable holes, rope trick spells,  and  bags  of
  holding, cannot be opened.

  Monsters

    An AD&D campaign is not complete without hordes of monsters  to  battle.
  No other foe is  as  useful  for  giving  player  characters  violent  and
  implacable foes whose savage and often alien natures make  their  complete
  and utter  defeat  a  necessity.  Monstrous  foes  are  good  for  keeping
  characters guessing about exactly what they're up  against,  and  monsters
  come pre-equipped with arrays of natural  weaponry  that  the  PCs  cannot
  carry off with them after a battle.
    High-level characters can easily defeat most standard monsters,  because
  the monsters usually have been designed with weaker  characters  in  mind.
  The Planning Combats section in this chapter and the notes on getting  the
  most out of a foe in Chapter 1 can help make sure PCs treat monsters  with
  respect, but even the cleverest  planning  can  come  to  nothing  if  the
  characters can obliterate every enemy as soon  as  blows  and  spells  are
  exchanged in an encounter.
    A high-level campaign shouldn't be so overrun with super  monsters  that
  low-level  characters  and  commoners  have  no  chance  to  survive,  but
  sometimes it is helpful to give the monsters a party meets a little bit of
  an edge. Perhaps you have introduced  an  unexplored  continent  or  plane
  where life is hard and everything is  a  little  tougher  than  usual.  Or
  perhaps you simply need bigger, nastier version of a standard  monster  to
  lead a band of lesser creatures.

                                   - 057 -

    There might also be times when you wish to introduce a monster that is a
  little weaker than a  typical  specimen.  Just  how  nasty  are  the  baby
  bulettes in that nest (and how much of a fight can they put up before  mom
  arrives)? The sections below offer a few  methods  for  doing  so  without
  going to the drawing board and inventing a host of brand new creatures.

  Altering Monsters the Easy Way

    Some monsters, like some people, are just a little bigger, stronger,  or
  smarter than most. Other creatures might be smaller,  weaker,  or  dumber.
  You can create these creatures fairly quickly by applying a modifier to  a
  creature's basic statistics, as follows:

  Modifiers: To make a monster weaker, apply a -1, -2,  or  -3  to  its  key
  statistics (see below). To make a monster stronger, apply a +1, +2, or +3.
  Once you start altering a monster, use the same  modifier  throughout  the
  process.

  Hit Points: Weaker monsters subtract the modifier from each hit  die,  but
  the creature always receives at least one hit point  from  each  hit  die.
  Stronger creatures add the bonus to each hit die.

  THAC0: Weaker creatures add the modifier to  their  THAC0  numbers  -  not
  attack rolls - while stronger creatures subtract the modifier from their
  THAC0.

  Saving Throws: Weaker creatures add the  modifier  to  their  base  saving
  throws, but no saving throw can be increased above 20. Stronger  creatures
  subtract the modifier from their saving throw numbers, but no saving throw
  can be reduced below 3.

  Damage Dice: Weaker monsters subtract the modifier from each  damage  die,
  but the creature inflicts at least one point  of  damage  with  each  die.
  Stronger creatures add the bonus to each damage die.

  Armor Class: Weaker creatures  add  the  modifier  to  their  Armor  Class
  values. Stronger creatures subtract the modifier from their Armor Class
  values.

  XP Value: Weaker creatures subtract the modifier from their  adjusted  hit
  dice (see Dungeon Master Guide, Chapter 8). No creature can have  a  value
  lower than 1-1. Stronger creatures add the modifier to their adjusted hit
  dice.

  Other  Characteristics:  A  creature's  movement  rate,  Intelligence,
  alignment, morale,  and  other  statistics  remain  unchanged  under  this
  system, A modifier of +3 can increase the  creature's  size  to  the  next
  higher class. For example, a large creature might become a huge  creature,
  but that's optional. Likewise, a modifier of -3 can  reduce  a  creature's
  size class one step.

  An Example

    A group of scrags (freshwater trolls) have taken up residence in a river
  near an important ford. The bulk of the colony has normal statistics,  but
  the DM decides that the chief/shaman and her two mates have  extraordinary
  statistics and also decides to throw in an immature scrag.  The  chief  is
  very powerful (+3), her two mates a little less so (+2), and the youth  is
  just a baby ( - 3).
    The modified statistics (with the original in parentheses) look like
  this:

    Scrag Chief: AC 0 (3); MV 3, Sw 12; HD 5+20 (5+5, +3 per  hit  die);  hp
  51; THAC0 12 (15); #AT 3, Dmg* 1d4+4/1d4+4/3d4+9 (+3 per die); SZ  L  (the
  DM decides that she is about 12 feet tall); ML Elite (14); Int Low (7); AL
  CE; XP 2,000 (base 650).
    Chiefs Mates: AC 1; MV 3, Sw 12; HD 5+15; hp 35 each; THAC0 13;  #AT  3;
  Dmg* 1d4+3/1d4+3/3d4+6; SZ L; ML Elite (14); Int Low (7); AL CE; XP 1,400
  each.
    Baby: AC 6; MV 3, Sw  12;  HD  5+10;  hp  13;  THAC0  18,  #AT  3,  Dmg*
  1d4+2/1d4+2/3d4+3; SZ M (the DM decides the baby is about 4 feet tall); ML
  Elite (14); Int Low (7); AL CE; XP 175.

  * The scrag racial modifier to claw damage is added after the  adjustments
  to the dice. In the case of the baby, the +1 bonus offsets part of the  -3
  penalty to the creature's claw attacks, but the -3 modifier to each die of
  bite damage reduces each die to its minimum value of 1.

    Even with their enhanced statistics, the chief and  her  mates  wouldn't
  last long in a direct fight with high-level characters, but  it  helps  to
  explain why characters of lesser stature  haven't  dealt  with  the  scrag
  colony. Furthermore, the DM plans to make  use  of  the  scrags'  superior
  mobility in the water when the PCs encounter them, and  the  extra  damage
  the trio of more powerful  scrags  can  inflict  should  prove  to  be  an
  unpleasant surprise.

  Ability Scores for Monsters

    Another way to modify standard monsters is to assign ability  scores  to
  them. This method is more time consuming than applying a  simple  modifier
  to make the monster bigger or stronger, but it allows for greater variety.
  Generating ability scores for a monster also makes  it  possible  for  the
  creature to undertake actions during an encounter that  might  require  an
  ability check, and it makes opposed checks between monsters and characters
  possible. (How likely is that fighter to win a tug-o-war with a giant
  toad?)

                                   - 058 -


   Table 6: Monster Strength Scores

   Score    T     S     M     L     H     G
     3      2     4     6    13    15    18
     4      3     5     7    14    17  18/01
     5      4     6     8    15    18  18/51
     6      5     7     9    16  18/01 18/76
     7      6     8    10    17  18/51 18/91
     8      7     9    11    18  18/76 18/00
    9-12    8    10    12  18/01 18/91   19
     13    10    11    13  18/51 18/00   20
     14    11    12    14  18/76   19    21
     15    12    13    15  18/91   20    22
     16    13    14    16  18/00   21    23
     17    14    15    17    19    22    24
     18    15    16    18    20    23    25

    Abbreviations: T=Tiny (2' or less); S=Small (2-4');
    M=Man-sized (4-7'); L=Large (7-12'); H=Huge (12-25');
    G=Cargantuan (25'+)


   Table 7: Monster Dexterity Scores

   Score    T     S     M     L     H     G
     3     13    11     9     7     5     5
     4     14    12    10     8     6     4
     5     15    13    11     9     7     5
     6     16    14    12    10     8     6
     7     17    15    13    11     9     7
     8     18    16    14    12    10     8
    9-12   19    17    15    13    11     9
    13     20    18    16    14    12    10
    14     21    19    17    15    13    11
    15     22    20    18    16    14    12
    16     23    21    19    17    15    13
    17     24    22    20    18    16    14
    18     25    23    21    19    17    15

    The system presented here is intended for use with nonhumanoid creatures
  (humanoids are best treated  as  characters,  see  The  Complete  Book  of
  Humanoids for extensive examples), but it can be used with any creature in
  a pinch. Start by noting  the  Size  and  Intelligence  ratings  from  the
  creature's description. These two ratings determine the range  of  ability
  scores the creature can have (see Tables 6-11).

   Table 8: Monster Constitution Scores

   Score    T    S    M    L    H    G
     3      3    5    7    9   11   13
     4      4    6    8   10   12   14
     5      5    7    9   11   13   15
     6      6    8   10   12   14   16
     7      7    9   11   13   15   17
     8      8   10   12   14   16   18
    9-12    9   11   15   15   17   19
    13     10   12   14   16   18   20
    14     11   13   15   17   19   21
    15     12   14   16   18   20   22
    16     13   15   17   19   21   23
    17     14   16   18   20   22   24
    18     15   17   19   21   23   25

    To generate an ability score, roll 3d6 on the appropriate table and read
  the result from the applicable column. For example, a rust  monster  is  a
  man-sized creature with animal Intelligence. To generate a Strength  score
  for a rust monster, roll 3d6 on Table 5 and read the  result  from  the  M
  column; a roll of 10 yields a Strength score of 12. To generate  the  rust
  monster's Intelligence score, roll 3d6 on Table 8 and read the result from
  the A column; a roll of 18 yields an Intelligence score of 4 - an Einstein
  among rust monsters. The creature gains  all  the  bonuses  and  penalties
  associated with its  actual  ability  score  as  listed  in  the  Player's
  Handbook. The notes below contain additional information.
    When you have finished generating  the  creature's  ability  scores,  it
  might be necessary to recalculate its XP value according to the  rules  in
  the Dungeon Master Guide, Chapter 8. For example,  a  creature  with  high
  Constitution score probably has greater than average hit points and should
  have a higher XP value than its less robust cousins.

  Strength: Except as noted, all modifiers apply to creatures  in  the  same
  way they do for characters. Creatures gain the warrior combat bonuses  for
  high scores.
    Damage Adjustment: The  bonus  or  penalty  applies  to  the  creature's
  natural attacks. If the creature rolls multiple dice to determine  damage,
  the bonus or penalty applies to the total, not to each die.
    Weight Allowance: Add 35 pounds to a creature's weight allowance  if  it
  is large, 70 pounds if it is huge, and 105 pounds if it is gargantuan.  If
  published rules list a carrying capacity for a creature,  use  either  the
  listed capacity or the  modified  weight  allowance  from  the  creature's
  Strength score, whichever is higher.

                                   - 059 -

  Table 9: Monster Intelligence Scores

   Roll   A   S   L  Av   V   H   E   G  Sg  Go
    3     1   1   3   6   7   9  10  13  15  17
    4     1   1   3   7   7  10  12  14  16  18
    5     1   1   4   7   8  11  13  15  17  19
    6     1   1   4   8   8  11  13  16  17  19
    7     1   2   5   8   9  12  14  16  18  20
    8     1   2   5   9   9  12  14  17  18  20
   9-12   1   3   6   9  11  13  15  17  19  21
   13     1   3   6  10  11  13  15  18  19  21
   14     2   4   7  10  12  14  16  19  20  22
   15     2   4   7  11  12  15  17  20  21  22
   16     3   5   8  11  13  16  18  21  22  23
   17     3   5   8  12  14  17  19  22  23  24
   18     4   6   9  13  15  19  20  23  24  25

  Abbreviations: A=Animal Intelligence; 5=Semi Intelligent;
  Av=Average Intelligence; V=Very Intelligent; H=Highly Intelligent;
  E=Exceptionally Intelligent; G=Genius Intelligence; Sg=Supra-genius
  Intelligence; Go=Godlike Intelligence

  Table 10: Monster Wisdom Scores

  Score   A   S   L  Av   V   H   E   G  Sg  Go
    3     1   2   3   6   8  10  12  14  16  18
    4     1   2   3   6   8  10  12  14  16  18
    5     1   2   4   7   9  11  13  15  17  19
    6     2   3   4   7   9  11  13  15  17  19
    7     2   3   5   8  10  12  14  16  18  20
    8     2   3   5   8  10  12  14  16  18  20
  9-12    3   4   6   9  11  13  15  17  19  21
   13     3   4   6   9  11  13  15  17  19  21
   14     3   4   7  10  12  14  16  18  20  22
   15     4   5   7  10  12  14  16  18  20  22
   16     4   5   8  11  13  15  17  19  21  23
   17     4   5   8  11  13  16  18  20  22  24
   18     5   6   9  12  14  17  19  21  23  25

    Open Doors: Size L and larger creatures can use this ability  to  batter
  down or smash holes in simple wooden walls.
    Bend Bars/Lift Gates: A creature that can bring its full bulk to bear on
  an object gains the following bonuses by size category: S or M, 0; L, +5%;
  H, +10%; and C, +20%. Exceptionally sturdy objects built to  handle  heavy
  loads or restrain large creatures negate the bonus. For example, a griffon
  would get the bonus when straining against a  normal  rope  but  not  when
  pulling against a rope made to anchor a ship.

  Dexterity: All modifiers apply to creatures in the same way they apply  to
  characters, except that a creature's Reaction  Adjustment  also  increases
  its movement rate. For example, a griffon with a Dexterity score of 16 has
  a movement rate of 13, Fl 31.

  Constitution: All modifiers apply to creatures in the same way they do for
  characters. Monsters gain hit point bonuses for high scores as a warrior.

  Intelligence: Creatures that are normally unable to speak do not gain that
  ability simply by virtue of a high Intelligence score. Any creature with a
  score at least three points higher than the normal value for its race  can
  understand  one  or  more  languages.  For  example,  a  horse  with  an
  Intelligence score of 4 might know the common tongue and be able  to  give
  limited responses in the form of hoof taps, whinnies, and  shakes  of  its
  head. Other than this limitation, Intelligence functions for creatures  in
  the same way it does for characters.

  Wisdom: All modifiers apply to creatures in  the  same  way  they  do  for
  characters.

  Charisma: Reaction and loyalty adjustments apply only to creatures who are
  able to  communicate  with  each  other  in  meaningful  ways.  Otherwise,
  Charisma functions for creatures in the same way it does for characters.

  Legendary Monsters

    Just like high-level heroes, some monsters have progressed in  power  to
  the point where they are  the  most  fearsome  of  their  kind.  Legendary
  monsters are not just large or strong specimens, but instead  they  are  a
  superior strain of their race. The rules  that  follow  are  designed  for
  non-humanoid monsters and can also be combined with the Ability Scores for
  Monsters section.

                                   - 061 -

  Table 11: Monster Charisma Scores

  Score   A   S   L  Av   V   H   E   G  Sg  Go
    3     1   1   3   6   8  11  15  15  17  19
    4     1   1   3   6   8  11  13  15  17  19
    5     1   1   4   7   9  12  14  16  18  20
    6     1   1   4   7   9  12  14  16  18  20
    7     1   2   5   8  10  13  15  17  19  21
    8     1   2   5   8  10  13  15  17  19  21
   9-12   1   3   6   9  11  14  16  18  20  22
   13     1   3   6   9  11  14  16  18  20  22
   14     1   4   7  10  12  15  17  19  21  23
   15     2   4   7  10  12  15  17  19  21  25
   16     2   5   8  11  13  16  18  20  22  24
   17     3   5   8  11  13  16  18  20  22  24
   18     3   6   9  12  14  17  19  21  23  25

    A legendary monster has the  same  movement  rate,  number  of  attacks,
  damage per attack, morale rating, and  special  abilities  as  its  normal
  counterpart. The creature has increased Hit Dice, an improved Armor Class,
  and some additional powers that the DM assigns. Table 12  details  typical
  Hit Dice and Armor Class variances. When  creating  a  legendary  monster,
  don't forget to recalculate the creature's experience point value.
    Rank is simply a convenient way  to  categorize  and  assign  powers  to
  legendary monsters. Tables 12-22 use the following terms to  identify  the
  various types of legendary monsters.
    Lesser Scion: The creature is slightly more powerful than normal members
  of its race. It comes from an exceptional  bloodline,  but  the  line  has
  become diluted over the generations. There can be  anywhere  from  several
  hundred to several thousand lesser scions of a  given  race  on  a  world,
  depending on the races' overall population.  Lesser  scions  have  two  or
  three powers from Tables 13-22. When generating ability scores for  lesser
  scions, roll 3d4+4.
    Scion: The monster is superior to normal members of its race. There  are
  only a few hundred to perhaps a thousand scions  of  a  given  race  on  a
  world. Scions have three or four powers from Tables 13-22. When generating
  ability scores for scions, roll 2d6+6.
    Elder: The creature is considerably more powerful than normal members of
  its race. It comes from an exceptional bloodline, barely diluted by  time.
  There are not more than a few hundred Elders  of  any  race  on  a  world.
  Elders have three to  five  powers  from  Tables  13-22.  When  generating
  ability scores for Elders, roll 1d10+8.

    Great Elder: The creature is vastly more powerful than normal members of
  its race. It comes from an exceptional and undiluted bloodline  or  is  an
  outstanding member of an elder bloodline. There are not more than  several
  dozen great elders of a given race on a world. Great elders have  four  to
  six powers from Tables 13 - 22. When generating ability scores for elders,
  roll 1d10+8.
    Paragon: The creature represents the pinnacle of its race's strength and
  vitality. It is an extraordinary member of an elder bloodline, or  perhaps
  the progenitor of its entire race. There are not more than and  a  handful
  of paragons of a given race on a world, and a paragon often  is  a  unique
  creature. Paragons have five to  seven  powers  from  Tables  13-22.  When
  generating ability scores for paragons, roll 1d8+10.

  Table 12: Legendary Monsters

   Rank                  AC Mod.           HD Mod.
   Lesser Scion            -4               +5/1.5
   Scion                   -6              +10/2
   Elder                   -8              +15/2.5
   Great Elder            -10              +20/3
   Paragon                -12              +25/3.5

    The Armor Class Modifier is subtracted from the  creature's  base  armor
  class. This modifier is in addition to any Dexterity bonus.

    The Hit Die Modifier is added to the monster's hit  dice.  The  creature
  gains all the benefits of the increased hit dice, including reduced THAC0,
  better saving throws, and more hit points.  If  the  monster  is  normally
  given a fixed hit point total, add five hit points per additional hit die.

    The number after the slash is for monsters that have hit points  divided
  between different areas of their bodies, such  as  hydras  and  beholders.
  Multiply each area's hit points by  the  number.  For  example,  an  elder
  hydra's heads would have 20 hit points each (8 [hp for each  head]  x  2.5
  [elder multiplier] = 20).

                                   - 062 -

  Table 13: Breath Weapons

  Rank                   Damage'            Save Mod."
  Lesser Scion            26-35                -2
  Scion                   36-45                -3
  Elder                   46-55                -4
  Great Elder             56-65                -5
  Paragon                 66-75                -6

    ' The numbers indicate the average damage inflicted. Any number of  dice
  or combination of dice and a modifier that produces an average that  falls
  within the listed range is acceptable. For example, a scion might  have  a
  breath weapon that inflicts10d8 points of damage (average 45)  or  10d6+10
  points of damage. See below for average results from commonly used dice.
    " Saving Throw Modifier: This is used only for breath  weapons  that  do
  not inflict damage. For example, a gorgon's petrifying breath.

  Averages

   Die Type         Average Result
     1d4                 2.5
     1d6                 3.5
     1d8                 4.5
    1d10                 5.5
    1d12                 6.5
    1d20                10.5


  Breath Weapon Sizes


    Rank               Cloud    Cone    Line
    Lesser Scion        30'      40'     60'
    Scion               40'      55'     80'
    Elder               50'      70'    100'
    Creat Elder         60'      85'    120'
    Paragon             70'     100'    140'

  Cloud: The effect is 50' wide, 40' tall, and 30'-70' long.
  Cone:  The effect is 5' in diameter at the creature's mouth, 30' in
         diameter at its apex, and 40'-100' long.
  Line:  The effect is 5' wide, 5' tall, and from 60'-140' long.

  Powers

    A few extra Hit Dice and an Armor Class bonus are not enough to  make  a
  legend. This section contains suggestions  for  the  extraordinary  powers
  that legendary creatures possess; feel free to create more.
    Not all powers are the same. Just like a dragon's fear radius  is  based
  on its age, the potency of a legendary monster's power is based  upon  its
  overall rank. For example, the lethality of an elder's  breath  weapon  is
  noticeably different than that of a lesser scion.

  Breath Weapon

    The creature has a breath attack it can use three  to  five  times  each
  day. Typically, the creature must wait one or two rounds between  breaths.
  The creature can move normally during a round when  it  breathes,  but  it
  cannot make melee attacks, cast a spell, or use a spell-like power.
    The breath weapon can take any form the DM desires: a cloud of  scalding
  steam, cone of searing flame, gout of acid, petrifying mist, and so on.  A
  quick  look  through  the  MONSTROUS  MANUAL  and  the  various  MONSTROUS
  COMPENDIUMS should provide plenty of ideas. Basic  statistics  for  breath
  weapons are provided below.
    If the creature already has a breath weapon, use the values for the next
  higher rank instead. If the creature is a paragon, its breath weapon  uses
  the paragon dimensions from Table 13 and the  breath  weapon  inflicts  an
  average of 4.5 points of damage per hit die of the creature. For  example,
  a paragon dragon turtle has 39 hit dice  and  has  a  breath  weapon  that
  inflicts an average of 175 points of damage. For all damage-causing breath
  weapons, a successful saving throw versus breath weapon reduces damage by
  half.

  Cause Disease

    Even a scratch from a legendary monster can infect a  character  with  a
  fatal malady. Each time a monster  with  this  power  makes  a  successful
  physical attack, secretly roll 1d100. If the result is equal  to  or  less
  than the damage inflicted during the  attack,  the  opponent  contracts  a
  disease. If the creature strikes an opponent multiple times  in  a  single
  round, check for disease only once and use the total damage inflicted  for
  the check. For example, if a creature strikes an  opponent  twice  for  17
  points of damage with the first hit and  21  points  of  damage  with  the
  second blow, the opponent contracts a disease on a roll of 38 or less.

  Disease Effects

    In addition to just feeling rotten - and facing death if not cured - the
  victim also suffers one to four of the following  effects.  Other  effects
  are possible.

                                   - 063 -

  Table 14: Disease

  Rank                   Onset'             Fatality"
  Lesser Scion         1d4 Weeks            2d4 Months
  Scion                1d4 Days             2d6 Weeks
  Elder                1d4 Hours            2d6 Days
  Great Elder          1d4 Turns            2d4 Hours
  Paragon              1d4 Rounds           1d4 Turns

    ' This is the amount of time  that  passes  before  the  first  symptoms
  appear. Until then, the victim feels fine. If a victim has  been  infected
  multiple times during an encounter, roll an onset time for each  infection
  and use the shortest one. Multiple infections of the same disease have  no
  other effect.
    " This is the amount of time before the victim finally succumbs  to  the
  disease. The victim has no chance to recover on his own and dies if not
  cured.

  Ability Score Reduction: One or all of the character's ability scores  are
  reduced by one to five points. Blindness: The victim's vision blurs or the
  characters eyes swell shut.  The  character  cannot  cast  spells  or  use
  missile weapons, and he suffers the standard penalties for blindness  when
  moving or engaged in melee. A cure blindness spell has no effect,

  Chills: The character shivers uncontrollably for 2d4 rounds.  During  this
  time, the character cannot move, attack, or cast spells. All saving throws
  and ability checks suffer a - 4 penalty. The chills  recur  from  time  to
  time; roll again on the onset  column  to  see  how  soon.  Delirium:  The
  victim's  head  spins  with  weird  visions  and  confused  thoughts.  The
  character acts as though afflicted by a confusion spell. Once  each  turn,
  the victim can snap out of the delirium by rolling a 9 or  less  on  1d20.
  The victim's hit point adjustment (from Constitution/Health) applies as  a
  bonus or penalty to the roll.  Non-warrior  characters  with  Constitution
  scores of 17 or higher can claim the  warrior  hit  point  adjustment  for
  purposes of this roll.

  Fever: The character  must  rest  in  bed.  If  forced  into  action,  the
  character's stamina is severely tested and he must roll a  9  or  less  on
  1d20  each  hour  to  stay  conscious.  The  character's  hit  probability
  adjustment applies as a bonus or penalty to the roll. If the character has
  a  Stamina  statistic,  use  that  score  to  determine  the  character's
  adjustment to the roll, otherwise use Strength. If  the  roll  fails,  the
  character suffers delirium (as above) for 2d4 rounds and then falls into a
  stupor for 2d4 hours.

  Table 15: Fear Effects

  Rank                 Radius       Saving Throw Mod.
  Lesser Scion          30'                 0
  Scion                 35'                -1
  Elder                 40'                -2
  Creat Elder           45'                -3
  Paragon               50'                 4

  Paralyzation: The character loses the use  of  one  appendage  or  becomes
  totally immobile. Slow healing: The character cannot benefit from  healing
  spells and heals naturally at 10% of the normal rate.

  Cause Fear

    A legendary monster with this power sends creatures with less  than  4+1
  hit dice and characters of 4th level or less fleeing in panic on sight  if
  the creature is attacking or charging. Panicked  creatures  flee  for  2d4
  turns, as though  affected  by  the  4th-level  wizard  spell  fear.  More
  powerful characters are affected only if they are  within  the  creature's
  fear radius, and then only if the creature consciously  employs  its  fear
  power. Opponents who do not automatically flee are allowed a saving  throw
  vs. spell to avoid the effect, but there is usually a penalty to the roll.

  Crush

    Some legendary  monsters  can  use  their  strength  and  body  mass  to
  literally grind opponents underfoot. To make a crush  attack,  a  creature
  expends its full  movement  allowance  for  the  round,  taking  no  other
  actions. However, if the creature is flying or jumping down from a  height
  of 30 feet or more, the creature can make a crush attack at the end of its
  movement.

  Table 16: Crush Attacks

  Rank               Radius                   Damage
  Lesser Scion         10'                      3d8
  Scion                15'                      4d8
  Elder                20'                      5d8
  Great Elder          25'                      6d8
  Paragon              30'                      7d8


                                   - 064 -

    Opponents larger than the attacker cannot be  crushed.  When  a  monster
  makes a crushing attack, it makes  one  attack  roll  for  every  creature
  within the area of effect. An unsuccessful attack roll inflicts no damage.
  Any creature within the radius must save vs. death if it is at  least  one
  size smaller than the attacker, even if the creature  suffered  no  damage
  from the crush attack. If the defender  is  two  sizes  smaller  than  the
  attacker, the save is made at - 4, three sizes  smaller  warrants  a  -  8
  adjustment, and so on. If the save fails, the opponent is knocked down and
  can take no actions until he can stand up again.
    If the overrun rule from the Player's Option: Combat & Tactics  book  is
  in play, a crushing attack does not provoke an attack of opportunity,  and
  creatures who are knocked down after a crush attack  can  be  trampled  if
  they are smaller than the attacker. Creatures with  the  crush  power  can
  perform overruns, but not during rounds when they make crush attacks. Note
  that unlike crush attacks, overruns can be  used  only  against  creatures
  smaller than the attacker.

  Wounding

    Attacks from creatures with this power inflict  damage  that  cannot  be
  healed by regeneration, first aid, or by any magical  means  (short  of  a
  wish, 10th level healing spell, or a periapt  of  wound  closure).  Wounds
  caused by  more  powerful  legendary  monsters  bleed  freely,  inflicting
  additional damage each round until the wound is bound or a  healing  spell
  is applied. Healing spells used in this manner don't restore any lost  hit
  points, they just prevent additional bleeding damage.

    If the critical hit rules from the Player's  Option:  Combat  8  Tactics
  book are in play, an  opponent  who  suffers  a  bleeding  effect  from  a
  critical hit suffers bleeding damage from Table 17 or  from  the  critical
  hit, whichever is worse. A cure spell  can  stop  the  bleeding  from  the
  critical hit, but the bleeding from the ending power continues  until  the
  wound is bound or a second cure spell is applied.

                                   - 065 -

  Table 17: Wounding Effects

  Rank                          Damage*
  Lesser Scion                    0
  Scion                          1/Round
  Elder                        1d4/Round
  Great Elder                  1d8/Round
  Paragon                      2d6/Round

    * This is the amount of additional  damage  the  opponent  suffers  each
  round after suffering the wound. If the attacks inflicts  several  wounds,
  each one bleeds and causes additional damage.

  Innate Magic

    A legendary monster can have minor, major, or  extraordinary  spell-like
  abilities, as defined on page 49. The higher the creature's rank, the more
  often it can use its abilities.

  Invulnerability (Physical)

    Not every weapon can harm a legendary monster. This power  can  work  in
  several different ways: Weapon Type: The creature suffers no damage from a
  single type of weapon (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing). Normal Weapon:
  The creature suffers no damage from ordinary weapons and is harmed only by
  weapons made from a special material (silver,  cold-wrought  iron,  stone,
  wood, etc.).

  Nonmagical Weapon: The creature can be harmed only by  enchanted  weapons.
  Lesser scions with this power usually  can  be  harmed  by  +1  or  better
  weapons. Scions and elders are harmed by +2 or better weapons,  and  great
  elders and paragons by +3 or better weapons.

  Invulnerability (Elemental)

    The creature is immune to attacks based on one  of  the  four  elements:
  air, earth, fire, or water.

  Invulnerability (Magical)

    The creature is immune to specific magical effects or classes of magical
  effects, such as charms, cold, holds,  aging,  energy  drains,  etc.  Most
  legendary creatures have this power.

  Enhanced Movement

    Some legendary monsters are faster than their lesser cousins. Some  also
  might have special  modes  of  movement  such  as  blinking,  leaping,  or
  climbing. Bonuses are given on Table 19.

  Gaze Weapon

    A legendary monster with a gaze attack can affect an opponent simply  by
  making eye contact. A gaze attack requires  no  special  effort,  and  the
  creature can freely combine it with other attacks or abilities.
    The gaze attack can have any effect the DM desires: instant death  (save
  vs. death to avoid), stoning (save  vs.  petrification  to  avoid),  charm
  (save vs. spell to avoid), and so on. As with breath weapons, a quick look
  through descriptions of existing monsters should provide plenty of ideas.
    If the creature already has a gaze weapon, use the next highest ranking;
  if the creature is a paragon, the penalty is - 8. Adjustments are detailed
  on Table 20.

  Magic Resistance

    Most spells fail when used against a legendary monster with this  power.
  The creature's resistance can be continuous or conditional. For example, a
  creature might be resistant to spells only while the moon is full or for a
  short  time  after  it  eats  a  certain  food.  Similarly,  a  creature's
  resistance might be ineffective against  a  certain  class  of  spells  or
  ineffective against opponents who have found a specific item or  performed
  a special task.

  Table 18: Enhanced Melee Damage

  Rank                       Damage Bonus'         Size"
  Lesser Scion                  +1/die             +10%
  Scion                         +2/die             +20%
  Elder                         +5/die             +30%
  Creat Elder                +3/die +1 die         +40%
  Paragon                    +3/die +2 die         +50%

    ' The creature receives the listed bonus per die of damage inflicted  in
  addition to any bonus it receives from a high Strength score. Great elders
  and paragons receive extra dice in addition to  the  bonus  per  die.  For
  example,  a  great  elder  chimera's  attacks  inflict
  2d3+6/2d3+6/2d4+6/2d4+6/3d4+9/4d4+12.

    " The creature derives part of its damage bonus from increased size. The
  creature's size increases by the listed amount (round fractions up), which
  might place it in a larger size class. For example, a great elder  chimera
  is seven feet tall at the shoulder with a corresponding longer  body  that
  probably makes it a huge creature.

                                   - 066 -

  Table 19: Enhanced Movement

  Rank                                    Bonus*
  Lesser Scion                            +20%
  Scion                                   +30%
  Elder                                   +40%
  Creat Elder                             +50%
  Paragon                                 +60%

    * The creature's normal movement increases by the listed  amount  (round
  fractions up). For example, a scion displacer beast has a movement rate of
  20 (15 [base] + 4.5 [30% of 15] = 19.5). The bonus also helps  define  any
  unusual movement powers the creature gains. For example, a scion displacer
  beast with the ability to leap would make leaps of 50 feet.

  Table 20: Gaze Weapons

  Rank                                    Bonus*
  Lesser Scion                              -2
  Scion                                     -3
  Elder                                     -4
  Creat Elder                               -5
  Paragon                                   -6

    * Saving Throw Modifier: Opponents suffer the listed penalty when trying
  to avoid the gaze.

  Table 21: Magic Resistance

  Rank                                  Resistance
  Lesser Scion                             60%
  Scion                                    70%
  Elder                                    80%
  Great Elder                              90%
  Paragon                                 100%

  Table 22: Regeneration Rates

  Rank                                Regeneration Rate'
  Lesser Scion                             1/Round"
  Scion                                    1/Round
  Elder                                    2/Round
  Creat Elder                              3/Round
  Paragon                                  4/Round

    ' The number before the slash is the number of hit points  the  creature
  regains each melee round.
    " No hit points are regained until three rounds after  the  creature  is
  first wounded.

  Regeneration

    A scion or lesser scion  with  this  power  eventually  regenerates  any
  damage it suffers unless attacked with fire, acid,  or  magical  wounding,
  such as a sword of  wounding  or  a  legendary  monster's  wounding  power
  (damage from the subsequent bleeding can be regenerated, however). If  the
  creature is killed by a  disintegrate  or  death  magic  spell  it  cannot
  regenerate back to life. Nor can it regenerate back to life if  killed  by
  an attack that does not allow regeneration. If killed by normal attacks, a
  scion or lesser scion cannot regenerate back to life if  its  remains  are
  destroyed by fire, acid, disintegration, or a 10th-level destroy spell  at
  double difficulty (see page 123). An elder or great elder  can  regenerate
  almost any form of damage if it survives the  attack  that  inflicted  the
  damage. These monsters cannot regenerate damage from  a  wounding  effect,
  but they can heal themselves of the bleeding damage associated  with  such
  attacks. Once killed, an elder  or  great  elder  can  be  prevented  from
  regenerating by destroying their remains as noted previously.

                                   - 067 -

    A paragon's regeneration power is all but unstoppable - the creature can
  regenerate any type  of  damage.  If  completely  disintegrated  or  slain
  outright by death magic, the creature returns to life after the amount  of
  time required to regenerate 20 hit points and keeps right on  regenerating
  until it reaches full hit points. The only way  to  permanently  kill  the
  creature is to reduce it to - 20 hit points and use a wish or a 10th-level
  destroy spell at triple difficulty. The DM also  might  decide  that  some
  exotic process (see page 91) or special weapon can also kill the  creature
  permanently. For example, a paragon gorgon might be killed permanently  if
  a noble genie eats its heart or if the killing blow is delivered  with  an
  ancient king's sword.

  A Sample Legendary Monster

    An elder gorgon might have the following statistics (without adjustments
  for ability scores):

    Elder Gorgon: AC -5; MV 17 (enhanced movement power);  HD  23;  hp  105;
  THAC0 -3; #AT  3;  Dmg  2d6+6/2d6+6  (enhanced  melee  damage  power);  SA
  petrification breath; SD immune to blunt weapons, effected only by magical
  weapons of +2 or better (physical invulnerability power, twice), immune to
  earth-based  attacks,  including  petrification  (magical  invulnerability
  power); MR 80%; SZ H (10' tall at the  shoulder);  ML  average  (10);  Int
  animal (1); AL N; XP 24,000.
    Notes: SA - Four times per day, the elder gorgon can breath  a  cone  of
  petrification 85' long, 5' in diameter at the base, and 30' in diameter at
  the far end. All creatures within the area of effect are turned  to  stone
  unless they make a successful saving  throw  versus  petrification  at  -5
  (breath weapon at great elder rank).

                                   - 068 -

  Chapter 3: Spells and Magical Items

    Magic is important to any  AD&D  campaign,  but  it  is  critical  to  a
  high-level world. Chapter 1 discusses the role of magic  in  more  detail.
  This chapter contains expansions and clarifications to help DMs keep magic
  manageable and wondrous.

  Daily Recovery of Spells

    Wizards and priests cannot simply stop anywhere and regain  spells  they
  have cast or change the spells they have memorized. Memorizing a spell  is
  a difficult task that requires a clear head from a good night's sleep  and
  10 minutes of effort per level of the spell (see  the  Player's  Handbook,
  Chapter 7). Memorizing a spell is  an  arduous  mental  task,  and  it  is
  helpful to consider exactly what a character must do to accomplish it.
    The basic requirement to memorize spells is a good  night's  sleep.  The
  character must awake feeling fresh and rested. The DM  must  decide  if  a
  character is rested well enough to regain spells, but  about  eight  hours
  spent in reasonable comfort - one cannot regain spells after a night spent
  in a saddle - is the minimum.
    The spellcaster must also have enough peace, quiet, and comfort to allow
  proper concentration on the character's studies or devotions. Spellcasters
  do not necessarily have to be sitting in  the  lap  of  luxury  to  regain
  spells, but their minds must be free  from  overt  distractions,  such  as
  combat raging nearby,  exposure  to  inclement  weather,  or  fatigue.  Of
  course, wizards need plenty of light to read their spellbooks by.

                                   - 069 -

    Priests don't use spellbooks but must have all  the  trappings  required
  for solemn prayer and meditation. Such trappings include some token of the
  deity being petitioned for spells, such  as  a  holy  symbol,  or  perhaps
  prayer at a site that reflects the deity's  nature  -  petitioning  a  war
  deity from an ancient battlefield is going to get the deity's attention.
    Characters who do not require sleep  (due  to  a  magical  item,  racial
  ability, or other special circumstance) can acquire spells only once  each
  day and only after eight hours of restful  calm;  the  spellcaster  cannot
  acquire spells immediately after movement, combat, spellcasting, or  other
  distractions.
    If a character is disturbed while studying or praying for  a  spell  (by
  combat, injury, loud noise, or other distraction), the caster  must  begin
  work on the spell again and any time already spent on the spell  is  lost.
  For example, Rozmare is poring over her spell  books  to  memorize  a  fly
  spell. She is seated in a forest glade  where  her  party  has  spent  the
  night. The sun is shining and the forest is fairly quiet, so  all  Rozmare
  needs to do is study her books for  30  minutes  to  memorize  the  spell.
  Unfortunately, after Rozmare has been studying for 20 minutes,  the  local
  pixies decide to play a prank, pitting Rozmare and her companions  against
  an illusory band of goblin acrobats. When the confusion finally dies down,
  Rozmare has to begin studying her fly  spell  all  over  again,  requiring
  another 30 minutes of uninterrupted study.

  Limited Study Time: It  is  difficult  to  keep  a  clear  head  during  a
  prolonged mental effort. A spellcaster can spend a maximum of eight  hours
  a day acquiring spells. After that  much  effort,  the  character  can  no
  longer concentrate sufficiently to regain any spells, though the character
  suffers no other disadvantages.


  Additional Comments on Spells and Magical Items

    This Section contains new and updated information for adjudicating magic
  use in your campaign. Items marked with a (+) are from the Tome of  Magic,
  spells marked with a (*) are from The Complete Wizard's Handbook, and  all
  other spells and items are from the Player's Handbook. Some of the entries
  contain optional material, presented in a separate  paragraph  on  a  gray
  background.

  Wizard Spells

  Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting(+): The maximum damage is 16d8.

  Alacrity(+): This spell can be very  useful  for  reducing  spell  casting
  times on low-magic worlds (see page 47). Apply the local multiplier  to  a
  spell's casting time before calculating the alacrity spell's effect.

  Antimagic Shell: This spell temporarily suppresses magic within  its  area
  of effect, but it does not destroy or dispel enchantments or kill  magical
  creatures. The spell has no effect  on  golems,  simulacrums,  clones,  or
  other constructs which are imbued with magic during their creation process
  and are thereafter self-supporting. Most  undead  creatures  are  likewise
  unaffected. Some of these creatures' special abilities may be  temporarily
  nullified, however (see below). Any creature, including a golem  or  other
  construct, that is conjured, summoned or from another plane  of  existence
  is hedged out of an antimagic shell.
    An antimagic shell suppresses any spell or spell effect brought into  or
  cast into the area of effect. A hasted  character,  for  example,  is  not
  hasted while he remains in the area of effect. Permanent  spells  are  not
  removed, but cannot be used to produce magical effects within the area  of
  effect. For example, a character who has been resurrected is not harmed by
  an antimagic shell, but a character with a permanent tongues  spell  loses
  the ability to converse in an unknown language while within the area of
  effect.
    An antimagic shell suppresses special attacks and innate abilities  that
  function over a distance, including breath weapons,  gaze  attacks,  sonic
  attacks, and psionics, but not touch-delivered  special  attacks  such  as
  energy draining or the corrosive effects  of  green  slime.  A  lich,  for
  example, cannot employ spells within an antimagic shell and its ability to
  cause fear is suppressed, but its paralyzing  touch  is  still  effective.
  Note that holy water is not magical  and  is  fully  effective  within  an
  antimagic shell.
    An antimagic shell suppresses most potions and their  effects;  see  the
  note at potions for details.

  Astral Spell: This spell sends a projection of the caster's body into  the
  Astral Plane. If the caster elects to take  other  characters  along,  the
  spell creates projections of them, too. An astral traveler can enter other
  planes while projecting, but forms a new physical body, identical  to  the
  original, to do so.
    Only magical items are projected  along  with  a  traveler's  body,  but
  normal equipment can be rendered temporarily magical by  casting  Nystul's
  magical aura, continual light, and other  spells  that  temporarily  imbue
  objects with magical properties. See page 51 for a brief discussion of the
  effects planar travel has on magical  items.  (The  Planescape  boxed  set
  contains more details.)
    A traveler's physical body falls into a deathlike trance and requires no
  food or water while the  caster  is  projecting.  The  physical  forms  of
  projected magical items become inert on the Prime Material  Plane.  Damage
  to a traveler's physical body does not affect the projected form, but  the
  character dies immediately if  his  physical  body  is  killed.  Projected
  equipment vanishes if its physical form is destroyed.

                                   - 070 -

    Damage inflicted on an astral  traveler's  projected  form  affects  the
  character normally. If a traveler is damaged when returning  to  his  body
  the damage must be healed normally.
    If an astral traveler dies, the character must attempt  a  system  shock
  roll. If the roll fails, the character dies and any items projected  along
  with him dissolve into nothingness. If the roll succeeds, the traveler  is
  drawn back to his original body and wakes  up  with  one  hit  point.  The
  process is debilitating and the character cannot cast or memorize  spells.
  The character can move at half speed and fight and use  proficiencies  and
  other skills, but at a -4 penalty to  dice  rolls.  The  restrictions  and
  penalties remain until the character regains at least half of his hit
  points.
    A successful dispel magic cast on a traveler's physical  body  ends  the
  spell, drawing the traveler back to the Prime Material Plane without being
  otherwise harmed; any companions  accompanying  the  caster  are  likewise
  forcibly returned.
    While traveling through the Astral Plane, a projected form can  move  by
  pure  thought;  a  character's  astral  movement  rate  is  30  times  his
  Intelligence/Reason score.

  Blink: Spellcasting is not possible while blinking.

  Clairvoyance: The spellcaster must describe where the  sensor  this  spell
  creates is to appear. Once created, the sensor cannot be moved.
    When placing the sensor, the  caster  must  be  precise  and  state  the
  location in terms he knows or are fairly obvious. For example, the  caster
  cannot place the sensor six inches from Ren the wizard's left  ear  if  he
  has no idea where Ren is at the moment. He can place  the  sensor  in  the
  exact center of Ren's laboratory if he has a  reasonable  idea  where  the
  laboratory is located. A general location for the sensor is permissible if
  the location is based on something known or obvious  to  the  caster.  For
  example, the caster could specify the exact center of the chamber beyond a
  closed door nearby.

  Clairaudience: The caster  must  describe  where  the  sensor  this  spell
  creates is to appear, see the clairvoyance spell for details.

  Color Spray: The area of effect for this spell is a plane five  feet  wide
  at the caster's hand, 20 feet long, and 20 feet wide at the far end.

  Cone of Cold: The maximum damage from this spell is 10d4+10 points.

  Continual Light: This wizard spell is not reversible, though the  priest's
  version is.

  Delayed Blast Fireball: This spell inflicts up to 15d6+15 points of
  damage.

  Dispel Magic: A dispel  magic  spell  cast  directly  upon  an  unattended
  magical item automatically renders the item inoperable for 1d4 rounds.  If
  dispel magic is cast upon an item that is in  the  possession  of  another
  creature, the item is unaffected by the dispelling attempt if the creature
  makes a successful saving throw versus spell. If the  creature  fails  its
  saving throw, the item is rendered inert for 1d4 rounds.
    Temporary effects from potions can be  dispelled,  see  the  section  on
  potions for details.
    Permanent  spells  must  be  individually  targeted  to  be  dispelled,
  requiring a separate dispel magic for  each  permanent  effect.  Unlike  a
  magical item, a permanent spell is  destroyed,  not  temporarily  rendered
  nonoperational, by a successful dispel magic. A  creature  or  item  never
  gains a saving throw to avoid a dispelling attempt against  its  permanent
  effects, but the dispel magic is not automatically successful either.  The
  caster of the dispel magic must still be of higher level than  the  caster
  of the permanency spell, and he must still make  a  successful  dispelling
  roll. More detailed information is found at the permanency spell
  description.
    Casting dispel magic on a creature or object does not radiate an area of
  effect. Thus, spells such as stoneskin, minor  globe  of  invulnerability,
  and barkskin could not be dispelled as the result of trying to negate  the
  magic of a wand of lightning.
    Spells and  potions  whose  basic  durations  are  permanent  cannot  be
  dispelled. A cure light wounds spell or potion of extra-healing, cannot be
  dispelled after their  healing  properties  have  occurred.  A  potion  of
  heroism could be negated while its effects were in operation, however.
    A successful dispel magic versus a 10th-level spell temporarily  negates
  the spell's effect for 1d4 rounds. It has no effect  against  a  permanent
  10th-level spell cast on a creature.

  ESP: The caster perceives the subject's surface thoughts that is, whatever
  the subject happens to be thinking about at  the  time.  Note  that  close
  interrogation might  bring  buried  thoughts  to  the  surface,  but  wary
  individuals can fight off the probe and gain a saving  throw  against  the
  spell. The subject's Wisdom bonus  (or  penalty)  always  applies  to  the
  saving throw, along with an additional bonus of up to +4, at the DM's
  option.

                                   - 071 -

    The bonus depends  on  how  closely  the  subject  wants  to  guard  the
  sought-after information. In addition, even seemingly innocuous  questions
  could reveal information that the target of  the  spell  desires  to  keep
  secret. In cases where there is a conflict  between  the  bonuses  listed,
  always grant the higher bonus.
    Trivial matters merit no  bonus.  These  include  questions  related  to
  general knowledge (What flag flies over the keep?) and personal  questions
  whose answers are obvious (What color is your hair?).
    A +1 bonus to the saving throw is warranted when  the  subject  dislikes
  the interrogator or  if  the  questioner  is  asking  non-threatening  but
  potentially embarrassing requests.  For  example,  the  subject  is  being
  prompted to reveal a minor transgression, such as overcharging a customer,
  or admit a minor shortcoming, such as fear of a spouse or military
  commander.
    A bonus of +2 is warranted if the interrogator is hostile to the subject
  or is asking damaging questions. For example, the subject is  prompted  to
  reveal indirectly harmful information, such as where personal treasure  is
  hidden, or is asked to betray a trust.
    A +3 bonus is granted if the interrogator has attacked the subject or is
  asking seriously damaging questions. For example,  the  subject  is  being
  prompted to reveal a secret vital to his future, such as military plans or
  trade secrets.
    A +4 bonus to the save is warranted if the interrogator has  killed  one
  of the subject's companions or  is  asking  deeply  personal  or  damaging
  questions.  For  example,  the  subject  is  being  prompted  to  reveal
  information vital to himself or to someone important to him, such  as  the
  location of a family heirloom, an employer's daily routine, or a carefully
  guarded password.

  Feather Fall: This spell can be cast in reaction to a fall  or  a  missile
  attack, provided the caster has not already made an attack or cast a spell
  in the current round. In the case  of  an  attack,  the  caster  must  win
  initiative to complete the spell  before  the  missile  arrives;  use  the
  normal initiative procedure from the Player's Handbook. In the case  of  a
  fall, the caster can be assumed to automatically cast this  spell  at  the
  beginning of any fall of 10 feet or more provided he is not prevented from
  casting spells (silenced, gagged, etc.).
    If the  caster  is  falling  an  extreme  distance  (in  excess  of  120
  feet/level), the caster can opt to delay the feather fall  spell  so  that
  its duration does not expire before the caster lands. When in doubt  about
  the caster's ability to complete the spell before impact, roll initiative.
  The caster makes a normal roll, adding +1 for the  spell's  casting  time,
  and the DM rolls for the fall, adding +1 for each 120 feet of  free  fall.
  If the caster loses the initiative roll, impact occurs before the spell is
  completed.
    This spell does not provide any method  by  which  the  spellcaster  can
  determine the length of a fall. Thus, a wizard falling  into  a  lightless
  pit has no way to determine if the fall is going to be 10 feet or 1,000
  feet.

  Fly: It is important to remember that this spell  bestows  Maneuverability
  Class B upon the recipient, which limits the user to  turns  totaling  180
  degrees or less per round. This might make it difficult for  the  user  to
  negotiate a twisting corridor at full speed. Once the flying character has
  completed his allowable turns, he must either finish the round flying in a
  straight line or stop.

  Fear: If made permanent, a fear spell causes the recipient to  continually
  radiate a fear aura.
    When cast on an  area,  a  permanent  fear  effect  creates  a  cone  as
  described in the spell description. The caster can orient the cone in  any
  direction, but the  direction  cannot  be  changed  thereafter.  Creatures
  entering the cone must save vs. spells or flee for one round per level  of
  the caster at the time the spell was cast.
    When cast on an object or creature, the recipient  radiates  a  cone  of
  fear that can be pointed in any direction the recipient desires  once  per
  round as though wielding a wand of fear. Even though this attack  requires
  no casting time or command word, it still counts as  an  action  for  that
  round and has an initiative modifier of +3.
    In the permanent version, the caster is granted  a  limited  ability  to
  shape the spell's parameters to suit his needs. For  example,  a  creature
  with a permanent fear aura might be granted a gaze attack with a range  of
  10-60 feet, a touch, or a continuous globe of fear with a radius of  5  to
  20 feet.
    An object  with  a  fear  aura  might  cause  fear  when  handled,  shed
  continuous fear in a 5- to 20-foot radius, or inspire fear when viewed
  clearly.
    Permanent fear on an area might affect creatures passing though a portal
  or opening up to 60 by 60 feet, a cube of up to 30 feet per side, a sphere
  with a radius of up to 20 feet, or a hemisphere with a radius of up to  25
  feet. The shape and dimensions of this spell cannot be changed once set.

  Haste: A creature who has been subjected to two or more haste-type effects
  gains the benefit of only the best of  the  group.  A  haste  spell  never
  magnifies the effects of magical items, such as boots of speed or a potion
  of speed.

                                   - 072 -

    The one year of magical aging inflicted  upon  the  recipients  of  this
  spell requires the recipient to make a system  shock  roll  (see  Player's
  Handbook, Chapter 1); failure results in death. This  magical  aging  only
  occurs during the first round of the spell's effect,  and  multiple  haste
  spells do not cause additional aging unless  their  effects  overlap.  For
  example, casting an additional haste spell one round  before  an  existing
  haste spell ends would cause another year of magical aging  once  the  new
  spell took effect.

  Identify: Characters seeking to purchase magical items might  employ  this
  spell to get some idea what they are buying. Remember that the spellcaster
  must spend-the eight hours preceding the casting of this  spell  purifying
  the items to be identified. Most NPCs do not allow anyone to keep an  item
  for that long;  at  least  not  without  a  substantial  advance  payment.
  Dishonest sellers might pocket the advance and disappear, leaving the  PCs
  with a cursed or bogus item.
    The spell also requires the caster to handle the item, and a good way to
  keep magic under control in  a  campaign  is  to  require  the  caster  to
  actually wear or wield the item as it was intended. This requirement means
  some cursed items are going to affect the caster.
    Be sure to impose the eight-point temporary Constitution loss the  spell
  inflicts (which provides enemies with an excellent opportunity  to  attack
  the weakened spellcaster). Note that  there  is  a  limit  to  the  number
  different magical properties this spell can reveal during a single casting
  and that the exact number of charges and magical pluses are never
  revealed.

  Invisibility: If this spell is made permanent,  the  recipient  gains  the
  ability to become invisible and remain so indefinitely. Any attack  breaks
  the invisibility, but the recipient can become invisible again during  the
  next round. The return to invisibility has an initiative modifier  of  +3,
  and the recipient can take no action other than normal movement  during  a
  round in which he becomes invisible.

  Light: The wizard's version of this spell is not reversible.

  Limited Wish: The magical aging inflicted by this spell is a  function  of
  the caster's natural life span. Typical aging is one year for a human, two
  years for a half ling or half-elf, three years for dwarf, four years for a
  gnome, and five years for an elf.
    This spell functions as a wish spell in most  respects,  but  it  cannot
  produce wealth or magical items. A limited wish can mimic the function  of
  most other spells of 7th level or less. If  used  to  alter  reality,  the
  changes must be minor. For example, a single creature  automatically  hits
  on its next attack, all opponents currently attacking the  caster's  party
  suffer a -2 attack penalty for the duration of  the  encounter,  a  single
  creature regains 20-50% of lost hit points, or a single creature fails its
  next saving throw are all possible uses for the spell.
    Major changes in reality persist for  a  limited  duration,  such  as  a
  single creature regaining all lost hit points  for  24  hours,  a  hostile
  creature becoming cooperative for an hour,  or  an  alert  sentry  falling
  asleep at his post.

  Magic Mirror: This spell creates an invisible sensor similar  to  the  one
  created by a clairvoyance spell; the sensor has the same visual capabiliti
  s as a clairvoyance sensor, but the  spellcaster  can  also  employ  other
  spells to  enhance  the  effect  (see  spell  description).  As  with  the
  clairvoyance spell, the user must state where the  sensor  is  to  appear;
  however, the user is free to state the sensors location  with  respect  to
  the subject without knowing the subject's exact location. No  matter  what
  the spell's actual duration, the user's knowledge of  the  subject  limits
  how long this spell can be safely used; see the crystal  ball  description
  in the Dungeon Master Guide for details.

  Magic Staff(+): Spells stored in the staff are unusable on worlds rated M4
  or less (see page 47). A  low-magic  world  does  not  dispel  the  stored
  spells, however, and the spells can be used again if the staff is taken to
  a world with a higher rating before the magic staff spell's duration ends.

  Otiluke's Dispelling Screen(*): This spell  has  no  effect  on  permanent
  spells unless those effects are in operation at the  time  the  individual
  walks through  the  screen.  For  example,  a  creature  made  permanently
  invisible would become visible when walking through the  screen  and  then
  disappear again on the other side.  The  screen  must  still  successfully
  dispel magic against the spell in order to even briefly negate it. Magical
  items are likewise unaffected by exposure to a dispelling screen.
    Since this spell cannot focus its dispel magic effect, it cannot destroy
  permanent spells or negate the powers of magical items.

                                   - 073 -

  Permanency: The caster can use this spell to  make  another  spellcaster's
  spell permanent. The permanency must be cast simultaneously with the spell
  to be made permanent and the permanency caster must touch the other
  caster.
    A permanent spell cast upon the caster himself or upon a living creature
  can be dispelled only by  a  spellcaster  of  a  level  greater  than  the
  permanency caster at the time he  cast  the  spell.  Further,  the  dispel
  effect must be targeted solely upon the caster to be effective (see dispel
  magic spell description and the note on dispel magic in this section).
    The following spells can be made permanent if the caster uses the  spell
  on himself:

    comprehend languages            protection from evil
    detect disease(*)               protection from hunger
                                    and thirst(*)
    detect evil                     protection from normal
                                    missiles
    detect invisibility             protection from paralysis(+)
    detect life(*)                  read magic
    detect magic                    tongues
    infra vision                    unseen servant
    past life(+)

    The following spells can be made permanent if cast on a creature other
  than the permanency caster:

    enlarge                         invisibility*
    fear*

    The following spells can be made permanent if cast on an object or area:

    alarm                           prismatic sphere
    audible glamer                  solid fog
    dancing lights                  stinking cloud*
    distance distortion             teleport*
    enlarge                         Von Gasik's refusal(+)
    fear*                           wall of fire
    gust of wind                    wall of force
    magic mouth                     web
    Otiluke's dispelling screens(*)*

    A permanent spell cast upon an object or area can be  dispelled  by  any
  caster, but the dispel effect must be targeted solely upon the  object  or
  area carrying the permanent spell. A dispel magic cast against a permanent
  effect can only dispel one effect per casting. See the notes at the dispel
  magic entry for more information.

  * See this section for further notes on this spell.

  Polymorph Any Object: The DM usually must determine how long  this  lasts.
  If employed as a simple polymorph other  or  stone  to  flesh  spell,  the
  duration is permanent. If employed to turn a creature into an object or an
  object into another object, the duration is measured in hours or turns, as
  noted in the spell description.
    Generally, the duration should not be less than two hours  or  turns.  A
  change whose duration is measured in turns should not  last  more  than  a
  week, and a change whose duration is measured in hours will not last  more
  than a day. The more radical the change, the  shorter  the  duration.  For
  example, turning a human into  a  teacup  involves  a  change  of  kingdom
  (animal to mineral), plus a change in size and shape:  This  change  might
  last 1d4+1 turns.

  Polymorph Other: This spell causes  the  target  to  assume  the  form  of
  another creature of the  caster's  choosing.  The  caster  cannot  turn  a
  creature into a plant or object. If the recipient fails the  saving  throw
  against the spell, there is an immediate system shock check to see if  the
  creature survives the change. If  the  recipient  survives,  the  creature
  gains all the new form's purely physical abilities, but no abilities based
  on magic, agility, or intelligence. If the recipient's  mentality  changes
  to match the new form, the creature gains all the form's abilities.
    If the caster chooses  a  form  that  cannot  survive  under  the  local
  conditions, the recipient suffers 1d4 to 1d8 points of  damage  each  day,
  hour, turn, or round it is exposed to  such  conditions.  For  example,  a
  goldfish in a desert might suffer 1d8 points of damage  every  round  from
  heat and dryness. The same goldfish might  suffer  1d6  points  of  damage
  every turn on a dungeon floor or 1d4 points  of  damage  every  day  in  a
  frigid mountain pool. Some creatures  might  be  immune  to  environmental
  damage as long as their mentality remains intact.  For  example,  a  mummy
  tumed into a goldfish does not suffer from the desert heat.

  Polymorph Self: When the caster assumes a new form, the caster gains  only
  the new form's normal mode of movement and breathing. The caster does  not
  gain any special attacks or unusual abilities. The spell description  uses
  the form of an owl as an example - the caster gains the ability to fly but
  not an owl's extraordinary night vision (which is a special ability).
    When deciding what abilities are gained, the DM can immediately rule out
  any ability that does not arise from the form's physical  characteristics.
  For example, a quickling's speed  comes  from  its  magically  accelerated
  metabolism and is not derived purely from its physical form.

                                   - 074 -

    In general, the DM should  consider  any  non-flying  movement  rate  of
  greater than 24 or flying movement rate of greater than 36  as  a  special
  ability.
    The caster can assume the forms of creatures he he has personally  seen.
  For example, a caster who has never seen an achre jelly cannot change into
  one.

  Power Word, Stun: Creatures affected by this spell are unable to take  any
  meaningful actions. They cannot communicate, employ  spells,  use  magical
  items, initiate psionic abilities, use  spell-like  abilities,  fight,  or
  move freely. Movement is limited  to  one  third  the  creature's  current
  movement rate, or a rate of 3, whichever is less. Attacks against  stunned
  creatures gain a +4 bonus.

  Protection from Evil: Contrary to popular  belief,  this  spell  does  not
  hedge out undead  creatures  (except  ghouls,  see  the  MONSTROUS  MANUAL
  accessory)  unless  they  have  been  brought  to  the  scene  by  a
  conjuration/summoning spell (such as monster summoning III) or  have  come
  from another plane.

  Rope Trick: A rope trick can support about 1,000 pounds,  but  the  DM  is
  free to assign a higher or lower limit. A  frayed  or  rotten  rope  might
  break before the spell's limit is exceeded.
    Placing another extradimensional space inside the area created by a rope
  trick spell has catastrophic effects, see  the  note  at  extradimensional
  spaces in the magical items section (page 80).
    This spell is ineffective in the Astral Plane and in  any  locale  where
  extradimensional spaces are inaccessible or  nonexistent  (see  page  56).
  Creatures within the space created by a rope trick  can  breathe  normally
  for the duration of the spell.

  Shape Change: This spell functions in much the same  way  as  a  polymorph
  self spell except that the caster can assume non-animal  forms  and  there
  are no size limitations. Unlike the polymorph self spell, the caster gains
  any ability the assumed form has provided the ability is  not  magical  or
  mental in nature. For example, a character who changes into an  owl  gains
  its night vision, but changing  into  a  cockatrice  does  not  grant  the
  monster's petrifying touch. The spell does not bestow magic resistance.

  Stinking Cloud: A permanent stinking cloud remains where it is created and
  generally is not disturbed by minor effects.  If  dispersed  by  a  strong
  breeze or a gust of wind spell, the vapors  return  one  round  after  the
  breeze or wind ceases. Even  hurricane  force  winds  cannot  destroy  the
  cloud, though the vapors are dispersed and ineffective while the winds
  last.

  Stoneskin:  This  spell  is  subject  to  considerable  abuse  by  player
  characters. Multiple stoneskins  placed  on  a  single  creature  are  not
  cumulative. If two or more stoneskin spells are cast on the same creature,
  roll normally for the number of attacks each spell protects against. If  a
  new spell protects against more attacks than the present spell  does,  the
  recipient gets the benefit of the increased protection; otherwise there is
  no effect. The caster does not necessarily know how many attacks the spell
  can shield him from.
    Stoneskin protects only against blows, cuts, pokes, and slashes directed
  at the recipient. It does not  protect  against  falls,  magical  attacks,
  touch-delivered special attacks (such as  touch-delivered  spells,  energy
  draining, green slime, etc.), or nonmagical attacks that  do  not  involve
  blows  (such  as  flaming  oil,  ingested  or  inhaled  poisons,  acid,
  constriction, and suffocation). Stoneskin lasts for 24 hours or until  the
  spell has absorbed its allotment of attacks.

  Teleport: Regular use of this spell is very dangerous, as there is a  slim
  chance that there can be an error even if the caster travels to well-known
  locations. Additional notes  regarding  the  definition  of  a  well-known
  location are found under the teleport without error listing.
    Even minor alterations to a site can affect the caster's knowledge of  a
  location. For example, Rozmare has spent many hours in her study, and  the
  DM allows her to use the "very familiar"  category  when  determining  how
  accurate her teleport spells are when her study is the destination.  If  a
  rival breaks in and rearranges the furniture, however, Rozmare's knowledge
  falls to "studied carefully" or worse because she is not as familiar  with
  the way things are currently arranged. If the  intruder  removed  all  the
  furniture and filled the study with boulders, Rozmare's knowledge falls to
  the "never seen" category.
    Some players  might  attempt  elaborate  precautions  to  protect  their
  characters from the disastrous effects of failed teleport spells;  as  the
  DM, you should not discourage such efforts, but keep the following in
  mind:
    A teleport spell requires a firm surface as a  destination.  The  caster
  cannot choose to appear in the  air  or  in  a  pool  of  water  to  avoid
  teleporting low. It is possible, however to teleport  to  a  firm  surface
  with a space or water underneath. If a teleporting character arrives  low,
  roll 1d100 to see how many yards below the surface the caster's feet land.
  Note that a low teleport is always fatal if the caster arrives within  any
  solid object no matter how thin or flimsy the object is;  teleporting  low
  into a pile of feathers is  just  as  deadly  as  teleporting  into  rock.
  Teleporting low into water is not immediately  fatal,  but  the  character
  still might drown if he can't hold his breath until he reaches the
  surface.

                                   - 075 -

    A permanent teleport spell affects a single object with a volume  of  no
  more than 1,000 cubic feet (a 10-foot cube) or an area no larger than  400
  square feet (20 feet square). The caster names the destination  and  rolls
  once for accuracy. The destination cannot be changed once set. The  caster
  can assign a command word or non-verbal triggering device if  he  desires.
  This can be as simple or complex as the  caster  desires;  see  the  magic
  mouth spell description in the Player's Handbook for  limitations.  If  no
  command or trigger is set, anyone passing through the area or touching the
  object is teleported.
    Usually, only one creature can be teleported each round. It is  possible
  to have  several  creatures  teleport  simultaneously  provided  they  are
  touching the first creature to trigger the  teleport  and  the  additional
  creatures and their equipment do not  exceed  the  spell's  weight  limit,
  which is the same as the caster's weight limit at the  time  the  original
  spell was cast.
    If a permanent teleport spell is inaccurate, both the permanency and the
  teleport spell fail, but the caster can attempt a  system  shock  roll  to
  avoid losing a point of Constitution. If  this  option  is  in  play,  the
  caster also might be allowed to set multiple destinations  with  the  same
  permanent teleport spell. The caster must name  a  different  trigger  for
  each destinatian and roll for accuracy each time a trigger is set.

  Teleport Without Error: As with teleport, this spell only allows travel to
  known locations. To know a location, the caster must learn what the  place
  looks like or must be able to surmise where it is.  For  example,  if  the
  caster has been blindfold, carried into a chamber, then  allowed  to  look
  around, the character could use teleport without error to  return  to  the
  chamber even though he has no idea where the chamber is. The  caster  also
  could teleport without error into the courtyard of a castle visible in the
  distance even if he had never seen the courtyard before. Note that in both
  cases the caster could employ a normal teleport spell,  but  the  caster's
  lack of knowledge about the destination would make the attempt dangerous.
    A  teleport  without  error  spell  has  no  chance  for  error  if  the
  destination  lies  in  the  same  world  as  the  caster.  If  the  caster
  accidentally specifies a destination already occupied by a  solid  object,
  the character is automatically displaced a sufficient  distance  to  allow
  for a safe arrival.

    Teleport without error also allows travel between world (planes, crystal
  spheres, and pocket dimensions) but there is a chance for error,  see  the
  spell description for details.

  Unseen Servant: The force this spell creates does not possess  any  senses
  or powers of reason. It is incapable of any action  except  following  its
  instructions to the letter. For example, an unseen servant can be sent  to
  the bottom of a pool to grab whatever objects it encounters, but it cannot
  be directed to grab any coins or gems that it finds.
    The permanent version of this spell creates an  invisible  servant  that
  always hovers within 30 feet of the caster. If destroyed,  it  reforms  in
  2d10 rounds.
    A permanent unseen servant can be cast on  an  area  and  instructed  to
  endlessly perform a single task, such as forever cleaning a room.  Once  a
  task is set, it cannot be changed.

  Web: Webs must be properly supported if they are  to  be  made  permanent.
  Permanent webbing remains where it is created,  if  torn  away,  new  webs
  spring into existence to take its place. Chunks of webbing carried out  of
  the area of effect dissolve in seconds. Creatures can  break  through  the
  webbing at the  rates  given  in  the  spell  description,  but  the  webs
  immediately fill in behind them.  Creatures  who  blunder  into  permanent
  webbing (or who are thrown in) can be trapped and suffocated if they  fail
  to save vs. spell just as they can if caught in normal webbing.
    Permanent webs can be burned away with fire, but they spring  back  into
  being one round after the flames die away.

  Wish: Most uses of this spell lower the caster's Strength/Stamina score by
  three points and force the caster to take to his bed for  2d4  days.  Lost
  Strength/Stamina returns at the end of the rest period.  If  the  caster's
  Strength score falls to 0 or less, he loses consciousness until he has
  rested.
    A wish essentialIy allows the user to change reality to suit his tastes.
  The alteration, however, can have unintended consequences,  especially  if
  the wish is poorly worded or the caster gets greedy. Generally,  the  more
  local and personal the effect, the less chance there is for complications.
  Adjudicating this spell is tricky, as the DM must  be  sure  to  give  the
  players results that reflect the power of the wish, but not so  much  that
  the players come to rely on wishes to solve all their problems. A wish can
  always duplicate any spell of 9th level or less.
    To avoid the bed rest and Strength/Stamina loss associated with  a  wish
  spell, the caster must effect a change that does not leave him better  off
  than before the events  that  preceded  the  wish.  For  example,  if  the
  wizard's party was defeated by a powerful monster, the caster  could  wish
  that they had never met the creature. This change in  reality  brings  his
  companions back to life as if the encounter had never occurred. The caster
  ages five years, but he does not have to rest for 2d4 days from  the  wish
  since he is not in a better position than before the events occurred.

                                   - 076 -

    If the caster wished for his party to return but the monster  to  remain
  dead, he would be subject to the debilitative effects, since the  creature
  being dead is considered an advantage that the spellcaster  did  not  have
  before the events occurred. Any time a wish creates an advantage  for  the
  caster the loss of Strength and the 2d4 days of bed rest occurs.
    The effective power of a wish is based upon the  availability  of  money
  and magical items in your campaign world. If these are in  abundance,  the
  power of the wish is enhanced.  Likewise,  in  a  world  where  money  and
  magical items are scarce, the power of a wish is reduced. As DM, you  need
  to determine the relative power of a wish in your world. Here  are  a  few
  guidelines for a world that has a moderate amount of wealth and magical
  items:
    A wish can produce  a  magical  item  but  not  an  artifact.  To  avoid
  suffering bed rest and Strength loss, the caster should place a  limit  on
  the length of time the item is kept, typically about one  hour.  The  item
  isn't actually created, it's just borrowed and goes  back  where  it  came
  from when the duration expires.  If  the  item  is  particularly  rare  or
  valuable, or has been borrowed before, the true owner might resent the
  loan.
    A wish can bring the user wealth.  The  DM  should  decide  how  much  a
  character can wish for  without  trouble.  The  amount  gained  should  be
  significant but not so great as to disrupt the game. For most campaigns, a
  random amount of 5,000 to 40,000 gp (5d8x1,000) shouldn't cause problems.
    A wish can change a character's race permanently,  allowing  an  elf  to
  become a human and advance without level limitations. Alternatively,  that
  same elf could wish to advance in level like a human, but he could at most
  gain one level per wish. Each time he wanted to advance in level, he would
  have to cast another wish to allow it to occur..
    A wish  can  usually  negate  or  change  events  that  the  user  finds
  undesirable - this is why wishes are part of the AD&D game. A wish used to
  alter a campaign's history should be immediate - made on the spot or  very
  soon after the event to be altered took place. Wishes  that  allow  player
  characters a second chance to achieve a goal after an unlucky  failure  or
  disastrous mistake should be allowed, as long as the  terms  of  the  wish
  don't guarantee success.

    When assigning consequences to poorly worded or inappropriate wishes, it
  is best to follow two guidelines: First, the errant wish should follow the
  player's wording to the letter. Second, the result should follow the  path
  of least resistance; that is, the result should involve the  simplest  and
  least complex warping of reality. For  example,  a  greedy  character  who
  tries to wish for a staff  of  the  magi  might  very  well  find  himself
  standing naked and alone, staff in hand, in front of  the  staff's  former
  owner (perhaps a dragon or lich).  Escaping  from  the  former  owner  and
  returning home is the character's problem.
    As with limited wish,  the  unnatural  aging  caused  by  the  spell  is
  dependent upon the race of the caster; five years for a  human,  10  years
  for a half ling or half-elf, 15 years for a dwarf, 20 years for  a  gnome,
  and 25 years for an elf. The aging  requires  a  system  shock  roll,  and
  failure results in death for the caster.
    Chapter 1 of the Dungeon Master Guide discusses the effects of wishes on
  ability scores, and additional  information  can  also  be  found  in  The
  Complete Wizard's Handbook.

  Priest Spells

  Age Creature(+): The reverse of this spell, restore  youth,  negates  most
  sorts of magical aging, provided the aging is the magic's primary  effect.
  It negates aging from  age  creature  spells,  staffs  of  withering,  and
  attacks by ghosts. It does not reverse incidental aging effects,  such  as
  those inflicted by casting a wish or receiving a haste spell.

  Breath of Life(+): The reverse of this spell, breath of death, produces  a
  nonmagical disease that breath of life can cure.

  Combine: The central priest gains  a  boost  to  the  spells  and  granted
  abilities he already has. The central priest  gains  no  extra  spells  or
  granted abilities from this spell.

  Dispel Evil: In addition to driving away evil  extra-planar  and  summoned
  creatures, this spell is effective against evil  enchantment/charm  spells
  and all forms of domination and possession.

  Dispel Magic: Refer to the wizard's version of this spell.

  Dragonbane(+): This spell can be the subject of a site focus(+).

  Draw Upon Holy Migh(+): This spell cannot increase an ability score beyond
  25.

  Extradimensional Pocket(+): The extradimensional  space  created  by  this
  spell functions as a bag of holding in all respects while its duration
  lasts.

                                   - 077 -

  Imbue with Spell Ability: If the recipient dies before the  imbued  spells
  are cast, the imbue with spell ability caster regains the ability to  cast
  the imbued spells.

  Know Time(+): This spell reveals the  correct  local  time  in  terms  the
  caster can most readily understand. If the caster has just  arrived  on  a
  new world where he is unfamiliar with the names of  hours,  days,  months,
  and  years,  the  spell  reveals  a  generic  result  that  might  not  be
  immediately useful until the caster gets more  information.  For  example,
  the spell might reveal that it is the 10th hour of the 23rd day of the 7th
  month in the 2,345th year. The hour is always given in relation  to  local
  midnight.
    If the world where the know time spell is cast has a time flow different
  from that of the base campaign, this spell has  a  2%  chance  per  caster
  level of giving an estimation of the difference. The caster can  learn  if
  time flows faster or slower and the general degree of  difference;  great,
  moderate, or minor. When using table 2 (page 46), ratings of  2  -  4  and
  18-20 are great; ratings of 5-7 and 15-17 are moderate, and ratings of 8-9
  and 13-14 are minor.

  Magic Font: This spell requires a specially  prepared  font  for  creating
  holy water (see page 96). The spell's  maximum  duration  depends  on  the
  font's capacity, but the actual time the caster can scry  depends  on  the
  caster's  knowledge  of  the  subject,  as  given  in  the  crystal  ball
  description in the Dungeon Master Guide. For example, a magic  font  spell
  cast on a basin with a capacity of 60 vials remains active for  one  hour,
  but the actual time the caster can safely use the font is  30  minutes  if
  the subject being viewed is known slightly.
    Several other spells can make a magic font more useful, see the  crystal
  ball description in the DMG for the list.  See  the  notes  on  the  magic
  mirror and clairvoyance spells for more information on scrying.

  Mind React: This spell functions just like the wizard spell  ESP  in  most
  respects. Each time a mind read spell is cast,  however,  the  priest  can
  conduct a deep probe of a single  creature,  possibly  gaining  additional
  information as detailed in the spell description.

  Mistaken Missive(+): This spell can affect any document  written  in  ink.
  For purposes of the spell, ink  is  any  substance  that  is  artificially
  compounded or altered to render it suitable for use in writing.  Documents
  written with substances that have not been artificially prepared  are  not
  subject to this spell. For example, a note  written  in  chalk  cannot  be
  altered by this spell, neither can a letter or agreement written in blood.

  Music of the Spheres(+): A successful  saving  throw  against  this  spell
  negates only the entrancing effect. An opponent who successfully saves  is
  free to attack the caster but still suffers the -3 penalty to  charm-based
  saving throws for as long as he can hear the music.

  Nap(+): This spell does not reduce the study time (10  minutes  per  spell
  level) required to memorize  spells.  The  spell  has  no  effect  if  the
  recipient is unwilling or has received a nap spell in the previous 18
  hours.

  Plane Shift: This spell sends the caster and up to seven  other  creatures
  on a one-way trip to another plane. This spell also allows travel  between
  crystal spheres on the Prime Material Plane (though  conditions  within  a
  particular sphere might prevent  the  spell  from  working).  Each  sphere
  requires a unique forked  rod  made  of  metal,  just  as  each  plane  or
  dimension does. The travelers can return home via  a  second  plane  shift
  spell if they have a rod attuned to their home plane or world.
    Two-way travel is possibte with a single plane shift  spell  if  the  DM
  chooses to allow it. To return home without a second spell, the  travelers
  need the same rod that was used in the original spell, and they must be on
  the same plane as their original destination.  For  example,  a  group  of
  travelers who plane shift to the Outtands and then pass through a gate  to
  the Abyss cannot use the original rod to return home unless they return to
  the Outlands first. They also cannot return horne without another spell if
  they lose the original rod.
    Acquiring rods: When a priest gains access to  this  spell,  he  usually
  discovers the type of rod required to reach his horne world and  to  reach
  the plane where his  deity  resides.  The  DM  must  decide  how  easy  or
  difficult it is to discover additional rods. The surest way  to  obtain  a
  rod attuned to a specific plane is to find a priest  who  has  been  there
  before. Otherwise, the priest must conduct his own  research  to  discover
  what sort of rod is required to reach a particular  place.  The  table  of
  suggested costs assumes that planar travel is intended to be fairly  rare,
  but not unknown. The DM should adjust costs up or down as appropriate.
    The priest must be in good heath  and  refrain  from  adventuring  while
  researching a rod. If  the  priest  has  access  to  commune  spells,  the
  required research time is reduced one step (one year of research  time  is
  reduced to one month), but costs are  not  reduced.  At  the  end  of  the
  research time, the  priest  must  attempt  a  Wisdom/Intuition  check.  If
  failed, the research is unsuccessful but may be conducted  again.  If  the
  check succeeds, the priest discovers the type of rod required to reach the
  plane he was researching; the  priest  knows  the  rod's  shape  and  what
  materials are required to make it. Finding the materials and  a  craftsman
  to make the rod are another problem.

                                   - 079 -

    The DM is free to decide what rods look like (there  are  many  possible
  objects that can be described as forked  rods).  See  volume  two  of  the
  Enciclopedia Magica for examples.

  Protection from Evil: Refer to the wizard version of this spell.

  Reflecting Pool: This spell requires a natural pool  -  a  small  body  of
  water fed by a natural water source and contained in a  setting  generally
  free  of  artificial  constructions.  A  naturally  occurring  puddle  of
  rainwater could be considered a pool if it lies in a meadow but not if  it
  lies in a city street. See the notes on the wizard spells magic mirror and
  clairvoyance for more information on how this spell functions.

  Speak With Dead: This spell has a range of one yard. The dead do not  lie,
  but they can be evasive, misleading, or obtusely literal  if  they  answer
  the caster's questions at all (some creatures are allowed  saving  throws,
  see the spell description).

  Unceasing Vigilance of the Holy Sentinel(+): A priest recovering from this
  spell must rest unless compelled to act by some external cause. Generally,
  the priest cannot respond to threats that he cannot perceive  (though  the
  priest always perceives a threat to himself if he suffers damage).  A  nap
  spell grants the priest 48 turns of rest.

  Weighty Chest(+): The weight increase created by this spell  is  activated
  only when a creature other than the caster attempts to move  or  lift  the
  protected chest. It is not possible to use a weighty chest  as  a  weapon.
  For example, the caster cannot cast this spell on a small coffer and  then
  toss it at an opponent, hoping the foe will be bowled over  or  unbalanced
  by the coffer's great weight. Note, however, that a foe could  be  tricked
  into attempting to lift or move the chest.

  Magical Items

  Amulet of Life Protection: A character whose psyche is held in the  amulet
  does not truly die until seven days have  passed.  Until  that  time,  any
  healing the character receives  revives  the  character  as  long  as  the
  healing is sufficient to give the character a positive hit point total.

  Planar Travel

  Research Time and Costs

  Plane Type(1)          Research Cost(2)   Research Time(2)     Rod Cost(3)
  Inner Plane               500/1,500        1 Week/6 Weeks         100
  Outer Plane              1,000/3,000       2 Weeks/3 Months       300
  Demiplane                5,000/15,000      2 Months/1 Year        400
  Pocket Dimension(4)        +2,000             +1 Month             -
  Prime Material World      750/3,000        3 Weeks/9 Weeks        250

    (1) The Astral and Ethereal Planes are treated as known Inner Planes for
  purposes of research.
    (2) The numbers before the slashes are the cost  and  time  requirements
  for planes that are generally known by the  campaign's  spellcasters.  The
  numbers  after  the  slash  are  the  cost  and  time  requirements  for
  destinations about which little is known in the home campaign. All  prices
  are in gold pieces.
    (3) The number is the typical cost in gold pieces for  constructing  one
  rod, provided that the  proper  materials  are  available.  Rods  made  of
  extremely rare materials can cost considerably more.
    (4) Add these modifiers to the type of plane  the  Pocket  Dimension  is
  attached to. For example, researching a Pocket Dimension that is  attached
  to the Ethereal Plane would cost 2,500 gp and take five  weeks.  The  cost
  for the rod would remain 100 gp.

                                   - 080 -

    The wearer can be raised or resurrected  no  matter  how  the  character
  died. The raise dead or resurrection spells can be cast upon the amulet if
  the character's body has been destroyed.

  Bag of Holding: Living creatures can be placed within  a  bag  of  holding
  provided they don't exceed the bag's volume and  weight  restrictions.  If
  the bag is left open, living creatures kept inside can  breathe  normally.
  The space inside a bag of holding is airtight, and if the bag  is  sealed,
  the air inside runs out quickly. It is possible to carry water in a bag of
  holding. See the general  note  under  extradimensional  spaces  for  more
  information.

    Bag Capacity     Air*           Water**
      250 lbs.    4 minutes       30 gallons
      500 lbs.    6 minutes       60 gallons
     1,000 lbs.   8 minutes      120 gallons
     1,500 lbs.   10 minutes     180 gallons

  * This is the amount of time a single creature in  a  sealed  bag  remains
  comfortable. After the listed time, the air becomes foul and the  creature
  begins gasping; a - 2 penalty applies to  all  attack  rolls  and  ability
  checks until the creature gets fresh air. If the creature remains  in  the
  bag for twice the listed time, it must save vs. poison or fall unconscious
  until the creature gets fresh air. The save must be  repeated  each  turn.
  Unconscious creatures also must save vs. poison every turn, and  they  die
  if they fail a second time.

  ** This shows the amount of water the bag can hold.  Note  that  water  is
  heavy and a bag carrying the listed amount of water  only  appears  to  be
  about 10% full as far as its cubic capacity is concerned.  This  makes  it
  very easy to exceed the bag's weight limit and destroy it.

  Books/Tomes: The baneful effects  from  all  books,  tomes,  manuals,  and
  librams are triggered by perusing even  a  small  passage.  Magical  books
  cannot be distinguished from other types of normal or magical books.
    A character who studies a book to find out what's  in  it  triggers  the
  book's effects. Magical books always vanish once they bestow a  beneficial
  effect but usually  remain  behind  if  they  inflict  a  harmful  effect.
  Multi-classed characters get only the best possible result - other helpful
  results (and harmful ones) are  ignored.  For  example,  an  elf  fighter/
  mage/thief glances at a manual of puissant skill at arms, a book  that  is
  normally harmful to wizards. Because the elf is a fighter, he  can  ignore
  the harmful effect and gain one fighter level instead.

  Cloak of Displacement:  The  cloak's  displacement  power  is  ineffective
  against creatures or devices that  cannot  see  the  cloak's  wearer.  For
  example, an invisible character does not receive the cloak's power to make
  opponents miss their initial attack or  the  cloak's  armor  class  bonus;
  likewise, most traps never "see" their targets and displacement  does  not
  foil them.
    Displacement is not effective against attacks that are not  aimed,  such
  as an avalanche or cave-in, and does not affect aimed attacks  that  cover
  an area, such as catapult shots or dragon tail slaps.
    Displacement is only partially effective against  spell  attacks.  If  a
  spell actually requires an attack roll, such as any touch-delivered spell,
  the cloak works normally and can cause the spell attack to miss if  it  is
  the first attack in an encounter. If the attacking spell does not  require
  an attack roll, it can never be caused to "miss," though  the  cloak's  +2
  saving throw bonus applies.
    For example a fireball spell never misses, but the cloak wearer gains  a
  +2 saving throw bonus. If a spell allows no saving throw, displacement has
  no effect on it; for example, a magic missile  or  death  spell  is  never
  affected by displacement.

    Under normal conditions, the first melee or  missile  attack  against  a
  displaced creature automatically misses. The opponent is assumed  to  note
  the displaced creature's  correct  position  and  can  keep  track  of  it
  thereafter. If an opponent  has  multiple  attacks,  only  the  first  one
  automatically misses. If there are  multiple  opponents,  only  the  first
  attack by the first creature automatically misses. The remaining opponents
  are assumed  to  observe  the  failed  attack  and  make  the  appropriate
  adjustments. If the DM determines that  one  or  more  creatures  did  not
  observe the initial attack, their first attacks automatically  miss,  too.
  Note that intelligent opponents who have reason to suspect a character  is
  displaced might launch some type of probing attack to test the character's
  defenses, such as hurling a rock. Such attacks count as  a  combat  action
  for the creatures attempting them.

  Contrart of Nepthas: A mistaken missive spell alters the words written  on
  the a contract of Nepthas but does not free characters who have signed the
  contract from their obligations.

  Crystal Balls: See the notes under the magic mirror and clairaudience
  spells.

  Daern's Instant Fortress: A creature attacking the fortress's walls with a
  magical weapon inflicts one point of damage for every three  rounds  spent
  attacking the walls. If the  escalade  rules  from  the  Player's  Option:
  Combat and Tactics book are in play,  the  fortress  can  be  attacked  by
  bombardment engines or sapped by attackers equipped with magical  weapons.
  In either case, all damage is subtracted from the fortress's total hit
  points.

                                   - 081 -

  Deck of Many Things: Baneful effects from  this  item  cannot  be  removed
  through wishes or lesser means, although a wish might indirectly help  the
  PCs in dealing with the difficulties the cards  inflict.  For  example,  a
  wish can reveal where a victim of the void or the donjon is imprisoned.  A
  wish also could reveal the identity of an enemy produced by the flames  or
  the rogue.
    10th-level magic is effective against a deck of many things in the  same
  way a wish is, but there are  certain  exceptions.  10th-level  divination
  spells cannot be used to determine the identity of a particular  card  nor
  can magical wards negate  a  card's  effects,  but  they  can  reveal  the
  location of a creature trapped by the void or donjon card. There is no way
  to shield a creature from the harmful effects of the deck of  many  things
  while allowing the benefits to occur by using 10th-level spells.

  Extradimensional Spaces: These items tend to produce  spectacular  effects
  when  one  is  placed  within  another.  The  following  items  contain
  extradimensional spaces: bag of holding, bag of  transmuting,  flatbox(+),
  girdle of many pouches, Heward's handy haversack, portable hole, and pouch
  of accessibility. The following spells  produce  extradimensional  spaces:
  extradimensional pocket(+), Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion, and rope
  trick.
    In most instances, placing one  extradimensional  space  inside  another
  opens a rift to the  Astral  Plane,  casting  both  the  items  and  their
  contents through the rift. The items and anything  contained  within  them
  are scattered randomly in the infinite depths of the Astral Plane. A  wish
  can recover the  contents  of  the  extradimensional  spaces,  and  it  is
  possible that creatures held in the items might eventually find their  way
  off the Astral Plane. Since all objects within the extradimensional  space
  are scattered randomly, a creature cast into the Astral  Plane  through  a
  rift does not have any better chance of recovering  lost  items  than  any
  other creature. A creature carried to the  Astral  Plane  through  a  rift
  retains its possessions, but other loose items within the extradimensional
  space are randomly scattered.
    For example, a party of adventurers decides to cast a rope  trick  spell
  to create a safe haven where they can rest and sort a huge pile  of  coins
  they have found. Unfortunately, one of the characters has a bag of holding
  which contains several pieces of equipment and treasure. When the  bag  of
  holding enters the rope trick, both spaces  are  sucked  into  the  Astral
  Plane. The characters occupying  the  rope  trick  are  dumped  in  random
  locations in the Astral Plane (if the  DM  is  feeling  kind,  they  might
  arrive within sight of each other). The bag of holding is  torn  from  its
  holder's grasp and its contents are spewed randomly across astral space.
    Portable  holes  can  produce  more  dramatic  effects.  If  another
  extradimensional space is placed within a portable hole,  an  astral  rift
  opens, as described above. However, if a portable hole  is  placed  within
  another extradimensional space, a gate to a random  plane  opens  and  all
  creatures within a 10-foot radius are drawn through it, no  saving  throw.
  The process destroys the portable hole and the other extradimensional
  space.
    Flatboxes are notoriously unstable. If  a  flatbox  contacts  any  other
  extradimensional space it explodes, see the item description for  details.
  The other item is sucked into the Astral Plane. A portable hole reacts  as
  detailed above.
    Most extradimensional spaces contain only a finite amount of air,  which
  limits how long living creatures can be kept inside. Refer to the  bag  of
  holding entry for the amount of air contained within these items.
    Creatures drawn through the gate created by a portable hole arrive in  a
  random location and fall in a heap within a 10-foot radius. Items  in  the
  extradimensional spaces are either lost  on  the  Astral  Plane  (50%)  or
  scattered randomly about the circle where the creatures land (50%). The DM
  makes the roll and can decide to check the items singly or in groups.

  Flatbox: The box can hold 60 gallons of water. A creature  inside  one  of
  these items can breathe normally for six minutes if  the  lid  is  closed.
  Additional  information  can  be  found  at  the  bag  of  holding  and
  extradimensional spaces entries.

  Flight Items: Characters using magical items  that  grant  flight  have  a
  daily movement rate in miles equal to twice the item's flight  speed.  For
  example, characters aboard a 4-person carpet of flying travel 48  miles  a
  day in clear weather.
    The daily movement rate assumes 10 hours of flying time with ample  rest
  stops; it is not an altogether pleasant experience to  fly  (consider  the
  effects of rough air, unsteady  seating,  awkward  body  positioning,  and
  exposure to weather). Characters  in  a  hurry  can  eliminate  most  rest
  periods and stay aloft  longer,  spending  18-20  hours  in  the  air  and
  doubling the daily movement rate, but this  subjects  the  riders  to  the
  effects of a forced march (see Player's Handbook, Chapter 14). Riders  who
  stay aloft for 24 hours a day move at 2 times their normal daily rate  and
  suffer double force march penalties.
    When a party has access to magical  items  that  grant  flight,  the  DM
  should take special care to plan adventures that take this capability into
  account. Flying characters can easily evade most land-based encounters, so
  the adventure should include encounters with  flying  creatures  or  those
  that entice the characters to land.  The  DM  should  also  determine  the
  prevailing weather conditions in  advance,  as  they  affect  both  flying
  conditions and the party's ability to see and be seen while aloft.

                                   - 082 -

  Gem of Insight: A character can benefit from one of these items only once,
  no matter how many gems are found  over  the  course  of  the  character's
  lifetime or how long a single gem of insight is kept.

  Girdle of Many Pouches: Though intended to  hold  equipment,  this  item's
  small pouches can hold  about  one  gallon  of  water  or  a  single  tiny
  creature. If belted around a character's waist, the pouches are sealed and
  the creatures inside them have  about  four  minutes  of  air.  Additional
  information can be found at the bag of holding and extradimensional spaces
  entries.

  Heward's Handy Haversack: Though intended to hold equipment,  this  item's
  compartments can hold water or creatures. The side pouches  can  hold  two
  gallons of water or one tiny creature each. The  central  compartment  can
  hold eight gallons of water or a single small creature. If strapped around
  a character's back and closed, creatures inside the haversack  have  about
  four minutes of air. Additional information can be found  at  the  bag  of
  holding and extradimensional spaces entries.

  Iron Bands of Bilarro: There is no saving throw against this item,  though
  the user must make a successful attack roll to trap  a  target.  A  failed
  attack roll never entraps a creature. An entrapped victim's companions can
  attempt a bend bars/lift gates roll to  break  the  bands  if  the  victim
  cannot get free. Spells such as free action, wraithform, antimagic  shell,
  and duo-dimension are all effective means  of  escape,  but  teleportation
  magic merely transports the trapped creature from  one  place  to  another
  with the bands still trapping him. Magical  items  such  as  a  potion  of
  slipperiness or ring of free action are also effective against  the  magic
  of the bands.

  Javelin of Lightning: This item has a  maximum  range  of  90  yards.  The
  lightning created is a single bolt that extends from the target toward the
  thrower. Thus, a javelin of lightning should not be used if the target  is
  within 30 feet.

  Librams and Manuals: See note at books.

  Medallion of ESP: Refer to the wizard spell ESP.

  Mirror of Mental Prowess: This item's  thought-reading  power  works  just
  like  the  wizard  spell  ESP.  See  the  notes  at  the  wizard  spells
  clairvoyance, clairaudience, and  magic  mirror  for  information  on  the
  mirror's scrying powers.
    Travel through the portal created by  the  mirror  is  instantaneous.  A
  detect invisibility or true seeing spell reveals the portal.
    The mirror's power to answer a question each  week  is  similar  to  the
  priest spell commune  in  most  respects,  but  the  user  is  limited  to
  questions about a creature whose reflection is being cast in the mirror.

  Periapt of Proof Against Poison: This item has three basic functions,  but
  only one can be active at any given time. First, the periapt can  allow  a
  saving throw against poisons that normally do not allow one. The  required
  number for the saving throw varies with the periapt's strength as shown in
  the Dungeon Master Guide. Other magical protections are added to the roll.
  For example, a character with a periapt of proof against poison +1  and  a
  ring of protection +1 would gain a saving throw of 18 against a toxin that
  normally allows no saving throw. The bonus for the periapt does not  apply
  in cases where no saving throw is normally allowed.
    Second, the periapt negates any  penalty  a  particularly  strong  toxin
  might impose. Note that  the  penalty  is  entirely  negated,  not  merely
  subtracted from the periapt's bonus. For example, a particularly  virulent
  poison might have a -4 penalty to all saving throws.  Even  a  periapt  of
  proof against poison +1 completely negates the penalty. Likewise, a poison
  with a -1 penalty to saving throws completely negates the bonus  of  a  +4
  periapt.
    Third, the periapt grants  a  general  bonus  to  normal  saving  throws
  against poisons. The bonuses are cumulative with other magical protections
  (but see the automatic failure rule on page 142).

  Portable Hole: This item has a capacity of about 280 cubic feet. It has no
  weight limit, and about 2,100 gallons of water or 100,000  standard  coins
  can be held inside. A creature in a portable hole has enough  air  for  10
  minutes. See the note at bag of holding for the effects of  depleted  air,
  and see the general note on extradimensional spaces for more information.

  Potions: Once a potion,  elixir,  oil,  or  ointment  takes  effect  on  a
  creature, any effects that apply only to the  imbiber  cannot  be  removed
  unless a dispel magic  is  targeted  directly  at  the  creature.  If  the
  potion's effects extend to other creatures (such as the various potions of
  control) it can be dispelled normally. All potion effects are  treated  as
  magic cast at 12th level for purposes of dispelling.
    Potions consumed within an antimagic shell do not  activate  until  they
  leave the area of effect. If a potion  has  been  consumed,  an  antimagic
  shell suppresses its effects unless they are permanent in nature (such  as
  a potion of healing). Temporary effects made permanent by a  roll  on  the
  potion compatibility table from the DMG can be suppressed by an  antimagic
  shell.

                                   - 083 -

    Tasting a potion gives the character a minor clue  as  to  the  potion's
  effects. For example, a potion of levitation or a potion of  flying  might
  make the character feel light. Often the effect from tasting a  potion  is
  not immediately obvious, and the character must attempt some action before
  any effects are revealed. In the previous example, the taster  might  feel
  nothing initially but might walk with a bouncing gait or feel light-footed
  when walking. A potion's taste, smell, and texture might help identify it,
  but this tends to be unreliable because potions with identical effects can
  look, feel, smell, and taste differently if they were  made  in  different
  laboratories or concocted at different times.

  Potion of Vitality: A character drinking this potion increases his  body's
  natural healing ability to the rate of one hit point recovered every  four
  hours. Damage that cannot be healed by magical means  -  such  as  from  a
  sword of wounding - is restored. Damage that can be healed only by magical
  means - such as wounds from a chasme tanar'ri's claws or the  fists  of  a
  clay golem - is not restored.

  Pouch of Accessibility: Though intended to  hold  equipment,  this  item's
  internal pouches can hold about one gallon  of  water  or  a  single  tiny
  creature. Closing the pouch seals all the internal compartments,  and  the
  creatures inside them have about four minutes of air. See the note at  bag
  of holding for the effects of depleted air, and refer to  extradimensional
  spaces for more information.

  Quiver of Ehlonna: Only long, thin objects such as arrows,  javelins,  and
  bows can be placed in this item. Creatures cannot be  placed  inside,  nor
  does the quiver hold water.

  Ring of Blinking: See note at the wizard spell blink.

  Ring of Contrariness: This cursed item always makes the wearer  do  things
  that run counter to what others desire. The wearer does not necessarily do
  the exact opposite of what is suggested.  For  example,  if  someone  says
  "keep that ring on," the  wearer  wholeheartedly  agrees.  He  might  also
  suddenly become fearful  that  others  desire  the  ring  and  attack  the
  speaker. The ring's enchantment makes the wearer difficult to  be  around,
  always selecting the response that is most troublesome.

                                   - 084 -

  Ring of Regeneration: Wearers killed by  fire,  acid,  disintegration,  or
  death magic cannot regenerate back to life. However, damage  inflicted  by
  such attacks can be regenerated if the wearer survives the attack.
    A ring of regeneration only repairs damage inflicted on the wearer after
  the character puts on the ring. Damage inflicted before the character wore
  the ring is not regenerated, so placing a ring of regeneration on  a  dead
  or unconscious character has no effect.
    A ring of regeneration does not  remove  the  need  to  eat,  sleep,  or
  breathe, nor does it prevent natural or unnatural aging.

  Rod of Absorption: Spell levels stored in the rod can  be  used  to  power
  spells on low-magic worlds, even when local conditions would not  normally
  allow the spell to be cast. For example, if the rod-wielder had a wall  of
  force spell memorized, the character  could  use  five  levels  of  stored
  energy even on an M4 world, where 5th level  spells  normally  don't  work
  (see page 47).
    When used to absorb spells, the rod can absorb any  spells  directed  at
  the wielder  for  the  entire  round,  as  selected  by  the  rod-wielder.
  Absorbing spells counts as an action for the character, but initiative has
  no bearing on when a spell can be absorbed. The wielder can never absorb a
  spell that is not targeted specifically at him.
    For example, if the wielder is caught in the blast of a fireball the rod
  cannot be used to absorb the spell because the wielder was not the  target
  - the actual target was a point in space. If, however,  the  fireball  was
  set to detonate directly on  the  wielder,  it  could  be  absorbed.  Some
  spells, such as  hold  person  and  slow,  are  individually  targeted  on
  multiple creatures within an area. If the  rod-wielder  is  one  of  those
  targets, he can absorb the entire spell.
    Absorbed spells have no effect whatsoever; their power has  been  stored
  in the rod. Thus, if a hold person is directed  at  the  rod-wielder,  the
  magic is totally negated -  even  for  other  targets.  10th-level  spells
  cannot be absorbed.

  Rod of Beguiling: The beguiling effect has a 20-foot radius. There  is  no
  saving throw, though magic  resistance  applies,  as  does  resistance  to
  mental attacks or control. Racial resistances to charm effects also apply.
  Affected creatures remain beguiled for the full one-turn duration even  if
  they leave the radius.

  Rod of Resurrection: Specialty priests require two charges instead of  the
  usual one charge when resurrected. The racial charge  requirement  remains
  unchanged.
    Specialty priest dedicated to deities of healing,  protection,  warfare,
  endurance and similar areas of influence require only one charge to
  resurrect.

  Rod of Rulership: Creatures being ruled need not remain within  the  rod's
  150-foot radius once they have been affected. Most creatures get no saving
  throw, but magic resistance and resistance to  mental  attack  or  control
  applies. Racial resistances to charm effects also apply.

  Rod of Security: This item transports creatures into  a  pocket  dimension
  (see page 45) attached to the world where the rod was activated.

  Rope of Entanglement: Use of this item does not require an attack roll. In
  addition to the size limitations included in the item description, all the
  rope's targets must fit within a single area of 200 square  feet  or  less
  (eight 5-foot squares in any contiguous configuration). Targets  who  save
  vs. breath weapon can move 10  feet  each  round  and  can  attack  nearby
  creatures (but not the rope of entanglement).
    If other creatures fail their saving throw versus the  rope,  those  who
  succeeded in their save can only move if the combined weight of those  who
  failed is less than their maximum press. For instance, a fighter wearing a
  girdle of hill giant strength could drag up to 640 lbs.  of  weight  along
  with him. Of course, groups of creatures  must  move  generally  the  same
  direction to initiate an attack.
    Entwined creatures suffer a +2 initiative penalty  and  attacks  against
  them are at +2. Targets who fail the save are held completely immobile and
  cannot perform any actions that require movement; attacks against immobile
  creatures are made with a +4 bonus.

  Spell Scrolls: A scroll is a temporary magical writing that  stores  spell
  energy in a portable form; it is essentially a precast spell waiting to be
  triggered. The level at which a priest spell read from scroll functions is
  never diminished due to planar distances (see page  49),  but  all  scroll
  spells are subject to local conditions. For example, a fireball read  from
  a scroll is ineffective on the  Plane  of  Elemental  Water  -  the  spell
  creates a harmless bubble of vapor and the writing fades.  Scrolls  become
  inert if taken to a world rated M2 (see page 47) or  lower,  but  are  not
  otherwise harmed.
    Spell scrolls come in two types, priest and wizard. Priests  cannot  use
  wizard scrolls and vice versa. High-level thieves and bards have a  chance
  to employ either type. A character who can use spell scrolls can read  any
  spell of the  appropriate  type  regardless  of  other  restrictions.  For
  example, an illusionist, who is normally barred  from  casting  abjuration
  spells, can read a dispel magic spell from a scroll.  Likewise,  a  priest
  can read priest spells from spheres normally unavailable.  Note  that  the
  reader could still suffer the effects of spell failure  by  attempting  to
  cast a spell that is too high a level (see Dungeon Master Guide, Appendix
  3).

                                   - 085 -

  Sphere of Annihilation: A wizard's maximum chance to control a  sphere  of
  annihilation without the aid of a talisman of the  sphere  is  92%  for  a
  wizard  of  21st  level  and  an  18  Intelligence/Reason.  There  are  no
  additional bonuses for being higher level or having an Intelligence/Reason
  score grater than 18.
    A talisman of the sphere  doubles  a  wizard's  Intelligence  bonus  for
  controlling the sphere. Adjusted control scores of 100% or  more  indicate
  automatic success, but other wizards trying to usurp  control  reduce  the
  control chance; see the sphere of annihilation in the DMG description  for
  details.

  Staff of the Magi: The staff's plane travel  ability  is  similar  to  the
  priest spell plane shift, but no forked rod is required. The staff-wielder
  must be generally familiar with the destination plane either by  making  a
  previous visit or having information about the plane from a  traveler  who
  has been there. If a character wishes to research details  on  an  unknown
  plane, refer to the note at plane shift for cost and time requirements.
    The absorption power of the staff works just like that  of  the  rod  of
  absorption except that the level of absorbed spell is not communicated  to
  the staff-wielder. The decision to  absorb  must  be  made  based  on  the
  appearance of the magic or, in the case of invisible effects, blind luck.

  Staff of Withering: The withering effect from this item makes one  of  the
  victim's limbs shriveled and useless; it has no  effect  on  a  creature's
  head or body. The withering effect requires three charges from  the  staff
  and must be announced at the beginning of the round. If  the  staff  hits,
  roll randomly to see which limb is struck.
    If the victim is humanoid, roll 1d4 to determine which limb  is  struck:
  1=right arm, 2=left arm, 3=right leg, and  4=left  leg.  A  shriveled  arm
  cannot wield a weapon or shield or be used to make  unarmed  attacks.  The
  character suffers a -2 penalty to Dexterity  for  each  shriveled  arm.  A
  humanoid cannot stand up or walk without a  crutch  if  even  one  leg  is
  shriveled. The character is  reduced  to  a  crawl  and  cannot  make  any
  physical attacks. The character suffers a -6 penalty to Dexterity. Getting
  two legs shriveled has no appreciable additional effect.
    If the target is a quadruped, the staff-wielder can usually  reach  only
  two of the opponent's limbs. Roll 1d6 to see which one is hit:  1-3=right,
  4-6=left. Quadrupeds with one shriveled leg move at 2/3 their normal  rate
  and cannot make attacks with the shriveled  limb.  A  quadruped  with  two
  shriveled limbs cannot move or physically attack.
    Insectoid or multi-limbed creatures should be handled  like  quadrupeds,
  but their movement is unaffected  as  long  as  they  have  at  least  two
  functioning limbs on each side of the body.
    Attacks on flying creatures can hit the wings. For example, roll 1d6  to
  determine which limb on a flying humanoid is struck: 1=right  arm,  2=left
  arm, 3=right leg, 4=left leg, 5=right wing,  and  6=left  wing.  Creatures
  with even one shriveled wing cannot fly.
    Limbless creatures have no appendages to be withered and suffer  no  ill
  effects from withering except damage and aging.
    If the staff-wielder chooses to make a called shot and succeeds, do  not
  make a random roll; the staff hits the selected area instead.
    If the critical hit rules from Player's Option: Combat and  Tactics  are
  in use, ignore all of the foregoing and use the hit location  system  from
  that book. The area struck suffers a  "destroyed"  result  if  the  saving
  throw fails, even if it is not a limb (do  not  roll  for  severity).  The
  staff-wielder does not need to score  a  critical  hit  to  roll  for  hit
  location. If the staffwielder  does  score  a  critical  hit,  the  target
  suffers double damage and must roll saving throws vs. both  the  withering
  and the critical hit.
    There are several ways to repair  withered  limbs,  but  regenerate  and
  restoration  are  the  most  common  methods.  Creatures  that  regenerate
  (through an innate ability or magical item) regain the use of a  shriveled
  limb after regenerating  the  equivalent  of  20  points  of  damage.  For
  example, a character wearing a ring of regeneration would recover  from  a
  shriveled limb in 20 turns, and a troll would recover in seven rounds.

  Stone of Good Luck: The stone's +1 (or +5%) bonus  applies  whenever  dice
  are rolled to see if the character (not the character's equipment)  avoids
  an adverse happening. The bonus applies to saving throws,  ability  checks
  used as saving throws, system shock rolls,  resurrection  survival  rolls,
  and any other event in which chance, not skill, is the determining factor.
  The bonus does not apply to spell failure, magical item creation, learning
  spells, or to most proficiency checks.
    The  character's  good  luck  applies  to  rolls  for  party  treasure
  distribution and to proficiency checks involving luck or dodging, such  as
  gaming and tumbling.

  Wand of Negation: The wand temporary renders  magical  devices  unable  to
  create spell-like effects. When a device's spell-like function is negated,
  any charges expended to produce the effect are lost, but the device is not
  otherwise harmed. A wand of negation has no effect on  cast  spells  or  a
  creature's spell-like abilities. The wand has an initiative modifier of
  +1.

                                   - 086 -

  Chapter 4: Creating Magical Items

    The Complete Priest's Handbook gives rules for creating holy water. This
  section contains more detailed rules for high-level campaigns.
    Any cleric or specialty priest with access to the  required  spells  can
  create holy water once a week, provided a suitable font is available.  The
  required spells are: create water, purify food &  drink*,  bless*,  chant,
  and prayer. The spells marked with an asterisk are used in  reversed  form
  to create unholy water.
    The priest must spend at least eight hours praying and meditating before
  casting the spells in the listed order. Any delay  between  finishing  the
  casting of one spell  and  starting  the  next  ruins  the  ceremony.  The
  character must maintain the chant  spell  for  one  turn.  Afterward,  the
  cleric must rest at least eight hours before casting any spells. If forced
  into combat during this time, the character suffers a -4  penalty  to  all
  attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks.
    A font is a specially blessed (or cursed) basin made of precious  metals
  contained inside an elaborate case or pedestal  fitted  with  a  cover.  A
  particular font can be used only once  a  week,  and  a  temple  or  other
  religious building can contain only one font. Particularly large buildings
  might contain one font per wing or floor, at the DM's option.
    A font's maximum capacity for creating holy water depends on its cost  -
  the more rare and expensive the font, the  more  favorably  the  deity  to
  which it is dedicated looks upon it.
    The create water spell normally produces more water  than  a  basin  can
  hold; the extra water is either channeled away or assumed to be  magically
  dissipated.

                                   - 087 -

  Holy Water Font Costs

  Capacity Basin                                 Pedestal
   6 vials 1d6x10+120 gp                          200 gp
   8 vials 1d6x50+1,000 gp                        350 gp
  10 vials 1d6x100+1,800 gp                       500 gp
  14 vials 1d4x500+5,200 gp                       750 gp
  18 vials 1d4x1,000+8,000 gp                    1,000 gp
  24 vials 1d4x1,000+15,000 gp                   1,250 gp
  32 vials 1d4x1,000+18,000 gp                   1,500 gp
  40 vials 1d6x10,000+50,000 gp                  1,750 gp
  50 vials 1d10x10,000+100,000 gp                2,000 gp

    The basin and pedestal must be specially  designed  and  fashioned;  the
  process requires 2d4+2 weeks.
    Holy water loses its potency if removed from the font for more than  one
  turn unless it is placed in a specially blessed crystal  or  leaded  glass
  vial.  Each  vial  holds  a  quarter  pint  of  liquid  and  costs  5  gp.
  (Copper-pinching characters can sell empty vials on the  open  market  for
  1d4+1 gp each.)
    A font can be defiled and made useless for creating holy water (and  for
  magic font spells) by touching it and casting a curse spell. Fonts can  be
  nonmagically defiled by placing anything repugnant to the deity  to  which
  the font is dedicated to within its confines.
    A defiled font must be entirely remade. The font cannot be  cleansed  or
  restored, except by a wish, though the  materials  in  the  basin  can  be
  recycled and used in a new basin for 1d4+1x10% of the original  cost.  For
  example, Delsenora's temple has a font that can  hold  52  vials  of  holy
  water. The initial cost was 21,000 gp for the basin plus 1,500 gp for  the
  pedestal. If the font is defiled, the replacement cost is 1,500 gp for the
  pedestal and 20 - 50% of the original basin cost. Delsenora rolls a 2  and
  must pay 30% of the original cost - 6,300 gp.

  Creating Magical Items

    Sooner or later, Players in high-level campaigns  start  thinking  about
  how their characters can manufacture their own enchanted items. The  sheer
  difficulty involved  in  item  creation  should  be  sufficient  to  deter
  characters driven by simple greed, especially if the DM follows the advice
  on controlling magic in  Chapter  1.  In  a  well-run  campaign,  creating
  magical items not only consumes more resources than it generates, it keeps
  the characters busy trying to find what they need to complete the process.
    Characters with a true interest in creating magical items shouldn't find
  the effort too costly; some things are more important than money or power.
  They may be driven by a thirst for fame or  a  desire  to  create  magical
  items they have never found in  a  treasure  hoard.  They  might  even  be
  required to create a magical item to  achieve  a  particular  goal,  which
  creates a variety of adventuring possibilities as the character  struggles
  to gather the required material components in time to complete his goal.
    This section presents a system that allows the DM to  quickly  determine
  how long creating a magical item takes, how much it costs, and how  likely
  the attempt is to fail. This system is more detailed and complex than  the
  one detailed  in  the  Dungeon  Master  Guide,  and  it  is  intended  for
  high-level campaigns in which several player  characters  wish  to  create
  standard magical items.
    This material is  generally  compatible  with  the  rules  for  creating
  magical items presented in the Book of Artifacts; this system is a  little
  simpler but doesn't give the DM as much control over how  difficult  items
  are to make. If your players are content to create  only  a  few  standard
  items, this book's system should work better for you.

  Requirements

    To create a magical item, a character needs  the  appropriate  level  of
  skill, a suitable place to perform the work,  the  correct  materials  and
  processes to complete  the  item,  and  often  the  enchant  an  item  and
  permanency spells.

  Character Level

    Wizards can create potions and scrolls at 9th level and other  items  at
  11th level, provided that the necessary spells are available.
    Priests can create scrolls at 7th level, potions at 9th level, and other
  items at 11th level.
    Warriors and rogues cannot create  magical  items,  even  if  they  have
  spellcasting ability.
    Priests and wizards can use spells on scrolls, stored in items, or  cast
  by other characters to get the spells necessary to create magical items.

  Who Can Make Which Items?

    No character can make a magical book, libram, manual, tome, or artifact.
  Artifacts are a campaign-shaking occurrence, reserved to the discretion of
  the DM. Magical writings that  increase  levels  and  ability  scores  are
  likewise unbalancing.
    Racial items, such as boots of elvenkind and girdles of dwarvenkind, can
  be created only by priests of the indicated race. High-level elf  priests,
  for example, can create cloaks of elvenkind. If the Exceeding Level Limits
  optional rule (from the DMG) is not in play, only  NPC  demihuman  clerics
  who have achieved the maximum level can make these items.
    Mages can make any other item if they meet the  level  requirements  and
  have the necessary spells.

                                   - 088 -

    Priests and specialist wizards can make only those items that  they  can
  use. A cleric, for example, cannot  make  a  magical  long  sword,  and  a
  transmuter can't make a wand  of  fire,  which  employs  evocation  magic.
  Specialist wizards, however, receive a +5% bonus to their success  chances
  when  creating  items  that  possess  abilities  from  their  school  of
  specialization. For example, a transmuter gets the bonus when  creating  a
  wand of polymorphing.

  Working Space

    A wizard needs a laboratory to make magical items. The  laboratory  must
  have at least 500 square feet of floor space (20 x 25 feet), and  more  is
  preferable.  Basic  furnishings  and  supplies  cost  5,000  gp,  and  the
  character must spend an additional 500 gp a month to keep  the  laboratory
  properly equipped.
    A priest must create magical items on an altar  specially  dedicated  to
  his deity. There is no basic  size  requirement  although  a  deity  whose
  portfolio includes magic might impose one. An item to  be  enchanted  must
  fit on the altar, so it benefits the priest to make the altar as large and
  sturdy as is practical. The  minimum  cost  for  building  the  altar  and
  properly consecrating it is  2,000  gp.  The  altar  requires  no  special
  maintenance, but only the priest who performed the  consecration  can  use
  the altar to enchant items - no other creature can use it while the priest
  lives. If the altar is defiled,  the  priest  must  consecrate  it  again.
  Before consecrating the altar, the priest must please his deity with  some
  extraordinary service connected with the deity's portfolio  or  sphere  of
  control. A deity of wisdom, for  example,  might  look  favorably  upon  a
  priest who writes a book of philosophy  or  who  solves  a  mystery  using
  superior judgment instead of divination spells.
    After the service is complete, the priest must pray  and  meditate  over
  the altar for one week. The vigil  occupies  all  the  character's  waking
  hours. If interrupted, the vigil must be started over again.

                                   - 089 -


  Table 23: Magical Item Creation

  Potion               Material      Process       Cost        Time
    Single Use           Rare        Common       XP value    1 day/100 gp
    Limited Use         Exotic        Rare        XP value    1 day/100 gp
  Scroll
    Spell             Rare&Common   Variable    1/2 XP value  1 day/sp. lev.
    Protection          Exotic        Rare      1/2 XP value    6 days
  Ring
    Single Function     Exotic       Common       XP value   1 week/100 gp
    Multiple Function  Ex./Func.  Ex./Func.(1)   2 XP value  1 week/100 gp
    Limited Use         Exotic      Exotic(1)    2 XP value  1 week/100 gp
  Rod
    Single Use          Exotic        Rare      1/5 XP value 1 week/1,000 gp
    Single Function     Exotic        Rare      1/5 XP value 1 week/100 gp
    Multiple Function   Exotic      Ex./Func.   1/5 XP value 2 weeks/100 gp
    Limited Use         Exotic       Ex./Use    1/5 XP value 4 weeks/100 gp
  Staff
    Single Function      Rare         Rare      1/5 XP value 1 week/100 gp
    Multiple Function   Exotic      Ex./Func.   1/5 XP value 2 weeks/100 gp
    Limited Use         Exotic       Ex./Use    1/5 XP value 4 weeks/100 gp
  Wand
    Single Function      Rare         Rare      1/5 XP value 1 week/100 gp
    Multiple Function   Exotic      Ex./Func.   1/5 XP value 2 weeks/100 gp
    Limited Use         Exotic       Ex./Use    1/5 XP value 4 weeks/100 gp
  Miscellaneous Magic
    Single Use          Exotic       Exotic      2 XP value  1 week/100 gp
    Single Function     Exotic       Exotic      3 XP value  1 week/100 gp
    Multiple Function  Ex./Func.  Rare/Func.(2)  4 XP value  1 week/100 gp
    Limited Use         Ex./Use    Ex./Use(2)    2 XP value  3 weeks/100 gp
  Armor
    Single Function     Exotic     Rare&Common   2 XP value 3 weeks/1,000 gp
    Multiple Function  Ex./Func.  Ex./Func.(3)   2 XP value 4 weeks/1,000 gp
    Limited Use         Ex./Use    Ex./Use(3)    2 XP value 2 weeks/1,000 gp
  Weapon
    Single Use           Rare        Common       XP value    1 week/100 gp
    Single Function     Exotic    Rare&Common    2 XP value 3 weeks/1,000 gp
    Multiple Function  Ex./Func.  Ex./Func.(3)   2 XP value 4 weeks/1,000 gp
    Limited Use        Ex./Use    Ex./Use(3)     2 XP value 2 weeks/1,000,gp

  Footnotes: (1) One common process also is required;
             (2) One exotic process also is required;
             (3) One rare and one common process also are required.

  Approval

    Characters  who  have  the  required  skills  and  equipment  are  not
  necessarily free to begin churning out magical items as they see fit.  The
  DM must approve any new magical item that enters the campaign. The  player
  should explain exactly what powers the proposed item  will  have.  In  the
  case of items already described in rule books, this is simply a matter  of
  having the DM review the description and decide if the item is appropriate
  to the campaign. Once approved, the player is free to have  the  character
  begin work.

                                   - 090 -

  Creating the Item

    Every item that is to be  imbued  with  magic  must  be  of  the  finest
  quality, specifically created for the purpose of placing enchantments upon
  it. An item must be created from one or more special  materials,  each  of
  which must undergo a certain number  of  special  processes.  A  character
  creating a sword, for example, must first commission a  rare  and  unusual
  blade to be crafted. A regular sword from the local smithy cannot become a
  sword +3 frost brand. Creating a magical item is not a matter  of  picking
  up a few household articles and muttering an incantation.
    Table 23 lists the  materials  and  processes  various  types  of  items
  require. Some of these are more difficult  to  complete  or  acquire  than
  others, as explained in the  notes  to  the  table.  Table  23  gives  the
  suggested number of materials and processes each item requires as well  as
  a few suggestions. It is up to the DM to decide exactly what materials and
  processes are necessary; this requires a great deal of creativity  on  the
  DM's part. In any case, the character does not automatically know what the
  requirements are.
    Gathering all the necessary materials can take a lot of  time.  Ideally,
  the DM should create a series of adventures that allows the  character  to
  obtain everything. The character is  free  to  get  help  from  any  other
  character who can be persuaded to join the hunt.

  Enchanting the Item

    Wizards generally begin with the enchant an item spell  to  focus  their
  magical energy and then cast additional spells to create the  enchantment.
  If the item has a power that  duplicates  or  closely  resembles  a  known
  spell, that is the spell cast to create the enchantment. If the  item  has
  an effect that does not duplicate a known spell, the  wizard  must  either
  research a new spell or cast some combination of spells that  approximates
  its effects. The DM must  decide  which  spells  are  necessary.  See  the
  enchant an item spell description and the Notes to Table  23  section  for
  more details. Most items also require a permanency spell to  complete  the
  enchantment.

    Wizards lose a point of Constitution when casting the  permanency  spell
  most magical items require. Priests do not normally suffre this loss,  but
  the DM can rule that the long process that a priest must undertake  is  so
  physically taxing that it  drains  a  point  of  Constitution.  This  loss
  applies only to items that would require a permanency spell  if  the  item
  was created by a wizard.

    Priests do not have the enchant an item spell, and  they  must  petition
  their deities  to  instill  power  into  their  items.  The  procedure  is
  described in Chapter 10 of the DUNGEON MASTER Guide.

  Notes to Table 23

  Item: The type of item being created. These  are  divided  into  the  same
  general categories as used in Appendix 3 of the Dungeon Master  Guide  and
  are further subdivided by how they can be used.
    Single use: Using the item once completely  consumes  its  magic,  often
  consuming  the  item  itself.  Examples  include  virtually  all  potions,
  scrolls, dusts, oils, and elixirs.
    Limited use: The item can be used a fixed number of times before  it  is
  consumed. Some limited-use items can be recharged, and some have  multiple
  functions (see the Item Details section). This includes most rods, staves,
  and wands as well as some rings and miscellaneous magical items.
    Single Function: The item has only one power,  which  usually  functions
  continuously or on demand. Some single-function items expend charges  when
  used. An  amulet  of  proof  against  detection  and  location,  cloak  of
  displacement, and ring of multiple wishes are all examples of this type of
  magic.
    Multiple Function: The item has  more  than  one  power.  Some  multiple
  function items are charged (and also are limited-use items) and  some  are
  not. Noncharged items  of  this  nature  include  scarabs  of  protection,
  crystal balls, and hammers of thunderbolts.

  Material: The more powerful the item, the more unusual the  material  from
  which it is made. Materials are classified by their rarity.
    Common: The material is fairly  plentiful  under  normal  circumstances.
  Steel, oak staves, copper, and wool are common materials.
    Rare: The material is expensive and difficult to find.  Silk,  diamonds,
  roc feathers, and ebony are  rare  materials.  Common  materials  gathered
  under unusual circumstances are also considered rare. Wood  taken  from  a
  lightning-struck oak, wool made  from  fleece  taken  at  a  lamb's  first
  shearing, and steel made in a furnace tended by a dwarven elder  are  rare
  materials.
    Exotic: The material is unique or unusual and cannot be purchased -  the
  character must undertake an adventure to obtain it. Exotic materials often
  exist only in a metaphorical sense. Steel smelted from the ore of a fallen
  star, the moon's tears, the largest scale from a great wyrm's tail, and  a
  lock of a goddess's hair are exotic materials. Common  or  rare  materials
  gathered in extraordinary circumstances are also considered exotic.  Cloth
  spun from phase spider silk under the new moon,  a  diamond  freely  given
  from a dragon's belly, and wood taken from a lightning-struck  treant  are
  exotic materials.

                                   - 091 -

  Processes: A process is a prescribed method for accomplishing  a  specific
  task that is performed in addition  to  the  normal  steps  necessary  for
  making the item. Like materials, processes  are  classified  according  to
  rarity. For example, making a mold to cast a ring is not a process because
  creating a mold is a typical step  in  ring-making.  However,  making  the
  ring's mold from a wax model fashioned from beeswax taken from a  hive  of
  giant bees is a process because it is unusual. It's  not  always  easy  to
  distinguish processes from materials, but the distinction is not important
  as long as the item is created using the required number of special
  elements.
    Common: The process is fairly simple and straightforward, requiring only
  special care or some unusual preparations. Quenching a sword in snow  from
  a spring storm, encrusting a ring with ornamental gems,  and  tempering  a
  helmet in a furnace heated with lava are common processes.
    Rare: The  process  requires  extra  effort  or  extraordinary  expense.
  Quenching a sword's blade in snow gathered at the top of the world, honing
  a sword blade with a stone of good luck, and etching an amulet  with  acid
  from a giant slug's spittle are rare processes.
    Exotic: The process is unique or unusual and cannot be purchased  -  the
  character must undertake an adventure to  complete  it.  Exotic  processes
  often exist only in a metaphorical sense. Quenching a  sword  blade  in  a
  lover's sigh, heating a ring in burning ice, and bathing  a  shield  in  a
  knight's courage are exotic processes.

  Cost: This is what the character must spend for unusual  fuels  and  other
  supplies when making the item. This cost is in addition  to  whatever  the
  character spends on workers'  salaries,  travel,  professional  fees,  and
  purchasing the materials and processes necessary for making the item.

                                   - 092 -

  Time: This is the time required to actually manufacture the item once  the
  material components have been gathered. It does  not  include  time  spent
  acquiring the materials and placing enchantments on the item. Time  cannot
  be reduced by hiring extra workers, getting help from  another  character,
  or spending additional money.

  Item Details

    This section contains  additional  information  about  creating  various
  types of items, including required spells and the chance to create the
  item.

  Potions

    A potion requires no spells, but the caster must first have the formula.
  Determining a formula from scratch requires 1d3+1 weeks and costs 100 gp a
  week. Time and costs are reduced to the minimum if the caster  has  access
  to commune or contact other plane spells. If the caster has  a  potion  to
  analyze or a formula  from  another  caster,  the  research  is  free  and
  requires one week. A character must have a full  dose  of  the  potion  to
  analyze,  but  the  dose  is  not  consumed  in  the  research.  The  time
  requirement listed on Table 23 is the time the character  actually  spends
  brewing the potion. Once a potion's formula has been personally researched
  and recorded, the character need not research it again unless  the  record
  is lost.
    The chance to successfully brew a potion  is  70%,  +1%  for  every  two
  levels of the creator, and -1% for each 100 gp the potion costs  (detailed
  on Table 23).

  Scrolls

    The common material required is the  paper,  parchment,  or  papyrus  as
  detailed in Chapter 10 of the Dungeon Master Guide. The rare  material  is
  the quill; a new quill must be used for each spell written on the scroll.
    Blending the ink is the most important process. Ink for spells of levels
  1-3 require a rare ingredient, spells of  levels  4-6  require  an  exotic
  ingredient, and spells of levels  7+  require  one  rare  and  one  exotic
  ingredient. Blending the ink takes one day,  and  the  ink  must  be  used
  within two weeks.
    No spells are actually cast when writing a  scroll,  but  the  character
  must know the relevant spell and have any required material components  on
  hand. If normally consumed in the casting,  the  material  components  are
  consumed in writing the scroll. If casting the spell  normally  imposes  a
  penalty on the caster, such as magical aging, creating the scroll  carries
  the same penalty.
    The chance to successfully write a scroll is 80%, +1% for every level of
  the creator, and -1% for each  level  of  the  written  spell.  There  are
  additional adjustments for the materials used (see DMG, Chapter  10).  The
  DM must roll for success separately for each spell on a scroll.  A  scroll
  can hold 1d6 spells, determined secretly by  the  DM,  but  the  character
  knows when the scroll is full. A failed attempt to write a spell fills the
  scroll but usually doesn't affect spells already written on  it  (see  the
  Failure section).
    Compare protection scrolls to the level of the spell  that  approximates
  their effects to determine the success chance and type of ink required.  A
  protection from magic scroll, for example, is similar to antimagic shell a
  6th-level spell.

  Rings

    Any ring requires one common process in addition to any extra  materials
  or processes needed for multiple functions or limited use. Discovering all
  the steps required to make a ring requires 1d6+1  weeks  of  research  and
  costs 200 gp a week. Access to  contact  other  plane  or  commune  spells
  automatically reduces the required time to two weeks.
    A ring also requires the enchant an item and permanency spells - or  the
  equivalent priest ceremony - in addition to whatever spells are needed  to
  create the ring's powers (see page 90).  Multiple-use  rings  require  one
  spell per use, and multiple-function rings need one set of spells for each
  function.
    The chance to successfully create a ring is 60%, +10% for every level of
  the creator, and -1% for each spell and special process  required  (except
  for the enchant an item spell). Priests, though they do not actually  cast
  any spells, still suffer the penalty for  spells.  The  more  complex  the
  enchantment, the more difficult it is to successfully petition  the  deity
  to imbue the item with power.

  Rods, Staves, and Wands

    These items require enchant an item spells - or  the  equivalent  priest
  ceremonies - and whatever  spells  are  needed  to  create  their  powers.
  Multiple-function rods, staves, and  wands  need  one  spell  (or  set  of
  spells) for each function. A permanency spell is required.
    The base chance to successfully create one of these items is the same as
  for a ring. If the item is rechargeable, it is created with one charge and
  then additional charges are added using the recharging procedure  detailed
  below.
    A rod, staff, or wand loses all its magical properties  if  it  is  ever
  drained of all its charges, even if  it  is  normally  rechargeable.  Once
  drained of charges, the item can never be enchanted again.

                                   - 093 -

  Miscellaneous Magic, Armor, and Weapons

    These items require enchant an item spells - or  the  equivalent  priest
  ceremonies - and whatever spells are needed to create their  powers.  Each
  plus for  a  weapon  or  protective  device  requires  a  separate  spell.
  Single-use and limited-use items do not  require  permanency  spells,  but
  other items do.
    The chance to successfully create one of these items is the same as  for
  a ring. Rechargeable items are created  with  one  charge  to  reduce  the
  chance for failure.

  Recharging Items

    Any spellcaster can recharge items, provided the character has access to
  the required spells and the character can use the  item.  Mages  can  also
  recharge items usable only by fighters or rogues.
    To begin recharging, the character casts enchant an item -  or  performs
  the equivalent priest ceremony - to prepare the magical  device  and  then
  casts spells that the item absorbs to create charges.
    The spell used to provide a charge must duplicate  or  nearly  duplicate
  the item's power. If no spell duplicates the  power,  the  character  must
  research a new spell or cast some combination of spells that resembles the
  power. If the item has multiple functions, the spell  must  duplicate  the
  item's most powerful function. For example, it takes a cone of cold  spell
  to recharge a wand of frost.
    Once the preparatory spell or ceremony is complete, the character has 24
  hours to create charges. Each spell used requires its normal casting  time
  (not 2d4 hours per spell level as required by the enchant an item  spell).
  When the initial enchantment fades, the character  can  prepare  the  item
  again, but every time an item is prepared to receive charges it must  save
  vs. spell at the caster's level with a - 1 penalty. If the save fails, the
  item falls into useless dust.

  Success and Failure

    Magic is tricky and involves many constantly changing variables, causing
  each enchantment to differ slightly from prior  attempts.  No  matter  how
  many times a character has created a particular magical item, the  chances
  for success remain the same. A character's general level of expertise  can
  improve, but particular enchantments cannot be mastered.
    Each attempt to create a magical item requires a roll for  success.  The
  DM secretly rolls the dice to see if the attempt to create a magical  item
  succeeds. Any roll of 96 - 00 fails automatically.
    Most failed attempts ruin the item, melting  it  into  useless  slag  or
  destroying it in some other dramatic fashion. A failed attempt to write  a
  spell on a scroll fills the remaining space with a useless  blob  of  ink,
  leaving spells already successfully written intact. If  the  failure  roll
  was a 96-00, the item appears to have been  created  normally  but  has  a
  cursed or reversed effect instead. The DM decides the nature of the curse,
  using the cursed items from the magical item lists in the  Dungeon  Master
  Guide and Tome of Magic as a reference.

  Table 24: Typical Experience Values


  Item                                XP Value Range
  Potion
    Single Use                          200-1,000
    Limited Use                         250-1,000
  Scroll
    Spell                             100/spell level
    Protection                         1,000-2,500
  Ring
    Single Function                   1,000-4,000
    Multiple Function                 5,000-5,000
    Limited Use                       1,000-5,000
  Rod
    Single Use                        4,000-10,000
    Single Function                   5,000-10,000
    Multiple Function                 6,000-10,000
    Limited Use                       4,000-10,000
  Staff
    Single Function                   5,000-8,000
    Multiple Function                 7,000-15,000
    Limited Use                       2,500-5,000
  Wand
    Single Function                   2,000-4,000
    Multiple Function                 4,000-7,000
    Limited Use                       4,000-6,000
  Miscellaneous Magic
    Single Use                         200-2,000
    Single Function                   2,000-10,000
    Multiple Function                 2,500-10,000
    Limited Use                        500-2,500
  Armor
    Single Function                   250-800/plus
    Multiple Function            lower value+higher value
    Limited Use                       3,000-5,000
  Weapon
    Single Use                         20-50/plus
    Single Function                   400-600/plus
    Multiple Function      lower value plus 20-40% of higher value
    Limited Use                       1,000-5,000


                                   - 094 -

  Values for Cursed & Nonstandard Items

    If a character decides to create a cursed item, the DM should  determine
  the cost and difficulty by comparing the cursed creation to  useful  items
  of similar power. A cursed sword -2, for example, is as difficult to  make
  as a sword +2. If an  attempt  to  create  a  cursed  item  fails,  it  is
  destroyed. If the attempt fails on a roll of 96-00, a curse  of  the  DM's
  choice falls on the creator - the character does not wind up with a useful
  item instead.
    If a character attempts to create an item not found in  any  rule  book,
  the DM should assign it an experience  point  value  by  comparing  it  to
  similar items that already exist. Like choosing  materials  and  processes
  for  items,  this  task  requires  imagination  and  common  sense.  If
  difficulties arise, stop to consider what spells  are  needed  to  make  a
  scroll with  the  same  powers.  Table  24  gives  the  typical  range  of
  experience values for items. If the maximum value for the  category  seems
  too low for the proposed item, the item probably is too powerful. When  in
  doubt, try to err on the high side; characters attempting to create  items
  no one else has heard of are entering uncharted  territory  and  are  more
  likely to fail than characters who stick to standard items.

  Examples of Magical Item Creation

    Rozmare wants to duplicate a potion of speed she has found. Because  she
  has a dose of the potion to analyze, she can determine its formula in  one
  week of study and doesn't need  to  spend  any  money  except  for  normal
  maintenance on her laboratory.  She  determines  that  the  potion's  main
  ingredient is the essence  of  speed.  After  some  deliberation,  Rozmare
  decides that the heart of a swift animal should suffice (it  could  easily
  be sweat from a fast horse or a shoe worn by a fleetfooted  elf).  Rozmare
  also decides it would be best to  get  a  fresh  heart,  so  she  hires  a
  huntsman and goes searching for deer.

                                   - 095 -

    The DM smiles inwardly at this plan, remembering several  stories  about
  Robin Hood and how touchy some people  can  get  when  it  comes  to  deer
  hunting. Fortunately, Rozmare pays her respects to  the  local  baron  and
  agrees to deal with some brigands before going hunting.
    Once she has the heart, Rozmare  begins  working.  Additional  materials
  cost 200 gp (equal to the potion's experience  point  value)  and  brewing
  takes two weeks. At the end of that time, the DM secretly rolls  the  dice
  and gets a 71. Rozmare is 15th level, so her success chance  is  94%  (70%
  +26% for her level and -2% for the potion's cost of 200 gp).  Rozmare  has
  successfully created a potion of speed.
    Some time later, Rozmare gets hints from the baron that a  magical  gift
  would be appreciated. Since the baron has been having some  problems  with
  trolls lately, Rozmare agrees to provide him with a long sword +1, +3  vs.
  regenerating creatures.
    To create the sword, Rozmare needs the enchant an item spell (which  she
  knows), a permanency spell (which she cannot cast herself), and a list  of
  the required materials and processes.  The  baron  reluctantly  agrees  to
  provide a ring with one wish, which  Rozmare  can  use  to  duplicate  the
  permanency spell. Rozmare is in no hurry, so she  begins  researching  the
  required steps without magical aid. After three weeks (and an  expenditure
  of 600 gp), she discovers that the sword must be  forged  of  metal  taken
  from a blazing fallen star and nails from a  slumbering  vampire's  coffin
  (two exotic materials). The sword must be heated in coals  strewn  with  a
  troll's ashes (rare process), quenched in acid (common process), set  with
  a gem wrested from an ogre magi's hand (exotic process), and polished with
  a tooth from a living lernaean hydra (exotic process). Rozmare has quite a
  series of adventures ahead of her.
    Rozmare thought she would have to find a meteorite that just struck  the
  ground; she got a break when she found a meteorite with the  rays  of  the
  setting sun playing across it like firelight. The coffin nails were fairly
  simple to get - her group forced a vampire into  gaseous  form  and  pried
  loose the  nails  from  its  coffin  while  the  monster  was  recovering.
  Acquiring a gem wrested from an ogre magi's hand  proved  frustrating,  as
  the creature's invariably turned gaseous and escaped before Rozmare  could
  get the gem. Eventually, a successful confusion spell allowed the task  to
  be accomplished. Getting a tooth from a lernaean  hydra  wasn't  difficult
  the tooth didn't have to be alive, just the monster - but making sure  the
  hydra was still alive when it came time to polish the sword  required  her
  to keep the creature caged. Troll ashes proved fairly easy to get, and the
  smith Rozmare hired to actually make the blade suggested that cooling that
  sword in a vat of vinegar would qualify as quenching  the  sword  in  acid
  without endangering the blade.
    Additional materials for the task cost 1,600 gp (double the sword's  800
  experience point value) and preparations took eight weeks (four weeks  per
  1,000 gp of cost, rounded up to the nearest 1,000).
    With the sword made, all that remained was to enchant  the  weapon.  The
  arduous task of  enchanting  the  blade  required  the  enchant  an  item,
  enchanted weapon (for the sword's basic bonus - the DM decides  the  extra
  steps required for the sword's multiple functions make additional  enchant
  an item spells unnecessary) and permanency spells. Since Rozmare does  not
  have access to the permanency spell, she uses the wish  from  the  baron's
  ring as a replacement.
    Rozmare has a 65% chance to succeed (base 60% +15% for  her  level  -10%
  for processes and spells). The DM secretly rolls the dice and gets a 54, a
  success.

                                   - 096 -

  Chapter 5: Magical Duels

    When two spellcasters have a disagreement that can't be solved amicably,
  a magical duel is often the best way to resolve  the  dispute.  Duels  are
  also fought to prove who is more proficient in the magical arts, and  many
  apprentices enter magical duels with  their  peers  to  demonstrate  their
  skills. The duel is a highly refined form  of  combat,  more  subtle  than
  simply squaring off and hurling spells until an opponent  fails  a  saving
  throw and infinitely ignore subtle than physical cornbat.
    To conduct  a  magical  duel,  the  opponents  must  seek  out  a  third
  spellcaster  who  agreed  to  oversee  the  event  and  assist  with  the
  construction of the arena where it is to take place. It often helps  bring
  a few friends along to the duel site to help guard  against  treachery  or
  unwelcome interventions from third parties.

  Creating the Arena

    The arena  is  a  magical  construct  that  the  combatants  must  forge
  cooperatively. To form the arena, the two opponents must participate in  a
  protocol similar to casting a spell.  They  begin  by  standing  at  arm's
  length, then circle each other, chanting and gesturing for a full turn. If
  the combatants' concentration is disturbed before the arena is  completed,
  the preparations must begin again. Typical disturbances  include  anything
  that would normally prevent spellcasting, but even loud  noises  can  ruin
  the creation process.
    The  mediator  then  casts  some  kind  of  protective  spell  over  the
  combatants. Wall of force is the usual choice, but  any  protective  spell
  that encompasses the two combatants is sufficient. The combatants now have
  the option of contributing their own spells. The spells  contributed  need
  not be  protective  spells,  but  they  must  be  currently  memorized.  A
  contributed spell disappears from the character's memory as though it  had
  been cast; the spell does not have its normal  effect  but  instead  helps
  determine how large the arena is, which combatant has the  advantage,  and
  how severe the  consequences  of  defeat  are  (see  below).  Unscrupulous
  characters might contribute multiple spells or spells stored in scrolls or
  other devices to increase their chances of gaining the  initial  advantage
  and to raise the stakes beyond what the opponent would willingly
  undertake.

                                   - 097 -

    Spells contributed to the arena are recorded  secretly  by  the  players
  involved. The characters involved in the duel cannot tell how many  spells
  their opponent is contributing or how long  the  opponent  spends  casting
  them, but the mediator is aware of the spells contributed by both sides.

  Balance of Power (Optional)

    If the two opponents are not the same level, the number of spell  levels
  each  character  contributes  to  the  arena  cannot  exceed  the  weaker
  opponent's level. For example, if Calvin, a 7th-level wizard,  is  dueling
  Delsenora, a 12th-level priest, neither character could contribute a spell
  higher than 7th level or multiple spells totaling seven  levels  or  more.
  There is no limit to the number of spells that can be contributed if  both
  opponents are the same level.

    When the arena is complete, the two combatants are standing still with a
  ball of shimmering force hovering between them. A close look at  the  ball
  reveals tiny images of the two combatants floating  opposite  each  other.
  The images are mental constructs that represent the combatants in the
  duel.
    Characters must willingly cooperate to form an arena and conduct a duel.
  A character under a magical or psionic compulsion, such as a charm  person
  or suggestion spell, cannot be forced to give consent. A character can  be
  intimidated into giving consent in any number of ways, including a geas or
  guest spell. Consent given under threat is still consent for purposes of a
  magical duel as long as the character in question is  free  to  think  for
  himself. In the case of a geas or quest spell,  the  subject  is  free  to
  ignore the request for a duel and face the consequences.

  Arena Physics

    Although the arena looks like a sphere from the outside, it has a  weird
  geometry all its own. It is best pictured as a rectangle 12 to  30  spaces
  long and one space wide, resembling a  long,  narrow  corridor  more  than
  anything else. The opponents stand on opposite ends of the corridor facing
  each other.
    The number of spaces between them depends on the highest level of  spell
  each opponent contributed to the arena. If neither opponent contributed  a
  spell,  there  are  10  intervening  spaces.  The  highest  level  spell
  contributed by each opponent adds its level. For example, if one  opponent
  contributed a 5th-level spell and the other contributed a 3rd-level spell,
  there would be 18 spaces between the duelists. There are never  more  than
  30 spaces between the opponents, and only the single, highest-level  spell
  contributed by each side of the  duel  is  factored  for  determining  the
  distance between the spellcasters.
    The space occupied by the duelists in the arena does not count as far as
  the length of the corridor is concerned. Thus,  the  largest  arena  would
  consist of 32 spaces,  but  each  combatant  would  occupy  one  space  at
  opposite ends of the corridor, leaving 30 spaces between them.

  Conducting the Duel

    When the arena is complete, the opponents fight by casting  spells.  The
  spells emanate from the  characters'  images,  and  their  effects  become
  mental constructs that move across the arena and  battle  opposing  spells
  along the way.
    To help keep track of spells cast during a duel, it is  helpful  to  use
  some kind of large grid. The reusable sheets used  for  conducting  combat
  encounters with miniature figures are ideal. Place a miniature or  counter
  for each combatant on the grid  with  the  appropriate  number  of  spaces
  between them.
    A duel is fought in rounds, just like a normal encounter.  The  sequence
  of actions in each round is as follows:

    1. The advantaged caster's spells move and any resulting combats are
  conducted.
    2. The disadvantaged caster's spells move and any resulting combats  are
  conducted.
    3. Both casters cast new spells.
    4. Steps 1-3 are repeated until the duel ends.

    On the first round of the duel, there is no spell movement because there
  are no spells in the arena.

  Determining Advantage

    Throughout the duel, one opponent has the advantage - the upper  hand  -
  while the other  caster  is  disadvantaged.  When  the  duel  begins,  the
  advantage lies with the spellcaster  who  contributed  the  highest  level
  spell to the arena (not the highest combined level of multiple spells). If
  neither  opponent  contributed  any  spells,  or  if  neither  opponent
  contributed a higher level spell than the other, each opponent rolls  1d10
  and the character with the highest roll has the  advantage.  The  opponent
  with the advantage retains it until one of  his  spells  is  destroyed  in
  combat. At that point, the advantage shifts to the  other  opponent.  Each
  time a spell destroys another spell in combat, the advantage shifts to the
  opponent who cast the victorious spell. The advantage does not shift if  a
  character defeats a spell through use of his power rating (PR) or making a
  successful saving throw.

                                   - 098 -

  Spells in the Arena

    Once cast, a spell acquires a physical form and moves across  the  space
  between the combatants, taking effect only when it reaches  the  opponent.
  Spells are not readily identifiable, but detect magic and  the  spellcraft
  proficiency can identify them. To  help  keep  track  of  spells,  players
  should secretly record the  spells  their  characters  cast.  Writing  the
  spells' names on a piece of folded cardboard creates  a  marker  that  can
  easily be moved across the grid (3" x 5" index cards  cut  in  half,  then
  folded are ideal).
    A spell never leaves the arena or affects creatures outside  the  arena.
  Remember that the combatants themselves are not in  the  arena  -  magical
  constructs represent them. It is  not  possible  for  combatants  to  cast
  spells upon themselves. For example, a priest involved in a duel can  cast
  cure light wounds, but the spell appears in the arena - it does  not  heal
  any damage the caster has suffered. Likewise, a wizard can use a  teleport
  spell, but the spell merely travels across the arena toward the opponent -
  it does not whisk the caster away to another place.  Spells  also  do  not
  truly affect the opponent. A charm  person  or  imprisonment  spell  might
  fight its way to the opponent's space, but when the  spells  take  effect,
  the caster neither controls  nor  imprisons  his  opponent.  Instead,  the
  opponent's actions are restricted until he can  throw  off  their  effects
  (see the Characters vs. Spells section for details).
    If a spell encounters an opposing spell on its way across the arena, the
  two spells might struggle to annihilate each other before continuing on or
  they might pass each other. Each  spell  has  three  characteristics  that
  govern its behavior in the arena: Type, Movement, and Power

                                   - 099 -

  Table 25: Spell Interactions

  Type A  D AD  L  M
    A  -  C  C  A  -
    D  C  -  C  A  G
   AD  C  C  C  A  A
    L  A  A  A  C  -
    M  -  G  A  -  -

  A = The opponent with the advantage decides if the spells  fight  or  pass
  each other with no effect.

  C = Combat must take place between the spells when they meet.

  G = Generally, these types of spells ignore each other, but there are some
  defense spells that conduct combat with missiles; see the Special  Dueling
  Characteristics for Spells section for details.

  - = The spells pass each other with no effect.

  Rank. The Appendix contains dueling characteristics for spells included in
  the Player's Handbook and the Tome of Magic.

    Type: A spell's type determines what it can do and which opposing spells
  it must attempt to destroy. For dueling purposes, there are five types  of
  spells: Attack (A): The spell's normal function in the  AD&D  game  is  to
  harm the target in some way. In a duel, an attack spell is used to  damage
  or temporarily incapacitate the opponent. Spells  such  as  charm  person,
  web, and disintegrate are attack spells.  An  attack  spell  must  conduct
  combat with any opposing defensive spell it meets and can  conduct  combat
  with opposing  leech  spells  (the  advantaged  spellcaster  decides,  see
  below). It ignores missile and other attack spells.  If  an  attack  spell
  reaches the opposing  spellcaster's  square,  it  takes  effect  (see  the
  Characters vs. Spells section  for  details).  Defense  (D):  The  spell's
  normal function is to protect or fortify the recipient in some fashion. In
  a duel, these spells are used to destroy attack spells before  they  cross
  the arena. Spells such as protection from evil,  cure  light  wounds,  and
  minor globe of invulnerability are defense spells. A defensive spell  must
  conduct combat with any opposing attack spell it meets and can conduct
  combat

  Table 26: Spell Movement

  Spell Range*               Movement Rate
  Touch or 0**                     1
  1 - 20 yards                     2
  21 - 50 yards                    3
  51 - 100 yards                   4
  101+ yards                       5

  * If the spell's range varies with the caster's level, its  movement  rate
  increases with the increased range. For example,  a  fireball  cast  by  a
  5th-level wizard has a range of 60 yards (MV 4), but a fireball cast by  a
  15th-level wizard has a range of 160 yards (MV 5). Some  spells,  such  as
  prismatic spray, have ranges listed as 0, but areas of effect  that  allow
  them to reach distant targets. These spells' movement rates are a function
  of their areas of effect,  not  their  basic  ranges.  Spells  that  allow
  instantaneous movement or that affect huge areas have movement rates of 5.
  See the Appendix for examples.

  ** Also includes spells with a range of less than one yard.

  with opposing leech  spells.  It  generally  ignores  missiles,  but  some
  defensive spells are specifically designed to stop missiles (refer to  the
  Special Dueling Characteristics for Spells) Defensive spells always ignore
  each other, and, upon reaching the opposing spellcaster's  square,  vanish
  without affecting the opponent. Leech (L): Outside of a  duel,  the  spell
  normally does not cause harm or provide a defense. In a duel, leech spells
  are used to destroy other spells and to damage the opponent.  Spells  such
  as teleport, detect invisibility, and haste  are  leech  spells.  A  leech
  spell must conduct combat with any opposing leech spell it meets  and  can
  conduct  combat  with  opposing  attack  or  defense  spells.  It  ignores
  missiles. If a leech spell reaches the opposing spellcaster's  square,  it
  inflicts 1d6 points of damage per spell level. The opponent is  allowed  a
  saving throw vs. spell to reduce the damage by half. Attack/Defense  (AD):
  The spell's normal function is to create  a  solid  barrier  or  summon  a
  creature. In a duel, an attack/defense spell creates a barrier  that  most
  spells cannot bypass without a battle  and  has  the  ability  to  inflict
  damage upon the opponent. The various wall and monster summoning spells as
  well as dispel magic are attack/defense spells.  An  attack/defense  spell
  must conduct combat with any opposing defensive or attack spell it  meets,
  and it can conduct combat with opposing leech or missile spells, as chosen
  by the advantaged spellcaster (see below).

                                   - 100 -

    If an attack/defense spell reaches the opposing spellcaster's square, it
  usually inflicts 1d6 points of damage per spell  level.  The  opponent  is
  allowed a saving throw vs. spell or a spell combat roll to avoid the
  damage.
    Missile (M):  The  spell  creates  or  propels  a  physical  or  magical
  projectile that streaks toward the target, inflicting damage. In a duel, a
  missile spell is used to damage the opponent.  Spells  such  as  fireball,
  magic missile, and flame arrow are missile spells.  A  missile  spell  can
  conduct combat with  opposing  attack/defense  spells.  It  ignores  other
  missile, leech, attack, and most defense spells.
    If a missile spell reaches the opposing spellcaster's square,  it  takes
  effect (see the Characters vs. Spells section for details).

  * Power Rank (PR): The higher a spell's power rank, the more likely it  is
  to defeat another spell in combat. A spell's power rank is its level  plus
  nine. For example, a fireball is a 3rd-level spell and has a PR of 12.

  * Movement (MV): A spell's movement rate determines how quickly  it  moves
  across the arena. A spell need not move its full rate but can never exceed
  its movement rate in a single round. Most spells must move  at  least  one
  space every round (unless locked in combat with another spell).  The  only
  exception is defensive  spells;  a  defensive  spell  can  remain  in  the
  caster's space instead of moving across the arena, but only one such spell
  can remain with the caster at any given time. If  the  caster  leaves  the
  space, the spell stays behind.
    A spell's movement rate is based on its range, as shown on the Table 26.

  Requirements for Spellcasting

    All spellcasting  during  a  duel  is  simultaneous.  Spells  cannot  be
  disrupted as they can during  a  normal  encounter.  Spellcasting  is  not
  always possible, however.
    To cast a spell in a duel, a character must be free from the effects  of
  hostile spells and not engaged in personal combat with his  opponent.  The
  character must have  the  intended  spell  memorized  and  must  have  any
  required material components in his possession. Additional components  are
  not required, however, as the arena itself makes  up  for  the  lack.  For
  example, the pyrotechnics spell normally requires  a  fire  source.  In  a
  dueling arena, the spell still works.

  Spell Movement and Combat

    When a spell is cast, it appears in the space immediately ahead  of  the
  caster; if it is a defensive spell, it can appear in  the  caster's  space
  instead. No spell moves on the round when it is  cast.  If  an  opponent's
  spell already occupies the space, the two spells must check for combat.

    Movement: A spell already in the arena when a round begins moves one  or
  more spaces toward the opponent. The spell must move at least  one  square
  forward unless it is locked or it  is  a  defensive  spell  occupying  the
  caster's square; the latter type of spell has a movement of 0 and  remains
  where it is until it is destroyed in combat or the duel ends. A spell need
  not move its full movement rate.
    All of the advantaged caster's spells move first, even if combat  causes
  the advantage to shift to the other caster. When spells  move,  the  spell
  closest to the opponent always moves first, then the next closest, and  so
  on until all the character's spells have moved.
    It is possible for two or more spells to  occupy  the  same  space.  All
  spells cast by one character can freely move through each other or stop in
  the same space. When two friendly spells begin a round in the same  space,
  the spell with the fastest movement rate moves first.
    Spells from different casters also can move through each other  or  stop
  in the same space if they are not required to conduct combat. Spells never
  move backward unless forced to do so by an opposing spell's special
  ability.

    Combat: When two opposing spells meet,  the  disadvantaged  caster  must
  announce his spell's type (A, D, AD, L, or M). The advantaged caster  then
  checks his spell's type against Table 25 to determine if the spells battle
  or if they pass each other. The  advantaged  caster  is  not  required  to
  reveal his spell's type, and neither caster is required to reveal what the
  spells actually are. Note that some spells must battle each other even  if
  their types don't require them to (see the notes on special abilities). It
  is  the  disadvantaged  opponent's  responsibility  to  announce  special
  abilities that might be relevant.
    If combat occurs, it is conducted immediately, and  all  spell  movement
  temporarily stops until the combat is resolved.
    To conduct combat between spells, each player rolls  1d20  and  compares
  the result to his spell's power rank. If the roll is higher than the power
  rank, the spell fails. If the roll is equal to  or  less  than  the  power
  rank, the spell succeeds.

                                   - 101 -

    If one  spell  fails  and  the  other  succeeds,  the  failed  spell  is
  destroyed. If other opposing spells exist in the  same  space,  battle  is
  conducted with them as well. If the winning  spell  was  moving  when  the
  combat occurred it can finish its move after the battle.  It  is  possible
  for one spell to fight several different battles in a  single  round,  but
  combat between any one pair of spells is conducted only once each round.
    If both spells fail, the two spells lock. Failure can  occur  when  both
  spells roll higher than their power scores or when  two  spells  with  the
  same power scores tie each other. Locked spells prevent other spells  from
  passing; refer to Locked Spells, below.
    If both spells succeed, the spell with  the  higher  roll  destroys  the
  spell with the lower roll.
    For example, Rary casts a charm person  spell  (A,  PR  10)  that  meets
  Serten's cure light wounds spell (D, PR 10). The two spells  must  battle.
  Rary rolls a 12 and Serten  rolls  a  1.  Rary's  charm  person  spell  is
  destroyed because it failed its roll and Serten's cure light wounds  spell
  succeeds. If Rary had rolled a 9 instead of a 12, the charm  person  would
  have destroyed the cure light wounds spell because  it  succeeded  with  a
  higher roll. If Serten had rolled a 20 and Rary had rolled  a  12  (or  if
  both had rolled a 10), the two spells would have locked.
    If an opposing spell occupies the space in front of a  character  during
  step 3 and the character casts his own spell  into  that  space,  the  two
  spells immediately check for combat.

    Locked Spells: When two spells lock, they remain in place until  another
  spell enters the space and destroys the opposing spell. No spell can  move
  through a space containing locked spells, even if it normally could ignore
  the opposing spell. Once the opposing spell is destroyed, all the  blocked
  spells are free to move normally.

  Table 27: Character Power Scores

       Ability Score*            Bonus           Power Score
         14 or less                0                  9
            15                     1                 10
            16                     2                 11
            17                     3                 12
            18+                    4                 13

    * Wizards and bards  use  Intelligence/Reason.  Priests,  paladins,  and
  rangers use Wisdom/Intuition.

    For example, the charm person and cure  light  wounds  spells  from  the
  previous example are locked. There is no further combat  between  the  two
  spells until a third spell moves into the space. The next spell to move is
  a magic missile that belongs to Rary. Magic missile is a type M spell that
  normally ignores type D spells, so it cannot destroy the cure light wounds
  spell and is blocked until the lock is cleared. The next spell to move  is
  Serten's dispel magic. Dispel magic is an AD spell  that  normally  fights
  the type A spell charm person. If the  dispel  magic  spell  destroys  the
  charm person spell, the lock is cleared. If not, the  lock  continues  and
  spells are still blocked from advancing past the lock.
    It is possible to have multiple locked spells in the  same  space.  When
  this occurs, each spell that enters  the  space  must  check  against  all
  locked spells in the area. Once all opposing spells are defeated, the lock
  is cleared.

    Combat Between Multiple Spells: If a spell  enters  a  space  containing
  more than one opposing spell, all the spells must be checked for combat.
    If there is a lock in the space, the opposing spell that caused the lock
  is checked first. If the incoming spell cannot battle the  locking  spell,
  the incoming spell is blocked and no combat  occurs  between  it  and  any
  other spell in the space until the lock is removed.
    If there is no lock in the space, the opposing spell  with  the  highest
  movement rate is checked for combat. If there is no combat or the incoming
  spell wins the combat, the spell with the next highest  movement  rate  is
  checked. This process continues until the incoming spell is  destroyed  or
  all opposing spells have  been  checked.  If  a  lock  occurs  during  the
  process, all combat stops until the lock is cleared.
    If there are multiple locks in the space, the incoming spell checks  the
  opposing locked spell with the highest movement rate for  combat.  If  the
  incoming spell cannot conduct combat with that spell, no combat occurs and
  all the locks remain in place. If the incoming  spell  defeats  the  first
  locking spell, it checks for combat with the next  fastest  locking  spell
  and so on until all the opposing locks are checked or until  the  incoming
  spell is locked or defeated.
    When all locks are removed from a  space  containing  multiple  opposing
  spells, there is no further combat until another spell enters  the  space.
  The spell entering the space checks the opposing spell  with  the  highest
  movement rate and continues checking until all the  opposing  spells  have
  been checked or the spell is locked or defeated.

                                   - 103 -

  Character Movement and Combat

    The characters involved in a duel have power ranks and can  move  across
  the arena and conduct combat just as spells do.
    A character can move one space each round instead of  casting  a  spell.
  Unlike a spell, characters can move forward or backward. If the  character
  enters a space containing an opposing spell, the spell takes  effect  just
  as though the spell entered the character's space.
    A  character  has  power  rank  of  9  plus  a  bonus  for  high
  Intelligence/Reason or Wisdom/Intuition. Characters use their power  ranks
  for conducting combat between themselves and sometimes for resisting
  spells.

    Characters vs. Spells: Opposing spells  are  immediately  revealed  when
  they enter a character's square; when a spell hits,  the  character  knows
  exactly what it is. Spells have varying effects according to their type:
    Attack Spells: These take effect just as if  they  were  cast  upon  the
  character during an adventure. However, it is important to  remember  that
  the character is not affected directly, only  the  mental  construct  that
  represents the character in the duel is affected.
    If the spell normally allows a saving throw, the character  is  entitled
  to one in the duel. The saving throws by caster level optional  rule  (see
  page 143) is always used in duels; bonuses for high ability  scores  never
  apply during a duel. Refer to the individual  spell  description  for  the
  spell's effects.
    If the spell normally requires the caster to make an attack  roll,  such
  as Melf's acid arrow and all touch-delivered spells,  the  two  characters
  conduct a combat to see if  the  incoming  spell  takes  effect  (see  the
  Character vs. Character section).
    If the spell inflicts damage, the appropriate number of hit  points  are
  deducted from the character's total. Characters reduced to zero hit points
  or less lose the duel and suffer the effects indicated under the Spoils of
  Victory section (page 105).
    If a spell has any lingering effects that  hinder  or  incapacitate  the
  target in any way - loss of mental control, immobilization, or  any  other
  effect that keeps the character from casting spells or acting freely - the
  character cannot move or cast spells into  the  arena,  but  he  can  cast
  counter spells or conduct combat  with  the  spell.  This  represents  the
  character's struggle to  regain  control  over  his  mental  construct.  A
  character with a positive hit point total can never be  removed  from  the
  arena or forced to end the duel by a spell cast as part of the duel,  such
  as a suggestion that tries to convince him to quit.
    Combat between a character and a spell is  conducted  just  like  combat
  between spells except that the affected character uses his power score. If
  a lock occurs, the attacking spell is destroyed instead. Characters cannot
  opt to use their power scores instead of  attempting  saving  throws  when
  spells first enter their spaces.
    When a spell first enters the  same  space  occupied  by  their  magical
  construct, the attacking spell is  revealed  and  the  character  has  the
  option of either making a saving throw or employing a  counter  spell.  To
  cast a counter spell, the character selects  a  spell  that  can  normally
  conduct combat with the spell  (this  can  be  affected  by  who  has  the
  advantage). The combat between spells is conducted normally, but both  the
  attacking spell and the counter spell are destroyed if the  counter  spell
  wins or if there is  a  lock.  If  the  counter  spell  is  defeated,  the
  attacking spell affects the character. A character can cast any number  of
  counter spells during  a  round  provided  he  has  an  appropriate  spell
  memorized, but he can only  cast  a  single  counter  spell  against  each
  incoming spell. Casting a counter spell does not prevent a character  from
  casting a spell later in the round.
    Defense Spells: These vanish when they enter  the  opponent's  space.  A
  defense spell - not an AD spell - can also be cast in the character's  own
  space. A spell cast in this manner remains in the space until destroyed or
  the duel ends. Any attack or attack/defense spell that  enters  the  space
  must defeat the spell before it can affect the character, and some defense
  spells can also combat missiles in this manner.
    Attack/Defense Spells: Unless the  spell  has  a  special  ability  that
  states otherwise, an attack/defense spell inflicts 1d6  points  of  damage
  per spell level when it reaches  an  opponent's  space.  The  opponent  is
  allowed a saving throw vs. spells to negate the damage.
    Leech Spells: Unless  the  spell  has  a  special  ability  that  states
  otherwise, a leech spell inflicts 1d6 points of  damage  per  spell  level
  when it reaches an opponent's space. The  opponent  is  allowed  a  saving
  throw vs. spells to reduce the damage by half.
    Missile Spells: These spells follow the same procedures as attack
  spells.

  * Characters vs. Multiple  Spells:  If  several  hostile  spells  enter  a
  character's  space  at  once,  the  character  deals  with  all  of  them
  simultaneously,  making  saving  throws,  conducting  combat  and  casting
  counter spells; it is possible for a character to  cast  multiple  counter
  spells in a single round.
    The character must deal with any spell that began the round in his space
  first and then with the  fastest  opposing  spell,  and  so  on  until  he
  conducts combat with every spell in the space. If some of  the  spells  in
  the space do not allow counter spells, such as creature summoning  spells,
  the character can use counter spells against any spells in the space  that
  do allow counter spells.

                                   - 104 -

  * Character vs. Character: Combat between characters occurs  whenever  two
  characters occupy the same space as well as when a spell that requires  an
  attack roll enters a character's space. Character combat is conducted just
  like spell combat, except that locks are treated differently.
    If a spell causes character combat, the attacker uses his power score or
  the spell's, whichever is higher. The spell takes  effect  if  its  caster
  wins the combat. The spell is destroyed if it is defeated or  locked.  The
  defender can respond with his power score or a counter spell.
    If two characters are engaged  in  combat,  the  winning  character  can
  choose to inflict 1d6 points of damage or send the loser 1d4  spaces  away
  in either direction, but in no case can the loser  be  moved  out  of  the
  arena. If the forced movement takes the character into a space  containing
  an opposing spell, the spell takes effect.
    It is not possible to cast spells while  engaged  in  character  combat.
  Counter spells cannot be used against another character.

    Identifying Spells: Spells are not readily identifiable  when  they  are
  moving across the arena. However, a spell is always revealed when it is in
  the same space as the opponent.
    A character with the spellcraft proficiency can try to identify opposing
  spells instead of moving or casting a spell.  The  character  chooses  any
  spell currently in the  arena  and  rolls  a  power  check.  If  the  roll
  succeeds, the spell is revealed.  This  can  be  particularly  useful  for
  targeting specific enemy spells.

  Special Notes The DM should find the  following  information  useful  when
  characters engage in magical duels.


  Magical Items and Preexisting Spells

    Because a dueling arena is a mental construct, it  is  not  possible  to
  carry any sort of equipment into it; the opponents enter the arena only in
  their minds. Certain items, however, can affect the course of a duel.
    Items that actually store spells or spell  energy  can  be  employed  to
  create spells during a duel. Such items include rings  of  spell  storing,
  magical scrolls, and rods of absorption. A scroll of protection creates  a
  defensive effect with a power rank of 15 and a movement of 1.
    Items that create spell-like effects usually cannot be used in  a  duel.
  Such items include all wands, staves, potions, and  miscellaneous  magical
  items, as well as most rods. The combatants, however, can agree in advance
  to incorporate such items into a duel. The arena must be altered to  allow
  the items to function, and an  additional  turn  of  preparation  time  is
  required for each class of item to be allowed. If only one particular item
  is to be allowed, an extra turn of preparation is required.
    For example, Delsenora and Calvin decide to have a friendly spellcasting
  contest, but Calvin wishes to employ his wand of conjuration in the  duel.
  If the pair spends two turns creating the arena,  either  character  could
  use any wand. If the pair spends three turns preparing, only Calvin's wand
  of conjuration can affect the duel - the extra time might  be  well  worth
  Calvin's patience.
    A spell-like effect from an item works just like the spell it simulates.
  When in doubt, the item creates a leech effect that inflicts a maximum  of
  6d6 points of damage. A leech from a staff drains a maximum of 8d6 dice of
  damage, while other items inflict a maximum of 9d6 points  of  damage.  An
  effect from a device uses the device level to determine the saving  throw,
  not the wielder's level (see page 144).
    Magical bonuses for protective devices,  such  as  enchanted  armor  and
  rings of protection, increase the wearer's power score against spells, but
  not for personal combat. For example, a priest with a power  score  of  11
  wearing plate armor +2 and a ring of protection +1 has an  adjusted  power
  score of 14 against spells. Armor class has no effect  on  a  duel;  items
  such as bracers of defense do not help the wearer.  Defensive  bonuses  to
  saving throws apply to any saving throw the character makes in  the  duel.
  Magical armor can  provide  saving  throw  bonuses  against  missiles  and
  attack/defense spells (see DMG, Chapter 9).
    Attack bonuses from magical weapons increase the character's power score
  for personal combat, but not  against  spells.  In  other  words,  magical
  weapons only help when the two magical constructs engage in  melee  combat
  instead of casting spells at each other.
    Effects from other magical items and spells that are  activated  and  in
  place on a character when an arena is constructed usually have  no  effect
  on a duel. However, the arena can be constructed to allow them to operate.
  An extra turn of preparation time  is  required  for  each  effect  to  be
  incorporated. Once incorporated, an effect remains in place  until  it  is
  dispelled or its duration expires.
    A preexisting effect can profoundly influence on a duel. For example,  a
  minor globe of invulnerability makes the protected character immune to all
  1st- through 3rd-level spells. The globe can be dispelled,  but  a  dispel
  magic spell would have to reach the character's space before it could take
  effect. A simple protection from evil spell renders the  recipient  immune
  to any attack/defense spell  that  summons  creatures.  Characters  should
  exercise considerable care before agreeing to allow an opponent  to  enter
  the arena with a magical effect already in place. The  durations  for  all
  preexisting conditions begin on the first round of a duel,  not  when  the
  spell is initially cast during the arena creation process.

                                   - 105 -

    Certain magical effects  prevent  an  arena  from  being  formed;  these
  include the spells antimagic shell prismatic sphere,  Otiluke's  resilient
  sphere, Otiluke's telekinetic sphere,  any  wall  spell,  and  scrolls  of
  protection from magic. None of these effects can be incorporated  into  an
  arena, even if both opponents agree.

  Specialist Wizards

    Specialist wizards' saving throw adjustments  for  spells  within  their
  schools of specialization apply during duels unless the characters  choose
  to forgo them. Such adjustments require an extra turn of preparation  when
  building the arena. Specialists are free to use any available bonus spells
  during a duel.
    Specialists also suffer from a disadvantage in duels; spells from  their
  opposition schools gain an extra power rank.  For  example,  dispel  magic
  spells have a rank of 13, not 12, when used against  illusionists  because
  Abjuration is opposed to Illusion. The bonus represents  the  specialists'
  lack of experience when dealing with magic from their opposition schools.
    A dueling arena provides a stable magical environment, and  wild  surges
  and level variations never occur within them. It is possible to  construct
  an arena that allows level variations, but both combatants  must  be  wild
  mages and wild surges still are impossible. In a  duel,  level  variations
  raise or lower a spell's power rank.
    For example, Johan the Rat casts an unseen servant spell, which normally
  has a power rank of 10. If Johan rolls  a  level  variation  of  -5,  that
  particular unseen servant spell has power rank of 5.
    A spell's other dueling characteristics and effects can also be  altered
  by a level variation. For example, if Johan were a  13th-level  wild  mage
  and cast a fireball spell with a  level  variation  of  -5,  the  fireball
  spell's power score would be reduced to 7 and the spell could inflict only
  8d6 points of damage. The spell's movement also would be reduced from 5 to
  4.
    Elementalists'  saving  throw  adjustments  apply  during  duels.  The
  elementalist ability to cast a spell at higher level than normal does  not
  apply unless both combatants are elementalists. If used, the casting level
  increase boosts the spell's power score and other characteristics  in  the
  same manner as described above.

  The Spoils of Victory

    The combatants are free to decide when a duel ends and what  happens  to
  the character who loses the duel, but the general terms  must  be  set  in
  advance. A magical duel always ends when one combatant runs out of  spells
  or runs out of hit points; the combatants choose one or both conditions to
  apply. The combatants can choose  additional  conditions  for  ending  the
  duel, such as when an opponent reaches half hit points or when an opponent
  casts a certain type of spell. Preparing the arena requires an extra  turn
  for each extra condition and two extra turns if  the  condition  does  not
  apply equally to both opponents.
    For example, if Calvin and Delsenora wish to conduct a duel in which the
  first character to cast an Evocation spell loses, they need one extra turn
  to build the arena. If they wish to end the duel only when Delsenora casts
  an evocation spell - leaving Calvin free to use them throughout the duel -
  they need two extra turns to complete the arena.
    Once conditions for ending the duel are set, the duel automatically ends
  when the condition is met, even if the opponents  change  their  minds.  A
  character can always end a duel early by surrendering and accepting
  defeat.
    The extent of the duel's consequences depends on the combatants' resolve
  and how many levels of spells  the  combatants  invest  when  forming  the
  arena. Some common terms are listed below:

  * Friendly Competition: The spellcasters are more interested  in  who  can
  win than in harming each other. There is little risk to either  character,
  but a treacherous opponent could use the duel to delay his  adversary  and
  perhaps gain the upper hand in a future confrontation.
    0-6 Spell Levels:  All  spells  cast  during  the  duel  remain  in  the
  characters' memories. The opponents' hit point  totals  return  to  normal
  when the duel ends, though the loser looks a little worse for the wear.
    7-12 Spell Levels: The winner retains all spells cast during  the  duel,
  and the winner's hit point total returns to normal when the duel ends. The
  loser suffers 2d6 points of temporary damage and forfeits 2d4 levels of
  spells.
    15-18 Spell Levels: The winner loses 1d6 levels of  spells  used  during
  the duel. The winner's hit point total returns to  normal  when  the  duel
  ends.  The  loser  suffers  4d6  points  of  temporary  damage,  which
  automatically returns an the rate of one hit point per round, and forfeits
  4d4 levels of spells.
    19+ Spell Levels: The winner loses 4d6 levels of spells used during  the
  duel. The winner's hit point total returns to normal when the  duel  ends.
  The loser suffers 8d6 points of temporary damage and loses 8d4  levels  of
  spells.

  * Death: The opponents intend to  inflict  harm  upon  each  other.  Timid
  characters might contribute very few levels of  spells  to  the  arena  to
  avoid serious harm.

                                   - 106 -

    0-6 Levels of Spells: All spells cast during  the  duel  remain  in  the
  characters' memories. The loser suffers 2d6 points of damage and must save
  vs. death or die.
    7-12 Levels of Spells: The winner loses 1d6 levels of spells cast during
  the duel. The loser suffers 4d6 points of  damage,  loses  4d4  levels  of
  spells, and must save vs. death or die.
    15-18 Levels of Spells: The winner  loses  2d6  levels  of  spells  cast
  during the duel and suffers 1d6 points  of  temporary  damage.  The  loser
  suffers 6d6 points of damage, loses Sd4 levels of spells,  and  must  save
  vs. death or die. Even if successful, the character  must  pass  a  system
  shock roll or fall unconscious for 2d6 turns.
    18-22 Levels of Spells: The winner  loses  4d6  levels  of  spells  cast
  during the duel and suffers 2d6 points  of  temporary  damage.  A  magical
  explosion envelops the loser, inflicting 8d6 points of damage. The  losing
  character must save vs. breath weapon. If the save  fails,  the  character
  dies and all of his equipment must save vs. magical fire or be  destroyed.
  If the save is successful,  the  character  loses  consciousness  for  2d6
  turns. In either case, there is 20%  chance  the  character  is  blown  to
  another plane. The character also loses 12d4 levels of spells.
    25+ Levels of Spells: The winner loses 2d6 levels of spells cast  during
  the duel and suffers 4d6 points of temporary damage.  An  intense  magical
  explosion envelops the loser and  inflicts  10d6  points  of  damage.  The
  character must save vs. breath weapon. If the save  fails,  the  character
  dies and all his equipment must save vs. lightning  or  be  destroyed.  If
  successful, the character loses consciousness for  2d6  turns.  In  either
  case, there is a 40% chance that the character is blown to another  plane.
  The character also loses 18d4 levels of spells.

    Service: The combatants agree to perform some task if they are defeated.
  The tasks to be performed can be agreed upon before  the  duel  begins  or
  left to the victor's discretion. The duel has  the  same  effects  on  the
  combatants as a friendly competition, with the following additional
  effects:
    0-6 Spell Levels: The loser is charmed (as a charm person spell) by  the
  winner. If a service has been agreed  upon  in  advance,  any  orders  not
  related to the task allow the charmed character a saving throw  to  negate
  the spell. If no task has been agreed upon in advance, the charm functions
  normally.
    7-12 Spell Levels: The loser is charmed as above,  and  the  winner  can
  implant a suggestion (as the 3rd-level wizard spell).  If  a  service  has
  been agreed upon in advance, there is no saving throw vs. the spell if  it
  pertains to the service. If the loser resists the  suggestion,  the  charm
  remains in place.
    15-18 Spell Levels: The loser is charmed and subject  to  suggestion  as
  above, and the winner may place a geas (as the 6th-level wizard spell)  on
  the loser. If a service has been agreed  upon  in  advance,  there  is  no
  saving throw vs. the spell if it pertains to the  service.  Resisting  the
  geas has no effect on the charm or the suggestion.
    19+ Spell Levels: The loser falls completely under the winner's will and
  can be dominated (as the  5th  level  wizard  spell  domination).  If  the
  domination is broken, the winner  can  immediately  geas  the  loser.  The
  winner is free to issue any commands he wishes within the  limits  of  the
  domination and geas spells. Even if a service  has  been  agreed  upon  in
  advance, the winner may alter the deal. The geas can be lifted only  by  a
  wish, dispel magic, or remove curse spell cast by a  character  of  higher
  level than the winner.

  * Prize: The combatants are vying to possess some tangible object. In most
  cases, the character monitoring the duel holds the object and presents  it
  to the winner. The duel itself can be fought to  the  death,  for  service
  (particularly useful if the item being fought over is not present  at  the
  dueling site), or can be friendly.

  Spell Loss: Spells lost after a duel are gone from the character's  memory
  as though cast normally. Spells contributed to the arena are always  lost.
  If a character loses a random number of spell levels, he must lose as many
  spells form memory as are required to meet the total.
    For example, Delsenora loses a friendly contest to Calvin. She loses the
  fireball spell she contributed to the arena and the die roll indicates she
  must lose four more levels of spells. Delsenora chooses  spells  from  her
  list of memorized spells to  meet  the  requirement;  she  can  lose  four
  1st-level spells, two 2nd-level spells, or any other combination of spells
  that equals or exceeds four levels.
    When a character loses spells after  a  duel,  any  material  components
  required to cast the spells are consumed, but the character can regain the
  spells normally.
    The winner cannot lose more levels of spells than were cast  during  the
  duel, but the loser can. If a character loses more levels of  spells  than
  were memorized before the duel, he loses one point of  Intelligence/Reason
  (if a wizard) or one point of Wisdom/Intuition  (if  a  priest)  for  each
  excess level lost. The loss is permanent if the duel was being  fought  to
  the death. Otherwise,  one  point  is  restored  for  each  full  day  the
  character rests. A restoration spell can restore permanently lost  points,
  and a heal spell can restore temporarily lost points.

  Damage:  The  temporary  damage  a  character  suffers  after  a  duel
  automatically returns at a rate of one hit point per round.  If  temporary
  damage reduces the character's  hit  point  total  to  -10  or  less,  the
  character dies. If the character's hit point  total  is  0  to  -9  he  is
  unconscious until his hit points rise to at least 1.

                                   - 107 -

    A victorious character cannot suffer  more  temporary  damage  than  was
  suffered in the duel. The loser, however, can suffer  more  normal  damage
  than was suffered during the duel - the shock of defeat is  what  inflicts
  the damage. The Death From Massive Damage rule does  not  apply  in  duels
  (see DMG, Chapter 9).

  Charm: The mental effects from a duel fought for service are unaffected by
  any  form  of  special  resistance,  including  magic  resistance,  racial
  resistance to charm effects, and resistance due to  high  ability  scores.
  The winner bores directly into the loser's psyche and takes control.

  System Shock: The force of the defeat can overwhelm the loser's  body  and
  knock the character out for a  short  time.  A  heal  spell  restores  the
  character to consciousness. Anyone with a weapon can kill  an  unconscious
  character with a single blow.

  Blown to Another Plane: The loser is hurled through  a  dimensional  rift,
  leaving behind a pile of dust. The DM can randomly determine  which  plane
  the character is blown to  or  can  choose  a  plane  appropriate  to  the
  campaign. Any equipment destroyed in the blast remains behind. A wish  can
  recover the lost character.

  Death: The force of the  defeat  kills  the  character  outright.  If  the
  character is not blown to another plane, there is a 50%  chance  the  body
  disintegrates, leaving only a pile of  dust.  If  not  disintegrated,  the
  character can  be  raised,  resurrected,  or  reincarnated  normally,  but
  regeneration is ineffective. Only  a  wish  can  restore  a  disintegrated
  character to life.

  Outside Interference

    Any kind of attack, successful or not, on  a  character  involved  in  a
  magical duel disrupts the arena and ends the  duel.  Both  characters  are
  assumed to be the victor for purposes of the duel's aftereffects, but  the
  duel's other terms and conditions are rendered invalid.
    It is possible for onlookers to shout  advice  to  combatants,  provided
  that the protective spell surrounding them allows communication.  Touching
  the  combatants,  handing  them  equipment,  or  casting  spells  on  them
  automatically ends the duel.
    Attacks against the mediator of the duel  and  attempts  to  breech  the
  protective spell cast by the mediator have no effect on the duel.

  The Dole of the Mediator

    The character engaged to oversee  a  magical  duel  is  the  person  who
  decides how isolated the combatants are. A fairly  impenetrable  defensive
  spell, such as prismatic sphere or a hemispherical wall or force,  insures
  that no one can easily disrupt the proceedings. A fairly weak spell,  such
  as protection from evil 10' radius,  offers  the  combatants  very  little
  protection.
    The mediator's secondary roll  is  keeping  things  honest.  It  is  his
  responsibility to make sure the combatants do not employ magical items  in
  an attempt to gain an unfair advantage. It is traditional for the mediator
  to search each combatant for contraband before construction of  the  arena
  begins. Prohibited items are usually confiscated and held until  the  duel
  is completed. Careful mediators usually  insist  on  physically  searching
  each combatant to foil nondetection spells and amulets  of  proof  against
  detection and location, which can defeat divination spells.
    The mediator can end the arena construction process just by touching one
  of the combatants. The mediator can end  the  duel  itself  in  a  similar
  manner. A dedicated mediator resists attempts to disturb  the  combatants,
  but mediators with less resolve have been known to flee when challenged.
    The mediator knows how much time each caster spends contributing  spells
  to the arena, and some judges have been known  to  intervene,  ending  the
  duel for good or for ill.
    The mediator is under no special compulsions toward fairness or  honesty
  unless  duelists  take  precautions.  A  geas  spell  can  help  insure  a
  mediator's fairness, but powerful characters can usually avoid  the  worst
  effects of violating the geas. It is best if both combatants  agree  on  a
  mediator they can trust.
    If the protective spell the mediator casts over the  duelists  is  large
  enough, the character can include himself in the spell  and  be  protected
  along with the combatants. Some spells, such as  prismatic  sphere,  allow
  the caster free passage in and out, which makes them ideal  for  mediators
  who want to keep an eye on the situation outside the arena as well as  the
  battle taking place in the arena.

                                   - 108 -

  Special Duelling Characteristics

    Many spells behave in unusual ways within a dueling arena. This  section
  provides the necessary details for both individual and groups of spells.

  Groups of Spells

    Certain groups of spells share common characteristics as outlined below.

  Mental or Debilitating Attacks

    Spells such as charm person,  command,  confusion,  domination,  forget,
  grease, hold person, suggestion taunt, web, and other spells that make the
  target respond to the caster's commands,  force  an  unwanted  action,  or
  render the target unable to act freely have only a temporary effect  in  a
  duel. The affected character is unable  to  move  or  cast  spells  -  but
  counter spells are allowed - until the hostile spell is destroyed  through
  combat or a counter spell.
    Duelists can never be compelled to leave the arena or  perform  unwanted
  actions. Instead, control over their mental constructs are temporarily
  limited.

  Creature-Summoning Spells

    Spells such as monster summoning and conjure elemental can be especially
  vulnerable to defensive spells such as protection from evil. These  spells
  are very potent in a  duel,  forming  constructs  that  conduct  character
  combat upon reaching the opposing spellcaster. The  opponent  cannot  cast
  any spells except counter spells while  a  summoning  spell  occupies  his
  space. He must fight using his power score.  Some  spells,  however,  have
  special abilities that allow them to be used  as  counter  spells  against
  this type of magic.
    The summoning spell uses its power  score  in  the  battle,  and  if  it
  succeeds it inflicts 1d6 points of damage per spell level and  remains  to
  fight again. If the opponent wins, the summoning spell is destroyed. If  a
  lock occurs, the character suffers no  damage,  but  the  summoning  spell
  remains and attacks again the next round -  a  lock  does  not  destroy  a
  summoning spell as it does in normal character vs. spell combat.

  Illusions

    Spells such as phantasmal force that allow the caster to create an image
  of almost anything imaginable are highly flexible in a  duel.  The  spells
  can be used to duplicate any type of spell. The caster  chooses  the  type
  when casting the spell. Once cast, the spell type cannot  be  changed.  If
  employed as an attack, attack/defense, or missile, the  opponent  and  the
  caster conduct character combat when the illusion reaches  the  opponent's
  space, but the defender is allowed to cast counter spells. If  the  caster
  wins the combat, the opponent suffers 1 d6 points of damage per  level  of
  the illusion. If the defender wins, no damage is inflicted. When  employed
  as a leech, the spell follows the normal  rules  for  leech  spells.  When
  employed as a defense, any lock destroys the illusion unless the  opposing
  spell summons a creature.

  Reversible Spells

    Spells such as cure light wounds cast in  their  reversed  forms  create
  effects that usually function in the opposite  fashion  from  their  basic
  forms. For example, a reversed defensive  spell  is  an  attack  spell.  A
  reversed leech, however, is  still  a  leech.  A  spell's  reverse  always
  counters itself and vice versa. For example, a  character  attacked  by  a
  cause critical wounds spell can use a cure critical wounds  as  a  counter
  spell and automatically destroy the cure critical wounds.

  Teleportation

    Spells that allow instantaneous travel cannot be locked by  spells  that
  create physical barriers, such as the  various  wall  spells.  If  a  lock
  occurs, the two spells ignore each other instead. If a teleportation spell
  is used as a counter spell, a lock still destroys both spells.

  Individual Spells' Special Abilities

    There are several special abilities common to several spells.
    Automatic Defeat: If a spell automatically  defeats  another  spell,  it
  always wins a combat with the listed spell or spell  group.  This  applies
  when it is used as a counter spell as well.
    Cannot be Locked: When a spell cannot  be  locked  by  another  type  of
  spell, any lock result destroys  the  opposing  spell  unless  some  other
  special lock effect is specified.
    Counter: When a spell is listed as a counter to another spell or type of
  spell, it can be employed as a counter spell against the listed type  even
  if combat between the two spells is not normally possible. When a spell is
  listed as an automatic counter to another spell, it  destroys  the  listed
  spell without a die roll when cast as a counter spell.

  Advanced Illusion: See the note on illusions, above.

  Antianimal Shell: This spell  cannot  be  locked  by  spells  that  summon
  creatures. It counters creature-summoning spells.

  Antimagic Shell: Missiles and leeches  must  battle  this  spell,  and  it
  cannot be locked by any opposing  spell.  The  spell  dissipates  when  it
  reaches the opponent's square.

                                   - 109 -

  Antiplant Shell: This spell cannot be locked by spells that employ  living
  plants or summon plant creatures,  such  as  entangle  or  changestaff  It
  automatically counters plant-based spells.

  Barrier of Retention(+): This spell cannot be locked by spells that summon
  creatures.

  Bigby's Hand/Fist Spells: These spells conduct character combat when  they
  reach the opponent's square, just as  if  they  were  summoned  creatures.
  Bigby's interposing hand inflicts no damage,  but  prevents  the  opponent
  from casting any spells until it is destroyed. Other spells inflict damage
  as listed in their descriptions.

  Blade Barrier: This spell cannot be locked by spells that summon
  creatures.

  Blessed Warmth(+): This spell cannot be locked by  cold-based  spells.  It
  automatically counters cold-based spells.

  Blindness: A blinded  character  cannot  cast  spells  or  counter  spells
  (except cure blindness or deafness).

  Call Lightning: This spell produces a single stroke of lightning  when  it
  reaches the opponent's space.

  Caltrops(+): This spell cannot be locked by spells that summon creatures.

  Chant: This requires two rounds to cast and cannot be used  as  a  counter
  spell. The spell is disrupted if the caster fails a saving throw or  loses
  a combat roll during the first round of casting  -  an  exception  to  the
  general dueling rule - and the caster cannot cast  counter  spells  during
  that time.

  Chaotic Commands(+): When used as a counter spell, chaotic commands always
  defeats spells that allow the caster to command or control the  recipient,
  such as command, charm person, and suggestion. Whenever victorious against
  such a spell, the two opponents must  conduct  character  combat.  If  the
  caster of chaotic commands wins, the opposing spell reverses direction and
  moves toward the original caster, functioning as  one  of  the  victorious
  caster's spells. If the caster of  chaotic  commands  loses  the  personal
  combat, the spell is negated.

                                   - 110 -

  Circle of Privacy': This spell cannot be  locked  by  spells  that  summon
  creatures.

  Cloak of Bravery: This spell cannot be locked by  any  spell  that  causes
  fear or panic, such as emotion, fear, or scare. It automatically  counters
  fear effects.

  Cloudkill: This spell cannot be locked by a lower level spell that summons
  creatures.

  Compulsive Order(+): Duelists afflicted by this spell are unable to  move,
  attack, or cast spells until the spell is defeated, but counter spells are
  allowed.

  Contact Other Plane: Casting this spell in a duel does not cause insanity.
  This spell cannot be locked in spell vs. spell combat. If a  lock  occurs,
  the two spells ignore each other instead. A lock still destroys this spell
  if the combat takes place in a character's space.

  Continual Light: When employed as an attack spell, this spell  blinds  the
  opponent  (save  vs.  spell  negates),  preventing  movement,  attack,  or
  spellcasting until the spell is defeated.

  Control Temperature, 10' Radius: This spell can be cast to raise or reduce
  the temperature; the caster chooses which one at the time of casting. Once
  the caster chooses which version to cast, it cannot be changed. The  spell
  cannot be locked by any spell employing  the  opposite  effect  (the  cold
  version cannot be locked by  heat-  or  fire-based  spells,  and  the  hot
  version cannot be locked by cold-based spells). This  spell  automatically
  counters its opposing effect.

  Courage(+): This spell cannot be locked by any spell that causes  fear  or
  panic, such as emotion, fear, or cloak of fear. It automatically  counters
  fear effects.


  Crushing Walls(+): This spell cannot be locked by a lower level spell that
  summons creatures; the opposing spell is destroyed instead.

  Crystalbrittle: This spell automatically defeats  wall  of  iron  and  any
  other spell that creates a mass of metal, both in combat and when used  as
  a counter spell.

  Cure Blindness or Deafness: This spell counters any  spell  that  obscures
  vision. If locked  in  combat  by  a  blindness  spell,  both  spells  are
  destroyed instead.

  Cure Disease: The reversed form of  this  spell,  cause  disease,  renders
  characters unable to move, attack, or cast spells until they defeat the
  spell.

  Cure Wounds Spells: These spells counter any attack or missile spell  that
  inflicts damage. They are counters against leech or attack/defense spells.

  Demishadow Magic: When  this  spell  reaches  the  opponent's  space,  the
  opponent must roll a saving throw vs. spell  before  casting  any  counter
  spells. If the save fails, the spell inflicts 10d6 points of  damage,  but
  the caster can attempt a counter spell or a save vs. spell to  reduce  the
  damage to 5d6 points. If the initial save succeeds, the spell inflicts 4d6
  points of damage, and the caster is free to  employ  a  counter  spell  or
  attempt a second saving throw to reduce the damage to 2d6 points.

  Demishadow Monsters: This spell functions as any other  creature-summoning
  spell. When it reaches the opponent's space, the opponent rolls  a  saving
  throw vs. spells. If the save succeeds, the creatures inflict  2d6  points
  of damage with a successful attack instead of 5d6 points of damage.

  Detect Magic: The opposing spell is revealed  even  if  the  detect  magic
  spell is locked or destroyed in combat. A priest must roll a power  check,
  using the character's power score, to discover what the opposing spell is.
  The wizard version does not require a power check.

  Detect Scrying: This cannot be locked by spells that extend  the  caster's
  perception over a  distance,  such  as  clairvoyance,  clairaudience,  and
  wizard eye.

  Dimension Door: See the note at teleportation on page 108.

  Dimensional Folding(+): See the note at teleportation on page 108.

  Disbelief(+): This counters any other spell, including spells
    that summon creatures.

  Disintegrate: This spell always defeats spells that create solid barriers,
  such as wall spells.

  Dispel Magic: If locked or  defeated  in  combat,  this  can  destroy  the
  opposing spell. A normal dispel roll is required (see spell  description).
  Note that some spells cannot be dispelled. The spell  dissipates  when  it
  reaches the opponent's space.

                                   - 111 -

  Duo-Dimension: Missiles must battle this spell.

  Earthquake: When this spell enters the  opponent's  space,  it  whips  the
  arena into crushing and grinding frenzy. The cataclysm forces the opponent
  to make a successful saving throw vs. death magic  or  die.  If  the  save
  succeeds, the opponent still suffers  5d10  points  of  damage.  The  only
  counter spells that are effective against earthquake are antimagic  shell,
  disbelief, dispel magic, elemental  aura,  fly,  and  levitate.  Character
  combat is ineffective against this spell.

  Efficacious Monster Ward(+): This spell can be used  as  a  counter  spell
  against monster summoning I and any other spell of 4th level or less  that
  summons creatures.

  Elemental Aura(+): The caster chooses the type of elemental aura  that  is
  created (air, earth, fire, or water).  An  elemental  aura  battles  every
  spell from its element that it meets, regardless of type,  and  cannot  be
  locked by any spell employing  its  element  -  this  spell  is  destroyed
  instead. If employed as a  counter  spell,  elemental  aura  automatically
  destroys spells of its own element.

  Elemental Forbiddance(+):  This  spell  cannot  be  locked  by  a  conjure
  elemental spell. Elemental forbiddance counters conjure elemental spells.

  Emotion: The caster chooses this spell's effect at the time of casting. As
  a defensive spell, emotion cannot be locked by spells that alter emotions,
  such as fear, cloak of fear, or emotion control. It automatically counters
  such spells when they are used as attack or leech spells. If  employed  as
  an attack spell, emotion renders the  opponent  unable  to  move  or  cast
  spells until the spell is defeated.

  Emotion Control(+): The caster chooses this spell's effect at the time  of
  casting. As a defensive spell, emotion control cannot be locked by  spells
  that  alter  or  read  emotions,  such  as  ESP,  fear,  and  emotion.  It
  automatically counters such spells when they are used as attack  or  leech
  spells. If employed as  an  attack  spell,  emotion  control  renders  the
  opponent unable to move or cast spells until the spell is defeated.

  Endure Heat/Endure Cold: This spell can be cast to protect against heat or
  cold; the caster chooses which one at the time of casting. Once the caster
  chooses which version to cast, it cannot be changed. The spell  cannot  be
  locked by any spell employing the opposite effect (the cold version cannot
  be locked by fire-based spells, and the hot version cannot  be  locked  by
  cold-based spells). This spell counters its opposing effect.

  Energy Drain: if the target's combat roll  or  counter  spell  fails,  the
  character loses two levels. The level loss persists until the  duel  ends.
  The target loses hit points and spell slots commensurate  with  the  level
  loss, but empty spell slots can be used to satisfy the loss. The  target's
  power score is unaffected, but saving throws are adjusted accordingly.

  Enervation: If the target's saving  throw  or  counter  spell  fails,  the
  character loses one level for every four levels of the caster.  The  level
  loss persists until the duel ends. The target loses hit points  and  spell
  slots commensurate with the level loss, but empty spell slots can be  used
  to satisfy the loss. The target's power score is  unaffected,  but  saving
  throws are adjusted accordingly.

  Enthrall: If employed as an attack, this spell renders opponents unable to
  move, attack, or cast spells until they defeat the spell. Enthrall affects
  only creatures of 4 or less Hit Dice or levels and is usually employed  as
  a leech.

  Eyebite: All the versions of this spell conduct character combat.  If  the
  spell succeeds, the opponent cannot take offensive action until the  spell
  is defeated.

  Fire Purge: This spell requires a full turn (10 rounds)  to  cast  and  is
  seldom employed in duels. The spell is disrupted if  the  caster  fails  a
  saving throw or loses a combat  roll  during  the  first  nine  rounds  of
  casting (an exception to the general dueling rule), and the caster  cannot
  cast counter spells during that time. It is useless as a counter spell.

  Fire Seeds: This spell conducts  combat  when  it  enters  the  opponent's
  square. The opponent can employ a counter spell or use his power score. If
  the fire seeds win the combat or defeat the counter spell, it inflicts 8d6
    points of damage. If the opponent uses his  power  score  and  wins  the
  combat, he must save vs. spells or suffer 4d4 points  of  damage.  If  the
  opponent successfully employs a counter spell, he suffers no damage.

  Fire Shield: This spell creates a sheath of hot or cold flames; the caster
  chooses which at the time  of  casting.  Once  the  caster  chooses  which
  version to cast, it cannot be changed. The spell cannot be locked  by  any
  spell employing the opposite effect (the cold version cannot be locked  by
  fire-based spells and the hot  version  cannot  be  locked  by  cold-based
  spells). If such a lock is indicated,  the  opposing  spell  is  destroyed
  instead. The spell counters  its  opposing  effect.  If  employed  in  the
  caster's space, this spell destroys attacking spells that summon creatures
  if a lock occurs.

                                   - 112 -

  Flame Walk: This spell cannot be  locked  by  fire-based  spells,  and  it
  counters fire-based spells.

  Fly: This spell always counters transmute rock to mud.

  Forcecage: This spell cannot be locked by spells that summon creatures.

  Foresight: This spell counters any other spell.

  Free Action: This spell cannot be  locked  by  any  spell  that  restricts
  movement, such  as  entangle,  hold  person,  or  slow.  It  automatically
  counters such spells.

  Fumble: Characters affected  by  this  spell  cannot  move,  attack,  cast
  spells, or cast counter spells until they defeat the spell.

  Globe of Invulnerability: This spell cannot be locked  by  spells  of  4th
  level or less. Missiles and leeches of 4th level or less must battle  this
  spell.

  Glyph of Warding: This spell cannot be locked by spells that summon
  creatures.

  Goodberry: This spell counters any attack or missile spell  that  inflicts
  damage.

  Grounding(+):  This  spell  cannot  be  locked  by  spells  that  employ
  electricity, such as lighting bolt or  call  lightning.  It  counters  any
  electrical-based spell.

  Gust of Wind: This spell cannot be locked by spells  that  create  magical
  clouds such as stinking cloud, cloudkill, and fog cloud. If a lock occurs,
  both spells are destroyed instead. Gust of  wind  can  be  employed  as  a
  counter spell to any spell that creates  a  magical  cloud,  even  if  the
  attacking spell's type would not normally allow combat.

  Haste: This spell automatically destroys - and is automatically  destroyed
  by - slow.

  Heal: This spell counters any attack or missile spell that inflicts
  damage.

  Heat Metal: This spell can be employed as an  attack  spell  only  against
  characters who are entitled to wear armor (but can be  used  even  if  the
  character is not actually  wearing  armor).  Characters  affected  by  the
  attack version of this spell cannot  take  offensive  actions  until  they
  defeat the spell, and they suffer three points of damage each  round  they
  are affected.
    The spell can be used as a missile against any opponent, but the  caster
  must choose how it is to be used  before  the  duel  starts.  The  missile
  conducts  character  combat  when  it  enters  the  opponent's  space.  If
  successful, it inflicts one point of damage each round until defeated. The
  opponent cannot move, attack or cast spells until heat metal is defeated.
    The caster can choose at the time of casting whether the  spell  is  the
  heat- or cold-based version of the spell.

  Holy Word: Characters affected by this spell cannot take offensive actions
  until the spell is defeated. While  affected,  both  character  and  spell
  power scores are reduced by two, but  the  reduction  does  not  apply  to
  combat against the holy word itself.

  Hornung's Baneful Deflector(+): Missiles must conduct combat with this
  spell.

  Improved Phantasmal Force: See the note at illusions on page 108.

  Insect Plague: This spell requires a full turn (10 rounds) to cast and  is
  seldom employed in duels. The spell is disrupted if  the  caster  fails  a
  saving throw or loses a combat  roll  during  the  first  nine  rounds  of
  casting (an exception to the general dueling rule), and the caster  cannot
  cast counter spells during that time. It is useless as a counter spell.
    Characters afflicted by insect  plague  cannot  take  offensive  actions
  until they defeat the spell in combat.

  Land of Stability(+): This  spell  counters  any  spell  that  summons  or
  manipulates winds, weather, or earthquakes, such as gust of wind,  weather
  summoning, and earthquake. Land of stability cannot  be  locked  by  these
  spells; both  spells  are  destroyed  instead.  Energy  effects,  such  as
  lightning bolt and fireball, are not considered weather manipulations  for
  purposes of this spell.

  Levitate: This spell always counters transmute rock to mud.

  Light: When employed as an attack spell, this spell  blinds  the  opponent
  (save vs. spell negates), preventing movement, attack,  or  spell  casting
  until the spell is defeated.

  Limited Wish: In a duel, this spell can be  used  as  any  other  type  of
  spell. When used as an attack, attack/defense, missile, or leech spell, it
  inflicts 10d6 points of damage (save vs. spells for half). When used as  a
  defense spell, limited wish cannot be locked by any spell of 6th level  or
  less. As a counter spell, limited wish automatically counters any spell of
  6th level or lower and can serve as a counter to all other  spells.  Using
  limited wish in a duel does  not  age  the  caster  unless  the  spell  is
  actually lost from memory in the aftermath (see the Spoils of Victory
  section).

                                   - 113 -

  Liveoak: A character can have only one liveoak effect active in the  arena
  at any given time.

  Magical Stone: This spell requires a character combat roll when it reaches
  the opponent's square. If it succeeds, it inflicts 3d4 points of damage.

  Meld Into Stone: Missiles must conduct combat with this spell.

  Melf's Minute Meteors: The caster must launch  five  missiles  per  round.
  Characters entitled to more than five missiles can launch their  remaining
  missiles the next round or forgo  the  extra  missiles  and  take  another
  action instead. Extra missiles can counter creature-summoning spells  that
  enter the character's square. Each group of missiles launched functions as
  a separate spell in the arena.  When  a  group  of  missiles  reaches  the
  opponent's square, the group conducts character combat. If it succeeds, it
  inflicts 1d4+1 points of damage for each missile in the group.

  Mind Blank: This spell cannot be locked by  any  spell  that  attacks  the
  mind. It counters all leech spells and mental attacks.

  Minor Globe of Invulnerability: This spell cannot be locked by  spells  of
  3rd level or less. Missiles and leeches of 3rd level or lower must conduct
  combat with this spell.

  Minor Spell Turning(+): Missiles and leeches must conduct combat with this
  spell. This spell cannot be locked; if a  lock  occurs,  the  minor  spell
  turning spell is destroyed, and the opposing spell reverses direction  and
  attacks the original caster. If employed as a counter spell, a lock result
  also causes the opposing spell to reverse direction.

  Mirror Image: Missiles must conduct combat with this spell.

  Moment(+): When this  spell  reaches  the  opponent's  square,  the  spell
  conducts character combat with  a  +4  bonus.  The  actual  number  rolled
  determines success or failure, but a successful roll is  treated  as  four
  higher when comparing rolls. For example, a caster with a PR 13 rolls  12,
  and the opponent, who also has a PR of 13 rolls  a  13.  The  caster  wins
  because his roll of 12 is treated as  a  16.  Mordenkainen's  Disjunction:
  This  spell  cannot  be  locked.  When  used  as  a  counter  spell,  it
  automatically destroys the opposing spell.  If  defeated  in  combat,  the
  victorious spell is automatically destroyed. The spell dissipates when  it
  reaches the opponent's space.

  Negative Plane Protection: This spell  counters  spells  that  drain  life
  energy, such as energy drain, vampiric touch, and enervation.

  Neutralize Poison: This spell automatically counters spells with poisonous
  effects, such as stinking cloud and cloudkill.

  Otiluke's Freezing Sphere: The caster can choose this spell's form at  the
  time of casting. As a missile,'the spell conducts  character  combat  when
  reaching the opponent's space and inflicts 6d6 points  of  damage.  As  an
  attack spell, Otiluke's freezing sphere inflicts 1d4+2  points  of  damage
  per level of the caster (maximum 10d4+20), save vs. spell for half.

  Otiluke's Resilient Sphere and Otiluke's Telekinetic Sphere: These  spells
  cannot be locked by spells that summon  creatures.  When  they  reach  the
  opponent's space, the spells conduct character combat.  If  they  succeed,
  the opponent cannot take offensive actions until the spells are  defeated.
  Missiles must conduct combat with these spells.

  Permanency: When used in a duel, this spell does not  drain  the  caster's
  Constitution score, even if it is subsequently lost from memory.

  Permanent Illusion: See the note at illusions on page 108.

  Phantasmal Force: See the note at illusions on page 108.

  Physical Mirror(+): Missiles and leeches must  conduct  combat  with  this
  spell. If this spell succeeds against or achieves a lock with any missile,
  leech, or attack spell, the opposing spell reverses direction and  attacks
  the original caster. If employed as a counter spell, a  lock  result  also
  causes missiles, leeches, and attacks to reverse direction.

  Produce Fire: The reversed form of this spell is a  defensive  spell  that
  counters any fire-based spell.

  Protection From Evil and Protection From Evil, 10'  Radius:  These  spells
  cannot be locked by spells that summon creatures.

  Protection From Fire: This spell automatically counters any fire-based
  spell.

                                   - 114 -

  Protection  From  Lightning:  This  spell  automatically  counters  any
  electrical-based spell.

  Rainbow: This spell can be cast in one of two versions, which  the  caster
  chooses at the time of casting. The bridge version is  a  leech.  The  bow
  version creates four missiles on the round of  casting,  plus  three  more
  missiles that the caster can loose on the second round or forgo the  extra
  missiles and take another action instead. The extra missiles  can  counter
  creature-summoning spells that enter the character's square. Each group of
  missiles functions as a separate spell in  the  arena.  When  a  group  of
  missiles reaches the  opponent's  square,  the  spell  conducts  character
  combat. If it succeeds, it  inflicts  1d6+2  points  of  damage  for  each
  missile in the group. Missiles from this spell cannot be locked by  spells
  that summon elemental creatures.

  Raise Dead: This spell counters any spell that inflicts damage.

  Reincarnate: This spell counters any spell that inflicts damage.

  Remove Curse: Characters afflicted by this  spell's  reverse  cannot  take
  offensive actions until they defeat the spell.  This  spell  automatically
  counters its reverse and can  counter  any  attack  spell  that  does  not
  inflict damage.

  Remove Fear: This spell  automatically  counters  any  spell  that  causes
  magical fear.

  Remove Paralysis: This spell automatically counters all  hold  spells  and
  any spell that causes paralysis.

                                   - 115 -

  Repel Insects: This spell cannot be locked by any spell  that  summons  or
  controls insects, such as insect swarm, creeping doom, and  giant  insect.
  This spell counters all such spells.

  Resist Fire/Resist Cold: This spell protects against either  fire/heat  or
  cold. The caster chooses which at the time of casting. The spell cannot be
  locked by the type of effect it protects against.

  Restoration: This spell cannot be locked by any  spell  that  drains  life
  energy or causes insanity. It automatically counters  such  effects.  This
  spell does not age the caster unless actually  lost  from  memory  in  the
  aftermath (see the Spoils of Victory section).

  Resurrection: This spell can counter any spell that inflicts damage.  This
  spell does not age the caster unless actually  lost  from  memory  in  the
  aftermath (see the Spoils of Victory section).

  Reverse Gravity: Characters afflicted by this spell cannot take  offensive
  actions until they defeat the spell.

  Sanctuary: Missiles and leeches must conduct combat with this spell.

  Screen: This spell cannot be locked by spells  that  extend  the  caster's
  senses, such as ESP,  clairaudience,  or  clairvoyance.  It  automatically
  counters such spells.

  Shadowcat: This spell dissipates upon reaching the opponent's space.

  Shadow Magic: When this spell reaches the opponent's space,  the  opponent
  rolls an immediate saving throw  vs.  spell  before  casting  any  counter
  spells. If the save fails, the spell inflicts 10d6 points of  damage,  but
  the caster can attempt a saving throw vs. spell to reduce  the  damage  to
  5d6 points or attempt a counter spell. If the initial save  succeeds,  the
  caster is free to employ a counter spell or attempt a second saving  throw
  to reduce the damage to 1d6 points. If the saving throw is failed  or  the
  counter spell is defeated, the spell inflicts 2d6 points of damage.

  Shield: Missiles must conduct combat with this spell.  This  spell  always
  defeats magic missile.

  Shillelagh: When this spell  reaches  the  opponent's  square,  the  spell
  conducts character combat and inflicts 1d6 points of damage and can attack
  again if successful. Shrieking Walls': This  spell  cannot  be  locked  by
  spells that summon creatures.

  Silence, 15' Radius:  Characters  afflicted  by  this  spell  cannot  take
  offensive actions until they defeat the spell.

  Slow: Characters afflicted by this spell  cannot  take  offensive  actions
  until they defeat the spell. This spell always defeats - and  is  defeated
  by - haste.

  Snare: When this spell reaches the opponent's square  the  spell  conducts
  character  combat.  If  the  spell  succeeds,  the  opponent  cannot  take
  offensive actions until the spell is defeated.

  Spectral Force: See the note at illusions on page 108.

  Spell Immunity: Missiles must conduct combat with this spell.

  Spell Turning: Missiles and leeches must conduct conmbat with this  spell.
  This spell cannot be locked; if  a  lock  occurs,  the  spell  turning  is
  destroyed, and the opposing  spell  reverses  direction  and  attacks  the
  original caster. If employed as a counter spell, a lock result also causes
  the opposing spell to reverse direction.

  Spike Growth and Spike Stones: These spells cannot  be  locked  by  spells
  that summon creatures.

  Spiritual Hammer: When this spell reaches the opponent square,  the  spell
  conducts character combat and inflicts 1d6 points of damage if successful.
  The spell continues attacking each round until defeated  or  its  duration
  expires.

  Stabilize': This spell is ineffective within a dueling arena.

  Stone to Flesh: Characters afflicted by this spell cannot  take  offensive
  actions until they defeat the spell.

  Stoneskin: This spell can counter any spell that inflicts damage.

  Succor: See the note at teleportation on page 108.

  Tanglefoot: This spell cannot be locked by spells that summon creatures.

  Telekinesis: When this spell reaches  the  opponent's  square,  the  spell
  conducts character combat and inflicts 1 point of damage per caster  level
  if successful.

  Teleport: See the note at teleportation on page 108.

                                   - 116 -

  Teleport Without Error: See the note at teleportation.

  Transmute Rock to Mud: This spell always defeats wall of stone. Characters
  afflicted by this spell cannot take offensive actions  until  they  defeat
  the spell.

  True Seeing: This spell always defeats illusions.

  Unluck: Characters afflicted by this spell cannot take  offensive  actions
  until they defeat the spell.

  Wall of Fog: Missiles must conduct combat with this spell.

  Wall of Force: Missiles must conduct combat with this spell. Wall of force
  can be defeated in combat only if it fails its combat roll or  by  another
  spell's special ability. If the  roll  succeeds,  it  locks  the  opposing
  spell, including dispel magic. The spell dissipates when  it  reaches  the
  opponent's space.

  Watery Double(+): This spell conducts character combat when it reaches the
  opponent's space. If it succeeds, it inflicts 3d6 points of damage and can
  continue to attack each round until defeated or its duration expires.


  Wildwind(+) and Wildzone(+): These spells are ineffective in a dueling
  arena.

  Wish: This spell can be used as any other type of spell. When used  as  an
  attack, attack/defense, missile, or leech spell, it inflicts  10d6  points
  of damage (save vs. spells for half). When used as a defense  spell,  wish
  cannot be locked by any spell. As  a  counter  spell,  wish  automatically
  counters any spell. Using wish in a duel does not age  the  caster  unless
  the spell is actually lost from memory in the aftermath (see the Spoils of
  Victory section).

  Withdraw: Missiles and leeches must conduct combat with this spell.

  Word of Recall: See the note at teleportation on page 108.

  Zone of Sweet Air: This spell cannot  be  locked  by  spells  that  create
  noxious gases, such as stinking cloud and cloudkill

  Magical Duels in the Campaign

    A magical duel allows  player  characters  to  test  their  spellcasting
  prowess in any number of ways. For example, if a party  finds  a  valuable
  magical item suitable for either of the group's two wizard  PCs,  the  two
  characters could conduct a friendly duel to see which one gets the item.
    Magical duels can be a useful tool for the DM as well. A nonlethal  duel
  is an excellent way for a rising druid to match wits  with  an  NPC  rival
  when advancing a level. In a similar vein, an NPC wizard might  refuse  to
  cooperate by sharing a new spell or some other bit  of  magical  knowledge
  with the PCs until one of  the  party  spellcasters  defeats  one  of  his
  apprentices - or perhaps the NPC himself - in a duel.
    A magical duel can also make an  excellent  climactic  encounter  in  an
  adventure. For example, a lich might offer to duel a PC wizard  or  priest
  to the death, providing a real challenge to the character. Of course,  the
  rest of the party might have their hands full beating off a  sneak  attack
  by the lich's minions while the duel proceeds, but a duel might  give  the
  heroes a better than normal chance to actually slay  the  lich  and  still
  escape the lair with their skins  intact.  Don't  forget  the  problem  of
  finding a mediator for the duel. (Do the PCs  trust  the  lich's  sinister
  necromancer apprentice, or does another party  spellcaster  step  forward,
  which commits two player characters to the duel?)

  An Example of Magical Dueling

    Calvin and Delsenord decide to conduct a friendly duel. Tarrant, a local
  wizard, agrees to mediate.
    Calvin and Delsenora agree that the first character to run out of spells
  or hit points is the loser. Calvin has a ring of spell storing, which  the
  two characters agree should  count  toward  Calvin's  total  spells.  Both
  characters agree that no other magical items are going to be used  in  the
  duel and Tarrant looks them over to check for any scrolls or other items.
    The trio finds a secluded spot, and Calvin and Delsenora begin  creating
  the arena. When they finish the first step, Tarrant encloses the  pair  in
  an Otiluke's resilient sphere; he chooses to remain outside the sphere.
    When Tarrant casts his spell, Delsenora and Calvin consider adding their
  own spells. Both characters decide not to contribute spells, and the arena
  is completed. There are 10 spaces between the characters (see figure M 1).
  Because neither character cast a spell both characters roll  1d10  to  see
  who has the advantage - Calvin wins the roll.
    During the first round of the duel there are no spells to move, so  both
  characters cast spells. Calvin decides to try to get a lick in quickly and
  casts clairvoyance (L, PR 12, MV 5). The spell appears  in  the  space  in
  front of Calvin and does not move. Delsenora decides to cast withdraw  (D,
  PR 11, MV 1) in her own square as a stationary defense.
    On the second round, Calvin moves his  clairvoyance  spell  five  spaces
  toward Delsenora. Because Delsenora cast withdraw in her  own  square,  it
  doesn't move at all.

                                   - 117 -

  Now Calvin casts monster summoning II (AD, PR 15, MV 5) from his  ring  of
  spell storing. Delsenora casts dispel magic (AD, PR 12, MV 4). Both spells
  appear in the squares in front of their casters.
    On the  third  round,  things  really  start  hopping.  Calvin  has  the
  advantage, so his spells move first. His clairvoyance spell is closest  to
  Delsenora, so it moves first. The  spell  has  enough  movement  to  reach
  Delsenora's space, but her dispel magic spell is  in  the  way.  When  the
  spells meet, Delsenora must announce that her spell is  an  attack/defense
  because she is disadvantaged. Calvin checks Table 25  and  sees  that  the
  advantaged caster decides if combat is going to occur. Calvin decides  not
  to fight; he is not required to reveal anything about his spell.
    The clairvoyance spell finishes its move and enters Delsenora's  square.
  The clairvoyance spell is revealed, and it must check for combat with  the
  withdraw spell  before  it  can  affect  Delsenora.  Because  he  has  the
  advantage, Calvin could normally decide his leech spell would  ignore  the
  defense spell. But, withdraw has a special ability that forces leeches and
  missiles to fight it.
    Both characters roll 1d20. Calvin  rolls  a  20  and  curses  his  luck.
  Delsenora rolls  a  9.  The  clairvoyance  spell  is  destroyed,  and  the
  advantage shifts to  Delsenora,  but  Calvin  still  finishes  moving  his
  spells; he moves his monster summoning III ahead three  spaces.  Delsenora
  moves her dispel magic ahead four spaces,  and  the  two  characters  cast
  spells again.
    Calvin casts magic missile (M, PR 10, MV 5), and Delsenora casts animate
  object (AD, PR 15, MV 3).
    The duel continues, with Calvin trying to  breech  Delsenora's  defenses
  and strike a telling blow before she can crush him under the weight of her
  more plentiful spells. Calvin could be in trouble if  the  animate  object
  spell reaches his space, which it might very well do with the dispel magic
  leading the way.

                                   - 118 -

  Chapter 6: True Dweomers

  Spells Beyond 9th Level

    It is commonly supposed that  the  9th-level  wish  spell  is  the  most
  powerful and difficult enchantment known to mortals.  The  supposition  is
  only partially true, however. The wish spell's ability to literally change
  reality to match the caster's  desires  is  indeed  mighty.  Nevertheless,
  extremely powerful spellcasters have discovered a whole new class of magic
  that, while more time consuming to cast than  a  wish  spell,  can  create
  stupendous effects without a  wish's  attendant  dangers  (five  years  of
  magical aging, possible weakness and incapacitation, and  the  possibility
  of failure due to poor wording). The difference between these new  spells,
  often called 10th-level spells or true dweomers, is the approach to  magic
  the caster takes when employing them.
    Standard AD&D game spells depend on painstakingly derived formulae  that
  produce fairly predictable effects when properly used. Characters who know
  how to complete the formulas correctly can cast spells  even  though  they
  don't know why the formulas work. Most spells involve laboriously building
  mental patterns that channel and release external energies, often with the
  help of complex gestures and material components. Wizards do the  job  ail
  by themselves, and priests get divine help.
    Other approaches can also produce extraordinary effects. Psionics employ
  intense mental discipline to tap internal energies that  can  be  just  as
  potent as the universal energies spellcasters use. Some  individuals  have
  natural talents that allow limited use of these  personal  energies  (wild
  talents).
    Very high-level spellcasters begin to understand how magic really works,
  and they become aware of their personal energies.  With  enough  attention
  and labor, a spellcaster can  manipulate  universal  and  personal  energy
  directly,  without  building  a  mental  pattern  or  developing  a  rigid
  discipline first. The process is time consuming and often costly, but very
  flexible. On Athas, the process  has  been  formalized  into  a  class  of
  high-level spells called psionic enchantments, but it works in essentially
  the same manner.

                                   - 119 -

    Because a true  dweomer  directly  manipulates  universal  and  personal
  energies whose flows are constantly chang-

  ing, every true dweomer is a little different each time it  is  cast.  The
  character is fully aware of exactly why the spell works the way  it  does,
  but no spell works the same way twice.
    A true dweomer can never be written onto a scroll, fully recorded  in  a
  spellbook, or stored in a magical device.

  Requirements

    Among mortals,  only  highlevel  wizards  and  priests  have  sufficient
  knowledge of magic to cast true dweomers; other  spell-casting  characters
  lack the profound understanding of magic that true dweomers  require.  The
  character also must select a material to help focus the  magic  and  spend
  time preparing and casting the spell.

  Knowledge

    Wizards must be at least 20th level and have Intelligence scores  of  18
  or higher. Priests must be at least 20th level and have Wisdom  scores  of
  18 or higher. Only characters with this level  of  experience  and  mental
  capacity understand the processes involved in creating a true dweomer.
    Wizards can cast any true dweomer that uses  schools  available  to  the
  character (Table 28 lists spell types by school). Priests  can  cast  true
  dweomers that use any school, but the  spells  they  create  must  produce
  effects that reflect their deity's portfolio or sphere of control.
    Although a true dweomer is not actually memorized  the  way  a  standard
  spell is, the process of preparing and casting one is  taxing.  No  mortal
  can prepare, cast, or have ready to cast more than four true dweomers in a
  single day, and most characters cannot manage that  many  (see  Table  44,
  page 157). When characters reach their limits, their minds are too drained
  and befuddled to attempt any more true dweomers, though they are  free  to
  pursue any other activities they are normally able to undertake.

  Materials

    Every true dweomer requires some object or group of objects to assist in
  casting the spell. The rarer and more difficult a material  component  is,
  the easier it is to complete the enchantment. To be effective, however,  a
  material component must be symbolic of what the spell does.  For  example,
  destroying a large diamond is costly but ineffective unless the spell  has
  something to do with protecting or  destroying  something  of  value  (the
  caster  literally  pays  the  price  for  the  item  that  is  effective),
  overcoming resistance (gem-quality diamonds don't exactly grow  on  trees,
  so finding one and destroying it represents a small triumph of sorts),  or
  command over the element of earth (because a diamond is a  rare  mineral).
  There is no easy way to choose a material  component  for  a  spell;  like
  choosing materials for a magical item (see page 90), the process  requires
  a great deal of imagination and guesswork. The various spell  descriptions
  in the Player's Handbook provide examples to follow.
    Wizards do not need spellbooks to cast true dweomers, although a set  of
  written notes about how to go about creating the spell can be helpful.
    Priest  true  dweomers  require  holy  symbols  in  addition  to  other
  components. Holy symbols are not consumed when a true dweomer is cast, but
  other material components are. Priests can benefit from written  notes  in
  the same manner as wizards.

  Preparation

    Casting a powerful  spell  without  memorizing  it  first  requires  the
  character to spend considerable time thinking, meditating,  and  arranging
  materials. The more powerful the  magic,  the  more  difficult  it  is  to
  complete the preparations.

  Approval

    Characters who have  the  required  level  and  ability  score  are  not
  necessarily free to gather up materials and begin  creating  super-magical
  effects as they see fit. The DM must approve a spell before  it  is  used.
  The player should explain exactly what the spell  does,  just  as  if  the
  character were researching a new spell or inventing a  new  magical  item.
  There is no cost for creating a true dweomer, however, other than what the
  character spends on materials.

  Creating the Spell

    The first step in creating a true dweomer  is  deciding  what  it  does.
  Table 28 and the accompanying notes lists the basic spell types and  their
  functions. The player and the DM must decide which  types  are  needed  to
  construct the proposed spell. Types can be freely combined to  create  the
  effect the player wants. Once the enchantment's parts  are  selected,  the
  difficulty ratings are added up.
    A spell's basic area of effect, range, and duration is very limited, but
  all three can be augmented by increasing the spell's difficulty.
    Table 29 (page 130) gives areas of effect; the larger the area, the more
  difficult the enchantment. It is possible to create a spell  that  affects
  the entire plane where it is cast. The  type  of  magic  determines  which
  column to use (this information is given on Table 28). If several types of
  magic are being combined, the DM and player  must  agree  on  the  spell's
  primary effect. All secondary magic types function at the area  of  effect
  and range assigned to the basic magic.

                                   - 120 -

    Table 31 (page 131) gives ranges; the longer the range, the greater  the
  difficulty. It is possible to create an  enchantment  that  can  affect  a
  target anywhere on the plane where the spell is cast, and some spells  can
  reach into other planes of existence. Selecting a fairly short range makes
  the magic easier to cast, but might make the spell difficult to  use  when
  it is finally ready to cast.
    Table 32 (page 131) gives durations. The longer the duration,  the  more
  difficult the enchantment. It is possible to make a spell  permanent,  but
  this usually drains a point of Constitution from the caster.
    Once the spell is created, all difficulty  factors  for  type,  area  of
  effect, range, and duration are added  together.  The  caster's  level  is
  subtracted from the total. If the caster is a specialist wizard,  subtract
  an extra five points. If the caster has used the spell before  -  all  the
  elements must be exactly the same - or has a set  of  written  notes  from
  someone who has used the spell before, subtract 10 more  points  from  the
  total. The result is the spell's adjusted difficulty.
    The caster can further reduce the adjusted difficulty  by  incorporating
  unusual material components or adding special conditions, see Table 34 and
  the accompanying notes. The spell's  preparation  time  and  casting  time
  depend on the adjusted difficulty, as given on Table 33.

  Table 28: True Dweomers

                 Base     Base
  Type(1)        Diff(2)  Duration(3)        Effect(4)
  Abjuration
    Banish         30     Instantaneous      Crea/Ob.(5)
    Dispel         30     Instantaneous      Area
    Reflect        25     1 Round            Area
    Ward           35     1 Round            Area
    Alteration
    Animate        25     1 Round            Object
    Destroy        45     Instantaneous      Object
    Fortify        30     1 Round            Crea./Ob.(5)
    Transform      35     1 Round            Crea./Ob.(5)
    Transport      35     1 Round/Inst.      Crea./Ob.(5)
  Conjuration/
  Summoning
    Afflict        40     1 Round            Crea./Area(6)
    Bind           35     1 Round            Creature
    Conjure        40     1 Round            Object
    Summon         50     1 Round/Inst.      Creature
  Enchantment/
  Charm
    Charm          20     1 Round            Creature
    Compel         30     1 Round            Creature
    Fortify        30     1 Round            Crea./Ob.(5)
    Imbue          45     1 Round            Crea./Ob.(5)
  Divination
    Foresee        25     1 Round            Area
    Reveal         20     1 Round            Area
  Ilusion/
  Phantasm
    Conceal        20     1 Round            Crea./Area(6)
    Delude         30     1 Round            Crea./Area(6)
    Shadow Shape   Var.   -Variable-         -Variable-
    Phantom        40     1 Round            Area
  Invocation/
  Evocation
    Create         35     1 Round/Inst.      Area
    Imbue          45     1 Round            Crea./Ob.(5)
    Strike         25     Instantaneous      Area
    Necromancy
    Animate        25     Instantaneous      Area
    Slay           50     Instantaneous      Creature
    Tap            40     Instantaneous      Creature

  Notes to Table 25

  (1) Spell effects are arranged according to the  eight  schools  of  magic
  listed in Chapter 7 of  the  Player's  Handbook.  Individual  effects  are
  explained below.

  (2) Base Difficulty: A spell's difficulty number  determines  the  spell's
  preparation time, casting time, and other  miscellaneous  characteristics,
  such has how powerful the magic appears to be when a detect magic spell is
  used. Other factors, such as caster level, range, duration,  and  area  of
  effect, influence a spell's final difficulty number (see page 133).

  (3) Base Duration: A spell  uses  its  base  duration  unless  the  caster
  increases the difficulty (see Table 32). Some spells have a base  duration
  of either one round or instantaneous (1  round/Inst.),  depending  on  how
  they are used.

                                   - 121 -

  (4) This is what the spell usually affects, see Table 29 for details.

  (5) Creature or Object: The spell works on creatures or objects.

  (6) Creature or Area: The spell works on creatures or areas.

  Abjuration

  Banish: The spell takes something that is out of place and returns  it  to
  its proper location. It is important to  remember  that  a  character  can
  create many  different  types  of  banishments.  Sending  an  extra-planar
  creature  back  to  its  home  plane  is  a  classic  example.  However,
  banishmenttype magic can also drive away a psyche that has  used  a  magic
  jar spell to invade another mind, return a restless spirit to  its  grave,
  or even restore a stolen object to its rightful owner. All other types  of
  magic described in this section are similarly versatile.
    The main difference  between  a  banishment  and  a  dispel  is  that  a
  banishment works even if there is no magic  operating  on  a  target.  For
  example, a tanar'ri who has come to the Prime Material Plane  of  its  own
  free will can  be  returned  to  the  Abyss.  A  banishment  only  returns
  something to its proper place; it cannot undo a transformation or
  affliction.
    A banishment's duration cannot be extended. At base difficulty  (30),  a
  banishment spell performs one action on one creature or object.
    The distance a banished target must travel to return to its proper place
  is not a factor in a banishment, but the distance between the  caster  and
  where the target is when the spell is cast is a factor (see Table 31).

                                   - 122 -

  Dispel: The spell ends or undoes other magic. Unlike banishment, a  dispel
  is ineffective unless there is magic currently operating on the target.  A
  dispel can send a summoned tanar'ri back to the Abyss as long as the magic
  that brought it here is still operating, but it can't  send  the  tanar'ri
  away if it left the Abyss on its own or  arrived  on  the  Prime  Material
  Plane through the use of instantaneous magic,  such  as  teleport  without
  error or plane shift.
    When pitted against other 10th-level spells, a dispel's area  of  effect
  must be large enough to cover  the  entire  target;  if  not,  the  dispel
  automatically fails. A dispel always works against the caster's own magic;
  otherwise, the chance to dispel depends on the difference in level between
  the caster and the targeted magical effect.
    At base difficulty (30) the chance to destroy an opposing spell is  50%;
  the check is made on 1d20, and a roll of 11 or higher  indicates  success.
  If the dispel caster is higher level than the character  who  created  the
  targeted effect, the caster adds the difference in levels to the die roll.
  If the caster is lower level than the character who created  the  targeted
  effect, the caster subtracts the difference in levels from the  roll.  The
  caster rolls once for each 10th-level effect present.
    If directed against spells or spell-like effects of 9th level or  lower,
  the base chance for success is 100% instead of 50%, and the dispel's  area
  of effect is irrelevant - dispelling any portion of  the  effect  unravels
  the whole spell.
    A successfully cast dispel destroys a permanent effect or  magical  item
  if the caster is of higher level than the creator of the magical  item  or
  spell effect. If the caster of the dispel is of lower level, the permanent
  effect or magical item  merely  ceases  to  function  for  1d4  rounds.  A
  successful dispel also destroys a permanent effect or magical item if  the
  dispel caster is of higher level than the spell caster or item creator. If
  the dispel fails, or the dispel caster is of lower  level,  the  permanent
  effect is rendered nonoperational for 1d4 rounds.
    The permanent item or effect must  be  individually  targeted,  and  the
  dispel has no other effect when so used. Note that a magical item  resists
  this spell at its creator's level. If the creator's level is unknown,  the
  DM should assign one or use the values listed in the  dispel  magic  spell
  description from the PHB.
    Augmenting a dispel can have varied effects.  The  caster  receives  a+1
  bonus to the die roll for every five points of  difficulty  added  to  the
  spell, making it easier for a lower level caster to dispel a higher  level
  caster's magic. If a dispel's duration is extended, the  spell  creates  a
  zone of antimagic  that  prevents  spellcasting  and  disrupts  any  magic
  brought into the area. See Nazzer's nullification on page 137.

  Reflect: The spell reverses  or  redirects  actions  within  the  area  of
  effect. A spell that forces a group of workers to demolish a wall they are
  building is a reflection. A spell that reflects hostile actions back  upon
  the aggressor is a reflection coupled with a ward.
    One specific action, such as  brick  laying,  by  one  creature  can  be
  reversed  at  base  difficulty  (25).  The  reversal  can  affect  several
  creatures if the caster chooses a larger area of effect If a limited class
  of actions, such as movement or physical attacks, is  reversed,  the  base
  difficulty is doubled (50). If a general class  of  actions  is  reversed,
  such as all attacks, the difficulty is tripled (75).

  Ward: The spell foils a specific type of attack or discourages hostile
  actions.
    At base difficulty (35), a ward provides complete immunity to the normal
  form of a specific type of attack (fire, edged weapons, poison, etc.)  and
  grants a +4 bonus against magical attacks (or a - 4 attack  penalty  if  a
  saving throw is not applicable). Even if the save fails, damage  from  the
  warded attack is reduced by half.
    If the difficulty is increased further, the ward can negate damage  from
  the warded form of attack by one point of damage for every two  points  of
  difficulty. The protection lasts until exhausted  or  the  spell  duration
  ends. Reduced damage is computed after applicable saving throws.
    A ward can provide protection against attacks that do not inflict damage
  (charms, petrifaction, etc.). At base difficulty (35), a ward  provides  a
  +4 saving throw bonus against the specified attack.  At  a  difficulty  of
  105, a ward grants a 50% resistance to the attack form in addition to  the
  saving throw bonus. At  a  difficulty  of  210,  the  ward  provides  100%
  resistance to the attack. This resistance can be reduced if the attack  is
  a true dweomer that has an increased difficulty (see the  notes  to  Table
  34). If a ward spell is applied to a creature that  already  enjoys  magic
  resistance,  the  creature  is  entitled  to  two  resistance  rolls  when
  attacked, once for the ward and once for the creature's magic resistance -
  the two values are not added together.
    A ward can also  be  used  as  a  hedge  to  keep  a  specific  creature
  (Razortooth the orc, Infyrana the red dragon, etc.) from entering the area
  of effect unless it saves vs. magic. If a type of creature is  hedged  out
  (orcs, red dragons), the base difficulty is doubled  (70).  If  a  general
  class of creature is hedged out (humanoids, dragons),  the  difficulty  is
  tripled (105).
    A ward can be combined with another type  of  spell  usually  a  strike,
  reflection, or charm. An active  ward  can  be  triggered  by  a  creature
  entering the area or by a specific action performed within the  area.  The
  more general the condition, the greater  the  difficulty,  as  above.  For
  example, a ward that triggers a blast of fire if Razortooth the orc enters
  the room has a difficulty of 35. A similar ward that is triggered  when  a
  certain gem is moved also  has  a  difficulty  of  35  (because  only  one
  specific action triggers it), even though any creature could be affected.

                                   - 123 -

  Alteration

  Animate (Object): The spell causes inanimate objects - not dead  creatures
  - to move. The object's shape and general physical characteristics are not
  changed. At base difficulty (25), the spell causes an object  weighing  50
  pounds or less to move at a speed of 12 over normal surfaces. The spell is
  often combined with a transport spell to improve the object's movement
  rate.
    If directed to fight, an animated object can strike once a  round  using
  the caster's THAC0 (see the notes to Table  30  for  damage  ratings).  An
  animated object can be imbued with an improved THAC0  or  the  ability  to
  make extra attacks.

  Destroy: The magic wrecks inanimate objects. At base difficulty (45),  the
  target object is smashed or crumpled; the object cannot be  repaired,  but
  it can be remade at 10-60% of its original cost. Doubling  the  difficulty
  (90) shatters or disintegrates the object, destroying it utterly.
    Objects in a creature's possession gain the creature's saving  throw  to
  resist the effect. Unattended objects must save vs. disintegration  or  be
  destroyed.
    An object does not have to be totally destroyed to be adversely affected
  by a destroy spell. It is possible ruin objects larger than  the  area  of
  effect by destroying their key parts, such as disintegrating the arms  and
  legs of an attacking giant statue.

  Fortify: The spell increases the target's natural potency in some fashion.
  One of a character's ability scores can  be  enhanced,  a  beverage  might
  become sweeter, a rope might become stronger, etc.

                                   - 124 -

    At base difficulty (30), the fortified attribute is  increased  10%  for
  the duration of the spell. Doubling the difficulty (60) results in a  gain
  of 10-40% (1d4x10). Tripling the difficulty (90)  results  in  a  gain  of
  20-60% (2d3x10). Quadrupling the difficulty (120) results  in  a  gain  of
  30-120% (3d4x10). Each additional multiple of  the  base  difficulty  adds
  another 1d4x10% gain.
    If used to enhance an ability score, each 10% gain equals a +1 bonus  if
  the enhanced score is 15 or less. If the score being  enhanced  is  16  or
  higher, each 100% gain equals a +1  bonus.  An  ability  score  cannot  be
  fortified beyond the recipient's racial  maximum  unless  the  fortify  is
  combined with an imbue spell.

  Transform: The spell changes the target's  form  or  nature.  An  object's
  shape might change or the object might become another object altogether. A
  creature might grow extra limbs or become an entirely different  creature.
  A transformation spell cannot affect a single object weighing more than 50
  tons.
    At base difficulty (35), an object can be bent or shaped into a new form
  for the duration of the spell. The object does not break, but it  is  most
  likely rendered useless for its original purpose.  Some  examples  include
  shaping a sword into  a  very  thin  shield,  changing  a  dagger  into  a
  candelabra, or blunting the tips of arrows to make them useless.
    Doubling the difficulty (70) allows the  spell  to  transform  a  living
  creature (similar to a polymorph  other  spell)  or  change  one  type  of
  material into another similar material.  For  example,  leather  could  be
  changed into wood, a fire giant could be transformed into a rust  monster,
  or a section of a castle's stone wall could be  changed  into  iron.  This
  form of the spell can also purify tainted food and water.
    Tripling the difficulty (105) allows the caster to transform a  creature
  into an object (similar to a polymorph any object  spell)  or  change  one
  type of material into a wholly different type of material of approximately
  the same value. Wood can be converted into glass,  a  fire  giant  changed
  into a small catapult, or emeralds can be converted into  rubies  or  star
  sapphires. A material can be transformed into a more valuable material  if
  the transformation is combined with an imbue spell.
    A simple transformation spell - one not combined with  another  type  of
  spell - can be made permanent without the loss of a point of  Constitution
  if the material transformed is not magical.

  Transport:  The  spell  enhances  a  creature's  movement  abilities.  The
  recipient can move faster, acquire a  new  mode  of  movement,  or  travel
  instantaneously.
    At base difficulty (35), the recipient's normal movement rate  increases
  by 12 or the recipient receives a new mode of travel for the  duration  of
  the spell. For example, a land-based recipient could fly or swim at a rate
  of 12, burrow through normal ground or jump at a rate of 3, or move across
  difficult terrain (webs, treetops, quicksand, etc.) at a rate of 6.
    Doubling the difficulty  (70)  doubles  the  speed  bestowed  or  allows
  extraordinary movement at a rate of 3. A character could  walk  on  water,
  burrow through solid rock or ice, or travel through difficult terrain at a
  movement rate of 6.
    Tripling the difficulty (105) allows teleportation with  no  chance  for
  error, but the distance teleported increases the difficulty (use Table  31
  on page 131 to determine the modifier). Teleportation has an instantaneous
  duration. The caster  could  also  increase  movement  over  difficult  or
  extraordinary terrain by 3.

  Conjuration/Summoning

  Afflict: The spell imposes some ill  effect  on  a  target  creature.  The
  caster  states  what  sort  of  affliction  the  victim  suffers  and  the
  affliction's duration, which can be conditional (see below). An affliction
  can be dispelled only by a caster of equal or higher level.
    A harmless affliction, such as the victim's hair turning white,  can  be
  created at half difficulty (20), and modifiers for duration are halved  as
  well. Such an affliction can be made permanent without the loss of a point
  of Constitution.
    At base difficulty (40), the victim is  afflicted  in  some  minor  way:
  shaking hands reduce Dexterity by one point and impose a  -5%  penalty  on
  thieving skills, clouded vision imposes a -1 penalty to missile attacks,
  etc.
    At  double  difficulty  (80),  the  victim  suffers  a  major,  but  not
  life-threatening, affliction: one type of weapon always  breaks  when  the
  victim uses it in combat, the character suffers a  terrible  disfigurement
  that reduces Charisma to 3, the sight of  treasure  drives  the  character
  insane, a farmer's field is blighted so that the crop loses 10  -  20%  of
  its value, etc.
    At triple difficulty (120), the target is afflicted badly enough to ruin
  the character's life: a warrior's weapon arm withers, a  rogue  is  struck
  blind when violating a law, a wizard is rendered speechless, a blight in a
  field reduces the crop to bare subsistence level, etc.
    At quadruple difficulty (160), the target's life  is  imperiled:  wounds
  never heal, saving throws fail, every word  spoken  provokes  violence,  a
  field bears no crop at all, etc.
    The spellcaster can specify a duration or state a  condition  that  ends
  the affliction. In either case, use Table 32 to determine  the  additional
  difficulty. When a condition is imposed, the  DM  must  set  an  effective
  duration based how much time might be required to  fulfill  the  condition
  and what lasting effects fulfilling the condition might have.

                                   - 125 -

    For example, if a character is struck blind until he apologizes  to  the
  caster for an insult, the effective duration is one round if the caster is
  present. However, if the character must crawl to  the  caster's  tower  10
  miles away, the effective duration is a day.
    Conditions that are extremely difficult to fulfill  or  that  require  a
  major change in the victim's life are effectively permanent. For  example,
  having hands that shake until a rogue gives up his thieving  ways  -  thus
  retiring or assuming a new character class - is an  effectively  permanent
  affliction. Such an affliction would  not  cost  the  caster  a  point  of
  Constitution, however, as it is within  the  victim's  power  to  end  the
  affliction.

  Bind: The spell imposes an agreement upon  a  creature.  It  differs  from
  charm and compel (see below) in that the subject agrees to  undertake,  or
  refrain from, a single action but otherwise retains its own will. Any type
  of creature can be bound, even those normally immune to charm  effects.  A
  binding is often combined with  a  summoning  spell  to  insure  that  the
  summoned creature obeys the caster - this is the only form  of  binding  a
  conjuration specialist can cast.
    A binding can have either a fixed or conditional duration,  just  as  an
  affliction can. A summoning combined with a conditional binding ends  when
  the condition is met, sending the summoned creature back where it came
  from.
    If a binding lasts a year or more, the target is allowed a saving  throw
  each year to  break  the  spell.  If  the  binding  was  combined  with  a
  summoning, the creature returns to the locale from which it  came  if  the
  saving throw is successful. If the saving throw fails, it remains bound by
  the spell.
    No binding is effective if it is  impossible  to  honor  or  requires  a
  suicidal action. For example, trying to force a creature to stop breathing
  or eating is an invalid binding.

  Conjure: The spell brings forth matter from somewhere else, usually one of
  the elemental planes. Conjurations can  produce  valuable  materials  when
  combined  with  an  imbue  spell,  and  those  conjurations  with  a  base
  difficulty of 80 or less can be made permanent without a loss of
  constitution.
    At base difficulty (40), the spell produces a block of simple  elemental
  material. Doubling the difficulty (80) produces simple objects made from a
  single common material, such as wooden tables or iron spikes. Tripling the
  difficulty (120)  produces  complex  objects  made  from  multiple  common
  materials, such as weapons, wagons, and castles.

  Summon: The spell brings forth creatures from somewhere else, usually  one
  of the outer planes.
    At base difficulty (50), the spell summons a single creature  whose  Hit
  Dice does not exceed the caster's level. The caster can choose  to  summon
  multiple creatures, but there is a difficulty modifier (see Table 29). The
  caster can choose to summon a specific creature  if  its  name  is  known.
  Doubling the base difficulty (100) doubles the total Hit Dice of creatures
  that can be summoned, tripling (150) the base difficulty triples  the  Hit
  Dice, and so on.
    A summoned creature whose Hit Dice are  less  than  the  caster's  level
  automatically attacks the caster's foes for the duration of the  spell  or
  until the caster commands it to cease. If the caster  has  no  enemies  to
  fight, the creature can be commanded to  perform  other  actions  for  the
  duration of the spell. The spell does not grant the ability to communicate
  with a summoned  creature,  so  additional  magic  may  be  required.  Any
  summoned creature returns to the locale from which is was summoned  if  it
  is dispelled, banished, or slain.
    If a summoned creature's Hit Dice are greater than the  caster's  level,
  or if the creature was specifically named in the summoning, the caster has
  no special control over it, though it can be bound, charmed, or compelled.
    The initial distance between the caster and the summoned creature is not
  a factor, but the distance between  the  caster  and  where  the  summoned
  creature appears is.

  Enchantment/Charm

  Charm: The spell causes a target creature with an Intelligence  rating  to
  abandon its own thoughts and feelings  and  adopt  a  specified  emotional
  response toward the caster. The caster might inspire fear, love,  loyalty,
  friendship, or any other  purely  emotional  state.  The  emotional  state
  remains for the duration of the spell; however, creatures are periodically
  allowed new saving throws based on their Intelligence scores as  noted  in
  the charm person spell.
    If  communication  between  the  caster  and  the  charmed  creature  is
  possible, the caster  can  exercise  limited  control  over  the  subject.
  Charmed creatures that are asked to perform obviously suicidal actions are
  typically freed from a charm, see the charm person spell for details.
    Casting this spell on an undead creature triples  the  difficulty  (60).
  Golems, automatons, and animated objects cannot be charmed.

  Compel: The spell forces the target creature to take an  immediate  action
  of the caster's choosing. The action must be something  the  target  could
  normally do, and the action must not be suicidal.

                                   - 126 -

    At base difficulty, a compulsion lasts a single  round.  If  the  action
  requires more time, the duration must be extended  appropriately,  with  a
  corresponding increase in difficulty.

  Fortify: See the notes under Alteration on page 123.

  Imbue: The spell grants  the  target  a  quality  or  ability  other  than
  movement - that it did not have before. An imbued  ability  cannot  change
  the target's basic nature.
    At base difficulty (45),  the  target  can  be  imbued  with  a  common,
  non-offensive, ability that does not extend beyond the target's touch.  An
  animal can be taught a simple trick, an unskilled person can  be  given  a
  general proficiency, or an object can be given a simple, physical  quality
  it does not normally possess, such as a bit of cloth becoming abrasive.
    At double difficulty (90), the target can  be  given  unusual  abilities
  that do not extend more than 30 feet from the object and are nonmagical in
  nature. Characters  can  be  granted  proficiencies  outside  the  general
  category or racial abilities such as infravision. Similarly, a  sword  can
  be given the ability to harm creatures normally  harmed  only  by  magical
  weapons or the ability to float in water.
    Targets  can  be  imbued  with  magical  abilities  or  extraordinary
  properties, but the spellcaster must combine the spell with  another  type
  of magic. For example, giving a sword a  true  magical  bonus  requires  a
  strike spell (one multiple of difficulty per plus).
    Transmuting lead into a more valuable metal requires a  transform  spell
  at a difficulty of 105. In  addition,  the  extent  of  the  transmutation
  increases the imbue difficulty one multiple. At base difficulty  (45+105),
  lead can be transmuted into copper. Transmuting lead into  silver  doubles
  the imbue difficulty (90), and transmuting  lead  into  gold  triples  the
  imbue difficulty (135). If the  original  material  was  nonmetallic,  the
  imbue spell requires an extra multiple of difficulty - turning  wood  into
  gold has a difficulty of 285.
    Granting a creature the ability to detect  magic  by  touch  requires  a
  reveal spell at base difficulty  (20).  Granting  the  same  creature  the
  ability to inspire fear on sight requires a charm  spell  at  an  adjusted
  difficulty of 60 (base 20 + 40 for a line-of-sight effect).
    Imbue can also be used to create an effect that lasts  until  triggered.
  The caster begins by creating the imbue spell with  a  permanent  duration
  (this does not cause a loss of Constitution) and then follows  immediately
  with the effect to be triggered. If more than a  day  passes  between  the
  completion of the imbue spell and the effect, the  second  spell  must  be
  combined with another imbue spell. Such effects can be combined to produce
  an effect that can be triggered multiple times.

  Divination

  Foresee: The spell reads the future. The caster poses  a  single  question
  and receives an answer. The spell's final difficulty depends  on  the  how
  far into the future the caster delves (use Table 32) and the actual  range
  to the subject. The answer is  truthful,  but  often  cryptic  and  always
  literal. For example, a spell that asks the fate of a king has an adjusted
  difficulty of 125 (base 25 plus 100 for an unspecified time frame) and  is
  likely to reveal only that the king eventually dies. Careful wording of  a
  question can produce clearer results.
    By tripling the base difficulty (75), the caster can extend  one  normal
  sense (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and  smell)  into  the  future,  with
  additional modifiers for the temporal and actual distance, as above.
    There is no saving throw vs. a foresee spell unless the spell is used to
  predict an unwilling creature's alignment, intentions, or mental state.

  Reveal: The spell shows what is hidden or not readily apparent. The  spell
  reveals information about the present or the past.
    At base difficulty (20), the caster can project one normal sense to  the
  limit of the spell's range. For the duration of the spell, the caster  can
  see, hear, smell, feel, or taste as though standing in the target area. If
  the target area is larger than  the  five-foot-square  default  area,  the
  caster's point of view can be freely  shifted  within  the  area.  If  the
  caster wishes to employ  an  enchanted  sense  (microscopic  vision,  ESP,
  infravision, etc.), the base difficulty is doubled (40).
    A reveal spell can also detect  auras.  At  base  difficulty  (20),  the
  caster  can  perceive  one  aura,  effect,  or  substance  (magic,  evil,
  invisibility, charm, gold, etc.) by touch for the duration of  the  spell.
  Increasing the spell's range extends the caster's detection ability  in  a
  10-foot path that is as long as the range. If the caster concentrates  for
  one round, a ranged detection can penetrate one yard of earth or wood, one
  foot of stone, or one inch of steel or other metal. A thin sheet  of  lead
  blocks the detection. The caster - and only the  caster  -  perceives  the
  aura through feedback to his senses (hands tingling,  throbbing  headache,
  light intensity, etc.) and can tell where the source lies and how powerful
  it is (faint, moderate, strong, or overwhelming).
    Doubling the difficulty (40), doubles the penetration (up to one inch of
  lead) and allows the caster to analyze  what  is  detected  (the  type  of
  magic, how much gold, etc.). If there are multiple sources, only that fact
  is revealed; analysis takes one round.
    Tripling the difficulty (60) triples the penetration and allows complete
  analysis. The caster can determine the subject's alignment, all  types  of
  magic in operation, etc. Each additional multiple  of  difficulty  extends
  the penetration range. At  quintuple  difficulty  (100),  a  reveal  spell
  bestows the power of true seeing (as the 5th-level priest spell).

                                   - 127 -

    A reveal spell allows the caster to sense or  ask  questions  about  the
  past just as the foresee spell provides insights into the future. The past
  is easier to divine that the future - divide the time periods on Table  32
  by 10 when determining difficulty. For example, looking 10 years into  the
  past adds 70 to the difficulty.
    A single use of the spell produces one  effect  (sense  extension,  aura
  reading, or divining the past), though an ambitions caster  could  combine
  all three functions into one very difficult spell.
    There is no saving throw vs. a reveal spell unless the spell is used  to
  examine an unwilling creature's alignment, thoughts, or mental state.

  Illusion/Phantasm

  Conceal: The spell hides objects or creatures, rendering them undetectable
  for the duration of the spell.
    At base difficulty (20), the target becomes undetectable to one ordinary
  sense for the duration of the spell. The spell's area must be large enough
  to cover the entire target, and  each  multiple  to  the  base  difficulty
  eliminates one additional sense. Concealment from magical senses, such  as
  ESP and detection spells, double the difficulty (40).  A  single  type  of
  detection counts as one sense. For example, a spell that conceals a target
  from both ESP and magical detection has a difficulty of  at  least  40.  A
  true seeing spell always defeats a conceal spell,  but  a  target  can  be
  warded against detection (see page 122).
    If a concealed creature makes an attack, the spell is broken unless  the
  conceal is combined with an imbue with the same duration  as  the  conceal
  spell - this is an exception to the general rule about  combining  spells.
  Damage from a successful attack is never concealed, even if  the  attacker
  is concealed from the sense of touch. Magical items that  produce  visible
  effects, such as a fireball from a wand of fire, are not  concealed  along
  with a creature.

  Delude: The spell confounds or distorts the senses, making the target seem
  like something else.
    At base difficulty (30), one of the  target's  sensory  aspects  can  be
  changed for the duration of  the  spell.  The  target  does  not  actually
  change, but it looks, feels, smells,  sounds,  or  tastes  like  something
  else. Changing the target's apparent size  more  than  one  category  (see
  Tables 29 and 30) doubles the difficulty, and each additional multiple  of
  difficulty allows one additional category of change.
    Doubling the base difficulty (60) changes the way the target appears  to
  extraordinary senses such as ESP. For example, making an astral deva  seem
  mindless or an agitated storm giant appear calm  doubles  the  difficulty.
  This is in addition to any multiplier for changing the  target's  apparent
  size. For  example,  making  a  30-foot-tall  storm  giant  look  like  an
  unintelligent half ling has a minimum difficulty of 150.

  Phantom: The spell creates a sensory or mental image that can  effect  any
  thinking creature if the creature believes the image.
    At base difficulty (40), the image impacts one  sense  -  smell,  sound,
  sight, taste, or touch - or exists solely as a mental image in the  target
  creature's mind. Each multiple added  to  the  base  difficulty  adds  one
  sensory attribute to the image. If a  sensory  image  is  given  a  mental
  attribute, the image appears  to  have  thoughts  or  emotions.  Adding  a
  specific thought or emotion adds 40 to the difficulty.
    If the image's duration is instantaneous, the image lasts only  as  long
  as the caster concentrates. If a duration is specified, the image  follows
  a simple program of action, as specified by the caster, for  the  duration
  of the spell. A programmed illusion can be  made  to  activate  itself  in
  response to a  specific  trigger  if  combined  with  an  imbue  spell.  A
  programmed illusion can react logically any  situation  it  encounters  if
  combined with an imbue spell at triple difficulty (135).
    Unlike a shadow shape, an image cannot inflict real damage, even if  the
  target believes it is real (see Player's Handbook Chapter 7).
    An image can be used to kill, however, by drawing on the target's fears.
  Such images are purely mental and function just like slay spells.

  Shadow Shape: The spell allows the user to manipulate  material  from  the
  Demiplane of Shadow, creating partially real illusions that  retain  their
  effectiveness even if disbelieved. The caster can employ a shadow shape as
  a conjure, summon, or strike spell. A shadow shape's  base  difficulty  is
  the same as the spell it mimics.
    If disbelieved, the shadow shapes retain an Armor Class of 4 and 80%  of
  their  hit  points  and  damage  potential.  Special  attacks,  such  as
  petrifaction and level draining, generally persist  for  as  long  as  the
  spell lasts or until dispelled or disbelieved, but there is a  50%  chance
  that they remain even after the spell fades.

  Evocation/Invocation

  Create: The spell creates something out of nothing. The caster can  create
  a wall or block of material.

                                   - 128 -

    At base difficulty (25), the caster creates  a  wall  of  energy  (fire,
  lightning, or cold) five feet  square  and  hair  thin.  Anything  passing
  through the wall suffers 2d8 points of damage plus one  point  per  caster
  level. Anything within 10 feet of the sheet suffers 1d8 points of  damage,
  save vs. spells for half.
    The caster can orient a wall of energy in any direction and shape it  in
  any fashion. Once created, the wall remains in place and retains its shape
  for the duration of the spell. The  wall  can  be  cast  upon  a  creature
  without difficulty, but the target suffers the  lesser  amount  of  damage
  unless the sheet is combined with a strike spell - in which  case  a  save
  vs. spells for half damage applies. At the caster's option,  one  side  of
  the wall can be harmless, inflicting no damage even to  things  that  pass
  through it.
    If the caster increases the difficulty to get a  wall  larger  than  the
  minimum size, use the area column from Table 29. The  wall  is  five  feet
  high and as long as the area's base dimension. For  example,  adding  five
  points to the difficulty makes a wall five feet high and 50 feet long. The
  caster can increase the height by reducing  the  length.  For  example,  a
  50-foot wall becomes 10 feet high and 25 feet long.
    Doubling the base difficulty (50) creates a wall of soft material  (such
  as wood, clay, or ice) five feet square and six inches thick.  The  caster
  can double the thickness by halving the area.
    The caster can orient a physical wall in  any  direction  and  shape  it
  freely. Once created, the wall retains its shape for the duration  of  the
  spell. If not properly supported, either by previously  existing  material
  or by virtue of a self-supporting shape  (see  the  wall  of  stone  spell
  description in the PHB for guidelines), the wall  falls  over,  inflicting
  3d10 points of damage on any creature caught underneath  (save  vs.  death
  magic to avoid). If the wall is created in the same space as a target,  it
  appears with a hole large enough to allow the target to remain unharmed.

                                   - 129 -

    At triple the base difficulty (75), the caster can create a  wall  of  a
  hard substance, such as granite or iron. The wall  has  the  same  general
  characteristics as a wall of soft material, but if it  falls,  it  crushes
  and kills creatures caught underneath (save vs. death magic to avoid).
    At quadruple the base difficulty (100), the caster  creates  a  wall  of
  pure force that duplicates the effects of the 5th-level wizard spell  wall
  of force.
    At base difficulty (35), the caster can create a 50pound block of simple
  elemental matter, such as water or dirt, or a pile of smaller blocks whose
  total weight does not exceed 50 pounds.  At  double  difficulty  (70)  the
  caster can create soft, compound materials, such  as  brick  or  wood.  At
  triple difficulty (105), the caster can create common, pure  metals,  such
  as iron or lead. The caster can combine a creation  spell  with  an  imbue
  spell to create valuable metals as detailed in the transform spell.
    A creation spell that produces matter - not force or  energy  -  can  be
  made permanent without the loss of a point of Constitution.

  Imbue: See the notes under Enchantment/Charm on page 126.

  Strike: The spell directs energy or force against a target.
    At base difficulty (25), the caster inflicts 2d8 points of  damage  plus
  one point per caster level by touch. The damage can be delivered through a
  burst of energy (fire, electricity, or  cold)  or  force.  The  target  is
  allowed a saving throw vs. spell for half damage. Energy bursts can damage
  objects, but force bursts cannot. A  touch-delivered  strike  requires  an
  attack roll, but a ranged strike  does  not.  For  every  five  points  of
  additional difficulty, the caster can add 1d8, to a maximum of 30d8.
    Adding a duration to a strike creates a static effect  that  can  damage
  anything that blunders into it while the spell lasts.
    If a strike is combined with a  wall  of  energy,  the  resulting  spell
  inflicts  wall  damage  or  strike  damage,  whichever  is  greater.  The
  combination spell effect can be imbued with an animate spell to create  an
  effect that moves at the caster's command. The mobile spell has  an  Armor
  Class of 0 and as many hit points as the caster. The spell effect  can  be
  harmed only by magical weapons and magical attacks; an effect is immune to
  its own form of energy.
    A strike combined with a force wall can trap a target for  the  duration
  of the spell provided it is large enough to  surround  the  creature.  The
  target is not otherwise harmed and may escape by destroying  the  wall  or
  teleporting away. The combined spell can be imbued with an  animate  spell
  and move at the caster's command, grasping, crushing, or smashing objects.
  The effect is similar to the 9th-level spell Bigby's crushing  hand  spell
  except that it has an Armor Class of -2 and twice the caster's hit points.

  Necromancy

  Animate (dead): The spell restores movement to dead creatures.
    At base difficulty (25), the spell animates one Hit Die of skeletons  or
  zombies for each level of  the  caster's  experience.  Doubling  the  base
  difficulty (50) doubles the Hit Dice of creatures animated,  tripling  the
  difficulty (75) triples the Hit Dice of creatures animated, and so on. All
  the remains to be animated must be intact and within the spell's  area  of
  effect. See the 5th-level wizard spell animate dead for details.
    The current condition of the  remains  can  affect  the  spell.  If  the
  remains  have  been  scattered,  but  not  destroyed,  the  spell's  base
  difficulty increases by 25. If the remains are scattered and ancient, such
  as buried and broken  up  by  time  and  natural  forces,  the  difficulty
  increases by 75.

  Slay: The spell destroys life,  utterly  and  irrevocably  slaying  living
  creatures.
    At base difficulty (50), the caster can slay a single creature whose Hit
  Dice do not exceed his own. If the spell is extended  over  an  area,  the
  total Hit Dice of the creatures slain cannot exceed the caster's level.
    A touch-delivered slaying requires an attack roll, but  ranged  slayings
  do not. Targets with 9 Hit Dice or more gain saving throws  vs.  death  to
  negate the effects. For every five points of  additional  difficulty,  the
  Hit Dice affected increases by 1 die. There is no maximum.

  Tap: The spell manipulates a creature's  life  force.  Priests  (and  only
  priests) use this spell to heal injuries.
    At base difficulty (40), this spell drains 1d8 hit  points  from  living
  targets by touch. A touch-delivered  tap  requires  an  attack  roll,  but
  ranged taps do not. Targets with 9 Hit Dice or more gain a  saving  throws
  vs. spells to negate the effects. For  every  five  points  of  additional
  difficulty, the damage increases by one  die  to  a  maximum  of  30d8.  A
  damage-inflicting tap always has an instantaneous duration which cannot be
  increased.
    At double difficulty (80), a tap can transfer hit points drained from  a
  victim to the caster for the duration of the spell  or  until  the  caster
  loses the hit points through combat or other means. Any damage the  caster
  suffers is deducted from the stolen hit points first.  In  any  case,  the
  target does not automatically regain the lost points when the spell  ends,
  though the damage can be restored through rest or magical healing just  as
  most other forms of damage.

                                   - 130 -

  Table 29: Areas of Effect

  Creature         Area          Object      Difficulty
  1                5             200 lbs.    0
  1d4+1 (3)        50            500 lbs.    5
  1d6+5 (6)        500           1,000 lbs.  10
  1d8+6 (9)        5,000         1 ton       15
  1d10+7 (12)      10,000        5 tons      20
  1d12+8 (15' )    25,000        10 tons     25
  2d8+8 (18)       50,000        50 tons     30
  3d10+8 (21)      Province      100 tons    40
  4d12+8 (24)      Region        200 tons    80
  5d20+8 (27)      Plane         500 tons    160

  * Creature: The spell affects the indicated number of creatures  or  less.
  If the caster does not wish to roll dice, use the  number  in  parentheses
  instead.
    All creatures to be affected cannot be farther apart than  the  distance
  listed in the area column. For example, if a spell affects six  creatures,
  they must all be within 500 feet of each other.
    A spell  can  affect  all  creatures  in  a  designated  area,  but  the
  difficulty modifier is 10 times the value listed.  For  example,  a  spell
  that charms every creature in a 10,000 square feet area has  a  difficulty
  modifier of 200.

    Area: The spell effect fills a  square  area  five  feet  high.  Numbers
  indicate the length of the square's sides in feet. A province is  an  area
  20 miles square. A region is an area 100 miles  square.  A  planar  effect
  fills the entire plane where the spell is cast. An area can be  angled  or
  reshaped to fill whatever volume the  caster  desires,  but  the  volume's
  minimum height is always considered to be five feet.

    Object: The spell affects a number of  objects  whose  weight  does  not
  exceed the listed value. If multiple objects are affected, they cannot  be
  farther apart than the distance listed in the corresponding area column.

    Alternately, the caster can employ a tap at double  difficulty  (80)  to
  drain one point from an ability score. The loss persists for the  duration
  of the spell (the ability score is suppressed, not  drained  away).  At  a
  difficulty of 160, the caster can transfer the  stolen  ability  score  to
  himself for the duration of the spell.
    At triple difficulty (120), the caster can drain one  energy  level  for
  the duration of the spell. At a difficulty of 240, the caster can transfer
  the stolen level to himself.

  Material Components

    As explained on page 119, the caster must employ some object or material
  to create a true dweomer. The caster can use combinations of common, rare,
  and exotic components to make a true dweomer easier to prepare  and  cast,
  according to the limitations outlined below. The caster must have a common
  material component on hand to begin preparing a spell.

  Table 30: Animated Objects

  Size(1)               Weight(2)         Damage(3)
  Tiny                  50 lbs.              2
  Small                 100 lbs.             5
  Man                   200 lbs.             10
  Large                 500 lbs.             15
  Huge                  1,000 lbs.           20
  Gargantuan            1 Ton                25

  (1) Size categories are taken from the Monstrous Manual  and  the  various
  MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM tomes.

  (2) Use the object column from Table 29 to  calculate  how  difficult  the
  object is to animate. Use this table to  determine  how  much  damage  the
  object can inflict in combat. Objects weighing more than  one  ton  cannot
  move if animated, but portions of them can move. For example, animating  a
  castle has a  difficulty  of  80.  The  castle  itself  cannot  move,  but
  individual parts can.

  (3) The figure given is average damage from a single blow. Any combination
  of damage dice and bonuses that produces the listed average is acceptable.
  For example, a stool or chair might inflict 1d3 points of  damage  with  a
  single blow, a table might inflict 1d6+1 or 1d8 points of  damage,  and  a
  castle's drawbridge might inflict 4d4+8 or 3d10+10 points of damage.

                                   - 131 -

    Common: The component is something fairly  plentiful  and  easy  to  get
  under normal circumstances. The caster might use a butterfly's cocoon  for
  a transformation spell, a handful of nails to create an iron  wall,  or  a
  magnifying glass for a reveal spell. Every true dweomer requires at  least
  one common material component.  There  is  no  reduction  in  the  spell's
  adjusted or final difficulty for multiple common components.
    Rare: A rare component is normally expensive and difficult to find.  The
  caster might use a legal document or writ issued by a  court  against  the
  target of a banishment spell, a packet of  expensive  herbs  in  a  compel
  spell, or a live electric eel in a strike spell that employs  electricity.
  A character can employ as many as three rare components

  Table 31: Ranges

  Range(1)                Difficulty
  Touch or 0                  0
  20 yards                    5
  50 yards                    10
  100 yards                   15
  500 yards                   20
  1,000 yards                 25
  1,500 yards                 30
  Line of Sight(2)            40
  Plane(3)                    60
  Trans-Planar(4)             100

    (1) A spell's range is either the distance between the  caster  and  the
  portion of the spell's area of effect closest to the caster or between the
  caster and the center of the area of effect; the choice is  the  caster's.
  Spells with touch range are always centered on the target the caster
  touches.
    (2) A spell with line-of-sight range can affect any  target  the  caster
  can see, regardless of the range.
    (3) A spell with planar range can affect a target anywhere on the  plane
  where the spell is cast.  Use  this  category  for  any  spell  where  the
  target's location is not known.
    (4) A spell with  trans-planar  range  actually  reaches  across  planar
  boundaries. Only transport and reveal spells work at this range.

  Table 32: Durations

  Duration             Difficulty
  Instaneous(1)            0
  1 round                  1
  1 turn                   3
  1 hour                   5
  6 hours                  7
  12 hours                 10
  1 day                    15
  1 week                   30
  1 month                  50
  1 year                   70
  Permanent(2)            100

    (1) Spells with instantaneous  durations  have  permanent  effects.  For
  example, a strike occurs in an instant, but the damage it inflicts remains
  until healed. Spells with longer durations cease to affect  their  targets
  once their durations expire.
    (2) Making a spell permanent usually drains a point of Constitution from
  the caster, see the individual spell descriptions for exceptions.

  to reduce a spell's adjusted or final difficulty by -30. The limit applies
  once per spell. That is, the caster  can  use  three  rare  components  to
  reduce the spell's adjusted difficulty by 30, the final difficulty by  30,
  the adjusted difficulty by 20 and the final  difficulty  by  10,  or  vice
  versa. If the caster does not have a rare component  on  hand  during  the
  entire preparation time for a spell, the modifier can be applied  only  to
  the spell's final difficulty number.

  Exotic: An exotic component is unique or unusual and cannot be purchased -
  the character must undertake an adventure to get it. The caster might  use
  a fragment of an ancient sundial in a destroy spell, a  displacer  beast's
  hide in a delude spell, or sand taken from the track an  iron  golem  left
  after taking its first step in an animate spell. A  character  can  employ
  any number of exotic components to reduce  a  spell's  adjusted  or  final
  difficulty. When an exotic component is used in a spell, the  adjusted  or
  final difficulty is reduced by half or by 20 points, whichever is greater.
  It is usually to the caster's advantage  to  apply  the  modifier  for  an
  exotic component before any modifiers for rare components, but the  caster
  is not required to do so. A single exotic  component  reduces  either  the
  spell's adjusted difficulty or final  difficulty,  but  not  both.  If  an
  exotic component is not available for the spell's entire

                                   - 132 -

  Table 33: Preparation and Casting Times

   Adjusted            Preparation               Casting
  Difficulty             Time(1)                   Time
  -1 or less              None                   1 round
      0                 1 round                  1 round
     1-5                1 turn                   1 round
     6-10               1 day(2)                  1 turn
    11-20               1 week                    1 turn
    21-30               2 weeks                   1 hour
    31-50               1 month                   1 hour
    51-100              2 months                  1 day
   101-150              6 months                  1 day
     151+               1 year                    1 week

    (1) The figure given is the minimum preparation time, see page 133.
    (2) Preparation and casting times of one day or more require  a  maximum
  of eight hours of effort per day.

  preparation time, the modifier for it can be applied  only  to  the  final
  difficulty.

  Special Conditions

    Any technique or unusual restriction that the caster imposes on  himself
  during the spell's preparation time can reduce  the  spell's  adjusted  or
  final difficulty. Similarly, the caster can limit the  way  the  spell  is
  used and make  the  spell  easier  to  prepare  and  cast.  Like  material
  components, special conditions are classified according to rarity. Common:
  This is the minimum condition for preparing or casting a spell  (see  page
  119). Rare: The condition requires  some  extra  effort  or  extraordinary
  expense on the caster's part. The caster might remain in a locale that  is
  particularly appropriate for casting a  spell;  for  example,  staying  in
  school or library when preparing a reveal spell. The caster might  refrain
  from taking a certain action during a spell's preparation  time,  such  as
  never answering a question truthfully while preparing a delude spell.  The
  caster might specify a limited use for the spell, such as  a  dispel  that
  only works against afflictions  that  have  been  unjustly  laid.  A  rare
  condition is not effective unless the character is exceptionally clever or
  undergoes some hardship or sacrifice. Only one rare condition can apply to
  any given spell, affecting either the adjusted or final difficulty. The DM
  must be very careful  when  assigning  limitations,  as  players  tend  to
  specify limitations that only apply to the situation immediately at  hand.
  A limitation reduces difficulty only when  it  actually  makes  the  spell
  harder for a player character to use.

  Table 34: Difficulty Adjustments

   Condition                             Modifier
   Material Component
     Common                               None
     Rare                                 -10
     Exotic                               -20 or 1/2
   Special Condition
     Common                               None
     Rare                                 -10
     Exotic                               -20 or 1/2
   Caster Level                           -1 per Level(1)
   Specialist(2)                          -5(1)
   Caster has cast this
     spell before                         -10(3)
   Saving Throw or MR modifier(4)         Variable

    (1) The caster's level applies to adjusted difficulty before  any  other
  modifiers for material components and conditions.
    (2) Specialist wizards receive this modifier when casting true  dweomers
  that use a type of spell from their schools of specialization.
    (3)This adjustment only applies if the spell is cast the same way it was
  previously. If range, duration, or other attributes are changed,  the  -10
  reduction does not apply.
    (4) If the true dweomer normally allows a saving throw, the  caster  can
  alter the spell's adjusted difficulty to increase or decrease the target's
  saving throw as explained below (see the True Dweomers in Play section for
  more information). Each +5 added to the difficulty  imposes  a  -1  saving
  throw modifier on the target; each -5 subtracted from the difficulty gives
  the target  a  +1  saving  throw  bonus.  A  difficulty  modifier  of  100
  eliminates any saving throw.
    A true dweomer's adjusted difficulty can  be  increased  to  reduce  the
  target's magic resistance, including resistance provided by a ward  spell.
  Each +1 added to the difficulty reduces magic resistance by -1. It is  not
  possible to reduce a spell's difficulty by increasing the  target's  magic
  resistance. If the resistance penalty lowers the target's magic resistance
  to 0 or less, there is no further effect other than negating the roll.

                                   - 133 -

    Exotic: The condition is unique, and the  character  must  undertake  an
  adventure to complete it. An exotic  condition  often  exists  only  in  a
  metaphorical sense. Shielding the innocent from a tyrant's wrath might  be
  useful in preparing a ward spell. Carrying an idea to the four corners  of
  the world might help with a transport spell. Freeing a village  from  fear
  might help with a dispel, especially if the target of the dispel  and  the
  source of the fear are one in the same. Only one modifier  for  an  exotic
  condition can apply to a single spell. The caster can apply it  to  either
  the adjusted or final difficulty, but not both.

  Preparing the Spell

    Once a true dweomer's  adjusted  difficulty  has  been  calculated,  the
  caster can begin preparing to cast the spell.  To  prepare  a  spell,  the
  caster must spend time in quiet study or  meditation.  The  caster  cannot
  fight, cast spells, move faster than  a  walk,  or  engage  in  any  other
  activity that requires intense physical effort or mental concentration. If
  the preparation time is one day or more, the caster must spend eight hours
  a day preparing for the endeavor, although he  is  free  to  pursue  other
  activities during the remaining 16 hours. Keep in mind  that  there  is  a
  limit to the number of true dweomers a character can prepare at once  (see
  page 119 and Table 44).
    If the caster wishes to reduce the spell's  preparation  time,  material
  components or special conditions can  be  added  to  reduce  the  adjusted
  difficulty, which in turn reduces preparation and casting times.
    If the caster is interrupted or ceases the preparations,  the  spell  is
  disrupted. Preparations that  require  one  day  or  less  are  completely
  disrupted and must be restarted. If the preparations require one  week  or
  more, the caster loses any preparation time already spent on the day  when
  the disruption occurs and loses another day's worth of preparations as the
  caster makes the readjustments to continue the spell.
    For example, Pharjis, a 25th-level diviner, is preparing a spell with an
  adjusted difficulty of 15, which requires a week's worth of  preparations.
  He prepares for three days without incident, but  in  the  middle  of  the
  fourth day an explosion in his laboratory keeps him  busy  well  into  the
  night. Pharjis loses the preparation time he completed  on  day  four  and
  must backtrack another day, so he must prepare for five more  days  before
  he can cast the spell.
    If an interruption lasts more than one day, the caster must either begin
  preparations again or backtrack that many days when resuming preparations.
  For example, if Pharjis were preparing a spell with an adjusted difficulty
  of 55, he would need  to  prepare  for  two  months.  If  he  were  to  be
  interrupted for a full week, he loses not only that week but another seven
  days worth of preparations.
    When the caster completes the required preparation time, the  spell  may
  or may not be ready to cast. The character must roll  a  final  difficulty
  check to conclude the preparations.

  Final Difficulty

    A spell's final difficulty number is usually the same  as  its  adjusted
  difficulty. When the caster has spent the required preparation time,  roll
  1d100. If the number rolled is equal to or higher than the  spell's  final
  difficulty number, preparations are complete. If the roll  is  lower  than
  the final difficulty, the caster must continue preparing the spell and can
  check again when another period of preparations are complete.
    If the spell's adjusted difficulty is higher than 100, or if the  caster
  simply wishes to reduce the difficulty number,  the  caster  can  apply  a
  modifier for a material component to the final difficulty instead  of  the
  adjusted difficulty. This does  not  affect  the  spell's  preparation  or
  casting time.
    The caster can also extend or  reduce  a  spell's  preparation  time  by
  adjusting the final difficulty. If the caster  increases  the  preparation
  time to the next higher category, the final difficulty is reduced by  half
  or -10, whichever is higher. The spell's casting time is unchanged. If the
  spell's adjusted difficulty is 151 or higher, increasing  the  preparation
  time doubles it to two years.  The  caster  can  also  shorten  a  spell's
  preparation time to the next lower category by  doubling  the  difficulty.
  Each of these modifications  can  be  made  only  once.  If  the  adjusted
  difficulty is 0 or less, the difficulty cannot be doubled.
    For example, if Pharjis  decides  to  spend  six  months  preparing  his
  difficulty 55 spell, the final difficulty is reduced to 28 (fractions  are
  rounded up), but the spell still takes one hour  to  cast.  Similarly,  if
  Pharjis wished to spend only one day preparing his  difficulty  15  spell,
  its final difficulty would rise to 30.

  Casting the Spell

    Once preparations are successfully concluded, the character is  free  to
  cast the spell. Casting a true dweomer is  just  like  casting  any  other
  spell. The caster must be  free  to  speak  and  move,  and  any  material
  components  used  in  the  spell  must  be  at  hand.  If  the  caster's
  concentration is broken during the  casting  time,  the  entire  spell  is
  ruined and any material components used vanish in a fizzle of useless
  energy.

                                   - 134 -

    If the casting time is a day or longer, the character need spend only  8
  hours actually casting and is free to pursue other activities  during  the
  remaining 16 hours. When the caster is not actually working on the  spell,
  attacks on the character do not  disrupt  the  spell.  However,  once  the
  caster begins the spell, casting must continue daily. Any breaks ruin  the
  spell.
    For example, Pharjis is working on a particularly difficult  spell.  The
  adjusted difficulty is 160, which Pharjis has reduced to 80  by  extending
  the preparation time to two years. Once preparations are complete, Pharjis
  must spend one week casting the spell. He must spend eight hours a day  on
  seven consecutive days to cast the spell. If he misses a day, the spell is
  lost, though he does not have to begin his eight hours of casting  at  the
  same time each day.
    Once prepared, a spell  can  be  held  only  as  long  'as  its  minimum
  preparation time. In the preceding example, Pharjis could wait as  long  a
  full year before casting his difficulty 160 spell. Because Pharjis is only
  25th level, he can prepare or cast only one other  true  dweomer  per  day
  until he casts the spell he has prepared.

  An Example of True Dweomer Creation

    Pharjis, the 25th-level diviner  from  the  previous  examples  in  this
  section is concerned about  a  horde  of  marauding  arcs  that  has  been
  ravaging the countryside. He decides to take a look at the ores  from  the
  safety of his tower.
    The type of magic is reveal (base difficulty 20). Pharjis only wants  to
  look, so there is no modifier to the base difficulty. Pharjis is extending
  his sight so he can see  the  horde  as  though  he  were  standing  in  a
  five-foot square area somewhere  within  it.  This  doesn't  suit  Pharjis
  particularly well, so he decides to expand the default area of effect to a
  100-mile square area immediately to the west of his tower -  if  the  orcs
  are farther away than that, he isn't worried  about  them.  The  range  is
  effectively zero, so there is no difficulty modifier. The modifier  for  a
  region-sized area (100 miles square) is 80. Pharjis wants  to  keep  watch
  for half a day, adding 10 to the difficulty. The spell's  difficulty  from
  its combined elements is 110 (20+80+10).  Pharjis  subtracts  25  for  his
  level, 5 because he is a diviner, and 10 because he has done  this  before
  for an adjusted difficulty of 70.
    The basic preparation time is two months - the orcs  would  be  gone  by
  then, so Pharjis must do something to decrease the  preparation  time.  He
  throws in a golden spyglass, a pair of spectacles, a detailed map  of  the
  area to be observed, and a feather given freely  by  a  giant  eagle.  The
  spyglass, spectacles, and map are rare material components, and the  eagle
  feather is an exotic  -  giant  eagles  don't  usually  go  around  giving
  feathers away. The exotic component reduces the difficulty by half to  35.
  The three rare components reduce the difficulty to  5,  which  requires  a
  turn's preparation.
    At this point, Pharjis doubles the final difficulty to 10, which reduces
  the preparation time to a round (the spell still requires a turn to cast).
  After one round of preparation, Pharjis rolls the dice  and  gets  02%,  a
  failure. He must spend another round in preparation. At  the  end  of  the
  second round, Pharjis rolls 81%, a success. The next round, Pharjis  casts
  the spell - no further die rolls are required.
    Pharjis searches the entire area of effect  for  12  hours,  moving  his
  point of view around at will. The  orcs  are  in  the  area,  and  Pharjis
  quickly locates them. He carefully notes their numbers and  equipment  and
  then sends a message to an old adventuring buddy of  his  -  a  high-level
  ranger with a special interest in orcs.

  True Dweomers in Play

    True dweomers follow most of the standard rules  for  spells,  with  the
  following exceptions:

  Saving Throws: Most true dweomers allow a saving throw  vs.  spell,  check
  the descriptions for the individual spell types for  details.  The  saving
  throws by character level optional rule (see page 144) is always used  for
  true dweomers; bonuses for high ability scores apply normally.
    If a true dweomer's difficulty has been  lowered,  the  target's  saving
  throw improves; however, the automatic saving  throw  failure  rule  (page
  142) still applies.
    Creatures with magic resistance are entitled to a normal resistance roll
  against a true dweomer, according to the limitations explained in  Chapter
  9 of the Player's Handbook.

  Protective Devices: Items  such  as  rings  of  protection  work  normally
  against 10th-level spells. True dweomers cannot  be  stored  or  absorbed.
  Pale lavender and lavender and green ioun stones are  ineffective  against
  true dweomers, as are rods of absorption  and  the  absorption  powers  of
  staffs of the magi.

  Dispel Effects: The 3rd-level dispel magic spell is of limited use against
  10th-level spells. To be effective, dispel magic must be  directed  solely
  against the true dweomer to be dispelled. If it succeeds, the true dweomer
  is rendered nonoperational for 1d4 rounds. A  dispel  magic  spell  cannot
  disrupt a true dweomer whose area of effect  is  larger  than  the  dispel
  magic spell's area of effect.

                                   - 135 -

    Mordenkainen's  disjunction  has  a  1%  chance  per  caster  level  of
  disjoining any  true  dweomer.  If  any  portion  of  the  enchantment  is
  disjoined, the entire true dweomer is disjoined.
    A wish automatically dispels a true dweomer, but that is the only effect
  the wish has. A limited wish spell can temporarily negate a  true  dweomer
  for 1d8 hours.
    Also, see the explanation of the dispel true dweomer on page 122.

  Magical Barriers: A dispel true dweomer instantly destroys any wall  spell
  or magical barrier created by a 1st-9th level spell or magical  device  if
  it succeeds, including wall of force,  prismatic  wall  prismatic  sphere,
  antimagic shell and the cube of force.
    A destroy true dweomer eliminates a wall of force,  prismatic  wall,  or
  prismatic sphere if its area of effect is large enough  to  encompass  the
  whole spell effect.
    If not destroyed or dispelled, any barrier that keeps  out  magic  keeps
  out a true dweomer unless the true  dweomer's  area  of  effect  is  large
  enough to circumvent the barrier. For example, a flat wall of force cannot
  keep out a province-sized  true  dweomer.  Spherical  barriers  cannot  be
  circumvented in this manner.

  True Dweomers in Magical Duels

    Duelists can attempt to employ true dweomers, but they usually  are  not
  useful because they take too long to  prepare  and  cast.  Each  round  of
  preparation or casting time for a true dweomer requires one round  in  the
  duel. Both preparation and spellcasting can be  disrupted  if  the  caster
  fails a saving throw or loses a character combat roll.  Any  true  dweomer
  with a casting time of more than one round is useless as a counter spell.
    In all other respects, true dweomers function like  normal  spells.  All
  true dweomers have PRs of 19 and move at a rate based on their  ranges.  A
  true dweomer's default area of effect and duration is always sufficient to
  send it moving across a dueling arena, though in  some  cases  the  caster
  might wish to increase the difficulty to enhance the spell's  effect  once
  it reaches the opponent's square or to give the spell  a  better  movement
  rate. Use Table 35 to determine a true dweomer's spell type in a duel.

  True Dweomers and Quest Spells

    As powerful as a true dweomer is, it is still mortal magic. Quest  spell
  effects, which represent a  deity's  direct  intervention  in  the  world,
  generally cannot be countered by true dweomers. A dispel true  dweomer  is
  ineffective against a quest spell effect.

  Table 35: True Dweomer Spell Types for Duels

   True Dweomer Type*             Dueling Type
   Abjuration
      Banish                      Attack
      Dispel                      Attack/Defense
      Reflect                     Defense
      Ward                        Defense
   Alteration
      Animate                     Attack/Defense
      Destroy                     Leech
      Fortify                     Leech
      Transform                   Attack
      Transport                   Leech
   Conjuration/Summoning
      Afflict                     Attack
      Bind                        Attack
      Conjure                     Leech
      Summon                      Attack/Defense

   Enchantment/Charm
      Charm                       Attack
      Compel                      Attack
      Fortify                     Leech
      Imbue                       Leech
      Divination
      Foresee                     Leech
      Reveal                      Leech
   Illusion/Phantasm
      Conceal                     Leech
      Delude                      Leech
      Phantom                      Any
      Shadow Shape                Attack/Defense or Missile
   Invocation/Evocation
      Create                      Attack/Defense
      Imbue                       Leech
      Strike                      Missile
   Necromancy
      Animate                     Attack/Defense
      Tap                         Attack
      Slay                        Attack

  If a quest spell produces a creature, object, or other effect that can  be
  attacked or destroyed by normal means or spells, a  true  dweomer  can  be
  used to attack it. For example, a banish true dweomer  cannot  remove  the
  creatures summoned by a wolf spirits quest spell, but  a  slay  or  strike
  true dweomer can harm the individual wolf spirits.

                                   - 136 -

    Ward  true  dweomers  can  work  against  quest  spell  effects  if  the
  protection is relevant. For example, a ward that provides protection  from
  electrical attacks is effective against the lightning bolts generated from
  a storm of vengeance quest spell, but not the spell's other effects.
    If the quest spell allows a saving throw, the ward  works  normally.  If
  the quest spell does not allow a saving throw,  anything  protected  by  a
  ward gains a saving throw of 18. If the ward  provides  magic  resistance,
  its value is halved vs. quest spell effects.

  Known True Dweomers

    Players and DMs can use the system outlined above to create  an  endless
  variety of spells. Here is a brief sampling of  true  dweomers  that  have
  been documented in one or more worlds.
    The spells are presented in standard AD&D game format, as  described  in
  Appendix 2 of the Player's Handbook, except  as  noted  below.  Additional
  information specific to true dweomers is also included.
    The Type entry identifies all the kinds of magic (from Table 28) used in
  the spell.
    The Difficulty entry gives the spell's difficulty rating before any
  reductions.
    The Final Difficulty rating gives the spell's difficulty as if  it  were
  being cast by a nonspecialized caster of 20th level using all the material
  components and special conditions listed  in  the  spell  description.  An
  additional -10 for casting a previously recorded spell (see page  132)  is
  also applied.
    The Preparation and Casting Time are based  on  the  spell's  unmodified
  final difficulty rating.
    The Range entry works as described in the notes to Table 31.

  Hurd's Obligation (Conjuration/Summoning)

    Type: Bind
    Range: Touch
    Duration: Conditional
    Adjusted Difficulty: 180
    Final Difficulty: 45
    Preparation Time: 1 Month
    Casting Time: 1 Hour
    Area of Effect: 1d6+5 Creatures
    Saving Throw: Neg (-8 penalty)

    A covetous wizard invented this spell to ensure that adventurers in  his
  employ honored their agreements. Hurd worked diligently to discover hidden
  caches of treasure and regularly dispatched teams  of  heroes  to  recover
  them. The spell was normally completed with a handshake between the caster
  and the group's leader. A typical venture could take six months to a  year
  to complete, but the spell remained until the verbal contract was carried
  out.
    Creatures subjected to this spell are forced to carry out the  terms  of
  their agreement with the  caster.  They  are  incapable  of  fighting  the
  effects of the spell to try and escape  the  agreement.  In  Hurd's  case,
  adventuring parties returned back to his tower with all  of  the  treasure
  they found and gave him his agreed-upon share. Only a  10th-level  dispel,
  such as Nazzer's nullification, cast directly upon  an  affected  creature
  can dispel its effects.
    The material components  are  a  sheet  of  vellum  inscribed  with  the
  adventurers' names (common), a permanent magical item given to the group's
  leader (exotic), a small ruby  (100  gp  value)  given  to  each  creature
  affected, one pound of giant  bee  honey,  and  a  few  drops  of  oil  of
  slipperiness (rare components). The items given away are not consumed, but
  become the recipients' property.

  Kolin's Undead Legion (Necromancy)

    Type: Animate
    Range: Plane
    Duration: Instantaneous
    Difficulty: 325
    Final Difficulty: 45
    Preparation Time: 1 Month
    Casting Time: 1 Hour
    Area of Effect: 5,000-foot square, 5 feet high
    Saving Throw: None

    This spell animates 200 Hit Dice of skeletons  or  zombies  from  intact
  remains in an area up to 5,000 feet square anywhere on the same  plane  as
  the caster. The caster can give the legion one brief, simple command  when
  the spell is cast, but he must be present to  give  detailed  orders.  The
  wizard Kolin typically dispatched an undead lieutenant  to  the  scene  to
  take command of the troops.
    The material components are an unbroken  bone  (common),  dust  from  an
  undead spellcaster's lair, a horn that has been played  over  a  warrior's
  grave, a copper dagger that has been bloodied in battle (rare), mold  from
  a general's shroud, and a battle standard carried into an ambush (exotic).

                                   - 137 -

  Kreb's Flaming Dragon (Illusion/Phantasm)

    Type: Shadow Shape
    Range: 50 yards
    Duration: 1 Hour
    Difficulty: 65
    Final Difficulty: 5
    Preparation Time: 1 Turn
    Casting Time: 1 Round
    Area of Effect: 1 Creature
    Saving Throw: Special

    This spell produces a single red dragon of  very  old  age  or  younger.
  Opponents who suspect the dragon  is  not  real  can  save  vs.  spell  to
  disbelieve it. Even if the save succeeds, however, the dragon still has an
  Armor Class of 4 and retains 80% of its damage potential and  hit  points.
  If the dragon is disbelieved, its non-damaging special powers, such as its
  fear aura and suggestion ability, have a 20% chance  to  fail  before  any
  saving throws are rolled.
    The material components are a sealed metal  container  full  of  pebbles
  (common), a red dragon's tooth, two long,  silver  needles  with  gold  or
  gem-studded heads (75 gp each), and a ball or red yarn spun from  a  ram's
  fleece (rare).

  Kreb's Stately Veil (Illusion/Phantasm)

    Type: Delude
    Range: Touch
    Duration: 1 Week
    Difficulty: 120
    Final Difficulty: 5
    Preparation Time: 1 Turn
    Casting Time: 1 Round
    Area of Effect: 1 Creature
    Saving Throw: Neg.

    This spell makes the recipient appear vigorous, attractive, and wealthy.
  The recipient's basic features remain unaltered, however,  and  characters
  can readily be identified as themselves (a rare condition). The  recipient
  appears to be clothed in costly garments of the caster's  choosing.  These
  look and sound genuine (silks rustle,  spurs  jingle,  etc.),  but  anyone
  touching  the  recipient  feels  the  character's  actual  clothing.  The
  recipient is surrounded by a pleasant scent appropriate to the character's
  altered appearance (rare perfume, new leather, wildflowers, etc.).
    The material components are a bar of scented soap (common); an uncut gem
  worth at least 100 gp; a fresh, unopened blossom from a  deadly  plant;  a
  serpent's shed skin collected by the  caster's  own  hand  (rare);  and  a
  handful of mud gathered from a hot spring at sunrise (exotic).

  Nazzer's Nullification (Abjuration)

    Type: Dispel
    Range: 50 yards/1,500 yards
    Duration: Instantaneous
    Difficulty: 55/90
    Final Difficulty: - 5/13
    Preparation Time: None/1 Week
    Casting Time: 1 Round/1 Turn
    Area of Effect: 70' x 70'/220' x 220'
    Saving Throw: None

    This is essentially the 10th-level version of dispel magic. As noted  in
  the spell statistics, there are two different versions of this spell;  the
  second is referred to as Nazzer's nullification cloak. Both  spells  share
  some common elements, however.
    Once cast, all spells and spell-like effects in the area of effect  have
  a chance to be dispelled. Unless noted  otherwise,  it  functions  as  the
  3rd-level wizard spell dispel magic.
    Spells of levels 1-9 have a base  100%  chance  to  be  dispelled.  True
  dweomers have a base chance of 50% to

                                   - 138 -

  be dispelled (a roll of 11 or higher on a  d20).  If  the  caster  of  the
  effect is of higher level  than  the  caster  of  Nazzer's  nullification,
  subtract one from the chance of success for each level of  difference.  If
  the caster of the effect is of lower level,  add  one  to  the  chance  of
  success for each level of difference. For example, a  25th-level  wizard's
  stoneskin that is the target of this spell  cast  by  a  21stlevel  wizard
  would reduce the chance for success to a roll of 15 or higher on a d20. No
  matter what the adjustments, a roll of 1 is always a failure, and  a  roll
  of 20 is always a success.
    Nazzer's nullification can be cast on  a  magical  item  to  permanently
  render the item nonmagical. Most standard magical items are susceptible to
  this spell, since their effective level is 12th in most instances. Even if
  not successful, the  item  is  rendered  nonoperational  for  1d4  rounds.
  Artifacts are not subject to this effect.
    The material components for this spell are dust from a burned  out  ioun
  stone that has been ground to powder, a fire opal  worth  precisely  1,200
  gp, and a dagger of the finest quality (an exceptional  weapon).  All  are
  rare components.
    Nazzer's nullification  cloak:  The  secondary  version  of  this  spell
  remains in operation for one full turn after it has been cast,  disrupting
  all magic entering it. Magic within the area of effect  at  the  time  the
  spell is cast is dispelled as described above, but magical items  continue
  to function.
    If a spell succeeds in  resisting  the  dispel,  it  is  immune  to  the
  remaining nine rounds' worth of dispelling unless  it  somehow  exits  the
  area of effect and then reenters. All magic that enters the area of effect
  after the initial round is subject to dispelling.
    Spell and spell-like effects cannot be used  within  the  area  for  the
  duration of the spell. If the caster is within the  area  of  effect,  his
  spells also fail. Neither version of this spell has a visible effect.
    In addition to the material components detailed above, this  spell  also
  requires the dust gathered from an awakened demilich's lair.

  Neja's Irresistible Pleasure (Enchantment/Charm)

    Type: Compel
    Range: 20 Yards
    Duration: Variable
    Difficulty: 60
    Final Difficulty: 0
    Preparation Time: 1 Round
    Casting Time: 1 Round
    Area of Effect: 1 Creature
    Saving Throw: Neg. (-3 to saving throws)

    The wizard Neja didn't like to take "no" for an answer  when  requesting
  help with a problem. When this spell is cast, the victim is  compelled  to
  perform some task that takes 12 hours or less to complete.  Anything  that
  the victim can reasonably do, from ferrying the caster across  a  lake  to
  searching a river bottom for a lost trinket, is fair game.
    The material components are a whiff of  perfume  (common),  a  piece  of
  sweetcake made with the caster's own hands, a tear of sorrow, and a small,
  silver replica of any stringed instrument.

  Neja's Toadstool (Alteration)

    Type: Transform
    Range: 20 yards
    Duration: 1 Day
    Difficulty: 120
    Final Difficulty: 3
    Preparation Time: 1 Turn
    Casting Time: 1 Round
    Area of Effect: 1 Creature
    Saving Throw: Neg.

    A vengeful wizard is reputed to have favored this spell to teach  people
  who insulted her a lesson. If the saving throw fails, the victim becomes a
  small  toadstool  (a  rare  condition,  since  the  result  is  always  a
  toadstool), retaining only their hit points for the duration of the spell.
    Nazzer's nullification can - if successful transform  a  character  back
  into his original form. A system shock  roll  is  required,  with  failure
  indicating death. A crushed toadstool - perhaps one that has been  stepped
  on by an angry  archmage  -  produces  a  likewise  mangled  character  if
  successfully dispelled.
    The spell requires a chunk of dead wood (common material  component);  a
  bit of dung from an unfettered, uncaged werebeast gathered by  the  caster
  in the dark of the moon; a wild moth's egg, live but unhatched; and a  bit
  of truffle (two exotic components and one rare component).

                                   - 139 -

  Neja's Unfailing Contempt (Conjuration/Summoning)

    Type: Afflict
    Range: 20 yards
    Duration: Variable
    Difficulty: 220
    Final Difficulty: 3
    Preparation Time: 1 Turn
    Casting Time: 1 Round
    Area of Effect: 1 Creature
    Saving Throw: None

    Not always satisfied with turning others into toadstools,  Neja  devised
  this spell to insure her point of view prevailed in any  discussion.  When
  this spell is cast on a creature who has made a remark detrimental to  the
  caster or opposed to the caster's interests (this limitation qualifies  as
  a  rare  condition),  the  target  creature  becomes  irritating  to  all
  intelligent creatures whose alignment is  similar  to  the  caster's.  The
  spell persists until the victim retracts the statement.
    Creatures with  the  same  alignment  as  the  caster  find  the  victim
  loathsome in the extreme and cannot bear the victim's presence. They flee,
  drive away, or belittle the victim as fits the situation.  The  victim  is
  not actually attacked unless the surrounding creatures would ordinarily be
  hostile.
    The effect is less severe if the  creature's  alignment  only  partially
  overlaps the caster's. For example,  a  lawful  good  caster  generates  a
  reduced effect in creatures whose alignments are  lawful  neutral,  lawful
  evil, neutral good, and chaotic good. Such  creatures  tend  to  view  the
  victim as a moronic windbag, and they generally refuse  to  take  anything
  the victim says seriously unless there is overwhelming evidence  that  the
  victim is speaking the truth.
    The spell's components are a bud of crushed garlic (common), a  vial  of
  giant skunk musk, a lump  of  harpy  dung,  the  tongue  from  any  giant,
  poisonous amphibian (rare), the intact pelt of an aurumvorax, and  a  lock
  of hair, freely given, from a succubus or lamia (exotic).

                                   - 140 -

  Ratecliffes Deadly Finger (Necromancy)

    Type: Slay
    Range: 1,500 Yards
    Duration: Instantaneous
    Difficulty: 190
    Final Difficulty: 0
    Preparation Time: 1 Round
    Casting Time: 1 Round
    Area of Effect: 40 HD of creatures in a 50-foot square area
    Saving Throw: Special

    This spell allows the caster to slay living creatures simply by pointing
  a finger. If the spell is insufficient to slay all the  creatures  in  the
  area of effect, creatures  closest  to  the  caster  are  affected  first.
  Creatures with less than 9 Hit Dice are not entitled to  a  saving  throw.
  Creatures with 9 Hit Dice or more are allowed saves  vs.  death  magic  to
  avoid the effect. Creatures who succeed with  their  saving  throws  count
  toward the Hit Dice affected by the spell.
    Creatures slain by this spell cannot be magically revived  except  by  a
  wish, another true dweomer, or a deity's intervention.
    The material components are an adder's head (common), a mummy's  finger,
  a rusty nail drawn from a coffin or  gallows  (rare),  the  skull  from  a
  creature killed by a catoblepas hunting in its natural habitat, two copper
  coins surrendered by a will o' wisp, and a shard from a lich's  phylactery
  or a demilich's skull (exotic).

  Tenser's Telling Blow (Evocation/Invocation)

    Type: Strike
    Range: Line of Sight
    Duration: Instantaneous
    Difficulty: 160
    Final Difficulty: -7
    Preparation Time: None
    Casting Time: 1 Round
    Area of Effect: 50-foot square, 5' high (1,250 cubic feet)
    Saving Throw: 1/2

    This spell creates a blast of force  that  inflicts  20d8+20  points  of
  damage to all creatures within the area of effect.  At  least  one  target
  creature must already be engaged in some form of combat  (missile,  melee,
  or offensive spellcasting); the spell cannot be used preemptively (a  rare
  condition).
    The material components are any weapon (common), a tooth or claw from  a
  huge or gargantuan creature, a horseshoe worn into battle  by  a  warhorse
  (rare), the shards of a diamond shattered by a single blow from  a  titan,
  and a bit of cloth dampened with a widow's tears (exotic).

  Wulf's Erasure (Abjuration)

    Type: Dispel, Destroy
    Range: 20 Yards
    Duration: Instantaneous
    Adjusted Difficulty: 85
    Final Difficulty: 8
    Preparation Time: 1 Day
    Casting Time: 1 Turn
    Area of Effect: 50-foot square, 5 feet high
    Saving Throw: Special

    The high priest Wulf used this spell to obliterate  normal  and  magical
  writings such as explosive runes, glyphs, symbols,  illusory  script,  and
  even spell  scrolls  (a  rare  condition).  Normal  writings  -  including
  spellbooks - save vs. disintegration or they are erased. Magical  writings
  use the procedure for a 10th-level dispel effect. Items  in  a  creature's
  possession cannot be affected unless the creature  first  fails  a  saving
  throw vs. spell.

                                   - 141 -

    When cast, all writings in the area of effect  are  subject  to  erasure
  unless protected by a 10th-level ward spell or similar construct. It makes
  no difference if writings are stored in dimensional devices, such as  bags
  of holding, portable holes, or other items.
    The material components are ashes from a burned parchment that once bore
  writing (common) a platinum mirror, a hardened lump of sap gathered by the
  caster's own hand from a tropical tree, and a quill used by an  unfriendly
  archmage of 20th level or higher to  scribe  a  spell  onto  a  scroll  or
  spellbook. (Two rare and one exotic). The caster catches the reflection of
  one of the writings to be erased in the mirror, rubs the  image  with  the
  hardened sap, then breaks the quill.

  Wulf's Rectification (Abjuration)

    Type: Banish
    Range: Touch
    Duration: Instantaneous
    Difficulty: 155
    Final Difficulty: 2
    Preparation Time: None
    Casting Time: 1 Round
    Area of Effect: 1d4+1 Creatures within a 50-foot diameter
    Saving Throw: None, -20% to Magic Resistance

    The high priest Wulf used this spell to remove extraplanar impostors and
  usurpers. Wulf is  known  to  have  employed  reveal  spells  to  identify
  potential targets.  The  spell  is  effective  only  against  extra-planer
  creatures that have secured a title, property, or office  that  rightfully
  belongs to some other being (a rare condition).
    The material components are a mirror (common), a sunstone worth at least
  500 gp, a document signed or sealed by the original owner or title holder,
  a document signed or sealed by the usurper, a sworn accusation against the
  usurper recited by a character loyal to the original owner and recorded by
  a character who  has  benefited  from  the  usurper's  actions  since  the
  seizure, and a jewel, badge, or medal freely given by the usurper  to  the
  caster. (Three rare and two exotic components.)  The  caster  bundles  the
  material components together and strikes a creature to be banished with
  it.

  Yunni's Herald (Alteration, Enchantment/Charm, Illusion/Phantasm)

    Type: Animate, Imbue, Image
    Range: Touch
    Duration: 1 Week
    Difficulty: 140
    Final Difficulty: - 2
    Preparation Time: None
    Casting Time: 1 Round
    Area of Effect: One object or group of objects weighing 50
    pounds or less
    Saving Throw: None

    This spell creates an animated messenger that moves at a speed of 12  to
  the location specified by the caster and delivers a spoken message of  any
  length in a loud, clear voice. If sufficient duration  remains  after  the
  herald delivers its message, the caster can instruct it to return  with  a
  written reply, which some person must attach to the herald. The herald can
  be programmed to perform specific actions at certain times, subject to the
  spell duration.
    If more than one object is affected by the spell, they all must be given
  the same message and instructions. Only total destruction of  the  object,
  by a disintegrate or similar spell, can stop the  herald  from  delivering
  its message.
    The material components are a seashell (common), a feather from  a  bird
  gifted with speech, a  clock  or  other  machine  capable  of  independent
  operation, a powdered onyx worth at least 50 gp (rare), blood taken from a
  mimic while in an assumed form, and a leaf or seed from a tree animated by
  a treant and freely given (exotic).

                                   - 142 -

  Chapter 7: High-Level Characters

  Chapter 1 explained that high-level characters  are  unusual  and  heroic,
  This chapter includes rules for  giving  high-level  characters  abilities
  that allow them to function as epic heroes that are truly  different  from
  lesser mortals. It also explains some limitations that  even  epic  heroes
  must face.

  Saving Throws

    All characters have the ability  to  resist  hostile  magic  by  rolling
  saving throws. This ability is quite potent  at  high  levels.  Chapter  1
  discusses some of the problems  this  can  cause  in  the  campaign.  This
  section includes rules to help ease some of those problems.
    A Reminder: Every character group has a level beyond which saving throws
  cannot be further improved. Priests reach this limit at level  19,  rogues
  reach it at level 21, warriors reach it at level i 7, and wizards reach it
  at level 21. See Table 60 in the Player's Handbook for details.

  Automatic Saving Throw Failure

    Barring some special circumstance that makes a saving throw unnecessary,
  such as a successful magic resistance roll or  immunity  to  a  particular
  attack form, there is always a chance that a character can fail  a  saving
  throw. All characters and most other creatures fail their saving throws on
  rolls of 3 or less on 1d20, no matter how many bonuses they receive to the
  roil from magical items, spells, ability scores, and the like.
    Some beings have lower failure numbers: Lesser deities fail their saving
  throws on rolls of 2 or less, intermediate deities fail on rolls of 1, and
  greater deities need not roll at all - they never fail their saving
  throws.

                                   - 143 -

  Table 36: Saving Throws by Caster Level or Hit Dice

                                       Attack to be Saved Against
  Target's          Target's      Paralyzation   Petrification   Spell*
  Character Group   Level(1)     or Death Magic   or Polymorph

  Priest           -7 or more          10              13         15
                    -4 to -6            9              12         14
                    -1 to -3            7              10         12
                       0                6               9         11
                    +1 to +3            5               8         10
                    +4 to +6            4               7          9
                   +7 or more           2               5          7

  Rogue            -9 or more          13              12         15
                    -5 to -8           12              11         13
                    -1 to -4           11              10         11
                        0              10               9         10
                    +1 to +4            9               8          9
                    +5 or more          8               7          7

  Warrior           -7 or more         16              17         19
                    -5 to -6           14              15         17
                    -3 to -4           13              14         16
                    -1 to -2           11              12         14
                        0              10              11         13
                    +1 to +2            8               9         11
                    +3 to +4            7               8         10
                    +5 to +6            5               6          8
                    +7 to +8            4               5          7
                   +9 or more           3               4          6

  Wizard           -6 or more          14              13         12
                   -1 to -5            13              11         10
                       0               11               9          8
                   +1 to +5            10               7          6
                  +6 or more            8               5          4

 * Excluding those that cause death, petrification, or polymorph.

  (1) Subtract the spellcaster's level or hit dice from the defender's level
  or hit dice. For example, a 15th-level priest  resisting  a  charm  person
  spell cast by a 16th-level wizard uses the -1 to  -3  row  of  the  priest
  table and has a base saving throw number 12.

  In a few cases, Table 60 from the Player's Handbook and Table 36 from this
  book show a saving throw success number of 3 or less; these numbers  refer
  to the character's adjusted die roll, not the actual  number  rolled.  For
  example, Wulf, a 21st-level priest, has a saving throw number of 2 against
  paralyzation, poison, or death magic. Wulf still automatically  fails  his
  saving throw against these attacks if his actual die roll is a 1, 2, or 3.
  However, if he encounters a particularly virulent poison that imposes a -3
  penalty to the saving throw, his saving throw succeeds if Wulf rolls  a  5
  or higher on his saving throw die.  (The  roll,  5,  is  higher  than  the
  automatic failure number, and still equals a 2 after the  -3  modifier  is
  applied.)

                                   - 144 -

  Saving Throws by Caster Level

    This rule allows the DM to change  a  character's  saving  throw  number
  based on the levels or Hit Dice of the spellcaster and the target. Targets
  that are weaker than the spellcaster have worse saving throws than targets
  that are stronger, as shown on Table 36.

  How to Use Table 36

    Saving throws against poisons, breath weapons,  or  any  other  form  of
  attack that is not a spell or spell-like ability  from  a  creature  or  a
  device use the standard saving throw tables, not table 36.  Rods,  staves,
  wands, and other magical devices use the column  from  Table  36  that  is
  closest to their effects. A fireball from a wand of fire  uses  the  spell
  column,  a  paralyzation  beam  from  a  wand  of  paralyzation  uses  the
  paralyzation or death  magic  column,  and  so  on.  The  type  of  device
  determines the attacker's level, since the wielder's level or Hit Dice  is
  irrelevant when a device is used, as shown on Table 37. During  play,  the
  DM should be careful to conceal the attackers true level  of  power.  That
  is, do not say, "Okay, the caster is four levels higher than the thief, so
  your saving throw number against the spell is  an  11."  Simply  tell  the
  players what the attack form is and then inform them if  their  characters
  succeed or fail based on their adjusted rolls.

  Saving Throw Penalties by Caster Level

    Using Table 36 can be somewhat cumbersome to use in regular play because
  the DM must perform a calculation each time a spell is cast. Table  36  is
  intended primarily for magical dueling (see  Chapter  5).  A  quicker  and
  easier method to adjust saving throws by  caster  level  is  to  assign  a
  penalty based on the caster's level. Table 38 lists the penalties. If  you
  use Table 58, do not use Table 36; use Table 60 from the Player's Handbook
  instead.

  Attack Rolls

    Like a saving throw, there is always a chance that a  melee  or  missile
  attack can fail. No matter what the attacker's THAC0, an attack roll of  1
  is always a miss. In addition, a character's THAC0 advancement is  limited
  - professional skills  and  training  only  extend  a  creature's  natural
  talents so far. Warriors, naturally, can improve THAC0 the most. Table  39
  shows THAC0 limits for all four character groups. Monsters have  no  THAC0
  limits.

  Table 37: Device Casting Levels

  Device                    Level
  Rod                        12
  Staff                       8
  Wand                        6
  Other Magical Item         12
  Artifact                   20

  Table 38: Saving Throw Penalties by Caster Level

  Caster Level            Penalty
     1-12                    0
    13-15                   -1
    16-18                   -2
    19-21                   -3
    22-24                   -4
    25-27                   -5
    28-30                   -6

  Skills for High-Level Characters

    Characters who become sufficiently  advanced  in  their  profesbegin  to
  develop bags of tricks  that  less-accomplished  characters  can't  match.
  These special  abilities  are  similar  to  nonweapon  proficiencies,  but
  characters cannot learn skills from outside their groups. Each skill has a
  much more dramatic effect than a  proficiency  and  has  a  minimum  level
  requirement associated with it.

  Table 39: THAC0 Limits

  Character Group                     THAC0 Limit
      Priest                              8
      Rogue                              11
      Warrior                             1
      Wizard                             14

                                   - 145 -

  Table 40: Skills for High-Level Characters

  Warriors
  Skill              Requirement     Base Score  Relevant Ability      Cost
  Adaptation         War10+              9      Intelligence/Reason    2 (6)
  All-Around Attack  War10+              -              -              1 (3)
  Bravery            War10+              4      Wisdom/Willpower       1 (3)
  Captivate          War15+, Bravery     4      Charisma/Appearance    1 (3)
  Death Blow         War15+              -              -              2 (6)
  Frighten/Challenge War10+, Bravery     4      Charisma/Leadership    1 (3)
  Hardiness          War15+, Bravery     4      Constitution/Fitness   2 (6)
  Inner Focus        War10+              4      Wisdom/Willpower       1 (3)
  Signature Item     War10+             10      Wisdom/Intuition       2 (6)
  Signature Mount    War10+              9      Wisdom/Intuition       1 (3)
  Sense Danger       War15+              6      Wisdom/Intuition       2 (6)

  Wizards
  Skill              Requirement     Base Score  Relevant Ability      Cost
  Mental Focus       Wiz12+              4      Wisdom/Willpower       1 (3)
  Signature Item     Wiz12+             10      Wisdom/Intuition       2 (6)
  Spell Sculpting    Wiz12+              8      Intelligence/Knowledge 1 (3)

  Priests
  Skill              Requirement     Base Score  Relevant Ability      Cost
  Divine Strength    Pr10+, Eminence     4      Wisdom/Wrllpower       1 (3)
  Divine Voice       Pr15+, Eminence     4      Charisma/Leadership     -
  Divine Will        Pr10+               4      Wisdom/Willpower       1 (3)
  Detect Deception   Pr15+, Eminence     6      Wisdom/Intuition        -
  Eminence           Pr10+               6      Charisma/Leadership    1 (3)
  Invincibility      Pr21+, Eminence     4      Wisdom/Willpower       2 (6)
  Loan               Pr15+               4      Wisdom/Intuition       1 (3)
  Smite              Pr15+, Eminence     -            -                             2 (6)

  Rogues
  Skill              Requirement     Base Score  Relevant Ability      Cost
  Adaptation         Rog11+             10      Intelligence/Reason    2 (6)
  Classify Traps     Rog11+              4      Intelligence/Knowledge 2 (6)
  Evasion            Rog16+              -             -               1 (3)
  Fall/Jump          Rog11+             11      Dexterity/Balance      1 (3)
  Featherfoot        Rog11+              -             -               1 (3)
  Improvised Attack  Rog16+              -             -               2 (6)
  Inner Focus        Rog11+              5      Wisdom/Willpower       1 (3)
  Nondetection       Rog16+              4      Wisdom/Willpower       2 (6)
  Sense Danger       Rog16+              6      Intelligence/Reason    2 (6)
  Shadow Flight      Rog21+,
                     Shadow Travel       -             -               1 (3)
  Shadow Travel      Rog16+              -             -               1 (3)


                                   - 146 -

    Just like proficiencies, many skills require a die roll to determine  if
  they work. Success is determined by rolling the number indicated  or  less
  on 1d20. In most cases, a character's ability scores can alter the  chance
  for  success;  these  adjustments  are  listed  on  Table  41.  A  skill's
  requirements, success numbers, and relevant  abilities  are  listed  after
  each skill description and are compiled in Table 40 for quick reference.
    A few skills can be used a limited number of times each day. The success
  numbers for these skills drop by a fixed amount each time they  are  used.
  Once a skill's base score is reduced to zero or less, the character cannot
  use that skill for a set period of time, usually one day. Any other  skill
  based upon  the  reduced  skill  is  likewise  unavailable.  Even  if  the
  character's ability adjustment (from Table  41)  raises  the  skill  score
  above zero, the skill remains unavailable until  the  indicated  time  has
  passed. The skill's base score returns to normal after the listed time has
  elapsed.
    Opposed Success Rolls: In some cases, a skill requires an  opposed  roll
  in which the two creatures involved both  roll  1d20  against  an  ability
  score or skill success  number.  If  one  opponent  fails  the  roll,  the
  creature who succeeded wins the contest. If both  make  their  rolls,  the
  opponent with the higher roll wins. If both opponents fail,  some  unusual
  result usually occurs. All ties are re-rolled.
    Acquiring and Improving Skills: Characters  who  meet  a  skill's  level
  requirement can learn the skill by  spending  proficiency  slots.  If  the
  character point system from the Player's Option: Skills & Powers  book  is
  in play, the character can spend points instead.
    Each skill's cost is listed  after  the  skill  description.  The  first
  number is  the  cost  in  nonweapon  proficiency  slots  unless  otherwise
  indicated. The number in parentheses is the skill's character point cost.
    A skill's base success number can be improved by devoting extra slots or
  character points to the skill (see the

  Table 41: Ability Modifiers to Skills

  Ability Score
   3 or less                    -5
        4                       -4
        5                       -3
        6                       -2
        7                       -1
      8-13                       0
       14                       +1
       15                       +2
       16                       +3
       17                       +4
       18+                      +5

  Player's Handbook, Chapter 5, and Skills & Powers, Chapter 6).  No  mortal
  can ever have a base score of more than 16 in any skill;  wishes  have  no
  effect on this limit.

  Warriors

    High-level warriors are formidable  killing  machines,  especially  when
  equipped with magical weapons and armor. Although their  THAC0  ceases  to
  improve  once  they  reach  level  20,  they  continue  to  receive  extra
  proficiencies and  hit  points  until  level  30.  In  addition,  warriors
  automatically receive  special  powers  beginning  at  21st  level.  These
  abilities vary according to the warrior's subclass. All warriors also have
  access to a host of special skills beginning at level 10.

  Fighters beyond 20th Level

  * Breech Immunity: Beginning at 21st level, a fighter using any  weapon  -
  including his bare hands - can harm creatures that are normally  hit  only
  by +1 or better magical weapons. The fighter  does  not  actually  get  an
  attack or damage bonus but can harm creatures such as a lycanthropes  with
  any physical attack. This power is not magical and is  not  diminished  by
  factors such as planar distances or effects that disrupt magic.
    At 24th level, a fighter can harm creatures that are hit only by  +2  or
  better weapons. This ability increases to  allow  the  fighter  to  strike
  creatures that require a +3 weapon at 27th level, and by 30th  level,  the
  warrior can strike creatures that require +4 weapons.

    Intimidation: A fighter of 21st level or higher has the ability to shake
  an enemy's resolve before combat begins. To use this ability, the  fighter
  must be in plain sight and close enough to see the opponent's face clearly
  (10 yards if the visibility  is  good).  Use  of  this  ability  does  not
  constitute an attack, nor is there any initiative modifier.
    Opponents with 4+1 Hit Dice/levels or less  automatically  retreat  from
  the confrontation. The creature does not flee  in  panic,  but  cautiously
  backs away. Intimidated creatures seek to avoid any confrontation with the
  fighter for the rest of the day. If the fighter or his party attacks,  the
  creature is free to return the attack, suffering the penalties as detailed
  below.
    If the opponent has more than 4+2 hit dice/levels, it is entitled  to  a
  saving throw vs. death magic to escape the effects. If the saving throw is
  failed, the creature can opt to retreat from the fighter or remain in  the
  area, in which case it suffers a -2 penalty  on  all  initiative,  attack,
  saving throw, and ability check rolls  as  long  as  the  fighter  remains
  within 60 feet of the creature. The creature is free to leave the area  to
  avoid  the  effects,  launching  missile  attacks  or  directing  other
  activities, but the penalties return once the creature gets within 60 feet
  of the fighter.

                                   - 147 -

  Table 42: Warrior Advancement Beyond 20th

        Experience Points       Proficiencies     Hit Points
  Level Fighter Paladin/Ranger Weapon Nonweapon      (d10)*
   20   3,000,000  3,600,000     10      9           9+33
   21   3,250,000  3,900,000     11      10          9+36
   22   3,500,000  4,200,000     11      10          9+39
   23   3,750,000  4,500,000     11      10          9+42
   24   4,000,000  4,800,000     12      11          9+45
   25   4,250,000  5,100,000     12      11          9+48
   26   4,500,000  5,400,000     12      11          9+51
   27   4,750,000  5,700,000     13      12          9+54
   28   5,000,000  6,000,000     13      12          9+57
   29   5,250,000  6,300,000     13      12          9+60
   30   5,500,000  6,000,000     14      13          9+63

  * Bonus hit points from high Constitution scores are not added after 9th
  level.

  As  a  fighter  increases  in  level,  he  becomes  increasingly  more
  intimidating.  For  every  three  levels  that  the  fighter  gains  after
  receiving this ability, the opponent saves at an  additional  -2  penalty.
  Thus, after achieving 24th level, opponents save at -2, at 27th level  the
  penalty increases to -4, and a 30th-level fighter  inflicts  a  -6  saving
  throw adjustment.

  Dangers Beyond 20th Level

    Extra Followers: At 21st level, a ranger attracts  2d6  more  followers.
  The ranger attracts another group of 2d6 followers at 26th level.

    Scroll and Magical Item Use: At 21st level, a  ranger  can  read  priest
  scrolls. The ranger's level is considered to be 9th when  determining  the
  chance of spell failure. The ranger can also use priest magical  items  at
  this level.

    Scroll Writing: At 24th level, a ranger can prepare  scrolls  of  priest
  spells according to the  rules  in  Chapter  4.  The  ranger's  level  for
  purposes of determining success or failure is considered to be 9th.

    Scrying: At 27th level, a ranger can  employ  crystal  balls  and  other
  scrying devices as a 9th-level wizard.

  Paladins Beyond 20th Level

    Scroll and Magical Item Use: At 21st level, a paladin  can  read  priest
  scrolls. The paladin's level is considered to be 9th when determining  the
  chance of spell failure. The paladin can also use priest magical items  at
  this level.
    Scroll Writing: At 24th level, a paladin can prepare scrolls  of  priest
  spells according to the rules  in  Chapter  4.  The  paladin's  level  for
  purposes of determining success or failure is considered to be 9th.

    Disease Immunity: At 27th level, a paladin becomes immune to  all  forms
  of disease, even cursed afflictions, such as mummy  rot  and  lycanthropy,
  but not disease inflicted by true dweomers (see Chapter 6) or the  special
  powers of priests that are higher level than the paladin. At  this  level,
  the paladin's cure  disease  ability  is  potent  enough  to  cure  cursed
  afflictions, such as mummy rot and lycanthropy, and  remove  any  form  of
  curse or affliction cast by a character of lower level than  the  paladin.
  This applies to cursed magical items as well.

  Skills For High-Level Warriors

    The following skills are available to fighters,  rangers,  and  paladins
  who meet the listed requirements.

  Adaptation: A character with this skill has a trained  mind  that  quickly
  analyzes unusual or unfavorable environments and a finely tuned body  that
  can compensate for physical impediments to fighting.
    Warriors who use this  skill  successfully  do  not  suffer  combat  and
  initiative penalties for fighting  in  an  unfavorable  environment,  most
  notably the +6 foreign environment penalty to initiative (see Chapter 9 of
  the Player's Handbook). If the environment also  includes  special  saving
  throws  or  ability  checks  due  to  physical  conditions,  such  as  a
  Dexterity/Balance check to avoid falling  off  a  ladder  when  struck  in
  melee, characters successfully using this skill receive  a  +3  (or  +15%)
  bonus to the check.
    The skill does not  allow  characters  to  ignore  situational  movement
  penalties,  environmental  factors  that  are  not  combat  related,  or
  conditions that are physically impossible to overcome. For example, no one
  can avoid sinking into quicksand without magical aid, and resistance  from
  water still makes slashing and bludgeoning weapons almost useless  without
  a ring of free action or a free action spell. Likewise, characters adapted
  to fighting underwater still have to find ways to breathe.

                                   - 148 -

    The skill has no effect  on  penalties  derived  from  an  environment's
  magical properties or on penalties based on vision or lighting.  In  fact,
  characters who cannot observe their surroundings suffer a  -4  penalty  to
  the skill check - it is very hard to size up battlefield in thick  fog  or
  pitch darkness.
    To use this skill, a character must actually enter combat in  a  foreign
  or unfavorable environment. At the end of each round, the character checks
  the skill. The skill check requires only a moment's  thought  and  can  be
  checked every round until successful. It does not prevent other actions  -
  melee  attacks,  spellcasting,  etc.during  the  round.  Once  the  skill
  succeeds, the character  temporarily  ignores  the  environment's  special
  effects, as described above. The effect lasts for the entire  battle  plus
  one  day  per  character  level  thereafter,  and  this  can  be  extended
  indefinitely if the character practices fighting in the environment for at
  least eight hours a week. At an extra cost  of  one  weapon  or  nonweapon
  proficiency slot (or three character points),  the  character  can  become
  permanently  adjusted  to  fighting  in  the  environment,  provided  the
  additional cost is paid before the adaptation fades.

    Requirement: Warrior 10+
    Relevant Ability: Intelligence/Reason
    Success: 9
    Cost: 2 (6)

  All-around Attack: A warrior with this skill is  capable  of  launching  a
  massive blow that can be extended into a whirlwind  physical  attack  that
  damages every enemy within reach.
    An all-around attack must be announced in a round's player determination
  step (see the Player's Handbook, Chapter 9).  In  the  round's  resolution
  step, the  warrior  makes  a  single  attack  roll  against  any  adjacent
  opponent. If the attack hits, the opponent suffers normal damage from  the
  blow. If the damage is sufficient to kill the opponent, the hail of  blows
  from the warrior automatically inflicts damage on  every  enemy  within  a
  5-foot radius, as decided by the character. Enemies who  are  larger  than
  the original target, or whose Armor Classes are better than  the  original
  target's, are not harmed. Invisible opponents within  the  radius  can  be
  harmed  if  their  effective  Armor  Classes  (after  the  -4  bonus  for
  invisibility) is not better than the original target's.

                                   - 149 -

    An all-around attack is a measure of a warrior's skill and can  be  made
  with any type of  melee  weapon  that  the  warrior  is  proficient  with.
  However, opponents that would normally be immune to the weapon used cannot
  be harmed in an all-around attack.  If  the  initial  attack  misses,  the
  all-around attack fails. If the initial attack hits,  the  target  suffers
  normal from the attack. If the damage inflicted fails to kill the original
  target, there is no radius effect.
    The warrior cannot move or take another action during the round when  he
  attempts an all-around attack. If the Player's Option:  Combat  &  Tactics
  combat system is in use, an all-around attack cannot be used as an  attack
  of opportunity or as part of a heroic fray.
    Beyond determining if the initial attack succeeds, the warrior's  combat
  bonuses are not a factor in an all-around attack. The damaged inflicted on
  creatures within the 5foot radius varies with the warrior's level as
  follows:

   Warrior Level             Area Damage
      10-14                     1d8
      15-19                     2d8
      20-24                     3d8
      25-29                     4d8
       30+                      5d8

    Requirement: Warrior 10+
    Relevant Ability: N/A
    Success: N/A
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Bravery: Warriors with this skill can harness their own strength  of  will
  to resist any fear effect.
    When subjected to any form of unnatural fear from a spell, creature,  or
  magical item, a warrior can roll a skill check. If the check succeeds, the
  fear effect is negated no saving throw is necessary. If the  check  fails,
  the warrior still gets a saving throw if one is normally allowed. Paladins
  with this skill can use it against turning attempts by evil priests.
    This skill is a prerequisite for the captivate, frighten/challenge,  and
  invulnerability skills. Each  time  one  of  these  skills  is  used,  the
  character's base bravery score is reduced by two for the rest of the  day.
  Once the warrior's base bravery score falls to zero, the character  cannot
  use bravery or any of the other three skills for the rest of the day.

    Requirement: Warrior 10+
    Relevant Ability: Wisdom/Willpower
    Success: 4
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Captivate: Warriors with this  skill  have  developed  a  strong  personal
  presence that is attractive to members of their own races.
    Even without a skill roll, children, members of the  opposite  sex,  and
  other warriors tend to be friendly toward the character provided they  are
  of the same  race  and  their  alignments  are  similar  to  that  of  the
  character. For purposes of this skill, alignments are  similar  when  they
  share one common element: law, neutrality, chaos, good, or evil.
    Friendly nonplayer characters tend to pay attention to the  warrior  and
  view what the warrior says or does in a favorable light as long as  it  is
  not obviously harmful or contrary to local  customs.  With  a  minimum  of
  encouragement, a friendly NPC  gives  the  warrior  information,  performs
  simple errands, makes introductions, and so on. The warrior is a celebrity
  in the friendly character's eyes.
    The warrior can attempt a skill  roll  to  make  a  suggestion  (as  the
  3rd-level wizard spell) to a friendly NPC if the warrior can speak to  the
  person privately for a  few  minutes.  The  NPC  automatically  obeys  the
  suggestion if it does not involve risk, loss, or potential  embarrassment;
  otherwise, a save vs. spell applies. If  the  warrior  gives  the  NPC  an
  appropriate gift of modest value or does a useful favor, the saving  throw
  is made at a -4 penalty. If the saving throw succeeds, the  NPC  tries  to
  flee from the warrior's presence.  Each  attempt  to  plant  a  suggestion
  reduces the warrior's base bravery score by two.  Once  the  base  bravery
  score falls to zero, the warrior's captivate skill is lost for the day.
    Creatures with 8 or more Hit Dice/levels  are  immune  to  this  skill's
  effects. Any hostile act or threat by the warrior  -  including  a  failed
  suggestion - breaks this skill's effects.
    If the warrior spends an extended period of time (a few hours  or  more)
  in personal contact with a single NPC who is susceptible  to  this  skill,
  the DM can secretly roll a skill check. If the  check  succeeds,  the  NPC
  forms an attachment to the character and acts upon the attachment in  some
  way. More often than not, these attachments prove to be troublesome to the
  character. A few suggestions are listed below:

    Stows away in the PC's baggage.
    Offers to serve the warrior.
    Brags about relationship with hero.
    Undertakes a dangerous task on the PC's behalf.
    Unfavorably compares a powerful local figure - perhaps a  deity  -  with
  the character.
    Steals a trinket or minor item from the hero.
    Seeks marriage with (or adoption by) the PC.
    Claims to be the warrior's spouse or offspring.
    Presents PC with an apparently useless gift.

    Requirement: Warrior 15+, Bravery Skill
    Relevant Ability: Charisma/Appearance
    Success: 4
    Cost: 1 (3)

                                   - 150 -

  Death Blow: This skill allows warriors to strike  deadly  blows  that  can
  fell an opponent in a single stroke.
    A death blow must be announced in a round's player  determination  step.
  In the round's resolution step, the warrior makes  a  single  attack  roll
  against any adjacent opponent. If the attack hits,  the  opponent  suffers
  normal damage from the blow and must save vs.  death  magic  or  be  slain
  immediately. The opponent's  defensive  bonuses  from  protective  devices
  (such as magical armor and rings of protection) always apply to the saving
  throw. If the DM wishes, the optional saving throw modifiers from Table 36
  or from Table 38 can be used as well.
    Opponents with more Hit Dice/levels than the warrior are immune  to  the
  effect. Creatures that would not normally be vulnerable to damage from the
  weapon the warrior is using in the attack also are immune.
    When a warrior attempts a death blow, that is the only attack a  warrior
  can make during the round. Attacks of opportunity (see Combat  &  Tactics,
  Chapter 1) are allowed, however, and a warrior can combine  a  death  blow
  with an all-around attack. Only the initial target of the allaround attack
  is subject  to  the  instant  death  effect,  but  this  might  allow  the
  all-around attack to succeed when it otherwise might not.

    Requirement: Warrior 15+
    Relevant Ability: N/A
    Success: N/A
    Cost: 2 (6)

  Frighten/Challenge: Warriors with  this  skill  can  turn  their  personal
  energies outward, producing an aura of  fright  that  forces  fairly  weak
  creatures to flee. This skill also allows  warriors  to  issue  challenges
  that draw powerful creatures into personal combat.
    To create an aura of fright, the warrior must shout and charge  a  group
  of creatures of 4 Hit Dice/levels or less. The creatures must be  able  to
  see and hear the warrior to be affected. The warrior makes a  skill  roll,
  and, if it succeeds, the creatures scatter, fleeing for  as  long  as  the
  character pursues them. The creatures  flee  for  1d10  additional  rounds
  after pursuit ends.
    Undead and creatures with no morale scores, such as conjured or summoned
  creatures under the control of a spellcaster, are not affected.  Creatures
  gain a saving throw vs. spell if they are within 30  feet  of  a  friendly
  creature that is immune to the aura. A cloak of bravery spell negates  the
  effect.
    If the skill roll is a 20, the affected  creatures  attack  the  warrior
  instead. If the warrior flees, the creatures pursue as long  as  they  can
  see him. If the warrior attacks,  the  creatures  automatically  pass  any
  morale checks they might be required to make for the next 1d10 rounds.
    To issue a challenge, the warrior must be able to speak  to  the  target
  creature, which must have least 10 Hit Dice or levels. The  creature  must
  be close enough to see the warrior (about  100  yards  if  the  light  and
  visibility are good) and be able to understand what the warrior says.  The
  skill check is an opposed roll  using  the  warrior's  Charisma/Leadership
  score and the target's Wisdom/Willpower score. If the character  wins  the
  opposed roll, the affected creature must immediately  advance  and  engage
  the warrior in physical  combat  unless  restrained  by  another  creature
  (restraint breaks the  compulsion  to  attack,  but  keeps  the  creatures
  involved occupied for a full round). Creatures that are unwilling to fight
  can attempt to  save  vs.  spell  each  round  to  break  off  the  fight,
  otherwise, they engage in melee combat  with  the  warrior.  The  affected
  creature can employ spells or missile weapons if it wishes,  but  it  must
  close to melee range before doing so.
    If the target creature has no Wisdom/Willpower score. use Table 10 (page
  59) to generate  one  or  use  the  creature's  Intelligence  rating.  The
  circumstances surrounding the challenge can alter the opposed die roll  as
  follows:

    -6 to the skill score if the player makes no attempt  to  role-play  the
  challenge. For example, the player says "I challenge the dragon."

    -4 to the skill score if the player  makes  only  a  feeble  attempt  to
  role-play the challenge. "Why don't you stop flying around and just  fight
  you stupid dragon?"

    +1  to  the  opponent's  Wisdom/Willpower  score  for  every  companion
  accompanying the warrior.

    +1 to the opponent's Wisdom/Willpower  score  if  it  has  suffered  any
  damage, and an additional +1 for every 10% of its original hit  points  it
  has lost.

    +10 to the opponent's Wisdom/Willpower score if the  creature  has  weak
  combat powers (THAC0 14 or higher, Armor Class 2  or  worse,  no  physical
  attack that inflicts more than 6 hit points of damage).

    Any roll of 20 is a failure, regardless of the modified score.  If  both
  the warrior and the  opponent  fail  their  ability  checks,  the  warrior
  issuing the challenge suffers a loss of confidence and must  retreat  into
  cover - or move away from the target at top speed for a full round  if  no
  cover is available. The warrior stays away for  1d4  rounds.  The  bravery
  skill can be used to avoid this mandatory retreat.

                                   - 151 -

    The warrior is free to move and attack normally during  the  round  when
  the skill roll or ability check is made. Each use of either form  of  this
  skill lowers the warrior's bravery skill by one for the rest  of  the  day
  (each attempt depletes the warriors inner strength slightly) . This  skill
  cannot be used once the bravery skill falls to zero.
    A fighter can use his intimidation gaze while issuing a  challenge,  but
  only if the opponent is within range when the challenge is issued.

    Requirement: Warrior 10+, Bravery Skill
    Relevant Ability: Charisma/Leadership
    Success: 4
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Hardiness: Warriors with this  skill  can  use  their  inner  strength  to
  temporarily delay the harmful effects of special attacks, but not physical
  damage. If given sufficient time to rest, this skill  allows  warriors  to
  recover from such attacks without additional aid.
    When subjected to a harmful special effect from a  spell,  creature,  or
  magical item, a warrior can roll a skill check. If the check succeeds, the
  effect is delayed for the period of time shown on the table below. If  the
  check fails, the warrior suffers the effect normally. If the effect allows
  a saving throw, the warrior rolls the save before checking this skill.

         Warrior Level       Delay
         15-19               5 Rounds
         20-24               10 Rounds
         25-29               15 Rounds
         30                  20 Rounds

    Hardiness does not  delay  simple  damage  from  any  source,  including
  continuing damage, such as Melf's acid arrow or a sword  of  wounding,  or
  special forms of purely physical damage, such as severed limbs  or  broken
  bones. Nor does this skill protect against effects that are  not  directly
  harmful, such as magical charms, entanglement, or imprisonment.
    If the skill succeeds, the warrior suffers no harm from the effect until
  the delay ends, but he is aware of what the  effect  is.  If  the  warrior
  receives the appropriate cure before the delay ends, there is no  harm  to
  the character. If the harmful effect's duration is shorter than the  delay
  there also is no effect.
    For example, a 17th-level fighter with 34 hit points left (from a  total
  of 115) is battling a wizard who casts  power  word  kill  on  him.  After
  making his hardiness skill roll, he delays the effects of  the  spell  for
  five rounds. Two rounds later, after killing the wizard, the party  priest
  casts heal on him. When the delay effect is  over,  the  power  word  kill
  effect occurs, but his hit points are now over 60 and he is immune to  the
  spell. If the priest had  not  healed  him,  he  could  have  lapsed  into
  unconsciousness in an effort to avoid the effect of  the  power  word,  as
  detailed below
    If the harmful effect has not expired or been cured when the delay ends,
  the warrior must either suffer the full force of the effect or lapse  into
  unconsciousness while the character's body struggles to resist. The length
  of time the character remains unconsciousness depends on the extent of the
  injury, as noted on the table below.

         Injury                Recovery Time
         Minor                 1 Day
         Severe                1 Week
         Extreme               1 Month

  Minor: These effects impair - but do not  incapacitate  -  the  character,
  such as blindness, deafness, and ability score reductions. Spells such  as
  antipathy/sympathy (antipathy  effect),  cause  blindness/deafness,  color
  spray (most of the time), contagion, and holy word are examples  of  minor
  effects.

  Severe: Includes effects that incapacitate  or  completely  transform  the
  character, such as petrification, polymorphing, and  death.  Severe  spell
  effects include hold person, phantasmal  killer,  polymorph  other,  power
  word kill and power word stun.

  Extreme: Includes effects that wrench the character's very being, such  as
  energy drains (per level drained) and magical aging (per year  aged).  Two
  notable examples include the 9th-level wizard spell energy drain  and  the
  6th-level priest spell age creature from the Tome of Magic.

    At the end of the recovery time, the character attempts a  system  shock
  roll. If the roll succeeds, the character awakens - fully healed - and the
  effects of the delayed  magic  are  nullified.  If  the  roll  fails,  the
  character awakens, but suffers the full force of the effect. Thus,  it  is
  possible for a character to rest for months and then wake up only  to  die
  from the effects of the delayed magic.
    For instance, if our fighter from the above example had decided to sleep
  off the effects of the power word kill he would have been unconscious  for
  a  week.  The  player  rolls  the  character's  system  shock  roll  (17
  Constitution) and rolls 98%-1% over what he needed. Since the  power  word
  would have killed him at the time  he  lapsed  into  unconsciousness,  the
  character awakens just long enough to be killed by the spell.

                                   - 152 -

    If a character is suffering from multiple effects, the  character  makes
  system shock rolls at the end of each  recovery  period.  The  player  can
  choose the order in which the checks are made, but the character does  not
  awaken until checks have been made for all the  effects.  For  example,  a
  character who was drained by a vampire and paralyzed  by  a  lich  remains
  unconscious for nine weeks - one month to revive  from  each  of  the  two
  levels the vampire drained and another week for the paralysis.
    If an appropriate cure is applied while the  character  is  unconscious,
  the character recovers immediately and automatically.  For  instance,  the
  fighter sleeping off the effects of the power word  kill  spell  from  the
  previous example would recover after receiving healing sufficient to raise
  his hit points above 60.
    Heroic Effort: As a last-ditch effort to continue a  battle,  a  fighter
  can use the hardiness skill to extend his life. Instead of dying  at  zero
  hit points (or falling unconscious at zero hit points and dying at -10  if
  the optional Hovering at Death's Door rule is  in  play),  a  warrior  who
  makes a successful hardiness check can continue  fighting  until  reaching
  -20 hit points. The character can function in this state for a  number  of
  rounds equal to his delay effect, suffering the  appropriate  consequences
  for reduced hit points at the end of the delay.
    Use of this skill is not without its drawbacks, however. If the  warrior
  is reduced to -20 hit points or less, the character is struck  unconscious
  and dies once the delay expires. Once a character's hit points drop to -20
  or less, death is inevitable at the end of the delay period unless unusual
  conditions exist (see below).
    Curative spells can allow a warrior struck unconscious by being  reduced
  -20 hit points or less to rejoin a battle, but death still occurs  at  the
  end of the delay period. A raise dead or resurrection  spell  cast  during
  the delay period prevents death from occurring.
    It is possible that a character with the ability to regenerate  (from  a
  magical item or high Constitution score) can continue fighting even  after
  being reduced to -20 hit points or less.  If  regeneration  increases  the
  warrior's hit points to -19 or more during the delay period, the character
  regains consciousness and does not die if he receives  enough  healing  to
  restore him to positive hit points before the delay ends.  Even  if  death
  occurs, regeneration usually restores a character much more  quickly  than
  the rest period the hardiness skill requires. A character returned to life
  through regeneration need not make a system shock roll.
    An amulet of life protection also allows a warrior to continue  fighting
  after being reduced to -20 hit points or less if  the  character  receives
  sufficient healing to restore him to -19 hit points or more. The character
  still lapses back into death at the end of the delay period, but any  form
  of magical healing can restore him to life (see page  79)  and  no  system
  shock roll is required.
    Each use of the hardiness skill lowers the warrior's base bravery  score
  by two for  the  rest  of  the  day.  The  skill  is  ineffective  if  the
  character's base bravery score has been reduced to zero or less.

    Requirement: Warrior 15+, Bravery Skill
    Relevant Ability: Constitution/Fitness
    Success: 4
    Cost: 2 (6)

  Inner Focus: Warriors with this skill can marshal their personal  energies
  to provide a temporary bonus to their Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution
  scores.
    By concentrating for one round and making a successful skill check,  the
  warrior can improve one of the three eligible ability scores to the  value
  listed on the table below. The improvement lasts one round  per  character
  level. Because the majority of the character's energy is directed  to  the
  improved ability score, the other two ability scores are  reduced  by  two
  for the same duration. Reductions lower scores  by  two  full  points;  an
  extraordinary Strength score (18/01-18/00) is reduced to 16.  The  warrior
  can end the boost - and restore the values of the other scores  -  at  any
  time. If the character's ability score is already higher  than  the  value
  listed  on  the  table,  this  skill  has  no  effect.  If  the  optional
  subabilities rule from Skills & Powers is in play,  both  subabilities  in
  the increased ability score are raised to the same value.

         Warrior Level      Improved Score
         10-14                18 (18/00)
         15-19                19
         20-24                20
         25-29                21
         30+                  22

    The  warrior  can  take  no  other  actions  during  the  round  spent
  concentrating  on  raising  the  selected  ability  score.  Each  attempt,
  successful or not, during a single day lowers the base skill score by two.
  The skill cannot be used once the base score falls to zero or less.
    Bonuses are applied immediately when the skill  succeeds  and  are  lost
  immediately when the boost's duration ends. For  example,  a  warrior  who
  chooses to increase Constitution immediately gains bonus  hit  points  but
  loses them again  when  the  character's  Constitution  score  returns  to
  normal. Likewise, the effects from  reduced  ability  scores  are  applied
  immediately but then restored when the improvement ends.
    A character can have only one ability score improvement from this  skill
  operating at any given time.

                                   - 153 -

    Requirement: Warrior 10+
    Relevant Ability: Wisdom/Willpower
    Success: 4
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Sense Danger: This skill allows warriors to discover threats that are  not
  obvious to less perceptive characters.
    The sense danger skill is actually five different subskills, as outlined
  below.  The  number  of  subskills  the  warrior  knows  depends  on  the
  character's level: one subskill  at  15th-19th  level,  two  at  20th-24th
  level, three at 25th-29th level, and  four  subskills  at  30th  level  or
  higher. If the character purchases this skill twice, the warrior gains one
  extra subskill. Any improvement to  the  skill  number  improves  all  the
  subskills the character knows.
    Each subskill gives the warrior  the  ability  to  detect  danger  in  a
  different form:

    Ambushes: The warrior can determine if hidden enemies are lurking in any
  area the character can see well (see Table 62 in the  Player's  Handbook).
  The warrior can scan an area roughly 200 yards square in a  single  round.
  An area can be scanned only once each turn, and a successful check reveals
  approximately how  many  creatures  are  hiding  in  the  area  and  their
  approximate size.
    Attack Readiness: With a successful skill check, the warrior can tell if
  a creature is prepared to attack. The skill does  not  tell  the  anything
  about the other being's actual intentions, just its readiness for  combat.
  For example, a creature that is prepared for combat might attack soon,  or
  it might simply be ready to respond to a hostile action. In one round, the
  warrior can determine the battle-readiness of every being in a 30-foot
  cube.
    The warrior can also study a single creature to determine if it has  any
  concealed weapons. A successful check reveals any hidden  weapons  (tucked
  into clothing, hidden nearby, etc). If faced with an unknown  creature,  a
  successful skill check allows the warrior to  determine  what  its  attack
  modes are (claws, teeth, etc.).
    When the warrior  detects  a  concealed  weapon  with  this  skill,  the
  character notes its general size, location, and type - a sap  tucked  into
  the back of a character's breeches or a dagger hidden  in  a  sleeve,  for
  example. The character learns nothing else about the weapon. Note that the
  warrior must be aware  of  the  creature  before  checking  for  concealed
  weapons. The warrior cannot detect weapons hidden by  illusions  or  other
  magical means.
    Back Attacks: When an enemy launches an attack at the warrior  from  the
  rear, the character can attempt a  skill  check  to  detect  the  assault.
  Success negates any chance  for  surprise  and  all  special  bonuses  the
  attacker might gain from a  rear  attack,  including  a  thief's  backstab
  bonuses. A successful check allows the warrior to apply defensive  bonuses
  from a high Dexterity/Balance score, even if the character does  not  turn
  to meet the attack. Shield bonuses are not applicable unless the character
  turns around. Unlike the barbarian's  back  protection  ability  (see  The
  Complete Barbarian's Handbook, Chapter 1), this skill does not  allow  the
  warrior to make a free counterattack.
    Hidden Enemies: The warrior has a sixth sense about  hidden  enemies  in
  the immediate vicinity. Once a round,  the  character  can  make  a  skill
  check. If successful, the warrior learns the location  of  all  invisible,
  ethereal, astral, out of phase,  or  hidden  creatures  within  a  30-foot
  radius. The character does not know how the creature's  are  hidden  -  an
  ethereal creature is indistinguishable from an invisible  one  -  but  the
  character notes their locations and can track their movements so  long  as
  they remain within the radius. The warrior suffers a +1 initiative penalty
  on the round when he uses this ability.
    This subskill does not reveal disguised creatures in plain sight or  the
  intentions of creatures. For example, a golem posing as a  statue  is  not
  revealed, nor can the character determine if an NPC is secretly hostile.
    Size Up Opponent: With a successful skill check, the warrior can study a
  single creature each round and determine how dangerous the creature  would
  be in physical combat. It does not give the warrior any  indication  of  a
  creature's magical abilities, innate spell-like  powers,  breath  weapons,
  and the like. If a creature's hit points and THAC0  qualify  it  for  more
  than one category, the DM is free to choose which one the warrior detects.

    Low: The creature's hit point total is 20% or less than  the  warrior's,
  and its THAC0 is at least 15 points higher.
    Moderate: The creature has 21-50% of the warrior's  hit  points  or  its
  THAC0 is at least 10 points higher.
    Significant: The creature has 51-70% of the warrior's  hit  points,  and
  its THAC0 is at least 5 points higher.
    Dangerous: The creature has 71-100% of the warrior's hit points, and its
  THAC0 is less than 5 points higher, but not lower.
    Deadly: The creature has more hit points and a lower THAC0 than the
  warrior.

    With any subskill, the DM should roll the check secretly.  If  the  roll
  fails on a roll of 19 or less, the character detects nothing. If the  roll
  fails on a 20,  the  character  gets  a  false  indication  -  sensing  an
  invisible figure where there is none, improperly sizing  up  an  opponent,
  etc. A false indication has no effect on a back attack.
    If the character also  has  the  alertness  proficiency,  the  character
  receives a +1 bonus to his skill score.

    Requirement: Warrior 15+
    Relevant Ability: Wisdom/Intuition
    Success: 6
    Cost: 2 (6)

                                   - 154 -

  Signature Item: A warrior  with  this  skill  chooses  an  item  from  the
  character's collection of  equipment  as  a  personal  trademark  that  is
  specially protected from twists of fate.
    The warrior designates a signature item by giving it a name  and  noting
  something  distinctive  about  it.  If  the  item  has  no  distinguishing
  features, the character must hire an artisan with the appropriate skill  -
  such as a weaponsmith for a sword - to add one. The alteration could be as
  simple as engraving the item's name  somewhere  upon  its  surface  or  as
  elaborate as the character desires (and can afford).  No  skill  check  is
  required to designate an item, and as soon  as  the  item  is  designated,
  described, and named, the warrior forms an empathic link with  it.  It  is
  possible to have more than one signature item, but the character must  pay
  the full cost of this skill for each item. If  the  warrior  improves  the
  skill score, the improvement applies  to  all  the  character's  signature
  equipment.
    A signature item must be  something  the  character  has  owned  for  an
  extended period of time and uses regularly. For example, a warrior  cannot
  designate a friendly wizard's favorite spell book as a signature item. The
  DM is free to decide how long the character must own  the  item,  but  one
  level's worth of advancement is the usual period. Likewise,  the  DM  must
  decide what constitutes regular use, but at least once during the majority
  of the character's adventures is the usual requirement. Only nonconsumable
  items can be signature items, but rechargeable items qualify.
    If a signature item is ever required to roll an item saving  throw  (see
  the Dungeon Master Guide, Chapter 6), it automatically succeeds so long as
  the owner is carrying the item and the survives the event. For example, if
  Tana is subjected to a fireball and fails her saving throw vs. spell,  all
  her equipment must save vs. magical fire or be destroyed. Tana's signature
  sword, Windsinger, does not  have  to  roll  the  item  saving  throw,  it
  succeeds automatically.
    Deliberate actions that  lead  to  item  saving  throws  can  destroy  a
  signature item. For example, if Tana uses Windsinger as a brace to keep  a
  trap  from  closing,  the  sword  can  break.  Likewise,  if  an  attacker
  deliberately targets a disintegrate spell at  Windsinger,  the  sword  can
  also be destroyed. Deliberate actions can destroy a signature item even if
  the owner is not aware of the danger. For example, if Tana slashes at what
  she thinks is a giant spider, but the creature is really a  rust  monster,
  Windsinger could be destroyed.
    If the character does not survive the event that caused the item  saving
  throw, the item must make the roll normally.  If  the  item  survives  the
  incident and the character is restored to life, the link is  automatically
  reestablished. If the item is destroyed in the same event that killed  the
  warrior, the link is broken.
    If a signature item is ever lost or  stolen,  the  link  with  the  item
  allows the warrior to attempt a skill check once a day to receive a vision
  of the item's location. If successful, the  character  receives  a  visual
  image of the item's current surroundings and  has  a  vague  idea  of  the
  location's distance and direction. If the item lies on another plane,  the
  warrior receives  a  vision  of  the  plane,  but  can  discern  no  other
  information unless he actually travels  to  the  plane.  If  the  item  is
  magically hidden, the warrior learns this  fact,  along  with  the  item's
  general location. For example, he would know that his  signature  item  is
  hidden in King Snurre's great hall.
    If a signature item is destroyed or irrecoverable, the character can use
  the link to obtain  a  replacement.  This  does  not  apply  if  both  the
  signature item and the character were destroyed by the same event. If  the
  signature item was nonmagical, the character need only acquire  a  similar
  item and give it the same name as the original. The character forms a link
  with the new item, which gradually begins to resemble the  original  until
  it becomes indistinguishable from the original after about one month.
    If the item was magical, the character must obtain an  item  of  quality
  (see the Dungeon Master Guide, Chapter 6) and roll a skill check.  If  the
  check succeeds, the link is  strong  enough  to  recreate  the  item.  The
  character loses five times the  item's  experience  point  value  and  the
  nonmagical item is miraculously infused with an enchantment  that  exactly
  matches the original item after about  one  month.  If  the  character  is
  unwilling to pay the experience cost, the link is  broken  instead.  If  a
  magical item similar to the original item is used instead of  an  item  of
  quality, its experience value  is  subtracted  from  warrior's  experience
  loss. Artifacts cannot be restored in this manner,  though  the  character
  gains the other benefits of the link.
    Voluntarily giving away or not making a reasonable effort to  recover  a
  signature item that has been lost or stolen always breaks the link. The DM
  is the final judge of what constitutes a reasonable effort at recovery.
    Warriors can  have  one  signature  item  from  each  of  the  following
  categories: armor, weapon, shield, and miscellaneous  magical  item.  Each
  signature item requires the  expenditure  of  the  appropriate  number  of
  proficiency slots or character  points.  At  the  DM's  option,  pairs  of
  magical items might also qualify as a single signature item, such  as  the
  twin blades of Ra.

    Requirement: Warrior 10+
    Relevant Ability: Wisdom/Intuition
    Success: 10
    Cost: 2 (6)

  Signature Mount: A warrior with this skill forms a  special  bond  with  a
  mount. When they are together, the  mount  gains  considerable  protection
  from attacks that might otherwise kill it.

                                   - 156 -

    A signature mount cannot have more than 10 Hit Dice  and  must  have  at
  least four hit points per Hit Die. For example, a heavy war horse has  5+5
  hit dice; it cannot become a signature mount unless it has at least 25 hit
  points. The mount must be tamed and recognize the warrior as  its  master.
  If the creature has an Intelligence score of 5 or more,  it  need  not  be
  trained if it willingly serves the warrior.  The  warrior  must  name  the
  mount and provide it with something that makes it recognizable.  This  can
  be as simple as purchasing a saddle with the mount's name engraved  in  it
  or as elaborate as the character can afford.
    When the link is established, the mount immediately gains one hit  point
  per level of the character plus an additional  hit  point  each  time  the
  warrior gains a level. When the warrior is riding  the  mount,  the  mount
  suffers no damage from area attacks (such as breath weapons and fireballs)
  if the rider successfully saves against the attack. If the rider fails the
  saving throw but survives the attack, the  mount  saves  for  half  or  no
  damage, using the rider's saving throw number. The mount  also  gains  the
  rider's saving throw against effects targeted  directly  at  it  (such  as
  disintegrate and the cold ray form of Otiluke's freezing sphere)  as  long
  as the rider is with the mount. Attacks such as power word spells must  be
  potent enough to overcome the rider to  have  any  effect,  although  they
  affect only the mount if that is where they are targeted. If the mount  is
  alone, or the rider does not survive the attack, the mount  must  use  its
  own saving throw number, and it suffers the normal effects from the
  attack.
    If a signature mount is ever killed, the warrior can acquire a  new  one
  of the same type and hit points. Each day, the  character  can  attempt  a
  skill check to receive a vision of the new mount. If the  check  succeeds,
  the character sees the mount in its current  surroundings  and  knows  the
  approximate direction and distance to the location. If  the  mount  is  on
  another plane, the warrior receives a vision of the plane but can  discern
  no other information unless the character actually travels to  the  plane.
  If the mount is magically hidden, the warrior learns this fact, along with
  the mount's general location. It is up to the character to  seek  out  the
  replacement mount, but the mount  willingly  serves  the  warrior  if  the
  character obtains it.
    A warrior can have one  signature  mount  for  each  different  type  of
  terrain. For example, the character  might  have  a  young  adult  mercury
  dragon (airborne), heavy war horse (land), and a giant sea horse  (water).
  Subterranean and desert mounts might also be allowed, at the DM's  option.
  Each signature mount requires the expenditure of the appropriate number of
  proficiency slots or skill points.

    Requirement: Warrior 10+
    Relevant Ability: Wisdom/Intuition
    Success: 9
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Wizards

    High-level wizards are unquestionably the most  powerful  characters  in
  the campaign. While physically weak, the right combination  of  protective
  magical items can make them all  but  invulnerable  to  attack  except  by
  high-level warriors - who often have a hard time getting close  enough  to
  make melee attacks and  other  high-level  wizards.  Wizards  continue  to
  receive extra proficiencies and hit points until level 30. Wizards receive
  very little in the way of special skills once they reach  20th  level,  as
  their ability to create magical items and cast an  ever-increasing  number
  of spells - including 10th-level spells - gives them a great deal of power
  already.

  Wizards Beyond 20th Level

    Sage Ability: At 21st level, a wizard has accumulated enough  books  and
  esoteric knowledge to function  as  a  sage  (see  DUNGEON  MASTER  Guide,
  Chapter 12). The wizard can answer general  questions  in  two  categories
  listed on table 61 in the Dungeon Master Guide, but one category  must  be
  Alchemy or Chemistry. This reflects the character's knowledge  of  magical
  potions and scroll inks. The player can choose the remaining  category  or
  the DM can assign one.

  Table 43: Wizard Advancement Beyond 20th

                                   Proficiencies      Hit Points
   Level        Experience Points Weapon Nonweapon      (d4)*
     20            3,750,000        4       10          10+10
     21            4,125,000        5       11          10+11
     22            4,500,000        5       11          10+12
     23            4,875,000        5       11          10+13
     24            5,250,000        5       12          10+14
     25            5,625,000        5       12          10+15
     26            6,000,000        5       12          10+16
     27            6,375,000        6       13          10+17
     28            6,750,000        6       13          10+18
     29            7,125,000        6       13          10+19
     30            7,500,000        6       14          10+20

  * Bonus hit points from high Constitution scores are not added after 9th
  level.

                                   - 157 -

    The character's base chance to answer a general question is 6 or less on
  1d20, modified by the character's Intelligence/Knowledge bonus.
    At 24th  level,  the  character  can  answer  specific  questions  after
  acquiring 1d6 books or scrolls at a cost of 1,000 gp each.
    At 27th  level,  the  character  can  answer  exacting  questions  after
  acquiring 1d6 additional books or scrolls at a cost of 1,000 gp each.
    It is always possible for a  character  to  discover  the  answer  to  a
  difficult  question  by  consulting  another  character,  undertaking  an
  adventure the DM has devised, or by engaging in very lengthy and expensive
  research. See the magical item creation rules in Chapter 4  of  this  book
  and the spell research rules in Chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master Guide  for
  guidelines.
    For example, a high-level wizard  with  a  knowledge  of  history  might
  discover the answer to a fairly simple, but specific, question  (What  was
  the name of King Rassmon's oldest daughter?) after 1d3+1 weeks of study at
  a cost of 100 gp a week. This is the same as the cost to discover a potion
  formula. A very difficult and esoteric question (Who made the carpet  that
  lay in king Rassmon's great hall?) might require as much time and money to
  research as a 6th- or 7th-level spell. The chance to know the answer would
  be the same as that for successfully researching the spell.

  Skills For High-Level Wizards

    The following skills are available to mages and specialist  wizards  who
  meet the listed requirements.

  Mental Focus: Wizards with this skill can marshal their personal  energies
  to provide a temporary bonus to their Intelligence, Wisdom,  or  Dexterity
  scores.
    By concentrating for one round and making a successful skill check,  the
  wizard can improve one of the three eligible ability scores to  the  value
  listed on the table below. The improvement lasts one round  per  character
  level. Because the majority of the character's energy is directed  to  the
  improved ability score, the other two ability scores are  reduced  by  two
  for the same duration. The wizard can end the  boost  -  and  restore  the
  values of the other scores - at any time. If the character's ability score
  is already equal to or higher than the value listed  on  the  table,  this
  skill has no effect. If the  optional  subabilities  rule  from  Skills  &
  Powers is in play, both subabilities in the increased  ability  score  are
  raised to the same value.

  Table 44: Wizard Spell Progression

   Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
     20  5 5 5 5 5 4 3 3 2 1
     21  5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 2 1
     22  5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 3 1
     23  5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 2
     24  5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 2
     25  5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 2
     26  6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 3
     27  6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 3
     28  6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 3
     29  7 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 4
     30  7 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 4

    Wizard Level                     Improved Score
    12-16                                 18
    17-20                                 19
    21-25                                 20
    26-29                                 21
    30+                                   22

    The wizard can take no other actions during the round the  character  is
  concentrating  on  raising  the  selected  ability  score.  Each  attempt,
  successful or not, during a single day lowers the base skill score by two;
  the skill cannot be used once the base score falls to zero or less.
    Bonuses from an increased score are applied immediately when  the  skill
  succeeds and are lost immediately when  the  boost's  duration  ends.  For
  example, a wizard who chooses to increase Dexterity immediately  gains  an
  improved Armor Class bonus,  but  loses  it  again  when  the  character's
  Dexterity score returns to normal.  Likewise,  the  effects  from  reduced
  ability scores are applied immediately when the improvement ends.
    A character can have only one ability score improvement from this  skill
  operating at any given time.

    Requirement: Wizard 12+
    Relevant Ability: Wisdom/Willpower
    Success: 4
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Signature Item: A  wizard  with  this  skill  chooses  an  item  from  the
  character's collection  of  equipment  as  a  personl  trademark  that  is
  specially protected from twists of fate. Except as noted below, this skill
  operates exactly like the warrior skill of the same name.
    The wizard is free to have as many signature items as he is  willing  to
  pay for, but no more than one of any type to increase damage,  the  spells
  would inflict 12d6 points of damage.

                                   - 159 -

    Spells that have individual damage dice, such as magic missile, are  not
  increased individually. For example, Neja could cast a magic missile  that
  inflicted a total of 7d4+7 points of damage. The additional  damage  could
  be added to a single missile or an additional die of damage could be added
  to two separate missiles.
    Spells that do not use dice rolls to determine damage cannot be sculpted
  in this manner.
    Extend Duration: The spell's total duration  is  doubled.  This  applies
  only to the actual time a spell lasts but not to any special  durations  a
  spell may have.
    For instance, invisibility would last a total of 48 hours or  until  the
  creature made an attack. Neja's stoneskin would  have  a  duration  of  48
  hours or  until  it  had  blocked  1d4+10  attacks  (refer  to  the  spell
  commentary for stoneskin on page 116). Spells with instantaneous durations
  cannot be sculpted in this manner.
    Extend Range: The spell's range is doubled. If the spell has a range  of
  touch or 0, its range cannot be extended.
    Shorten Casting Time: The spell's casting time is  cut  in  half,  to  a
  minimum of 1. If local conditions lengthen the spell's casting  time  (see
  page 47), apply the multiplier first, then cut the result in half.
    It is not possible to sculpt a spell more than  once.  It  is  possible,
  however, to employ a metamagic spell, such as extension  or  squaring  the
  circle, to a spell that has been  sculpted  provided  that  the  sculpting
  effect does not duplicate the  metamagic  spell  effect.  For  example,  a
  wizard cannot extend a spell's duration and use an extension spell at  the
  same time. A wizard could sculpt a spell to extend its range and  use  and
  extension spell to increase its duration.
    The  highest  level  spell  a  wizard  can  sculpt  is  limited  by  the
  character's level, as shown below:

    Wizard's Level          Maximum Spell Level
       12-14                        1st
       15-17                        2nd
       18-20                        3rd
       21-23                        4th
       24-26                        5th
       27-29                        6th
       30+                          7th

    A wizard can learn to sculpt more than one spell but must pay  the  full
  cost for this skill for each spell. If the  wizard  improves  the  skill's
  base score, the increase applies to all spells the wizard knows how to
  sculpt.

    Requirement: Wizard 12+
    Relevant Ability: Intelligence/Knowledge
    Success: 8
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Priests

    High-level priests combine spellcasting  abilities  with  combat  power.
  Like warriors,  priests  equipped  with  magical  armor  and  weapons  are
  formidable in combat. Their primary strength, however, comes from their
  spells.
    In addition, priests receive extra proficiencies and hit points  through
  30th level. Priests also have access to special skills beginning at 10th
  level.

  Priests and 10th-Level Spells

    All priests, even druids, gain the ability to cast  true  dweomers  when
  they reach 20th level. (Although druids do not gain additional  spells  of
  levels 1-7 once they exceed 15th level,  true  dweomers  represent  a  new
  approach to magic that very high-level druids  can  understand  and  use.)
  Note that the term "10th-level spell" is something of a  misnomer.  For  a
  priest, a true dweomer might be called an  8th-level  spell,  but  a  true
  dweomer cast by a priest functions just like a wizard's true dweomer does.
    Unlike wizards, priests use divine power to create their true  dweomers,
  and any true dweomer a priest casts must promote the deity's interests  in
  some way. This requires a judgment call for the DM.  When  deciding  if  a
  priest's deity grants a true dweomer, consider the following:

    The priest must be in good standing with the deity, having observed  the
  requirements of both the character's alignment and the deity's ethos. This
  is true of all priest spells, and a priest who has strayed  too  far  from
  the path might not be able to cast any spells at all.

    Any true dweomer that impacts  on  the  deity's  sphere  of  control  or
  portfolio is likely to be granted unless it runs contrary to that  power's
  wishes. For example, a deity of agriculture is  likely  to  grant  a  true
  dweomer that creates an abundant harvest unless the people who  are  going
  to benefit from the harvest have offended the deity. Similarly, a deity of
  war is very likely to grant a true dweomer that transports an entire  army
  to a battlefield, whereas a deity of peace would be more  likely  to  help
  transport troops away from a battle. The DM should always try to  consider
  the problem from the deity's point of view.

    When in doubt, check the spheres of normal spells the priest is  allowed
  to cast. If the proposed true dweomer  contains  effects  found  in  those
  spells, it is probably acceptable. For example, a priest  with  access  to
  the creation sphere probably  can  use  true  dweomers  from  the  create,
  conjure, and animate areas.

                                   - 160 -

  Table 45: Priest Advancement Beyond 20th

        Experience Points          Proficiencies      Hit Points
  Level  Cleric       Druid      Weapon Nonweapon        (d8)*
   20   2,700,000   2,000,000      7       10            9+22
   21   2,925,000   2,500,000      7       11            9+24
   22   3,150,000   3,000,000      7       11            9+26
   23   3,375,000   3,500,000      7       11            9+28
   24   3,600,000   4,000,000      8       12            9+30
   25   3,825,000   4,500,000      8       12            9+32
   26   4,050,000   5,000,000      8       12            9+34
   27   4,275,000   5,500,000      8       13            9+36
   28   4,500,000   6,000,000      9       13            9+38
   29   4,275,000   6,500,000      9       13            9+40
   30   4,950,000   7,000,000      9       14            9+42

  * Bonus hit points from high Constitution scores are not added after 9th
  level..

  Priests Beyond 20th Level

    Improved Access to Quest Spells: Any priest with access to true dweomers
  can receive a quest spell without sacrificing  any  spellcasting  ability.
  All other requirements for receiving a quest spell must be  met  normally,
  see the Tome of Magic for details.

    Improved Undead Turning: Upon reaching 21st level, a priest who receives
  the granted power to turn undead can use the power multiple  times  within
  the same encounter. The character may continue to turn undead so  long  as
  prior attempts against the same group of creatures were  successful.  Once
  an attempt fails, the priest cannot continue. In the case of mixed  groups
  of undead, where a single turning attempt succeeds against some  creatures
  in the group but not others,  further  attempts  to  turn  the  unaffected
  creatures are useless. Weaker creatures continue to be affected as long as
  attempts against them  succeed.  For  example,  Wulf  meets  a  lich,  six
  vampires, and a horde of skeletons and ghouls. Wulf is a 21st-level cleric
  and rolls a 7 on his turning attempt. Wulf automatically destroys  2d6+2d4
  skeletons and 2d6+2d4 ghouls. The roll is sufficient to turn the vampires;
  Wulf rolls 2d6 and gets a 5, leaving one vampire unaffected.  The  turning
  roll of 7 is insufficient to turn the lich. The next round, Wulf  can  use
  his turning ability against  the  skeletons,  ghouls,  and  the  remaining
  vampire, but the lich is unaffected since  Wulf's  initial  roll  did  not
  affect him.

    Increased Spell Selection: At 21st level, the priest gains minor  access
  to a sphere of spells the character previously did not have access  to  or
  gains access to another level of spells in a sphere the character  already
  has minor access to.
    For example, clerics do not have access to the plant, animal, or weather
  spheres, and they have only  minor  access  to  the  elemental  sphere.  A
  21st-level cleric could gain minor access to the plant, animal, or weather
  sphere or get access to 4th-level elemental spells. The DM  can  make  the
  selection or let the player choose.
    At 25th level, the priest gains minor access to another sphere of spells
  or adds access to another level of spells in one of the character's  minor
  spheres, including the minor sphere the priest added or enhanced at 21st
  level.
    At 27th level, the priest gains minor access to another sphere of spells
  or adds access to another level of spells in one of the character's  minor
  spheres, including the minor spheres added or enhanced previously.

    Holy Army: A priest of 21st level or higher  can  call  up  an  army  of
  dedicated followers to accomplish a single task. The task can be as simple
  or complex as the priest desires, but it must be somethirrg  that  can  be
  accomplished through force of arms. Acceptable tasks include: destroying a
  particular castle, temple, or  town;  rescuing  a  captive;  recovering  a
  stolen item; bringing a fugitive to justice; deposing a ruler; and so  on.
  The task cannot violate the principles of the priest's alignment or ethos.
  A priest cannot summon a holy army if the character already has one in the
  field and cannot summon more than one each year.
    A holy army can contain as many troops as the priest's experience  point
  total divided by 1,000. For example, a priest who has just  attained  21st
  level can summon 2,925 troops. Most troops are 0-level fighters, but there
  is one commander of half the priest's level (round down). The commander in
  turn has two assistants of half the commander's level, and each  of  those
  characters have  two  more  assistants  and  so  on.  Each  commander  and
  assistant also has a priest or cleric of similar  level.  For  example,  a
  holy army summoned by a 21st-level priest has one commander of 10th level,
  two subcommanders of 5th level, four lieutenants of 2nd level,  and  eight
  sergeants of 1st level. Each officer is accompanied by a priest of similar
  level. If the priest is lawful good, there is a 10% chance that any  given
  officer is a paladin. If the priest is of any good alignment, and the task
  involves activities in the wilderness, there is a 10% that  any  commander
  is a ranger.

                                   - 161 -

    To summon a holy army, the priest  must  be  in  a  place  where  people
  worship the character's deity openly. A  holy  army  takes  two  weeks  to
  gather for every 500 people in it, though the priest can summon a  smaller
  army. If worshippers of the character's deity are not common in  the  area
  where the priest is, the gathering time is doubled. An army usually  stays
  together for a maximum of one month for each level of the priest summoning
  it. However, the priest can hold it together a little longer by paying the
  troops well (2-4  gp  per  0-level  trooper  and  100  gp  per  level  for
  commanders and priests) or  by  making  a  successful  Charisma/Leadership
  check. In either case, the army's goal must be within easy reach, and  the
  troops remain active for an additional 2d4 months.
    When an army disbands, the troops may return home or they may decide  to
  remain together as an independent force to pursue their own goals.  It  is
  best if the priest sees to it that  the  troops  return  home  instead  of
  giving a more radical element the opportunity to take control of the army.

  Skills For High-Level Priests

    The following skills are available to clerics,  specialty  priests,  and
  druids who meet the listed requirements.

  Divine Strength: Priests with this skill can marshal  divine  energies  to
  provide a temporary bonus to their Wisdom, Strength, or Charisma scores.
    By concentrating for one round and making a successful skill check,  the
  priest can improve one of the three eligible ability scores to  the  value
  listed on the table below. The improvement lasts one round  per  character
  level. Because the majority of the character's energy is directed  to  the
  improved ability score, the other two ability scores are  reduced  by  two
  for the same duration. The priest can end the boost and restore the values
  of the other scores at any time.  If  the  character's  ability  score  is
  already higher than the value listed on  the  table,  this  skill  has  no
  effect. If the optional subabilities rule from Skills & Powers is in play,
  both subabilities in the increased ability score are raised to the same
  value.

      Priest Level             Improved Score
         10-14                      18
         15-19                      19
         20-24                      20
         25-29                      21
         30+                        22

  Table 47: Priest Spell Progression

  Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 *
   20   9 9 9 8 7 5 2 1
   21   9 9 9 9 8 6 2 1
   22   9 9 9 9 9 6 3 2
   23   9 9 9 9 9 7 3 2
   24   9 9 9 9 9 8 3 2
   25   9 9 9 9 9 8 4 3
   26   9 9 9 9 9 9 4 3
   27   9 9 9 9 9 9 5 4
   28   9 9 9 9 9 9 6 4
   29   9 9 9 9 9 9 7 4
   30   9 9 9 9 9 9 8 4

  * The number of true dweomers - 10th-level  spells  -  the  character  can
  prepare, have prepared, or cast in one day (see Chapter 6).

  The priest can take no other actions during the  round  the  character  is
  concentrating on raising the selected ability score. Each attempt to raise
  an ability score, successful or not, during a single day lowers  the  base
  skill score by two; the skill cannot be used once the base score falls  to
  zero or less. Bonuses from an increased score are applied immediately when
  the skill succeeds and are lost  immediately  when  the  boost's  duration
  ends. For example, a priest who chooses  to  increase  Wisdom  immediately
  gains saving throw bonuses against mental attacks  but  loses  them  again
  when the character's Wisdom score returns to normal. Likewise, the effects
  from altered ability scores are applied immediately. The priest  does  not
  gain any bonus spells from this skill but does gain  immunity  to  certain
  spells for a Wisdom score of 19 or higher (see Player's Handbook Table 5).
  A character can have only one ability score improvement  from  this  skill
  operating at any given time.

    Requirement: Priest 10+, Eminence Skill
    Relevant Ability: Wisdom/Willpower
    Success: 4 Cost: 1 (3)

  Divine Voice: Priests with this skill can speak with divine authority.  To
  use the skill, the priest must speak loudly and clearly for a full  round.
  With a successful skill check (made at the end of the round), the priest's
  voice takes on a divine quality. Every creature within 180 feet  can  hear
  the priest speaking unless it has  been  magically  deafened.  The  divine
  voice penetrates silence spells and up to 10 feet of solid rock  or  three
  inches of lead. Antimagic shells, prismatic spheres, cubes of  force,  and
  10th-level ward spells shield their occupants.

                                   - 162 -

    Creatures that hear the  voice  are  automatically  enthralled  (as  the
  2nd-level priest spell) if they have less than 5 Hit Dice or levels. Other
  creatures can save vs. spell to avoid the effect. Creatures do not have to
  understand the priest's words, they merely have to hear them.  Undead  and
  creatures normally immune to charm spells, such as  golems  and  creatures
  with Wisdom/Willpower scores of 19 or more, are not affected.
    The priest can hold an audience enthralled for up to one  hour,  as  per
  the enthrall spell, but excessive jeering can break the effects  (see  the
  spell description in the Player's Handbook). The priest can also  utter  a
  mass suggestion to creatures the character has enthralled; this  functions
  as the 6th-level wizard spell of the same  name  except  that  it  effects
  every creature currently enthralled  regardless  of  the  priest's  level.
  There is no saving throw vs. the mass suggestion if it is completed before
  the enthrall effect ends. The priest can issue only  one  mass  suggestion
  per use of the divine voice skill.
    Each use of this skill reduces the priest's base eminence score  by  two
  for one week. If the priest's eminence score is zero or less,  the  divine
  voice skill is ineffective.

    Requirement: Priest 15+, Eminence Skill
    Relevant Ability: Charisma/Leadership
    Success: 4
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Divine Will: Priests with this skill can call upon divine aid  to  bolster
  their own strength of will and resist any form of compulsion imposed upon
  them.
    When subjected to  any  form  of  unnatural  compulsion  from  a  spell,
  creature, or magical item, a priest can roll a skill check. If  the  check
  succeeds, the effect is negated, and no saving throw is necessary. If  the
  check fails, the priest still gets a saving throw if one is normally
  allowed.
    Divine will is effective against any effect that causes  the  priest  to
  act according to another creature's will, including all  forms  of  charm,
  geas, guest, fear, magic jar (the invading psyche is ejected),  beguiling,
  command, etc.
    Each use of this skill, successful or  not  reduces  the  priest's  base
  eminence score by two for one day. This  skill  is  ineffective  when  the
  character's eminence score has been reduced to zero or less.

    Requirement: Priest 10+
    Relevant Ability: Wisdom/Willpower
    Success: 4
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Detect Deception: A priest with this skill can see through  illusions  and
  falsehoods of all sorts.
    A successful skill roll allows the priest to uncover any falsehoods  the
  character encounters, be it a false image from  an  illusion  or  a  false
  statement from another creature.  This  skill  lasts  for  a  short  time,
  detailed on the table below:

      Priest Level                Duration
         15-17                    1 Turn
         18-20                    2 Turns
         21-23                    3 Turns
         24-26                    4 Turns
         27-30                    5 Turns

    If the skill check is unsuccessful, the priest is aware of  the  failure
  and must wait one turn  to  try  the  skill  again.  If  the  skill  check
  succeeds, the priest detects all forms of spoken falsehoods  automatically
  for the duration of the skill's effect. Unlike a  detect  lie  spell,  the
  priest knows when a creature is deliberately evading the truth. The  skill
  does not tell the priest what the truth is, it only reveals that fact that
  the priest has heard a lie or evasion. If the priest encounters magic that
  allows falsehoods to be spoken, the priest is unable to hear the magically
  protected creature speak; this reveals the falsehood indirectly.
    While the skill is in effect, the priest also gains an immediate  saving
  throw vs. spell to see through  any  false  vision  or  visual  distortion
  created by a spell, magical item, or creature. The DM should make the roll
  secretly. If successful, the priest  sees  the  false  image  as  a  fine,
  semitransparent mist. This power works against  all  forms  of  false  and
  misleading images, including mirror image, blur, shadow  door,  phantasmal
  force, and other spells that mislead or visually confuse viewers. Illusion
  spells that do  not  create  an  image,  such  as  invisibility,  are  not
  affected.  The  power  also  defeats  cloaks  of  displacement,  robes  of
  blending, and similar magical  items.  The  skill  has  no  power  against
  effects that disguise things through physical changes, such  as  polymorph
  self or shape change.
    Each use of this skill, successful or  not,  lowers  the  priest's  base
  eminence score by two for one week. If the priest's  base  eminence  score
  falls to zero or less, this skill is ineffective.

    Requirement: Priest 15+, Eminence Skill
    Relevant Ability: Wisdom/Intuition
    Success: 6
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Eminence: This skill allows priests to  wrap  themselves  in  an  aura  of
  divine power.
    A successful check creates an aura that lasts one round for  each  level
  the caster has attained. The aura is undetectable except by a true  seeing
  spell, which reveals it as a bright silver, inky black, or pearl gray halo
  depending on the priest's alignment.  The  aura  gives  the  priest  a  +4
  encounter reaction bonus when dealing with  worshippers  of  the  priest's
  deity or creatures of the same alignment.

                                   - 163 -

    Any hostile creature feels a shudder of fear when within 30 feet of  the
  priest. If the priest wills it, the fear takes hold, causing creatures  of
  less than 4th level or 4 Hit Dice to flee until the priest is no longer in
  sight. More powerful creatures are allowed a saving  throw  vs.  spell  to
  negate the fear. The skill works against all types  of  creatures  -  even
  those normally immune to fear attacks, such as undead. A cloak of  bravery
  or remove fear spell breaks the effect, as does a successful  use  of  the
  warrior skill bravery or the priest skill divine will. Once a creature has
  resisted the fear effect once, it is not subject to fear effects from  the
  same priest for the rest of the day.
    Creatures within 30 feet of an opposing priest using the eminence  skill
  are not subject to the fear effect if the second priest's level  is  equal
  to or higher than the priest using the fear effect.
    Each attempt to raise the aura, successful or not, reduces the  priest's
  base eminence score by  two  for  one  week.  When  the  character's  base
  eminence score is reduced to zero or less, the skill is ineffective.
    The eminence skill is a prerequisite for  the  divine  strength,  divine
  voice, divine will, detect deception, and invincibility skills. Each  time
  one of these skills are used,  the  character's  base  eminence  score  is
  reduced by two for either one day or one  week,  depending  on  the  skill
  used. Once the priest's base eminence score falls to zero,  the  character
  cannot use eminence or any of the other skills. The smite  skill  is  also
  connected to the priest's eminence score, but can be used (at some risk to
  the priest) when the eminence skill has been reduced to zero or less,  see
  page 167.

    Requirement: Priest 10+
    Relevant Ability: Charisma/Leadership
    Success: 6
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Invincibility: Priests with this skill  can  draw  upon  divine  power  to
  temporarily delay the harmful effects of special attacks, but not physical
  damage. If given sufficient time to rest, this  skill  allows  priests  to
  recover from such attacks without additional aid. It is  very  similar  to
  the warrior skill hardiness
    When subjected to a harmful special effect from a  spell,  creature,  or
  magical item, a priest can roll a skill check. If the check succeeds,  the
  effect is delayed for the period of time shown on the table below. If  the
  check fails, the priest suffers the effect normally. If the effect  allows
  a saving throw, the priest rolls the save before checking this skill.

        Priest Level              Delay
        21-23                     5 Rounds
        24-26                     10 Rounds
        27-30                     15 Rounds

    Invincibility does not delay simple damage from  any  source,  including
  continuing damage, such as Melf's acid arrow or a sword  of  wounding,  or
  special forms of purely physical damage, such as severed limbs  or  broken
  bones. This skill does not protect against effects that are  not  directly
  harmful, such as magical charms, entanglement, or imprisonment.
    If the skill succeeds, the priest  suffers  no  harm  from  the  delayed
  effect until the delay ends, but he is aware of what the effect is. If the
  priest receives the appropriate cure before the delay ends,  there  is  no
  harm to the character. If the harmful effect's duration  is  shorter  than
  the delay there also is no effect.
    For example, a 25th-level priest with 52 hit points left (from  a  total
  of 107) is battling a wizard who casts  power  word  kill  on  him.  After
  making his invincibility skill roll, he delays the effects  of  the  spell
  for 10 rounds. Four rounds later, after killing the wizard, he casts  heal
  on himself. When the delay effect is over,  the  power  word  kill  effect
  occurs, but his hit points are now over 60 and he is immune to the  spell.
  If he had not healed himself, he could have lapsed into unconsciousness in
  an effort to avoid the effect of the power word, as detailed below.
    If the harmful effect has not expired or been cured when the delay ends,
  the priest must either suffer the full force of the effect or  lapse  into
  unconsciousness while the character's body struggles to resist. The length
  of time the character remains unconsciousness depends on the extent of the
  injury, as noted on the table below.

       Injury                 Recovery Time
       Minor                  1 Day
       Severe                 1 Week
       Extreme                1 Month

  Minor: These effects impair - but do not  incapacitate  -  the  character,
  such as blindness, deafness, and ability score reductions. Spells such  as
  antipathy/sympathy (antipathy  effect),  cause  blindness/deafness,  color
  spray (most of the time), contagion, and holy word are examples  of  minor
  effects.

  Severe: Includes effects that incapacitate  or  completely  transform  the
  character, such as petrification, polymorphing, and  death.  Severe  spell
  effects include hold person, phantasmal  killer,  polymorph  other,  power
  word kill and power word stun.

                                   - 164 -

  Extreme: Includes effects that wrench the character's very being, such  as
  energy drains (per level drained) and magical aging (per year  aged).  Two
  notable examples include the 9th-level wizard spell energy drain  and  the
  6th-level priest spell age creature from the Tome of Magic.

    At the end of the recovery time, the character attempts a  system  shock
  roll. If the roll succeeds, the character awakens - fully healed - and the
  effects of the delayed  magic  are  nullified.  If  the  roll  fails,  the
  character awakens, but suffers the full force of the effect. Thus,  it  is
  possible for a character to rest for months and then wake up only  to  die
  from the effects of the delayed magic.
    For instance, if our priest from the above example had decided to  sleep
  off the effects of the power word kill he would have been unconscious  for
  a  week.  The  player  rolls  the  character's  system  shock  roll  (15
  Constitution) and rolls 96% - 6% over what he needed. Since the power word
  would have killed him at the time  he  lapsed  into  unconsciousness,  the
  character awakens just long enough to be killed by the spell.
    If a character is suffering from multiple effects, the  character  makes
  system shock rolls at the end of each  recovery  period.  The  player  can
  choose the order in which the checks are made, but the character does  not
  awaken until checks have been made for all the  effects.  For  example,  a
  character who was drained by a vampire and paralyzed  by  a  lich  remains
  unconscious for nine weeks - one month to revive  from  each  of  the  two
  levels the vampire drained and another week for the paralysis.
    If an appropriate cure is applied while the  character  is  unconscious,
  the character recovers immediately and automatically.
    Heroic Effort: As a last-ditch effort to continue a battle, a priest can
  use the invincibility skill to extend his life. Instead of dying  at  zero
  hit points (or falling unconscious at zero hit points and dying at -10  if
  the optional Hovering at Death's Door rule is in play), a priest who makes
  a successful invincibility check can continue fighting until reaching  -20
  hit points. The character can function in  this  state  for  a  number  of
  rounds equal to his delay effect, suffering the  appropriate  consequences
  for reduced hit points at the end of the delay.
    Use of this skill is not without its drawbacks, however. If  the  priest
  is reduced to -20 hit points or less, the character is struck  unconscious
  and dies once the delay expires. Once a character's hit points drop to -20
  or less, death is inevitable at the end of the delay period unless unusual
  conditions exist (see below).
    Curative spells can allow a priest struck unconscious by  being  reduced
  -20 hit points or less to rejoin a battle, but death still occurs  at  the
  end of the delay period. A raise dead or resurrection  spell  cast  during
  the delay period prevents death from occurring.
    It is possible that a character with the ability to regenerate  (from  a
  magical item or high Constitution score) can continue fighting even  after
  being reduced to -20 hit points or less.  If  regeneration  increases  the
  priest's hit points to -19 or more during the delay period, the  character
  regains consciousness and does not die if he receives  enough  healing  to
  restore him to positive hit points before the delay ends.  Even  if  death
  occurs, regeneration usually restores a character much more  quickly  than
  the rest period the invincibility skill requires. A character returned  to
  life through regeneration need not make a system shock roll.
    An amulet of life protection also allows a priest to  continue  fighting
  after being reduced to -20 hit points or less if  the  character  receives
  sufficient healing to restore him to -19 hit points or more. The character
  still lapses back into death at the end of the delay period, but any  form
  of magical healing can restore him to life (see page  79)  and  no  system
  shock roll is required.
    Each use of the invincibility skill lowers the  priest's  base  eminence
  score by two for the rest of the day. The  skill  is  ineffective  if  the
  character's base eminence score is reduced to zero or less.

    Requirement: Priest 21+, Eminence skill
    Relevant Ability: Wisdom/Willpower
    Success: 4
    Cost: 2 (6)

  Loan: Priests with this  skill  can  transfer  physical  vitality  between
  themselves and other living creatures.
    With a successful skill roll, the priest transfers a small amount of his
  own hit points to a living creature (or vice versa). If the  priest  tries
  to borrow hit points from an unwilling donor, an attack roll  is  required
  before the character cap make the skill roll. The  number  of  hit  points
  that are transferred depends on the priest's level:

      Priest Level           Amount of Loan
        15-19                1d8+2 Hit Points
        20-24                2d6+4 Hit Points
        25-29                3d6+6 Hit Points
        30+                  4d6+8 Hit Points

    Transferred hit points are immediately subtracted from the  donor's  hit
  point total and added to the recipient's total. The hit points are lost to
  the donor, just as though the donor was subjected to  a  damaging  attack.
  Donated hit points can be restored through rest or magical healing just as
  any other form of damage. If the donor  has  insufficient  hit  points  to
  supply the transfer, only those available are transferred  and  the  donor
  dies. Transferred hit points remain with the recipient  for  24  hours  or
  until lost in an attack.

                                   - 165 -

    Each attempt to use this skill lowers the base  score  by  two  for  one
  week. The skill is useless once the base score falls to zero or less.

    Requirement: Priest 15+
    Relevant Ability: Wisdom/Intuition
    Success: 4
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Smite: A priest  with  this  skill  is  empowered  to  direct  a  wave  of
  destruction at beings who have wronged the priest or offended the priest's
  deity.
    When the priest uses this power, a cone of divine force issues from  the
  priest's body in any direction the character wishes. The  cone  is  5'  in
  diameter at the priest's body and 30' in diameter  at  the  far  end.  Its
  maximum length depends on the priest's level as shown below:

         Priest Level         Cone Length
         18 - 20                  30'
         21-23                    50'
         24-26                    70'
         27-29                    90'
         30                       110'

    The priest has no control over the precise effect of the smiting,  which
  the DM chooses from the list below. No matter what the  effect,  only  the
  priest's enemies are harmed. Allies, innocent bystanders, and  worshippers
  in good standing with the priest's deity are not affected.
    Awestruck: This is the default effect when the deity does not  feel  the
  targets are offensive or threatening. It also is granted  when  the  deity
  feels that a simple demonstration of its power is sufficient to handle the
  situation.
    A two-dimensional depiction of the deity or the deity's  symbol  appears
  in front of the priest, causing the priest's enemies to stare at it in awe
  if they are within the cone. Creatures with  more  than  10  Hit  Dice  or
  levels are allowed a saving throw vs. spell. Even if  the  save  succeeds,
  creatures are awestruck for one round, regardless of  personal  immunities
  granted by spell or high ability scores.
    Creatures remain awestruck only as long as the priest remains motionless
  and concentrates on the effect, but no longer than one round per level  of
  the priest, plus 1d8 rounds, in any case. Enemies who enter the cone after
  the image appears are fully subject to the awe effect, even if they  avert
  their  eyes.  Any  motion  or  the  slightest  break  in  the  priest's
  concentration ends the  effect,  as  does  any  offensive  action  by  the
  priest's allies. Distractions to the awestruck  characters  also  end  the
  effect. Loud noises, magical displays, attacks, or attempts to  steal  the
  awestruck creatures' equipment, damage their property, or otherwise  cause
  them harm are sufficient to break the effect.
    Blinded: Deities grant this effect when they find the  target  creatures
  offensive, but not particularly dangerous.
    Only creatures with 12 or more levels or Hit Dice are allowed  a  saving
  throw vs. breath weapon to avoid the effect.
    Blinded creatures move at 2/3, the normal rate and suffer a  -4  penalty
  to attack rolls, saving throws,  initiative  rolls,  and  ability  checks.
  Blinded spellcasters cannot  cast  spells  unless  they  can  touch  their
  targets. Blindness  lasts  until  the  victim  receives  a  heal  or  cure
  blindness or deafness spell.
    Burned: This effect is granted when the targets are violent and pose  an
  immediate physical threat to the priest, a sacred site,  or  to  creatures
  friendly toward the priest. The cone fills with a mass of heatless  flames
  that burn the priest's enemies for 6d8 points of damage, save  vs.  breath
  weapon for half. Creatures killed by the flames are reduced  to  piles  of
  ash and no regeneration is possible. Though the  heatless  flames  do  not
  harm the area, they  can  affect  the  target's  equipment.  If  a  target
  creature fails the breath weapon saving throw or is killed by the  flames,
  any equipment the creature carries must  save  vs.  disintegration  or  be
  reduced to dust.
    Deafened: This effect occurs when the targets have not greatly  offended
  the deity or when the priest is not in significant peril.  Only  creatures
  with 12 or more levels or Hit Dice are allowed a saving throw  vs.  breath
  weapon to avoid the effect.
    Deafened creatures move at 3/4, the normal rate and suffer a -2  penalty
  to attack rolls, initiative rolls, and ability  checks.  There  is  a  50%
  chance that any spell a  deafened  spellcaster  attempts  fails  outright.
  Deafness lasts until the victim receives  a  heal  or  cure  blindness  or
  deafness spell.
    Death: Deities grant this effect only when deeply offended or  when  the
  priest is in extreme danger.  Enemies  within  the  cone  are  immediately
  reduced to dust if they have 4 Hit  Dice/levels  or  less.  Other  enemies
  suffer a doubled burning effect (12d8 points of damage,  save  vs.  spells
  for half damage).
    Immobilized: Deities commonly grant this effect  when  the  targets  are
  genuinely dangerous or offensive. Creatures of 6+1 Hit Dice/levels or less
  are automatically paralyzed, their flesh turning into a rigid, crystalline
  substance that is easily shattered. Other creatures are allowed a save vs.
  petrification to negate the effect. The immobility lasts 1d4+2 turns. Free
  action is useless against this effect.
    Immobilized creatures can be killed by striking their crystalline bodies
  with any hard object. For each strike, the creature  must  make  a  saving
  throw as rock crystal versus crushing  blow.  Only  bonuses  granted  from
  magical rings, cloaks, and armor count toward the  saving  throw.  Failure
  results in death.

                                   - 166 -

    Plagued: The deity grants this effect when the  targets  are  offensive,
  but do not pose any danger to the deity's interests. The priest's  enemies
  are affected as if struck by a cause disease spell. The disease  inflicted
  is debilitating (see the reversed form of the 3rd-level priest spell  cure
  disease) and causes the victim to radiate a foul stench.  The  disease  is
  neither contagious nor fatal. It can be cured by a cure disease or  breath
  of life spell from a caster of higher level that  the  priest  who  called
  down the plague.
    Slowed: This effect is granted when deity is offended, but  the  enemies
  pose no immediate threat to  a  sacred  site,  the  priest,  or  creatures
  friendly toward the priest or the deity. The effect is the same as the 3rd
  level wizard spell slow, except that creatures with less than 8+1 Hit Dice
  or levels get no saving throw. The slow effect lasts for 1d4+2 turns.
    Each use of this  ability  reduces  the  base  score  for  the  priest's
  eminence skill by two for one week. As long  the  priest  has  a  positive
  eminence score, the priest need not make a skill roll to smite enemies. If
  the priest's base eminence skill score  is  zero  or  less,  however,  the
  priest must roll an eminence check to  successfully  smite  enemies.  Note
  that this is possible only if the priest has a  Charisma/Leadership  bonus
  large enough to offset a negative base score. If the roll fails, the deity
  is displeased. At best, no  smite  effect  occurs,  at  worst,  the  deity
  directs a smite effect upon the priest.
    An example: Marissa has an eminence score of 4 and a Charisma/Leadership
  bonus of +4. She can freely smite enemies twice a  week  as  long  as  her
  eminence base score is not  reduced  by  using  other  skills.  During  an
  adventure, she uses her smite skill once and the divine voice skill  once.
  This reduces her eminence skill to zero. If she wishes to  use  her  smite
  skill again, she must roll a 4 or less on 1d20 to succeed.

                                   - 167 -


    Undaunted, Marissa smites a group of passing kobolds she has come  upon.
  Her 1d20 roll is a 3, so  the  smite  works.  Marissa's  deity  isn't  too
  worried about the kobolds,  who  were  minding  their  own  business  when
  Marissa came along, and grants Marissa an  awe  effect.  The  kobolds  are
  briefly entranced, but a fighter  from  Marissa's  party  wades  into  the
  kobolds, making an all-round attack. The attack breaks the awe effect.
    Feeling threatened by the swarm of kobolds, Marissa foolishly  tries  to
  smite  them  again.  Her  base  eminence  score  is  now  a  -2,  but  her
  Charisma/Leadership bonus increases that to a 2. Melissa rolls an  18  and
  fails. The deity is getting a little tired of all  Melissa's  attempts  to
  call for special aid and bestows a deafness effect  on  her.  Fortunately,
  her saving throw succeeds. Marissa's base eminence  score  is  now  a  -4,
  leaving her no chance to smite the kobolds again even  if  she  was  silly
  enough to try it again.

    Requirement: Priest 15+, Eminence Skill
    Relevant Ability: N/A
    Success: N/A
    Cost: 2 (6)

  Spell Talisman: This skill allows a priest to cast one or more  spells  at
  the beginning of each day, making them available for instant use.
    When a priest with this  skill  is  finished  praying  for  spells,  the
  character can attempt to cast the spell and direct its magical energy into
  a special container or talisman. A talisman is a small object  such  as  a
  jewel, crystal bead, or holy symbol blessed by the priest. A talisman must
  be worth at least 100 gp per spell level.
    A successful skill roll is required to place a spell into a talisman. If
  the roll fails, the spell is wasted. The priest must  have  all  necessary
  material components on hand and must meet all the  usual  requirements  to
  cast a spell. If casting the spell has an effect on the  priest,  such  as
  unnatural aging, the priest suffers the effect even if the spell  was  not
  placed in the talisman.
    The total levels of spells a priest can have stored in talismans  cannot
  exceed the priest's level. The highest level spell a priest can place in a
  talisman depends on the priest's level, as shown below:

     Priest Level       Maximum Spell Level
        12-14                  1st
        15-17                  2nd
        18-20                  3rd
        21-23                  4th
        24-26                  5th
        27-29                  6th
         30+                   7th

    For example, Wulf, a 21st-level priest, can have  up  to  21  levels  of
  spells stored, but no stored spell can be  higher  than  4th  level.  Wulf
  might choose to store  two  spells  of  4th  level,  two  3rd,  and  seven
  1st-level spells.
    To release a spell from a  talisman,  the  priest  must  be  holding  or
  carrying the item and have the  opportunity  to  concentrate  briefly  and
  utter a few words. Though the initiative modifier for releasing the  spell
  is +2, the release cannot be disrupted (though a gagged or silenced priest
  could not release the spell). Once the spell is released, it functions  as
  if cast normally in all respects, destroying the talisman in the process.
    A spell can be stored in a talisman for a maximum of 24  hours.  If  not
  used in the allotted time, or if separated from the priest for  more  than
  one hour, the talisman crumbles into dust and the spell is lost. No  being
  other than the priest who stored the spell can release the stored energy.
    A portion of the spell stored in a  talisman  lingers  in  the  priest's
  memory. If the priest memorizes spells again  before  the  24  hours  have
  expired, the character cannot regain the spell stored in the talisman. The
  priest cannot transfer a spell from a talisman  back  into  memory.  If  a
  talisman is destroyed, the spell is lost. A spell fades from the  priest's
  memory when it is released or lost.
    Spells stored in talismans can be cast on worlds where the local magical
  factor would not allow the spell to be  cast  (see  Chapter  2).  A  spell
  cannot be stored in talisman, however, unless the local  conditions  allow
  the spell to be cast. The initiative modifier for releasing a spell from a
  talisman is never affected by the local magical factor.

    Requirement: Priest 12+
    Relevant Ability: Intelligence/Knowledge
    Success: 4
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Rogues

    High-level rogues are masters of wit and  misdirection.  Although  their
  special abilities are never more than 95% effective,  they  receive  extra
  abilities at 21st level. They continue to receive extra proficiencies  and
  hit points until level 30. In addition, rogues also have access to a  host
  of special skills beginning at 11th level.

  Thieving Abilities

    Rogues of 10th level or lower are limited to scores of 95%  or  less  in
  thieving skills such as pick pockets and find traps. Once a  single  skill
  reaches 95%, the  character  must  spend  discretionary  points  on  other
  skills. If  all  the  character's  thieving  skill  scores  are  95%,  the
  discretionary points are lost.
    Once a rogue reaches 11th level, however, this  limitation  is  removed,
  and there is no limit to how far a character can improve a skill, although
  any discretionary points the character lost earlier are not  regained.  No
  matter what the skill score, any roll of 96% or  higher  is  an  automatic
  failure. Any penalties to the roll, however, are subtracted from the  base
  score.

                                   - 168 -

    For example, if Jobare has a find/remove traps score of 120%, he  has  a
  60% chance to find or remove a magical  trap  (magical  traps  reduce  the
  score by half, see Player's Handbook, Chapter 3).  Likewise,  if  Jobare's
  open locks score is 100%, he has a 40% chance to  open  a  masterful  lock
  (which imposes a penalty of - 60%, see Dungeon Master Guide, Table 24).

  Thieves Beyond 20th Level

    Extra Thieving Skills: At 21st level, a thief gains five new skills. The
  skills have base scores as  shown  on  Table  48  and  the  character  can
  immediately apply discretionary points to the skills:
    Bribe:  A  thief  can  bribe  an  NPC  with  minor  gifts  of  money  or
  merchandise. Only one bribe can be attempted per target.  If  the  attempt
  fails, the DM should make a reaction roll for the target to determine  how
  he counters the bribe.
    The amount of money required for a bribe varies with the  NPC's  status,
  according to the table below:

         NPC Status                Bribe
         Peasant/Slave             2d4 cp
         Freeman/Soldier           3d8 cp
         Merchant/Officer          5d10 cp
         Noble/General             5d100 cp

    Bribery procedure: It is best to role play an attempt  at  bribery,  but
  here are a few guidelines:
    First, the DM must decide if the NPC in  question  can  be  bribed,  not
  everyone is susceptible. No character can be bribed to do  something  that
  falls outside his job or station. A simple peasant or a palace guard would
  not agree to assassinate his king or liege lord for a few coins.  However,
  the peasant might offer a party shelter for the night or  hide  the  thief
  from a search party. A guard might agree to look the other way  while  the
  party sneaks out the gate.

  Table 47: Bogue Advancement Beyond 20th

                                      Proficiencies        Hit Points
   Level       Experience Points    Weapon Nonweapon          (d6)*
    20             2,200,000           7       8              10+26
    21             2,420,000           7       8              10+22
    22             2,640,000           7       8              10+24
    23             2,860,000           7       8              10+26
    24             3,080,000           8       9              10+28
    25             3,300,000           8       9              10+30
    26             3,520,000           8       9              10+32
    27             3,740,000           8       9              10+34
    28             3,960,000           9       10             10+36
    29             4,180,000           9       10             10+38
    30             4,300,000           9       10             10+40

  * Bonus hit points from high Constitution scores are not added after 10th
  level.

    Likewise, a  simple  bribe  never  induces  a  character  to  compromise
  something he believes in or do something  that  places  the  character  in
  danger. For instance, an acolyte cannot be bribed to look  the  other  way
  while the party defiles a holy water font. In  any  case,  an  NPC  bribed
  through the use of this skill does not perform any action that takes  more
  than a few minutes of effort or places himself in danger - the  task  must
  strike the character as something that is quick and harmless.
    Once the DM decides that the NPC can be bribed, use Table 59  (Encounter
  Reactions, from the  Dungeon  Master  Guide)  to  determine  how  the  NPC
  responds when meeting the thief. Secretly roll 1d20  and  find  the  NPC's
  reaction on the table. Do not tell the player what the reaction is, simply
  role play the NPC's response to whatever the thief does.
    If the die roll results in a friendly reaction, the  NPC  probably  does
  what the thief wants without a bribe. If  not,  the  thief  has  to  offer
  something - money, services, a magical item, information, or anything else
  valuable - to sweeten the NPC's reaction. To determine  the  exact  amount
  required, roll on the bribery table, above, and multiply the result by the
  difference between the reaction roll and the highest number  on  Table  59
  that is a friendly result.
    The player should never be told exactly  the  NPC's  station,  the  base
  bribe value, or the initial reaction roll. Good role-playing on  the  DM's
  part should allow a perceptive player to guess the first and the last.
    For example, Jobare, the King of Thieves,  approaches  a  peasant  in  a
  friendly manner and starts fishing for information about the local  baron.
  The DM rolls a 13 for the peasant's reaction and checks the number on  the
  first column in Table 59 (because Jobare is acting friendly); the  peasant
  is cautious. The DM decides that the peasant is suspicious, and thinks the
  thief is a spy or bandit. "Boy, stranger, you sure do ask a whole  lot  of
  questions," says the peasant while backing away slowly.

                                   - 169 -

    The DM secretly rolls 2d4 and discovers that the base value of the bribe
  is 5 cp. However, the highest number that gives a friendly result  on  the
  first column of Table 59 is a 7, the difference is 6 (13-7), so Jobare has
  to give at least 30 cp (5x6) to make an effective bribe. Once Jobare  pays
  the required amount, the player can make a bribery roll. If  it  succeeds,
  Jobare can ask a few simple questions and get equally simple answers.
    Detect illusion: Thieves,  masters  of  deception  themselves,  can  see
  through visible illusions within their  line  of  sight,  up  to  90  feet
  away.,They perceive the illusion as a translucent image, seeing through it
  as though it were a light mist. The more real the illusion, the more solid
  the image.
    For example, phantasmal force would  be  totally  translucent,  while  a
  simulacrum would be mostly solid. Demishadow monsters would  be  somewhere
  in between the two. Invisibility and other nonvisible  effects  cannot  be
  discerned.
    Detection  is  not  automatic,  and  the  thief  must  spend  a  round
  concentrating on the area of effect to discover its illusionary qualities.
  Knowing that something is an  illusion  is  not  necessarily  a  fail-safe
  defense against illusionary magic, such as in the case of a simulacrum.
    Detect magic: Thieves can spot magical emanations within their  line  of
  sight, up to 60 feet away. They can determine the intensity of the magic -
  dim, faint, moderate,  strong,  and  overwhelming.  This  ability  can  be
  blocked by the same things that prevent detect magic spells from
  operating.
    Escape Bonds: There comes a time in every thief's career when  his  luck
  runs out and he is apprehended. The ability to escape bonds such as ropes,
  leather thongs, manacles, chains, and even straight jackets is a  feat  of
  contortion and determination. The thief must roll to break free  of  every
  device binding him. If he's tied at the wrists and at the ankles, he  must
  make two successful rolls to free himself. This skill takes five rounds to
  use. A thief might hurry his efforts, but he suffers  a  -5%  penalty  for
  each round he tries to shave from the required  time.  Locked  items  also
  require the thief to successfully pick the locks. A failure on any attempt
  means that the thief cannot loosen that bond or pick the lock.

  Table 49: Thieving Skill Racial Adjustments

  Skill              Dwarf Elf Gnome Half-elf Halfling Human
  Bribe               -5   +15  +5      +5        -      -
  Detect Illusion     +5    -  +10      +5        -      -
  Detect Magic        +5   +10  +5      +5        +5     -
  Escape bonds         -   -    -        -       +10     -
  Tunneling           +10  -10  +5      -5        +5     -

  Table 48: Thieving Skill Base Scores

  Skill                                  Base Chance
  Bribe                                      5%
  Detect illusion                           10%
  Detect magic                               5%
  Escape bonds                              10%
  Tunneling                                 15%

    Tunneling: A thief might need to dig a tunnel  to  get  to  a  cache  of
  riches. His success at tunneling depends on several factors. The tunneling
  table below shows the time required to dig a 10-foot tunnel with  adequate
  tools. Every 10 feet, the thief must make a  skill  check,  failure  means
  that the front of the tunnel collapses. It can be redug at the loose earth
  rate.

     Type of Earth             Modifier          Time
     Sand/loose earth            -10%           5 hours
     Packed earth                               10 hours
     Rock                        +10%           30 hours

  Tables 49, 50, and 51 give racial, Dexterity/Aim,  and  armor  adjustments
  for the skills.
    If the character point system from the Player's Option: Skills &  Powers
  book is in play, a thief may already have some or all of these new skills.
  In that case, the thief gains 50 bonus character points at 21st level. The
  character must use the points to buy thieving  skills  from  Table  27  in
  Skills & Powers. If the thief already has 9 or more of the  skills  listed
  on Table 27, the character cannot spend all 50 points on  thieving  skills
  and is allowed to spend them on proficiencies and high-level rogue  skills
  instead. The ability to acquire additional thieving skills  is  a  special
  bonus for . reaching 21st level; it is  not  normally  possible  to  gain,
  additional thieving skills after the character is created.

                                   - 170 -

  Table 50: Dexterity/Aim Adjustments

  Skill                   9   10   11  12-16  17   18   19   20   21   22
  Escape bonds         -15%  -10% -5%    -    +5% +10% +15% +20% +25% +30%
  Tunneling            -10%   -5%   -    -     -   +5% +10% +15% +20% +30%


    Improved Scroll Use: At  24th  level,  a  thief  begins  to  develop  an
  understanding of magic. The character becomes enlightened enough  to  read
  some spell scrolls with no chance of failure, as follows:

   Thief Level               Spell Level*
     24-26                        1st
     27-28                        2nd
     29-30                        3rd

  * There is no chance for failure when reading a scroll of the listed level
  or less. Scroll spells of higher level have the standard 25% chance for  a
  reversed or harmful effect.

  Bards Beyond 20th Level

    Extra Thieving Skills: At 21st level, a bard gains two of the  five  new
  skills listed in the thief section. The skills have base scores  as  shown
  on Table 48, and the character can immediately apply discretionary  points
  to the skills.
    If the character point system from Player's Option: Skills &  Powers  is
  in play, a bard may already have some or all of these new skills. In  that
  case, the bard  gains  20  bonus  character  points  at  21st  level.  The
  character must use the points to buy thieving skills from Table 27 in  the
  Skills & Powers book.

  Table 51: Thieving Skill Armor Adjustments

     Skill           No Armor    Elven Chain   Padded or Studded Leather
     Bribe             -10%        +5%                  -5%
     Escape bonds      +5%         -5%                  -5%
     Tunneling         +10%        -5%                  -10%

    Improved Scroll Use: Also at 21st level, a bard can read  wizard  spells
  from scrolls with no chance of failure provided  that  the  bard  is  high
  enough level the cast the spell. The rogue can read low-level spells  from
  priest spells from scrolls as follows:

             Bard Level         Spell Level*
             21-23                  1st
             24-26                  2nd
             27-29                  3rd
             30                     4th

    The bard has the standard 15% chance for a reversed  or  harmful  effect
  when reading scroll of wizard spells of higher level  than  the  character
  can cast or priest spells of higher level than the table allows.

    Improved Item Identification: At 21st level, a bard can analyze  magical
  items and determine something about their specific powers.
    For each hour a bard spends studying an item, the character  has  a  55%
  chance to determine a single power. The item's exact magical  bonuses  and
  number of charges are never  revealed  (see  the  1st-level  wizard  spell
  identify). The bard need not handle the item or expend any materials,  the
  character merely examines the item closely.

                                   - 171 -

    Magical Item Use: At 24th level, a bard can use wands, staves, and  rods
  as a wizard of the same level.

    Item Creation: At 27th  level,  a  bard  can  write  wizard  spells  the
  character knows and brew potions as a wizard of the same level.

  Skills For High-Level Rogues

    The following skills are available to thieves and  bards  who  meet  the
  listed requirements.

  Adaptation: A character with this skill has a trained  mind  that  quickly
  analyzes unusual or unfavorable environments and a finely tuned body  that
  can compensate for physical impediments to fighting.  Except  where  noted
  below, it is identical to the warrior skill of the same name.
    Rogues who  use  this  skill  successfully  do  not  suffer  combat  and
  initiative penalties for fighting  in  an  unfavorable  environment,  most
  notably the +6 foreign environment penalty to initiative (see Chapter 9 of
  the Player's Handbook). If the environment also  includes  special  saving
  throws  or  ability  checks  due  to  physical  conditions,  such  as  a
  Dexterity/Balance check to avoid falling  off  a  ladder  when  struck  in
  melee, characters successfully using this skill receive  a  +3  (or  +15%)
  bonus to the check.
    The skill does not  allow  characters  to  ignore  situational  movement
  penalties,  environmental  factors  that  are  not  combat  related,  or
  conditions that are physically impossible to overcome. For example, no one
  can avoid sinking into quicksand without magical aid, and resistance  from
  water still makes slashing and bludgeoning weapons almost useless  without
  a ring of free action or a free action spell. Likewise, characters adapted
  to fighting underwater still have to find ways to breathe.

  Table 52: Bard Spell Progression


    Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
     20   4 4 4 4 4 3 - -
     21   4 4 4 4 4 4 1 -
     22   4 4 4 4 4 4 2 -
     23   4 4 4 4 4 4 3 -
     24   4 4 4 4 4 4 4 -
     25   5 5 4 4 4 4 4 -
     26   5 5 5 5 4 4 4 -
     27   5 5 5 5 5 5 4 -
     28   6 5 5 5 5 5 5 -
     29   6 6 5 5 5 5 5 1
     30   6 6 6 6 5 5 5 1

    The skill has no effect  on  penalties  derived  from  an  environment's
  magical properties or on penalties based on vision or lighting.  In  fact,
  characters who cannot observe their surroundings suffer a - 4  penalty  to
  the skill check - it is very hard to size up battlefield in thick  fog  or
  pitch darkness.
    To use this skill, a character must actually enter combat in  a  foreign
  or unfavorable environment. At the end of each round, the character checks
  the skill. The skill check requires only a moment's  thought  and  can  be
  checked every round until successful. It does not prevent other actions  -
  melee attacks, spellcasting,  etc.-  during  the  round.  Once  the  skill
  succeeds, the character  temporarily  ignores  the  environment's  special
  effects, as described above. The effect lasts for the entire  battle  plus
  one  day  per  character  level  thereafter,  and  this  can  be  extended
  indefinitely if the character practices fighting in the environment for at
  least eight hours a week. At an extra cost  of  one  weapon  or  nonweapon
  proficiency slot (or three character points),  the  character  can  become
  permanently  adjusted  to  fighting  in  the  environment,  provided  the
  additional cost is paid before the adaptation fades.

    Requirement: Rogue 11+
    Relevant Ability: Intelligence/Reason
    Success: 10
    Cost: 2 (6)

  Classify Traps: Rogues with this skill have made an  exhaustive  study  of
  traps and may be able to apply their knowledge to any traps they find. The
  skill is useless without the find traps ability.
    A successful skill roll reveals a trap's  exact  nature,  not  just  its
  general principle. A successful skill roll shows how the  trap  works  and
  what it does to people who trigger it. The rogue learns where any  attacks
  the trap launches are aimed - provided he can  observe  those  areas.  The
  examination requires at least a turn for  basic  constructs  and  possibly
  much longer for very elaborate  traps  (DM's  discretion).  A  magical  or
  invisible trap reduces the rogue's success number, including ability score
  bonuses, by half, round fractions up.
    A failed skill roll  of  less  than  20  means  that  the  rogue  cannot
  determine anything special about this particular trap. A roll of 20  means
  the rogue has made a false assumption about what the trap  does.  As  with
  any roll a rogue makes when finding or removing a trap, the DM should make
  the skill roll secretly.
    If the rogue decides to disarm a trap after  a  successful  examination,
  the character can make two remove traps rolls taking only the best result.
  Alternatively, the rogue can simply bypass the trap by standing in a  safe
  place and triggering it, carefully avoiding the areas it targets.  If  the
  DM decides it is not possible to completely avoid the trap's effects,  the
  rogue is allowed a saving throw vs.  breath  weapon.  If  successful,  the
  rogue is unharmed; otherwise, the damage inflicted is reduced by half.  If
  the rogue also has the evasion skill, the character gets a +2 bonus to the
  saving throw. If the rogue has  companions,  the  character  can  mark  or
  carefully explain what the trap does, allowing these characters to attempt
  breath weapon saving throws to avoid the effects. If the save  fails,  the
  victim suffers only half damage.

                                   - 172 -

    In many cases, a trap's attack cannot  have  a  half  effect.  In  these
  cases, the DM can require another saving throw against the  trap's  attack
  form or rule that character's are fully effected when they fail the breath
  weapon saving throw.

    An example: Jobare analyzes a trap he has found on a door and  discovers
  that opening the door is going to flood the corridor, and possibly chamber
  beyond, with poisonous gas. Jobare decides that plugging all the gas vents
  would require too much time, so he advises his  colleagues  to  take  deep
  breaths and tie damp cloths over their faces. When  the  preparations  are
  complete, Jobare flings open the door. Because the party did not leave the
  area the gas is flooding into, the DM calls for saving throw checks to see
  if anyone is effected by the gas. Because it is difficult for  someone  to
  suffer a half effect from poison gas, the DM requires the  characters  who
  fail their breath weapon saving throws to roll a second saving  throw  vs.
  poison to see if they succumb to the gas they  inadvertently  inhaled.  If
  the trap dropped a 20-ton block into the corridor instead of  poison  gas,
  the DM would have been justified in ruling that character who failed their
  breath weapon saving throws were crushed to death instead.

    Requirement: Rogue 11+
    Relevant Ability: Intelligence/Knowledge
    Success: 4
    Cost: 2 (6)

                                   - 173 -

  Evasion: Rogues with this skill can avoid damage  from  energy  discharges
  such  as  breath  weapons,  fireball  spells,  and  the  like  through  a
  combination of superior reflexes and inner strength.
    This skill operates automatically whenever a rogue is  subjected  to  an
  energy attack that causes damage. The rogue rolls a  normal  saving  throw
  vs. the effect and suffers no damage if it is successful.  This  skill  is
  not effective against effects that do not inflict damage or  that  do  not
  normally allow a saving throw. For example, the skill does not protect the
  rogue against a  bronze  dragon's  repulsion  breath  weapon,  a  gorgon's
  petrifying breath, or magic missile spells.
    The rogue can also avoid missiles fired from fixed points, such as traps
  and siege engines, but not from creatures. If  not  surprised,  the  rogue
  avoids the missile with a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon.

    Requirement: Rogue 16+
    Relevant Ability: N/A
    Success: N/A
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Fall/Jump: A rogue with this skill can safely break a fall if there  is  a
  vertical surface nearby to help  slow  the  character's  descent.  A  very
  accomplished rogue can fall or jump from amazing heights  and  not  suffer
  the slightest injury.
    A successful skill check allows the rogue to make contact with a  nearby
  surface and safely descend. The maximum distance from a  vertical  surface
  and the maximum distance for a safe fall depends of the rogue's level:

                            Surface        Distance
      Rogue Level          Distance         Fallen
        11-13                 1'              30'
        14-16                 2'              60'
        17-19                 3'              90'
        20-21                 5'             120'
        22-24                 7'             150'
        25-27                 9'             180'
        28-30                 11'            210'

    Rogues who simply step off a precipice or fall while climbing are always
  within one foot of a vertical surface  unless  it  has  a  negative  slope
  (angled back under the place from which the rogue fell). Any surface  that
  can provide a reasonable amount of friction when the  rogue  grabs  it  or
  places his hands or feet against it is  sufficient  (ropes,  tree  trunks,
  walls, etc.). Very smooth or slippery surfaces  are  useless  (ice  walls,
  greased poles, walls of force, etc.).
    If the fall is longer than the safe distance  allowed  for  the  rogue's
  level,  subtract  the  safe  distance  from  the  total  distance  before
  determining damage from the fall. For example, a  trap  door  opens  under
  Jobare, a 20th-level thief, and dumps him into a shaft 10 feet square.  No
  matter what happens, Jobare is within five feet of one  wall,  so  he  can
  attempt to break his fall. His skill roll  succeeds,  however,  the  shaft
  goes down 150 feet and then opens into a chamber 30 feet high and  several
  hundred feet across. Jobare can break only the first 120 feet if his  fall
  and suffers 6d6 points of damage for the final 60 feet.  Even  if  he  had
  been a 30th-level thief, Jobare would have suffered 3d6 points  of  damage
  because there was no surface within reach to break the final  30  feet  of
  the fall.

    Requirement: Rogue 11+
    Relevant Ability: Dexterity/Balance
    Success: 11 Cost: 1 (3)

  Featherfoot: Rogues with this skill can make their footsteps as light as a
  feather, moving silently and exerting very little pressure on the  surface
  they are moving over.
    This skill is a function of the rogue's move silently ability, which  is
  a requirement for using this skill. A rogue who makes  a  successful  move
  silently roll can move a short distance over a surface fairly quickly  and
  without exerting any appreciable weight on it, according to the table
  below.

   Rogue Level       Surface  Distance*  Movement
     11-13           Soft        30'        12
     14-16           Very Soft   60'        15
     17+             Liquid     120'        18

  * The rogue must stop and make contact with the surface after moving this
  far.

  Soft Surfaces: Mud, snow, sand, or  other  surfaces  where  normal  humans
  would leave clear tracks.

  Very Soft Surfaces: Quicksand, fine dust, or other surfaces  where  normal
  humans would sink slowly.

  Liquid Surfaces: Water or other surfaces where normal  humans  would  sink
  immediately.

    A rogue using the featherfoot skill moves in complete silence and leaves
  no tracks on the ground. The character's weight doe not  press  down  upon
  the surface at all. The character does not  set  off  any  alarm  or  trap
  triggered by weight and does not trigger a squeaking floors spell.

                                   - 174 -

    Requirement: Rogue 11+
    Relevant Ability: N/A
    Success: N/A
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Improvised  Attack:  Rogues  with  this  skill  can  use  unorthodox  and
  unexpected maneuvers to  achieve  special  results  in  combat.  The  more
  unusual the maneuver, the better its chance for success.
    A rogue can use this skill only once a day, but the character can  learn
  the skill multiple times. For example, a rogue who learns this skill three
  times can make three improvised attacks each day. An improvised attack can
  have one of the following effects:
    Blinding: If the attack succeeds, the  opponent  must  save  vs.  breath
  weapon or suffer blocked vision (from debris  thrown  into  the  eyes,  an
  object wrapped around the victim's head, or even a hat or  helmet  dropped
  over the eyes). The opponent suffers the full penalties for darkness ( - 4
  to attacks, saving  throws,  and  Armor  Class  and  movement  reduced  to
  one-third;  see  the  Dungeon  Master  Guide,  Chapter  13).  Because  the
  opponent's situation is painful or  awkward  or  both,  the  blindfighting
  proficiency does not reduce the penalties. Note that many creatures cannot
  be blinded in an improvised attack because they have no eyes or visual
  organs.
    The blinding effect lasts until the opponent clears  his  vision,  which
  requires a roll of 9 or less on 1d20. The opponent's  Wisdom/Willpower  or
  Dexterity/Balance score affects the roll - the DM  decides  which  ability
  applies. The opponent can attempt to clear his vision at the beginning  of
  each round, but doing so counts as a half move (see the Player's  Handbook
  Chapter 9, or Combat & Tactics, Chapter 1).
    Disarm: If  the  attack  is  successful,  the  opponent  must  save  vs.
  petrification or lose the use of one weapon (because it is dropped or  has
  become stuck in something). Recovering a lost weapon takes a half move. If
  the weapon is stuck, the opponent must make a successful open  doors  roll
  to get it free.
    Immobilize: If the attack succeeds, the opponent's entire  body  becomes
  entangled or trapped, and he must  save  vs.  paralyzation  or  cease  all
  meaningful movement. The opponent remains unable to move or  attack  until
  he works free, which requires a roll of 9 or less on 1d20.  The creature's
  Strength/Muscle or Dexterity/Aim score  applies  to  the  roll  -  the  DM
  decides which ability applies. The opponent can attempt to get free at the
  beginning of each round, but doing so counts as a half move.
    Kill: If the attack succeeds, the opponent  suffers  a  critical  injury
  that reduces the  creature's  hit  points  to  -10  instantly  unless  the
  opponent saves vs. death magic. If the save succeeds, there is no  effect,
  but in some cases, the rogue can force the  opponent  to  save  again  the
  following round by winning initiative and grappling the opponent.
    For example, Jobare has attempted to kill an enemy warrior by slamming a
  shutter down on his neck. The warrior's saving throw was  successful,  but
  his head is still caught under the shutter. Jobare can attempt a grappling
  attack to get another chance to strangle the warrior.
    Opponents with more Hit Dice or who are higher level than the rogue  are
  immune to kill effects. In this instance, the thief inflicts normal
  damage.
    Stun: If the attack is successful, the opponent  must  save  vs.  breath
  weapon  or  become  stunned  for  2d4  rounds.  The  character's
  Constitution/Fitness adjustment applies to the  saving  throw.  A  stunned
  character is unable to cast spells, attack, or  move  at  more  than  half
  speed. The character suffers a -2 penalty to Armor  Class,  attack  rolls,
  saving throws, and ability checks while stunned.
    Trip: If the attack succeeds, the opponent suffers a  misstep  or  other
  misfortune and must save vs. petrification or fall down. Dexterity/Balance
  bonuses apply to the saving throw. Creatures that  fall  while  moving  at
  speeds greater than 12 might suffer minor damage (1d3  or  1d6  points  of
  damage, at the DM's option). In some cases, a  fall  might  be  inherently
  more dangerous, such as when a character falls when climbing  or  stumbles
  onto a sharp object. If a fall could result  in  instant  death,  use  the
  rules for killing attacks instead. Getting up after a  fall  counts  as  a
  half move.
    The improvised attack skill requires some imagination  and  role-playing
  ability from the player. An improvised  attack  must  be  announced  in  a
  round's player declaration phase. During the resolution phase, the  player
  must describe exactly what unusual attack  the  rogue  is  employing  -  a
  simple called shot never qualifies as an improvised attack. The rogue then
  makes a normal attack roll. Standard combat modifiers apply, as  does  the
  rogue's backstab bonus for rear attacks that qualify. In most  cases,  the
  rogue's missile  bonus  from  Dexterity/Aim  also  applies,  because  most
  improvised attacks rely on precision and fast movement. Improvised attacks
  that involve a blow to the opponent are also  subject  to  Strength/Muscle
  bonuses.
    If the attack fails, the improvised attack has no effect. If the  attack
  succeeds, the opponent suffers no damage but must roll a saving  throw  or
  suffer the improvised special effect. The cleverness  and  appropriateness
  of the attack affects the saving throw as follows:

    +6 if the rogue player made no attempt  to  role-play  or  describe  the
  attack. For example,  the  player  says,  "I  blind  the  dragon  with  an
  improvised attack."

    +4 if the rogue player makes only  a  feeble  attempt  to  role-play  or
  describe the attack. "Uh, I find some dirt and throw it in the dragon's
  eyes"

                                   - 175 -

    +2 to +6 if the attack described is  physically  unlikely  to  have  the
  desired effect. Trying to trip a horse with a staff is not  likely  to  be
  effective.
    The save is automatic if the method described is completely  inadequate.
  For example, no character can strangle a great wyrm dragon with a  12-inch
  leather thong, nor can a character blind a storm  giant  with  a  glob  of
  oatmeal unless he can reach the giant's face.

    +2 if the rogue has used the same trick earlier in  the  adventure.  The
  bonus is +4 if the rogue has used the trick earlier in the same encounter,
  +6 if the rogue has used the  trick  on  the  same  creature  during  this
  adventure, and +8 if the rogue has used the trick  on  the  same  creature
  this encounter. However, see the note on establishing tricks, below.

    -2 if the opponent is surprised.

    -4 if the attack described is  particularly  appropriate.  For  example,
  causing a fall from a wall by slamming a window  down  on  the  creature's
  fingers, entangling an opponent in a fishing net, blinding a  creature  by
  tricking it into looking at a dusty object and then blowing the dust  into
  its face, etc.

    The optional saving throw modifiers from Table 36 or from Table  38  can
  be applied to the saving throw if the DM wishes.

  Establishing a Trick: If a rogue has successfully used the same improvised
  attack in three  separate  adventures,  the  character  can  purchase  the
  improvised attack skill the next time he gains a level and make the  trick
  a permanent part of the character's skills. An established  trick  can  be
  used once per encounter  without  the  usual  penalty  for  multiple  use;
  situational penalties still apply. Using an  established  trick  does  not
  count toward the character's daily allotment of improvised attacks  unless
  the trick is used more than once in a single encounter, in which case  the
  multiple use penalties also apply. Opponents who  have  fought  the  rogue
  previously and are prepared for an established  trick  gain  a  +6  saving
  throw bonus against it.
    An Example: Jobare is collecting his ill-gotten gains after  a  game  of
  chance in a seedy inn. When one of the players  demands  his  money  back,
  Jobare asks the fellow to hold out his hand. When the man complies, Jobare
  grabs his own feathered hat and clamps it over the man's face. The DM  and
  the player agree that this is a blinding attack. The  DM  decides  that  a
  roll for surprise is in order, as the man is  dutifully  holding  out  his
  hand and not expecting attack. The man rolls a  2  on  the  surprise  die,
  indicating surprise. Jobare rolls a normal melee attack, adjusts  for  his
  Dexterity/Aim score and the fact that the man  is  surprised.  The  attack
  succeeds, and the DM rules that the man must save. vs. breath weapon at  -
  2 or be blinded. His saving throw fails, giving Jobare an  opportunity  to
  escape.
    Later, Jobare has a special hat made that is lined with pleats of  loose
  cloth that allow the hat to unfold into a small bag,  and  it  contains  a
  springy headband that helps hold the hat in place, whether the hat  is  on
  Jobare's head or on an opponent's face. Jobare uses his trick hat  several
  times, and when he gains enough experience to advance a level, he  decides
  establish it as a skill (spending one proficiency slot or three  character
  points).

    Requirement: Rogue 16+
    Relevant Ability: N/A
    Success: N/A
    Cost: 2 (6)

  Inner Focus: Rogues with this skill can marshal their personal energies to
  provide  a  temporary  bonus  to  their  Dexterity,  Intelligence,  or
  Constitution scores; it is otherwise similar to the warrior skill  of  the
  same name.
    By concentrating for one round and making a successful skill check,  the
  rogue can improve one of the three eligible ability scores  to  the  value
  listed on the table below. The improvement lasts one round  per  character
  level. Because the majority of the character's energy is directed  to  the
  improved ability score, the other two ability scores are  reduced  by  two
  points each. The rogue can end the boost - and restore the values  of  the
  other two ability scores - at any time. If the character's  ability  score
  is already higher than the value listed on the table, this  skill  has  no
  effect. If the optional subabilities rule from Skills & Powers is in play,
  both subabilities in the increased ability score are raised to the same
  value.

       Rogue Level              Improved Score
         11-15                        18
         16-20                        19
         21-25                        20
         26-30                        21

    The rogue can take no other actions during the round spent concentrating
  on raising the selected ability score. Each attempt,  successful  or  not,
  during a single day lowers the base skill score by two.
    Bonuses from an increased score are applied immediately when  the  skill
  succeeds  and  are  immediately  lost  when  the  boost's  duration  ends.
  Likewise, the effects from reduced ability scores are applied  immediately
  but then restored when the improvement ends.
    A character can have only one ability score improvement from this  skill
  operating at any given time.

                                   - 176 -

    Requirement: Rogue 11+
    Relevant Ability: Wisdom/Willpower
    Success: 5
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Nondetection: Rogues with this skill can shield themselves from many types
  of magical divination, as the 3rdlevel wizard spell of the same name.
    When subjected  to  a  spell  such  as  ESP,  clairaudience,  or  detect
  invisibility, or to a magical item such as a crystal  ball,  a  successful
  skill check defeats the spell or device. Even if the roll fails, the rogue
  is still entitled to any applicable saving throws.
    This skill is  also  effective  against  the  sense  danger  skill,  the
  priest's detect  deception  skill,  and  the  ability  of  intelligent  or
  powerful creatures to detect invisible opponents. When subjected to one of
  these powers, the rogue can attempt an opposed Wisdom/Willpower  check  to
  remain undetected.
    This skill is not effective against  the  spells  know  alignment,  true
  seeing, commune, or contact other  plane,  nor  is  this  skill  effective
  against the detection abilities of legendary monsters, wyrm and great wyrm
  dragons, and deities.

    Requirement: Rogue 16+
    Relevant Ability: Wisdom/Willpower
    Success: 4
    Cost: 2 (6)

  Sense Danger: This skill allows rogues to discover threats  that  are  not
  obvious to less perceptive characters. It is similar to the warrior  skill
  of the same name, but relies on  the  rogue's  intellect  rather  than  on
  intuition and grants rogues a slightly different set of sensing abilities.
    The sense danger skill is actually four different subskills, as outlined
  below. The number of subskills the rogue knows depends on the  character's
  level: one subskill at 16th-20th level, two subskills at 21st-25th  level,
  and three subskills at 26th-30th level. If the  character  purchases  this
  skill twice, the rogue gains one extra subskill. Any  improvement  to  the
  skill number improves all the subskills the character knows.
    Each subskill gives the rogue the ability to detect danger in a
  different form:

    Ambushes: The rogue can determine if hidden enemies are lurking  in  any
  area the character can see well (see Table 62 in the  Player's  Handbook).
  The rogue can scan an area roughly 200 yards square in a single round.  An
  area can be scanned only once each turn, and  a  successful  scan  reveals
  approximately how  many  creatures  are  hiding  in  the  area  and  their
  approximate size.
    Concealed Weapons: The rogue can study a creature to determine if it has
  any concealed weapons. A successful check reveals any weapons hidden about
  the creature's person (tucked into clothing, hidden nearby, etc). If faced
  with an unknown creature, a successful skill check  allows  the  rogue  to
  determine what its attack modes are (claws, teeth, etc.).
    When the rogue detects a concealed weapon with this skill, the character
  notes its general size, location, and type - a sap tucked into the back of
  a character's breeches or a dagger hidden in a sleeve,  for  example.  The
  character learns nothing else about the weapon. Note that the  rogue  must
  be aware of the creature before checking for concealed weapons -  a  rogue
  cannot attempt to search a statue for concealed weapons because the player
  suspects it might be a golem. Unlike the warrior's version of this  skill,
  a rogue can detect magically concealed weapons.
    Hostile Intentions: A rogue can size up a living creature in plain sight
  and deduce its level of hostility  toward  the  rogue  and  his  party.  A
  successful roll gives the rogue a  general  level  of  hostility:  low  (a
  suspicious merchant), medium (a thief from an  opposing  guild),  or  high
  (caught by the local wizard with his staff of the magi in your  backpack).
  Unlike the warrior ability, the rogue  skill  does  not  reveal  how  well
  prepared for attack the creature is,  just  how  much  it  would  like  to
  attack. This skill does not indicate how likely a creature is  to  attack,
  since a creature does not always act on its hostility.
    Impending Attacks: The rogue develops a sixth sense  about  weapons  and
  other forms of attack aimed at the character. Any time an undetected enemy
  is preparing an attack, the rogue can attempt a skill check to  receive  a
  vague impression about the  attacker's  general  direction  (front,  rear,
  left, right) and distance (close, far).  In  many  cases,  the  attacker's
  identity is obvious from the information the skill provides. A  successful
  skill check gives the rogue a +2 bonus on surprise rolls and a +1 bonus to
  the initiative roll during the first round of combat if the  character  is
  not surprised. Unlike the warrior back protection subskill, the rogue must
  turn to face the attacker to negate any applicable rear attack bonuses. If
  the character is surprised in spite of this skill, the  attacker  receives
  all bonuses normally applied to rear attacks, including backstab
  adjustments.

    With any subskill, the DM should roll the check secretly.  If  the  roll
  fails on a roll of 19 or less, the character detects nothing. If the  roll
  fails on a  20,  the  character  gets  a  false  indication  -  improperly
  analyzing a creature's level of hostility, noting a concealed weapon where
  there is none, etc. A false indication has no effect on an impending
  attack.
    If the character also has the alertness proficiency, he  receives  a  +1
  bonus to his skill score.

    Requirement: Rogue 16+
    Relevant Ability: Intelligence/Reason
    Success: 6
    Cost: 2 (6)

                                   - 177 -

  Shadow Flight: This ability is similar to the shadow travel skill,  except
  that a successful hide  in  shadows  roll  allows  the  character  to  fly
  silently from shadow to shadow.
    Like the shadow travel skill, the rogue must  begin  with  a  successful
  hide in shadows roll. Once in the shadows, the character's  movement  rate
  and maneuverability class depend on the strength of the shadows:

      Amount of Shadow          Rate/Maneuverability
        None                         Normal*
        Weak                          15/D
        Strong                        18/C
        Very                          24/B**

    * Flight is not possible.
    ** Once an hour, the rogue can instantly move up  to  360  yards,  as  a
  dimension door spell, as long as the destination is at least as shadowy as
  the rogue's current position.

    While flying or traveling instantaneously, the rogue can be no more than
  lightly encumbered. The rogue can carry other creatures  if  their  weight
  does not exceed the rogue's light encumbrance limit.

    Requirement: Rogue 21+
    Relevant Ability: N/A
    Success: N/A
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Shadow Travel: This skill allows a rogue to move rapidly from one  shadowy
  area to another, moving at seemingly blinding speed.

                                   - 178 -

    The use this skill, the rogue must first successfully hide  in  shadows,
  which is required to use this skill. After entering the  area  of  shadow,
  the rogue can move into other shadows  at  increased  speeds.  The  actual
  movement depends on the amount of shadow available, according to the table
  below.

           Amount of Shadow          Movement Rate
            No Shadows                Normal
            Weak Shadows              15
            Strong  Shadow            18
            Very Shadowy              24

    No Shadows: The rogue is surrounded by multiple light sources, within  a
  magical light or darkness spell, or in the open on a bright, clear day.
    Weak Shadows: Outdoors at dawn or twilight, in a' woods on a bright day,
  average indoor light, or outdoors on a  moonless  or  overcast  night  are
  examples of these conditions.
    Strong Shadows: The rogue is outdoors at night or in dim indoor light.
    Very Shadowy: Most areas of  near-darkness  apply  for  this  condition,
  including: in woods at twilight; in  a  windowless  room  with  a  single,
  flickering light source such as a torch,  candle,  or  fire;  outdoors  at
  night along the edges of the circle of light thrown by an artificial light
  source (Player's Handbook, Table 63).

    The rogue is visible when moving between shadows, but he remains  hidden
  while within the shadows and able to move at an accelerated rate until the
  character attacks or the shadows get  weaker.  If  the  rogue  leaves  the
  shadows  to  attack,  the  character  can  enter  them  again  and  resume
  accelerated movement on any round when the rogue does not attack and there
  are shadows available. Shadow movement is not silent, but  the  rogue  can
  attempt a move silently roll while moving through shadows and  still  move
  at the  accelerated  rate.  Accelerated  movement  is  subject  to  normal
  modifiers for terrain and encumbrance.

    Requirement: Rogue 16+
    Relevant Ability: N/A
    Success: N/A
    Cost: 1 (3)

  Demihuman in High-Level Play

    Demihuman characters are usually forced to retire  or  assume  secondary
  roles in the campaign once human player characters  begin  to  reach  high
  levels and the demihuman characters reach their advancement  limits.  That
  is exactly what is supposed to happen. Many  DMs  are  tempted  to  ignore
  demihuman advancement limits, especially when  players  are  unwilling  to
  retire their highlevel demihuman characters.
    Do not ignore demihuman advancement limits; they are the  price  players
  must pay for gaining demihuman advantages at lower  levels.  Ignoring  the
  advancement limits unbalances play by  placing  high-level  power  in  the
  hands of characters who already have extra abilities, and  it  is  grossly
  unfair to players who have chosen human characters and have  labored  long
  and hard to get to the point where their choices begin to pay dividends in
  the form of unlimited advancement.

  Some Solutions to the Demihuman Advancement Problem

    Demihuman advancement limits are a fact of life in any AD&D game  world.
  Nevertheless, the DM can solve the problem in several ways without forcing
  demihuman characters out of the game:

    A demihuman character can use a wish or 10th-level transformation  spell
  to become human. Such  a  character  might  still  look  and  act  like  a
  demihuman, but has put aside the  racial  characteristics  -  and  special
  racial abilities that have held the character back.

    A demihuman character can use a wish or 10th-level imbue spell  to  gain
  one level beyond the normal racial maximum. The character in question must
  have earned enough experience to  actually  gain  the  level.  Each  level
  gained beyond the maximum requires one wish or 10thlevel imbue spell.

    The DM can use the Slow Advancement rule from Chapter 2 of  the  Dungeon
  Master Guide. At low levels, slow advancement doesn't have much affect  on
  play, but humans begin to pull ahead fairly rapidly  once  the  characters
  reach 10th level or so.

    The DM  can  apply  the  Slow  Advancement  rule  only  after  demihuman
  characters reach their maximum levels. This represents their  struggle  to
  stay focused on their professional skills  despite  the  distractions  and
  difficulties of being a demihuman.  To  reflect  a  demihuman  character's
  nonhuman viewpoint, it's a good idea to  also  require  the  character  to
  complete some heroic task that furthers the interests of  the  character's
  race each time the character advances a level beyond  the  usual  maximum.
  For example, an elf wizard might undertake a quest to protect a  tract  of
  virgin forest and perhaps establish a colony there. This  kind  of  effort
  marks the character as a racial hero instead of  a  demihuman  with  human
  interests.

                                   - 179 -

  Beyond 30th Level

    All character advancement stops at  30th  level,  which  represents  the
  pinnacle of mortal achievement. At this level, even a wizard has more  hit
  points than five normal men  and  characters  of  any  class  have  powers
  greater than the avatars that deities  use  to  conduct  business  in  the
  mortal world. Once a character has gotten this far, there is nowhere  else
  to go. Or is there?

  Divine Ascension

    With the DM's approval, a character can abandon his  or  her  profession
  and follow a different path to power. Divine ascension  requires  a  great
  deal of attention and creativity from both DM and player. Only the  barest
  guidelines are given here, because each character and campaign are unique.
    A character can seek to ascend anytime after  reaching  20th  level  (or
  earlier if the DM allows it). Once a character  has  reached  30th  level,
  this is the only option that allows the character any further advancement.
    Once the character embarks on the path to godhood,  he  can  never  turn
  back. The character ceases advancing in the original class. The  character
  retains all class abilities but gives up normal adventuring and acts  with
  a new purpose.
    The character must seek a divine sponsor - usually a  deity  appropriate
  to the character's alignment, original class, and race  -  and  prepare  a
  special offering for that deity. The gift can be  anything  the  character
  desires and the DM agrees to. The donation need not be a single  item.  In
  any case, the gift's  monetary  value  must  be  at  least  equal  to  the
  character's experience point total.
    While preparing the offering, the character receives  experience  points
  normally. For each 500,000 experience points  gained,  the  character  can
  lower one saving throw number one point, to a minimum saving throw of
  three.
    The ability to reduce saving throw numbers below the normal minimum  for
  the character's original class is special, and it  is  why  the  character
  must give up his or her original  class.  The  character  gains  no  other
  benefits  from  accumulated  experience;  no  hit  points,  proficiencies,
  skills, etc.
    When the offering is  completed,  the  character  must  journey  to  the
  deity's abode and present the gift. If the character has been true to  the
  principles of his or her alignment  and  profession,  the  deity  probably
  accepts the gift. If in doubt, use Table 59, Encounter Reactions, from the
  Dungeon Master Guide. If the deity's alignment  and  portfolio  match  the
  character's alignment and profession - for example, a lawful good  fighter
  petitioning a lawful good war deity - use the first column on  the  table.
  If the character and deity are slightly mismatched, use the second column.
  Otherwise, use the third column. If the reaction  roll  is  friendly,  the
  deity accepts the gift. If not, the deity destroys the gift and sends  the
  character away. The character can try again with the same  deity  or  with
  another deity.
    Note that the character might not get an  immediate  audience  with  the
  deity. Just finding and entering the deity's abode could be  an  adventure
  in itself. The material in the  PLANESCAPE  setting  can  provide  details
  about what the character might find.
    Once the deity accepts the gift, it assigns  some  heroic  task  to  the
  character. (In a Planescape campaign, the character  becomes  the  deity's
  proxy, see A Player's Guide to the Planes.) Completing the task proves the
  character's mettle. It is up to the DM  to  create  a  suitable  task  and
  design a series of adventures so that the character can complete it. A few
  examples follow:

    * Found a dynasty.
    * Create a new magical item or spell that others seek to imitate.
    * Find and destroy an artifact from an opposing alignment.
    * Find and defeat the avatar of a rival deity.
    * Build a lasting monument to the deity.

    The DM and the player must work out the exact details. In any case,  the
  character must complete the task and earn enough experience to  lower  all
  saving throw numbers to three. In addition, the character cannot have  any
  ability score (or subability score) lower than 13. When  all  of  that  is
  accomplished, the  character  becomes  a  demigod  and  companion  to  the
  sponsor. The character becomes an NPC under the DM's control. Some players
  may be upset that they have worked so hard  to  improve  their  characters
  only to lose control of them to the DM. Remind them of their contributions
  to the campaign  world  -  new  characters  can  worship  their  "retired"
  heroes/demigods - and invite  them  to  help  construct  the  new  powers'
  portfolios. AD&D is a game of heroes, not gods.
