Preview: ABC's of Magic (part 3)

The next batch of spells is available for your viewing!


GRASPING STEEL

School conjuration (creation) [metal]; Level magus 4, sorcerer/wizard 4, vanguard 4
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a small, thin sheet of metal)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one creature
Duration instantaneous and 1 round/level
Saving Throw Reflex partial; Spell Resistance no
The thin sheet of metal you hold grows in size and weight, flying towards your opponent’s head. The target is struck by the brute force of the slab of metal, taking 1d6 bludgeoning damage per two caster levels (max 10d6). The damage only occurs once, when the grasping steel first hits.
After being hit (whether it takes damage or not), the target must make a Reflex save or have the metal plate wrap around its head. This causes a number of debilitating effects:
First, the target is effectively blinded unless it can see through at least two inches of iron or steel. It also takes a -5 penalty on hearing-based Perception checks. The grasping steel is not water-tight nor air-tight, so the creature will not suffocate.
Second, it cannot use any natural attacks that originate from its head, such as a bite attack or gore attack. It cannot use these attacks to strike at the grasping steel in attempts to break it. It can, however, still speak, though it is muffled; other creatures take a -10 penalty on Perception checks made to hear what the target says.
Third, any energy-based effects, spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities that originate fromthe creature’s head are impaired, such as a breath weapon or a gaze attack. If it attempts to use an attack that creates energy or projectiles from its head in some way, the attack fails unless it manages to destroy the grasping steel. Even then, the steel forces the attack back in the creatures face, subjecting it to the effects of the attack. The attack automatically hits the creature and it is not afforded a Reflex save (if the attack would normally allow one), but its other defenses still function, such as energy resistance or Fortitude and Will saves.
The steel is two inches thick, has hardness 10, and has 60 hit points. If it is reduced to 0 hit points, the spell ends. Creatures that do not have a discernible head can still be struck by the grasping steel and take damage, but are not subject to its other effects.
A quinggong monk can select grasping steel as a 10th-level ki power, requiring 2 ki points to use.

HAIL OF ARROWS

School transmutation; Level ranger 3
Casting Time 1 swift action
Components V
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 round
Hail of arrows greatly speeds up your ability to strike at foes with ranged weapons. During the turn that you cast hail of arrows, you can use a full-round action to make a single ranged attack with a ranged weapon you are wielding against each opponent that is within the first range increment of the weapon. Each attack is made at your full base attack bonus and uses your normal abilities, such as Precise Shot or Weapon Focus.
You can attack a number of targets equal to your caster level, and can only attack an individual creature once. If you do not take the action to attack during the turn you cast hail of arrows, the spell is wasted.
Despite its name, hail of arrows can be used with any ranged weapon, including throwing weapons. In the case of a thrown weapon, you must use it for ranged attacks, not melee.

INSTANT BARDING

School conjuration (creation) [force]; Level cleric 2, druid 2, paladin 2, ranger 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Range touch
Target one creature suitable to be a mount
Duration 10 min./level (D)
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)
This spell functions like instant armor, except that it targets a single creature that is suitable to be a mount. The instant barding replaces any barding the creature is already wearing.

Preview: ABC's of Magic (part 2)

A continuation of the previous post, here's the next batch of spells that will be featured in Path of Iron:


DIVINE STRIKE

School evocation; Level antipaladin 3, paladin 3, inquisitor 4
Casting Time 1 swift action
Components V
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 round/level or until discharged, see text
With a word of conviction, you strike your opponent with divine wrath, creating a cascade of energy to burst from your weapon’s strike.
After casting divine strike, your weapons glow with a pale radiance (about as bright as a candle); the color of the radiance is up to you. At any point during the spell’s duration when you strike an opponent with a weapon attack, you may discharge the effect onto the creature struck. This can be a melee attack or a ranged attack (ranged weapons bestow the effect onto their ammunition).
The target struck takes an additional 2d8 damage (no save); this damage is considered divine power and ignores damage reduction (but it not multiplied on a critical hit). Any creature that is adjacent to the creature struck (except you) also takes this damage. If the creature is the target of your smite evil or smite good, or if you are currently using your judgment ability, the damage doubles to 4d8.
Once you have dealt additional damage with divine strike, the spell is discharged.

ENABLE FUNCTION

School transmutation; Level sorcerer/wizard 3, vanguard 2
Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S
Range touch
Target construct touched
Duration 10 min./level
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)
Enable function allows you to grant new abilities to a construct. You can grant it either ranks in a skill or a specific feat.
If you grant it ranks in a skill, you must choose a single skill. You grant it either a number of ranks in that skill equal to half your caster level (max +10) or equal to your own ranks in the skill (max +20). A non-intelligent construct cannot be granted ranks an Intelligence- or Charisma-based skill.
If you grant it a feat, the construct gains a single feat of your choice. It must be one that the construct can qualify for.
You can cast enable function multiple times on a given construct; however, any feats or skill ranks granted by enable function cannot be used to meet prerequisites of feats granted by further castings of the spell.

FULL SALVO

School conjuration (creation) [metal]; Level magus 5, sorcerer/wizard 5, vanguard 5, witch 5
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a firearm bullet worth at least 1 gp)
Range see text
Effect several conjured firearms
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
With a sweep of your hands you conjure several loaded firearms nearby, each one floating and ready to fire.
Full salvo creates one medium musket per two caster levels (max 10). They each appear floating in your space or in squares adjacent to you. Each one immediately fires a single bullet at a nearby foe, dealing 1d12 piercing damage on a hit, threatening a critical hit on a 20 and dealing x4 damage on a critical hit. It has a range increment of 40 feet, can go up to five range increments, and strikes against touch AC in the first range increment. The gun misfires on a roll of a 1 or 2, making the shot for that gun automatically miss.
You must make a separate attack roll for each gun, using your normal bonuses. Any feats you have that apply to firearms, such as Weapon Focus or Clustered Shots, apply to the full salvo. The bullets count as magic and your choice of either silver or cold iron for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 12th caster level, you can instead make the bullets count as adamantine for this purpose. Once you finish making all attacks, the guns vanish and the spell ends.

 

Preview: ABC's of magic in Path of Iron

It's been a while, hasn't it?

A little over a month ago we finished our Kickstarter, receiving over $3000 from backers around the globe to make Path of Iron possible. That put us just over the mark of the first stretch goal, which brought the total spells that you can find in Path of Iron to a whopping 100 spells.

Well, that chapter of the book is now complete, with a solid 100 spells that you will be able to bring to your table when Path of Iron is finished. Over the next few days, I figured I could share a few of the spells that I've created with you all so you know what sort of progress has been made on Path of Iron, going down the chapter in alphabetical order. So without further delay, here's the first batch of spells for your enjoyment:


ANCHORING CHAINS

School conjuration (creation) [metal]; Level antipaladin 2, cleric 3, magus 3, paladin 2, vanguard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, M (a small chain)
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 round/level (D)
Numerous chains emerge from the ground and wrap about your midsection, anchoring you firmly in place.
The anchoring chains grant you a +20 bonus to your CMD to resist bull rush, overrun, pull, push, reposition, and trip combat maneuvers, as well as any other effect that would move you from your current position (such as being swallowed whole) or knock you prone. It also grants you a +4 resistance bonus to saving throws against effects that would move or teleport you, such as jester’s jaunt or plane shift. The chains extend into the spaces near you, making all adjacent squares next to you difficult terrain.
While anchored in such a manner, you cannot move from your current space. If you are moved from your current space for any reason, such as a creature successfully beating your CMD to bull-rush you or if you use dimension door to teleport, the chains break, and the spell ends. This spell has no effect if you are not touching the ground (climbing, flying, swimming, and so on).

BLADED GROUND

School conjuration (creation) [metal]; Level magus 6, saboteur 6, sorcerer/wizard 6, vanguard 6
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a handful of caltrops)
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area 20-ft.-radius spread
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex half (object); Spell Resistance yes (object)
You toss the caltrops into the air and finish the spell, the caltrops vanishing as the ground begins to shake.
Upon casting bladed ground, numerous jagged blades protrude from the ground in the targeted area, striking at creatures and unattended objects in the area for 1d6 slashing damage per caster level (max 15d6). This damage bypasses damage reduction that is normally bypassed by silver, cold iron, or adamantine.
Any creature that fails its saving throw has its movement reduced to half normal for 24 hours. Another creature can remove the penalty by taking 10 minutes to dress the injuries and succeeding on a Heal check against the spell’s save DC. The effect is also removed if it receives enough magical healing to heal all damage it took from the bladed ground effect.

CONSTRUCTED ANATOMY

School transmutation [metal]; Level alchemist 3, magus 3, sorcerer/wizard 3, vanguard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 min./level (D)
A low rumble of grinding gears and crackling flames can be heard as you cast this spell. Your appearance becomes slightly different, your flesh shimmering almost like polished steel, your movement more precise and calculated.
This spell turns you partially into a construct. You gain the half-construct subtype. This grants you a +2 bonus on saving throws against disease, mind-affecting effects, poison, and effects that cause either exhaustion or fatigue. You do not need to breathe, eat, or sleep for the duration, unless you want to gain some beneficial effect from one of these activities. If you already have the half-construct subtype, this has no effect.
In addition to the above effects, you also receive a +2 size bonus to Strength and a +2 bonus to natural armor, as well as low-light vision and darkvision 60 feet.