Occult Following
Cultist Week continues today with some great new cultist-themed spells with a ritual feel. Since cultists are so heavily defined by their cult and vary so much from individual to individual, it can be challenging to create new spells with cultists in mind. Luckily, there are few things all cults have in common, one of which is ritualistic magic. Whether its summoning beings from beyond, leeching the life from a helpless victim, or some other dread thing, cultists always seem to be hanging around an altar, tapping things with their athames. This week’s new spells attempt to capture those effects in a way that is more streamlined, if somewhat less flavorful than the in-depth methods outlined in Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Occult Adventures.
STEAL VITALITY
School necromancy; Level antipaladin 2, cleric 3, sorcerer/wizard 3, witch 4
Casting Time 1 hour
Components V, S, F (a pair of black sapphire wands engraved with eldritch markings, worth 500 gp each)
Range touch
Target two creatures touched
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude negates, varies, see text; Spell Resistance yes
Over the course of an hour, during which time you must touch the twin wands to the two target creatures and chant certain incantations, you transfer some of the vital essence from one character to another. When you complete casting this spell, you must choose one of the targets to be the giver, whose vital energy is transferred to the other target (the receiver), inflicting some harm to the former and granting some benefit to the latter.
- You may transfer life from the giver to the receiver, inflicting 1d6 points of damage per caster level on the giver (a successful Fortitude save halves this damage), and restoring a like number of hit points to the receiver. Hit points restored in excess of the receiver’s maximum hit points are gained as temporary hit points which last for 10 minutes per caster level.
- You may transfer health between the two individuals, allowing you to effectively cure any condition on the giver (except for death), instead imposing it on the receiver. You can transfer one condition for every 4 caster levels in this way. The receiver is entitled to a saving throw to resist this transfer. The type of saving throw is the same as the kind that inflicted the original condition, but the DC is equal to this spell’s DC. If the original condition did not allow for a saving throw, then the receiver is entitled to a Fortitude save, with the DC based on steal vitality’s DC.
- You may attempt to siphon memories from one target to the other. The giver is entitled to a Will save to resist the effect. You can transfer 1 hour’s worth of memories per caster level, which are lost to the giver and absorbed by the receiver.
SACRIFICE
School necromancy; Level antipaladin 4, cleric 5, inquisitor 5, sorcerer/wizard 5
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (a a black spike)
Range touch
Target helpless or willing creature touched
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance yes
You instantly end the target’s life, absorbing the rush of magical energy caused by their sacrificial death. You gain temporary hit points equal to the number of hit points the target had remaining when you cast this spell, as well as gaining a +4 profane bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, skill and ability checks. You also gain a rush of insight into the target, allowing you to make a special Knowledge check as a free action to identify the target. You gain a +20 bonus on this check and can achieve results of higher than 10, even if untrained.
SUMMON OVERBEING
School conjuration (summoning); Level cleric 7, druid 6, summoner 5, sorcerer/wizard 6
Casting Time 1 minute
Components V, S, M/DF (a golden figurine of the creature to be summoned worth 100 gp per HD of the creature to be summoned)
Range close (25 ft. +5 ft./level)
Effect one summoned creature
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
You can summon any kind of creature whose Hit Dice is equal to your caster level -4. The type of creature to be summoned must be chosen in advance, as a material representation of the creature is expended in the casting of this spell. The summoned creature fights your enemies to the best of its ability and using its own best judgment, though you may attempt to direct it if you have the means to communicate with it. The summoned creature will generally listen to reasonable requests, but dangerous or obviously suicidal requests require an opposed Charisma check to convince the summoned creature to act in accordance with your wishes. In the case of summoned humanoids without racial Hit Dice, the summoned creature is an archetypal example of that race, with a single level in warrior and ability scores equal to 10 + that character’s racial adjustments, with Toughness as a feat. If a character summoned by this spell would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, it is instead whisked back whence it came; if some effect prevents this, the summoned creature is instead reduced to -1 hit point and becomes stable.