Necromancy (divine)

Preserve Organ

Necromancy

Level: Clr 0, Drd 0, Sor/Wiz 0

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 10 minutes

Range: Touch

Effect: One organ

Duration: 24 hours

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

(harmless)

Spell Resistance: Yes

The caster preserves a single severed organ from a living creature so that it does not decay or rot. Evil casters use preserved organs as material spell components. There are ritual uses for body parts as well.

The organ is kept in the exact state it was in when the spell was cast. If a heart is still beating and bloody, for example, then it remains that way.

 

Disrupt Ectoplasm

Necromancy [Ectomancy]

Level: Clr 0, Sor/Wiz 0

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Effect: Ray

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: Yes

You direct a ray of energy that damages ectoplasm. You must make a ranged touch attack roll to hit, and if the ray hits a ghost or object made of ectoplasm, it deals 1d6 points of damage to it. This damage bypasses the hardness of ectoplasmic objects and the damage reduction of ectoplasmic creatures.

 

Angry Ache

Necromancy

Level: Asn 1, Clr 1, Pain 1

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target: One living creature

Duration: 1 minute/level

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

The caster temporarily strains the subject’s muscles in a very specific way.

The subject feels a sharp pain whenever she makes an attack. All her attack rolls have a –2 circumstance

penalty for every four caster levels (maximum penalty –10).

 

Ease of Breath

Necromancy [Cold]

Level: Cleric 1, druid 1, ranger 1

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Creature touched

Duration: 1 hour/level

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

You grant the target the ability to survive in thin air, conferring a +20 inherent bonus on Fortitude saves to resist altitude sickness as well as saving throws to resist becoming fatigued due to altitude or thin air.

 

Shivering Touch, Lesser

Necromancy [Cold]

Level: Cleric 1, sorcerer/wizard 1

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Creature touched

Duration: 1 round/level

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: Yes

Your successful melee touch attack delivers a bitter chill to the target, causing it to shiver uncontrollably for the duration of the spell. Shivering characters take 1d6 points of Dexterity damage.

Creatures with the cold subtype are immune to the effects of lesser shivering touch.

 

Painless Death

Necromancy

Level: Clr 1

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Target: One willing living creature touched

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

The touched creature dies painlessly and instantly.

 

EXECRATION

Necromancy

Level: Blackguard 2, cleric 2

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 round

Range: Touch

Target: Creature touched

Duration: 10 minutes/level or until discharged

Saving Throw: Will negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

You channel the wrath of your deity through a simple touch, inflicting misfortune on your foe.

With a touch, you impose a -2 penalty on all of another creature's saving throws. If the subject is also under another effect that imposes saving throw penalties, the effects stack.

At any point before the spell's duration expires, you can force the subject to reroll a single attack roll, saving throw, skill check, or ability check as an immediate action. You can require this action either before or after the subject rolls, but you must have line of sight to the subject at the time. The lower of the two rolls applies. Once this option is exercised,  the spell ends immediately.

 

Blood Snow

Necromancy [Cold]

Level: Cleric 2, druid 2, sorcerer/wizard 3

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Area: 20-ft. square of snow/level

Duration: 1 round/level

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

You must cast this spell on a snow field. You corrupt an area of fallen snow, imbuing it with negative energy. Each round, a creature in contact with blood snow must succeed on a Fortitude save or take 1d2 points of Constitution drain.

In addition, anyone failing a saving throw is nauseated for the duration of the spell.

 

Frostburn, Lesser

Necromancy [Cold]

Level: Cleric 2

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Creature touched

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Fortitude half

Spell Resistance: Yes

When laying your hand upon a creature, you channel cold energy that deals 1d12 points of frostburn damage +1 point per caster level (maximum +5). When cast upon a cold subtype creature, this spell heals a like amount of damage, rather than harming it.

 

Thin Air

Necromancy [Cold]

Level: Cleric 2, druid 2, sorcerer/wizard 3

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Area: 30-ft.-radius emanation

Duration: 1 min./level

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

Spell Resistance: No

This spell thins the oxygen in the area, causing creatures caught therein to suffer the effects of extreme altitude sickness. Subjects failing their saves take 1 point of damage to all ability scores because of altitude sickness (see page 90 of the Dungeon Masters Guide). Characters acclimated to high altitude receive a +4 competence bonus on their saving throws. Creatures that do not breathe are immune to the effects of the spell.

 

Black Lungs

Necromancy

Level: Clr 2

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Target: Living creature touched

Duration: 1 hour/level

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

You cause the target to succumb to an infection and corruption of the lungs. An affected creature’s speed is reduced by half, it loses any Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, and it takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls. Remove disease may end the effects of this spell early. This spell was created by the clerics of Khostren.

 

RIGOR MORTIS

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 2, death delver 2

Components: S, M

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Creature touched

Duration: 1d6+2 rounds

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell allows you to wrap a single target in death’s embrace, making him both feel and appear dead for the duration of the spell. You must be able to touch the target, and the target must have a Wisdom score, but otherwise the spell can affect any creature, including intelligent undead. You must succeed on a melee touch attack to affect unwilling targets, and those who fail their saving throws immediately fall to the ground as though dead. All vital functions (if any) are suspended; subjects of this spell do not breathe, pump blood, or otherwise indicate in any way that they still live. Any physical harm done to someone in this state immediately grants another saving throw to awaken from the artificial torpor.

Material Component: A pinch of ash from a cremated body of any kind.

 

SPAWN SCREEN

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 2, sorcerer/wizard 2

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Living creature touched

Duration: 1 hour/level

Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)

Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

The subject does not rise as undead spawn should she perish from an undead’s attack form that normally would turn her into a spawn (such as from ghoul fever). This spell doesn’t prevent the subject from perishing or provide anything other than insurance that the subject’s body and spirit cannot be hijacked by an acquisitive undead creature.

The protection applies if the duration is still effect when the subject first dies; the spell need not linger in its effect over the period immediately prior to a spawn’s rise. This spell cannot be cast on the body of a subject already killed by a spawn-creating undead.

 

Living Undeath

Necromancy

Level: Clr 2

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Creature touched

Duration: 1 min./level

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)

Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

This spell imparts a physical transformation upon the subject, not unlike the process that produces a zombie. While the subject does not actually become undead, its vital processes are temporarily bypassed with no seeming ill effect. The subject becomes not subject to sneak attacks and critical hits, just as undead are.

While the spell is in effect, the subject takes a –4 penalty to its Charisma score (to a minimum of 1).

 

DESICCATE

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 2, druid 2, sorcerer/wizard 2, Thirst 2

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target: One living creature

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Fortitude partial

Spell Resistance: Yes

You evaporate moisture from the body of a living creature, dealing it 1d6 points of desiccation damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d6) and making it dehydrated (see page 15). A successful Fortitude save results in half damage and negates the dehydration. A plant or elemental of the water subtype takes 1d8 points of damage per caster level (maximum 10d8). An elemental of the earth subtype takes only 1d4 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d4).

Material Component: A pinch of dust.

 

Shivering Touch

Necromancy [Cold]

Level: Cleric 3, sorcerer/wizard 3

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Creature touched

Duration: 1 round/level

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: Yes

On a successful melee touch attack, you instantly suck the heat from the target’s body, rendering it numb. The target takes 3d6 points of Dexterity damage.

Creatures with the cold subtype are immune to the effects of shivering touch.

 

Affliction

Necromancy [Good]

Level: Cleric 3, druid 3, sorcerer/wizard 4, Wrath 3

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Evil creature touched

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

The subject contracts an affliction selected from the list below, which strikes immediately (no incubation period). Afflictions deal damage only to evil creatures. Any evil creature takes damage equal to that listed plus its Charisma bonus. An evil elemental or evil undead takes an extra 1 point of damage, and an evil outsider or an evil cleric of an evil deity takes an extra 2 points. The DC listed is for the subsequent saves (use affliction’s normal save DC for the initial saving throw).

Affliction                                      DC              Damage

Depraved decadence                              18              1d4 Str

Eternal torpor                                  14              1d6 Dex

Raging desire                                   15              1d3 Con

Consuming passion                               17              1d4 Int

Haunting conscience                             16              1d4 Wis

Pride in vain                                   20              1d6 Cha

 

Death Lock

Necromancy [Ectomancy]

Level: Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 4

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target: One creature

Duration: 10 minutes/level

Saving Throw: Will negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

If the subject creature dies while the spell is in effect, its soul immediately passes on to the True Afterlife and cannot form a ghost. The subject can still be raised from the dead or even brought back as a ghost by magic (such as with the raise ghost spell); this spell only prevents a newly slain creature from forming a ghost of its own volition.

 

Curse of Petty Failing

Necromancy

Level: Clr 3

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target: One creature

Duration: 1 min./level

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: Yes

The subject takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls and saving throws.

The curse cannot be dispelled, but it can be removed with a break enchantment, limited wish, miracle, remove curse, or wish spell.

 

Delay Death

Necromancy

Level: Clr 3

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Living creature touched

Duration: 1 round/level

Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)

Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

The subject of this powerful spell is unable to die from hit point damage.

While under the protection of this spell, the normal limit of –9 hit points before a character dies is extended without limit. A condition or spell that destroys enough of the subject’s body so as to not allow raise dead to work, such as a disintegrate effect, still kills the creature, as does death brought about by ability score damage, level drain, or a death effect.

The spell does not prevent the subject from entering the dying state by dropping to –1 hit points. It merely prevents death as a result of hit point loss. If the subject has fewer than –9 hit points when the spell’s duration expires, he or she dies instantly.

 

Blood of the Martyr

Necromancy (Healing) [Good]

Level: Apostle of peace 4, champion of Gwynharwyf 4, cleric 4, paladin 4

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Target: Willing creature

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: Yes

You may transfer your own hit points directly to a target creature within range. You must transfer at least 20 points. Transferred hit points are damage to you. The creature takes your transferred hit points as if receiving a cure wounds spell and cannot gain more hit points than its maximum allows; any excess points are lost. This spell transfers only actual hit points, not temporary hit points. An unconscious target is considered a “willing creature” for purposes of this spell.

 

SEED OF UNDEATH

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 4, sorcerer/wizard 4

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 full round

Range: Touch

Target: Living humanoid or animal touched

Duration: 1 day/level (D)

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

The subject's face briefly takes on a gaunt, pale look and a death's-head rictus before returning to normal.

You plant a kernel of negative energy in a subject, which is held in check by the positive energy inherent to the subject's own life force. Seed of undeath does not, in and of itself, harm the subject. Should the subject die before the spell expires, however, it rises as a zombie 1 round later (as per the animate dead spell), as long as a sufficient corpse remains.

Any undead created in this manner are automatically under your control. At any given time, you can have a number of HD worth of undead animated through seed of undeath equal to your own HD, and they count against the maximum number of HD worth of undead you can control at any time (as described under animate dead).

Material Component: A black onyx gem worth 25 gp per HD of the subject.

 

Frostburn

Necromancy [Cold]

Level: Cleric 4

This spell functions like lesser frostburn, except that it deals 3d12 points of frostburn damage +1 point per caster level (maximum +20).

 

Proper State

Necromancy [Ectomancy]

Level: Clr 4, Ghost 4

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 full round

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Effect: One willing incorporeal undead

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

You transform a willing incorporeal undead creature into a ghost. If its previous class and level are unknown, it becomes a ghost of the same race as you, with warrior levels equal to its undead Hit Dice. If the undead’s previous race, class, and level were known (such as if the undead were a former ally that became the spawn of a shadow), it becomes a ghost of its former self. In any case, the creature’s character level is no greater than the Hit Dice it had as an undead. For example, a 5th-level dwarf fighter that became a shadow’s spawn and was turned into a ghost with this spell would now be a 2nd-level fighter. Levels lost in this manner are handled as if the character had lost levels from an undead’s energy drain attack.

A creature redeemed with this spell retains the alignment it had as an undead creature, although it is not strongly attached to that alignment and can change it over time or with the aid of an atonement spell.

Because only humanoids can become ghosts, this spell works only on incorporeal undead that are vaguely humanoid. For example, it cannot convert a spectral steed (a horselike undead), a nightwing nightshade (a batlike creature), a nightwalker nightshade (a giantlike creature), or a nightcrawler (a wormlike creature) into a ghost.

 

PRONOUNCEMENT OF FATE

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 4, Spite 4

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target: One creature

Duration: 1 round/level

Saving Throw: Will negates or Will partial; see text

Spell Resistance: Special

To invoke this spell, you speak the name of an offense that your target has committed. Then you speak the inevitable doom that will fall upon her as a result of her transgression. (The target need neither understand nor even hear this pronouncement.)

An affected target takes a –4 penalty on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and checks for the duration of the spell. If the offense you named was committed against you personally (although not necessarily against you alone), the target also has a 50% chance of losing all actions on her turn for the duration of the spell.

The spell’s power can be more difficult to resist, depending on who suffered from the offense specified by the casting. If you were personally affected by the offense (in the DM’s judgment), then the target can only hope to reduce the deleterious effects of the spell by half on a successful Will save. You receive a +4 bonus on your caster level check to overcome the spell resistance of any creature whose crime affected you personally.

A successful save in these circumstances results in the target taking a –2 penalty on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and checks. In addition, she has a 25% chance to lose all her actions for the duration of the spell.

Any target whose offense did not affect you personally gets her full spell resistance, and a successful Will save negates the effects of the pronouncement of fate.

 

Negative Energy Aura

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 4

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Personal

Area: 10-ft.-radius emanation centered on you

Duration: 1 round/level

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

An aura of black, crackling negative energy surrounds you. Each round on your turn, every living creature within 10 feet of you loses 2 hit points. Undead creatures instead gain 2 hit points per round (though they can’t exceed their full normal hit points from this effect). Characters with immunity to negative energy effects are not affected by this aura. The negative energy aura does not affect you.

 

BLEED

Necromancy

Level: Blackguard 4, cleric 5, druid 5

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Living creature touched

Duration: 1 round/level (D)

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

Your touch thins the blood of your target, causing it to spill with unnatural ease.

For the duration of the spell, the subject bleeds profusely through any open wound. Each new hit from a piercing or slashing weapon or effect that deals damage to the subject also deals 1 point of Constitution damage. This ability damage is not multiplied on a critical hit.

Because this spell thins the subject's blood, repeated uses I cause additional difficulty. In addition to the extra damage, a target subjected to a second use of this spell before the first has expired also takes a -4 penalty on Fortitude saves against disease, poison, or the sickened and nauseated conditions.

Creatures with no discernible anatomy (such as plants and oozes) and those immune to critical hits (such as undead and constructs) are immune to this spell.

 

Hibernate

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 5, druid 5

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: One living creature

Duration: 1 week/level (D)

Saving Throw: Will negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

You put a creature into a state of suspended animation, slowing its life functions to almost imperceptible levels and allowing a creature to survive for weeks without food or water. This suspension of life functions automatically stabilizes a dying creature, and it can save starving or dehydrated creatures from death.

Creatures affected by a hibernate spell have a slower metabolism, healing wounds at a rate of just 1 hit point per level per week.

If the target is unwilling, it is entitled a Will saving throw. A successful saving throw negates the effect of the spell; a failure allows the target an additional saving throw whenever it takes damage, when it is splashed with water or other liquids, or when 24 hours pass, whichever comes first.

 

OATH OF BLOOD

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 5, sorcerer/wizard 5

Components: V, S, M, DF

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target: One living creature

Duration: See below

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: Yes

Oath of blood functions only when cast on a creature that has recently been subject to a geas or similar spell. It extends the reach of the geas beyond death. If the individual subject to the geas dies before completing the task, oath of blood animates him as an undead creature in order that he might continue his quest. The nature of the undead creature is determined by the caster level of this spell, as per create undead (see page 215 of the Player’s Handbook). Once the task is complete or the original geas (or similar spell) expires, the magic animating the subject ends and he returns to death.

Material Component: Grave dirt mixed with powdered onyx worth at least 40 gp per HD of the target.

 

HAUNT SHIFT

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 5, sorcerer/wizard 5

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Targets: Undead creatures within a 40-ft.-radius burst

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Will negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

Haunt shift translates corporeal and incorporeal undead into haunting presences (see page 6). The spell converts 1d4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level (maximum 20d4). Undead creatures with the fewest HD are affected first; among creatures with equal HD, those that are closest to the burst’s point of origin are affected first. No creature of 9 or more HD can be affected, and Hit Dice that are not sufficent to affect a creature are wasted.

Material Component: A pinch of powdered skull.

 

INCORPOREAL NOVA

Necromancy [Death]

Level: Cleric 5, sorcerer/wizard 6

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Area: Incorporeal or gaseous creatures within a 50-ft.-radius burst

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Will negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

A nova of dissolution dissipates the immaterial bodies of incorporeal and gaseous creatures, destroying them instantly.

The spell destroys 1d4 HD worth of creatures per caster level (maximum 20d4). Usually, creatures such as shadows, wraiths, spectres, ghosts, and similar creatures are destroyed, though vampires and living creatures in gaseous form are also affected, as well as other incorporeal creatures. Creatures with the fewest HD are affected first; among creatures with equal HD, those that are closest to the point of origin of the burst are affected first. No creature with 9 or more HD is affected, and HD that are not sufficient to affect a creature are wasted.

 

Curse of Petty Failing, Legion’s

Necromancy

Level: Clr 5

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Targets: Enemy creatures in a 20-ft.-radius burst

This spell functions like curse of petty failing, except that it affects multiple enemies out to medium range.

 

Death Throes

Necromancy [Force]

Level: Cleric 5, sorcerer/wizard 5

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Personal

Target: You

Duration: 1 hour/level or until you are killed

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

Some extra-planar creatures, such as a balor or an energon, expend the last of their life energy in a burst of power. You likewise attune your body’s life force so that if you are killed, your body is instantaneously destroyed in an explosion of energy that deals 1d8 points of force damage per caster level to everyone in a 30-foot-radius burst.

This explosion entirely destroys your body, preventing any form of raising or resurrection that requires part of the corpse. A wish, miracle, or true resurrection spell can restore life.

 

Opalescent Glare

Necromancy [Death, Good]

Level: Cleric 5, sorcerer/wizard 5

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: 60 feet

Target: 1 living creature

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Will partial; see text

Spell Resistance: Yes

Inspired by the deadly gaze of the noble ghaele eladrin, this spell causes your eyes to glow with a pearly light. If the target is evil and has 5 or fewer Hit Dice, it dies unless it succeeds on a Will save. Even if the save succeeds, the creature is affected as though by a fear spell for 2d10 rounds.

Non-evil creatures and evil creatures with more than 5 Hit Dice are not slain by opalescent glare, and they suffer the fear effect only if they fail the Will save.

 

CHOKING SANDS

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 5, druid 5, sorcerer/ wizard 5

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Living creature touched

Duration: Instantaneous; see text

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates; see text

Spell Resistance: Yes

You coat the target’s lungs with dust and sand. The target can cough up the sand by taking a full-round action and making a Fortitude save. If it chooses not to do so, it must make Constitution checks to avoid suffocation (see page 304 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).

Material Component: A tiny stuffed animal filled with sand.

 

ORB OF DANCING DEATH

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 5, sorcerer/wizard 5

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Effect: Orb of negative energy

Duration: 1 round/3 levels

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: Yes

You call upon dark necromantic energy to drain the life force of your foes. You create a small orb of pulsing black energy (about 6 inches across) that flies toward a chosen creature, striking as a ranged touch attack. If it hits, the creature gains 1 negative level.

Each round as a move action, you can direct the orb of dancing death to attack another creature within range (including the previous target, if desired). If not directed, the orb returns to your side.

If a creature has at least as many negative levels as HD, it dies. Each negative level gives a creature a –1 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks, and effective level (for determining the power, duration, DC, and other details of spells or special abilities). Additionally, a spellcaster loses one spell or spell slot from his or her highest available level. Negative levels stack. Assuming the subject survives, it regains lost levels after a number of hours equal to your caster level (maximum 15 hours). Usually, negative levels have a chance of permanently draining the victim’s levels, but the negative levels from the orb of dancing death don’t last long enough to do so.

An undead creature struck by the orb gains 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour.

Material Component: A piece of a zombie’s skull.

 

Secure Corpse

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 6

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Effect: Stores one creature’s corpse in

your holy symbol

Duration: 1 day/level (D)

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

This spell turns your holy symbol into a magical receptacle capable of holding one creature’s corpse. The corpse must be within range of the spell, in which case it is transformed into divine energy.

The energy is then drawn into the holy symbol, and the corpse is placed in stasis (as the gentle repose spell) for the duration of the spell.

The caster can release the corpse from the holy symbol by dismissing the spell. If the spell ends or is dismissed, or if the holy symbol is destroyed, the contained corpse materializes in a square adjacent to the holy symbol’s present or last location.

 

Frostburn, Mass

Necromancy [Cold]

Level: Cleric 6

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target: One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Fortitude half

Spell Resistance: Yes

Cold energy spreads out in all directions from the point of origin, dealing 3d12 points of frostburn damage +1 point per caster level (maximum +20) to nearby enemies. Like other frostburn spells, mass frostburn cures cold subtype creatures in its area rather than damaging them.

 

DESICCATE, MASS

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 6, druid 6, sorcerer/wizard 6, Thirst 5

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target: One living creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart

This spell functions like desiccate, except that it affects multiple creatures.

 

MUMMIFY

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 6, druid 6, sorcerer/wizard 6

Components: V, S, M/DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: One living creature

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Fortitude partial; see text

Spell Resistance: Yes

You flash-dry a creature, killing it and preserving it in an instantaneous mummification process. A creature that makes a successful Fortitude saving throw instead takes 6d6 points of desiccation damage and is dehydrated. If the damage kills the target, it is still mummified.

Arcane Material Component: A strip of salted cloth.

 

SEMBLANCE OF LIFE

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 6

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Targets: One or more undead creatures, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart

Duration: 1 round/3 levels and 1 round; see text

Saving Throw: Will partial; see text

Spell Resistance: Yes

When this spell is cast, a solemn gray energy quickly settles on all undead creatures you target. This energy rapidly breaks apart the necromantic power that holds the undead together, dealing 3d6 points of damage to each target each round (no save).

In addition, intelligent undead creatures affected by the spell become briefly aware of the mockery of life they represent, and they might become temporarily overwhelmed by grief and pain over their condition. Such creatures are dazed for 1 round, but are allowed a Will save to negate this effect.

 

Righteous Glare

Necromancy [Death, Good]

Level: Cleric 7, sorcerer/wizard 7

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Personal

Target: You

Duration: 1 round/level

You gain a supernatural gaze attack like that of a ghaele eladrin. Evil creatures with 5 HD or fewer within 60 feet of you must make a successful Will save or die.

Even if the save succeeds, the creature is affected as though by a fear spell for 2d10 rounds. Neutral (neither good nor evil) creatures, and evil creatures with more than 5 HD, must succeed on a Will save or suffer the fear effect.

 

WITHERING PALM

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 7, wu jen 7

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Living creature touched

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

Your successful melee touch attack deals 1 point of Strength damage and 1 point of Constitution damage per two caster levels to the target (maximum of 15 points each). If you score a critical hit, the subject takes ability drain instead.

 

SEED OF UNDEATH, GREATER

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 7, sorcerer/wizard 7

Components: V, S, M

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Area: 40-ft.-radius emanation

Every creature in the area briefly takes on a corpselike appearance, then returns to normal.

This spell functions like seed of undeath, except it applies to any humanoid or animal that dies in the area while the spell is in effect.

Corpses of creatures that died before you cast the spell, or that died outside the area and were then carried within, are unaffected.

Material Component: A black onyx worth at least 5,000 gp.

 

RAVENOUS DARKNESS

Necromancy [Darkness]

Level: Cleric 7

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Object touched

Duration: 1 minute/level (D)

Saving Throw: None or Fortitude negates; see text

Spell Resistance: No or yes; see text

Tendrils of shadow leap from the object you've touched, then swiftly form into an all-encompassing wave. The spreading night seems to blot out both light and life.

The object touched sheds darkness as a deeper darkness spell (PH 217). In addition, every living creature within the area of the resulting darkness (a 60-foot radius) takes ld6 points of negative energy damage per round. Any creature under the influence of an ongoing negative energy effect (such as negative levels or necromantic-based ability damage) instead takes 2d6 points of damage per round. This effect ends for a given creature if it moves out of the area of darkness but resumes should it reenter. A successful Fortitude save negates the damage, but the affected creature must repeat the save every round, whether it succeeds or fails. If a creature has spell resistance, the spell must overcome it to deal damage.

Any undead creature within the darkness instead gains fast healing 1.

Ravenous darkness counters and dispels any light spell of equal or lower level.

 

HARM, GREATER

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 7, dread necromancer 7

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target: One creature

As harm, except as noted above and in that this spell deals 1d12 points of damage per caster level, to a maximum of 20d12 at 20th level.

 

PACT OF RETURN

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 7, Spite 7

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Personal

Target: You

Duration: 1 hour/level

This spell allows you to establish the conditions whereby you will be brought back to life upon your death.

When you cast pact of return, you must state either a specific creature or a set of specific circumstances that you expect will be responsible for your death at some point within the spell’s duration. If you name a creature, that creature does not have to deal the deathblow to trigger the release of the spell, but it must play an active part in your demise. If you name a set of circumstances, those circumstances must be reasonably specific or the spell will fail, leaving you well and truly dead.

An acceptable set of circumstances would be, “I expect energy draining to play a pivotal role in my demise,” whereas an unacceptable set would be, “I expect to die from loss of hit points.” The DM decides whether the terms are acceptable.

Whether the subject of your demise is a specific person or a specific source, you must die (that is, reach –10 hit points or lower) for the spell to take effect. If you do, and the circumstances of your demise are similar enough to those described when you cast the spell (DM’s discretion), you are instantly resurrected (see page 272 of the Player’s Handbook) with no level loss.

You can have more than one pact of return active at the same time, each one to be triggered by a different foe or set of circumstances, but you must keep track of the total time that has elapsed for each. A pact of return that has not yet taken effect is still a magical effect (and a powerful necromantic one, at that), which can be dispelled by one who detects its presence.

 

SPARK OF LIFE

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 7, druid 8

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Targets: Undead creature touched

Duration: 1 round/level

Saving Throw: Will negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

A touch from your hand limns an undead creature in a faint yellow glow, making it vulnerable to many of the dangers that can harm living creatures. For the duration of the spell, the undead creature is subject to extra damage from critical hits (and thus sneak attacks), nonlethal damage, ability drain, energy drain, fatigue, exhaustion, and damage to its physical ability scores (though it still lacks a Constitution score and thus can’t take Constitution damage) as if it were alive.

It loses its immunity to effects that require a Fortitude save, as well as its invulnerability to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects. However, an undead affected by this spell gains a bonus on its Fortitude saves equal to its Charisma bonus (if any). (The bonus doesn’t apply to Fortitude saves against effects that also affect objects.) It must breathe, eat, and sleep just like a normal creature (though the last two aren’t likely to come into play thanks to the spell’s short duration).

While it is under the effect of this spell, both negative energy (such as inflict spells) and positive energy (such as cure spells) heal damage to the undead creature, rather than damaging it.

An undead creature affected by this spell retains all other traits.

 

LEECH UNDEATH

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 7, sorcerer/wizard 8

Components: V, S, M/DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target: One undead creature

Saving Throw: Will half

Duration: Instantaneous; see text

Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell drains away a portion of the negative energy that keeps an undead creature animated, transferring it to you in the form of temporary healing. The spell deals 5 points of damage per caster level (maximum 100 points). At the same time, you gain temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt, up to a maximum equal to the current hit points of the target. For example, a 13th-level cleric would normally deal 65 points of damage to an undead creature.

However, if that creature had only 48 hit points remaining, the caster would gain only 48 hit points (even as the target was destroyed). These temporary hit points last for 1 hour.

A successful Will save halves the damage dealt and the hit points gained.

This spell is often cast on willing undead to aid their living masters. Non-intelligent undead cannot be commanded to voluntarily fail their saves or lower any spell resistance, but intelligent undead can be.

Arcane Material Component: A handful of dead cockroaches.

 

Last Judgment

Necromancy [Death, Good]

Level: Cleric 8, sorcerer/wizard 8, Wrath 8

Components: V, Celestial

Casting Time: 1 round

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target: One evil humanoid, monstrous

humanoid, or giant/2 levels

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Will partial

Spell Resistance: Yes

Reciting a list of the targets’ evil deeds, you call down the judgment of the heavens upon their heads. Creatures that fail their saving throw are struck dead and bodily transported to the appropriate Lower Plane to suffer their eternal punishment.

Creatures that succeed nevertheless take 3d6 points of temporary Wisdom damage as guilt for their misdeeds overwhelms their minds. This spell affects only humanoids, monstrous humanoids, and giants of evil alignment.

A true resurrection or miracle spell can restore life to a creature slain by this spell normally. A resurrection spell works only if the creature’s body can be recovered from the Lower Planes before the resurrection is cast.

 

General of Undeath

Necromancy

Level: Clr 8

Components: V, S, DF

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Personal

Target: You

Duration: 1 day/level

You increase the number of Hit Dice of undead that you can control. Add your caster level × 10 to your Hit Dice limit for controlling undead. When the duration expires, you lose control of the extra undead as if you had voluntarily relinquished control of them.

 

DEATH WARD, MASS

Necromancy

Level: Cleric 8, druid 9

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Targets: One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart

This spell functions like death ward, except as noted above.