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Elemental Earth spells

by Giampaolo Agosta

Looking at the existing spells, both from official sources (Player's Handbook and Tome of Magic) and from the list, I noticed a serious lack of low-level spells for the elemental Earth school. So here (attached file) are five spells, form first to fifth level. The last four are meant as basic earth spells taught by the Great School of Magic. The first, being of the fifth level, is more fit for higher level elementalists.

Elemental Earth Spells

Innocenti's Stony Tentacles
(Alteration / Elem. Earth)

Level: 5
Components: V, S, M
Range: 5m/level
CT. 4
Duration: 1r/level
Save: Special
Area of Effect: one creature/level

This variation of Maximiliano's Stony Grasp is used mainly for defence (against assassination attempts, in Innocenti's case) . It must be cast on stony ground, and affects one creature per level of the caster. Each creature is attacked by a stone tentacle which works as the hand in the Stony Grasp spell* except that it is stronger but not as resistant to damage. It delivers to the victim 1-4 points of damage each round, but it has only as many hit points as the caster's maximum, up to 20, and has AC 3. Material component is a clay figurine of an octopus, which is destroyed during the casting.

*Creature grasped have movement rate 0, -2 to AC and attacks, and lose any Dex bonus. If a save vs spells is rolled, the creature avoid being grasped, and the hand disappears (it will as a 5% per level of the caster chance of reappearing each round).

Animate Gargoyle
(Alteration / Elem. Earth)

Level: 4
Components: V, S, M
Range: Touch
CT. 1 round
Duration: 1r/level
Save: None
Area of Effect: 1 statue

Animates a gargoyle that fights for the caster. The gargoyle is similar to the standard monster, save that it can be damaged by normal B-type weapons for full damage, and by normal, medium size or larger slashing weapons for half damage. At the end of the spell duration, the gargoyle returns to its original nature (a non-magical statue), though any damage suffered is reflected by the shape of the statue. If killed, it crumbles into a pile of dust. This spell is necessary for the creation of gargoyles. The material component is a gargoyle statue.

Magma Bolt
(Evocation / Elem. Earth)

Level: 3
Components: V, S, M
Range: 10m +5m/lvl
CT. 3
Duration: 3 rounds
Save: Half damage
Area of Effect: 1 creature

This spell opens a small gate to the plane of magma. A large drop of magma enters the prime material and flies toward the target, coating him with burning lava. This causes 2d12 points of damage, plus 1d6 on the next two rounds, unless the target makes a save vs spell, in which case he suffers only 1d12 damage. The magma also acts as a dispersion attack, causing 1d6+1 damage to creatures hit (on a 5' radius). Material component is quartz gem, which is consumed during the casting.

Petrification
(Enchantment / Elem Earth)

Level: 2
Components: V, S, M
Range: 120m
CT: 2
Duration: 2r + 1r/level
Save: Neg
Area of effect: 1 creature/four levels

Covers the target(s) with a sheet of stone that effectively prevent movement, combat and spellcasting. The effect can be avoided with a successful save vs petrification or, if the save failed, with a successful bend bars roll (one attempt on each subsequent round). The sheet is 2 cm thick, and the imprisoned creature is protected by attacks from outside the shell, need not air to survive, and have all metabolic and body functions halted, except thinking. No other damage is inflicted upon the victims, but the shell takes a full round to form, so the victims have the time to realise what is happening, and may be quite scared if they don't know the real effect (they will probably think they're going to be permanently transmuted into stone). Material component is a piece of gargoyle skin.

Mineral Shards
(Evocation / Elem. Earth)

Level: 1
Components: V, S, M
Range: 30m
CT. 3
Duration: 3r + 1r/level
Save: None
Area of Effect: 3m2/level

This spell creates mineral shards on the floor and walls in the affected area. The effect is similar to the environmental conditions on the quasiplane of Minerals. Any creature trapped in the area suffers 1d4 points of damage each round. Each point of magical AC reduces damage by 1 point, down to a minimum of 1 point. On the second and subsequent rounds, creatures caught in the area may reduce the damage by half, if they move only at 1/4 of their movement. Material component is a caltrop.