Magical Bubbles of Undersea
by WingofCoot from Threshold Magazine issue 31Created by underwater spellcasters, a magical bubble is similar to a potion: a one-use item which contains a magical substance that has an (usually temporary) effect on a living creature. Many types also share effects with potions.
However, unlike potions, magical bubbles affect a number of characters/creatures at once, as they produce an area effect.
A magical bubble looks like a soap bubble 1' in diameter; however, its filmy surface is unexpectedly strong. Though it is easily punctured by a sharp weapon or tool (no roll is required), it will not burst during ordinary handling. When punctured, a magical bubble bursts, and its effect applies to all characters/creatures within 30 feet.
A magical bubble only works properly in water, but it can survive outside of water and can be transported. If punctured outside of water, however, only characters/creatures touching the bubble at the time it bursts are affected.
Each bubble's description has both BECMI and 5E stats.
Bubble of Healing
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, everyone in the area regains 1d8 hit points.
5E: Bubble, uncommon. This bubble is red-hued.
When this bubble bursts, everyone in the area regains 2d4+2 hit points.
Image: Bubble http://pandius.com/Scene100.png
Caption: "No Gilber you goon, it's a bubble of diminution!". Original digital composition by Senarch
Bubble of Diminution
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, everyone in the area is affected as by a potion of diminution for 1 hour. Characters/creatures who wish to resist the effect can make a Saving Throw vs. Spells to be unaffected.
5E: Bubble, rare. This bubble shows rings of light constantly contracting towards its center. Creatures who wish to resist the effect can make a DC 15 Constitution save to negate the effect.
Bubble of Growth
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, everyone in the area is affected as by a potion of growth for 1 hour. Characters/creatures who wish to resist the effect can make a Saving Throw vs. Spells to be unaffected.
5E: Bubble, rare. This bubble shows rings of light constantly expanding outwards from its center.
Creatures who wish to resist the effect can make a DC 15 Constitution save to negate the effect.
History/Purpose: Bubbles of growth and diminution were developed by undersea spellcasters to simplify interactions between sea giants and the other societies of Undersea. A bubble of diminution allows a group of sea giants to enter a structure built for smaller beings, while a bubble of growth makes it much easier for smaller beings to traverse a structure built for giants.
Bubble of Air Breathing
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, everyone in the area gains the ability to breathe air for 8 hours. This is otherwise as a water breathing spell.
5E: Bubble, rare. This bubble is filled with a faintly visible blue-white gas.
Bubble of Water Breathing
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, everyone in the area receives the effect of water breathing for 8 hours.
5E: Bubble, rare. This bubble is a deep blue-green.
Bubble of Freedom
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, all creatures in the area gain a +4 bonus on Saving Throws against charm or hold spells or monster abilities with similar effects (such as a ghoul or gelatinous cube's paralysis, a harpy's song, or a kopru's charm). Any characters currently charmed, paralyzed, or held can make a new Saving Throw to end the effect. The effect lasts 1 hour.
5E: Bubble, rare. This bubble glows with a faint pearly light.
When this bubble bursts, for 1 hour, all creatures in the area gain advantage on saves against effects that would impose the charmed or paralyzed condition. Any characters currently charmed or paralyzed can make a new saving throw to end the effect.
History: These bubbles were once far more common. They were developed by the free spellcasters of Undersea thousands of years ago during the heyday of the Kopru Dominarchy as a defense against kopru. When the kopru fell from power and became a dwindling nearly-extinct species, the need for these bubbles greatly diminished.
Today, these bubbles are mostly used for protection against a few paralyzing monsters.
Bubble of Shock Resistance
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, all creatures in the area become immune to normal electrical attacks (such as an electric eel's attack). Against magical lightning (lightning bolt spell, blue dragon, etc.) affected creatures gain +2 on Saving Throws and subtract 1 from each die of damage. The effect lasts 1 hour.
5E: Bubble, rare. This bubble is filled with a pale violet mist.
When this bubble bursts, all creatures in the area gain lightning resistance for 1 hour.
Bubble of Antidote
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, all creatures in the area are affected as by a potion of antidote for 1 hour. These bubbles may be of varying strength, as per the potion's description.
5E: Bubble, rare. This bubble is filled with a pale green mist.
When this bubble bursts, all creatures in the area gain poison resistance for 1 hour.
Bubble of Shock
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, everyone in the area suffers 6d6 damage from a burst of lightning (Saving Throw vs. Spells halves the damage).
5E: Bubble, very rare. This bubble flickers with electric sparks within its filmy surface.
When this bubble bursts, everyone in the area must make a DC 15 Dexterity save, taking 8d6 (28) lightning damage on a failed save, or half that much damage on a successful one.
Bubble of Poison
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, every creature within 30 feet must make a Saving Throw vs. Poison. Creatures with 6 HD/levels or less which fail the save die; those with 7 HD/levels or more take 6d6 damage. Those which succeed at the Saving Throw take no damage.
5E: Bubble, very rare. This bubble roils with deep green mist.
When this bubble bursts, everyone in the area must make a DC 15 Constitution save, taking 8d6 (28) poison damage on a failed save.
History: This dangerous item was created by the Taymoran lich Erishum, who survived the sinking of Taymora with his well-protected arcane laboratories and rebuilt his undead forces underwater from the innumerable drowned dead of the cataclysm. Though eventually slain by early Alphatian adventurers, Erishum's research survived.
Bubbles of poison are often used by undead, who are unharmed by their effect.
Bubble of Blending
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, everyone in the area gains the benefit of a potion of blending for 1 hour.
5E: Bubble, very rare. This bubble is filled with a faintly visible gas of constantly changing color.
When this bubble bursts, everyone in the area gains advantage on Stealth checks to hide in natural, underground, or underwater environments for 1 hour.
Bubble of ESP
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, all creatures within 30 feet gain the benefit of a potion of ESP for 1 hour.
5E: Bubble, very rare. This bubble is filled with purplish gas.
When this bubble bursts, everyone in the area gains the effect of a potion of mind reading for 1 hour.
Bubble of Trapped Air
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, a creature from the Elemental Plane of Air is released. It is not controlled by the user of the bubble. When the bubble bursts, make a reaction roll. If the result is neutral or positive, the creature disappears back to the Plane of Air; if the reaction is hostile, the creature attacks immediately.
Roll 1d20 to determine what is released:
1–8 Air elemental (12 HD)
9–14 Invisible stalker
15–20 Djinni (lesser)—if the reaction roll is an unmodified 12, the djinni will perform one brief service (no more than one day) for the character who punctured the bubble
5E: Bubble, very rare. This bubble appears to be filled with transparent air.
The air elemental or djinni that may be released from this bubble is a normal creature of that type. When the bubble bursts, the character who punctured it must make a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) check. On a success, the creature departs peacefully to the Plane of Air; on a failure, the creature attacks immediately. A djinni will perform one brief service only if the reaction roll is a natural 20.
Collapsing Bubble
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, a dangerous implosion occurs that inflicts 6d6 points of damage on all creatures/characters within 30 feet (Saving Throw vs. Spells for half damage).
5E: Bubble, very rare. This bubble appears to be filled with transparent air.
When this bubble bursts, a dangerous implosion occurs. Every creature within 30 feet must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 8d6 thunder damage on a failed save, or half that much damage on a successful one.
Force Field Bubble
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, an impenetrable force field appears, keeping everything inside from leaving and preventing everything outside from entering. It can't be broken by physical means, can't be crossed except by teleportation, and can't be dispelled by dispel magic. A disintegrate spell will destroy it, however. The force field vanishes after 1 minute.
5E: Bubble, very rare. This bubble appears transparent, but shimmers frequently.
When this bubble bursts, it creates a 30-foot-radius spherical forcecage, otherwise as the solid box version of that spell. It lasts only 1 minute, however.
Bubble of Adaptation
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, every creature in the area gains the ability to survive without breathing. In addition, creatures gain a land speed and a swimming speed of 120' (40'), the ability to fly at 120' (40'), and the ability to burrow through earth, sand, gravel, etc.—though not solid rock/bedrock—at a speed of 60' (20'), unless their existing speed is higher. The effect lasts 24 hours.
5E: Bubble, very rare. This bubble shimmers with many colors.
When this bubble bursts, all creatures in the area gain the ability to survive without breathing and a land speed of 30 ft, swim speed of 30 ft, fly speed of 30 ft, and burrow speed of 15 ft—unless their existing speed is higher. The effect lasts 24 hours.
Notes: These items are used by underwater adventurers to travel in land or underground environments.
Bubble of the Water's Heart
BECMI: When this bubble bursts, a 30'-radius vortex connecting to a wormhole leading to the Elemental Plane of Water appears centered on the bubble's location. Characters/monsters in the area that want to avoid traveling to the Elemental Plane must make a Saving Throw vs. Spells to escape while the vortex is forming. The vortex is permanent and forms a permanent gate unless closed by a wish; dispel magic closes it for 1d4 rounds.
5E: Bubble, legendary. This bubble is deep blue.
Creatures in the area when the portal forms may make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw to avoid traveling to the Plane of Water.
Variants: Other bubbles of this sort may open gates to watery Outer Planes ruled by Immortals of the Sphere of Time. The only examples of this sort known in legend are linked to Protius's Home Plane, and are said to be the first ever created.
History: A legendary creation, few have ever been seen. They are said to be the first magical bubbles ever made, their prototypes given by the Immortal Protius to mortals in the days when the Kopru Dominarchy first grew strong.
Random Bubble Table (d%)
01–15: Bubble of Healing
16–25: Bubble of Diminution
26–35: Bubble of Growth
36–45: Bubble of Air Breathing
46–55: Bubble of Water Breathing
56–65: Bubble of Freedom
66–70: Bubble of Shock Resistance
71–74: Bubble of Antidote
75–78: Bubble of Shock
79–82: Bubble of Poison
83–86: Bubble of Blending
87–90: Bubble of ESP
91–93: Bubble of Trapped Air
94–96: Collapsing Bubble
97–98: Force Field Bubble
99–00: Bubble of Adaptation
Note that Bubbles of the Water's Heart will not be found randomly.
Background
In my campaign where these originated, my original idea was for a version of a potion of water breathing that would affect a whole party of characters (to be given to the PCs by an underwater ally). This struck me as something the game was missing, as one-person-each water breathing items or spells make underwater adventures awkward. The concept built from there, and the PCs visited a storm giant wizard that was experimenting with magical bubble formulas.