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Missile of Slaying

by Mike Novy

9th Level Wizard Spell
Invocation/Evocation
Range: 10 Yards/level
Components: V, S
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 9
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Saving Throw: Neg./Special

In essence, this spell functions similar to the magical item arrow of slaying. The caster causes a magical arrow to project from in front of him to the target as if fired from the bow of a fighter of the same level as the wizard. There are no modifiers for range, non-proficiency, or specialisation used, and the arrow has no attack bonus. If the caster successfully hits the target, target is slain or killed if he/she/it fails a saving throw vs. spell. The saving throw for this spell is modified by the level of the caster and the level of the target (for monsters use hit dice instead). For every three levels, rounding down, the caster is over the target (and vice versa), the saving throw is modified by a -1. For example, if the wizard is 19th level and the target is 5th level, then the modifier would be -4. But if the target were a creature with 22 hit dice and the caster were the same, then the modifier would actually be a +1.

The wizard must know the exact nature of the target cast upon, i.e. caster must know class for a PC or NPC or creature name for a monster. For example, if this spell is cast at a fighter, then the wizard must know that this character, regardless of race, is a fighter, or if cast at a beholder, caster must basically know that it is a beholder (DM may require caster to know about the creature as well). DM should limit what creatures that can be affected by this spell according to their individual liking.

Note, if this spell is used for OD&D, then use this according to OD&D rules, such as if a missile of slaying were cast at an elf, the wizard would just have to know that the target were and elf, but if the target was actually a shadow elf, then caster would have to know that for the spell to function.