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A Dozen Necromantic Spells

A Dozen

Necromantic Spells

by Philip Reed

Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons ®

Player’s Handbook

As is no surprise, the necromancer is one of

my favorite villains. Charged with power over the

undead, necromancers are an excellent opponent

for heroic adventurers, the vile spellcasters taking

advantage of negative energy to create an army,

enslave opponents, and inflict terrible, horrific

pain. No matter the campaign setting, a necro-

mancer proves valuable whenever the DM feels

the need to subject his players to the horrors of

death.

A Dozen Necromantic Spells presents (more

than) twelve spells a DM can use to augment the

arsenal of spells an NPC necromancer has at his

disposal. From low level spells that transform a

target’s skin into the flesh of the dead to higher

level spells that instantly crucify an unlucky tar-

get, the spells in this PDF are primarily written to

evoke atmosphere. While a DM may open these

spells to use by player character spellcasters, it is

my opinion that these spells are best suited for

use by NPC villains. Perhaps, after they have

defeated a necromancer and stolen his spellbook,

the PCs can gain access to some of these spells

but I feel that the spells will retain their sense of

magic longer if they never enter the listing of

spells available to player characters.

nothing to your campaign it does give other pub-

lishers permission to use this material as long as

they follow the open game license (see the end of

this PDF).

A BOUT THE A UTHOR

Philip Reed has been working professionally

in the roleplaying game industry since 1995. In

that time he has worked for such companies as

West End Games, Privateer Press, and Steve

Jackson Games. Today Philip spends his days at

home running Ronin Arts, writing and designing

new games, and reading whatever books interest

him at the time. To learn more about Philip Reed

– and Ronin Arts – please visit

www.philipjreed.com and www.roninarts.com .

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O PEN G AME

C ONTENT

All of the text of this PDF is presented as

open game content. While this means absolutely

For more PDFs please visit and www.roninarts.com.

tent. You may not distribute this PDF without permission of the author. Dungeons & Dragons® and Wizards of the

Coast® are Registered Trademarks of Wizards of the Coast and are used with permission.

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A Dozen Necromantic Spells

The Spells

A GONIZING

C ONFRONTATION

Necromancy [Evil, Fear, Mind-Affecting]

Level: Sor/Wiz 5

Components: V

Casting Time: 1 standard action

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

Target: One creature

Duration: 1 round/level

Saving Throw: Will half, see text

Spell Resistance: Ye s

C ORPSE S TORM

Necromancy [Evil]

Level: Clr 8, Sor/Wiz 7

Components: V, S, DF/M

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)

Area: 100 ft. radius spread

Duration: 1 minute/level (D)

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

The affected area is bombarded by a rain of

corpses – four corpses per level of the caster –

that spin and swirl in the air, carried by a black

cloud of negative energy. Characters and crea-

tures within the affected area are panicked for as

long as the spell persists and suffer 3d6 points of

bludgeoning damage each round as they are

knocked around by the mass of corpses. All pan-

icked characters and creatures in the affected area

are treated as cornered (by the flying bodies) and

may only use the total defense action until the

spell ends.

When the spell expires the corpses drop to

the ground, breaking into numerous bloody, bro-

ken bits. The entire affected area, and all adjacent

squares, is treated as difficult terrain as anyone

entering the area must move through the scattered

body parts.

Material Component: The head of a good-

aligned cleric.

XP Cost: 500 XP.

This spell rips the target’s spirit from his

body, splitting the target into a living, corporeal

creature and an incorporeal ghost. For the spell’s

duration the target’s spirit hangs over his body,

taunting him. The targeted creature suffers 2d4

points of Wisdom damage (half damage on a suc-

cessful Will save) and remains shaken for the

spell’s duration (no save is allowed to resist this

effect).

The spirit cannot be targeted or affected by

any means, magical or mundane.

C ORPSE F LESH

Necromancy [Evil]

Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 1

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Creature touched

Duration: 1 minute/level (D)

Saving Throw: Will negates

Spell Resistance: Ye s

C RUCIFY F OE

Necromancy [Evil]

Level: Clr 6

Components: V, S, DF/M

Casting Time: 1 standard action

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

Target: One creature

Duration: 1 round/level (D)

Saving Throw: Reflex negates

Spell Resistance: Ye s

This spell transforms the targeted creature’s

skin into dead flesh, the skin withering and dying

within a split second and inflicting 2d4 points of

Charisma damage. Once the spell ends the tar-

get’s flesh reverts to live flesh but remains

scarred, the scars slowly healing (as the Charisma

damage is healed).

The ground erupts beneath the feet of the

chosen target as a mass of bony arms shoot up

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A Dozen Necromantic Spells

from the earth, grasping at the target. If the tar-

get fails a Reflex save the bones grab him and

lift him into the air, gripping him tight as the

skeletal monstrosity instantly takes the shape of

a crucifix. The crucifix holds the target helpless,

draining the life from his body by inflicting 1d2

points of Constitution drain each round. At the

spell’s expiration the target drops to the ground,

prone and exhausted.

Material Component: A rusted nail extract-

ed from a crucifix.

Once the spell ends the subject is fatigued

and suffers a number of points of Constitution

drain equal to one-half the caster’s level.

If the spell’s subject makes a successful Will

save when the spell is first cast the duration is

reduced to half.

This spell may only be canceled by break

enchantment or remove curse.

F EIGN D EATH

Necromancy

Level: Clr 3, Drd 3, Sor/Wiz 3

Components: V, S, DF/M

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Creature touched

Duration: 10 min./level (D)

Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)

Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

C RUCIFY F OE , M ASS

Necromancy [Evil]

Level: Clr 9

Target: One creature/level, no two of which

can be more than 30 ft. apart

This spell functions like crucify foe , except

that it affects multiple creatures.

Feign death allows you or a single creature

you touch to fall into a cataleptic state that

resembles death. While in this state, the subject

can hear, smell, and taste, but cannot feel or see.

The subject need not eat, breathe, or drink while

affected by this spell.

Any damage suffered while in this state is

halved. Additionally, the subject is immune to

paralyzing and mind-affecting effects, energy

drain, and poison (so long as initial and second-

ary damage both occur while the subject is

affected by feign death ; if secondary damage

occurs after the spell has ended, the subject is

affected by the poison normally).

Material Component:

D EATH ’ S L INGERING

S HADOW

Necromancy [Evil]

Level: Clr 6, Sor/Wiz 5

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

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

Target: One creature

Duration: 1 hour/level (D)

Saving Throw: Will partial, see text

Spell Resistance: Ye s

This spell binds a cloud of dark, negative

energy to the targeted creature, the cloud follow-

ing him for as long as the spell persists. For the

spell’s duration the target brings pain and suffer-

ing to wherever he goes. All characters and crea-

tures within a number of feet of the target equal

to 5 times the caster’s level suffer 1 point of

Constitution damage each minute that they

remain within the target’s proximity.

Additionally, any hit point damage dealt to char-

acters or creatures within the affected area,

including the target of the spell, is doubled for

the spell’s duration.

The finger of a

corpse.

F EIGN D EATH , M ASS

Necromancy

Level: Clr 6, Drd 7, Sor/Wiz 6

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 feign death , except

that if affects multiple creatures.

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A Dozen Necromantic Spells

F USE S KELETAL

R EMAINS

Necromancy

Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 3

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

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

Target: One creature

Duration: 2 minutes/level (D)

Saving Throw: Will negates

Spell Resistance: Ye s

you, moving in as direct a path as possible. The

instant a corpse enters a square adjacent to your

position – or the spell ends – the corpse drops to

the ground and remains there, still dead.

G HOSTLY O VERRUN

Necromancy

Level: Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 2

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: 30 ft.

Area: Cone-shaped burst

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

You summon skeletal remains from beneath

the ground, hundreds of bones shooting forth

from the dark soil and flying toward your chosen

target where they pierce his body, fusing directly

to his skeleton. Instantaneously the spell’s target

is transformed, encased in a shell of skeletal frag-

ments that increase his size category by one step,

provides him with a thick, bony shell of armor

that grants the target with DR one-half caster

level (round down)/–, and provides the target

with a +2 size bonus to Strength. Once the spell

expires the subject is fatigued and suffers 1 point

of damage for each minute that the subject was

affected by the spell.

For the duration of this spell the target’s type

changes to undead.

A cone of black, negative energy flies forth

from your hands, instantly transforming into a

dark cloud of incorporeal warriors that charge all

characters and creatures within the affected area.

These ghostly warriors attempt unavoidable

overrun attacks on all affected characters and

creatures, each attempt made as if the caster were

physically there, making the overrun attempt

himself, plus the benefit of the Improved Overrun

feat.

If the ghostly warriors are successful in their

overrun attempt, knocking an opponent prone,

they fade into nothingness just a few feet beyond

their target’s prone form. For each overrun

attempt that fails, the ghostly warriors rebound

back and slam into the caster, dealing 1d6 points

of nonlethal damage as the caster’s body absorbs

the ghostly energy.

G ATHER C ORPSES

Necromancy

Level: Clr 1, Sor/Wiz 1

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

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

Target: One corpse/level

Duration: 1 minute/level

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

N ECROMANCER ’ S

T OUCH

Necromancy

Level: Clr 7, Sor/Wiz 8

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Creature touched

Duration: 1 minute/2 levels

Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)

Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

This spell calls out to the dead, causing one

corpse per caster level that is within range to lev-

itate into the air on a cloud of negative energy.

These corpses move toward your position at the

rate of 5 ft./round, each one dropping into a

square adjacent to you as soon as they reach you.

As long as a corpse does not enter a square adja-

cent to your position it will continue to follow

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A Dozen Necromantic Spells

S PECTRAL S YMBIOSIS

Necromancy

Level: Clr 6, Sor/Wiz 5

Components: V, S, DF/F

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Creature touched

Duration: 1 minute/level

Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)

Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

You bestow upon the creature touched the

ability to animate dead , as per the spell for a

number of times equal to your caster level, for the

spell’s duration. When the spell expires any

skeletons or zombies created by the targeted crea-

ture immediately fall under your control, the limit

of undead that you may control increasing by 4

HD per level of the creature targeted by the effect

of necromancer’s touch . Undead created by the

target of necromancer’s touch crumble to dust 24-

hours after their creation, at which point the total

number of HD of undead that you may control

reverts to normal.

Material Component: The hand of a slain

necromancer.

This spell binds a spiritual force to the target-

ed character or creature for the spell’s duration,

during which time the subject appears as a terri-

ble, spirit-like version of himself (though the sub-

ject does not become an incorporeal creature).

The targeted character or creature gains a +2

inherent bonus to any three abilities (target’s

choice) and possesses a fear aura that affects all

characters and creatures that come within 30 ft. of

the subject. Those that enter the fear aura’s area

of effect must make a successful Will save (DC

10 plus the caster’s level) or be affected as though

by the fear spell from a sorcerer of the caster’s

level.

Arcane Focus: A handful of dirt from a grave.

R EALIGN THE

H EAVENS

Necromancy [Evil, Fear, Mind-Affecting]

Level: Clr 9, Sor/Wiz 9

Components: V, S, XP

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: See text

Target: See text

Duration: 1 minute/level

Saving Throw: Will partial, see text

Spell Resistance: Ye s

Special thanks to Mark Gedak for assistance

in proofing and balancing these spells.

During the dark of night, by stretching your

hands to the sky and releasing this powerful spell

into the heavens, you tap into the plane of nega-

tive energy, releasing a vast cloud of death that

grabs the very stars and the moon and shifts their

positions. All who look up into the heavens for

the duration of this spell are immediately affect-

ed as if you had cast fear on them. Additionally,

evil gains the upper hand for as long as this spell

persists – all evil-aligned characters and creatures

beneath the affected sky gaining a +4 profane

bonus to attack and damage rolls while all good-

aligned characters and creatures suffer a –6

penalty on all saves, and attack and damage rolls.

XP Cost: 1,000 XP.

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